US616862A - Weighing-machine - Google Patents

Description

No. 6I6,862. Patented Dec. 27. |898. F. H. RICHARDS.

wEmHm MACHINE.

('Applicntion filed Dec. 13, 1897.\

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No. s|6,ss2. Y Patented nec. 27, |898. F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING-MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 13, 1897."

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N0. 6|5,862. Patented Dec. 27, |898. F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 13, 1B97.``

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

wEpleHlNe- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION :forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,862, dated December 27, 1898.

Application led December 13, 1897. Serial No. 661,619. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Beit 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 certainnevv and useful Improvements in IVeighing-lllachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Weighing niachines, and especially to automatic electrically-controlled weighing-scales adapted for Weighing predetermined quantities of material; and it has for its main object the provision of an improved scale of this type in which no force will be applied to a streamcontrolling valve for opening the same While the valve-closing force is bein g exerted thereon, and vice versa.

My present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon that shown and described in my application, Serial No. 661,411, iiled December 10, 1897, in which is embodied a valve operated in the manner above stated; and it is also an improvement upon the invention described in myv application, Serial No. 661,528, iiled December 1l, 1897, in Which I have shown and claimed a construction embodying an intermittently-rotative valve in which the valve-actuating forces never oppose one another. In this case also I have retained the generic features of construction illustrated in the drawings of such other applications; but the principal feature of this invention as distinguished from those embodied in said other applications is the employment of an intermittently-rotative valve and a reciprocatory valve-actuator therefor operative for applying to the valve intermittently independent valve actuating forces, one or more of which may be a valve-closing force or forces, While another may be a valve-opening force.

In the preferred construction I make use of an intermittenbly-rotative plug-valve and an oscillatory actuator having alternate Working and idle strokes, the Working strokes of which will be transmitted to the valve for exerting thereon successive independent opening,` and closing` forces, While the idle strokes of the actuator will have no effect upon the valve to change thc position thereof.

As before stated, the machine illustrated heroin is intended to be electrically controlled, and hence for the purpose of operating the reciprocatory actuating member just referred to I prefer to make use of an electromagnet or solenoid the armature or core of Which may be connected directly to such actuator, while the circuit to the solenoid will be controlled by the Weighing mechanism substantially in the manner described and illustrated in the applications to which I have hereinbefore referred. This solenoid will usually operate When energized to impart a Working stroke to the reciprocatory valveactuator, and when denergized a suitable spring may return the core to its normal position and impart an idle stroke to said actuator. These working and idle strokes may be transmitted to the stem of the plug-valve by means of a pawl-and-ratchet-Wheel connection operating` in the usual manner.

The circuit-controlling means governed by the Weighing mechanism proper should be operative in such manner as to make and break a circuit to the solenoid a plurality of times during each cycle of operations of the Weighing-machine, these makes and breaks corresponding to the several valve-opening and valve-closing movement-s, the manner in which these parts are controlled being substantially similar to that described in said other applications.

As the machine forming' the subject-matter of this invention and illustrated herein is intended particularly as a means for Weighin predetermined quantities of material in small lots into receptacles or packages removable from the Weighing-machine and forming` no part of the permanent mechanism thereof and as in such a machine if no other circuitcontrolling means were employed than that governed by the beam mechanism proper the valve might be opened and material delivered therefrom with no package in position to receive the stream flowing,` fromk the supplyspout, I have illustrated herein, as in said other cases, circuit-controlling means governed by the proper placing` of a receptacle or package in position on a suitable scale-pan or package-carrier, which circuit-controlling means will maintain an open circuit to the solenoid at all times except When a can is in place.

In connection with the circuit-controlling means governed by the weighing mechanism proper l employ a slidable poise-weight,which is suitably mounted on the framework and forms part of such circuit-controlling means. Normally this poise-weight will be supported on the framework and will not exert its force on the beam mechanism until the poising side of the latter shall have been carried down to a predetermined point by the weight of the partial charge made up in Ithe package carried on the scale-pan, and this poise-weight may control both the circuit for energizing the solenoid to shift the valve to its drip position and that for energizing said solenoid to cut o'lf the new of material entirely.

ln the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure lis a side elevation of an automat-ic electrically-controlled weighing-machine constructed in accordance with my present improvements and illustrates the parts in the positions which they assume when the full supply flows into the load-receiver at the beginning of the making up of a new load. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the positions of the parts when the beam begins to descend and the circuit to the solenoid is broken to permit the idle stroke of the core and of the actuator controlling the valve. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the positions of the parts when the beam incollanism descends to a point where the circuit to the solenoid will be reestablished and the valve shifted to the drip position shown in Fig. 7. Fig. l is a similar view illustrating the next idle stroke of the core and the valveaetuator when the last-mentioned circuit is broken by the continued descent of the beam during the drip period. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the posit-ions of the parts when the valve is closed and the stream ent off entirely on the reenergization of the selen oid due to the making of the circuit on the shifting of the poise-weight by the weighing mechanism proper. Figs. 6, 7, and S are enlarged sectional details illustrating the different positions of the valve.

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

Any suitable framework may be employed for supporting the several operative parts of my improved weighing-machine. That illustrated herein embodies a base or bedplate l, from which rise three standards 2, 2', and 2, the former of which may be connected at their upper ends by a member, (indicated at 3,) which may form therewith a single or unitary casting on which the solenoid and the valve mechanism may be mounted.

Any usual form of weighing mechanism may be employed; but l prefer to make use of beam mechanism of the single-beam type, (indicated herein by B,)which beam may be supported in the usual manner by knifeedge pivots, such as 3', on a short post, such as 2', rising from the base l. Near the opposite ends thereof this beam may have pivotally supported thereon a pair of substantially tlat pans, one of which is indicated by et and will constitute the weight-pan and the other of which is designated by 5 and forms a scale-pan or package-carrier on which the receptacles or packages into which the material is to be delivered may be supported. These two pans may be guided in their movements and maintained in their horizontal positions in any suitable manner, as by means of a pair of rods or hangers G and t, depending below the beam and working at their lower ends in suitable openings in bosses 7 and 7', rising from the base l.

The stream controlling means or valve mechanism may be of any suitable type so long as the essential feature of an intermittently-rotative stream-controller is retained; but I prefer to employ a streamsupplying pipe or conduit, such as F, the llowof material through which will be regulated by a small rotary plug-valve l, journaled in the usual valve-body, which may be screwed onto the end of the pipe l), as shown atl". This valve fr may have a transverse opening S-extending therethrough and o'l su flicient size to permit the material in the pipe to llow out unimpeded when the valve is wide open.

ln the construction illustrated the valve will accomplish two complete operations during each single rotation thereof,it moving through three successive stages in substantially equal arcs during each half-rotation, these three stages or steps of movement corresponding, respectively, to the two movements of the valve for reducing and cutting olf the llow- Stream and the single movement for shifting the valve to its wide-open position.

The valve-actuating mechanism will, as before stated, embody as its essential feature a reciprocatory actua-tor, which will preferably be in the form of an oscillating arm l0, mounted loosely on the stem of the valve 1*. This arm may also carry at its free end a pawl l2, which will cooperate with a ratchetwheel 13, secured to the valve-stein and having six long teeth, corresponding to the six movements of the valve du ring the two cycles of operation in a single rotation of the ratchetwheel. The arm lO is also pivoted to a connecting-link ll, which may be operated by any suitable electrically-controlled actuating member-suoli, for example, as the solenoid S, to one end of the core c of which the link 14C is pivoted.

lVhen the coils of the solenoid are not energized, the core may be expelled by means of a spring l5, connected to an angle-lever 16, both carried en the framework, the long arm of the lever coacting with a suitable stop or pin, such as 17, on the core c, this stop being preferably adjustable.

The circuit-controlling means governed by the weighing mechanism is of novel construetion and embodies in this case three sets of cireuit-controllin g members at corresponding breaks in the circuit to the solenoid. These circuit-controlling members are indicated IOO IIO

herein by 2O 21, 21 2, and 23 24. The first set controls the opening oli' the valve, the second the first closing movement of the Valve to the drip position, and the third the movement of said valve to'cut ott the stream completely. The members 2O 21 are controlled solely and directly by the beam mechanism proper, which carries a contact-making arm 143. \Vhen the beam mechanism is counterpoised and is in its normal position, this arm will close the break at 2O 21, but will open said break when the beam mechanism begins to descend toward the poising-line. The other two breaks are controlled by the contact member 1u, which in this case is in the form of a sliding bolt 30, mounted for reciprocation in a vertical direction in the bore of a member 31, projecting from theupright 2. The poiseweight is insulated from the member 31, as indicated at 32, and it has a stop-flange for limiting the downward movement thereof. At the lower end of the bolt 30 there is an angle piece or arm 33, one member of which forms a stop for limiting the upward movement of the poise-weight, while the other arm has a cam-face 33, so shaped as to operate as an actuator for closing the circuit between the contacts 21 and 22 at the proper point in the movement of the poise-weight. As will be obvious, the upper end of the bolt 30 serves in a similar manner to close the break between the contacts 23'and 24 when the stream is entirely cut oft by the valve.

The contact-arm 2O is connected by a conductor with the return-conductor 41, leading to a source of energy or battery Z), while the contact-arm 21 is connected by a con ductor 42 to one terminal of the solenoid S, the other terminal of which is connected in turn, by means of a conductor 44, with the package-controlled contact-making means, while the other conductor 45, connected with said package-controlled contact-maker, connects with the opposite side of the battery b from that with which conductor 41 is connected.

Contact 23 is connected directly to the vreturn-conductor 4l, and contact 24 is con nected, by means of a short conductor 4G, to the wire 42. In substantially the same manner contact 22 is connected by a conductor 47 to the return-wire 4l, while contact-arm 21 connects with the conductor 42.

The package-controlled circuit-closer, by means of which all of the circuits to the solenoid are maintained open unless there is a can in position on the package carrier, is designated in a general way by c'. It may be of any suitable construction; but in this case I have shown a pair of cooperative contact-arms 4S and 49, the upper one of which has an upwardly-projecting member or pin 4S', which projects through an opening in the package-carrier 5 and will be pressed down to make the contact when there is a can in place.

The operation of a machine constructed in accordance with my present improvements, as illustrated in the drawings of this application, is as follows: It being` understood that all of the parts are in position for delivering the full stream to a can or package p, supported on the package-carrier 5, it will be seen that a circuit is closed at the contacts 2O and 21, which will keep the solenoid energized until the charge in the can is sufficient to cause the beam to descend, whereupon the contact-arm 48 will rise from the arm 21 and break the circuit at that point. On the deenergization of the solenoid the spring 15 will expel the core c and impartan idle movement to the oscillatory actuating-arm 10, carrying the pawl 12 back into position to engage another tooth, as will be clear by referring to Fig. 2. As soon as the beam mechanism descends far enough the arm 143 in rising will engage the angle-arm 33 on the poise-weight w and raise the latter until the cam-face 33 closes the contact at 21 and 22, thus completing the circuit to the solenoid through conductor 45, contact- arms 49 and 48, conductor 44, solenoid S, conductor 42, contact- arms 22 and 21, conductor 47, and return-wire 41. On the passage of the current through this circuit the solenoid will be energized and the Valve will be shifted from the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6 to that illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7, whereupon the stream will be reduced to a drip, and the remainder of the charge will be supplied in the usual manner by the drip material. As the beam continues to descend the arm 143 will also continue to raise the poise-weight, the force of which will of course be exerted on the beam mechanism in opposition to the weight of the charge and its receiver. At the proper point in the operation of the poise-weight the cam-face 33 will release the contact 22 and break the contact at 21 and 22, whereupon the core and the actuator will be returned to the position shown in Fig. 4. When the beam mechanism reaches the limit of its downward movement, the upper end of the poise-weight will raise the contact-arm 24 and make the circuit at 23 24, the course of this circuit being through conductor 45, contact-arms 49 48, conductor 44, solenoid S, conductor 42, conductor 46, contact- arms 24 and 23, and return-conductor-4l back to the battery. On the making of this circuit the valve will be shifted tc the position shown in Fig. 8 to cut o the supply. This circuit will be broken when the filled can is removed from the package-carrier, and contact will also be broken at 48 and 40. The beam mechanism will return at once to its normal counterpoised position, break the contact at 23 24, leave the poise-weight suspended on the framework, and make contact again at 2O 21; but the circuit to the solenoid will be broken until an empty can is placed in position,whereupon the current will flow through conductor 45, contact-arms 49 and 43, conductor 44, solenoid S, conductor 42, contact- arms 21 and 20, and return-con- ICO IIO

ductors l0 and Il back to the battery, energizing the solenoid and operating the actuator to reopen the valve and restore the parts to their normal positions for a new cycle of operations.

IIaving described my invention, I claiml. In a wei ghin g-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with a stream-controlling valve intermittently operative in the same direction; of an electricallyoperated reeiprocatory valve-actuator having alternate working and idle strokes, said actuator being adapted on successive working strokes to impart to said valve independent valve-actuating movements; an electric circuit; and electrie-eircuit-controlling means.

2. In a weighingmachine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with an intermittently rotative stream controlling valve, of a valve-actuating solenoid; a pawland-ratchet-wheel connection between the valve and the core of the solenoid, for applying to said valve successive and independent valve-actuating forces; an electric circuit including said solenoid; and electrical circuitcontrolling means.

3. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with an intermittently rotative stream controlling valve, of an eleetrically-operated reciprocatory valve-actuator operative for applying to said valve successive and independent valveactuating forces; weighing mechanism; and circuit-controlling means governed by the weighing mechanism and operative for making and breaking the circuit to the solenoid a plurality of times at successive points in the movement of the weighing mechanism.

I. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with an intermittently rotative stream controlling valve, of an electrically-operated reciprocatory valve-actuator operative for applying to said valve successive and independent valveactuating forces; weighing mechanism embodyingapackage-carrier; an electric circuit controlling the operation of the valve-actuator; and apair of circuit-controllers governed, respectively, by the weighing mechanism proper and bythe placing of a package in position on the package-carrier.

5. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with a streamcontrolling valve, of framework; weighing mechanism; a slidable poise-weight on the framework; an electric circuit controlling the operation of a movable part of the weighing-machine; and an electrical circuitcontroller governed by the poise-weight.

t. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream -supplying means and with a stream controlling valve, of framework; weighing mechanism; a slidable poise-weight on the framework; an electric circuit controlling the operation of a movable part of the weighing-machine; and a plurality of electrical circuit-controllers operative successively by the poise-weight.

7. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with a stream controlling valve, of framework; weighing mechanism; a slidable poise-weight on the framework and normally ont of operative relation with the weighing mechanism and in position to be enga-ged by the latter at a determined point in the movement thereof; an electric circuit controlling the operation of a movable part of the weighing-machine; and an electrical circuit-controller governed by the poise-weight.

S. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with a streamcontrolling valve, of framework; weighing mechanism; a slidable poise-weight on the framework; an electric circuit controlling the operation of a movable part of the weighing-machine; and a plurality of electrical circuit-controllers operative succes-- sively by the weighing mechanism proper and the poise-weight.

9. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with a stream-controlling valve, of framework; weighing mechanism; a vertically-reciprocatory poise-weight on the framework; an electric circuit controlling the operation of a movable part of the weighing-machine; and a pair of electrical circuit-controllers governed by the poise-weight and adjacent to the opposite ends thereof.

l0. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with a stream-controlling valve, of a valve-actuat ing solenoid; an electric circuit inclu ding said solenoid; framework; weighing mechanism; a slidable poise-weight on the framework; and a pair of electrical circuit-controllers in said circuit and governed,respeetively, by the weighing mechanism and the poise-weight.

ll. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with stream-supplying means and with an intermittently-rotative stream-controlling valve, of a valve-actuating solenoid controlling the opening and the closing movements of said valve; an electric circuit including said solenoid; framework; weighing mechanism embodying a package-carrier; a slidable poise-weight on the framework; and a plurality of electrical circuit-controllers in said circuit and governed, respectively, by the weighing mechanism proper, the poiseweight, and the placing of a package in position on the package-carrier.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS.

`Witnesses:

F. N. CHASE, JOHN O. SErFERT.

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