Improvements in Automatic Weighing Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1892-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Weighing Apparatus.
REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co., Patent Agents of
18 Buckingham Street Strand W.C. London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by John Paul
Baldwin of Baldwin, State of Louisiana, United States of America 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 improvements in automatic weighing apparatus, the
object being to weigh practically accurately while in transit, liquids semi-liquids or
any material that will flow, for instance, any of the cereals.
With this object in view, the invention consists in certain features of con-
struction, and in combination of parts, hereinafter described and pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an apparatus embodying this invention.
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same somewhat reduced in size.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view in detail hereinafter more fully described.
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevation of the toggle-mechanism hereinafter described,
showing, respectively, in solid and dotted lines, the different working positions of
the parts.
Figs. 5 and 6 are front elevations in section in detail.
Figs. 7 and 8 are rear elevations of the container or drum, in different positions
of revolution, displaying mechanism for sampling liquid or material being weighed,
Fig. 7 being partially in section.
A supporting frame A, is preferably constructed of angle iron, the lower section
of the frame being enclosed preferably by metal plates, so as to constitute a pan
or tank, A' the latter having a suitable discharging pipe A².
A weighing container of the volute or scroll shaped variety is provided, this
container comprising, in the main, front and rear heads B B', and a circumferential
metal sheet B connecting the two heads, the two ends of this sheet overlapping
each other some distance, the outer and inner ends of this sheet being shown at
and (see Figs. 1, 5 and 6). The front head B has a central opening of con-
siderable size for receiving, without contact, sleeve G of the induction pipe G.
The rear head B is provided with an axial trunnion . Head B is provided with
an external flat ring or circular plate, the latter having a forwardly projecting
annular flange. This fange is concentric with the axis of the container, and
constitutes the forward trunnion of the drum or container, being adapted to travel
within, and supported by an annular strap d the latter being suspended, preferably
as shown from the front arm of the forked member of scale beam E by means of a
rod D, the latter connecting with a lug of strap d. A rod D similar to that
represented by D depends from the rear arm or prong of the forked member of
scale beam E, and affords bearing for the rear trunnion of the drum or container,
as shown at h.
It will be observed, therefore, that rods D D' support the weighing container.
Steadying rods D2 D2 may be provided for steadying the supports of the trunnions
of the container. The prongs or arms of the forked members of scale beam E are
pivotally suspended from the top of the supporting frame, 'preferably between the
front and rear sections of the latter as shown at a' a¹.
The pivotal bearings at the points of suspension of rods D D' and scale
beam E, are usually provided with so-called knife edges, as shown at a a and d² ².

page_text: a
At E is shown a suitable device connected with the scale beam for attaching
weight of say twenty five pounds more or less to balance the liquid in the container
that is to be discharged at the next revolution of the container.
Also is provided an extension arm E2 or secondary scale-beam E³, the same
being attached to the primary scale beam, the extension or secondary beam being
provided with a movable poise E for balancing the container and attachments,
and such liquid as has not been discharged from the container with the previous
revolution of the latter. The secondary scale beam and poise is to test the
accuracy of the weighing from time to time.
The secondary beam may be separate from the main beam and connected thereto
by pivots or articulated connections as is common in multiple lever beams, or it
may be as shown an integral part of the main beam.
The forward arm or prong of the scale beam, has a forwardly projecting arm e¹
to the forward end of which is mounted or secured an upright arme that is curved
laterally at its upper end.
To the upper end of the upright arm or member e is pivoted the upper arm F of
the toggle. The toggle arms FF are pivotally connected at and opposite this
joint arm e is provided with an abutment screw e adapted to engage the toggle as
hereinafter more fully described.
G is the induction pipe for conveying the liquid to the weighing container, this
pipe extending centrally through opening of the forward head B. On the inner
section of pipe G is mounted a sleeve Gadapted to rotate easily on the pipe. This
sleeve overhangs the inner or discharging end of the pipe, the inner end of the
sleeve being closed so that all the liquid is discharged at the side opening of
the sleeve, shown at G2 in Figs. and 6. With the weighing container in the
position shown in Fig. 1 and with spout G2 turned towards the right hand as shown
in Fig. 5 the discharge will be into section B³ of the container. When enough
liquid is thus discharged into the container to elevate the weighted end of the scale
beam, the sleeve is then automatically turned on the feed pipe so that spout G²
discharges into section B of the container. The liquid in this latter section is
entirely to one side of the centre of gravity of the container and hence the liquid
in this section will tend to rotate the container in the direction that will empty the
contents of section B3 into tank A'. Meantime with such revolution of the
container, the liquid in section B will run into section B³.
The container makes a complete or approximately complete revolution for each
weighing, and also always rotates in one direction." It is not supposed that the
container will rotate just 360° each weighing, but practically so.
The energy which turns the container is derived from the fall of contents of the
container as it rotates.
M is a sbelf or wing located inside of the container as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
While the container is being rotated by the weight of the liquid in compartment B
and as this liquid runs thence into compartment B³ a portion of this liquid by
means of shelf M is carried up with the ascending side of the container as shown
in Fig. 5, whereby the rotating of the container is checked and stopped as it reaches
the position of parts shown in Fig. 6, so that the container becomes stopped on
completing a revolution without any jarring as would be the case if the container
were stopped by means of a positive stop.
For automatically shifting the sleeve and spout through the medium of the toggle
arms FF aforesaid, a sleeve G' is provided with an ear or lug g shown on the left
hand side of the sleeve, this lug being pierced to receive a small shaft H, this shaft
being parallel with the axis of the sleeve. The forward end of shaft H is provided
with a rock arm H' to which latter the lower end of toggle arm F is pivoted as
at f'. Sleeve G¹ is cut away for lubricating purposes as at 9' exposing the feed
pipe G, and has a shoulder as at h¹ for limiting the depression of rock arm H¹.
Pipe G is enlarged as at g2 forming a collar, and sleeve G has a corresponding
annular slot for receiving said collar, sleeve G' being preferably made in two
sections, having laterally projecting lugs or cars 93 and 7 that are pierced for

page_text: receiving bolts for securing the sections of the sleeve together. Collar is
connected with the supporting frame of the apparatus, as shown at a whereby the
feed pipe is held in a horizontal position.
A spring cat the one end thereof is connected with sleeve G', and at the other
end the spring is attached to a clamp c', the latter being mounted on the feed pipe
just outside the line of the sleeve. By loosening the clamp bolt and by means of
handle c, the clamp may be rotated on the feed pipe to give the desired tension to
the spring, whereupon the clamp is again tightened on the feed pipe. The sleeve
when turned against the action of its spring, so as to discharge into compartment 13³,
is held in such position by the toggle, and when the arms of the toggle are thrown
out of line, the sleeve reverses by the action of spring c so as to discharge into
compartment B*. As already described, the scale beam is provided with a
depending arm e rigidly attached thereto, and to this arm is pivoted the upper end
of the toggle at a point approximately in the same plane as the fulcrums of the
scale beam and the lower end of the toggle, so that any force exerted by the
toggle does not affect the weighing functions of the scale beam. The lower end
of the toggle, as already described, is pivotally connected with sleeve G. When
the weighted end of the scale beam is down, and the toggle arms are in line, the
toggle engages abutment screw e of arm e.
When the weighted end of the scale beam is tilted upward as in weighing, the
upper end of the toggle arm F is thereby carried to the right hand and the lower
end of arm e is swung toward the toggle so that the arms of the latter are deflected,
whereupon spring c instantly turns sleeve G¹ so as to discharge into compartment B*.
To overcome the inertia of the scale beam and thereby cause it to act promptly, I
provide a depending spring I to serve as a counterbalance for the scale beam, this
spring being pivoted at i to arm c. The lower end of the spring is connected by
link J with the toggle.
When the scale beam is in a horizontal position as in weighing, spring I does
not engage anything between its extremes, and hence has no tension.
When the weight end of the scale beam is down, and the lower end of arm e is
thereby swung in the direction away from the toggle, an abutinent screw of arme
engages spring I and thereby deflects the spring, giving it tension, hence the recoil
of the spring tends to counterbalance or elevate the weight end of the scale beam,
and in weighing, the weight end of the scale beam would, by reason of such counter-
But before the scale
balance, commence to rise sooner than it otherwise would.
beam reaches its horizontal position screw it is backed away from the spring, under
which condition the spring no longer acts on the scale beam, and does not affect the
weighing, but only overcomes the inertia of the scale beam, and thereby hastens its
action. It will be seen that the tension of spring I is at its maximum in starting
the scale beam and that the tension of this spring gradually decreases and reaches
zero before the scale beam reaches its horizontal position.
Hence the counterbalance exerts no jerking or vibratory movements to the
scale beam. By means of the counterbalance the scale beam can be made to act
so promptly that together with the instantaneous shifting of sleeve Gi by the action
of its spring c the difference in the amount of liquid discharged into the weighing
compartment by reason of a small stream or a large stream during the time that
the scale beam is acting, is merely nominal, and the apparatus is made to weigh
practically accurately.
Flange hereinbefore described has a forwardly projecting lug 6°. The toggle
arms being in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, with sleeve Gin
position with rock shaft H and attachments at H, and with spout G' of sleeve G¹
discharging into compartment B as in Fig. 6 as the drum now revolves (in the
direction indicated by the arrow) lug on flange 66 aforesaid comes into engage-
ment with a hook or bent arm rigidly mounted upon or integral with rock
shaft H, and causes sleeve G¹ to revolve against the action of spring c, carrying
with it the lower arm of the toggle, and straightening the toggle arms.
But

page_text: although the toggle arms have become straightened, sleeve G¹ will continue to
revolve, and such further revolution of the sleeve, although very slight, strains the
connected toggle mechanism, and the force exerted by the latter to immediately
regain its unstrained condition will rock or draw shaft H in the direction to cause
hook or bent arm 2 to be released or disengaged from lug 5, the depression of
arm Hof rock shaft H being limited by shoulder hereinbefore described. The
toggle however is held in its straightened position by the depending spring I until
the scale beam is again tilted upward, whereupon the toggle is tripped or thrown
out of line and sleeve Greleased subject to the action of spring c.
As sleeve Gin being rapidly rotated by spring e in diverting the liquid or
material being weighed from compartment B to compartment B of the container,
would be stopped abruptly, and thus cause a jarring of the parts, the periphery of
the forward section of the sleeve is made slightly eccentric and surrounded by a
brake strap as at G whereby the rotation of the sleeve is stopped gradually and
jarring of the parts is avoided.
I may remark that the toggle arms and connected mechanism may be quite light
as they have little labour to perform, and that any upward pressure or stress when
weighing being exerted approximately against the axis of the scale beam, has no
effect on the scale beam other than to help support the same.
L is a bent tube approximately of the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the bent
section L thereof being so located in section B3 of the container as to be filled
with liquid in filling this section of the container. This tube extends out through
the head of the container and with the rotation of the container, the contents of
the tube is discharged, for instance, into a pipe, whence the liquid is conveyed into
a sample bottle O. With such construction for each batch of liquid or material,
weighed and discharged from the container, samples of uniform quantity may be
automatically secured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. In automatic weighing apparatus, the combination, with a rotatable container
of the volute or scroll-shape variety suspended from a weigh beam, of an induction
pipe and a sleeve connected therewith, the latter having an opening adapted to
discharge into different sections of the container according as the outlet of the
sleeve is shifted to different positions, suitable mechanism for actuating the sleeve
and holding the latter in different positions.
2. In automatic weighing apparatus, the combination with a rotatable container
of the volute or scroll shaped variety suspended from a weigh beam, of an induction
pipe and a sleeve journalled thereon, the latter having a side discharge and adapted
to discharge into different sections of the container according as the sleeve is
rotated to different positions, mechanism substantially as illustrated for oscillating
the sleeve and holding the latter in different positions substantially as set forth.
3. In combination, a scale beam, a container, a feed pipe and sleeve substantially
as indicated, a spring connected with the sleeve, and a toggle operatively connected
with the sleeve and with the scale-beam, in position to be tripped by the tilting of
the latter, the toggle and spring aforesaid being adapted to lock the sleeve in
different positions of the latter substantially as set forth.
4. In weighing apparatus of the variety indicated, the combination, with a scale
beam, of a counterbalance adapted to act with full force against the depressed
scale beam, the force of the counterbalance reaching zero approximately when the
scale-beam reaches a horizontal or weighing position substantially as set forth.
5. In weighing apparatus of the variety indicated an internal shelf or wing
for carrying up the liquid as a means of stopping the container substantially as
set forth.
6. The combination of a rotative container, substantially as indicated, with a

page_text: bent tube, the bent section whereof so located inside the container as to be filled
with each charge of the container, such tube having a discharge outside the con-
tainer, the arrangement being such that the tube is emptied with each revolution of
the container substantially as set forth.
7. A weighing apparatus substantially as described and for the purpose
5 specified.
Dated the ... 1009
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.