Improvements in Automatic Machines for Weighing Granulated and other Material.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Machines for Weighing Granulated and
other Material.
I, HENRY EYSTER SMYSER, of Fishers Lane, East of Wakefield Street,
Germantown, City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My present invention relates to mechanism for dividing up granulated, pulverized
or other material, and delivering it in charges or portions of equal and uniform
weights.
In my Letters Patent of Great Britain No. 5589A, dated 31st March 1891, I
have described a machine for automatically weighing granulated and other material
comprising a measuring mechanism for measuring out quantities of material of less
than the desired weight, dumping the said measured charges into two scale-pans
alternately, and then after each scale has received its charge feeding a gradual
additional supply of the material into the scale-pan until the desired weight is.
attained, whereupon the additional or supplemental supply is cut off and the scale-
pan subsequently dumped, the two scales weighing and being dumped in
alternation.
In my Letters Patent of Great Britain No. 5589, dated 31st March 1891, I have
shown and described a machine for automatically making paper bags or boxes,
then filling the same with charges of powdered or granulated material, then closing
the mouths of the bags, then drying the pasted or glued seams of the bags, and
finally delivering the completed packages out of the machine. In operating a
machine of this character for filling the bags with charges or quantities of uniform
weights of material (say for example for putting up coffee or other substance in one
pound packages) the weighing mechanism described and claimed in my said Letters
Patent No. 5589A was employed for subdividing the material into charges of equal
weight. In the operation of this mechanism it has been found that when it was
necessary to weigh the material accurately, the two alternately acting scales could
not operate rapidly enough to enable the remaining portions of the machine to
work to their full capacity. If the weighing mechanism is operated so slowly as
to enable the scales to weigh accurately, so much time is consumed as to delay the
rest of the machine; while if the mechanism is caused to operate rapidly enough
to work the remaining mechanism to its full capacity, the scales cannot weigh the
charges with as great accuracy as is often desirable in practice. To overcome this
difficulty my present invention has been devised. My present invention con-
sequently provides an improved weighing mechanism applicable either in connection
with the packaging machine shown in my said Letters Patent, or in connection
with any other machinery requiring to be supplied with uniform charges of material,
or useful also for operation under other conditions, as for example in supplying
material to be packaged by hand or otherwise disposed of.
According to my present invention I provide a greater number of scales than
heretofore, so that the scales have a much greater time in which to perform the
weighing operation. In the example of my present invention shown in the accom-
panying drawings, there are ten scales instead of two, so that by this arrangement
each scale is given five times as much time in which to do its work as by my
previous construction. Thus by supplying the supplemental feed of material in a
smaller stream than heretofore the accuracy with which the material can be brought
to the precise weight desired is greatly increased, while at the same time the
frequency with which the weighed charges can be dumped or delivered from the

page_text: weighing mechanism is also increased. By a further improvement all the scales
are filled simultaneously, so that all commence together the operation of weighing,
and after this operation is completed all are dumped simultaneously, thus simpli-
fying what would otherwise require a very complicated mechanism.
According to my present invention the several scales are arranged circularly and
remain stationary, while revolving mechanism is employed for charging them and
for carrying the weighed material from them to the delivery chute. The measuring
apparatus operates to deliver successively measured charges of material for the
respective scales, and an intermittently revolving chute discharges the material
therefrom either directly into the successive scale-pans, or preferably into a series
of receptacles located above the scale-pans, these receptacles being provided with
means for closing them in order to store the charges of material in them until all
of the receptacles are filled, whereupon they are all discharged simultaneously into
the scale-pans. This causes all the scales to begin the operation of weighing
together; and after a sufficient time has elapsed for all of them to have completed
this operation, a special mechanism operates to simultaneously dump all of the
scales, the weighed charges of material falling therefrom into a series of receptacles
or carriers arranged beneath the scale-pans. These receptacles or carriers are then
dumped in turn down the delivery chute. By preference the receptacles are made
to be movable intermittently beneath the scale-pans, so that they constitute
carriers for receiving the weighed charges from the scales and carrying them to
a point where they are successively dumped into the delivery chute.
The preferred form of my new weighing mechanism is shown in the accompanying
drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the portion of the machine comprising this weighing
mechanism;
Fig. 2 is a vertical mid-section thereof looking in the same direction as Fig. 1,
and cut approximately in the planes of the line 2-2 in Fig. 3;
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section cut approximately in the planes of the line 3-3
in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation viewed from the right hand side of the
machine and partly in vertical section, the outer members of the frame being
removed;
Fig. 5 is a plan of the annular slide;
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the stop-ring and the mechanism for operating it
isolated from the other parts;
Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7 in Fig. 2; :
Fig. 8 is a horizontal section approximately on the line 8-8 in Fig. 2 ;
Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the mechanism for dumping the
scale-pans isolated from the other parts;
Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the measuring mechanism isolated
from the other parts;
Fig. 11 is a sectional view of one of the weighing scales isolated from the other
parts.
Referring to the drawings, let A designate the supporting frame of the machine.
B is a chute through which the material to be divided into weighed charges is
delivered. The material descends into a measurer C, by which successive charges
are measured out in bulk and delivered through an intermittently rotating chute
or spout D into one after another of a series of receiving pockets or receptacles E E,
the chute D moving after each discharge from one receptacle to the next.
A branch B' conveys the overflow from the measurer C and discharges it into a
feeding box or hopper F (Fig. 2).
GG are the weighing scales, equal in number to the pockets or receptacles E E,
and (in the construction shown) arranged with a stationary mounting so that they
do not revolve. Each scale consists (see Figs. 2 and 11) of a scale-pan a hung
by hangers from the scale-beam, to the opposite arm of which is attached a
counterweight d. To prevent the swinging of the scale-pan, the lower end of the

page_text: hanger 6 is connected by a linke to a stationary hub. The scale-pans are of
peculiar construction, each having an inclined bottom a hung directly to the
hangers b, and a movable body portion a² having an inclined front and having its
sides pivoted to the upper part of the inclined bottom as shown. The body portion
thus remains closed by its own weight, but to dump the scale it is only necessary
to lift the body portion a at its front, thereby permitting the weighed charge of
material in the pan to slide out and escape at the bottom. To provide for dumping
the pan, the body portion has a projecting arm or finger a³ arranged to be lifted by
a ring L. This ring by being raised acts to simultaneously dump all of the scales.
The measurer C consists of an adjustable measuring chamber C' mounted to slide
from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 10. In the former position
it is filled with the material from the chute B, and on moving to the latter position
the measured quantity of material falls from it down through the spout D into one
of the receptacles E. The sliding chamber C¹ is reciprocated from a cam s
(Fig. 10) through a two-armed lever s¹ s¹ and link &³.
The open bottoms of the several pockets E E are normally closed by means of
a sliding plate H (see Fig. 5) until the last of the pockets is filled, whereupon this
plate is moved to bring its perforations into register with the bottoms of the
pockets, whereby the charges of material are dumped from the several pockets,
dropping through chutes or spouts I I leading down therefrom to the respective
scale-pans. The pockets E and spouts I are stationary.
The several scales after being thus supplied with measured charges, are there-
upon supplied with an additional or supplemental feed of the material to be
weighed from the feed hopper F until each scale-pan has received its full
weight, whereupon this feed is cut off from it. In the construction shown
(see Fig. 2) the feed hopper F consists of a cylindrical box in which turns a
continuously revolving feed-plate 9 having perforations in its outer portion or rim
which become filled with the material in the box F, and as the plate revolves
pass over openings in the outer part of the bottom of the box which register with
chutes ii through which the material falls into chutes ji carried by or connected
to the respective scale-beams so that they tilt with the beams. In the position
assumed by each beam before receiving its full weight, that is to say, when the
counterpoised overbalances the weight in the scale-pan, the bottom end of the
chute ; opens into the pan and discharges thereinto the stream of material fed from
the hopper F until the pan receives its full weight, whereupon by its descent and
the consequent tilting of the scale-beam, the chute is deflected to the position
shown in Fig. 2, so that it discharges outside the scale-pan, and through a casing k
into a receptacle J beneath.
The several scales perform the weighing simultaneously, and after all have
received the full weight, they are simultaneously dumped into a corresponding series
of receptacles or carriers K K beneath them.
The carriers or receptacles K K are mounted upon arms K' K³ radiating from
a hub K fixed on an intermittently rotating central shaft M, so that the carriers
are revolved intermittently and come succesively over a discharge chute N
(Fig. 2). The carriers are constructed preferably in the same manner as the
scale-pans, that is to say, with a fixed inclined bottom and a hinged body k²
which is lifted to dump the carrier. As each carrier reaches the position over
the chute N, it is dumped by an arm m so located that in this position it stands
beneath a projection on the movable body, the arm m being given a rising
movement sufficient to lift the movable body and dump the carrier so that its
contents fall through the chute N.
The material falling through the several chutes ; ; outside the scale-pans into
the receptacle J is swept therefrom by blades n n carried by the arms K' and
discharged down a chute n'.
The intermittently rotating shaft M carries the carriers K K and spout D. It
is rotated by any suitable mechanism for imparting intermittent rotary motion.
The preferred construction is that shown in Figs. 2 and 8. On the shaft M is

page_text: .
fixed a notched disk M having as many notches as there are scales (ten in the
construction shown). A crank-arm J is pivoted on the same axis and is vibrated
by a cam (Fig. 10) acting through an elbow-lever and link . A slide J2
sliding on this arm (Fig. 2) carries a locking tooth l. During the forward swing
of the arm J₁ this tooth is entered into one of the notches in the disk M¹, so
that the cam carries the disk with it and revolves the shaft M one-tenth of a
revolution; the slide is then moved to disengage the tooth l, so that during the
return movement of the arm it travels outside of the disk. At this time the disk is
held stationary by another tooth which enters one of its notches projecting from
a slide U moving in a stationary slideway U₁. The slides U and J2 are moved
simultaneously by a cam acting through a two-armed lever g¹² connecting by
links with the respective slides.
As each of the scale-pans descends under its full weight, it is stopped by a cross-
bar on its hanger striking a fixed stop o, which may be conveniently mounted
on the chute I (see Fig. 2). To prevent the stress of the counterpoise d from
throwing the scale-pan violently upward at the moment when it is dumped, a
movable stop, conveniently constructed as a ring P is provided which, just prior to
the simultaneous dumping of the scales, descends and presses down the several
hangers 6 into firm contact with the stops o, the ring P remaining in its lowest
position during the dumping, and thereby preventing the sudden flying up of the
scale-pans which would otherwise result. The ring P remains in this position for
a moment, and until by the movement of the slide H the several receptacles E E
begin to discharge their contents into the scale-pans, thereby preventing the shock
due to the sudden dropping of this weight into the pans throwing the pans down
and setting the scale-beams to rocking. The pans are thus held stationary while
being emptied, and for more or less of the time while being refilled; and after or
even during the pouring in of the new charge, the ring P slowly rises, permitting
the scale-pans to ascend gently until a position of equipoise is reached, whereupon the
operation of automatic weighing commences by the feeding into the pans through
the chutes of the supplemental stream of material to be weighed.
The machine is driven from a belt running on a pulley 9 on a driving shaft Q,
which through worm-gearing drives upright shafts R and R¹. These in turn
through bevel-gearing drive horizontal shafts S and S¹. The shaft S through
worm-gearing drives a shaft T arranged transversely parallel with the driving
shaft Q. The shafts R R and S S' execute one revolution to each completed
weighing operation, that is, to each dumping from the measurer C, and to each
dumping from the carriers K. The shaft T executes one revolution to each
dumping from the receptacles E and scales G; that is to say, in a machine having
ten scales it revolves at one-tenth the speed of the shafts R, S. The shafts R R¹
carry the said cams which actuate the intermittently-rotating shaft M. The
shaft R carries a sprocket-wheel p which through the medium of a drive-chain p¹
passing over a sprocket-wheel p fixed to the feed-disk g imparts a continuous
rotation to this disk. The shaft S carries the said cam s which actuates the
measurer C.
The shaft T carries a cam t (see Fig. 4) having a sinuous groove into which
projects a roller carried on a lever turning on a shaft t, this lever being
connected by a connecting rod or link with an arm t fixed to and projecting
from the ring-shaped slide H by which the receptacles E E are closed or opened.
The groove in the cam t is constructed in the last tenth of its rotation to reciprocate
the slide H until its holes h register with the bottoms of the receptacles E E,
and dwelling in this position long enough to permit the contents of these
receptacles to run out, reciprocates the slide back to its normal position shown in
Fig. 3.
In the preferred construction shown, the annular plate H is mounted directly
beneath a bottom plate H' forming the bottom support for the receptacles E E,
this plate being fixedly mounted on the framework, and having an internal flange y
turned downwardly to form an inner bearing or journal on which the plate H turns.

page_text: The plate His preferably attached at its inner side directly to the upper margin
or rim of the feed hopper F as shown.
The shaft T (Fig. 3) carries also a cam which imparts the rising and falling
movements to the dumping ring L, and a cam v which imparts the rising and falling
movements to the stop-ring P. The cam u (Fig. 9) acts through a lever u
fulcrumed on the shaft t, which through a link u engages a vertical slide L¹
(Fig. 9), from which project rigid arms L' carrying the ring L.
The cam v
(Fig. 6) acts through a lever v' fulcrumed at v² and engaging at its opposite end
a grooved hub P₁ guided on the shaft M, which moves freely through it, and
connected by arm P to the ring P, so that the rising and falling movements imparted
to it by the lever v¹ cause it to raise and lower the ring with the movement already
described.
The dumping arm m projects rigidly from a vertically movable slide m', which
is connected by a link m² to a lever m³ carrying a roller which is engaged in the
cam-groove of a cam to (Fig. 2) fixed on the shaft S¹.
At the instant when the ten scale-pans are simultaneously dumped into the ten
receptacles or carriers K, one of these receptacles stands in the dumping position
over the delivery chute N. In order that the dumping of the charges shall occur
at regular intervals, it is necessary that the carrier which receives its charge in
this position shall dump it down the chute N before the next forward movement,
the other nine carriers however serving to retain and store their charges and to be
dumped successively. It is obvious that this one receptacle or carrier which at
the instant of dumping the scale stands over the chute N might be omitted, thereby
permitting the scale-pan to dump this charge directly down the chute N. Or the
receptacle K which receives the charge in this position might be a mere open-
bottomed hopper or chute to conduct the charge from the scale to the chute N.
This receptacle, which in Fig. 1 is lettered K³, is accordingly constructed with a
permanently open mouth w¹, so that the charge dumped into it immediately falls
through it. The lug on this receptacle may be omitted so that it will not be
lifted, but I prefer to provide this lug so that the receptacle K³ will be lifted
exactly like the others. But by constructing it with the open mouth w¹, it is
given a longer period during which it may discharge the material dumped into
it, so that the dumping of the scale pans may be performed more slowly and
gradually, and the operation of discharging their contents may be prolonged
until after the arm m shall have dropped the receptacle K back to place.
The arrangement of the scales GG, the receptacles K K, and the recep-
tacles E E in circular order around a central axis is the preferable and most con-
venient construction, but is not considered strictly essential to my invention, as
these parts may be otherwise arranged, as for example in a straight line or row.
In this case the slide H with its holes h instead of being a ring, would be a
straight flat sliding plate.
The feed-disk g of the supplemental feed-hopper F is made with its middle
portion sloping outwardly in order to direct the material toward the outer openings
and cause it to be fed down the chutes i i.
My invention may be otherwise considerably modified without departing from
those features that are essential to its successful operation. For example,
the receptacles KK might be stationary and be dumped one after another.
The several scales G G need not receive their charges simultaneously, but might
commence the weighing operation successively and be dumped one after another
as they complete the weighing. Accordingly the upper boxes or receptacles E E
might be omitted, or might constitute mere chutes for conveying the measured
material to the scale-pans.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
:-
1. The described improvement in weighing mechanisms consisting in the

page_text: combination with a series of automatic weighing scales of a series of receptacles
for receiving the weighed charges of material dumped from the scales, and
means for dumping these receptacles in regular succession, substantially as
specified.
2. The described improvement in weighing mechanisms consisting in the com-
bination with a series of automatic weighing scales, of means for causing them to
operate together and for dumping them simultaneously, substantially as specified.
3. In a weighing mechanism, the combination with a series of simultaneously
operating automatic weighing scales, of a series of carrier receptacles for receiving
the weighed charges of material dumped from the scales, and means for dumping
these receptacles successively as they reach in their travel a given point, substan-
tially as specified.
4. In a weighing mechanism, the combination of a series of automatic weighing
scales arranged circularly, a circular series of carrier receptacles mounted on a
central shaft and revolved intermittently, with means for dumping all the scales
simultaneously into the carrier receptacles, and means for dumping the latter in
turn as they reach a given position, substantially as specified.
5. The described means for giving an intermittent rotation to the shaft M
consisting of a swinging arm carrying a tooth for engaging notches in a disk
fixed to the shaft, and cams for swinging said arm, and for entering said tooth
before the forward oscillation and withdrawing it before the rearward oscilla-
tion, and a locking device for holding the shaft stationary while said tooth is
withdrawn.
6. In a weighing mechanism, the combination with a series of automatic weighing
scales and a measuring mechanism for measuring out and delivering charges of the
material to be weighed, of a movable chute for conducting these measured charges
to the respective scales in succession, substantially as specified.
7. The described improvement in weighing mechanisms consisting in the inter-
position above the respective scales of an equal number of receptacles or pockets
for catching and retaining material to be delivered to the scales, and means for
emptying the material therefrom at proper times into the scales, substantially as
specified.
8. The improved weighing mechanism consisting of the series of automatic
weighing scales, an equal series of receptacles or pockets above them, a measurer
operating to measure out charges of material to be weighed and to deliver these
charges into the pockets successively until all are filled, means for emptying the
pockets into the scales so that the scales operate together to bring the charges to
equal weight, means for dumping the scales together, receptacles or carriers for
receiving the weighed charges dumped from the scales, and means for dumping
these receptacles in succession, substantially as specified.
9. The described improvement in weighing mechanisms consisting in the com-
bination with the series of weighing scales and the series of pockets for storing the
material to be weighed, of the sliding plate H for closing these pockets until all
are filled, and means for then moving it to bring its openings h h under the pockets
to dump the material from them into the scales.
10. The improved construction of a dumping-scale-pan consisting of a sloping
bottom hung from the scale-beam, and a movable body portion pivoted at its back
to the bottom and having a sloping front so that by lifting said body the material
slides out of the pan, substantially as specified.
11. The combination with the said dumping-scale-pan of a dumping device
consisting of a vertically moving part adapted to engage a projection from the body
portion of the pan to lift it and dump the pan, substantially as specified.
12. In a weighing mechanism, the circular series of automatic series of automatic
weighing scales G G operating together, combined with a vertically movable
ring L moving up to lift the projections a' and dump the scale-pans simultaneously,
substantially as specified.
13. In a weighing mechanism, a movable stop adapted to hold the scale stationary

page_text: while dumping into it the charge of material to be weighed, substantially as
specified.
14. In a weighing mechanism, a movable stop adapted to hold the scale stationary
while the means for dumping it is acting in order to prevent the scale-pau flying
up as the charge is dumped from it, substantially as specified.
15. The described improvement in weighing mechanisms consisting in the com-
bination with the series of automatic weighing scales of a stop-ring moving down
after the scales have finished weighing, and holding the scale-beams down while the
weighed charges are being dumped from the scale-pans and while the new charges
of material to be weighed are being dumped into them, and then gradually rising
to release the scales, substantially as specified.
16. The described construction of the receptacles K for receiving the weighed
charges from the scales with a sloping bottom and movable body portion having an
inclined front so that it may be lifted to dump the receptacle, substantially as
specified.
17. The described improvement in weighing mechanisms consisting in the com-
bination with a series of carrier receptacles K K and means for revolving them
intermittently, of a dumping device consisting of an arm m which lifts the body of
each receptacle as it reaches the dumping position, whereby its contents are
discharged into the delivery chute, substantially as specified.
18. The described construction of the one receptacle K which stands over the
delivery chute at the instant when the scales are dumped with a permanently open
mouth ', for the purpose described.
19. In an automatic weighing mechanism, the series of scales G G having each a
movable chute j, combined with the supplemental feed-hopper F, having a revolving
feed-disk g formed with a raised and sloping middle part to direct the material
outwardly to the feed holes, and chutes ii leading downwardly from said hopper
for delivering the small streams of material to the several chutes as described.
20. In an automatic weighing mechanism, the series of weighing scales G G
having each a movable chute fed from the supplementary feed-hopper F, com-
bined with a pan J for catching the overflow from the scales, substantially as.
described.
Dated the 17th day of March 1893
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, Loudon, Chartered Patent Agent.