Improvements in and connected with Weighing Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892;
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Weighing Apparatus.
I SAMUEL WASHINGTON, Machinist of Oaklands Harpurhey Manchester do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machines for weighing sugar, tea and other substances
even in small quantities. According to my invention I employ a hopper having
sloping divisions fixed at intervals upon its inner sides (as described in my previous
Specification numbered 7224 and dated April 27th 1891) to contain the sugar or
other substance to be weighed, the said hopper having for outlet an inclined spout
or shoot terminating in two separate arms or branches and leading into two
scale pans.
On the underside of the inclined spout I make an opening underneath which
opening I affix a small hopper or receiver having a spout or shoot of smaller
dimensions terminating like the larger spout in two separate arms or branches and
leading into the two scale pans. At the junction of the two arms in both the large
and small spouts are valves for directing the flow of material through one or other
of the two arms as required. The said valves being actuated through the move-
ment of the scales by means of weighted levers connected with the valves which
levers are supported whilst the scales are filling upon pins fixed in the vertical arms
which carry the scale pans, the downward movement of the scales when containing
the requisite weight of material releasing the said levers and causing their weight
to bear upon the valves and thus actuate them.
If desired the said weighted levers may be supported upon the beams of the
respective scales but are preferably supported upon pins fixed in the vertical arms
which carry the scale pans in which position they prevent oscillation of the said
arms whilst the scale pans are filling.
The scales are preferably made to carry the scale pans above the beam by means
of a vertical arm riding upon the centres and extending below the scale beam
which arm is suitably weighted at its lower end to keep it in a vertical position
and formed at its upper end to receive the scale pan which rests upon it.
Sugar or other material being supplied to the hopper the stream flows into the
pan of the first scale through the larger spout and a portion of the material passing
through the opening on the underside of the inclined spout leading from the hopper
flows also into the same scale pan through the smaller spout in a fine auxiliary
stream. A weighted lever connected with the valve in the larger spout and resting
upon a pin in the vertical arm of the scale causes the scale end to move downwards
when a quantity slightly less than the weight required has run into the scale pan
and being released the lever bears upon the valve and cuts off the stream from the
larger spout diverting it into scale No. 2. the small auxiliary stream continuing to
flow into scale No. 1. until the requisite weight is made up when the scale again
moves downwards releasing the lever connected with the valve of the smaller spout;
which diverts the stream from this also into scale No. 2.
Scale No. 1. being then emptied of its contents the flow of material is directed
into it again by the movement of scale No. 2. and so on alternately.
Dated this oath dan of M., 1001
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,.
55,.Chancery Lane, Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Weighing Apparatus.
I, SAMUEL WASHINGTON of Oaklands, Harpurhey, Manchester, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of my said 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 machines for automatically weighing tea, sugar or other
substances even in small quantities and consists essentially of a hopper to contain
the substance to be weighed having in the case of some substances such as tea
sloping divisions fixed at intervals upon its inner sides and which hopper opens into
an inclined spout or shoot terminating in two separate arms or branches leading
into two scale pans. On the underside of the inclined spout.an opening is formed
underneath which opening a small hopper or receiver is affixed having a spout or
shoot of smaller dimensions terminating like the larger spout in two separate arms
or branches and also leading into the two scale pans.
At the junction of the two arms in both the large and small spouts are valves for
directing the flow of material through one or other of the two arms as required the
said valves being actuated by the movement of the scales by means of weighted
levers supported whilst the scales. are filling upon pins fixed in the vertical arms
which carry the scale pans, the downward movement of the scales when containing
the requisite weight of material releasing the said levers and causing or permitting.
their weight to bear upon the valves and thus actuate them.
This method of actuating the valves i.e. by the permissive action of the scales is
an important feature of my invention as it ensures great accuracy in weighing by
only allowing the valves to come into play at the instant the required quantity of
substance has fallen into the pans, the valves remaining perfectly still whilst the
pans are filling instead of being unsteady and tending to divert the stream as soon
as a small quantity of the material has passed into the pans as in machines with the
valves operated by direct connection with the scale beam.
The material to be weighed being supplied to the hopper the stream flows into
the pan of the first scale through the large spout and a portion of the material also
flows into the same scale pan through the small spout in a fine auxiliary stream.
When the scale end moves down and a quantity slightly less than the weight
required has run into the scale pan the weighted lever operating the valve of the
large spout bears upon the valve and cuts off the stream from the large spout
diverting it into scale No. 2 the small auxiliary stream continuing to flow into
the scale No. 1 until the requisite weight is made up when the scale end again
moves downwards releasing the weighted lever operating the valve of the small
spout which bears upon the valve and cuts off the stream diverting it into scale No. 2
also. Scale No. 1 being then emptied of its contents the flow of material is directed
into it again by the movement of scale No. 2 and so on alternately.
In order that this my said invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect I have hereunto annexed two sheets of drawings illustrative of
my improvements and will now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of
the various figures and letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved weighing machine adapted for weighing
sugar, coffee and other loose or finely divided substances with the base or cover
shewn in section to make the internal mechanism more clear.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base alone with the cover removed.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view and, Fig. 5 is a rear view of the spout portion only.
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan of the spout portion on line a-b (see Fig. 1).
According to my invention I employ a hopper A to contain the sugar or other
substance to be weighed the outlet orifice of which opens into an inclized spout

page_text: or shoot B terminating in two separate arms or branches C and C¹ leading to the
two scale pans 1 and 2.
On the underside of the spout B I make an opening D underneath which I
affix a small hopper or receiver E terminating in two separate arms E' and E'
leading to the scale pans 1 and 2.
At the junction of the two arms C and C¹ and the supplementary arms E' and E'
valves and G are situated for directing the flow of material through one or
other of the two arms as required. These valves consist of small pieces of thin
sheet metal (seen more clearly in Fig. 8) secured to the cranked extremities of
rods F and extending downwards into the casing H and terminating in small
rocking beams I and J riding on knife edge centres in bearing Land L.
The scales are preferably made to carry the scale pans above the beams M by
means of vertical arms N riding upon centres N¹ and extending below the scale
beams into the casing H. as illustrated and which arms are provided with weights O
and to keep them in a vertical position and formed at their upper ends to
receive the scale pans which rest upon them and which arms and weights are
counterbalanced by similar weights P and P vertical arms Q and Q' and weight
pans R at the opposite ends of the beams. In some cases the vertical arms and
weights may extend through the bottom of the casing to give greater steadiness to
the scale pans.
From each of the weights O and O' extend pins or projections S and S'as do
also pins or projections T and T' from the vertical arms N; those on the weights
when the scales are empty serving to support the free ends of the weighted levers U
and U and similarly those on the arms serving to support the free ends of the
weighted levers V and V1.
The weighted levers U and U₁ and V and V₁ are each pivoted on knife edge
centres in bearings W and W1 and X and X' rising from the base plate. The
rocking beam I connected with the valve G through the rod is provided with
two arms Y and Y₁ (see side elevation Fig. 6 and plan view Fig. 7) extending
beneath the two weighted levers V and VI and the rocking beam J connected
with the valve F through the rod F is provided with two arms Z and Z' extending
beneath the weighted levers U and U the extremities of such arms Z and Z
being furnished with curved knife edges a. a' on which the levers U and U' ride
when lowered by the falling of the weights O and whilst the extremities of
the arms Y and Y are squared to receive the levers V and V when also lowered
by the falling of the weights O and O¹.
Sugar or other material being supplied to the hopper and the regulating shutter
or damper being drawn out, the stream flows into the scale pan No. 1 through
the large inclined spout B and arm or branch C (os illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4) a
portion of such stream passing through the opening D into the scale pan through
the spout E in a fine auxiliary stream.
As soon now as a quantity slightly less than the weight required has run into
the scale pan No. 1 the rod N and weight O commence to move downwards and in
so doing lower the lever U onto the arm Z of the lower rocking beam J and which
lever U bearing upon this arm causes the valve F to move in the direction of the
arrow and into the dotted position within the housing B' shown in Fig. 2 and so
divert or allow the main stream to run into scale pan No. via spout C. The
auxiliary stream continues to flow into scale No. 1 until the requisite weight is
made up and the scale moves further downwards when the lever V falls and by its
weight depresses the arm Y immediately tilting the upper rocking beam I operating
the valve G so allowing or causing the auxiliary stream also to run into No. 2
scale cia spout E².
The same cycle of operations occurs with respect to No. 2 scale that is, the
material now flows through spout C¹ into scale No. 2 and the auxiliary stream
through spout E until the desired quantity is reached when the arms Z¹ and Y¹
under the action of levers Vand U₁ tilt the rocking beams back again and mean-

page_text: while scale No. 1 being emptied of its contents the flow of material is thus again
directed into it by the movement of scale No. 2 and so or alternately.
It will be obvious that no pause or loss of time takes place in the weighing
operation for as soon as the main stream is diverted from falling into one pan the
weighing immediately proceeds in the other pan whilst the auxiliary stream
completes the weighing in the first scale.
In my Provisional Specification the weighted levers are described as being above
the base of the machine and directly connected to the valves but in this case the
valves were mounted on knife edges at the side of the spout and connected to the
weighted levers by chains. This arrangement however is not so satisfactory as that
hereinbefore described as the weighted levers were left unprotected and owing to
the short leverage and method of mounting the valves were not so effectual for
diverting the stream as when mounted on knife edge centres beneath the base of
the machine and working at a greater leverage.
It will be apparent that the valves F and G are clear of the spouts and do not
touch or bear upon them in any way and that the rocking beams are mounted on
knife edge centres thus avoiding all friction in the diverting operation and securing
great delicacy in weighing which is a distinguishing feature of my invention.
In weighing some substances such as tea the hopper A is provided with sloping
divisions (seen dotted in Fig. 2) to spread out the tea and form it into thin layers.
To regulate the flow of the auxiliary stream into the hopper EI provide an
adjustable tongue or doflector e and to regulate the opening presented by the outlet
orifice of the hopper A I provide the shutter or damper with an adjustable nut b¹
which serves to set the shutter at any desired degree of opening.
To assist in the examination of the internal parts the cover of the arm c is hinged
at d and to afford facilities for setting the tongue or deflector c the spout B is
provided with an opening covered by a plate.
e.
The hoppers and spouts are supported from the base of the machine by an
upright pillar for the same may be supported in any other convenient manner and
the arms and G connected with the valves F and G may be enclosed within a
casing to prevent damage being done to the same.
The weighing out of various quantities by my improved weighing machine is
effected by changing the weight in the weights pan and adjusting the weights on the
levers and by regulating the damper b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I am well aware that a hopper and a two armed spout have been
used for supplying the material to the scale pans of a weighing machine in com-
bination with mechanism for diverting the stream first into one pan and then into
the other and also for first partially and then completely shutting off the stream by
direct action from the scale beams and therefore I make no claim to that arrange-
ment but what I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1st. In automatic weighing apparatus the use and employment of a two armed
spout or shoot with an opening leading into a small hopper or supplementary spout
(terminating in two arms like the larger spout) for diverting the stream fed to the
scale pans into a major and minor stream substantially as set forth.
2nd. In automatic weighing apparatus the use and employment of a two armed
spout with supplementary hopper or spout as aforesaid in combination with valves
or plates arranged at the junction of the respective arms and at an angle with
the flow of material, riding on knife edges and operating under the permissive
action of the scales for diverting the major stream slightly in advance of the
minor stream in performing the weighing operation substantially as set forth.
3rd. In automatic weighing apparatus the use and employment of vertical arms
supporting the scale pans above the scale beams provided with pins or projections
in combination with weighted levers bearing upon such pins or projections until

page_text: permitted by the lowering of the scale pans to descend and bear upon and operate
the valves and G substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4th. The use and employment of a hopper fitted with sloping divisions sub-
stantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.
5th. The general construction, combination and arrangement of mechanical parts
constituting my improved automatic weighing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 16th day of February 1892.
JOHN G. WILSON,
.Agent.