An Improved Device for Measuring Grain.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 3rd Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Measuring Grain.
We, MICHAEL CASHIN, of 193 Hudson Street, Builder, and GILBERT SHANKLIN, of
91 Franklin Street, Salesman, both in the City, County and State of New York,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for AN
IMPROVED DEVICE FOR MEASURING GRAIN, to be as follows:
Our invention relates to a device whereby grain or other dry matter in a pulverulent,
granular, or fragmentary condition may be automatically conducted in measured
volumes to barrels or other suitable receptacles.
The device comprises a stationary charging-spout from a grain magazine or bin, a
stationary delivery-spout at a lower level, which conducts the contents of the measure
into a barrel or other receptacle upon a platform, and intermediately of these spouts a
power-driven turn-table which conveys one or more measures of capacity first under
the upper spout from which it is charged with grain, thence under a suitable
governor,. and finally over the lower spout which conducts the contents into the barrel
or other receptacle. Each measure is a hollow cylinder, open both above and below,
but adapted to be closed at one or both ends by floors. The upper floor has two
openings-one under the upper spout and the other under a governor-whose purpose
is hereinafter described. The lower floor has an opening over the discharging-spout.
In our preferred construction there are four such measures. Each of said measures
is constructed in telescopic form-that is to say, of two cylindrical shells-of which
the lower one overlaps, and, with the supporting-floor above referred to, is capable of
being elevated or depressed, so as to vary the capacity of the said measure.
function of the governor is to automatically stop the machine whenever the supply of
grain left in the reservoir is so nearly exhausted as to be less than sufficient to
fill a measure.
Dated thin 4th how of Ona 1900
The
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Measuring Grain.
We, MICHAEL CASHIN, of 193 Hudson Street, Builder, and GILBERT SHANKLIN, of
91 Franklin Street, Salesman, both in the City, County and State of New York,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for AN
IMPROVED DEVICE FOR MEASURING GRAIN, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Our invention relates to a device whereby grain or other dry matter in a
pulverulent, granular, or fragmentary condition may be automatically conducted in
ineasured volumes to barrels or other suitable receptacles.
*
"
The device comprises a stationary charging-spout from a grain magazine or bin, a
stationary delivery-spout at a lower level, which conducts the contents of the measure
into a barrel or other receptacle upon a platform, and intermediately of these spouts a
power-driven turn-table which conveys one or more measures of capacity first under
the upper spout from which it is charged with grain, thence under our governor,'
hereinafter explained, and finally over the lower spout which conducts the contents
into the barrel or other receptacle. Each measure is a hollow cylinder, open both
above and below, but adapted to be closed at one or both ends by floors. The upper
floor has two openings-one under the upper spout and the other under a governor-

page_text: whose construction and purpose are hereinafter described. The lower floor has an
opening over the discharging-spout. In our preferred construction here shown there
are four such measures. Each of said measures is constructed in telescopic form-
that is to say, of two cylindrical shells--of which the lower one overlaps, and, with
the supporting-floor above referred to, is capable of being elevated or depressed, so as
to vary the capacity of the said measure. The function of the governor is to
automatically stop the machine whenever the supply of grain left in the reservoir is
so nearly exhausted as to be less than sufficient to fill a measure.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this Specification,
Figure I is a side elevation of the device, a portion of the delivery-spout and the floor
from which it depends being broken away. Fig. II is an axial section on the line II II
of Fig. I. Fig. III is a horizontal section on the line III III of Fig. 11. Fig. IV
is a horizontal section on the line 1V IV of Fig. II.
1 are posts or columns. 2 is a charging spout or hopper. Firmly fastened to the
tops of said columns is a floor 4. Each floor has a central orifice for a shaft 5, of
which a part of the floor 4 constitutes the upper journal-bearing. The lower end of
said shaft rests and rotates in a step 7, which therefore constitutes said shaft's lower
journal-bearing. The floor 4 has two circular orifices 6 6¹, of which the orifice 6
forms a passage-way from the charging-spout to whichever measure is brought
beneath it, and of which the orifice 6 enables the action of the governor, to be
presently described.
Secured to the posts 1, but capable of being slid vertically, is an intermediate floor
or cross-frame 8, which has a circular orifice 9. Fastened to said cross-frame's under
side immediately beneath said orifice is the delivery-spout 10.
Attached to the shaft 5 immediately beneath the floor 4 is a revolving platform 11,
baving four circular orifices 12. Fastened to said platform immediately beneath the
said orifices 12 are four measures M, constructed as follows, to wit: Four short
cylinders 13 constitute the upper portions of said measures. Inclosing and overlapping
the lower edges of said cylinders are four like cylinders 14, of slightly greater
diameter. These cylinders are fastened to and supported by a revolving platform or
turn-table 15, which is fastened to a sleeve 16, that is compelled to rotate with, but
which is capable of vertical adjustment with respect to, the shaft 5 by turning to right
or left of a nut 17 upon screw-threaded portion 18 of said shaft, so as to reduce or
enlarge, at discretion, the capacity of said measures. Four orifices 19 in the
platform 15, placed at like radial distance and of the same diameter as orifice 9
in the intermediate floor 8, open downward communication from whichever measure
is, for the time being, over the orifice 9 and spout 10 into said spout and thence
into the barrel or other receptacle 20, which is supported upon a turn-table 3, that
constitutes a rigid projection from the sleeve 16. At all other times the intermediate
floor 8 serves to close the bottom of said measures, so as to retain their contents until
each measure in succession reaches the said place of delivery.
It will be seen that manipulation of the nut 17 effects the simultaneous vertical
adjustment both of the intermediate floor 8 and of the turn-table 15, and consequently
of the capacity of all the measures M.
When the machine is in operation, the shaft 5 is rotated, as per arrow, by suitable
geared connection 21 with a counter-shaft 22, which has a clutch-connection 23 with
a driving-pulley 24 or other source of motion. When the grain-supply has nearly
given out, the further rotation of the shaft 5 and of the two measures M is
automatically arrested by a governor constructed as follows: 25 is a lever to which a
spring 26 imparts a normal tendency in direction of the short arrow, Fig. II—that is
to say, so as to disengage the parts of the clutch 23, whose engagement compels
co-rotation of said shaft and pulley. 27 is an extended lever provided with an
adjustable weight 32, and having a hooked portion 28 which acts to retain the lever 25
in the clutching position shown in Fig. II. The downturned heel 29 of this latch
terminates in a pan-form disk 30, whose convex surface is presented downward and
whose marginal flange 31 extends somewhat over the edges of the orifice 6'.
So long as the imperforate portion of platform 11 is presented to the convex bottom

page_text: of the disk 30 the latch 27 is retained to the position shown in Fig. 11, so as to
retain the shaft 22 and pulley 24 in clutch, and the same action takes place even when
an orifice of the revolving platform is brought under the said disk, providing the
measure happens to be packed full of grain, the body of the grain itself operating to
maintain the latch in the position shown in Fig. II; but if the measure be not at that
moment charged full of grain the weight 32 operates to open the latch 27, and the
clutch-lever being thus liberated its spring 26 operates to retract said lever to the
unclutching position, so as to stop the machine. The machine will then remain
quiescent until re-engagement of the clutch-lever 25 in the latch restores the connection
between the driving-pulley and the rotating mechanism, when the work of automatic
grain-measuring is resumed.
The machine may be equipped with an automatic counter or register of any familiar
or approved form.
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
clain is :-
1. In a grain-measuring device, the combination of the turn-table 11 upon the
shaft 5 and having the pendent cylinders 13, the turn-tables 3 and 15 upon the
sleeve 16, which rotate with said shaft and are adjustable vertically thereupon by
means of nut 17 upon threaded portions 18 of said shaft, said turn-table 15 having
the cylinders 14 inclosing said cylinders 13, the stationary floor 4, and the vertically-
adjustable floor 8, said floors and turn-tables having orifices that communicate,
respectively, with charging and delivery spouts 2 and 1, as set forth.
2. In a grain-measuring device, the combination, with the revolving and perforated
turn-table 11, having the attached measure M, and with driving mechanism having
clutch-connection with a fast and loose pulley or driver 24, of the governor consisting
of disk 30 upon extended lever 27 and spring-retracted lever 25, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 28th day of November 1890.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants' Agent.