US539560A - Grain-meter - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- C. A. WEVBR.

- GRAIN METER.

No. 539,560. Patented May 21, 1895.

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QNo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. o. A. WEYER. GRAIN METER.

No. 539,560. Patented-May 21, 1895.

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Nitrat) STATES CHARLES A. wEvER, oF CLAYTON, ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,560, dated May 21, 1895.

Application filed April V5, 1894. Serial No. 506,478. (No molel.)V i

.To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WEVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clayton, in the county of Adams and State of lllinois, have invented a new and useful Grain- Meter, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to grain' meters; and it has for its object to providea portable machine of this character adapted to be readily transported from place to place, and providing means for automatically measuring the grain as it comes from the separator machine.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is to construct an automatically operating grain measure 'mounted on a truck forconvenient and ready transportation as-a separate machine, independent of the separator in connection with which it is employed, while at the salme time insuring novel and eihcient means for measuring and registering regulated quantities of grain automatically.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved grainmeasure mounted 4in operative position'at one side of a separator-machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the automatic measuring devices at the upper end of the elevator-spout. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the measuring devices from the side opposite to that illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sec` tional View of that portion of the machine illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a detailelevation, partly in section, at one side of the` clutch-gear. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the clutch-gearing. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line of Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1, designates a truck frame mounted on the supporting wheels 2,and hav ing connected to one end thereof an ordinary draft tongue 3, which provides means for readily transporting the truck from place to place independently of the separator machine in connection with which it is employed, or by suitably connecting the draft tongue to the near the lower end thereof the o-standing pivot plates 6, provided at their outer extremities with the pivot pins 7, 'which are pivotally supported on the rear end of the truck frame 1, so that the elevator spout can be readily raised to its inclined operative position or lowered to an inoperative position resting on the truck frame with its lower receiving end `lifted 0E the ground. When elevated or turned on its pivots to the position illustrated in Fig. l, the said elevator spout is supported in this position by the removable supporting cross bar 8.

The removable supporting cross bar 8, is preferably removably secu-red to thetop'of the supporting frame 4., by the removable securing pins 9, which hold the bar in position for the elevator spout 5, to rest thercagainst. By removing or swinging the bar 8, out of position it will "ne obvious that the upper heavy end of the elevatorcan be readily lowered onto the front-rest frame l0, secured to the frontend of the truck frame and arising therefrom at an angle to receive the spout 5, which rests in the seat ll, at the upper end of the rest frame, and this lowering of the elevator spout may be readily eected after disconnecting certain of the gearing connections as will be easily understood. I

The elevator spout 5, consists of an elongated closed box of the ordinary construction, and the same is provided with or has attached to the lower receiving end thereof the oppositely disposed conveyer boxes 12, which communicate-at their inner ends with the lower end of the spout 5, and are provided at their upper outer ends with the receiving openings 13, into which the grain is delivered from the grain spout 14, of an ordinary separator machine 15, at one side of which the measuring machine herein described is arranged during j both feeding toward and into the lower ends,

operation. The conveyer boxes 12, are ar ranged on both sides of the lower end of the spout 5, in order to adapt the machine for use at either side of the separator machine, and extending longitudinally of both of the boxes 12, is the lower conveyer shaft 16, on which are mounted the right and left screw conveyers 17, located in the boxes 12, and

of the spout 5, it being understood that the grain delivered into one of the boxes 12, from the separator machine, will be carried by one of these screws into the lower end of the spout 5, where it is caught upby the'endless bucket or scraper elevator 18.

The endless bucket or scraper elevator 1S, comprises anendless sprocket chain 19, anda series of regularly spaced buckets oriscraper blades 20,attached to the chain, and thelower portion of the chain 19, `passes around the lower chain or sprocket wheel 21, mounted at a central point on the conveyer shaft 16, to communicate vmotion thereto, and the upper portion of said chain passes `around the upper chain or sprocket wheel 22, mounted within the upper end of the spout 5, on the upper elevator shaft 23, and said wheel 22,\is located directly above the elevator `platform or dividing board 24, which extends longitud inally of the spout 5, and separates the separate portions of the elevator in order to iconfine the grain in the lower side of the spout, Where it can be easily elevated up to the upper discharging end thereof. The upper eleu vator shaft 23 has the opposite ends thereof projected through the side bearing slots 25, formed in the upper end of the spout 5,and beyond said slots the extremities of the shafts 23 are journaled in the bearing collars 26, projected from one side of the adjustablebearing plates 27 mounted to slide between the guide plates 28, secured to opposite outer sides of Iliespout 5, and at one end of the guide plates 28 are arranged the threaded lugs 29, to receive the adjusting set screws 30, that work therethrough and engage at one end of the bearing plates 27 to adjust the same and maintain the'enless bucket or scraper elevator at the `proper tension.

To one projecting end of the elevator shaft 23is attached a chain or sprocket wheel 31,

over which passes the drive chain 32, driven from the chain wheel 33, on the counter drive l shaft 24, jou rnaled at one side of the support ing frame 4a, and adapted to be suitablygeared with a shaft on the separator machine 15 by` the connections 35 as clearly illustrated in the drawings, and this gearing notonly `provides means for communicating motion `to the conveyers and the elevator, but also to the automatic measuring devices which will nowfbe.

described.

Atthe upper end of the elevator l8,the spout 5, is `provided with a top discharge `chamber 36, having aninclined bottom boardA 37,onto `which the grain `falls from the buckets or Scrapers of the Velevator .18, as the same ascends up to that point to deliver the grain into the top discharge chamber 36, and extended below the top discharge chamber 36 and communicating directly therewith is the measure box 38, which is sufficiently large in `order to accumulate and deliver any reasonable quantities of grain. The measure box 38, is open at its lower end and has attached to opposite side edges thereof the L-shaped guide plates 39, which are extended inward beyond the box to a point near the spout 5, as at 40, and said opposite guide plates 39, support fora sliding movement therebetween the sliding bottom gate 41, that is designed to cover and uncover the open bottom of the measure box 38, in order to allow regulated quantities of grain to accumulate and to then deliver o r discharge such measured quantities oflgrain into wagons or other receptacles.

The sliding bottom gate 4l, which is designed to automatically cover and uncover the bottom of the measure vbox 38,has attached to the under sidethereof the attaching lugs 42, to which are pivotally connectedoneend ofthe opposite gate arms 43,'the other ends of`which are pivotalliy connected at 44 to the opposite crank arms 45, secured fast to the opposite projecting extremities of the transverse crank shaft 46, by means of the set screws 47, working through the hub ends of said crank arms fast on the shaft, and for adjusting the same.

The said transverse crank shaft 46 is journaled transversely of theelevator spout 5 and in suitable bearings at opposite sidesthereof, and at one side of one of the crank arms 45, outside of the spout 5, a sprocket Wheel 48 is loosely mountedon the shaft 46, and is provided at its inner side with a ratchet hub or disk 49, at one side of which lhub or disk a revolving clutch plate 50, is secured fast on the shaft 46, and also outside of the elevator spout 5.

The clutch plate 50 that is fast on the shaft 46, has pivotally attached to one side thereof, as at 5l, theclutch dog 52, which is provided at its lower side with an engaging point 53, normally engaged by the ratchet hub or disk so that a rotation of the wheel 48, carrying said hub or disk, would tend to revolve the plate 50 and thereby rotate the shaft 46. The revolving clutch plate 50 is provided at its outer edge with a stop flange 54, disposed over the moving end of the dog 52, and said dog is provided at its moving end beyond the location of the engaging point 53, with a projecting rounded knuckle lug 55, which loosely engages in the rounded knuckle notch 56 in one end of the bell crank clutch lever 57. The bell crank clutch lever 57 is pivoted at its angle, as at 58, to one side of the clutch 'the `outer edge of the plate 50, so as to nor- `andproviding means for securing the same mally move the lever 57, in a direction that holds the clutch dog 52 in engagement` with the ratchet hub or disk 49, whereby motion may be given to the shaft 46, and therefore to the crank arms 45 by the rotation of the wheel 48, and motion is given to this wheel from the sprocket chain 60, which is driven from the chain wheel 6l, secured to one end of the elevator shaft 23, and at a point adjacent to the wheel 48, one portion of said chain passes over the guide flange 62, projected from one side of the slotted guide plate 63, adj ustably secured to one of the brace arms 64, a pair of which extend fronfthe spout 5 and are connected to the measure box 38, to hold the same firmly in its proper position. The said guide plate and its flange serve to guide the chain so as to hold the same properly in engagement with thewheels to which it communicates motion. a

When the sliding bottom gate 41, is closed and the measure box 38 is filling, the shaft 46, mustbe made stationary so as to not affect the closed position of the gate, and this closed position of the gate causes the crank arms 45, to assume such a position as to bring the outer free end of the bell crank clutch lever 57 at one side of the trip iiange 65, disposed at one end 0f the trip lever 66, and at the point of engagement with thefree extremity of the lever 57, the latter is also provided Awith a stop langeor lug 67, below which it is necessary to move the fiange 65, in order to allow the clutch lever 57, to pass beyond the same, so that the shaft 46 may make a revolution to open and close the bottom gate 41.

The trip lever 66, is normally held in position which disposes the flange 65 in the path of the flange or lug 67, by means of the supporting spring 68, attachedto the lever 66, and to one side of the spout 5, to normally support the lever 66 against the top portion of the U-shaped keeper plate 69, attached to one side of the spout 5, to limit the upward movement ,of the said lever.

The trip lever66, is securely connected at one endto one end of a double rock arm 70 extending to both sides of one end of a turning sleeve 71, loosely mounted on a shaft 72, journaled in suitable bearings 73 at one side of the measure box 38, and said sleeve 71 has connected to the end opposite the double rock arm 70, a similar rock arm 74, working at one side of the measure box and forming a bearing support for one end of the trip shaft 75, the other end of which is journaled in one extremity of the double rock arm 70. The rock arms Working at one side of the measure box '38, have an up and down movement, which is given thereto from the shaft 75, the ends of which work in the opposite side slots 76, near the upper end of the measure box, and said trip shaft 75, carries thereon Within the upper end of the measure box the revolving trip paddle 77, whichiconsists of two or morere.- Volving blades 78 that are designed to beat down on the grain as it riseswithin the measure box, to provide means for elevating the shaft 75, rocking the sleeve 71, andI` thereby lowering the trip lever 66 out of -the path of one end of the clutch lever 57, to throw the clutchgearing into gear with the wheel 48.

' `On one end of the trip shaft 75, is mounted the gear wheel 7 9, meshing with a similar gear wheel 8O mounted on one end of the shaft 72, to the other end of which is secured the chain wheel 73', over which passes a portionof the chain to communicate motion to the revolving trip paddle already described.

On one end of the shaft 46, opposite to the clutch gearing is mounted a cam disk 82 that is almost a complete circle, with a iiattened side and, while the gate41 is opening and closing, bears against oneend of the lever 83, pivotally mounted at 84 on one side of the spout 5, and connected at its other end to the connecting bar 85, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the swinging end of the ,rock arm 86. The rock arm 86', is mounted on one outer end of the cut off shaft 86, journaled at one top side of the top discharge chamber 36, and having attached thereto one end of the swinging cut-off plate 87. After the shaft 46 has commenced to move, the cam 82, quickly throws the plate 87 across the space between the chamber 36 and the box 38, to cut off thefurtherfeeding of the grain into the measure box until the gate 41 has completely opened and closed again. After the shaft 46has made a complete revolution to secure the opening and closing of the bottom gate in the manner described, one of the gate arms 43 is brought intoengagement withthe spring hook catch 88, which engages at the under side of the said'arm near its connection with one of the crank arms 45 and prevents these arms'from dropping downward so as to adect the position of the gate 41, while the box 38 is filling. The said spring hook catch 88, is mounted for adjustment in the supporting plates 89 at one side of the spout 5, and is provided with a threaded shank 90 to receive the nut 91, for properly adjusting the position of said catch with respect to the gate arm which it engages, and one of said gate arms is also adapted to engage at one side of the tally lever 92, pivotally mounted at one side of the lever box 38,and suitably connected with the operating devices of an ordinary grain tally 93, which registers each discharge of the measure box 38, a spring 94 being connected withsaid tally lever 92, to retract the same when one end of the operating gate arm 43 leaves the same.

The quantity of grain to be accumulated in, and therefore measured by, the box 38, is regulated by' means of the measure regulating gate 95, pivoted or hinged at its upper end to one side of the measure box andworkingtherein. An adjusting screwf 96, works through one side of the measure box and against the plate 95, to provide means for regulating or graduating the quantity of grain to be measured.

IOO

IIO

At opposite sides of the measure box 38 are attached the off-standing curved supporting loops 97, which are adapted to be loosely engaged by the hooks 98, extended above the upper end of a detachable delivering `spout 99. The detachable delivering spout 99 is provided with an upper funnel end 100 and is disposed at an angle projecting to one side of the measure to provide for delivering the measured grain into wagons or other receptacles, and the loose connectionof said spout with the measuring vbox allows the same to be shifted or turned to directs the grain into different wagons or receptacles.

With the bottom gate 41, closed, the endless bucket or scraper elevator 18, will deliver the grain into the measure box 38, which will commence to till up, and while the box is filling, the trip lever 66, is in a position which holds the clutch gearing inactive, inasmuch as the rotation of the ratchet hub or disk 49 will simply lift up the dog 52, by breaking its knuckle joint with the clutch lever 57. When the grain reaches the revolving trip paddle 77, the said paddle will be lifted by its blade to raise the trip shaft and lower the trip lever 66 out of engagement with the clutch lever 57. The shaft 4G will `now be thrown into gear with the Wheel 48, and the gate 41 will be slid open to discharge the contents of the measure box, and will be closed again before the clutch devices are thrown out of gear by the trip lever 66. In the meantime the cut-oft plate 87, will be closed and will remain closed untilthe opening devices for the gate are again thrown out of gear.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided an improved measuring machine possessing many advantages over those already on the market as will bereadily appreciated by those skilled in the art, and I will have it understood that changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a portable grain measure, the combination of an independent wheeled truckhaving an upright supporting frame at one end, and an upright front rest frame at its opposite end, an elevator spout pivotally mounted near its lower end on the truck frame and adapted, when lowered, to rest on said front rest frame, means for temporarily securing the spout within the upright supporting frame inlan inclined upright position, and measuring devices connected with the upper end of said spout, substantially as set forth.

2. In a portable grain measure, the combination of an independent wheeled trucklhaving an upright supporting frame at one end, and at its opposite end an upright front rest frame provided with a rest seat at its upper end, an elevator spout having opposite pivot pins near its lower end pivotally secured on the truck frame, a removable cross bar itted on top of said supporting frame and adapted to be disposed at one side of the spout to support the same temporarily in an inclined upright position, and measuring devices `connected with the upper end of said spout, sub stantially as set forth.

3. In a grain measure, an elevator spout`having a fixed ostanding measure box at its up per end, asliding bottom gate supported to work over the open bottom of said measure box, a transversely arranged crank shaft having end crank arms at Vits opposite ends, gate arms pivotally connected to said crank arms and to the sliding bottom gate, a gear wheel mounted loosely on one end of the crank shaft and having at one side a ratchethub, a jointed-lever gear clutch mounted fast on the shaft and having its joint normally closed so as to engage with said ratchet hub, `means for automatically tripping or breaking the joint of said gear clutch, and also for `allowing the same to automatically close, substantially as set forth.

4. In a grain measure, the combination of an elevator spout having a measure box communicating with its upper end, a sliding bottom gate supported to cover and uncover the bottom of the lmeasure box, a transversely arranged crank shaft -having crank arms at its extremities suitably connected with said gate, a gear wheel loosely mounted'on the crank shaft at one end and provided with a ratchet huba clutch plate mounted fast on the shaft at one side of the ratchet hub, and provided with a stop fiange at its upper edge, a clutch dog pivoted at one end to said plate and normally engaged with said ratchet hub, said dog having at its free end a knuckle lug, a bell crank clutch lever pivoted at its angle to the clutch plate and provided at one end with a knuckle notch loosely receiving the lug of the clutch dog, a spring connected to the bell crank clutch lever andto the clutch plate to normally hold the dog in engagement with the ratchet huband an automatically operated trip-lever having a trip Iiange adapted to be thrown in and out of the path .of one end of said clutch lever, substantially as set forth.

5. In a grain measure, an elevator spout having an ofstanding measure box at its upper end, said measure box having slots in opposite sides thereof, a sliding bottom gate t'or the measure box, clutch gearing suitably connected with the gate for opening and closing the same, said clutch gearing having a bell crank clutch lever provided with a stop flange at its free extremity, a vertically movable revolving trip paddle arranged to revolve within the upper end ofthe measure box and having its extremities play up and down in said slots, a rocking frame suitably supported and connected at one end with said vertically mov able revolving paddle, a trip lever connected to said rocking frame and having at its free IIO end a trip flange adapted to 'oe moved :intoy and out of the path of the stop lug of said clutch lever, a keeper -to limit the upward movement of the trip lever, and a supporting spring connected with said trip lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a grain measure, an elevator spout having an oft-standing measure box at its upper end, said measure box having slo'ts in opposite sides thereof, an elevator traveling Within the spout, a sliding bottom gate for the measure box, clutch gearing suitably connected with the sliding bottom gate, one of the parts of said gearing being a sprocket Wheel, a revolving trip paddle arranged within the upper end of the measure box and having its extremities playing in said slots, a shaft journaled at one side of' the measure box and having gear Wheels at both ends, one of which is suitably geared with the trip paddle shaft to revolve the same, an endless chain arranged to pass over the other one of said gear Wheels, the sprocket Wheel of the clutch gearing, and driven from the elevator within the spout, a rocking frame turning on the shaft at one side of the measure box and carrying said trip paddle, a spring supported trip lever extended from said rocking frame and adaptedto engage and disengage the clutch gearing, and an adjustable flanged guide plate suitably supported to engage at one side of said endless chain, substantially as set forth. l

7 In a grain measure, the combination of an elevator spout having an oft-standin g measure box at its upper end, a sliding bottom gate for the measure box, a rotating crank shaft having end crank-arms, gate arms connected to the crank-arms and to the gate, an adjustable spring-hook catch adapted to engage one of said gate arms, a swinging cut-oft plate arranged within the space opening into the measure box and adapted to close and open the same, lever connections with said swing-Y ing cut-off plate, one of which lever connections is pivoted at one side of the elevator spout, and a cam disk mounted fast on one end of said crank shaft to engage one end of the said pivotally mounted lever connection, said cam disk having a flattened side substantially as set forth. y

8. In a grain measure, an elevator spout having a measuring box at its upper end, opposite olf-standing curved supporting loops attached to opposite sides of t-he measuring box, and a detachable and adjustable delivering spout disposed at an angle and having hooks at its upper flared end adapted to loosely engage over said loops, to admit of a turning or swin ging adjustment for the spout substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES A. WEVER.

Witnesses:

J. W. MARRETT, F. A. MONTGOMERY.

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