US442715A - richards - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

11. 11. RICHARDS. REGULATOR GRAINWEIGHBR.

No. 412,715. 111119111911 Dec. 16, 18911.v

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. H. RICHARDS. REGULATOR GRAIN WIEIGHRR.v

Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

(No: Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. F. H. RICHARDS.

REGULATOR GRAIN WEIGHBR.. 110.442.715. PatentedDeo. 16,1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS ll. RICHARDS, OF HRTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PRATT rb XVIIITNEY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REGULATOR GRAIN-WElGHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,715, dated December 16, 1890.

Application filed February 24, 1890. Serial No. 341,499. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

vBeit known that LFEANcIs H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Regulator GrainlWeighers, of which the following isa specilication. l

This invention relates to regulator grainweighers of the two-valve class operated automatically by the power or weight of the grain.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved machine of this class in which the scale-beam shall be free from contact with the valve mechanism during the poising period, and in which the regulation shall be el"- fected through a shiftable valve-actuator not carried on the scale-beam.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a partot this specication, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic grain-weigher embodying my present improvements with some details shown partially broken. away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper portion of the machine. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig.V 2 and drawn in projection therewith. Fig. ais a plan view ofthe bucketdetent apparatus, including a section of one side of the frame-work and of one of the hangers. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of a portion of thelatch-arm, the detent-catch carried thereby, and of the bucket-catches. Fig. G is a front or end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a vertical sectional elevation through one end ofthe grain-bucket, including one of the bucket-closers and a portion'ot the supplemental closer carried thereby. Figs. S, 9, and 10 are side elevations similar to the upper portion ot" Fig. 1 and illustrate the mode of operation of the valve mechanism and of the regular devices for operating the valves independently of the scalebeam.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the iigures.

The frame-work for carrying the operative parts of this machine usually, as shown in the drawings, comprises two side frames or uprights l and a, held together by the top plate 5, carrying the supply-chute H, and by suitable tie-rods or braces. (Not shown.)

The grain-bucket G is of the well-known double-chambered type or class, and is suspended under t-he chute H and discharges its loads of grain interinittingly in the manner substantially as shown in prior Letters Patent of the United States. Said grain-bucket G is journaled'at 12 in bearings formed in the hangers 16 and 18, which are suspended by V-shaped bearings on the pivots or knifeedges and 17, respectively, ot the principal arms 19 and 2l ot the scale-beam B. This beam has V-shaped bearings 2O and 22, one at each end of the shaft thereof, which rest on the pivots or knife-edges 24g and 26, that are suitably supported, as by bearings 23 and 25, on the frame-work. Opposite to arms 1f) and 2l an arm 28 extends rearwardly, and is provided with a pivot or knife-edge 27, on which the main or counter weight lV is suspended by a hook 29. The oscillation of the bucket Gr within the hangers is limited by suit-able stops 92 and 93, fixed on the bucket. In practicel provide such stops at each end ot the bucket, but have herein shown them on one end only. Said stops may be of any of the well-known kinds which are shown in prior Letters Patent for similar purposes.

The bucket-closer, as it isherein shown, consists of the closer-frame L, which comprises the two closers proper 75 and 76, and is usually formed integral, and the two supplemental closers 79 and 80, that are pivoted at 77 and 78 to the closers 75 and 76, respectively. the bucket, near the bottom thereof, engage with the projecting levers or arms of thesaid supplemental closers to open or close the same on the oscillation of the grain-bucket. The closer 79 is trough-shaped and covers the lower edges 53 and 5i, respectively, Fig. 1, of the bucket-spout and closer-plates. By this means the necessary lateral movement of the . Pins 81 and 82, fixed in the sides of bucket-spoutsis materially red uced anda combination is secured, whereby the outlet is securely closed against grain, While retaining a considerable space between the said parts at all points. This space or clearance is deemed important iu practice, since there is generally a considerable quant-ity of foreign substances in the grain, and which frequently obstruct the operation of close-iitting bucketclosers.

The detent latch or lever 42 is pivoted at 43 to the hanger 1G. 'lhe end 45 ot' said arm or lever engages with the stop or abutment 4G, here shown fixed in the inner side of the upright 2. The detent-eatch 4i is f1tted into the arm 42 and there secured by a screw 44. Said catch 41 engages with the detent catch or stop 40, that is suitably secured, as by screws or otherwise, to the side of the grainbueket. The catches of this detent apparatus are more fully shown in Figs. 5 and (i. The lever 42 has a comparatively deep cut in the under side thereof, as shown in Fig. 5,wherein is fitted the catch 41, which is held in place by the screw 44. The sides of said catch are undercut, as at 4T, leaving the narrow working-face 4S.

On either side of the catch 41 are stops 4), formed on the lever 42 and constructed to tit on the upper surface of the bucket-catch 40, as shown in Fig. 5, for limiting the depth of the engagement of the catches. It will be observed that the end face 51 of catch 40 is arranged to slightly overlap the upper corner of the face 4S. By this means I insure anniform wearing away of the surfaces 48 and 5l, after a principle well known to mechanics.

The working- faces 48 and 51 are made narrow, as set forth, for a peculiar reason, to wit: It is necessary that grain-weighers be capable of continuous operation in rooms filled with a moist and dusty atmosphere, whereby there lis formed on all parts of the mechanism a tough and adhesive coating resembling` glucose in its nature, and if said working-faces be broad the pressure thereon is reduced relatively to the surface thereof, so that the said glucose ord ust builds onto said surfaces and ultimately causes interruptions in the working of the machine. By my improvements the said faces are reduced to an area at which the pressure abrades the said adhesive material and grinds off the same as fast as it is deposited, thus insuring the continued eilt ciency of said catches. In order that said grinding action shall be effective, the face 4S, when in engagement with the face 51, extends fully down to the lower edge of said face 5l, so that on the rising of the lever 42 the entire surface 5l is subjected to said grinding action, whereby any glutinous material adhering to the catch will be driven from the face l either below or above the same. In practice, to insure said result, the stops 49 are so adjusted or constructed that the face 48 extends slightly below the face 5l by a distance of about one or two hundredths of an inch, the faces l being in vertical height from one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch, according to the size of the machine. For similar reasons the stops 4) are tapered to a very narrow lower face, so that theblows of said face on the catch 40, due to the violent falling down of lever 42, will abrade and pound off any accumulation of said material between said face 40 and said catch 40. Another reason for the tapered sides 52, Fig. (i, of the stop 49 is that said sides act as a wedge to dislodge any kernels of grain which may have fallen on said catch 40. inasmuch as perfect operation of these catches is indispensable to correct opera-tion of the grainweigher, the im provements here described are highly important, since the same are found in practice to result in the advantages herein set forth.

The rearward end c5 of the lever 42 is of a segmental form, being substantially concentric to the bucket-supporting knife-edges when the beam is at the poising-poiiiit. This secures a uniform action ot' the detent apparatus regardless of the swaying movement of the bucket. This improvement avoids the use of the bracket heretofore employed in this class of grain-weighers and permits the use of a single pin 46, whereon grain cannot lodge, and the said segment having its working-face on the under side thereof no grain can lodge on said face. By means of this combination of the inverted movable segment with the `fitted stop-pin perfect; security is obtained against accidents from grain being caught between the detent-lever and the bracket for actuating said lever.

The regulator-hopper P is pivoted at 98 to the uprights 2 and 4 and is furnished with the weighted arm l0, having thereon a suitable counter-weight 11. Said hopper, acting through the rod 13 and other connecting devices, operates the regulator devices for closing the valves GO and 70, and thereby regulates the iiow of grain into the grain-bucltet- This regulator-hopper is not of my sole invention, but is described and claimed in a separate application, Serial No. 340,284, filed by C. Il. Cooley and ll. Richards February 13, 1890, to which application reference may be had for a full description thereof.

The reducing-valve UO is carried by the arms 62 and (i4, which are fixed to the pivot or valve-shaft G1, that is liournaled in suitable bearings formed on the supply-chute ll, a suitable stop, as (i0, being provided to limit the closing movement of said valve. The valve GO is operated from the scale-beam through the beam-arm 7l, carried by the arm 21 of said beam. Said arm 71 acts ou the weighted valve-lever ft), which is fixed to one end of the pivot-shaft (i1. lVhen the arm (if) is lowered or raised by the operation of the beam-arm 71, the said arm (357, being fixed to the shaft (i1, turns said shaft in its bearings, and thereby opens or closes the reducingvalve GO, as the ease may be. This feature of my present improvements is not of my in vention, but is described and claimed in the prior application ot' C. 1I. Cooley, Serial No. 338,818, led January 3l, 1590, to which I have permission to refer.

rlhe cut-off valve TO is carried by the arms IIO 72 and 74, which are pivoted at 63 and 68 to the sides of the chute H. Some suitable stop, as 73, is provided to properly limit the closing movement of this valve. The valve is both a cutoff valve and a regulator-valve. For the first purpose it is operated directly from the reducing-valve 60, and for the second purpose from the hopper P through the shiftable valve-actuator 58. This actuator is carried on a pivot 56, which normally has a iixed relation to the valve 60, as shown in Figs. 1., 8, and 9, sov that as said valve 60 is moved the said actuator' is carried with it.

VAssuming the construction and arrangement to be thus, the regular operation is as follows: The actuator 58 has acatch 57 formed thereon to engage the arm 59 of the cut-off valve 70. A small counterweight 52 serves to normally hold the actuator 58 in engagement with the arm 59. Then the valve 60 is opened, as in Fig. l, the catch 57 comes forward of arm 59, as there shown, and on the closing of said valve 60 said catch 57 engages said arm 59 and opens the cut-off valve, as shown in Fig. 8. The main column of grain having been thus cut off by the valve 60 the opening of valve 70 allows the drip to iiow until the bucket-load is completed. This being done the beam descends, as in Fig. 9, until the stop 55 on said beam strikes the end of said actuator 58 and detaches the catch 57, thereby permitting the valve 70 to close, as in Fig. 9. On the rising again of the scale-beam, as in Fig. 1, the valve 60 is again opened and the said several parts are in position for repeating said operations, which constitute the ordinary and regular action of the machine.

For effecting the regulation of the machine the said valve-actuator is made shiftable relatively to the principal valve. This shifting movement may be accomplished by means of various mechanical devices, but is properly accomplished as follows: The actuator 58 is pivotally supported at 56 on the actuator-carrier'91, which is pivoted at 96 to the arm 89, fixed on the shaft 61. The carrier 91 is shifted or turned on its said pivot 9G by means of links or toggles 87 and 97, which connect the upper ond of said carrier with the pivot 88 on the opposite arm 101, also fixed on shaft 61. iVhen the said links are in a line, as in Figs. Sand 9, the pivot 100 should stand about in alignment with the axis of shaft 61, so that the movement on the axis of said shaft and the parts carried thereby will notI materially operate said links or the carrier 91. For actuating the toggle-linksI connect their centerl pivot 100 by a link 85 to the end 86 of the lever 83, which is pivoted at 81 to the chute Hand at its opposite end 67 to the rod 13, that is actuated by the hopper P. By means of this or any similar connecting device the descent of hopper P by the accumulation of grain therein shifts the carrier 91 to throw the shiftable valve-actuator from its operative position (shown in Figs. 1, 8, `and 9) toits inoperative position. (ShowninFiglO.) This allows the valve 70 to close, whether the valve 60 be closed or open,and thus results in stopping the operation of the lnachine. On the discharge of the grain from the regulator P said regulator rises, and by operating (through connections substantially such as described) the actuator-carrier forces open the valve 70, as in Fig. 8, thus allowing the drip to flow into the bucket to start the machine, which then continues operating, as hereinbefore set forth, until the regulator again operates to close the said cut-off valve.

In Fig. 1 the reducing-valve 60 is shown fully open, and the bucket-closer and the supplemental closer 79 closed under the discharge-chute 34 of the bucket. The cut-off valve 70 being simply hung on the pivots 63 and 68 is closed by its own weight or by a weight (not shown) in a well-known manner. The grain descends from the supply-chute H into the forward chamber of the bucket G until the major part of a load (enough to overcome the weight NV, minus weight 69) has been l made up by the full flow of grain into the bucket. This lowers the beam and operates the arm 71 to permit the weighted lever 69 to close the reducing-valve 60, and at the same time throws back the actuator 58, whose catch 57 coming in contact with the arm 59 Opens the cut-oif valve 70. The parts having assumed the positions shown in Fig. 8, the flow of grain into the bucket has been thus reduced to a drip, and as the load is fully made up by the drip the beam further descends until the contact-screw 55 engages and trips the actuator 58, as hereinbefore set forth, to allow the cut-olf valve 70 to close under the discharge-chute 65 of the supply-chute H, thus fully cutting off the Iiow of grain therefrom, as shown in Fig. 9. As the beam andthe bucket carried thereby descend, the end .45 of detent-latch 42 strikes the pin 4G, disengaging the detent-catch 41 of said latch from the bucket-catch 40. The weight of grain in the forward chamber of the bucket causes the said bucket to turn on its pivot 12 and to swing over until ths stop 92 comesin contact with the hanger 16 and the rear compartment of the bucket has come to a position directly under the discharge-chute 65 of the chute H. In swinging over the discharge-chute 34 of bucket swings clear of the bucket-closer 75, and the pin 81 of said bucket coming in contact with the arm of the supplemental closer 79 opens said closer and the said load of grain is discharged into the regulator. The swinging of said bucket also and at the said time brings the discharge-chute 36 of said bucket directly over the closer 76, and the pin 82, engaging with the arm of the supplemental closer 80, closes said closer. As the load is discharged from the bucket G, the beam rises, opening the valve 60, when the grain iiows into the rear compartment of the bucket and the above-described operations are repeated.

IOO

IIO

In this machine the scale-beam during the poising period is freeot all friction due to contact with any part of the. valve mechanism, thus insuring a sensitive action thereof. The force required to detach the catch 57 is extremely slight and is readily supplied by a very slight movement and momentum of the descending bucket.

In this application, and generally in this art, when reference is made to the downward movement of the scale-beam, the downward movement ot the bucket-supporting arms thereof is meant.

For regulating the duration ot' the poising period of the scale-beam movement the stop is made adjustable on the bea-m, being usually a screw-stop carried by the beam-a r m 19, substantially as shown.

In referring to the actuator 5S in the broader sense it is said to be carried by the reducing-valve, since this valve and all the parts thereto rigidly affixed or connected constitute for some purposes one integral elementot the combinations comprised in this invention.

Thatt'eature of the grain-weigher herein described which consists in the shiftable valveactuator normally operated by the scale-beam and exceptionally operated by the regulator, is broadly claimed in a separate application, Serial No. 340,814, tiled February 17, itl-9o, to which reference may be had.

It will ot course be understood that other kinds of regulators than that herein shown may be used tor effecting the shifting of the valveactuator on the reducngvalve. One such other kind is described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 410,116, granted to me August 27, i889, and still other suitable kinds are shown in prior Letters Patent.

Having thus` described my invention, I claiml. In a grain-weigher, the combination, wi th the supply-chute and the scale-beam, ot the reducing-valve constructed and supported to close under said chute and to be actuated 'from said beam, the cut-ott valve, and a valveactuator carried by the reducing-valve and normally operating to open the cut-ott valve on the closing ot the reducing-valve.

In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-chute and the sealebeam, ot the reducing-valve constructed and supported to close under said chtite and to be actuated from said bcam,the cut-oit` valve, and a valveactuator carried by the reducing-valve and normally operating to open the cut-oil' valve on the closing ot' the reducingwalve, (said actuator' being shiftable, substantially as decribed,) and aetmttor-shitting devices operating to throw said actuator into an inoperative position.

S. In agrain-weiglmr, the con'ibination, with the snpply-chute and the scale-beam, of the reducing-valve constructed and supported to close under said chute and to be actuated from said beam, the cut-oil' valve, a valveactuator zarrier supported by the reducingvalve and movable relatively thereto, the actuator' carried by said carrier and adapted to open said cut-ott' valve on the closing of the reducing-valve, and carrier-shitting devices operating to shift said carrier relatively to said reducing-valve for throwing said actuator into an inoperative position.

t. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-chute and the scale-beam, of the redncing-valve constructed and supported to close under said chute and to be actuated Afrom said beam, the cut-oft valve, the actuator-carrier supported by the reducing-valve and movable relatively thereto, the actuator carried by said carrier, toggle-links operating the carrier, and connections operating said toggle :t'rom a regulator.

5. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-chute and the scale-beam, ot the red ucing-valve, the cut-ott' valve, the valveactuator carrier movable on said reducing valve, the actuator supported on said carrier, and carrier-shifting devices operating said carrier independently ot' the redueing-vz'tlve, whereby the actuator may be thrown into an inoperative position.

G. lnagrain-weigher, thecombination,with the supply-chute and the scale-bea1n, of the reducingvalve constructed and supported substantially as described and to be actuated from said beam, the cut-oil' valve, the valveactuator carried on the reducing-valve and operating to open the eut-ott valve on the closing ot said reducing-valve, and the stop on the beam set to disengage said actuator and allow the cut-ott valve to close.

7. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the supply-chute and the scale-beam, of the reducing-valve, the cut-ot`f valve, the valveactuator carried on the reducing-valve and operating to open the cut-ott valve on the closing ot said reducing-valve, and the adjustable stop on the beam, whereby the time ofthe disengagement ol said actuator may be regulated.

' S. In agrain-weigher,the combination,with the supply-chute and the scale-beam, ot' the reducing-valve, the movable carrier on said valve, regulator apparatus connected to shift said carrier independently of the movement of the reducingvalve, the valve-actuator on said carrier and having a catch, the cut-oil valve having an arm adapted to engage said catch, and the stop on the beam arranged to disengage said actuator-catch on the downward movement ol the beam.

t). ln agrain-weigher, the combination, with the supplychutc and the scale-beam, ot' the valve tJ'tLsuppoi-ted to swing under saidchute and adapted to be actuated Vfrom said beam, the carrier 01, pivotally supported on an arm fixed to said valve, the actuator 58, having a catch, valve 70, having arm 59, and a stop on the beam operating to disengage said actuator from said valve 70.

lO. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the reducing-valve carrying pivots 96 IIO and 88, of the carrier 9i, supported on pivot 96, the toggle connected to pivot SS and to one end of the carrier, connections operating said toggle from the regulator, the cut-oft valve, and the actuator-supported on said carrier for operating said cut-off valve.

ll. 1n a grain-weigher, the combination, with the hangers suspended from the scalebeam, ot the oscillating bucket supported in the hangers and havin g discharge-spouts, substantially as described, the non-oscillating closers fixed on the hangers below said spouts, the supplemental closers pivotally supported to close under the spaces between the spouts and fixed closers, and means operating the supplemental closers through the movement of the bucket in the hangers.

19. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the hangers and the oscillating bucket supported therein and with a fixed closer, substantially as described, on said hanger below the bucket-spout, of the concave supplemental closer pivotally supported under the lower edge of the fixed closer, and means, substantially as described, operatively connected with the bucket, whereby the concave closer is raised under the lower edge of the bucketspout on the movement of said spout over the fixed closer.

13. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the bucket, the hangers, and the fixed closer 34, of the concaved closer 79, pivoted to said fixed closer and having means whereby it is operated from the bucket.

14. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the moving bucket having thereon the narrow detent-catch faces 51, of the detentlever carrying a catch undercut to forma correspondingly narrow working-face, and stops on said lever 'limiting the depth of engagement of said faces and constructed to permit one catch to pass entirely over the face of the other catch.

15. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the moving bucket having thereon narrow det-ent-catch faces, of the detent-lever carrying the catch 4l, undercut at the sides thereof to form narrow working-faces, and the stops 49 011 said lever adjoining said catch and constructed to limit the movement of said catch 4l to fully cover the detent-catch face on the bucket.

16. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the moving bucket having catch 40 cut away to form the narrow working-faces 5l at the ends thereof, of the lever 42, having the catch 4l engaging said faces 5l, and stops on said lever adapted to strike said catch 40 for limiting the engagement of said workingfaces.

17. In a grain-weigher, the combination, with the moving bucket having a catclnsubstantially as described, of the detent-lever having a catch engaging said bucket-catch, and the stops on the lever for limiting the engagement of said catches, said stops having the inclined sides 52 for dislodging obstructions on the catch 40.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

Vitnesses:

HENRY L. RECKARD, W. M. BYORKMAN.

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