US269752A - Kail way track scale - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 T. H. WARD.

RAILWAY TRACK SCALE.

Patented Dec.26,1882.

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(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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RAILWAY TRACK SCALE.

Patented Dec. 26, 1882.

N. PETERS. Phnwumo n hr. Washington D. C.

10 Sheets-Sheet a. T. H. WARD.

RAILWAY TRACK SCALE.

(No Model.)

N0.269.752. Patnted Deo.26, 1882.

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T. H. WARD.

RAILWAY TRACK SCALE. No. 269,752. Patented Dec.26,1882.

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RAILWAY TRACK SCALE.

Patented Dec. 26, 1882.

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(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 7.

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RAILWAY TRACK SCALE.

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(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 8-.

T. H. WARD.

RAILWAY TRACK SCALE.

No. 269,752. Patented Deo.26, 1882.

10 Sheets-Sheet 9.

(No Model.)

T. H. WARD.

RAILWAY TRACK SCALE.

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THOMAS H. WARD, OF 'IIPTON, COUNTY OF STAFFORD, ENGLAND.

RAl LWAY-TRACK SCALE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 269,752, dated December 26, 15.8.2,

Application filed April 10, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS HENRY \VARD, (of the firm of Howl, \Vard 8t HowL) a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and residing at Tipton, in the county of Stafford, England, have invented certain Improvements in Weighing Machines or Apparatus, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 3,580, dated August 17, l88l,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class ofapparatus known as platform weighing-machines, more particularly suitable for weighing loads on railway or tramway trucks, and ithas reference to improvements upon the platform weighirig-machine described in the specification to British Letters Patent granted to me, dated the 6th of November, 1876, No. 4,294,, in which the weight of a load is ascertained by measuring the deflection from its normal path ofstruts, tumblers, or rockers, upon the principle of the parallelogram of forces, the object of my present invention being to produce an apparatus of more economical construction without impairing its etliciency and detracting l'rom the mathematical precision of its indications.

In carrying out my invention two rails, corresponding and forming a continuation of the rails on which the truck runs, are carried upon girders rocking upon knife-edges, which are fixed to, say, two, three, or any other suitable number of struts, tumblers, or rockers. The latter, having a motion perfectly parallel to each other, rock or deflect on lower knife-edges constituting fulcra, which form the base or foundation plate or plates of the machine. In order to insure perfect parallel motion, the fulcra are rigidly secured together, while the rocking girders above fix the top knife-edges. To any one of these rockers is attached a horizontal lever, the outer end of which bears upon a plunger, which is let into a shallow cylinder containingliquid.

In order to make a liquid-tightjoint and to allow the plunger free play at the same time, and yet avoid the friction due to ordinary hydraulic leather packing, I interpose a diaphragm of leather or india-rubber, or a corrugated metallicdiaphragm between the plunger and the liquid, fixing it to the cylinder watertight. The liquid in this cylinder is conveyed into the office through a small pipe, (under neath the floor for convenience,) which may terminatein an inverted siphon of mercury, so that any pressure of water is communicated to the mercury and forced up the far leg. Up to'the present point the apparatus is in duplicate-that is to say, there is one complete appa 'atus l'or each rail, the two being independent of each other. The far legs oi'each or these mercurial siphons are connected together by means of a breeches-pipe discharging itself into one glass tube common to these two siphons, which is carried up the wall through the floor and extends up the wall of theoliice. This tube is graduated-say, from floor to ceiling-and contains a column ofliquid which will show by its rise and fall (as actuated by the two mercurial siphons) the resultant load of the two sides of the truck, so that the machine is automatic. A thumb-screw plug is inserted in the breeches-pipe, so that any leakage or evaporation or expansion and contraction of the liquid or mercury can be adjusted to the graduations from time to time. The knife-edges are so wide, and each machine is so short in height, that there is no tendency to tip them over when the load comes on. Hence there is no necessity for tying the mtehine down or together at all.

In order to insure that the wagons shall be drawn onto the machine with as littlejerk as possible, an elevated portion or rail the exact height of the track is provided, situated between and l'orming a continuation of the rails of the track and of the apparatus, with suitable clearance between. The said elevated portions may be cast in one with the outer fulcra-plates, and may serve also as chairs upon which to rest the ends of the rails of the track,whereby the tendencyto spring is greatly prevented.

In order to prevent a sudden flow of the liq aid as the load comes on the machine, which would have a tendency to force the mercury over the breeches-pipe, the water in the cylinders has communication with the pipes only through very small pin-drill holes, so that whatever the load may be the rise and fall of the liquid is retarded. Hence it is steady in its action.

It will be understood that by the foregoing arrangements the ordinary platform extending from side to side may be dispensed with.

The measuring apparatus may be modified by the empioyment ot' IflClKi HHLPllllOll gear, and a spring may be used as a resistance to each apparatus, as in the weighing-machine described in the specification to former B itish Letters Patent granted to me, dated the 4th of October, 1877. No. 3,700. The measuring-gear may also be otherwise modified, as hereinafter describetl. The measuring-gear, it will be evident, may be in duplicatein one or more offices. The machine itself may also be modified by connectin the rails and girders at each side together and supporting them on rockers, one pair being fixed on a shaft common to the two rockers, .the torsion of which shaft is resisted through a lever connected to a Salters springhalance or toother levers for indicating the weight. Similar shafts may connect the other pair or pairs of rockers.

In order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents in longitudinal or side elevation, and Fig. 2 in transverse section, apparatus constructed according, to my said iiivention. Figs. 3 to 14 represent details thereof, some of which are. drawn to an enlarged scale, as hereinafter described. Figs. 15 to 20 represent modifications thereof, also hereinafter described.

()t' the two rails of the line upon which the truck runs and with which my weighing apparatus is combined the one shown in the drawings is marked A. 1 will describe the arrangement as applied to one rail of a pair of rails, it being understood that the other rail of the pair has a precisely-similar arrangement oombiued therewith, as seen clearly in Fig. 2.

In each line, and forming a continuation thereof, is a rail, 13, carried by girders b, the said rail B being furnished at its under part at intervals with lugs b through which and through the said gliders bolts b are passed anti lasteued by nuts to secure the said rails B to the said girders l). as shown clearly in Figs. 7 and 8, which are transverse sections taken the one on a line. between two of the said bolts and the other in a line with one of the said bolts. The rail is provided on its under side with female knife-edges 1/, formed in strips let into slots in projecting; parts ot the said under side of the rail. The two end knifeetlges each rest upon a male knife-edge similarly formed on strips 0 let into struts, tumblers, or rockers c, furnished at their lower parts with similar strips 0 having female knifeedges formed therein and resting in the case ofthe end rockers upon male knifeedges formed on similar strips, 0?, let into a projection, e, from the chair E, which is situated at each end of the said rail B, the knife-edge upon which the middle rocker rests beingcarried by a chair. E". The rockers (J are preferably broader at their lower part than at their upper, the. knil'e-cd cos c and d being similarly broader-than the knifeedges 1) and 0 to give a firm base to the appa ratus. In order to preserve the proper relative position of these knife-edges d, which form the base upon which the apparatus acts, their ends are let into longitudinal braces D. Fig. 9 is a section of the chairs and knifeedges and their cont]ecting-braces, and Fig. 10 is a plan of the said knife-edges and braces. Fig. 11 is a transverse section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of one of the chairs, W, with its knife-edge (1, showing also the braces D in section.

The normal position of the rockers G is in accordance with the principlelaid down in the specification of my aforesaid former patentoidelicet, slightly inclined to the vertical line. To the middle rocker (or it may be to one of the other rockers) is attached or cast a lever, F, the outer end of which carries a screw-pin, f, which bears upon the plunger g ot'a shallow cylinder, Gr, carried by the girders b. This plunger acts upon a diaphragm, g", ot'leathcr or india-rubber or corrugated metal or the like, bolted water-tight between the flanges ot' the said cylinder G and its cover, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 7, which t'ormer figure is a lotigitudiual section of the central part of the rail B and ot' the lever F. This arrangement of piston anti diaphragm may be replaced. by a plunger or ram sliding liquid-tight in the cylinder G. Pipes It and h communicate respectively with the interior of each cylinder G, each of the said pipes terminating in an inverted siphon, it 11. containing mercury. The other legs of the said siphons opposite those into which the said pipes h h open are connected by a breeches-pipe, H, so that they both communicate with one pipe or T-piece lr", in which is held the graduated glass tube It, which contains the iudicatingliquid, and is led into the place where the indications of the apparatus are to be exhibited, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 12 is a vertical section, Fig. 13 a back vie\v,antl Fig. 14 a plan, of the pair of siphons.

The machine being in duplicate up to a certain point,anyload brought on the rail of either side will force the liquid (by preference mercury) up its independent tube It h? independently of the other side, each side thus forming ahydrostatic equilibrium of its own. Further, as the two pipes are afterward connected by a breeches-pipeopeningintooneindicating-tube, and as this brooches-pipe and the said indicating-tube contain a liquid of a very tnnch less specific gravity than that in the duplicate parts of the apparatus, the hydrostatic equilibrium oi the one sideot' the machine does not interfere with that of the other side; but they both act mutually upon the liquid of less spe' cific gravity to give one common indication of their combined displacement.

In the simplest form otthe machine the pipes of mercury contained in siphons.

h h would communicate with vertical pipes leading into the one common indicating-tube; but in order tosave the expense ot'a large quantity of mercury a cheaper fluid can intervene between the cylinders G and a small quantity This is the arrangement shown in tbedrawings. The legs of the siphons into which the pipes h h open are continued upward, as shown in Figs. 2, l3, and 14, and are each provided with a screwplug, h The breeches-pipe H is also provided with a screw-plug, h. These plugs serve by adjustment to compensate for any leakage or evaporation or expansion and contraction of the mercury or of the liquid which fills the space in the cylinders G, pipes h h and legs of the siphons [L h, into which they open between the under side of the diaphragm and the mercury in the said siphons. The mercury in the siphons should be at a level in each leg when no load is on the machine.

The fulcra-plates or chairs E are cast with an elevated portion, the exact heightot the rails A and B. and forming a continuation thereof, the said chairs being also cast with a seating at e for the ends of the rails. Figs.

4 and 5 are side elevations of one of the said chairs, and Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. :L, Fig. 4 showing the end of a rail in position and Fig. 5 showing also the end oi arail, B, and girder b, and a rocker, U, of the weighing apparatus. The chairs or iulcra-plates of each rail of the pair of rails B B E E are bound transversely together by means of tierods 6 and they are fastened down to a level bed of concrete or stone or the like by bolts 6 To prevent the mercury being forced over the breeches-pipe H the liquid has communication from each of the c linders G to each of the pipes h h by a hole, '5, shown in Fig. 7, so much smaller in capacity or sectional area than the bore of the said pipes as to retard the tlow of liquid sufliciently to prevent such overflow of mercury.

in using the apparatus the truck or vehicle to be weighed is run from the rails Aover the elevated portion 6 of the chairs E onto the rails B. The w ight of the said vehicle therefore causes a deflection of each of the rails B and their rockers G 0 upon their knife-edges, and consequently the weight brought to bear on ear-h rail B is respectively and independently conveyed by the pipes h and 702 to the rnercrrry in the siphons h h", owing to the pressure put through the lovers F upon the pistons g of the cylinders G, forcing the liquid through the hole i of each cylinder into and along the said pipes h h and forcing (each with an irrdependent pressure) the mercury down in the legs on one side of the said siphons and up in the other legs. The pressures are thereafter caused through the breeches-pipe H to conjoin and act upon the liquid in the tube h, the extent of the rise of which will consequently give the resultant of the loads brought to bear upon both rails of the apparatus, or, in other words,

the total weight ot'the truck or vehicle and its contents. The tube h may be transparent to show the indications, or the rise and fall of the liquid therein may. be ascertained by other suitable means.

Fig. represents a modification of the means for connecting the rails B to their girders I). The rail B employed in this case is a doubleflanged channel-rail, which is supported at intervals by cross pieces formed by the body part of double T-pieces, as atj, bolted or riveted or otherwise fastened to the girders b.

Fig. 16 represents in longitudinal elevation, and Fig. 17 in transverse section, an apparatus similar to that hercinbetore described; but wherein, instead of the cylinders G and pipes for conveying the pressure through siphons to the indicating-tube h there is employed measuring apparatus of the kind described in the specification of British Letters Patent No. 3,700, granted to me as of the 4th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1877. Each of the girders b and rails B are here shown as being formed in one casting mounted upon two rockers, Gone ateach end-the said girders and their corresponding rockers being firmly braced and connected together by cross-bindiuggirder bars or the like. One of the rockers ot'one ot' the girders carries the lever F, which, acting against a spring, f operates a segmental rack, i, gearing with a pinion, it, upon a shalt, 1, extending to the place where the indications are to be shown, and there carrying a graduated indicatirig-wheel, M, or being connected to other indicating device.

The lever F is analogous to the lever F shown in the drawings attached to the prior specification of my said Patent 3.700, in the year of our Lord 1877, and the mechanism upon which it operates is arranged and acts in a manner essentially similar to that described in the said prior specificatiom and therefore further description thereof is unnecessary. There is combined therewith for the purpose of preventing shocks by the load suddenly act ing upon the lever F a double cylinder, N. (Shown sepa 'ately in vertical section in Fig. 1d.) The compartments of this cylinder are separated by a partition, 12, and through the said cylinder and partition passes a rod, 1), adjustable in length and connected at one end with the lever F and at the other end with two diaphragms, q (1, of india-rubber, corrugated metal, or the like, one in each chamber of the double cylinder N. Thus liquid being in the one chamber, the lever F can only move at a rate determined by the rapidity with which the liquid can pass out of this chamber into the other chamber through a small hole in the partition n.

Fig. 19 represcntsin longitudinalelevation, and Fig. 20 in end elevation, partly in transverse section, another moditication of the apparatus. In this case, as in the preceding, the

gi ders I) and rails B of the apparatus are shown as being cast in one, and the two at each side, asalso their chairs E, are firmly connected together. The rockers O are carried in slots in tubes or hollow or solid shafts 11-, which serve as distance-pieces and connectors for the corresponding rockers of each rail B.

The lever F is carried by a continuation of one of the said tubes or shafts It, the outer end of the said lever being connected by the lever or connections with a Salters springba-lance, S, or other weight-indicating apparatus.

' Although I have shown but one pair of machines, Figs. 1 to 15,yet it will beevident that any number may be com binedin a similar manner-that is to say, each with a separate hydrostatic equilibrium, the pressure from each machine being led to one indicator, essentially as described. For example, the machines may be arranged in lines of pairs and a whole train of trucks or the like be weighed by them and the whole weight indicated on one indicator. The machines may each be of any length to accommodate one or more trucks or the like.

Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I wish to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details hereinbet'ore described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my invention; but

What 1 consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of rails or ways of a platformscale supported on rockers G and chairs, with a lever connected to one of said rockers and acting upon indicating mecha-n-. ism, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of two rails supported separately on rockers G and chairs, with a lever, F, connected to a rocker supporting each 1 rail, the two levers operating the same indii cating apparatus,substantially as described. t

3. The combination of the two rails or ways of a platform-weighing apparatus and independent weighing devices, substantially as described, with two tubes containingdense fluids acted on independently by said two weighing devices, and a common indicating-tube with which both said tubes con'nnunicate, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the rail or support of a platform'scale, rockers G, and lever with a cylinder and a diaphragm acted on by said lever, siphon-tube, and indicator, and a tube connecting the cylinder with the siphon, all substantially as described.

5. The combination ot'the rail B and girders with rockers, lever F, actingon the indicating apparatus, and a supporting-chair, substantially as set forth.

6. The chair E, having a seat for one end of a fixed rail, an elevated portion, a, and a knifeedge bearing for the rocker ot' a weighin ap paratus.

7. The combination of the rail or support of a platform scale, rockers O, and lever F, having a. set-screw,f, with cylinder, diaphragm, and plunger g, the cylinder on the under side of the diaphragm communicating with an indicating-tube.

8. The combination of the railor support of a platform-scale, rockers O, and lever F with a cylinder containing a column of liquid acted on by said lever, indicator, and a contracted communicating passage, 6, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

T. H. \VARD.

\Vitnesses J. Farmers BRAME,

Vice-Consul U. 8.11., Birmingham. JOHN M. Dwmnson,

U. S. Consulate, Birminghmn.

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