US616854A

US616854A - Weighing-machine

Info

Publication number: US616854A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1898-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1915-12-27

Description

No. 6|6,854. Patented Dec. 27, I898. F. H. RICHARDS. WEIGHING MACHlNE.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.)

5 SheetS Sheet I.

(No Model.)

mzelsusea mr. No ms PETERQ co. Pan-rowan, mswmcmw n c.

No. 616,854. Patented Dec. 27, I898. F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIG'HING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.)

5 $heets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Witnesses:

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am 9 8 7a 2 Q 8 D U B t n 6 t a P S D Du A H Pu R H F 5 m 6 m N WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.)

5 Sheets-$heet 3.

(No Model.)

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Wiw/esss:

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N0. Gl6,854.

Patented Dec. 27, i898; F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov 29, 1897.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

[Even/tor Winessas;

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Patented Dec. 27, I898.

No. eus,a 54.

F. H. RICHARDS.

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(Application filed Nov. 29, 1897.3

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(Nb M odel.)

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FRANCIS II. RICHARDS, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT;

WElGHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,854, dated December 27, 1898.

Application filed N0ve1nhei'29, 1897. Serial No. 660,119. (No model.)

T0 66 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS 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 in Veighing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weighingmachines, one object of my present invention being to furnish a weighing-machine comprehending a load-receiver having a closer, streamsnpplying means, including a valve, and improved valve-actuating instrumentaliiies operative with the closer and effective at predetermined points in the movements of the closer for imparting opening and closing movements to said valve, and including a locking device effective for locking the valve in its closed position when the closer is open.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in connection with a load-receiver havin g a closer and with stream-supplying means, including a valve, means for effecting interinittently-interrupted advancing movements of the closer, a valve opening and closing actuator, including a shiftable valve-locking device operative with the closer and effective during the first and last stages of the advancing and retracting movements, respectively, of the closer for imparting closing and openin g movements, respectively, to the valve and also effective during the intermediate stages of the opening and closing movements of said closer for locking the valve against movement.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a weighing-machine embodying my present improvements, parts thereof being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a weighing-machine as seen from the right in Fig. 1 and showing the stream-controlling valve in its wide-open position and the other parts of the w-ighing machine in their normal positions, parts of the framework being broken away to more clearly illustrate the other parts of the machine, the closer and a portion of the valve-actuator being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a similar side elevation of the weighing-maehine, showingin dotted lines the closer in its intermediate nonment.

discharging position and the valve in its drip position. Fig. 4 is a similar side elevation of the weighing-machine, showing the parts thereof in a position slightly in advance of the positions illustrated in Fig. 3, the valve being in its drip position and the locking device being held against valve-locking move- Fig. 5 is a similar side elevation of the weighing machine, showing the parts thereof in the positions they occupy during the discharge of the load from the load-receiver, the closer being in its wide-open position and the valve-locking device of the valveactuator being in locked engagement with the valve and holding the same against opening movement, a portion of the framework and a portion of the discharge-conduit of the load-receiver being broken away; and Fig. (i

is a plan view of a portion of one of the scalebeams and the by-pass stop carried thereby.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The framework for supporting the operative parts of the machine, and which may be of any suitable general construction, is shown comprising a chambered base 3, having a load-discharge conduit 3, the discharge end of which is of materially less area than the entrant end thereof, and the two side frames or uprights 2 and 4, connected together at their upper ends by the top late 5, which supports a supply-hopper H, which may be of any suitable general construction and which is shown supported in the usual manner.

The weighing mechanism of the machine comprises, as shown, the beam mechanism and the load-receiver supported thereon. The beam mechanism, in the form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, and which beam mechanism may be variously modified, as desired, is of the duplex-beam type, it consisting of the two oppositely disposed scale-beams B and B, having knife-edges intermediate their poising and counterpoising ends, which are supported in the usual manner on knife-edge bearings on brackets on the side frames. Each beam comprises, as usual, two parallel arms secured together at their outer ends by a counterweight W.

The load-receiver, which is designated by G and which is shown of the single-chambered type, is supported on the poising ends of the two scale-beams in the usual manner. This load-receiver, which may be of anysuitable construction, is shown having at the discharge end thereof a depending discharge chute or conduit, (designated in a general way by G,) which comprises two side walls 6 and '7, constituting an extension of the side walls of the main portion of the receiver, and a curved front wall or material-retaining plate 8, having a portion of the lower end thereof cutaway, as at 9, to form an outlet for the material. The lower edges of the two side walls of this conduit are preferably inclined, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawin gs. This discharge-conduit G projects normally a considerable distance into the discharge-conduit of the base 3 of the framework.

As a means for controlling the discharge of the material from the load-receiver I have provided a closer, which is designated in a general way by L, and which in the preferred form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings comprises a closer-plate l0, pivotally supported between the two side walls 6 and 7 of the discharge-conduit of the receiver, the same being fixed to the rock-shaft 12, jonrn aled in suitable hearings on the side walls of said discharge-chute near the upper end thereof, the closer-plate having its forward discharge end in close proximity to the inner face of the front wall 8 of said chute and describing in its oscillation a path concentric to said wall. This wall 8, which constitutes a load-retaining wall cooperative with the closer for preventing the escape of material until said closer has traversed a predetermined distance in its advancing movement, is shown extending downward from a point snbstantiallyin horizontal alinement with the axis of the closer to a point intermediate the ends of the are through which the discharge end of the closer-plate travels, said wall being of a length less than the length of said are.

As a means for imparting a closing movement to the closer after the load is discharged said closer is furnished with a closer-shutting actuator, shown in the nature of a weighted arm 13, iixed to the rock-shaft 12, and as a means for preventing a retractive or closing movement of the closer until after all of the material has passed from the closer-plate 1O 1 have provided a regulator, which is shown in the nature of a plate 14, depending from and fixed to the lower side of the closer-plate 10, said regulator extending in an oblique plane somewhat beyond the discharge end of the closer-plate and being of such disposition that when the closer is in its wide-open position the lower end of the regulator-plate 14 will extend into the contracted end of the discharge-chute of the base 3 and will be held in this position by the material passing between said plate and the forward wall of said chute after the same leaves the discharge end of the closer-plate, said material blocking,

through the medium of the regulator-plate 14, the closing or retractive movement of the closer until the material has descended below the outer end of the regulatonplate.

In my present machine the closer of the load-receiver is intended to have successive intermittently-interrupted advancing move ments, or, in other words, the advancing movement of the closer is divided into a plurality of successive stages. During the first stage of the advancing movement of the closer the discharge end of the plate is intended to travel from the upper end to a point in close proximity to the lower end of the materialretaining wall 8 of the discharge-conduit of the load-receiver, said wall preventing the escape of material from the closer during this stage of the advancing movement thereof, and during the last stage of said advancing movement the upper face of the closer-plate will be carried below the lower end of the retaining-wall 8, thus permitting the discharge of material through the dischargeopening 9 of the chute G.

For the purpose of intermittently interrupting the advancing movement of the closer L at predetermined points in such movement I have provided closer-arresting instrumentalities, which in the preferred form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings comprise a stop-arm or stop-engaging arm 15, fixed to the rock-shaft 12 of the closer and extending outwardly therefrom in a plane oblique to the closer-plate 10 and having at the forward end thereof two stop-engaging portions orprojections 1t and 17,1'espectivcly, and two successively-effective stop devices, (designated by s and s, respectively) the former of which is mounted upon an extension 18 on the posing end of one of the beams and is in position for cooperating with the stop-engaging portion 16 of the stop-arm 15, and the other of which is mounted on a bracket 10, fixed to one of the side frames and disposed in the path of movement of the stop-engaging portion 17 of said stop-arm 15, with which the same cooperates to arrest the advancing movement of the closer.

The stop device 5 is shown in the nature of a by-pass stop,it consisting of a resilient plate fixed to the forward end of the extension 18 of the beam and having a head or projection 20 disposed in the path of movement of the portion 16 of the stop-arm 15, said by-pass stop 8 being adapted normally for engaging the projection or stop-engaging portion 16 of said closer-arm 15 and holding the closer in its fully-closed position.

The stop device 3 is shown in the nature of a gravitative by-pass stop, the same being pivotally supported on the end of the bracket 19 and having an arm 21 disposed in the path of movement of the projection or stopengaging portion 17 of the closer-arm 15 somewhat in advance of the arm-engaging end of the stop device .9, this by-pass stop being adapted for temporarily arresting the advancing movement of the closer subsequent to the release of stop device from the stop-engaging arm.

By constructing and organizing the closerstopping instrumentalities, as herein described, it will be seen that when the closer is in its fullyclosed position the projection 16 of the stop-arm 15 will be in engagement with the resilient stop member s, which will block the opening movement of said closer until during the descent of the receiver the poising end of the beam B descends far enough to carry the working end of the resilient stop device .9 below said project-ion 16 to release the arm 15, whereupon the closer will gravitate from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the position thereof shown in Fig. 3. On the arrival of the closer at the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 3 the stopeugaging portion 17 of the closer-arm 15 will engage the stop device s,which temporarily ar rests the advancing movement of the closer and holds the same in an intermediate nonload-discharging position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,1111 til the weighing mechanism com es to a trul y-poised position and the load-receiver has descended suliioiently to release the closerarm 15 from said stop members, whereupon said closer will gravitate to the wide-open position. (Shown in Fig. 5.) These by-pass stops 5 ands are disposed at successive points in the arc traversed by the forward end of the stop-engaging arm 15 and permit, through the medium of the weighing mechanism at successive points in the descent of the loadreceiver, successive advancing movements of the closer, each advancing movement being of a predetermined range.

During the first stage of the advancing movement of the closer, which may be oonsistently called the non -discharging or ineffective advancing movement of said closer, the escape of the material supported on the closer is prevented by the retainingwall 8 of the discharge-chnte G of the loadreceiver. The disposition of the stop .9 is such as to stop the closer at the end of the first stage of its advance movement and prevent the discharge end of said closer from descending below the retaining-wall until the load is fully made up and the beam mechanism has come to a truly-poised position.

As a means for controlling the supply of material to the load-receiverl have provided an oscillatory valve V, comprising a cut-off plate 25, having supporting-arms 26 and 27, fixed to pivot-arms 2S and 28, journaled in bearings on the side walls of the hopper I'l, said plate being oscillatory across the discharge end of and controlling the discharge of material from the hopper II and as a means for actuating the valve I have provided a valve opening and closing actuator, (designated in a general way by 0,) which operatively connects the closer L and valve V and embodies a valve-locking device adapted at a predetermined point in the movement of the actuator for locking the valve against movement.

In the preferred construction and organization illustrated in the accompanying drawings the valve opening, locking, and closing actuator comprises a vertically disposed thrust rod or link 29, pivotally fixed at its lower end to the closer-shutting actuator, a horizontally disposed locking-lever 30, pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the upper end of the thrust-rod 29, and a link 31, pivotally connected at its upper end to a crank-arm 32, fixed to one of the pivot-arms of the valve V, the lower pivoted point of the link 31 being preferably in close proximity to the upper pivotal point of the link 29. The link 29 is provided at its upper end with a projection 50, which is adapted to travel in the longitudinal and diagonally-disposed slot 51 in the guide-bar 52,fixed to the side frame 2.

The locking-lever 30 is shown furnished intermediate its ends with a transverse curved valveengaging projection or flange 320, extending outward from one side thereof, and the edge of the cut-off plate of the valve has a lock-notch formed therein to receive the locking projection of the locking device or lever 30, the disposition of the flange 320 and lock-notch 33 being such that when the valve is in its fully-closed position and the locking-lever is ascending the flange 320 will enter the lock-notch 33 and prevent an opening movement of said valve.

As a convenient means for insuring a val veclosing movement of the linkage comprising the

links

29 and 31 during the first stage of advancing or opening movement of the closer and preventing at this time a valve-locking movement of the locking device 30 the locking-lever 3O normally is pivotally supported or fulcrumed nearits extreme forward end on a stud or projection an on the side frame of the machine, the lever 30 having a notch 3a in the lower edge thereof, which constitutes a seat for the pin 34:, and said lever is normally looked at this end against movement, so that on the ascending movement of the closer-shutting actuator 13 the

links

29 and 31, together with the rearward end of the lever 30, will have an upward thrust imparted thereto, which thrust is communicated directly to the crank-arm of the valve for imparting a closing movement of said valve. The closing movement of the valve is arrested by a suitable stop device, shown as pin 35 on the framework, disposed in the path of movement of one of the supporting-arms of the valve-plate.

For the purpose of locking the forward end of the lever normally against movement I have provided a gravitative or reactionary bypass latch L, having a catch 87, which normally engages a projection 38 on the lock in g-lever 30, this projection being preferably located above and in close proximity to the axis of oscillation of this end of the lever. When the latch L is in engagement with the ICO locking-lever 30, the locking-lever will, during the opening movement of the closer L,

oscillate on its forward axis 3%, the rear end thereof being carried upward a short distance above the normal position (shown in Fig. 2) during the upward thrust of the link 2'.) but not sufficiently as to bring the locking-flange 320 thereon into the path of movement of the cut-off plate of the valve. Thus it will be seen that during the first stages of the opening movement of the closer the

linkage

29 and 31 will be operative for directly transmitting a valve-closing movement to the valve. \Vhen the valve has arrived at its fully-closed position in engagement with the valve-stop 85, it is desirable that the latch L be released from engagement with the valvelocking lever to enable the linkage to impart a valve-locking movement to said lever during the last stage of the opening movement of the closer. For this purpose I have provided, in operative connection with the valve, a latch-tripper 40, shown as a depending arm, lived to one of the pivot-arms of said valve, with its lower end disposed in position to engage the latch I. just preceding the arrival of the valve at its fully-closed position, the organization of the latch-tripper being such that the catch 37 of the latch L will be thrown out of engagement with the projection on the forward end of the locking-lever 30 substantially concurrently with the arrival of the valve V at its fully-closed position, at which time the further closing movement of the valve is arrested by the projection 35, which blocks the upward thrust of the link 31, causing the locking-lever on the continued ascending movement of the closer-shutting actuator to have a valve-locking oscillatory movement on the pivot 31, or where it is connected at its rear end to the link 01, as will be readily understood by a comparison of Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings.

The construction and organization of the valve opening, locking, and closing actuator and the instrumentalities for governing the successive advancing movements of the closer are such that during the first stages of the opening movement of the closer, or during its movement from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, the valve will be shifted from a wide-open to a drip position, and during the last stage of the advancing or opening movement of the closer, or in its movement from the position shown in Fig. e to that shown in Fig. 5, the valve will be shifted to its fully-closed position and then looked in this position, where it will be held against opening movement until the closer has passed through the first stage of its closing movement and has entered the second stage of said movements. On the retract-ive or closing movement of the closer the valvelocking device of the valve-actuator will be first shifted from the valve-locking position thereof (shown in Fig. 5) to its normal unlocked position, after which the actuator will then become cl'lective for imparting an opening movement to said valve, the closer being returned to and relocked in its normal shut position so quickly after the valve is unlocked that the material in its descent from the hopper II will not have had time to reach and exert an opening stress upon the supportingplate of the closer.

Having described my invention, 1 claim 1. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver provided with a closer and a scale-beam, said closer having two independent and successive stages of action on its opening movement, of stream-supplying means including a valve; means iueluding a stop on the scale-beam for holding the closer shut during a predetermined period, the construction being such that the closer will be released at a predetermined point in the descent of the scalebeam; and independ ent means for subsequently stopping, and then releasing, the closer.

2. The combination, with weighing mechanismincludingaload-receiverprovided with a closer and a scale-beam, said closer having two independent and successive stages of ac tion on-its advancing movement and being provided with an arm, of stream-supplying means including a valve and two independent by-pass stops, carried, respectively, by the scale-beam and by the framework and disposed in thepath of, and adapted successively to be engaged by, said arm.

The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver provided with a closer having two independent and successive stages of action on its advancing movement and with stream-supplying means ineluding a valve, of a valve opening and closing actuator operated by the closer and including a locking device.

4. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver having a closer and with stream-supplying means ineluding a valve, of a valve opening and closing actuator directly connecting the closer and valve and operative, at predetermined points in the movements of the closer, for imparting closing and opening movements to said valve, and embodying a shiftable device for locking the valve in its closed position when the closer is open.

5. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load -receiver having a closer having two independent and successive stages of action and with stream-supplying means inclnding a valve, of a valveaetuator including a shiftable valve-locking device operative with the closerand effective, during the first and last stages of the advancing and retracting movements, respectively, of the closer, for imparting opening and closing movements, respectively, to the valve, and also eitective, during the intermediate stages of the opening and closing movements of said closer, for locking the valve against movement.

6. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load receiver having a closer and with stream-supplying means includin g a valve, of a valve-actuator operative with the closer and comprising two shiftablyconnected successively-effective devices one of which constitutes a valve-locker and is actuated by the other.

7. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver having a gravitative selfshutting closer and with stream-supplying means including a valve, of an actuating connector between the closer and valve and embodying a vertically-reciprocatory valve-actuating linkage and an oscillatory locker pivotally connected to said linkage and effective, during the latter stages of the upward movement of the linkage, for locking the valve against movement.

8. The combination, with weighing mechanism includin a load-receiver having a closer, of stream-supplying means including an oscillatory valve; a valve-actuator peratively connecting the closer and valve and including a shiftably-connected valve-locking device; a latch for normally holding the locking device against movement; and means operative with the valve for releasing the latch at a predetermined point in the movement of the actuator to facilitate an engagement of the locking device with the Valve.

9. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver, of streamsupplying means including an oscillatory valve having a catch; a valve-actuator operatively connecting the closer and valve and including a shiftably-connected valve-lock ing device having a catch cooperative with the catch of the valve for locking the same; a by-pass latch operative, during the first stages of the valve-closing movement of the actuator, for holding the device against valvelocking movement; and means operative with the valve, during the last stage of the valveopening movement of the actuator, for tripping the latch to effect avalve-en gaging movement of the locking device.

10. The combination, with an oscillatory scale-beam and a supporting-frame therefor and with a load-receiver mounted on said beam, of an oscillatory load-discharger having a stop-en gaging arm; a series of stops disposed at different points in the path of said arm, and one of which is mounted on the scale-beam and the other of which is mounted on the frame, the stop on the frame being adapted to arrest the motion of the closer when said. closer is approximately midway between its closed and Wide-open positions; and means for preventing the escape of material when the movement of the closer is thus stopped.

11. The combination, with an oscillatory scale-heam and a supporting-frame therefor and with a load-receiver mounted on said beam, of a gravitative closer mounted on the load-receiver and havinga stop-en gagin g arm two stop devices mounted one on the scalebeam and the other on the frame at different points in the path of movement of the closerarm, and the former of which is effective for normally holding the closer shut, and the latter of which is effective for interrupting the advancing movement of said closer; streamsupplying means including a valve; a valve locking and actuating device operatively connecting the closer and valve, and effective, during the advancing movement of the closer from one stop device to another, for shifting the valve from its wide-open to its drip position, and effective, on a further advancing movement of said closer, for shutting and then looking said valve.

12. The combination, with weighing mechanism including aload-receiver having a closer having two independent and successive stages of action on its openingmovement and with stream-supplying means including a valve, of a valve closing, locking, and opening actuator operatively connecting the closer and valve.

13. The combination, with weighing mechanism including a load-receiver having a gravitative self shutting closer and with stream-supplying means including a valve, of a valve closing, locking, and opening actuator directly connecting the closer and the valve, and effective, during the first and last stages, respectively, of the opening move ments of the closer, for shutting and locking the valve, and, during the first and last stages,respectively,of the closing movements of said closer, for unlocking and opening said valve.

14:. The combination, with weighing mech anism including a load-receiver having a gravitative self shutting closer and with stream-supplyin g means including a valve, of a stop-arm carried on the closer; stop devices disposed at successive points in the path of, and cooperative with, said stop-arm, and op erative, respectively, at predetermined successive points in the descending movement of the load-receiver, for temporarily arresting the advancing movement of the closeigthereby causing the same to have step-by-step move ments; and a valve opening and closing actuator operatively connecting the closer and valve.

15. The combination, with weighing mech anism including a load-receiver having a gravitative self shutting closer and with stream-supplying means including a valve, of a stop for limiting the closing movement of the valve; a valve opening and closing ac tuator operatively connecting the closer and valve, and comprising two devices one of which is efiective, during the opening movement of the closer, for shifting the valve into a closed position and into engagement with the stop, and the other of which is effective, on the stopping of the valve, for locking said valve against movement.

16. The combination, with weighing mechshutting said valve, and said means embodying a valve-locking device effective, subsequent to the complete closure of the valve, for locking the same against opening movement; and means for blocking the valve-locking movement of the locking device during the closing movement of said valve.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS.

\Vitnesses:

F. N. CHASE, FRED. J. DOLE.