An Improved Weighing Machine.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1898-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Weighing Machine.
I, FRANCIS HENRY RICHARDS, of 13, Murray Street, New York City, State of
New York, United States of America, Inventor, 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 weighing machines, and the object of the invention is
to provide an improved weighing-machine comprehending a series of weighing
mechanisms, each including a load-receiver, and means operative with the weigh-
ing mechanisms for effecting the discharge of material from the first load-receiver
into another load-receiver of the series, and from another load-receiver into the
first load-receiver of said series; and it is apparent that any number of weighing
mechanisms may be employed. When two weighing mechanisms are used, a
part of the material from the primary load-receiver is discharged into the secondary
load-receiver, and subsequently a part of the material from the secondary load-
receiver is discharged into the primary load-receiver, while said load-receivers are
successively making up their loads.
In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1
is a top view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, with
parts thereof broken away. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are progressive side elevations of
the machine. Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, are diagrammatical cross-sectional views
of the load-receivers, illustrating the operation thereof relatively to each other.
Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, illustrate one of the load-reducing instrumentalities shown
herein, and the means for operating the same.
Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
My improved apparatus includes, in the present case, two separate weighing
mechanisms, each of which is supplied with an overload, or a quantity of material
exceeding the predetermined charge, and the surplus is removed from one weighing
mechanism and discharged into the other weighing mechanism, and vice versa;
that is to say, the primary weighing mechanism is supplied with an overload, and
during the process of weighing the predetermined load the surplus is removed
from the primary load-receiver and discharged into the secondary load-receiver;
and this same operation follows with respect to the secondary weighing mechan-
ism, except that the surplus from the secondary load-receiver is discharged into the
primary load-receiver, the predetermined or true load from the latter having in
the interval been discharged.
The weighing mechanisms are designated, respectively, by W and W¹, and
they consist of load-receivers, as G and G, and supporting scale-beams, as B
and B, for said load-receivers, the beams being mounted upon the base 2 in a
manner common in this class of apparatus, said base, with the uprights 3 and 4
and the brackets 5 and 6, extending oppositely from the supply-hopper H, con-
stituting a convenient framework for supporting the apparatus. The base 2 is
divided by the partition 7 into the compartments 8 and 81 located respectively
beneath the load-receivers G and G. The supply-hopper H has two spouts, 9

page_text: and 91, leading toward.. the load-receivers G and G₁ respectively and adapted to
supply material to said load-receivers to overload the same. The main discharge-
outlets of the load-receivers G and G are normally covered by closers, as L and L¹,
pivoted, as at 10 and 101, to the load-receivers G and G¹ respectively, and having
arms 12 and 121 carrying counterweights 13 and 1:31 constituting a simple means
for shutting the respective closers when the loads from their load-receivers are
completely discharged. The closers L and L' are held shut by latches, as I)
and respectively, pivoted, as at 15 and 151, upon the load-receivers, said latches
being counterweighted, as at 16 and 16, and their working ends being adapted
to engage arms, as 17 and 171, upon the rockers 18 and 181, fixed to the rock-
shafts 19 and 19' respectively mounted upon the upper sides of the load-receivers G
and G¹, the rockers being eccentrically connected with the long rods 20 and 20¹,
which, in turn, are jointed to the crank-arms 21 and 211 of the closers L and Li
respectively. When a latch is tripped, it is disengaged from the co-operating
arm of a rocker, thereby freeing a closer (either L or L) so that the true load in
the corresponding load-receiver can force the closer open to cause the discharge
of the load.
The
The means for controlling and finally cutting off the streams from the spouts 9
and 91 of the hopper II consist, in the present case, of valves, as V and V, pivoted,
as at 25 and 251, upon opposite sides of the spouts, the pivots having the outwardly
disposed arms 26 and 26¹ carrying the weights 27 and 271 which exert a constant
valve-closing force upon the respective valves, the advancing movement, however,
of the two weights being limited by the beam mechanism in each case.
beams B and B carry the auxiliary beams A and A¹ respectively pivoted to said
beams, as at 29 and 291, near the ends of said main beams; and the longitudinal
rods 30 and 301, pivoted at their upper ends to the weighted arms 26 and 26¹, are
normally in engagement with the auxiliary beams A and A¹ respectively. In
Fig. 4 the valve V is shown as wide open, and the load-receiver G and the beams B
and A are represented as being in their primary positions, whereby the full volume
of the stream can flow from the spout 9 into the load-receiver G; and when the
predetermined quantity of material has been received, the load-receiver G will
descend, thereby causing the inner ends of the beams B and A to descend; and
as the beam A descends, it, of course, moves away from the rod 30, thereby per-
mitting the weight 27 to drop and consequently causing said weight to swing
the valve V under the outlet of the spout 9; and this same operation will be
subsequently repeated with respect to the weighing mechanism W. When the
several parts of the weighing mechanism W have reached the limit of their
descending movement, the load-reducing instrumentalities or means will be
brought into play to effect the removal of the surplus from the load-receiver G
and cause the same to be discharged into the load-receiver G₁ and these opera-
tions will alternate so long as material flows from the hopper H. On the return
stroke of the auxiliary beams A and A¹ they serve to open the valves V and V.
The load-receiver G has, in the side thereof adjacent to the load-receiver G¹,
surplus-receiving conduit 35, while the load-receiver G¹ has a similar surplus-
receiving conduit 351; and the material from the load-receiver G is discharged
into the conduit 351, while the material from the load-receiver G¹ is discharged
into the conduit 35, and the conduits communicate with the interiors of the
respective load-receivers, so that when the closers L and L1 are opened at the
proper points, the material in the respective conduits can be discharged with
the proper loads.
a
It will be understood from the foregoing description that my improved machine
embodies two separate weighing mechanisms and means for overloading each,
and, in conjunction with the same, means for removing the surplus from one
weighing mechanism and discharging it into the other weighing mechanism, it
being also understood that each weighing mechanism consists of a load-receiver
and a supporting scale-beam or scale-beams. The load-reducing means in the

page_text: present case consists of a spout upon each load-receiver, designated respectively
by 40 and 40', the outlets of the pouts being normally closed by valves, as 41
and 41¹ respectively, and the valves being carried by armis, as 42 and 421, pivoted,
as at 43 and 431. upon the load-receivers G and G₁ respectively, and normally
covering the outlets of the respective spouts, as indicated in Fig. 6. When,
however, a load-receiver reaches the limit of its descending movement, the load-
reducing valve carried thereby is opened, thereby permitting the surplus material
to pass from the load-receiver and into the surplus-receiving conduit of the other
load-receiver. In Fig. 7 the valve 41' is represented as being wide open, so that
a stream of material can flow from the load-receiver G¹ into the spout 40' and then
into the conduit 35. At a succeeding stage in the operation of the apparatus, the
valve 41 is opened so that a part of the material from the load-receiver G can be
discharged into the conduit 351, as will be clearly apparent. The valves 41
and 41 are gravity valves, being normally maintained in their closed position by
the arms 42 and 421, which rest, when the valves are fully closed, upon the stops 45
and 451, disposed near the valve-pivots 43 and 4:31 respectively. The opening
actuators for the valves 41 and 411 are designated respectively by 46 and 46', and
they consist of long levers pivoted, as at 47 and 471, upon the load-receivers, and
having the substantially vertical extensions or arms 48 and 48', adapted to engage
the offsets 49 and 491, respectively, upon the valve-arms 42 and 421, by reason
of which the proper valves can be opened at the right stages. The free or forward
end of the actuator-lever 46 rests upon the projection 51 upon the connecting-
rod 30, while the corresponding end of the actuator-lever 46¹ rests upon the pro-
jection 51 upon the connecting rod 301. The order of operation is as follows:-
The load-receiver G will be loaded in the manner herein before set forth, and will
be caused to descend to its lowest position; and when said lowest position is
reached, the free end of the lever 46 being in engagement with the pin or projec-
tion 51 on the rod 301, the substantially upright arm 481 of said lever 46 will be
vertically shifted relatively to the arm 42, and will be carried, when the descending
motion is nearly completed, against the offset 49 on said arm 42, thereby lifting
the valve 41 and permitting the surplus from the load-receiver G to pass into
the conduit 35¹ of the load-receiver G¹; and as this operation is taking place, the
emptying load-receiver G will be caused to rise, and as it rises, the valve 41, by
the weight of the arm 42, will be caused to shut, thereby cutting off the stream
from the spout 40, the operation being concluded when the surplus is entirely
withdrawn from the load-receiver G: and when said surplus is completely removed,
the latch D will be tripped so that the closer L can be opened, thereby to permit
the load in the receiver G to be emptied into the compartment 8 of the base 2,
and subsequently this same operation will be repeated with respect to the load-
receiver G, which discharges its load into the compartment 8¹.
The trippers for the latches L and L' are designated by T and T respectively,
and they are pivotally supported upon the framework adjacent to the co-operating
latches. When the loaded receiver G descends, the latch D thereon will strike
and pass by the tripper T without operating said latch: but on the ascent of the
load-receiver as the surplus is being removed therefrom, the latch will again strike
said tripper T, and at this time will be disengaged from the arm 17 of the
rocker 18, whereby the closer L will be released, as shown in Fig. 3, and then
forced open by the weight of the material in the load-receiver G, (see also Fig. 6,)
the material in the conduit 35 being also discharged and subsequently this same
operation will take place with respect to the latch D' and tripper T¹. In connec-
tion with the closers L and L, a pair of locking devices, as 60 and 60' respectively.
are provided, said locking devices being in the form of skeleton segments and
being secured to the closer-pivots 10 and 10', respectively, as shown in Figs. 3, 4,
and 5. When the closer L is opened as shown in Fig. 3. the locking device or
segment 60 is swung across the path of the locking device or segment 60¹ so that
the latter cannot be advanced, thereby preventing the opening of the closer L' in
case the latch D¹ should be prematurely tripped: and when the closer L¹ is

page_text: opened, the stop 60¹ will likewise be swung across the path of its companion 60,
so as to secure the same advantageous result. The rockers 18 and 18¹, to which
I have herein before referred, serve as locking devices, and they operate recipro-
cally with similarly constructed rockers or locking devices, as 65 and 651, secured
to the valve-pivots 25 and 25' respectively, by reason of which construction the
closer L and valve V, and closer L' and valve Vi, cannot be simultaneously opened.
A substantially similar pair of stops is also operative with the valves V and V¹,
they being designated by 66 and 66 and being fixed to the said valve-pivots, and
their operation being clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination with a series of weighing mechanisms, each including a
load-receiver, of means in position to supply each weighing mechanism with an
overload of material, and means for removing material from one load-receiver
and for discharging it into another load-receiver.
2. The combination, with a series of weighing mechanisms, each including a
load-receiver, of means for supplying an overload to each load-receiver; and
means for effecting the discharge of material from the first to another load-
receiver of the series and from another load-receiver to the first load-receiver of
said series.
3. The combination, with primary and secondary weighing mechanisms, each
including a load-receiver, of means for supplying an overload to each load-receiver;
and means for removing material from the primary load-receiver and for dis-
charging the same into the secondary load-receiver, and for successively removing
material from the secondary load-receiver and for discharging the same into the
primary load-receiver.
.