IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND WEIGHING GRAIN, SEEDS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harvey Lewis Sellers, of Cincinnati, in the State of
Ohio, in the United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, and John
Littler Talbott, of the same Place, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND WEIGHING GRAIN, SEEDS, AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES."-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harvey Lewis Sellers and
John Littler Talbott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 2nd January 1856.
We, HARVEY LEWIS SELLERS, of Cincinnati, in the State of Ohio, in the
United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, and JOHN LITTLER TALBOTT, of
the same Place, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-.
tion for IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND WEIGHING GRAIN, SEEDS, AND,
OTHER SUBSTANCES, to be as follows:-
This Invention of improved apparatus for measuring and weighing grain,
seeds, and other substances, has for its object to weigh and measure these
matters, and indicate or register the quantities weighed or measured without.

page_text: the assistance of an attendant, except to supply the machine with the material
or substance to be weighed. We therefore, propose to call the apparatus an
automatic or self-acting weighing or measuring machine.
The apparatus consists principally of a cylinder or drum divided longitudi-
nally into two parts by a flexible diaphragm or partition, and having two gates
or openings to each of these compartments.
This cylinder is mounted horizontally in bearings, in such a manner that it
may turn or oscillate on its.axis. The cylinder with its appendages is sup-
ported on the platform of a weighing machine. The corn, grain, sced, or other
material to be weighed is supplied to a hopper placed above the cylinder, and
the exit aperture of this hopper is so arranged that the gates or openings of
the cylinder may come 'immediately under the same, so that the corn, grain,
or other substance in the hopper may run into one of the compartments of
the cylinder, and when the compartment is full, or a certain weight of material
has run into it, the cylinder will overbalance and turn over until the aperture
or gate of the first compartment descends, and allows the corn, grain, or other
substance to run out into any receptacle below, during which time the opening
or gate of the second compartment will have risen to the exit opening of the
hopper, and will begin to fill; and when the compartment is full, the same
operation will be repeated, the cylinder turning over every time one of the
compartments gets filled. These oscillations of the cylinder are communicated
by suitable gearing to a counting or registering apparatus provided with a
dial, whereon will be indicated the quantity that has passed through the
machine.
The cylinder is prevented from turning over and emptying itself until the
proper moment, by means of a catch which holds it still until the required or
fixed quantity has been run into the eompartment, when the weight will cause.
the platform of the weighing machine to descend, and pull down one end of
the steelyard above. This latter will by that motion be made to act on a rod
or other contrivance, which will liberate the catch which holds the cylinder,
and immediately the catch is removed or lifted up, the cylinder will tumble
over and begin to discharge the 'contents of the full compartment, and at the
same time the other compartment will be filling as before mentioned. In
order to ensure accuracy in the operation, two gates or openings are made to
cach compartment of the cylinder, one of these is a large gate through which
the principal bulk of the material to be weighed will pass; the other is a
smaller gate, and is intended only to allow a small quantity to pass, as when
completing the quantity to a nicety. For instance, supposing that each com

page_text: partment of the cylinder will contain 65 lbs. weight of corn, 60 lbs. weight
will be allowed to pass through the large or principal gate, after which this
gate will be closed, and the small gate opened to allow, the remaining
5 lbs. to run in more slowly, so as to give time to allow the self-acting appa-
ratus to operate for relieving the cylinder.
All this part of the apparatus is made self-acting, and the counting appa-
ratus is provided with a stud or other convenient contrivance, which, when a
certain quantity of grain has passed through the machine, will be brought
against a detent, and made to stop the machine, so that the machine may be
set to measure off a certain quantity only of grain.
If required, an alarum or bell may be adapted to the counting or registering
apparatus, so as to give, an audible signal when the required quantity has
passed through the machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Harvey Lewis Sellers and John Littler Talbott in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 2nd July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HARVEY
LEWIS SELLERS, of Cincinnati, in the State of Ohio, in the United States of
America, Doctor of Medicine, and JOHN LITTLER TALBOTT, of the same Place,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Harvey Lewis Sellers and John Littler Talbott, Her special licence that
we, the said Harvey Lewis Sellers and John Littler Talbott, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Harvey Lewis
Sellers and John Littler Talbott, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, tho Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for IM-
PROVED APPARATUS POR MEASURING AND WEIGHING GRAIN, SEEDS, AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES, being a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Harvey Lewis Sellers and John Littler Talbott, by

page_text: an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain. the .nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Harvey Lewis Sellers and John Littler
Talbott, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of apparatus calculated to
measure and weigh out grain and other substances in consecutive quantities;
with great rapidity, and with the assistance only of an attendant to keep up a
continuous supply of produce to the hopper or shute of the apparatus.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents the apparatus in front
elevation; Fig. 2 is an end view, and Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections,
shewing the measuring chamber, and the parts connected therewith, in two
different positions. The apparatus may be described as consisting of a cylin-
der divided longitudinally by a partition into two compartments, and furnished
on cach side of such partition with a supply and discharge opening.
The cylinder is mounted on a rectangular frame, the opposite ends of which
rest on edges carried by a Fairbank's weighing machine, which is itself
supported by links attached to the basement of the main framing of the
apparatus. A rod from the weighing machine connects with a steelyard
beam, which is thrown into action when a given amount of grain has entered
either compartment of the cylinder, and thereby prevents the supply of a
further portion of grain to that compartment.
The cylinder will then, by reason of its superior weight on one side of the
partition, rock in its bearings, and bring up the other compartment under the
hopper or shute to be in its turn filled, while the other compartment is dis-
charging its contents. A counting apparatus registers these oscillations of the
cylinder, which take place immediately after the supply of any given quantity
of produce to the cylinder.
The general features of our improved weighing apparatus having been
thus briefly pointed out, we proceed to describe the various parts more
in detail. a, a, is a hollow rectangular frame forming the base or platform
of the machine, and within it is mounted a well-known combination of

page_text: Bolted to the base frame a, are
This table & carries the standards
levers b, called Fairbank's platform scale.
two standards c, supporting a table d.
e of the scale beam f, and also. the bracket bearings 9 of the wheels g,
as hereafter explained. Resting on A edges, with which the platform
beams of the scale contained in the basement of the machine are pro-
vided, is a frame h, in which is mounted the oscillating drum or cylinder i, for
receiving the grain or other substance to be weighed or measured. This
cylinder is open at the top for about one-fourth of its diameter, and at its
under side it is provided with hinged gates or valves j and, which open
downwards, to permit of the free discharge of any substance contained in
either compartment of the cylinder. k is the partition which separates the
cylinder into two distinct chambers or compartments. It may be made either
rigid or flexible, as desired, but the latter we prefer, as it affords greater mea-
suring capacity to the cylinder. The cylinder i is furnished at its opposite
edges with two pairs of cam projections 7, 7, which, as the cylinder oscillates,
bear against antifriction rollers fitted to the under side of a sliding gate or
shutter m, that extends from end to end of the mouth of the hopper or shute,
and is intended by its rising and falling to regulate the supply of grain or other
substance to the cylinder. n, n, are stop pins, projecting from the ends of the
cylinder, for the purpose of determining the amount of its oscillation.
The gates or hinged valves ; and ; in the bottom of the cylinder, are so
arranged, that whilst one is shut the other is open, as shewn at Fig. 3. These
hinged gates or valves are closed by being brought into contact with inclined
planes or fixed segment plates o, bolted to the frame h. Affixed to the top of
this frame is a cross tie p, to which is jointed a rock lever q, which carries at
its outer extremity a drop catch r, for holding the cylinder in position whilst
being filled.
s is a rod, connecting the balance levers 6 that carry the frame h
and cylinder i with the scale beam fabove. Affixed to the table d is a shute
or hopper t, the discharge opening of which is closed two gates or shutters,
the one m, before mentioned, being cut away at about the middle of its length,
to permit, when it is down, a continuation, but in decreased quantity, of
the supply of grain to the cylinder; and the second gate or shutter m*
serving to close this opening and complete the closing of the shute or hopper.
Both these gates are raised by the axial motion of the cylinder, the larger gato
m resting (as above mentioned) on the cam projections of the cylinder i,
which projections are so arranged that there is space between each pair to per-
mit of the gates falling entirely clear whilst the cylinder is in a certain position,
and the small gate m* resting on the larger one. Jointed to each of these

page_text: gates or sliding shutters is a link u, which links are severally attached to one of
a pair of wheels g, which turn loosely on a common axle mounted in bracket
bearings g. on the table d. These wheels are of an excentric form, and
have each a catch on their periphery, which takes on to a tooth projecting
from the bell-crank lever v. The wheels are thus locked when the gates
are up, and by this means the gates are held in their raised position.
The bell-crank lever swings on a fulcrum pin carried by the brackets g*.
Jointed loosely to the scale beam is a governor w. The centre of gravity
of this governor is regulated by an adjustable piece w', which fits loosely
into an upright column w. A pendant continuation of this column, marked
w*; extends almost to the platform d. Opposite the lower end of this hang-
ing piece w thero is a small rod a, so placed as to be struck by it when
the governor is rocked on its fulcrum. This rod slides in guides pro-
vided for it on the tablo d, and strikes against the bottom end of the catch
lever v that locks the wheels g. The lever v is thus tripped, and the wheels
are disengaged. This governor is so adjusted, that by its own gravity it falls
back and forth as the scale beam is moved by the weight of the grain or other
material to be weighed, thus relieving the gates at the proper moment. Tho
scale beam has a bar y moving parallel with it and above it, for the purpose
of holding a guide y', which retains the small weight y² always in its proper
place; the beam is weighted by two weights y³, y³, one for the bulk of the
material to be weighed, and which weight regulates the falling of the largo
gate, m, and the other a smaller one y³, to ensure accuracy in the amount
weighed, and which governs the small gate m*, as herein-after explained. Pro-
jecting from the large gate is an arm m* (seo the partial plan view, Fig. 5),
that moves a lever 7', shewn by dots in Fig. 1, so placed at the back of
the machine as to give motion to a pair of ratchet wheels 1, 2, (shewn in plan
view at Fig. 5, and in elevation at Fig. 6,) to the bosses of which are attached
index hands, e', for; registering- each movement of the cylinder i;. the teeth
of these wheels equal in number the graduations on the index plate A.
The wheels move loosely on a common centre, and between them.there is a
disc 3 fixed to the wheel 1. This disc is equal in diameter to the whole
diameter of the toothed wheels 1 and 2, and in its periphery a notch 7 is made,
so that when the notch comes opposite the driving catch 8 on the end of the
lever, the catch drops into the notch, and, taking into the wheel 2, drives it
round the extent of one tooth, and with it the hand on the dial A. The
hand z, in connection with the wheel 1, is moved at every oscillation, whereby
the, accumulating number of oscillations of the cylinder is registered. The

page_text: hand, which is connected with the wheel 1, 1s, however, moved at every oscil-
lation of the cylinder, and therefore indicates single oscillations. The large
gate or shutter m, from which these movements are derived, carries a standard
5, on which is a platform 6 for supporting the small weight y², and keeping it
clear of the beam f whilst the large gate is open.
'
The object and intention of this machine is to measure or weigh grain, salt,
coal, or any other substances that it may be adapted for, and in operation is as
follows:-
f
The grain or other substance to be weighed or measured is fed through the
shute or hopper, and passes into the oscillating cylinder i, which cylinder is
accurately balanced by the beam f above; a weight, corresponding to the
amount to be weighed at each filling of the chamber of the cylinder (less a few
pounds, say ten,) is then placed on the beam, as represented by the large
weight y. A small weight y' is then placed on the bean, corresponding to
the amount to be made up in the whole weight of the contents of the chamber
in the cylinder, but which weight is not resting on the beam, but stands on the
platform 6. The grain or other substance is now admitted (both gates m being
opened) to one side of the divided cylinder *, the lower valve 7* of which is
closed, and the moment the large weight is raised on the beam, the governor
w falls out of its centre and pushes the rod against the lever v, and thereby
disengages the large gate, which carries with it the small platform 6, and con-
sequently leaves the small weight y hanging on the beam f, which of course
brings the beam back to its original place, and the governor also recovers its
position by its own gravity; and thus the small gate m* admits of a gradual intro-
duction of the grain or material to be weighed, until the whole weight is com-
plete. The moment that occurs, the beam again rocks, and the same effect is
produced through loosening the small gate, which falls and stops the flow of grain
or other substances. In falling, the arm m² of the small gate strikes the lever
which raises the pin r and detaches the cylinder, and by the accumulating
weight on one side of the cylinder an oscillating motion is produced, which at
once opens the lower valves j*, and permits the grain to flow out. At the same
time, by the cams 7, the gates or shutters are again opened, and the opposite
side of the cylinder i begins to fill; thus, by the weight alone of the grain or
other substance, tho machine is kept in motion as long as the grain is supplied,
and at cach movement of the cylinder the index hands, above described,
register the amount of grain that has passed through the machine.
9,
Having now set forth the nature of the improved apparatus for measuring
and weighing grain, seeds, and other substances, communicated to us by our

page_text: foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, we wish it to be understood, that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent we claim,―
First, the employment of an oscillating measuring case or cylinder, mounted
on or supported by the balance levers or platform of a weighing machine.
And, secondly, regulating the supply of grain or other substance to bo
measured to the measuring chambers, by means of the sliding gates, as above
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Harvey Lewis Sellers and John Littler
Talbott, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Third day of
June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane..
HARVEY L. SELLERS. (L.S.)
JOHN L. TALBOTT.
(L.S.)