An Improved Machine for use in Weighing Out Quantities of Crushed Sugar, Tea, and other Substances.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Feb.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for use in Weighing Out Quantities of
Crushed Sugar, Tea, and other Substances.
I, WILLIAM EDGELL, of Elm Tree Inn, Westfield, Radstock, in the County
of Somerset, Innkeeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improved machine in which this invention consists is designed for use in
weighing out into a scale specified and variable quantities of crushed sugar, tea and
other substances and is specially applicable to weighing out a succession of parcels
of the same weight. The machine is arranged and constructed as follows.
At the lower end of a hopper into which is charged the substance to be weighed
out is a throat the communication between which and the hopper is controlled by a
slide which is opened to an extent varying with the nature of the substance. The
delivery end or mouth of the throat is normally partially closed by a hinged lid
furnished at the back with a row of fingers separate from each other. The bottom
of the hopper throat consists of a metal plate sufficiently thin as to be capable of
vibrating under the contact therewith of the arms of a tappet wheel arranged for
actuation by clockwork.
The action of the apparatus is as follows. The hopper having been charged
with the substance to be weighed out, the slide is opened and the weight corre-
sponding to the parcel required is placed in the scale one side of which is accordingly
depressed and the other side raised. The latter in rising releases the tappet wheel
from the restraining influence of a stop and the wheel in rotating by the action of
the clockwork taps, at intervals, as it rotates, the bottom of the hopper throat.
The movement of the scale causes also the hinged lid and fingers at the mouth of the
hopper throat to tilt together and to permit the sugar, tea or other substance to pass
out of the throat into the scale. When now the scale begins to move under the
influence of the supply of the substance, the lid governing the mouth of the hopper
throat is lowered and the feed is accordingly checked but continues at a reduced
rate through the partially closed mouth of the throat until the proper quantity of
the substance has been delivered into the scale by the action of which the feed then
ceases as also does the motion of the tappet wheel, the stop being automatically
applied thereto. The parcel thus weighed out having been removed the machine is
again set in action by the upward movement of the empty side of the scale.
In event of a piece of sugar or other substances of undue size being delivered
from the hopper into the throat the said piece on coming into contact with the fingers
behind the hinged lid does not raise the whole of the fingers but only so many as
suffice to allow it to pass, in which it is assisted by the vibration of the bottom of
the throat.
Dated this 8th day of July 1890
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The machine in which this invention consists is designed for weighing out, into a
scale or balance of the kind usually employed in weighing such substances, specified
and variable quantities of crushed sugar, tea and various other kinds of produce or
substances.
It is specially adapted for weighing out a succession of parcels of equal weight,
variable at will.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation, of a machine constructed, in accordance with
my invention, for weighing out parcels of crushed sugar, tea and various other
substances.
Fig. 2 represents a part vertical transverse section and part elevation at the
line A A, Fig. 1.
At the lower end of the hopper a, situated at the top of the frame of the machine,
is a throat b fitted with a sliding door B. The delivery end or mouth of the throat b
is normally partially closed, independently of the door B, by the lid e carrying a
row of fingers d separate from each other and supported in a slotted plate e
adjustable up and down on the lid c. Detached views of one of the fingers are
shown at Figs. 3 and 4. The lid e is secured to arms D hinged at c' and bears upon
a flat springs fixed to the frame, which spring, being bent upward, is kept down
only by the lid c. The bottom of the throat consists of a sheet metal plate f
which at one side is extended forward in the form of a flat arm F.
The outer end of the arm Flies in the plane of rotation of a tappet wheel g which
in the machine shewn in the drawings is arranged for rotation by balance weights
and clockwork of an ordinary kind. The tappet wheel may, however, be otherwise
rotated by any suitable motor. The pawl h, pivotted to the bracket i, normally
restrains the wheel y from rotating.
Below the throat b is a shoot n open at top and bottom and situated above a scale
of the kind usually employed for weighing sugar, tea and other produce or substances.
Extending up to the pawl h is a rodj connected at the lower end to the receiving
side of the scale. Another rod k, also connected to the receiving side of the scale,
extends up to below the hinged lid c, as shown. The action of the apparatus is as
follows. The sugar, tea or other substance to be weighed out is charged into the
hopper a, and a weight corresponding to the weight of the quantity required to be
delivered into the scale is placed in and tends to depress that side of the scale which
is furthest from the hopper. The scale is, however, prevented from tilting under
the influence of the weight by the spring catch m restraining the receiving side.
The spring catch m is next bent back by hand and the receiving scale released and
permitted to rise. The upper end of the rod k is thus brought out into contact with
and raises the lid c on its hinges c'. The free end of the spring s follows up the lid
for a short distance and the lid, continuing to rise, passes out of contact with it.
The hinged lid c, the upward travel of which is limited by the stop S, carries up
with it the fingers d, and, the sliding door B having been previously drawn up,
communication is freely established between the throat b and the shoot n by which
the substance being weighed is guided to the receiving side of the scale. In the
same upward movement of the scale the pawl is tilted by the rod out of
engagement with the arms of the tappet wheel g which is then freely rotated by the
clockwork. Each tooth or arm of the wheel g strikes in turn the flat arm F and
thus a vibratory motion is kept up in the bottom ƒ of the throat b. The sugar or

page_text: other substance is, consequently, kept in motion and the feed to the scale started
and maintained. The bar B extending across the plate f serves to equalize
approximately the quantity dislodged at each stroke of the wheel g. Should a
piece of sugar or other substance of undue size, be presented to the fingers d, only
so many of the fingers are raised as suffice to let the said piece pass, so that the
temporary increase of feed due to such piece is limited accordingly. When, now,
the receiving scale has received a quantity of substance nearly balancing the weight/
at the other side of the scale, the receiving scale descends, the lid c is deprived of
the support of the rod k, and the feed is checked by the descending lid c.
The feed is not, however, thereby immediately stopped, for when the descending
lid c resumes contact with the spring f, which, as aforesaid, extends upwards at the
free end, the said spring offers a resistance to the lid c which resistance, although
overcome by the lid, serves to lower the latter at a reduced rate and hence the
completion of the parcel is gently effected. It will be seen that when the lid c is
at its lowest point, as shown in the drawings, the lower extremities of the fingers d
are still slightly above the plate. Consequently, the feed gently continues while
the wheel 9 rotates. It ceases when the rod jis pulled down out of contact with
the pawl and the wheel g stopped, notwithstanding that the fingers d are not in
contact with the plate f. They are sufficiently near to obstruct the passage, in the
absence of vibration of the plate, of the substance being dealt with.
The ring catch m at the receiving side of the scale is forced back as the scale
descends and, when the descending scale has passed, it rebounds forward and prevents.
the scale rising until again released, as above described. It is to be understood that
the side of the scale in which the weight is placed is, in addition to the said weight,
further weighted to an extent corresponding to the preponderance of the long arm
of the pawl h over the short arm thereof. It will be seen that by the use of this
machine any number of parcels of equal weight depending on the weight placed in
the opposite side of the scale can be mechanically weighed in succession, being
only necessary to remove the parcels in succession and to re-start the machine by
releasing the receiving side of the scale from the restraint of the catch m.
The capacity of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention is
increased by duplicating or multiplying the mechanism.
In such multiple machines provision is made, either by the adoption of a clutch or
clutches, or the equivalent thereof, so that any one set of feeding and driving
mechanism is capable of independent actuation or arrest.
A driving shaft common to two or more sets of feeding mechanism may be employed
and the rotation of such shaft may continue during arrest of any one or more of
the said sets of mechanism.
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 :-
as
:―
1. A machine, arranged and constructed as above described, for use in weighing
parcels of sugar, tea and like substances, in which machine the feed of such sub-
stances to an ordinary weighing scale or balance is controlled by a hinged lid such
C, with adjustable fingers d, governing or partially governing the mouth of a hopper
throat or shoot through which the substance to be weighed is fed, the said lid and
fingers normally partially closing the mouth of the throat or shoot, but arranged,
through the medium of the rod k, or its equivalent, to rise and fall with that side
of the scale or balance to which the substance is delivered, substantially as set
forth.
2. In a machine for weighing parcels of sugar, tea or other like substances, the
use of a toothed or serrated wheel such as 9 acting upon and imparting a vibratory
motion to a plate f constituting the bottom of the hopper through which the substance
is fed, the said wheel being rotated by a train of clockwork, or otherwise, when
through the ascent of the delivery side of any ordinary weighing scale or balance
in which the substance is weighed, a pawl h, previously restraining the said tappet

page_text: wheel, is put out of engagement therewith through the medium of a rod j, or its
equivalent, connected to the receiving side of the scale or balance, substantially as
herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The springs arranged and operating to effect the further descent, in a gentle
manner, of the lid c after the rod k, under the influence of the feed, is drawn down
out of contact with the said lid, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. The bar B' extending across the plate f to equalize, approximately, the
quantity of substance dislodged at each blow of the tappet wheel whereby the said
plate is vibrated.
5. The combination of parts, constituting the improved machine for weighing
sugar, tea and other substances, constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of Decembe 1800
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.