US1525410A - Sorting machine - Google Patents

Description

'r. N EWELL SORTING MACHINE Feb. ,3. 1925.

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Feb. 3. 1 925. 1.525410 1 NEWELL ISORTINCY momma 7 Filed Dec. 15 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 [prevalen- Feb. 3. 1925. 1,525,410

T. 'NEWE'LL SORTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1920 s sneaks-sheet 5 [wen/an Feb. 3. 1925. 1.525.410

T. NEWELL SORTING MACHINE Fild Dec. 15 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet '6 l atented Febo 3, 1925.

FATE

TIIiIOTI-IY -NEWEL'L; OF P-ARKDALE; OREGON.

sonrrno Macrame.

T01 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TiMo'rHr 'NEWELL, a citizen otthe United-States of'America, and resident of Parkdale, in the county of Hoodltiver, in the State of. Oregon, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Sorting Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification,- referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to apparatus for sorting and dividing "a mass of "articles 01" one kind but of different sizes into separate groups, each group to be composed of individual articles all approximately uniform as to size.

A distinct-iveobject o'f'my'invention is to promote the speed and accuracy of the sorting operation. 'Another is toprovide, in machine of the class'described' means tor segregating articles one fronranother individual according to size as determined by the weight of each article. A "further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the kind describedifor "separating and delivering, in one continuous"operation,

' individual articles into receptaclesprovided severally for the reception of articles of a predetermined range of size.

' My invention, in "present preferred form of embodiment, as illustrated in-the accompanying drawingscomprehends means for accomplishing, along with other objects, the

objects above indicated; but in respect to mechanism for "selecting "and distributing articles by weight from a continuing-feed of articles in individual succession, the form illustrated is only preferential, inasmuch as "the principle of my invention may be enibodied in what appears to bewidely 'diiierent mechanisms, but which pr0ve,'upon close analysis, to be, as will be in some instances indicated, all united by a common tie.

@bjects of .my invention in addition to those specified above, are various as will appear from the following description.

What constitutes-my invention will be hereinafter specified in detail and succinctly sotiorthin the 'appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l: is a side elevationof the selective or sorti mechanism of my machine to which I the completed machine is also joined in endwise assemblage feeding mechanism as Shown, for ezmmnle, In Figure 11.

ll igure II isa sectional'view o-fnry-i'eeding mechanism, taken as on-thi-il-ine II'II of Figure" 1V. V

Figure 1H is'a-top plan-view,with parts broken" aw'ay,- of the subject i-natter of Figure I.

1 'Figure VII is a transverse-section on the line VIIVH of-Figure VI, looking from right to left.

Figure VIII is a'section on the-line VlH'-Vllll of Figure TH,- loelc-ing from left to rig-ht; and drawn to'enlarged scale.

Fig-ure IX is a 'view' on reduced scale corresponding to Figure v ll'l 'in part, but showing a modification of my invention.

Figure X shows in asin'iilar view afart her modification.

Refer-ring t'othe-numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates an extended-oblong frame whose length, dimensions and genera l construction'neednot conform to any particular rule, but may be inade in the builders discretion to correspond to the-size of the machine and the 'work required of it. Owing to'the limitations imposed by the 'size of the drawings, the frame 1 is not-shown complete as to length in anysingle figure of the drawings, but the reader will have no dniiculty 1n apprehending its longitu =dina1' extent if upon comparison of Figures 1- and H, for example, he will bear in mind that the complete machine embodies in one the parts represented by those two figures joined together, end to end, theirpoints of separationbeing shown to theextreine left The driving power oi theentire machine is, from asource of power not illustrated. preferably communicated to a shaft 2 revolublv mounted in" suitable bearings 8 on the frame 1, and rotative as by means of a pulley 4r. secured-to said shaft -(compare Figs. I and VI). As showng-the shaft 2 is horizontally disposed in operativerelationship to vertical sliaftdcarred i sui able bearings 7 and 8 provided for it in the frame 1, the shaft 2 being preferably provided with a worm 10 that is fixed to it and which meshes with the worm-gear 11 fixed to the shaft 6.

The shaft 6 is preferably extended through its upper bearing 8 and has fixed to it, above a table 12, a sprocket gear-head 14 about which is bent an endless sprocket chain 15 which is stretched into like operative engagement with a sprocket gear-head 16 rotatably mounted in any preferred manner upon the table 12, as, for example, in a suitable bearing 17 provided for the accommodation of a vertical stud-shaft 18 and located at the end of the table 12 opposite to that which carries the gear-head 14. The shaft 18 may be made rotative in its bearing 17 or it may be fixed so as to accommodate upon it the gear-head 16 in retative relationship to it. The determinate length of the endless chain 15 determines the length of the table 12, and, in so far, determines the length of the frame 1.

As is clearly shown in Figure V, the shaft 6 carries, at a convenient distance above its bearing 7 and between the bearings 7 and 8, a crown gear 20 that is fixed to it. The crown gear 20 meshes with the pinion 21 that is fixed to a shaft 22 carried in suitable bearings 23 on the frame 1 and in parallel relationship to the shaft 2. The shaft 22 also carries a pulley 24 fixed to it that communicates motion as by a belt 25 to a pulley 26 fixed to the end of a horizontal shaft 27 that is carried in suitable bearings 28 and 29 on any suitable members of the frame 1 that may be conveniently disposed for their accommodation.

Upon its end that is opposite to the pulley 26 and nearer to the bearing 29, the shaft 27 carries in fixed relationship to it two sprocket-gears 30 and 31. About the gear 30, and in mesh with it, is bent an en lless sprocket-chain 32, and about the gear 31 is bent an endless sprocket-chain 34 of length corresponding to that of the chain 32. The chains 32 and 34 are carried in parallel relationship as shown for example, in Figure TV by aid of sprocket-gears provided for their respective accommodation on the frame 1 near the end thereof that is furthest removed from the gear-head 16. A shaft 35, mounted in suitable bearings provided for it near the last aforesaid extremity of the frame 1, carries a pair of sprocket-gears 36 and 37 (compare Figures II and VII). The gears 36 and 37 are spaced apart to correspond to the spacing between the sprocket-gears 30 and 31 and constitute in, effect guide pulleys to the chains 32 and 34 with which they mesh so as to hold said chains in parallel relationship. The distance between the shafts 27 and 35 is insufiicient to draw the chains 32 and 34 taut about their respective sprocketgears, but is such as to accommodate a slackness of the chains between those shafts which is taken up by an intermediate shaft 40. The shaft 40, being also mounted in suitable bearings provided for it upon the frame 1, carries a pair of spaced sprocket-gears 41 and 42 whose office is to guide the chains 32 and 34 with tautness in their travel about the shafts 27 and 35, as well as the shaft 40. The location of the shaft 40 is preferably nearer to the shaft 35 than to the shaft 27 so as to impart to the chains 32 and 34 a triangular disposition as is shown in Figure 11. The purpose of the location of the shaft 40 just referred to is to divide the upper reaches of the chains 32 and 34, respectively, into a level display stretch measured by supporting strips 43 and an inclined plane represented by supporting strips 44. The function of the said strips 43 is to hold the chains 32 and 34 in substantially horizontal or level assemblage between the shafts 27 and 40. The function of the strips is likewise to hold the chains 32 and 34 in a uniform plane of inclination between the shafts 35 and 40. The particular purpose of the presentation of the chains 32 and 34 in two modes, one horizontal and the other inclined as specified, will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

At regular intervals, oppositely disposed links of the respective chains 32 and 34 carry angle-plates 45 (see Figure VII) for the accommodation between them of a lifting member that is preferably a roller 48. The regular succession of rollers with which the chains 32 and 34 are provided, is well illustrated in Figures II and IV as'well as in Figure VII.

Upon the end of the frame 1, in operative proximity to the shaft 35, I provide a hopper 49, having an inclined bottom 50 secured in hinged relationship to the hopper, as by the horizontal hinge 51 (Figure 11). The vertical front'wall 52 of the hopper 49 defines, above the free end of the bottom 50, a discharge opening 53, which is provided with a vertical sliding gate 54 by whose adjustment discharge of articles from the hopper 49 in the direction of the shaft 35 may be regulated. Secured at one end to the free end of the bottom 50, as indicated at 56, I prefer to employ an oblong flexible strip 57 which, from its line of juncture 56, extends over the rollers 48 substantially the full length of the strips 44 and 43, respectively, its end opposite the line 56 being in like manner secured, as indicated at 58, to a cross-strip 59, extend ing between chute-defining side walls 60 and 61 that are disposed adjacent to the opposite ends of the respective rollers 48. A distinctive quality of the strip 57 is a high degree of flexibility, wherefore, a

woven fabric maybe usedas thezmaterial forthe strip, but I prefer to make it of netting having a large, open. mesh like a fish net, and-made of medium sizedtwine of thekind usedin making fish nets. The strip should be of length suflicientto permit of a preferably decided .sag of inaterial between-each roller 48 and the one :adja.

cent to it on eithercside; It is the presence of the said sag between irollers'that. makes it operative, butnaked:rollersmay1 be used without the strip-byusing a little closer relative disposition of the rollers.

tact thereupon.

The chains 32 and 8% unlted by lifting members or rollers l8 constitutean endless conveyor which, in passing-underneath, the flexible strip 57 serves to segregate articles suppliedto it from the hopper 49 and to roll them from the point of their. initial. delivery to thestrip 157 whicheis adjacent to the shaft 35 towardsthe place of their discharge from the conveyor, Which is ad jacent to the shaft 27 and is determined by the presence of ,the' crossestri-p. 59.; It is found, in practice, that the action. of the lifting members-48 is efficient to carry ,the 5.

articles up an incline-as represent-ed in Figure 11 by the inclination of the strips 4 L. The crossestrip=59 is obliquel-yidisposed to the side Walls =60 and 61between which it extends. and by'Whichit is supported, and,

serves to guide the. discharge of articles to an endless conveyor i. belt. :63 that is stretched about pulleys-64sand;;65;: The

pulley 65 is secured/to the shaft 140 (see- Fig. VII) and derives rotativei motion from the engagement between the sprocket-chains;

32- and 3% and the sprockehgearslQ 211161141 thereon.

I prefer to providein paralleLrelationship to the conveyor belt 63 alike conveyor belt 67 whichpasses around the pulley, 65- and is driven by it, being held taut against it by the pulley 68. -.The conveyor belt: 67

extends practically the full length of the frame 1, its purpose being .to receive,, a-t any point along the vlengtheof a machine, the deposit of an article, andto conveyall articles so receivedto a placehof common discharge. The conveyor beltst63and 67 are providedpwith outsideguard rails 61.

aforesaid and 70,.and an intermediate guard rail '71 which serve, collectively, ;-to define transversely. the operative limits, of. the two conveyor belts 011 either side, and effectively to separate one from the Othe -:5.

Adjacent and in parallel relationshipto the conveyor belts 63 .and 57, 1 prefer; to provideinclinedcull-chutes;73 audit that are adapted to receive such defective. zarti cles as may be :culledby an attendantnfromai those presented in mass. for his inspection, uponjthe strip 57.

The mechanism above described relates.

in the main to the feeding mechanism of myto the sorting mechanism .whereof thesprocketgear-headsulet ;and 16, with their connecting sprocketchain,115,. have ,already.

1 been specified.

The endless sprocket-chain l5, (lllVGl1', Els

=machine, so calledbecause it is that which a is idesigneduandadapted vto feed-. .-art icles it is, above the table 12;in an orbit fixed.

.by-the' drivinggearshead 14L and-by its companion gear-head 16,.is made up of a series, of links of suitable and preferredform-and assemblage,-each link at suitable intervals:

being provided with fulcrum-support 75.:

The'function of thegmember-75 is to afford a ,delicate/ pivotal. or balance support to a To that end balance membeiuor beam 76. it is preferably bifurcated, as shown. in Figure. I, to accommodatebetween its bifurcations a downwardlyfprojecting lug-7;?

one enduwith -a scale whereof there is a continuous succession of :lllQllVlClUZllS dis-i,

-posed.--in parallel: relationship a1id.close uxtaposition upon thefflsprocket-chaini 15.

Each scale is preferablymade-in the form, of a slightly transversely ccurvedtrough,- having a smooth surface and unobstructed from end to end.

terminal obstruction, its; longitudinal axis.

'UPQlLljllB beam. Each beanris provided, at

To give it freedom-from...

is preferably disalignedsfrom.;that'of the;

beanr76, as shown-pin Figure NHLmjThe is preferably truncately conical in shape lt but ,is preferablygpermanently -secured e11d,.of.the beam 76 opposite. the scale- 80 is provided with counterpoise, 81 which I vmay be adjustable? eudwise of the beam-76,.

theretoas ,illustrated ,Theweight of .the counterpoise 81 is calculated not only to hold the scale 80 in horizontaldisposition,

but also ,to balance the critical. weight ot an article whenplaced n the sCale;8O Sm predetermined juxtaposition to the jful crum support 7 5. It is obvious that anal-ticle of given weight will .tend, in proporr, tionto the distance of its-location in the scale 80 fromthe fulcrum support-F5, to

tilt the beam and thereby'cause grarity to contents thereof. Therefore, if an article exceeding in ,weight; a predetermined critical weight'be placed in the SCllGwSO, and in predetermined proxim ty to the efulcruinidischarge from the-freeend-of the scale the support .75, it Wlll'CZIUSG the 19921111 76 to tilt I With the elfectiof discharging the article.

from the scale. If the article, placed the,

scale; 80 be of less than ,the critical,Weight, movement thereof-in the, scalein the direction ,away from the fulcrum support-.75, will, through increase; of leverage fso de rived, as soon as such leverage is sufficient, overcome the weight of the counterpoise 81, and effect discharge of the article from the scale. The lighter the weight of the article placed in the scale the greater must be the distance of its removal from the fulcrum support 7 5 before it will tilt the beam 76 against the weight of the counterpoise 81 and effect discharge from the scale.

It is upon the principle just elucidated that the sorting mechanism of my invention operates. That principle consists in the shifting, in effect, of the fulcrum support of the beam 76. By my invention, in the preferred form of embodiment illustrated, the relative position of each fulcrum support with respect to its beam is made constant, and the weighing effect of the beam is attained by variation of the distance of the article to be weighed from the fulcrum support; but, obviously, the weigh-- ing effect is the result to be reached, and that may be accomplished by relative variation of the fulcrum, the weight and the article to be Weighed. For erample of such variation, I illustrate in Figure IX one form of modification, in which a beam 0., corresponding in function and assemblage to the beam 7 6, is provided with a scale (i. The beam at is slidable longitudinally through a sleeve fulcrum-piece 0 provided for it, and corresponding in function to the fulcrum-support 75. The beam .4 is provided with a head (Z and between the head d and the sleeve 0 with a spring c. The head d is preferably cupped to carry an antifriction ball f, which, riding against an oblique guide plate g, serves, through the obliquity of disposition of the plate 9 to the series of beams a, gradually and successively to shove the scale 2) of each beam at away from its sleeve fulcrum piece until the scale is made to tilt by the weight of its load, and thereby to discharge its load.

The modification shown in Figure X includes a beam 64 having an outthrusting spring Z) for actuating a telescope extension 0.

I prefer to provide for the attainment of the purposes of my invention through the coaction of two movements of the article to be weighed. One is movement thereof longitudinally within the scale 80, and the other is a movement gained by the shifting of the position of the scale itself. By this contrivance, each one of the series of scales is made to discharge its contents according to the weight thereof when the scale shall have reached a substantially determinate point in its orbit of travel communicated by the sprocket-chain 15.

For the grading of apples, for instance, uniformity of size for commercial purposes is that in which there is substantial uniformity of weight, o in oth ords, equivalency of weight between ascertained limits. Absolute uniformity of weight would require each scale to discharge its contents upon reaching, in its orbit of travel, a certain point, accurately predetermined. This, by the aid of my invention, is indeed practicable, but, to make it available in practice, would require an unnecessary multiplication of receptacles for the fruit discharged by the several scales and would render the operation of the machine too slow for ordinary commercial service. For commercial purposes, it is not necessary to grade the fruit to a degree even approximating absolute accuracy. A slight variation in the weight thereof is, for obvious reasons, not only permissible but desirable. A small variation in weight, say perhaps of an ounce or certainly a fraction thereof, not discernible to the eye in the grading of such fruit as apples. Consequently, it is sufficient in ordinary practice to provide for the reception of the fruit such a number of bins 3 as may be necessary to effect the grading of. the fruit desired. In the drawings (see F 111, for example) duplicate sets of bins are shown, each set containing six bins. Provision is therein made for the sorting of apples into six grades, each bin being appropriated to apples in which the actual weight may vary slightly within predeterminate limits, but not enough to violate the rule of grading prescribed. In Figure Ill of the drawings, each bin 83 is shown as designed to receive the discharge of four consecutive scales 80 but obviously it might be made to receive the discharge of a greater or a less number of scales, according to the accuracy of grading desired.

The travel of the scales 80 in consecutive order and in aprescribed orbitbeing atained as specified for example by the movement of the sprocket-chain 15, the gradual movement of articles longitudinally through the scales of the series, respectively, is preferably secured by the aid of a movable member disposed obliquely to the series of scales and having its movement synchronized to that of the sprocket-chain 15. To that end I prefer to extend the shafts 6 and 18 upwardly a sufficient distance for the accommodation of horizontal pulleys 85 and 86, the pulley 85 being driven by the shaft 6 to which it is fixed. An endless belt 87 is, by any suitable means, stretched taut about the peripheries of the pulleys 85 and 86 in operative contact therewith. To the end last specified two stretcher-frames 90 may be employed. They are supported upon the table 12, as, for example, by arms 91, each of said arms being fixed to the table and being adjustably secured, as by a slot and bolt con ncction 92, at its opposite ends, to both of the stretcher-frames 90.

The stretcher-frames 90 are designed to afford true alignment to the belt 87 and to present it in smooth vertical disposition directly above the scales 80. For holding it in vertical position, they are preferably provided along their entire length with overhung flanges 93 (Fig. VIII).

Each end of each stretcher-frame is preferably provided with a bifurcated carrier 94, one for the accommodation between the free ends thereof of a guide-roller 95, and the other for like accommodation of a corresponding guide-roller 96, each carrier being deflected so as to bring the outside of its roller in line with the belt 87 and to afford collectively a stretch of the belt between the two rollers 95 and 96. By this means, adjustment of a stretcher-frame accomplishes operative adjustment of relative disposition of the belt 87 to the scales which it serves. Tables 97 and 98, being in effect transverse extensions of the table 12, are preferably provided at opposite ends of the table 12 (Figure III). The table 97 carries a longitudinally slotted plate 99 which, by the aid of a bolt 100, is adjustable upon the said table. The plate 99, at one end, carries between two jaws a roller 101 that engages the belt 87. One of its functions is to regulate the tension of the belt 87, and is accomplished through the adjustability of the plate 99. Another function is to augment the length of contact between the belt 87 and the pulley 85 so far as to insure a frictional drive of said belt through its engage ment with the pulley 85.

The pulleys 85 and 86 divide in effect the series of scales 80 into two sorting sets which, though all the scales are carried upon one sprocket chain 15, operate as independent sorting elements, each set cooperating for that purpose with a stretcher-frame appropriated to it. The conveyor belt 68 makes delivery of articles to one of the said sets at that point at which, by the obliquity of its stretchenframe 90, the greatest extent of scale is exhibited to wit, a point adjacent to the roller 95. I prefer to provide at said point of delivery of the conveyor belt 63 a short, flexible chute 1052 whose free end,

lying upon the surface of the sub-posed traveling scales, is rippled by them in their travel, in the same manner as the flexible strip 57 is caused to functionate by the movement underneath it of the rollers 48, as has already been described, with the effect of properly segregating articles discharged from the conveyor belt 63 and depositing them one by one successively into the individual traveling scales 80.

The conveyor belt 67 in passing around the roller 68 discharges into a delivery chute 103 which is bent to conform to the shape and size of the pulley 86, as shown in Figure III and is deflected downwardly, as shown at 104 in Figure I, so as to make discharge to the second sorting set of scales previously specified.

Near the ends of said sorting sets of the scales, that are furthest removed, respectively, from the discharge end of the conveyor belt 63 and of the chute 103, respectively, I prefer to provide mechanical means for causing a tiliting action of the scales at those points as often as they pass said points in their travel. To that end I provide, upon the stable supports on the frame 1, at each of said points an arched deflector-strip 105 (compare Figs. I, III and VIII) in operative proximity to the beams 76 as they travel over it in succession. The presence of the deflector-strip 105 causes the beams to tilt each upon its fulcrum support 75 and thereby insures clearance of any light-weight articles that may remain in the scales. The effect is to convert the last of each series of bins 83 into a cull-bin.

The operation of my machine may be briefly described as follows.

Power being applied to the pulley 4, the several movable elements of the machine are thereby set in motion, each in the direction.

indicated by arrows in various figures of the drawings.

The hopper 49 is kept supplied with articles, for example apples, intended to be sorted by the machine, and a constant discharge is eifected therefrom through the jigging movement of the bottom 50 imparted to it by the snub action against its free end of successive rollers 48. The articles so delivered to the strip 57 are, by the action of the rollers 48 passing underneath and in contact with said strip, ranged between the rollers and lifted up the incline indicated by the strips 44 over the shaft 40. Thence they are conveyed in a horizonal direction over a purposely extended display stretched toward the cross-strip 59, the extent of the display stretch referred to being provided in order to afford to an attendant opportunity of inspection of the articles therein exhibited, whereby he is enabled to select seconds from prime articles, and to detect and remove auy culls that may present themselves.

The rolling movement of the articles, caused, as has been specified, by the action of the rollers 48 upon them, communicated through the strip 57, tends to exhibit to the eye of the attendant all sides of an article so as to expose imperfections, if any.

The selecting and culling office is performed by an attendant stationed on one side of that portion of the machine shown in Figure IV, and is intended to be performed mainly during the travel of articles in passing over the display stretch that extends between the shaft 40 and the crosspiece 59. My machine makes it possible to adopt the rule of inspection that the attendant shall select from the articles so by it tothe exhibited only seconds and defective artia x leave thesortin of toe )riine cles, nd articles entirely to the work of the 73 anrl Y J, a pluralit -s of chutes being provided tor efi'ecting ythe grading of the culls if desired.

It is designed, in accordance with the rule of selection just indicated, that only prime artieles-shalltbe delivered to conveyor belt 63,1by'which selection is automatically accomplished by the machine through the sweeping-function of the obliquely disposed cross-strip 59. Articles delivered to the conveyor belt-63 are designed to pass in regular succession one by one to the sorting set of scales presented, as shown in Figure III, at the discharge end of the conveyor belt 63, that is thebend thereof about the roller 64:. The flexible delivery chute 102 is designer and adapted,-

lias been-specified, to insure delivery of the articles to be sorted one by one in regularsucce'ssion to the traveling series of scales; If, for example, an article above an established critical weight be delivered' to the scale next adjacent to the flexible? delivery "chute 102 in Figure 111, it will immediately tilt the sca'leianddrop the article into the bin 83 below it. it, on the other hand, the artielebe of a weight: interior to the critical, it will be carriedi'by-thc charged to the second sorting set of scales distributed in like manner to the several "bins 83 that are provided for thereception movement ofthe scale which holds it, in

conta'ctwith thetace oi the vertical belt '4', by Whese obhqnity it will be gradually pushed towards the tree-end 0t said scale 'By this means it will be carried in the travel of its eontaining'scale to a point at which' its weight will be siniicient to overbalance the counterpoise 81 of its scale,when the beam '76'will' tilt, with the effect or discharging thearticle from the scale into that bin which happens to be below. The synchronized movement of the bel the sprocket chain l5 effects a stability of disposition of the article through its travel endwise-of' the scale, and eliminates possibility olithe tilting of the scale in consequence of any adventitious motion imparted to the article. The oblique disposition of the stretcher-"frame 90 is designed to effect discharge oit'all articles from the largestto "he 'small'est before the travel on the scales in the dir'ectionfof the roller 96 is ,completed, but absolutely to insure suchdischarge, thedeflector plate 105, operating as has been previouslyspecified, is preferably provided.

Seconds deposited upon the conveyor belt 67, as has been specified, are conveyed chute 103 and are thence dis 8'? and ot of seconds. 7

What I claim is: i

1. In a sorting machine, the combination with a series of pivotally tulcrumed parals lel balance members adapted, respectively, to receive individual articles to be sor ed by weight, and a counterpoise for each vmember, of means operative successively upon the article carried by the respective members for effecting the overbalancing of each counter-poise, one by one with tilting discharge etiect upon its balance member; 77

2. In a sorting machine, the combination with a series of pivotally tulcrumed balancemembers adapted, respectively, to receive individual articles to be sorted. by weight, of means for imparting motion, severally, to said articles with reference to the longitudinal axisot said members, and thereby causing'diseharge of said members through the tilting of the sameupon their respective tulcrums. 7

3.- In a sorting machine, the combination with a series or -pivotally tulcrumed l'ialance members, of means. for imparting motion to said members in series, and means operative by the movement of said scriespto lmpa-rt motion to articles carried individually by said members and therebyto cause the same to tilt and discharge their respective loads, For the. purpose specified.

(L. A, sorting.machinecomprising a series of pivotally mounted scales, a counterpoise for each scale'tor holdingsit normally horizontal, means for-imparting motion to the series, and; meanstor gradually moving the contents of each scale so as to overbalance its counterpoise and to tilt the scale-tor the discharge of its contents. 7

5. A sorting;machinecomprisinga series ofpivotally mounted scales, a C()UI1tGT} )OlSQ for each scale for holding it normally horizontal means for imparting motion to the series, means torgradually moving the -ontents of each scale'so as eventually to overbalance its counterpoise and. tilt the scale, and means for feeding articles to the scales.

6. A sortinganachine comprising a series of pivotally mounted scales,a counter-poise for eachscale torholdingsit normally horitents oi each scale so as'event-ually to :overbalance its counterpoiseand tilt the scale. means tor feeding articles to the scales, and

a series of separate bins for receiving the means for"imparting. motion to the series, means tor gradually moving the con-- zontal, means for imparting motion to the series, means for gradually moving the contents of each scale so as eventually to overbalance its (ounterpoise and tilt the scale, said last named means consisting of a member obliquely disposed in the path of movement of the series.

8. A sorting machine comprising a series of pivotally mounted scales, a counterpoise for each scale for holding it normally horizontal, means for imparting motion to the series, means f r gradually moving the contents of each scale so as eventually to overbalance its counterpoise and tilt the scale, said last namedmeans consisting of a mem ber obliquely disposed in the path of movement of the series and traveling in the direction of their serial movement.

9. A sorting machine comprising a series of pivotally mounted scales, a counterpoise for each scale for holding it normally horizontal. means for imparting motion to the series, means for gradually moving the contents of each scale so as eventually to overbalance its counterpoi se and tilt the scale, each counterpoise being adjustable longitudinally with respect to its scale.

10. A sorting machine comprising a series of scales, an endless belt tor supporting the scales and to which the scales are pivoted, means for supplying articles to the scales, one by one, at one end of said belt, a series of bins disposed alongside said belt and adapted to receive discharge from the scales, a counterpoise on each scale for normally holding it approximately in horizontal position, and meansfor gradually moving the contents of each scale outwardly away from its counterpoise as the scales move away from. the feeding end by motion imparted to them through movement of the endless belt.

11. A sorting machine comprising a series of scales "for the reception of individual articles to be sorted, means for supporting the scales and moving the series, a counterpoise for each scale for normally holding it in horizontal position, and means for gradually moving the contents of each scale to cause the weight of its contents to tilt the same upon its pivotal support.

12. A sorting machine comprising a series of counterpoised pivotally mounted scales, an endless belt for supporting the scales and moving the series, another endless belt obliquely disposed in operative relationship to and above said series of scales, and means for imparting to both belts synchronous motion in the same direction.

13. A weight controlled sorting machine, comprising a pivotally mounted, normally horizontal support for each individual article to be sorted, means for moving the support, and means for gradually moving an article on the support away from the pivotal connection of the support, and thereby to cause the support to tilt when the movement of the article thereon overcomes the equilibrium oi' the support.

is. In a weight controlled. sorting ma-' chine, a pivotally mounted, normally horizontal support for each individual article to be sorted, and means for gradually moving the article on the support away from the pivotal connection thereof to cause the support to tilt and discharge the article.

15. A weight controlled sorting machine, comprisin pivotally mounted support for each individual article to be sorted, means for moving the support, means for normally holding the support in horizontal position, and means for moving the article on the support away from the pivotal connection thereof to cause the support to tilt.

16. The combination with a sorting ma chine comprising an endless series of individual article supports movable in series, and means for discharging the supports one by one, of a conveyor belt comprising an inclined stretch constituting feed mechanism to said machine, and means for operating it.

17. The combination with a. sorting machine comprising anendless series of individual article supports movable in series, and means for discharging the supports one by one, of a conveyor belt constituting feed mechanism to said machine, and a flexible chute intermediate the discharge end of said belt and the machine.

18. The combination with a sorting machine comprising an endless series of individual article supports movable in series, and means for discharging the supports one by one, of a conveyor belt constituting feed mechanism to said machine, a second conveyor belt in available proximityto the one first named for the transfer of articles removed by an operator from one belt to the other.

19. In a sorting machine, the combination with a frame, driving mechanism, and an endless belt carrying a series of normally horizontal counterweighted supports, one for each individual article to be sorted, of means for gradually moving said articles on the supports, respectively, away from the pivotal connection 01 the support, for the purpose specified, said means consisting of an endless belt disposed. above and in operative proximity to said series of supports.

20. In a sorting machine, the combination with a frame, driving mechanism, and an endless belt carrying a series of normally horizontal counterweighted supports, one for each individual article to be sorted, of means for gradually moving said articles on the supports, respectively, away from the pivotal connection of the support, for the purpose specified, said means consisting of an endless belt disposed above and in operative proximity-to said series of supports, and means for drivingboth endless belts substantially at equal speeds.

21. In a sorting machine, the combination With a frame, drivingmechanism, and an endless belt carrying a series of normally horizontal counterweighted supports, one for each individual article tobe sorted, of means for gradually Imoving said articles on the supports away from the pivotal connection of the support, said means consisting of anendless belt disposed above and in operative proximity to said series of supports, and stretcher frames for the guidance of the last named belt With reference to said series of supports. g

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

TIMQTHY NEVVELL WVitnesses KfW. SINCLAIR, B. M. WITTENBERG.

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