US471034A

US471034A - Grain-meter

Info

Publication number: US471034A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1892-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1909-03-15

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. SPRAGUE, OF BLAIRSTOlVN, MISSOURI.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,034, dated March 15, 1892.

Application led April 8, 1891l To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLEs D. SPEAGUE, of Blairstown, in the county of Henry and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grain-Meters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specilication.

Myinvention relates to an improved device for automatically measuring grain, and it is intended more particularly for use in connection with thrashing-machines to measure the grain as it comes from the machine.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a side elevation of my improved register. Fig. II is a front elevation. Fig. III is a side elevation showingr the other side of the device to that shown in FigI and showing the measuring-boxes in the act of turning.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable frame, which may be of any desired form or shape, and in which are pivoted at 2 the grain-receiving boxes 3 4, the bottoms of which are indicated by the dotted lines A. The boxes are connected by a web or connection 5, so as to revolve together, and the back L1 of one of the boxes is in line with the back 3 of the other box, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. III, and the pivot 2 is on a line with these backs, so that the boxes 3 and 4 are on opposite sides of the pivot. The normal position of the boxes is that shown in Fig. I, in which position they are held by a projeetion 6 on the lower outer corner of the upper box bearing against the outer inturned end 7 of a lever S, pivoted to the frame at 9 and provided with an adjustable eounterbalance-weight 10 on the opposite side of the pivot 9 from the end 7 of the lever. Fach box has a projection G for coming against the end 7 of the lever.

The grain is deposited into the boxes through means of a suitable chute 11, and the box receiving the grain,being forward of the pivot 2, has a tendency to revolve in the direction of the arrow, Fig. I, and when the necessaryT amount of grain has been deposited in it, it will revolve by depressing the Serial No. 388,125. (No model.)

outer end of the lever S and causing the projection 6 to pass the end 7 of the lever. The counterbalance-weight 10 is shifted to the proper position, so that when just the proper amount of grain has been received by the upper box its weight will cause the inner end of the lever to be depressed and the projection 6 to pass the end 7 of the lever. As soon as the projection passes the end 7 of the lever the boxes revolve freely around, bringing the lower one uppermost to receive the grain and causing the contents of the box which was uppermost to be deposited into a suitable receptacle.

As soon as the boxes commence to turn the discharge of the grain from the chute 11 is kautomatically closed through means of a lever 12, pivoted to the frame 1 at 13 and having a projection 14 on its lower end, which bears against a cam 15,secured to the spindle of the boxes, by which the boxes are pivotally supported. The upper end of the lever is connected'by a link 16 to au end piece 17 of the chute 11, which is pivoted at 18 to the chute. Then the boxes are in their normal position, the projection 11 tits in recesses 19 in the periphery of the cam, and as soon as the boxes start to turn, carrying with them the cam, the lever 12 is moved to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. I, or to the position shown in full lines, Fig. III,bringing the hinged end 17 up against the mouth of the the chute and shuttingoff the deposit of grain. As soon as the next box comes uppermost the projection 14 enters one of the notches 19 again and the end 17 of the chute opens to the position shown in full lines, Fig. I, and the grain is deposited into the uppermost box, which is then in position to receive it. As the boxes revolve and the lower one comes uppermost its projection G comes against the end 7 of the lever 8 and the rotation of the boxes is stopped.

In case the weight 10 should not be sufficient to cause the lever 8 to overcome the momentum of the boxes and stop them when the projection 6 comes against the end 7 of the lever, a ,device may be employed to insure the stopping of the boxes, and such a device I have shown as consisting of a lever 20,piv oted at 21 to the frame and which has an up- IOO wardly and outwardly extending end 22 on the side of the pivot 21 occupied by the upper box, and on the other side of the pivot 21, or the side occupied by the lower box, the lever has an upturned end or projection 23. This latter end of the lever, with its projection, is heavier than the otherV end of the lever, and, when the boxes are turning, falls upon a projectlon 25 on the fra-me 1, as shown in Fig. III;l but when the boxes are in their normal posltlon this end of the lever is sustained by the portion 22 of the other end of the lever bearlng against a projection 24 on the lower box. As soon as the boxes start to turn the pln 24 leaves this end of the lever, andv then the other end of the lever drops onto the pin 2o, or into the position shown in Fig. III, allowing the lower box to pass the projection 23. Just as the lower box is reaching its uppermost position a pin 24 on the box which was uppermost comes against the end 22 of the leverandthrows the end 23 up into the position shown 1n dotted lines, Fig. I, thus bringing the end'23 of the lever in the line of the box, perrnlttlngthe latter end of the lever to strike the box just as the pin 24 leaves the end 22, thus checking the movement of the box, the end 23 ot' the lever instantly, by reason of its greater Welght, dropping back out of the Way and elevating the end 22 into engagement with the pin 24 of the box. The distance from the end 23 of the lever to the upturned portlon 22 of the other end of the lever is a llttle greater than the Width of the box, so that when the momentum of the box is checked the end 23 of the lever will drop again until the upturned portion 22 of the other end of the lever comes against the pin 24, as shown 1n full lines, Fig. I.

.Project-ing from the web 5 of the boxes is a pin 30, and pivoted to an extension of the iframe 1 1s a dog 31, having a notched end resting upon pivot 2, as shown. The arrangement of these parts is such that when the boxes haveassumed theirnormal position the pin 30 will have passed under and raised the notched end of the dog 31, so that as the end 23 of the lever 20 engages or strikes the lower one of the boxes the pin 30 will be disengaged .from and allow the dog to fall, the pin pass- 1ng1n front of and engaging the notched end of said dog, thus preventing retrograde or return movement of the boxes.

When the parts are in their normal position, the weighted end of the lever 8 bears against a pin 8 on the frame 1 and is thus held in its proper position.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a grain-meter, the combination of a suitable frame, a pair ot boxes pivoted to the frame with the back of one in line with the back of the other, projections on the boxes at their lower front corner edges, and a counterbalanced lever pivoted to the frame and having an outer inturned end and adapted to be engaged by the projection, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a grain-meter, the combination of a frame, a pair of boxes pivoted to the frame, one on each side of the pivot, projections on the boxes at their lower front corner edges, and a counterbalanced lever having an outer inturned end adapted to be engaged bythe projections, substantially as set forth.

3. In a grain-meter, the combination of a frame, boxes pivoted to the frame, projections on the boxes,apivoted counterbalanced lever with which the projections engage, a chute having a hinged end, a cam carried by the boxes, and a pivoted lever engaged by the cam and having a link connection with the hinged end of the chute, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a grain-meter, the combination of a frame, a pair of boxes pivoted to the frame and provided with projections,a pivoted counterbalanced lever adapted to be engaged by the projections, and a pivoted lever 20, having ends 22 and 23, one adapted to be engaged by projections on the boxes and the otheradapted to engage or strike the boxes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a grain-meter, in combination with a pair of pivoted boxes and a trip for releasing the boxes, a lever 20, having the ends 22 and 23, and pins on the boxes for engaging the lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES D. SPRAGUE.'

In presence of- THos. KNIGHT, E. S. KNIGHT.