US1530143A - Feeding and mixing machines connected in gangs - Google Patents

Description

March 17, 1-925.

' S. SNYDER FEEDING AND MIXING MACHINES CONNECTED IN GANGS Filed Oct. 18,1924

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 17, 1925.

' s. SNYDER FEEDING AND MIXING MACHINES CONNECTED IN (muss 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledOct. 18, 1924 snow H 01,

w WM \w e u w 3 March 17, 1925;

S.- SNYDER FEEDING AND MIXING MACHINES CONNECTED I'N GANGS Flled Oct 18 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet is Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,530,143 PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON SNYDER, OF MUNCY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SPROUT, WALDRON & (30., 0F MUNGY, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA..

FEEDING AND .MIXING MACHINES CONNECTED IN GAN'GS.

Application filed October 18, 1924. Serial No. 744,503.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SIMON SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muncy, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding and Mixing Machines Connected in Gangs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.'

This invention relates to feeding and mixing machines such as are used in flouring mills, for feeding and mixing different kinds of grain or granulated materials in predetermined desired proportions.

Machines of the character referred to have heretofore been connected in. gangs 0perated by the same driving shaft, each machine having associated therewith mechanism for changing its speed, so as to increase or decrease the amount of quantity of grain or stock to be delivered by each individual machine, either directly to a grinder or into a common delivery or discharge spout, in such quantity as may be desired, without affecting any other machine in the group,.'

together with means associated with one machine of the series whereby the speed of the entire group may be simultaneously changed, to-increase or decrease the quantity of material discharged from each individual machine within a given period of time, without changing or affecting the; proportional amount whiclrthe individual machines may have been initially set to deliver; or in other words, each one of a group of machines is provided with What .is commonly known as variable speed mechanism independently adjustable so that the adjusting mechanism on each machine may be initially set to effect the discharge therefrom of a. given uantity of grain or stockat a given rate of speed; one machine delivering so many quarts or gallons per minute and another machine the same or a-greater or less quantity through-- out the entire group, While one of the group of machines, usually the first, is provided with mechanism whereby the speed of the entire group may be simultaneously changed so as to cause the individual machines to feed a greater or'less quantity of material in a given per od of time without changing the proportional amount any machine may have been initially set to deliver, regardless of the quantity delivered by other machines -'in the same group.

- One object of the present invention isto provide an improved machine of the character referred to in which variable speed mechanism such as hereinbefore mentioned is dispensed with, and to provide simple and -mined quantities granular material or stock feed, such as flour, corn meal and grain, either whole or granulated, as Wheat or corn and various kindgof stock feed, such as oats, bran, middlings, or ground alfalfa, and which machines may be connected in gangs, together With a mixing device common to the entire group, whereby different kinds of materials delivered by different machines in the group may be mixed, in either the same or different pioportions,'as desired, all in a continuous operation.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims atthe end of the description.

In said drawings, Fig. 1 represents a ver-. tical sectional elevation ofa machine em bodying my invention; the section being taken on the line 11 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional elevation taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3, or substantially at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 represents a top plan View;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view; the supporting frame and parts below the bottom being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a group of machines and associated mixing device, including a spiral conveyor, for mixing and 'efl'icient means for effecting sim'udtaneous.

discharging the material fed by thegroup of machines into a suitable receiver; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on a line passing through the discharge port in the hopper bottom and the registering opening in the adjustable feed regulating device or plate which underlie the path of movement of the conveyor arms on the periphery of the feed wheel.

In Figs. 1 to 4 I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of feed mechanism or feeding machines especially designed and adapted to be connected in gangs, for delivering grain and various food products in variable predetermined proportions to a suitable mixing device, while in Fig. 5, I have shown a group of such feed mechanisms operably connected to a main driving shaft and to a rotary conveyor adapted for the purposes of my invention, though other forms may be employed.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference characters are used to denote corresponding parts in different views,

' the letter A denotes one of a group of machines, shown in Fig. 5, and denoted by the letters A, A A and A, all of substantially the same construction and equipped alike, so that a description of one, the first in the group, denoted by the letter A, and illustrated in detail in Figs. 1 to 4, will suffice for a description of each and all of V the machines shown in the connected group,

all of which" are geared to and driven by.

the same driving shaft. Each machine has a feed hopper preferably of cylindrical form and each provided with a bottom plate.

a mounted upon a frame B, said frames being provided with alined bearings in which is journaled a driving shaft C. The hopper bottom has depending therefrom a tubular boss a to provide a bearing for the vertical shaft D which has its lower end revolubly fitted in a step-box secured to the floor or supporting base on which the machine rests.

Y The shaft D has fixed thereon within-the hopper a feed wheel F and slidably secured thereto underneath the hopper a skew bevel gear (1, which meshes with a smaller skew bevel gear or pinion c fixed on the shaft, C for imparting rotary motion to the vertical shaft. The skew bevel gear d has a spline and groove connection or the like with the vertical shaft to adapt it to rotate with the shaft while permitting it to be raised and lowered, as desired, for the purpose of throwing the machine into or out of operation without stopping oraflecting the operation of any other machine in the group. For the purpose of raising and lowering the gear wheel (1 a lever E is pivotally mounted onthe machine frame and provided with a forked end a, which is pivotally connected with a collar e engaging a groove in the hub portion of the gear wheel so as to permit rotation thereof unaffected by its connection with said lever. The feed wheel F has a hub portion f secured to the vertical shaft by means of a set screw 7, to permit vertical adjustment of the feed wheel and adapt the same to be removed to permitthe substitution of a feed wheel having conveyor arms or pockets of greater or less depth or capacity than the one shown, for

the purpose hereinafter described. G denotes an oscillatory feed regulating device which may consist of a circular or segmental plate resting on the hopper bottom, underneath the feed wheel and arranged to underlie the path of movement of a series of radially pro'ecting conveyor arms f on the periphery o the feed wheel. The plate G has formed therein an oblong arcuate slot or opening 9 which is adapted to register with a correspondingly shaped opening forming a discharge port in the hopper bottom, at one side thereof, said registering openin s being preferably formed with substantia ly V-shaped end-portions so that by adjusting the oscillatory plate the disc a rge port may be reduced in size to a into threaded holes in a peripheral flange h on the periphery of said false bottom, so

that when it is desired to make a change I for feeding other material than that which is being fed by the particular feed wheel in use at the time, said superposed plate may be removed and afeed wheel of greater or less capacity substituted, and the false bottom replaced and secured in either a raised or lowered position asdesired to accommodate interchangeable feed wheels of different thicknesses in feeding materials of different kin is. The false bottom H has formed therein at one side an oblong arcuate slot 7L3, Fig. 3, overlying an imperforate portion of the hopper bottom, or an 1mperforate portion of the oscillatory plate resting on said bottom, while an imperforate portion of said false bottom overlies the discharge port in the hopper bottom and the registering opening in the feed regulating plate. The central imperforate portion of the feed wheel is preferably slightly raised and underlies a central circular openso as to prevent granulated material within the hopper from escaping around the center of the feed wheel; said deflector being adapted to direct such material outwardly toward the inner wall'of the hopper and upon an imperferate portion of the hopper bottom between adjacent radially projecting conveyor arms f on the periphery of the feed wheel or into pockets in said periphery as-said arms or pockets travel past the-arcuate opening it in the false bottom H. The conveyor arms preferably taper outwardly to an intermediate point from which point they are forwardly inclined in the direction of rotation at an obtuse angle to the base so as to adapt them to more effectually push the material between adja cent arms of thefeed. wheel toward the outlet or discharge port, which lies underneath the imperforate' portion of the false bottom and is concealed thereby. The deflector I has a tubular hub-like portion adapted to fit upon the "ertical shaft 'D,'

to which it is adjustably and removably secured by means of a set screw 11. Above the deflector is secured a rotary agitator K having a tubular hub-like end portion to fit upon the shaft D, to which it is adjustably and removably secured by a set screw is, as shown. The depending rim or lower edge of the deflector is formed or provided with preferably equi-distant bosses on the lower edge thereof having interiorly screw threaded holes or sockets therein, in which i are screwed agitator arms or pins L arranged close to the'surface of the false bottom so as to sweep around the same and up-,

raise and push the material resting on the imperforate portion thereof toward the dis-, charge port, such pins being designed tov be used in feeding and mixing certain kinds of material which may not be suflicientl agitated or stirred up by the agitator I The hoppers are each provided with a removable top section N, of rectangular form, having an upwardly and outwardly flaring portion a, which terminates in a vertical extension a and a pendant cylindrical por tion M, which is adapted to fit within the upper cylindrical end of the hopper proper or the body portion thereof, while the four corners of the rectangular portion rest upon the upper cylindrical end of the main or body portion of the hopper, whereby the receiving end or mouth of the hopper is "greatly enlarged, to adapt it to be more a bearing, is

easily filled and avoid waste by overflow and to facilitate the flow of material there through. Loosely fitted upon the vertical shaft of the bottom late in which said shaft has tted a ring or collar on the inner end of a pointer'arm O which is upheld by means of a collar 0 secured upon said boss, by means of a set screw 0 The or upon the boss on the underside free end of said pointer arm carries a pointer 0 adapted to travel along a graduated scale P on the hopper to indicate the quantity of material to be delivered by the machine when the free end of the pointer arm is moved by the movement of the .feed regulating device or plate G, to which the free or outer end of said pointer arm is secured by means of a bolt and nut as'shown at 0 The feed regulating plate has swiveled thereto on the underside thereof a pendant lug or boss 11 which works in'an arcuate slot in the bottom of the feed hopper, said lug having a threaded hole therein in which is screwed a threaded rod Q which is revolubly secured to a bracket 9 on the outer wall of the hopper and provided at its free endwith a disk Q1 having a milled periphery for rotating the rodby hand. As will be; seen, when the oscillating plate G is adjusted the index finger or pointer carried by the arm 0, which moves ing each revolution of the feed wheel; the

quantity delivered being increased or diminished at will by adjusting said feed regulating device so as to increase or decrease the size of the discharge port in the hopper bottom. The material discharged by the group of machines in the desired propor tions is spouted or conducted into a. subjacent trough-like receptacleR, in ,which is placed a spiral conveyor S, of ordinary or any suitable construction, adapted to. be operated by belt and pulley connection with the main driving shaft C, as shown in Fig. 5, or b other suitable gearing, and the materia s entering said conveyor trough are thoroughly commingled and conveyed to a suitable receptacle therefor located at the delivery end of the conveyor, or at any convenient point, underneath or below a discharge spout, (not shown). (I

The operation of the machine will be readily understood from the foregoing deindicated by the pointer on the scale plate,

which may be more or less than or equal to the amount delivered by any other machine,-

and the machines being set in motion, the material discharged "into the conveyor troughby the group ofmachines in the same or different proportions will be thoroughly .commingled by the conveyor and discharged into a feed hopper or other receptacle therefor, on reaching a point at \vhich'the desired commingling has been effected.

Vithin the recess provided on the underside of the feed wheel by the central circular step'like formation thereof there is placed a collar (l which may he fixed on the shaft D by means of a set screw or other fastening device, to prevent the raising of. the feed gate or feed regulating device or plate G.

It will be understood of course that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described. I also desire it to be uderstood that the expression granulated materials, as used in the appended claims, is not intended to be restricted to ground grain but to include mixable materials of various kinds, either whole or ground grain or the like, used for the production of food or stock and poultry feed and which it may be desirable to mix in either equal or different proportions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a plurality of machines for feeding granulated materials in predetermined proportions, each machine having a feed hopper thereon provided in its bottom with an elongated discharge port, means for enlarging or decreasing the size of said port, so as to increase or decrease the amount of material discharged therethrough, a rotary feed wheel overlying said bottom and carrying means. for conveying material to said port successively in equal proportions, and a superposed fixed plate or false bottom having an elongated opening therein overlying the path of movement of said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, whereby the material within the hopper is delivered tosaid conveyor means upon an imperforate portion of said bottom plate and conveyed to said port said feed wheel being fixed on a vertical shaft extending up through the hopper bottom and having a gear wheel thereon below said bottom; said machines being provided with alined shaft bearings, a driving shaft journaled in said alined bearings and carrying gear wheels in mesh with the gears on said vertical shafts, and means for mixing the materials discharged from said machines and conveying the mixture into a suitable receptacle therefor.

2. In combination, a-' group of machines each provided with a feed hopper having a discharge port in its bottom, a rotary feed wheel having means for conveying material to said port successively in equal proportions,

a fixed plate overlying said bottom and having a discharge opening therein overlying the conveyor means on said feed wheel at a point remote from said discharge port, an oscillatory plate arranged between the hop per bottom and said feed wheel and having an opening therein registering with said dischines having alined bearings thereon, a

driving shaft journaled in said alined bearings, and means for conducting the materials discharged by said machines into a common receptacle, said receptacle containing means for mixing and conveying the mixture into a suitable receiver.

* In combination, a group of machines each provided with a feed hopper having an elongated discharge port in its bottom, a rotary feed wheel having means for conveying material to said port successively in equal proportions, a fixed plate overlying said bottom and having an elongated opening therein overlying said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port. an oscillatory plate arranged between the hopper bottom and said feed wheel and having an elongated opening therein registering with said discharge port, means for adjusting and securing said oscillatory plate in difi'erent positions, so as to increase or decrease the size of the discharge port at will, to adapt the group of machines to deliver the material discharged therefrom in either equal or different predetermined proportions, each of said feed wheels being fixed on a vertical shaft extending up through the hopper bottom and carrying a gear wheel below said bearings thereon, a driving shaft journaled in said alined bearings, and means for conducting the materials discharged by the several machines into a common receptacle therefor; said receptacle containing means for mixing and conveying the mixture into a suitable receiver.

4. In combination, a group of machines each provided with a cylindrical feed hopper having an elongated arcuate discharge port in its bottom, a rotary feed wheel having means for conveying material to said portsuccessfully in equal proportions, a fixed circular plate overlying said bottom and having an elongated-arcuate opening therein overlying said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, an oscilbottom, and said machines having alined 4 latory plate arranged between the hopper bottom and said feed wheel and having an elongated arcuate' opening therein registering with said discharge port, means for adjusting andsecuring said oscillatory plate in different positions, so as to increase or decrease the size of the discharge port at will, to adapt a group of machines to deliver the material discharged therefrom in either equal or. different predeterminedv proportions, each of said feed wheels being fixed on a vertical shaft extending up through the hopper bottom and carrying agear wheel below said bottom, and said machines having alined shaft bearings thereon, a driving shaft journaled in said alined bearings, and means for conducting thermaterials discharged by the several machines into a trough-like receptacle, said receptacle containing a spiral conveyor for mixing and conveying the mixture into a suitable receiver. I

5. In combination, a gang of operatively connected machines for feeding granulated materials in predetermined proportions, each machine having a feed hopper. provided in its bottom with an elongated discharge port, means for enlarging andvde creasing'the size of said port so as to increase or decrease the amount of material discharged.therethrough, a rotary feed wheel overlying said bottom and having means for conveying material to said port successively in equal proportions, a superposed fixed plate or false bottom having an elongated opening therein overlying the path of movement of said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, whereby the material is delivered to said conveyor means upon an imperforate' portion of said bottom and conveyed to said port; each of said feed wheels being fixed on a vertical shaft extending up through the hop-per bottom and having a gear wheel thereon below said bottom and said ma chines being provided with alined shaft bearings, a drivingshaft'journaled in said alined bearings and carrying gear wheels in mesh with the gears on said vertical shafts, and means for mixing and conveying the materials discharged from said ma-- chines into a common receiver.

a superposed. fixed plate or false bottom hav- .on an imfperforate ing an elongated opening therein overlying the path bf movement of said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, whereby the material is delivered to said con eyor means upon an imperforate portion of said bottom and conveyed to said port; each of said feed wheels being fixed on a vertical shaft extending up through the hopper bottom and having a gear wheel thereon below said bottom; said machines being provided with alined shaft bearings and said mixing device provided with a spiral conveyor, a driving shaft journaled and having means for conveying material to said port successively in equal roportions,

' and a superposed fixed plate or also bottom having an elongated opening therein overlying the path of movement of said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, whereby the material is delivered to said conveyor means upon an imperforate portion of said bottom plate and conveyed to said port. 4 i

' 8. A machine for feeding granulated ma- I terials in predetermined quantities, comprising a feed hopper having a bottom plate provided with a dischargeport, rotary conveyor means overlying said bottom vplate, a superposed fixed plate or false bottom having an elongated opening therein overlying the path of travel of said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, whereby the material within the hopper is delivered to said conveyor means upon an imperforate portion of said bottom plate and conveyed to said port, and means for enlarging and decreasing the size of said port so as to increase or decrease the amount of material discharged therethrough. Y 9. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprising a feed hopper having in its bottom an elongated discharge port, a rotary con- 'veyor arranged over said bottom and having radiallyprojectingconveyor arms, said port underlying the pathof movement of said arms, whereb a predetermined uantity of material within the hopper is eposited between adjacent arms successively up portion of said bottom and conveyed to said discharge port, and

means forenlarging and decreasing the size of said port so as to increase or decrease the. amount of material allowed to pass therethrough at will.

plate or false bottom fixed to the inner wall ofsaid hopper and having an elongated opening therein overlying the path of movement of said arms at a point remote from said discharge port, whereby a predetermined amount of material within the hopper is deposited between adjacent arms successively upon an imperforate portion of said bottom and conveyed to said discharge port, and means for enlarging and decreasmg the size of said port-so as to increase or decrease the amount of material allowed to pass therethrough at will.

11. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprising a feed hopper having a discharge port in its bottom, a rotary conveyor fixed on a shaft above said bottom having means located beside the inner wall of the hopper for conveying material within the hopper to said discharge port, asuperposed fixed plate or false bottom having an elongated opening therein overlying the path of travel of said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, whereby a predetermined quantity of material within the hopper is delivered to said conveyor means upon an imperforate portion of said.bottom and conveyed to said port, and means for enlarging and decreasing the size of said a port so as to increase or decrease the amormt of material discharged therethrough.

12. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprisinga feed hopper having in its bottom an enlongated discharge port, a rotary circular plate overlying saidbottom and having peripheral radially projecting conveyor arms, said portunderlying the path of movement of said arms, whereby a predetermined quantity of material within the hopper is deposited between adjacent arms successively upon an imperforate portion of said bottom and conveyed to said discharge port, and an oscillatory plate arranged between said bottom and said notary plate and having an elongated opening therein coincident with said discharge port, together with means for adjusting and securing said (m-illatory plate in difle-rent positions, so

as to enlarge or decrease the size of said port and thereby increase or decrease the amount of material allowed to pass therethrough as desired.

13. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprising a cylindrical feed hopper having in its bottom an elongated discharge port, a rotary circular plate overlying said .bottom and having radially projecting conveyor arms, said plate being fixed on a vertical driven shaft extending upwardly through the hopper bottom and said port underlying the path of movement of said arms. a superposed fixed plate or false bottom having, a centrally disposed upright circular flange and an elongated opening in its peripheral portion overlying the path of movement of said arms at a point remote from said discharge port, a hollow cone-shaped deflecting device secured on said shaft with its depending edge overlapping said flange, whereby the material .within the hopper is deposited between adjacent arms successively upon an imperforatc portion of said bottom and conveyed to said discharge port, and means for enlarging and decreasing the size of said port so as to increase or decrease the amount of material allowed to pass therethrou'gh at will.

14. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprising a cylindrical hopper having a discharge port in its bottom. a rotary conveyor over- 4 lying said bottom having-peripherally projecting conveyor means, a superposed annula-r plate or false bottom having an opening therein overlying said conveyor means at a point remote from said discharge port, an oscillatory plate arranged between said bottom and said conveyor and adapted to close said port, said oscillatory plate having an opening therein adapted to register with said discharge port, and means for adjusting and securing said' oscillatory plate in different positions, so as to open or close said port to a greater or iess extent and thereby increase or dimininsh the amountof material dischargml therethrough during each revolution of said conveyor,

15. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprising a cylindrical hopper having an elongated arcuate discharge port in its bottom. a rotary conveyor arranged above said bottom having radially projecting conveyor arms, a superposed annular plate or false bottom having an elongated opening therein overlying said arms at a point remote from said discharge port, so as tocause the material within the hopper to enter the spaces between said arms directly over an imperforate' portion of mid bottom. an ad justable plate under said conveyor having an elongated arcuate opening therein registering with said discharge port, and means for adjusting and securing said adjustable plate in different positions so as to increase or diminish the. amount of material discharged during each revolution of the conveyor.

16. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprising a cylindrical hopper having an eelongated arcuate discharge port in its bottom beside the inner wall thereof underlying radially projecting arms of a rotary conveyor, a superposed annular plate or false,

bottom having an elongated arcuate opening therein overlying the path of movement of said conveyor arms at a point remote from said dlscharge port, said conveyor being fixed on a vertical shaft and havmg an 1mperforate centrally disposed portion, a hol low cone-shaped deflector fixed on said shaft with the depending edge thereof overlapping a marginal flange on the centrally disposed portion of said conveyor,- an oscillatory plate arranged between the hopper bottom and said conveyor having an elongated arcuate slot therein registering with said discharge port and means for adjusting and securing said oscillatory plate in different positions, so as to open or close said port to a greater or less extent as desired to increase or decrease the amount of material that may pass through said discharge port during each revolution of the conveyor.

17. In combination, a group of'feedmg machines each provided with a hopper having a discharge port in its bottom. said bot- 1 tom underlying a rotaryfeed wheel, said feed wheel being fixed on a vertical shaft depending'through the hopper bottom and carrying a gear wheel in mesh with a pinion on'a main driving shaft, said shaft being journaled in alined bearings carried by the supporting frames of the group of machines, a fixed plate or false bottom adjustably secured above each hopper bottom and having an opening therein overlying the peripheral portion of said feed wheel at a point remote from said discharge port, an oscillatory plate arranged between the hopper bottom and said feed wheel and having an opening therein coincident with the discharge port in the hopper bottom, and means for adjusting and securing said oscillatory plate in different positions, so' as to increase or decrease the size of the discharge port for delivering material from the group of machines in different proportions:

18. In combination. a group of feeding machines each providedwith a cylindrical hopper having a discharge port in its bottom and underlying a rotary feed wheel having radially projecting conveyor arms, said feed Wheel being fixed on a vertical shaft depending through the hopper bottom .and

1 carrying a gear wheel in mesh with a pinion on a mam drlvmg shaft ournaled in alined ent proportions, said oscillatory plate carrying a swiveled lug depending through an arcuate slot in the hopper bottom, a threaded rod screwed into .an opening in said lug and revolubly supported at its outer end and provided with means thereonfor imparting rotary movement thereto.

19. In combination, a group of machines each provided with a cylindrical feed hopper having a'discharge port in its bottom and underlying a rotary feed wheel having radially projecting conveyor arms, said f ed wheel being fixed on a vertical shaft dependingthrough the hopper bottom and carry ing agear wheel in mesh with a pinion on a main driving shaft journaled in alined bearings carried by the supporting frames of the group of machines, a circular plate or false bottom arranged over the hopper bottom and having an opening therein overlying said conveyor arms at a point remote from said discharge ,port, an oscillatory plate arranged between the hopper bottom and said feed wheel and having an opening therein registering with said discharge port, and means for ad usting and securing said osclllatory plate in dlfierent positions, so as 'to increase or decrease the size of said port,

for delivering material from the group of machines 111 different proportions; said means comprising an apertured lug swiveled vto said oscillatory plate and depending through a slot' in the hopper bottom, a threaded rod screwed into the aperture in said lug and having its outer end revolubly supported and provided with means for imparting rotary movement thereto. 20. In combination, a cylindrical feed hopper having an elongated discharge port in its bottom of arcuate form, a rotary feed wheelfixedon a vertical shaftextending up through said. bottom, a circular plate or false bottom arranged above said feed wheel and having an elongated. 'openingqtherein of arcuate form overlying the peripheral portion of's'aid feed wheel at a point remote from said discharge port, a hollow substan tially conical or ,bell-mouth-shaped deflector,

removably secured on said shaft and having its dependingedge overlapping an annular I flange on said false bottom, and means for enlarging or decreasing the size of said discharge port so as to increase or decrease the amount of material passing therethrough during each revolution of said feed wheel.

21. In combination, a cylindrical feed hopper having an elongated discharge port in its bottom and a rotary feed wheel thereimdcr fixed on a vertical shaft, a superposed circular plate or false bottom having an imperforate portion overlying the peripheral portion of said feed wheel and provided with an elongated opening therein located at a point remote from said discharge port, and means for enlarging or decreasing the size of said port so as to increase or decrease the amount of material delivered by the machine during each revolution ofsaid feed wheel, said shaft carrying a hollow cone-shaped deflecting device having its depending edge or rim overlapping an annular flange on said circular plate, said deflecting device carrying an agitating arm at its apex and agitator arms removably secured on its lower edge or rim.

22. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities, comprising a cylindrical feed hopper having in its bottom an elongated peripherally disposed discharge port, means for enlarging and decreasing the size of said port, so as to increase or decrease the amount of material allowed to pass tberethrough at will, a rotary feed wheel overlying said bottom and having radiallv projecting conveyor arms,

said feed wheel being fixed on a vertical shaft extending upwardly through the hopper bottom and said discharge port underlying the path of movement of said conveyor arms, a stationary circular plate or false bottom overlying said feed wheel and having a centrally disposed upright circular flange and an elongated opening in its periphery overlying the path of movement of said arms at a point remote from said discharge port, and a hollow cone-shaped deflector secured ousaid shaft with its depending edge or rim overlying said flange, whereby the material within the hopper is directed toward and deposited between adjacent conveyor arms successively upon an imperforate portion of said bottom and conveyed to said discharge port.

9.3. A machine for feeding granulated materials in predetermined quantities. comprising a cylindrical fccd hopper having in its bottom an elongated peripherally dis- {arsed discharge port. means for enlarging and decreasing the size of said port. m as to increase or decrease the amount of material allowed to pass therethrough at will. :1

rotary feed wheel overlying said bottom and having radially projecting conveyor arms, said feed wheel being fixed on a vertical shaft extending upwardly through the hopper bottom and said discharge port underlying the path of movement of said conveyor arms, a stationary circular plate or false bottom overlyin said fccd wheel and havmg a centrally disposed upright circular ilange and an elongated opening in its" peripheryoverlying the path of movement of said arms at a point remote from said less depth. to adapt the machine for feeding in larger or smaller measure materials of different kinds.

24. In combination, a group of machines for feeding grain or other materials simultaneously in predetermined proportions, each machine having a feed wheel geared to the same driving shaft, means for mixing the materials as fed by said group, means on each machine for increasing or decreasing the amount or proportion .it may feed independently of other machines in the group, and means operable conjointly with the last named means on each machine for indicating the amount each machine may feed in a given period of time.

25. In combination, a plurality of machines for feeding grain or other materials simultancously in predetermined proportions, each machine having a feed wheel geared to a main driving shaft and provided with independently operable means for increasing or decreasing the amount or proportion of material it may feed in a given period of time without changing the speed of said shaft, and means connected with and operated by said independently operablemeans for indicating the amount or proportion of material each machine may feed. I

In testimony whereof I aflLv my signature in the'presence of two witnesses.

SIMON SNYDER Witnesses:

" C. C. Prmzrcou,

C. R. STOUT.

llKl

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