An Improved Machine for Automatically Weighing Grain.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1897
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Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1898-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1898.
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Automatically Weighing Grain.
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We, ANGUS MCLEOD, and JOHN HUGH MCLEOD, both of Marietta, Kansas, U.S.A.,
Grain Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a machine which will automatically
weigh grain which is allowed to enter it through a hopper or the like...
The invention comprises a suitable frame in which is pivoted a weighing, lever
consisting of parallel bars. A receptacle for the grain is pivoted at one end, of
the lever, and has an opening fitted with a door in its lower part... This door is
connected by a pivoted lever, and flexible connection with the weighing, lever., A
roller, which serves as a weight, is mounted to reciprocate between, the bars of the
weighing lever; the movement of which is also controlled by a spring.
When the receptacle is filled to a certain point the lever tilts, and the roller-weight
falls to the receptacle end of the lever, causing a sharp movement thereof, cutting off
the supply of grain from the hopper by means of levers, and opening the door or gate
in the receptacle by means of the lever, and flexible connection aforementioned.,
When the receptacle is empty, a permanent weight at the end of the, weighing
lever raises it and causes the movable weight to return to its normal position. The
distance of the movable weight from the extreme end of the weighing lever can
be regulated by a set screw so that the machine will operate to discharge the
grain when quantities of any desired bulk have accumulated in the receptacle.
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By means of any simple registering device, such as a pointer and dial operated
by a ratchet-the movements of the machine may be recorded.
ن دارند
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1007
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicants.
An Improved Machine fór Automatically Weighing Grain.
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We, ANGUS McLeod and John Hugh McLeod, both of Marietta, Kansaś, U.S.A.,
Grain Merchants, 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:—
Our invention relates to automatic grain-meters.,,
Our object is to provide an improved grain meter which will be adapted to auto-
matically weigh grain as the same is discharged therein and which can be adjusted to
weigh any desired quantity.,.
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A further object is to provide a novel automatic grain-meter or weigher which will
be of such improved construction that it will be adapted to remain in discharging

page_text: position until all the grain has passed out, and will be so nicely adjusted that it
will respond immediately upon the proper weight of the grain being received in
the bucket.
Having these objects in view, our invention consists of an automatic grain meter
or weigher comprising those improved features and novel combinations appearing
more fully in detail in the following description and appended claims as well as in the
accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional view; Fig. 3 an end
elevation, and Fig. 4 a plan view.
The numeral 1 designates the frame-work of our improved meter, which, in the
present instance, is made substantially rectangular in shape. This frame can be
connected to any preferred form of support in position to properly receive the
grain.
The numeral 2 designates a receiving hopper of ordinary construction, which is
adapted to discharge downwardly. This hopper extends across the frane and is
provided with a depending flexible flap 3.
Our improved grain bucket is designated by the numeral 4, being of the shape
ordinarily employed, and which has a gate 5 at its lower end, said gate being hinged
to the inclined side of the bucket. The grain bucket is located immediately
below the discharge mouth of the hopper, so as to be adapted to readily receive the
grain therefrom. Brackets 6 and 7 depend downwardly from the grain-bucket, and
at 8 and 9 are shewn toggle-levers, which have one of their members connected to
the gate 5 of the grain bucket and the other member pivoted to the bracket.
The numeral 10 designates a trip-bracket which extends across the frame from side
to side, being located beneath the toggle-levers and adapted to break the knees thereof
when the grain bucket descends.
At 11 is shewn a rectangular bucket-frame which is composed of upper and lower
rectangular bands 12 and 13.
The numerals 14 and 15 designate chains which are adjustably connected to
the upper band or strip of the rectangular frame by means of bolts and brackets 16
and have their lower ends connected to the other ends of the outer members
of the toggle-levers. The object of these chains is to strengthen or lock the
toggle-levers when the bucket ascends after the grain has been discharged. The
upper bands of the rectangular bucket frame are provided with inverted U-shaped
bearing brackets 17 and 18, while 19 and 20 designate upwardly turned hooks,
which are connected to the main frame of the machine and project into said brackets,
so that the frame is free to rock up and down. Additional inverted U-shaped
brackets 21 and 22 are connected to the sides of the bucket, and upwardly turned
hooks 23 and 24 are connected to the upper bands, of the bucket frame and are
in engagement so that the bucket itself can swing laterally in relation to its
frame.
The numeral 25 designates a curved transversely-extending cut-off slide which
is adapted to close the spout of the hopper, said cut-off being supported from the
upper band of the bucket frame by standards 26 and 27. Thus it will be seen that
when the longer end of the bucket frame rocks upwardly on its pivots when the
bucket is descending to discharge its load the cut-off will close the mouth of the
delivery hopper and prevent more grain being fed therethrough.
At 28 and 29 are shewn peripherally-grooved wheels or discs which run between
the side portions of the upper and lower bands of the bucket frame. When the
bucket descends with its load of grain, these discs roll towards and past the bucket to
the end of the frame of the latter and tend to keep said bucket down until it has
discharged all of its grain. When the bucket ascends, the longer end of the frame
thereof is depressed and the discs roll back again. At 30 and 31 are shewn adjusting
screws for regulating the rearward movement of these discs.
When the mechanisms described later on have been adjusted to cause the bucket
to operate at a greater or less weight these adjusting screws must also be manipulated

page_text: so that the initial positions of the discs will be thrown farther back or forward to
compensate for the change.
At 32 and 33 are shown graduated bars which extend parallel to the sides
of the bucket frame and are connected thereto by sets of brackets 34 and 35
respectively.
The numerals 36 and 37 designate weights which are adjustable on said bars or
beams. By moving these weights the hopper can be made to descend and discharge
when any desired weight of grain has been received therein.
The numerals 38 and 39 designate vertically extending bars which are provided
with guide slots 40 and 41, respectively, these bars being connected to the stationary
main frame.
The numeral 42 designates a lifting-bracket whose cross piece extends transversely
of the main frame and is slidable in the vertical guide-slots.
At 43 and 44 are shewn coil-springs which have their upper ends connected to the
upper portion of the main frame, and their lower ends to the upper ends of the lifting
bracket 42. Hence a spring tension is constantly being exerted on the lifting bracket,
so that the bucket frame is assisted to rise immediately upon the exact amount of
grain being introduced into the hopper. This lifting bracket rises until the discharge
of grain from the hopper is checked to a "dribble." The bracket has then reached
the limit of its upward movement, and the bucket continues to descend; the weighing
operation being extremely accurate. Should there be any grain left in the bucket
after the weighing operation has been completed, this extra grain can be weighed off
by adjusting the weights on the graduated bars or beams.
The operation is as follows: After the requisite amount of grain has been received
in the bucket the latter begins to descend and is assisted by the lifting bracket.
Immediately after the bucket frame has passed a horizontal position the rollers or
dises roll down towards the front of the machine and the joints of the toggle-levers
are broken, so that the gate of the bucket is opened and the grain begins to pass out
over the latter, the bucket being held down by means of the rollers until the grain
has passed out. The weights now cause the bucket to rise and the rollers to move
back to their initial positions, while the chains again lock the toggle-joints and close
the gate. It will be observed that while the bucket is in descended position, the
cut-off is closing the hopper mouth.
It is obvious that many slight and immaterial changes of construction may be
resorted to without detracting from any of the advantages of our invention, and
hence it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise construction
herein shewn and described, but consider that we are entitled to all such variations
as come within the spirit and scope of our invention.
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
claim is :-
(1). In a grain meter, the combination with a pivoted and weighted bucket frame,
of a grain bucket pivoted to the frame, a gate for said bucket, a toggle-lever having
one of its members connected to the gate and its other member pivoted to a bracket
on the bucket, a flexible connection between the pivoted member and the bucket
frame, and a bracket for breaking the knee of the toggle lever when the bucket
descends.
(2.) In a grain meter, the combination with a pivoted bucket frame of a grain-
bucket connected thereto, a weight for the frame, bars provided with guide slots,
springs having one end fixed, and a lifting bracket which is slidable in the slots and
to which the other ends of the springs are connected, said lifting bracket engaging
with the frame and being adapted to assist the same in rising when the bucket
descends to discharge its grain.
(3.) In a grain meter, the combination with a pivoted bucket frame, of adjustable
weights therefor, rollers movable in the frame and adapted to shift their positions
when the same is raised or lowered, a grain bucket pivoted to the frame, cut-off

page_text: mechanism, a gate for said bucket, a toggle-lever having one member connected to
the gate and the other member pivoted to the bucket, a connection between the
pivoted member of the toggle-lever and the bucket-frame, and means for breaking
the knee of the toggle-lever.
Dated this 20th day of Luna 1000