7515. Prokofiew, G. March 31. Automatic-feed weighers.-Relates to automatic machines which are especially intended for weighing granular substances, such as cocoa or flour, and in which the scale beam is unconnected with the general moving mechanism of the machine until the required weight is reached, and the weighing- receptacle is supported independently of the scale beam while being discharged. Figs. 1 and 2 show front and side elevations of the machine. The main shaft c, supported in the frame b upon the base-plate a, is driven continuously by a belt and pulley c<1>, but may be driven by a crank c<2>. A countersbaft d is driven by spur gearing c<3>, d<1>, or by friction gearing. A bracket e', secured to the frame, supports a supply hopper e, below which is a bracket h. The latter is supported, during weighing, by pins h<1> thereon engaging with loops g<5> on one end of a scale beam g, the other end of which carries the weight pan g<3>. The beam is supported by means of knife-edge bearings on a standard f. Studs h<2> near the bottom of the bucket work in guide-slots i<1> in a standard i the upper ends of which are forked at i<2>. When the bucket contains the required amount of material, it descends, and in its descent, which is assisted by the device described below, the studs h<1> rest in the forks i<2>, and are released from the loops g<5>, thus being entirely free from the beam. The contents are then automatically discharged from the bracket by a sliding valve h<5>, operated by a lever j engaging with a notched projection h<6> from the valve. The lever is returned, to close the valve, by a spring, and is moved, to open it, by a projection k<5> on a rotating cylinder k mounted on a stud k<x>. This cylinder or cam-wheel is covered with india-rubber &c., and has a depression k<1> in which, when the cylinder is stationary, rests a roughened wheel c<4> carried on the shaft c. The cylinder may be replaced for this purpose by a mutilated toothed wheel, and the wheel c<4> also be toothed. Projecting from the cam is an arm k<2> having a curved end k<3>. A rod l<3> is fixed to the bracket e', and carries an adjustable sliding frame l<2> supporting from V-centres l<1> a swinging support l having a projection which engages, in the normal position of the apparatus, the curved end k<3>, to retain it in position and thereby prevent rotation of the cam cylinder. The support l is moved by means of a finger thereon, which is engaged by a swinging indicator g<6> on the scale beam, so that, when the latter is depressed, the support l is removed so as to free the arm k<2>. The weight of the latter then causes the cam-cylinder to rotate sufficiently for the roughened wheel to engage the periphery thereof, and thereby drive the cylinder for one revolution, i.e., until it again rests in the depression thereof, when the end k<3> of the arm k' is again engaged by the projection on the support l. The beam is pulled down sufficiently for the pins h<1> to rest in the support i, and is held in that position while the bucket is being discharged by means of a cam on the face of the cylinder k engaging with an arm n<1> projecting from the shorter of two connected vertical rods m, n, moving in guides, and having a spring to return them to their upper position. The longer rod m is provided at its top end with a pin m<1> which engages with a loop g<8> carried by the beam, so that at the desired times the arm n' and the rods m, n are depressed by the cam, and the beam pulled down by the stud m<1> and loop g<8>. The stud k<5> then opens the valve h<5> as stated above, after which the valve is returned by the spring, and the beam released from the rods m, n. The bucket is then again carried by the loops g<5>. The hopper valve e<2> is provided with a short depending funnel e<6>, and is connected to a sliding rod e<3>, by which it is operated, as follows :- The rod has a curved projecting plate which is acted upon by a stud k<6> on the cylinder to slide the rod and open the valve. The parts are retained in this position by a rod e" engaging a stud on the curved projecting plate, until a stud k<7> on the cylinder engages a tail of the rod e<11> and disengages the latter from the stud. The valve is then shut by a spring. When the valve is shut, the depending funnel passes between two parallel horizontal plates, thereby preventing any material from being shaken out after the required weight has been reached. The lower part of the hopper has a cylindrical lateral extension e<x1> closed with a cover e<x2>. A sliding shutter e<12> regulates the amount of opening at the bottom of the hopper, the shutter being adjustable by set-screws e<15> outside the cover e<x2> of the extension. The lower part of the hopper may be semicircular in shape, and through it passes a fixed shaft d' in alignment with the rotating shaft d. Mounted on it is a perforated rotating cage or sieve d<4>, which is partly enclosed by a horizontally-adjustable unperforated open-ended cylinder d<8>, so as to regulate the area of the perforated cylinder or sieve. The sieve is kept from clagging by means of a long narrow brush d<01>, adjustably mounted on the fixed shaft d' over, or slightly to the rear of, the outlet. To assist the steady passage of the material down the hopper, a skeleton frame o, shaped nearly to fit the hopper, is carried by, and vertically reciprocated by means of a rod o<1>, the lower end of which engages cam-like teeth d<16> on a wheel d<15> fixed upon the countershaft d. Any suitable receptacle may be substituted for the bucket, and any other weighing-device may be used. The Provisional Specification states that the brush used may be cylindrical, and be caused to rotate, while the sieve may be segmental and fixed adjustably beneath the brush.