US1531945A - Scale pan for card feeders - Google Patents

Description

March 31. 1925. 1,531,945

J. B. HOWE- SCALE PAN FOR CARD FEEDERS Filed May 15 1923 y 4 6/ l l I v 4-5 44 J5 I l'fzver cor a; F a as? his.

Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

Ul llTED STATE withh ld JOSEPH B. HOWE, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO G'EQRG'E S HAP WOOD 85 SON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTfi, A GUPARTNEBSHII? CQNSISTING OLE SYDNEY HARWOOD AND JOHN I'I'ARWOOD.

SCALE PAN FOR- CARD FEEDERS.

Application filed." May 15',

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn B. Hows, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of lyorcester, in the county of V orcester and State of lilassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Scale Pans for Card Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to card feedingmachines of the kind which embody automatic weighing mechanism, and concerns more particularly"a dumping scale pan for use in such weighing mechanism.

Principal objects of the invention are to provide a scale pan of strong and rigid construction and of a cross sectional'contour providing for large capacity to provide a dumping pan whose contents; may be discharged substantially instantaneously without setting up appreciable oscillations in the pan or scale beam; and in to provide latch mechanism for determining the retention or discharge of the contents of the pan, such latch mechanism being of simple and dependable construction and releasable with slight effort.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a dumping scale pan embodyingthe present invention showingthe same in position to receive a load:

Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly broken away, showing; the pan in normal load receiving position;

Fig. 3- 1s a fragmentary horlzontal cross section to larger scale on the line 33 of Fig. 2-;

Fig. 4 is a detail view illustratingthe latch mechanism and associated parts in the position which they assume immediatelyafter the release of thelatch; and

Fig. 5 is a detached view showing the latch leverin side elevation.

In accordance with the. present invention the; pan, which is of generally rectangular contour incross section, is provided with a pair; of rigid end frames of like construction. Each of these frames compr ses the substantialyparallel spaced side bars 1, 2 un t d, pr e bly n gr lly, at th r. uppe nds by ross bar B e memb rs 5 t nd obliquely. upwarc and in ard tra 'with inwardly directed flanges 22,

1523. Serial No. 639,104.

the lower extremities of the bars 1, 2 r spectively and these brace members merge at their upper ends into the enlargement or head 6. The upper portion of this head is preferably united integrally with the top member 3 of the frame as indicated at 7.

This head is furnished with an opening 8 whose upper edge provides the bearing corners respectively of each end frame, and

these bosses are furnished with openings for the reception of the ends of connecting rods 13, 14 which extend from one end frame to the other, and which are secured in the respective bosses by means of set screws 15, 1b. The end frames are thus held rigidly in proper spaced relation. Bosses 17, 18

are provided at the lower corners respectively of each end frame and these bosses are furnished with journal openings for the reception of the ends of rotatable sl'iafts 19, 20, which extend from one end frame to the other.

The side bars 1, 2 of the em furnished with inwardly directez iianges 21' lying in substantially the same while the brace members l, 5 are furnished The plane de ned by the latter flanges is spaced slightly from that defined by the flanges 21, 21 to permit the insertion of a piece of sheetmaterial 2% between the sets of flanges. This sheet material, preferably metal, forms the end wall of the scale pan. This member may be slipped upwardly between the sets of flanges and is secured in position by screws 25. Side wall members 26, 27 are secured by rneans of screws 28, 29 respectively to the side bars 1, 2, of the end frames. These side secured to the shafts, 19, 20, the brackets of each pair being,- located adjacent to the ends of their respective shaftto the shafts by set scr .i. s able bottom wall members cured to the respective pair These bottom wall members, tively constitute the closure an the bottom of the pan, are preferably formed of sheet material and are bent or rolled at their outer edges to enclose the repective slmi'ts as indicated at The meeting edges or the respective bottom wall members are preferably rolled or folded to provide streugtin ening beads 36. is shown in Fig. 2 the bottom wall members normally extend downwardly and inwardly from the axes of their respective supporting shafts and meet in a plane below the plane of such shafts. The end all members 24.- are so shaped as to extend downwardly so as to form complete closures for the ends of the pan.

A lever 37 is secured to the end of the shaft 19 by means of a set screw 33. A second lever is secured to the end of the shaft. 20 by means of a set screw These levers, in the normal the full lines in Fig. 2, extend inwardly and upwardly; crossing and overlapping at a point adjacent: their free extremities. A pin 40 is secured to the end portion of the lever 39. This pin is preferably adjustable longitudinally of the lever, although such adjustment is not essential.

The pin iO projects through an elongate slot ll formed in the free extremity of the lever 37. The latter lever is provided with a boss 42 having a threaded opening for the reception of a pivot bolt 43 upon which a latch lever ll is pivotally mounted.

The tail of this latch lever is provided with a counterweight 41-5 while its opposite end is furnished with a lug 46 having an abutment surface 47. This surface is of arcuate curvature, described about the pivotal axis of the lever as a center. and preterably terminates in a shoulder The le position indicated in 370. ver projects beyond the shoulder 43 to form an extension 49 for engagement with an actuating device as will hereinafter be described. The lower part of the end frame of the pan is furnished with a bracket 50 from which a lug 51 extends into the plane of movement of the counterweight 45 of the latch lever.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows. it being assumed that the pan and its several associated parts nor mally occupy the position shown in Fig. 2 while the pan is receiving its load.

In this position the pin 40 is located at the upper end of the slot. ll and is held in such position by the latch lever whose surface l7 lies immediately behind the pin. The counterweight 4.5 normally retains the latch in this position. When the pin 40 is locked in the upper part of the slot, relativemovement of the levers 37, 39 is prevented, and when so positioned it the bottom wall members 33, 34 of the pan are closed with their edges 36 substantially in engagement.

When the pan is to be dumped an actuator, indicated at 52, and which may be of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 639,103, filed May 15, 192], or which may be of any other desired con struction, is caused to engage the extension 49 of the latch lever and to swing the latter about its pivot. Such swinging of the latch is readily accomplished by reason of the shape of the abutment surface .7. As soon as the latch has been swung out of engagementwith the pin it), as shown for example in Fig. 4:, the weight of the levers 37, 3S) and associated parts assisted by the weight of the contents of the pan, immediately causes the levers to swing downwardly until they occupy the position indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. in the latter position of the levers the movable bottom members 33, 34 of the scale pan stand substantially vertical as shown in dot and dash lines in said figure. When in such position, the bottom walls oiier no obstruction whatsoever to the delivery of the load from the pan so that the load is dumped freely and without any substantial lateral reaction upon the pan such as might set up undesirable oscillations therein.

In moving to the dot and dash position of Fig. 2 the levers 37. 39 swing through the horizontal plane of their axes and during such movement the pin 4:0 first travels to the left as viewed in Fig. 2, and then as the levers pass the horizontal position the pin moves backwardly until it is restored to the same end of the slot. from which it started. as indicated at 40, Fig. 2. As the counterweight t5 of the latch constantly tends to restore the latch to operative position. it would at this time. unless prevented, swing up across the slot 4.1 and prevent restoration of the levers 37, 39 to normal position. To prevent this action, the lug 51 is provided with which the counterweight 45 engages as the levers drop to their lowermost position. This prevents upward movement of the lug 46 of the latch so that when the restoring device, indicated at 53 and which may if desired be of the type in my aforementioned application, is raised into engagement with the pin 40, the latter is free to move along the slot 41 as the levers 37, 39 are moved back to normal position. When they reach the latter position, the lug 4-6 of the latch lever immediately snaps beneath the pin 40 thus again locking the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2.

One desirable feature of the pan as above described arises from its cross sectional shape which provides a maximum capacity as respects its outside dimensions without til) lee

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bers of sheet material fixedly secured to the respective end flflli'lQS and extending from one to the other, a bottom wall comprising members pivotally mounted to swing about axes adjacent to the lower edges of the respective side wall members, and an end wall member secured to each of the respective trames.

2. A dumping scale pan comprising a rigid end frame having substantially parallel side members, a top member integrally secured to the side members, and a pair of brace members extending diagonally up from the lower ends of the side members and uniting with the top member near its 1 middle point.

6. A dumping scale pan comprising a. rigid end frame having substantially parallel side bars and a, top bar united; therewith, and a pair of brace members extending diagonally upward from the lower ends of the side bars and united adjacent to the upper bar to form a head member having an opening therein. for thereception of the pan fulcrum.

a. A dumping scale pan comprising a rigid end frame having members defining two parallel spaced planes, and a piece of sheet material positioned between said members and constituting an end wall for the pan.

A (lumping scale pan comprising an. end frame having substantially parallel side members and diagonally extending brace members, the side members and brace mem bers having flanges respectively which lie in spaced parallel planes, and a sheet metal plate interposed between said sets of spaced flanges.

6. A d'm'nping scale pan comprising a pair of end frames of substantially rectangular contour having openings at each of the corners, a pair 0t fixed bars secured in the openings at the upper corners of the respective frames and holding the latter in spaced relation, and pair of shafts journalled at opposite ends in the openings at the lower corners of the respective frames.

7. A dumping scale pan comprising a fixed side wall, a shaft journalled adjacent to the lower edge of said wall, a bracket secured to. the shaft adjacent to each of its ends, anda sheet metal, bottonn member secured to the brackets, one edge of, the bottom member being bent to enelosethe shaft and its opposite edge being rolled. topro vide a strengthening bead.

8. A dumping scale pan comprising a pair of bottom members. hinged to swing about substantially, parallel axes, an arm secured to each of said members, said arms normally overlapping, an abutment carried by] one arm, and a latch mounted upon the other arm and engageable with the abutment normally to hold the botton' members in closed position.

9. A scale pan having a movable closure, and means normally preventing movement of said closure comprising anabutment member, a latch normally engaging said abutment member to prevent movement thereof, said latch being movable to release said abutment, and means operative to prevent reengagement of the latch with. the abutment prior to the restoration of, thelatter-to initial position.

10. A dumping scale pan comprising a pair of hinged bottom members, oppositely directed arms secured to the respective members, one of said arms'having an elongate slot and the other having a pin projecting into said slot, and latch means normally operative to prevent movement of the pin longitudinally of the slot.

11. A scale pan. having a movable bottom member and means normally holding said bottom member in closed position comprising arelatively movable member, a. pin pro.- jecting from one member into. an elongate slot in, the other, a latch device normally positioned to hold the pin atone end of said slot, said latch, being movable to release the pin and allow it to move along the slot, and means to prevent reengagement ot the latch with the pin before the parts are restored substantially to initial position.

12. A, dumping scale pan comprising a pair of hinged bottom members, an arm fixedly secured to eachv of said members to swing therewith, said arms extending diagonally toward each other and overlapping at their free extremities, a pin projecting from one of said arms through an elongate slot inthe other, and a latch carried by the slotted arm and normally preventing movement of the pin longitudinally of the slot.

13. A dumping scale pan comprising a pair of relatively fixed side walls, a bottom member hinged to the lower edge of each side wall, an arm secured to each bottom member to turn therewith, said arm normally extending inwardly and upwardly and overlapping at their extremities, a. pin

projecting from one arm through an elongate slot in the other, and a latch lever pivot-ally supported upon the latter arm.

said latch lever having an element normally engaging the pin to prevent movement thereof along the slot.

14. A scale pan having a movable bottom member and means normally holding said member in closed position comprising a pair of levers normally extending diagonally upwardly toward each other from their pivotal axes, a. pin projecting from one into an elongate slot in the other, a latch normally holding said pin in the upper end of the slot, said latch being releasable to permit the pin to move in the slot thereby allowing the levers to turn until the pin passes the plane of the levers and returns to the same end of the slot, and means to prevent engagement of the latch with the pin while the parts occupy the last named position.

15. A dumping scale pan comprising a movable closure and a pair of swinging lever arms for controlling the movement of said closure, said arms normally intersecting at an angle to each other, a pin projecting from one of said arms and engaging a guide element on the other arm, a latch lever pivoted upon the latter arm having a contact element normally engaging the pin to prevent movement of the latter relatively to the guide element, and a counterweight on the latch lever tending to hold the latter in operative position.

16. A latch device for use in a dumping scale pan having a movable closure comprising a lever pivoted at its central portion and having a latch lug near one end, a projection extending beyond the lug for engagement by an actuating element, and a counterweight at its other end.

17. A dumping scale pan comprising movable bottom members and a pair of swinging arms for controlling the movement thereof, said arms crossing and overlapping each other at their free extremities, a pin projecting from one of the arms through an elongate slot in the other, and a latch lever pivoted to the slotted arm, said latch lever having an arcuate contact surface concentric with the axis of the latch lever normally engaging the pin to prevent movement of the latter.

wardly, a pin projecting; from one member a' through an elongate slot in the other, a latch lever pivoted to the slotted member and having a stop lug normally engaging the pin to hold the latter adjacent to the outer extremity out its slot, and a member adapted to be engaged by an actuating element for swinging the latch to release the pin.

l9. Latch meclianism for a dumping scale pan comprising a pair oi? angularly disposed levers normally crossing adjacent to their tree extremities, a pin projecting from one lever into an elongate slot in the other, a latch lever pivotally mounted upon one lever and having a part normally engaging the pin thereby locking the levers against pivotal movement, said latch lever being movable to release the pin thereby permitting it toniovc along the slot and as the levers con tinue to swing to move back again to its initial position, and a lug engageable by the tail of the latch lever to hold the latter out or" engagement with the pin when the latter occupies the last named position.

20. A scale pan comprising a movable closure and means for controlling its movements comprising a pair oi. levers pivoted to swing about horizontal axes lying in the same plane, said levers normally crossing at a point above said plane, a pin projecting from one lever into a slot in the other, a latch lever normally holding the pin at one end of the slot whereby to lock the levers against movement said latch being movable to release the pin thereby allowing it to move toward the other end of the slot as the levers swing through the plane 01 their axes and to resume its position at the first end of the slot the levers swing below said plane, and a device engageable with the latch as the lovers approach the last named position to prevent reengagement of the latter with the pin.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this 3d day of r/lay 1928.

JOSEPH l3. HO'WE.

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