Weighing and Package Filling Machine.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Weighing and Package Filling Machine.
We, WILLIAM HENRY DOBLE of 33 Canal Street, City of Quincy and
GEORGE WESTON WATSON of 63 Westville Street Dorchester, City of Boston
Machinist both in the County of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, United
States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to that class of weighing and package filling machines in
which the flow of goods into the package is controlled by a gate which is moved
automatically to cut off the flow when a package is filled, and which is opened
again when an empty package is brought into place to receive the goods. The
invention consists in substituting a piston and cylinder for the solenoid, and piston
valves for electrical contact devices, and an air pump for the electric battery shown
and described in another application filed by us and numbered 5398 dated
10th March 1896 as the means of operating the gate.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the scales.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the auxiliary beam and of the gate closing piston valve
partly in section, with the valve closed.
Fig. 5 is a side view of the same parts as Fig. 4 with the valve open.
Fig. 6 is an end view partly in section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the piston valve and connecting pipes partly in section
on line 77 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 8 is a detail section through the spring push pin.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a portion of the table and scale pan and rings and
adjacent parts in detail showing their position when a can has just reached the
scale and before the gate is opened.
Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is an end view of Fig. 9.
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 9 immediately after the gate is
opened. Fig. 13 is an end view of the same.
Fig. 14 is a side view of the gate-opening piston valve and lifting lever, when
the valve is closed.
Fig. 15 is a plan view of a part of the machine showing the locking mechanism
for locking the package-carrying ring to the revolving gear, when the package
ring is locked to the gear ring.
Fig. 16 is a side view of the locking mechanism and section through the ring and
gear showing one of the locking pins unlocked. The rings are supposed to be
locked however by the other pin which is partly broken away.
Fig. 17 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 15 when the rings are
unlocked.
Fig. 18 is an end view.
Fig. 19 is a detail plan of the hooked lever freeing the spring plug connected
with the locking mechanism just after a can is filled.
Fio 20 is a side view of the mechanism now..

page_text: Fig. 21 is a diagram, showing the piston cylinders and valves and pipe
connections.
GG are two piston cylinders within which respectively, the pistons G³, G³ work.
The stems 9, 9, of the two pistons are united by a union or are on one common
stem on which is a boss g', from which projects the arm g, connected with the gate-
moving mechanism as will be described hereinafter. The forward piston G³ is
connected with the gate g which controls the outlet of the hopper H by a rod
which passes through the cylinder head, the piston being reciprocated to open and
close the gate by means of fluid pressure admitted alternately to the cylinders
from the reservoir through connecting pipes and valves M and F' at the proper
times for feeding and stopping the flow of goods. H' is the frame. A link h, is
pivoted at one end to the boss g' and at its other end it is pivoted to the lever
which is fulcrumed in the bracket A2, attached to the frame. The lever A', has
forked ends, which have pins sliding in a groove in clutch . This clutch is
keyed to the driving shaft &, upon which it is free to move laterally and is adapted
to engage with a clutch h, on the hub of the piniou wheel, mounted on the main
driving shaft. Pinion wheel A', engages with the two pinion wheels 48, k³, which
drive the revolving combs 10, 11, which serve as feeders and break up the lumps.
When the gate is closed as in Figs. 1 and 2 the clutches are disengaged and the
combs are not in motion. I is a stationary circular table on which the cans are
placed in front of the hooked fingers I as fast as the full cans are removed.
J is a fixed inside ring which supports the ring I. The gear ring, Kis
supported on ball bearings in the finger ring L and is geared to the main driving
shaft and revolves constantly while the power is applied. The ring L which
earries the package feeding fingers Pis revolved intermittently to bring the empty
cans to the scale pan as fast as the full ones are removed. For convenience of
distinction from the other rings, the ring L is called the finger ring. The main
scale beam A is pivoted on the knife edge pivots a, un the post B. On the
forward end of the arms A¹ is pivoted the cross bar b of the forked frame D which
supports the scale pan D. The frame D is hinged at its lower end to the arm d
which is pivoted in a slot in the adjustable screw d'. The rear arm of the scale
beam A has its up and down stroke limited by the adjustable set screw stops d
An auxiliary scale beam E is hinged at the rear end in the upper end of standard E
and the block e on the forward end rests on the block d on the rear end of the
main scale beam. The auxiliary beam has on one side a ratchet piece 2 with
which the upper end of angle bar lever c, e, engages. This angle bar is pivoted on
the fixed shaft 2. At the forward end of the horizontal arm c¹ of the angle bar is
pivoted the link connected with the piston F of piston valve F which will be
referred to as the gate-closing valve. A pipe y leads from an air pamp or
reservoir Z into the piston valve cylinder / between the two heads of the piston F,
and a pipe y' leads from the piston valve cylinder to the piston cylinder G. See
Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 21. A pipe e connects the air pump with the piston valve M
which will be hereinafter referred to as the gate-opening valve from which a
pipe a leads to the forward piston cylinder G. When the valve F is open and
the valve M is closed the compressed air will rush into cylinder G and drive the
piston rod toward the left, and when valve is closed and valve M is opened the
compressed air in cylinder G' will find vent to the open air through pipe y' aud
the open end of piston valve cylinder, while compressed air will rush into
cylinder G and drive the piston rod toward the right. A torsion spring of around
shaft c (see Fig. 6), tends to keep the piston F down, as in Fig. 5, making an open
passage from the air pump to the cylinder G. A bent lever g connected with
piston rod g is pivoted at 'n and carries at its lower end a spring seated pin g.
When the piston rod is driven to the left, the bent lever g' is turned on its
pivot and the push pin y bears against the stud e which projects from the upright
arm on the other end of shaft c² from the arm c, thereby rocking shaft and
tipping up the angle bar e, e. This lifts the piston F and closes the passage to
cylinder G. The ratchet e on the auxiliary beam E will then engage the angle

page_text: bar to hold the piston in its elevated position until released by the tipping of the
seale beam. The piston valve F is in this closed position as well as the valve M
when an empty can first reaches the scale pan, and the gate g is also closed.
Referring now especially to Figs. 9-13, i, are guides hetween which the
empty can is carried just before it reaches the scale pan. The inner guide i is
fixed to the table, and the outer guide is pivoted at the entrance end on the
pivot which also serves as a pivot for the lever immediately beneath the
guide. Fixed to one side of the guide near its exit end is a pin which
projects through a slot in an ear; upon the lever, and around the pin is a
spring. Normally the exit end is narrower than the entrance, and the can in
passing through spreads the outer guide 2, compressing spring it and spreading out
lever. A stud on the exit end of lever i projects down through a slot j'in
the table 1, and to this stud is pivoted the bent rod which is pivoted at its
other end to lever ', said lever being fast to shaft. To the upper en 1 of this
shaft is fixed the arm which in its normal position rests upon the top of cap k, in
which position it is held by the torsion spring around shaft (see Fig. 10), to
prevent cap k from rising. There is a series of package moving fingers I each of
which is held in a bracket which is fast to the lower end of shaft k³, and the
cam lever is fast to the upper end of said shaft. The shaft turns in a boss upon
the ring L and around it is a torsion spring & shown in Fig. 1. This spring is to
keep the cam end of lever k³ against the ring L until it reaches the cam track k
shortly before the can reaches the scale pan. This cam track is a curved flange
piece supported on a bent bracket k which arches over the gear ring K and is
fastened to the inner side of the stationary ring J. The lever has a beveled end
which, as the finger ring L revolves, comes in contact with the beveled lower end
of a stud which projects downward from the under side of cap k. The coil
spring around the stud (see Fig. 11) tends to hold the stud down against the
cam track. The stud moves up and down in a boss fastened to the side of the
arched bracket above the cam track P. This boss / has an 'upwardly extending
arm to the end of which is pivoted the arm which is also pivoted to the cap k
The tooth latch 3 on the under side of lever l'engages with tooth on the arm i
at a certain stage in the operation, after the arm is removed from the cap k to
prevent the spring 10 from pulling the arm back against the cap k until the
proper time arrives. The lever forms a bar to prevent the forward thrust of
the sliding rod under pressure of spring . Link is pivoted to the side of
rod 2, the pivot forming a stop for the spring . Link is also pivoted to the
upper end of angle bar lever hinged in the bracket'. This angle bar operates
the piston valve M which has pipes a, a, leading to reservoir or air pump aud to
When a can
the rear or gate opening cylinder G as already described.
approaches the scales it passes through the guides i, i, and spreads the outer
guides and lever i, thus pulling rod and lever i, turning shaft and thereby
removing arm from the top of cap & allowing the tooth on the upper side of
arm to slip past the tooth P, raising lever and stud and cap k slightly, but
not sufficiently to allow the rod to be thrust forward. The spring around
stud immediately pulls it down again and the two teeth engage with each other
and prevent the arm i from being pulled back by its spring . This is the
position shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. As the can moves forward the cam lever k
pushes up the cam stud k and lifts the lever from the front of the rod 1,
allowing the latter to be thrust forward by the spring . At the same time, the
teeth and are released from engagement with each other, and arm i is drawn
part way back, but as the cap k is now raised the arm will bear against the side
of the cap as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 instead of resting on top. As the rod 12
shoots forward it carries link which rocks the angle-bar forward on its pivot
and the piston of gate-opening valve M is pushed down, opening the passage from
the supply pipe to the cylinder G admitting the compressed air which forces out
the piston G2 and opens the gate. The can is now on the scale pan to receive the
flow of goods.

page_text: The shaft m is rigidly attached to the arm 98 projecting from the boss g hetween
the cylinders G G. The spring seated push-pin m' is held in a barrel m² fixed to
the side of the shaft m. The outward movement of the piston G2 to open the gate
carries back also the sliding shaft m, and the pin m³ pushes against studs on the
end of link 1, tipping up the angle bar and lifting the piston of valve M and
closing the passage from tube x to tube x' and allowing cylinder G to vent into the
outside air through the tube a¹ and open end of the piston valve cylinder M.
This balances the pressure on piston G' and both piston valves M and F are
closed. The backward movement of shaft m also draws the rod from under the
lever, compressing spring again and allowing the spring to pull the cap k and
its stud and the arm down to their normal positions. As soon as cap k descends,
arm will be drawn back by its spring to its position of rest on top of
cap k.
As soon as the can is filled and the scale beam tips the auxiliary scale beam is
also lifted, raising its ratchet from engagement with the arm c of the angle-bar c, c,
allowing the angle bar to respond to its torsion spring and rock forward,
depressing the piston F, and connection is made between the reservoir or air pump
and gate closing cylinder G. Piston G is pushed out and the gate is closed.
The movement of the piston turns the lever g' on its pivot which causes angle
bar c c to rock back and lift piston F and shut off the connection between the
reservoir and the cylinder G. The compressed air in cylinder G vents into the
outside air through the open tube y' and cylinder f, equalizing the pressure on
piston G', leaving both valves F¹ and M closed as in Fig. 21 and as stated at the
beginning of the operation.
The finger ring L has a series of spring seated pins n', one corresponding to
each of the fingers I, and adapted to engage in holes in the gear ring K to
lock the two rings together when the gate closes. The mechanism is particularly
shown in Figs. 15-20.
While the package is being filled the rings K and L are not locked together
because the package moving ring must remain at rest and the gear ring is in
constant motion.
In Figs. 15, 16 and 20 the rings are supposed to be locked together, being locked
in Fig. 16 by the left hand one of the pins n' which is partly broken away to clearly
show the parts behind it, and the package moving ring has nearly completed its
forward movement with a can approaching the scale pan. When one of the
bosses p² holding a spring pin n' arrives against the hooked lever p, p', the gate will
have opened, drawing back shaft m and hooked cam lever from the position
shown in Fig. 15 to the position shown in Fig. 17, with the hook engaging
stud on the lever . These parts remain stationary while the can is being
filled. As soon as the can is filled and the scale beam drops, and the gate begins
to close, shaft m moves forward and the hooked cam lever pulls the levers
and away from spring plug n into the position shown in Figs. 19 and 20 allowing
the spring plug n to rise and throw the spring pin n into one of the holes in gear-
ring K and the two rings move together until the spring pin n leaves the plate P
at which time a can is on the scale and the next following spring pin has reached
the hooked stop lever p, p' which stops the motion of the package moving or finger
ring. When the spring plug n moves upward it moves the stop lever p, p, back
from the spring pin n and leaves the spring pin free to move forward on
plate P.
It is obvious that with slight changes a vacuum pump may be used in place
of compressed air, and other fluid pressure may be employed without departing
from the spirit of my invention and I claim as a part of my invention the employment
of a vacuum pump or any fluid pressure as a substitute for the compressed air
herein mentioned. It is also obvious that a single cylinder with closed ends and a
single piston may be substituted for the two cylinders G G and pistons G² G³. In
such case the pipes connecting it with the piston valves F1 and M respectively
should lead into the large cylinder on opposite sides of the piston.
ult

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In a weighing and package filling machine, the combination of a feed hopper,
a weighing scale, a gate which controls the flow of goods from the hopper, a piston
and cylinder whose piston is connected with the gate, a reservoir supply of fluid
pressure, pipes leading from the reservoir into said cylinder at opposite sides of the
piston, gate opening and gate closing valves in said pipes, and mechanism connected
with the scales whereby when a can is brought to the scale pan the gate-opening
valve is opened, admitting pressure to the gate-moving piston cylinder whereby its
piston is reciprocated to open the gate, and mechanism whereby when the scale
beam tips the gate-opening valve is closed and the gate-closing valve is opened
admitting pressure to the gate sliding cylinder on the opposite side of the
piston whereby the piston is reciprocated to close the gate, substantially as
described.
2. In a weighing and package filling machine, the combination of a feed hopper,
a weighing scale, a gate which controls the flow of goods from the hopper, a piston
and cylinder whose piston is connected with the gate, a reservoir supply of fluid
pressure, pipes leading from the reservoir into said cylinder at opposite sides of the
piston, gate opening and gate closing valves in said pipes, and mechanism connected
with the scales whereby when a can is brought to the scales the gate-opening valve
is opened admitting pressure to that portion of the piston cylinder whereby its
piston is reciprocated to open the gate, mechanisin which again closes said valve
and opens a vent from the cylinder to the outer air whereby the pressure on the
piston is equalized before the gate-closing valve is opened, mechanism which opens
the gate-closing valve when the package contains the pre-determined weight
admitting pressure to that portion of the cylinder whereby its piston is reciprocated
to close the gate, and mechanism which closes said gate-closing valve and opens
a vent from the cylinder to the outer air whereby the pressure on the piston
is equalized before the gate-opening valve is again opened, substantially as
described.
3. In a weighing and package filling machine, the combination of a feed hopper,
a weighing scale, a gate which controls the flow of goods from the hopper, a
piston and cylinder whose piston is connected with the gate, an air-pump, pipes
leading from the air-pump into said cylinder at opposite sides of the piston, gate-
opening and gate-closing valves in said pipes, and mechanism connected with the
scales whereby when a can is brought to the scale pan the gate-opening valve is
opened, opening the passage from the air-pump to one portion of the gate-moving
piston cylinder by which its piston is reciprocated to open the gate, and meclianism
whereby when the package contains the required weight the gate-opening valve is
closed and the gate-closing valve is opened making a clear passage from the air-pump
to the other portion of the gate-moving piston cylinder whereby its piston is
reciprocated to close the gate, substantially as described.
4. In a weighing and package filling machine, the combination of a feed hopper,
a weighing scale, a gate which controls the flow of goods from the hopper, a double
piston and cylinder whose pistons are connected with each other and with the gate,
an air pump, a pipe line from the air-pump to each of said cylinders, a piston valve
in each pipe line, and mechanism connected with the scales by which when a can
is brought to the scale pan the gate-opening valve is opened making the passage
open from the air-pump to one of the cylinders whereby its piston is reciprocated
to open the gate, mechanism which again closes said valve and opens a vent from
Faid cylinder to the outer air so that the pressure on the piston is equalized before
the gate-closing valve is opened, mechanism which opens the gate-closing valve
when the package contains the pre-determined weight of goods, making the passage
open from the air-pump to the other piston cylinder, whereby its piston is recipro-
cated to close the gate, and mechanism which closes said gate-closing valve and

page_text: opens a vent from the last mentioned piston cylinder to the outer air so that the
pressure on its piston is equalized before the gate-opening valve is again opened,
substantially as described.
5. In a weighing and package filling machine, the combination of a feed hopper,
a weighing scale, a gate which controls the flow of goods from the hopper, a piston
and cylinder whose piston is connected with the gate, an air-pump, pipe lines
leading from said air pump into said cylinder at opposite sides of the piston, a
gate-opening valve in one of the pipe lines and a gate-closing valve in the other
pipe line, an automatic intermittently moving package carrier, mechanism actuated
by the package carrier as it moves to the scales which opens the valve in the
gate-opening line admitting pressure to the piston cylinder and causing the piston
to reciprocate in a direction to open the gate, intermediate mechanism operated by
the reciprocating piston which closes the valve in the gate-opening line again and
equalizes the pressure on the piston before the valve in the gate-closing line is
opened, mechanism operated by the tipping of the scales when the package is filled,
which opens the valve in the gate-closing line, admitting pressure to the piston
cylinder and causing the piston to reciprocate in the reverse direction and close
the gate, and mechanism operated by the said piston to again close the
gate-closing valve and equalize the pressure on the piston, substantially as
described.
6. In a weighing and package filling machine, the combination of a feed hopper,
a weighing scale, a gate which controls the flow of goods from the hopper, a
double piston and cylinder whose pistons are connectel with each other and with
the gate, an air-pump a pipe line from the air-pump to each of said cylinders,
a gate-opening piston valve in one pipe line, and a gate closing piston valve in the
other line, an automatic intermittently moving package carrier, mechanism actuated
by the package carrier as it moves to the scales which opens the valve in the gate-
opening line making the passage open from the air-puinp to one of the cylinders
whereby its piston is reciprocated to open the gate, mechanism operated by the
reciprocating piston which closes the valve in the gate-opening line and opens a
vent from said cylinder to the outer air whereby the pressure on the piston is
equalized before the gate-closing valve is opened, mechanism operated by the
tipping of the scales when the package is filled which opens the valve in the gate-
closing line, making the passage open from the air-pump to the other piston
cylinder whereby its piston is reciprocated in a direction to close the gate, and
mechanism operated by said piston to again close the gate-closing valve and open a
vent from the last mentioned piston cylinder to the outer air whereby the pressure
on its piston is equalized before the gate-opening valve is again opened, substantially
as described.
Dated this 10th day of March A.D. 1896.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicants.