Improvements in or relating to Automatic Weighing Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Automatic Weighing Machines.
I, PIERRE ALPHONSE DEPAEPE, of 15, Rue Milis, Antwerp, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Merchant, 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 :-
The automatic weighing machines hitherto known consist generally of a drum or
receiver, arranged on the balance lever and held during the weighing operation, said
drum being caused to tip or to revolve at the moment when the weighing machine
comes into the position of equilibrium.
In all such weighing machines the drum or receiver is attached so as to turn in
the plane in which the oscillations of the balance lever take place; or in a plane
parallel to it. The result of such arrangement is that during a certain period of the
time during which the drum is kept from turning there is produced a rigid connection
between the latter and the balance lever whereby the arm of the lever which carries
the material to be weighed, is affected and consequently according to the way in
which the material to be weighed is distributed in the receiver and according to
the direction in which the receiver rotates the moment the receiver becomes altered
so as to cause the quantities weighed to be either more or less than the weight
indicated by the machine.
These errors become very noticeable when the number of weighing operations is
great and in any case they prevent the use of such machines for commercial purposes
where exactitude is required, and for official weight stamping machines.
Moreover in most of the present weighing machines the above error is increased by
the arrangement of the drum and of the mechanism releasing it in such manner as
to require an excess of weight to cause the turning movement for the discharge which
excess however slight acquires an importance when the number of the weighing
operations is great.
The improvements forming the subject of the present application have for their
object to avoid these drawbacks.
They consist chiefly in the manner of attachment of the drum or receiver to the
balance lever this being done so that the plane of the rotation of the drum is at right
angles to that of the oscillations of the balance-lever and at the same time the drum
can freely turn in this plane of oscillation so that a rigid connection between the
receiver and the balance-lever becomes impossible.
The improvements consist further of a special construction of the drum or receiver
the purpose of which is to effect distribution of the material to be weighed in such
manner that the tipping or turning movoment of the drum is caused only by the exact
quantity of weighed material, of devices for ensuring perfect vertical guidance of the
drum during weighing, of a mechanism for automatically regulating the admission
of the material to be weighed, of a stop-mechanism for regulating the rotation or
turning of the receiver according to the manner of charging the material to be
weighed and of a special arrangement of the platform in order that the weighing
operations may be effected by the machine without special supervision and in an exact
manner said weighing operations being indicated by a counting device registering the
number of times that the drum rotates or turns.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically the manner of attachment of the drum or
ransition to the balance lan

page_text: Figs. 2 to 4 illustrating a construction of an automatic weighing machine for
weighing grain, containing my improvements;
Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification of the mechanism admitting the material to be
weighed.
As can be seen from the diagrammatic perspective view in Fig. 1 and the plan view
in Fig. 4 the balance lever is double or made in the form of a fork Y, in which is
suspended an oscillating frame Z1 supporting the spindle on which rotates the
receiver Z receiving the material to be weighed.
To ensure proper working the drum or receiver should not consist of more than two
compartments which alternately receive and discharge the goods. In order to bring
about a rapid and complete discharge these compartments have the form of a truncated
cone the basis or the large part of which is turned outwards. In order to cause the
drum to turn under the influence of the exact weight of goods, the partition wall O
dividing the drum into two compartments is so arranged that in each side of the axis
of rotation of the drum it is at a certain distance from the central plane of the drum 1
and also each compartment is deeper on one side of the axis than on the other, and
consequently the material introduced in the drum or receiver is always distributed so
that the centre of gravity of the drum is outside the axis of rotation and is situated
at the side towards which the drum must rotate. This rotation (see arrows Figs. 1 and 2)
takes place in a plane at right angles to the plane of oscillation of the balance-lever X Y;
however owing to its compass-like arrangement, the receiver is capable of freely
turning in the plane of oscillation of the balance-lever X Y by means of its frame Zi.
It will be seen that when the receiver is held during the weighing operation at the
side a rigid connection between the balance-lever X Y and the receiver becomes
absolutely impossible.
The vertical motion of the drum or receiver is utilised to produce at certain definite
times the gradual opening and closing of the charging conduit arranged over the
compartments of the receiver.
When the weighing machine is used to weigh grain or other granular material or
powder (Figs. 2 to 4) the conduit for charging terminates at the top in a hopper J in
which is arranged a sieve or grating N to prevent stones and the like from passing
through. The charging conduit or funnel, is closed by a valve A held in its closed
position by two balance weights A 1 (Figs. 2 and 3) articulated or carried on rods A2
against which may strike fingers C secured to the oscillating frame Z1 in which is
mounted the receiver Z, so that the valve opens when the emptied receiver rises under
the influence of the weights placed in the scale G (see dotted lines Fig. 2). The
material introduced into the hopper can thus fall into the receiver.
When this latter descends under the influence of the weight of material charged
into the receiver the fingers C enable the valve A to turn in the direction of the
dotted arrow Fig. 2 in order to arrive at the closing position a little before the weight
desired is attained. The material then continues to be discharged into the drum
through a small opening A provided in the valve A. This small stream of material
becomes gradually thinner and thinner in consequence of a slide A actuated by
levers A A driven by the slight descent of the frame Z1 being pushed forward over
the said opening A³, the material finally passing grain by grain and its passage being
completely stopped when the weighing machine comes into the position of equilibrium.
By means of this device any kind of grains may be weighed on these weighing
machines, that is to say granular material or powder of any specific weight without
having to adjust the closing mechanism for each kind of grain.
During its descent the receiver is held and guided vertically by a guide Z³ having
friction rollers against which the guide-surface Z2 of the receiver rests. The
guides Z and Z are arranged obliquely so as to correspond to the curve of oscillation
of the point of suspension of the frame Z1. At the moment when the latter arrives
into the horizontal position that is to say when the weighing machine is in equilibrium
the upper edge of the finger Z leaves the last roller of the guide. Z and the drum
being released accomplishes half a revolution under the influence of the charge
contained in it and owing to the manner in which its two plates 0-0 are arranged-;

page_text: this half revolution is made in a plane at right angles to that of the oscillations of the
balance-lever (see arrows in Figs. 1 and 2).
During this half revolution, the compartment previously charged is emptied, and
the fork Y rises with the frame Z' and the receiver Z; the second compartment is
now brought under the charging conduit the finger C of the frame again open the
valve A while the second guide Z presses against the guide Z³. The oscillating
movement of the receiver is limited at the top by a stop G (Figure 3) against which
the arm X of the balance-lever strikes in any case during the weighing operation
before attaining this extreme limit of movement the receiver strikes with its rubber-
guides Z against the buffer attached to the lever Z provided with balance weights
whereby the receiver is guided during its oscillation and its rotation so that the
fingers Z are brought without fail against the stop guides Z' without striking the
upper parts of the apparatus. The receiver is prevented from rotating in the opposite
direction by two pawls Z' secured to the frame Z' and engaging with teeth Z secured
to the sides of the receiver. The rotary movements of the latter are transmitted to a
counting mechanism F the dials of which indicate the number of half revolution
which is to be multiplied by the weight in the scale G. The latter forms a closed
compartment provided with a door secured by a lock or a seal.
The receiver is surrounded by a casing L with a conical shaped bottom W for the
purpose of conducting the material discharged from the receiver towards or into a ..
discharge-opening T. The weighing machine is constructed so as to enable it either
to rest on the upper or other floor of a building on the deck of a steamer etc. or to be
suspended by chains or cables.
When the material weighed is to be charged into sacks a stop may be placed
in the path of the fingers which serves to stop the receiver at each half revolution..
When the stop is turned back into the position of rest, the weighing machine acts in
a continuous and absolutely automatic manner. A stop lever G₁ of any well-known
construction may be used to maintain the balance lever in such manner that the
fingers C are not in contact with the device for closing the charging conduit till all.
the weights are placed in the scale G and this latter secured as by a lock.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a vertical section and plan of a device for closing
the charging conduit, in which the valve A is replaced by a fixed plate A" with
openings a corresponding to openings of a slide B which is brought into its closing
position by the described balance weights A¹.. The fingers C raise the rods A² of the
weighted levers so as to cause the slide B to move back in order to bring its openings b
coincident with the openings at of the fixed plate. At the descent of the fingers C
the solid parts of the slide will close the openings a*. This arrangement has the
advantage of causing the material to be intercepted in a more rapid manner than by
a valve. In the fixed plate A in the same manner as in the valve A there is an.
opening A through which passes a small jet of material which is gradually reduced
by the slide A in order to be completely interrupted at the moment when the
weighing machine comes into its position of equilibrium.
When the machine is to be used for weighing liquids the charging conduit must be
provided with two cocks, one of which actuated by the fingers C'enables the drum to
be rapidly filled just like the valve A or the device A B in the previous example,
whereas the other with a very small opening and actuated by levers, such as A A
connected to the frame Z¹ has the same function as the opening A³ that is to say to
gradually complete the filling till the equilibrium of the weighing machine is.
obtained.
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. In an automatic weighing machine the arrangement of a rotating or tipping
receiver in such a manner that it effects its rotary or tipping movement in a plane at
right angles to the plane of oscillation of the balance lever the whole being capable.
of moving freely in this plane of oscillation.

page_text: 2. A construction of automatic weighing machine as described in Claim 1 in which
the spindle on which the receiver rotates is supported in a frame suspended so as to
be capable of turning independently in a double balance lever or in a fork formed by
the arm of the balance lever substantially as described.
3. In an automatic weighing machine as described in Claims 1 and 2, the
construction of a receiver having two compartments divided by a partition consisting
of two parts as O0 so that each compartment is deeper on one side of the axis of
rotation of the receiver than on the other substantially as described.
4. In an automatic weighing machine as described in Claims 1 and 2, the arrange-
ment of an oblique stop guide Z having friction rollers against which the receiver
can rest during its descent by means of an oblique guiding surface Z which leaves
the last roller of the guide Z at the moment when the weighing machine comes into
its position of equilibrium substantially as described.
5. In an automatic weighing machine described in Claims 1 and 2, the arrangement
of movable stops Z provided with balance weights limiting the travel of the drum
during its rotation and its oscillation, so as to bring the guides Z in engagement with
the guides Zwithout allowing them to come in contact with the upper parts of the
apparatus substantially as described.
6. In an automatic weighing machine as described in Claims 1 and 2 the arrange-
ment in the charging space of a weighted valve A actuated by the fingers C of the
frame Z so as to cause rapid admission of the material and to close the opening
before the weighing machine attains its position of equilibrium, an opening A³ in the
valve admitting a small jet or supply of the material, which supply is gradually
reduced by a slide as A actuated by levers as A' A connected to the frame Z' in
order to gradually complete and then cut off the supply of material charged into the
receiver Z.
7. In an automatic weighing machine as described in Claims 1 and 2 a modification of
the device described in Claim 6 in which the valve A is replaced by a fixed perforated
or grated partition A under which is arranged a similar slide B which is actuated by
fingers substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. In an automatic weighing machine as described in Claims 1 and 2 the arrange-
ment of a stop lever H which may be caused to engage with the guides Z so as to
stop the rotation of the receiver when desired substantially as described.
9. In an automatic weighing machine as described in Claims 1 and 2 the con-
struction of the scale or weight receiver G in the form of a compartment secured by
a lock.
10. The combination and arrangement of parts forming a complete automatic
weighing apparatus substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 26th day of November 1896
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.