US761587A - Automatic weighing-machine. - Google Patents

Description

. No. 761,587. PATENTED MAY 31 1904. G. HOEPNER. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1902.

NO MODEL 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAY 31, 1904. G. HOEPNER. I AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 15. 1902.

3 SHEETS SHEBT 2.

N0 MODEL.

No. 761,587. 1 PATENTED MAY 31, 1904.

' G. HOEPNER. AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Fig.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

I..- v rllllllllrllln No. 761,587. Patented May 31, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

GEORGE HOEPNER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SCALE AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALI- FORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC.WEIGHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,587, dated May 31, 1904.

Application filed July 15, 1902. Serial No. 115,617. (No model.)

T 7117mm it Z/ con/067%: My invention also comprises the mechanism BeitknownthatI, GEORGE HOEPNER, acitiby which the gates are successively closed, Zen of the United States, residing in the city means for opening the discharge-gates, means and county of San Francisco, State of Califorfor insuring the separate and successive op- 5 nia, have invented an Improvement in Autoeration of the supply-gates, and mechanism matic Weighing-Machines; and I hereby deby which the discharge may be actuated either clare the following to be a full, clear, and exautomatically or independently. act description of the same. The bucket is acompartment-bucket having My invention relates to an apparatus for aua Vertical partition separating it into a plu- 5 5 IO tomatically weighing substances which will rality of compartments and having a tilting flow by gravitation. gate upon the upper edge, by which the flow It consists of a weighing-bucket suspended is alternately diverted to one or the other of from a scale-beam, which beam has the desired the compartments. As illustrated in the prescounterweights, adjustably attached to the ent drawings, A is the bucket of any suitable 60 5 end, and the poise-weight, by which the parts or desired shape, having acentral vertical parare properly balanced. The feed-hopper is tition, as at 2, extending from the bottom to located above the beam and adapted to disnearthe top. Alongthe top of this partitionis charge the load into the bucket, first, in a apivoted tiltinggate 3,the upper edgeof which large primary flow until the weight is nearly is free to swing from one side to the other. At 5 complete, and,thereafter,by a smaller flow the the bottom and fulcrumed in line with the botbucket is filled until it counterbalances the tom of the partition are two gates 4E and 4, weight. This flow is accomplished by means which extend the length of the bottom of the of two gates, both of which are open during bucket and stand at such an angle with each the primary and larger flow, when one is other that when one gate is closed the other will 7 5 closed, but has a small opening through it for be opened. These gates have their Eu crum or the completion of the load, after which the hinge line along their junction centrally be other is closed and the flow entirely out off. tween the outer edges. These gates are con- At the same instant a discharge-gate at the nected by rods.5 with the ends oflevers 6,which bottom of the bucket is opened and the conlevers, located attheend of thebucket, are cen- 75 3 tents discharged, after which the parts are retrally fixed upon the fulcrum or rock-shaft of turned to the first position and another load the tilting partition 3, so that when one gate delivered into the bucket. is opened for discharge it will by its action Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main through the rods or connections 5 pull upon end of my invention. Fig. 2is a like view of the lever 6 and tilt the diaphragm 3 to such 80 the opposite end. Fig. 3 is a transverse secan angle that discharge of material fromabove tion on the line 4) n, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan will be diverted into the other part. This of the supply-gate 18. Fig. 5 is an elevation tilting lever and connecting-rods are here of the compound levers 4:2 and 48 for raising shown upon one end of the bucket. Upon' the supply-gates. Fig. 6 is a front elevation the opposite end of the bucket arms 7 have 5 4 of the race. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on their lower ends connected with the gates i the line w w, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a view of a and P, and at the top they carry a segment 8, portion of the, scale and transverse section of at each end of which is a notch, as at 9. Fulthe .catch 56. Fig. 9 is a plan of the catch. crumed to a convenient stationary part of the Fig. 10 is a transverse section on the line 00 00, frame is a lever 10, one end of which curves 9 Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail showing the springdownwardly and may be provided with a fricpressed cam 16 and gate 17. tional roller or equivalent device, as at 11.

This end is adapted to engage with either one or the other of the notches 9 of the segment 8, so that when the segment has been tilted to its farthest limit in one direction one gate, as at 4, will be closed, and the end 11 of the lever 10 will be in engagement with the notch 9 upon that side, and thus retain this gate closed, while the other gate, as 1, will be open for discharge. In this position the gates will remain until the discharge of the open bucket and the filling of the closed bucket has been completed, when the latch may be tripped either automatically or by hand, as desired, to allow the weight of material in the full bucket to open its gate, swinging the segment 8 to the other side and opening the gate 1 and closing the gate 4;. At the same time, by the action of the lever 6 at the opposite end, the tilting diaphragm 3 will be simultaneously turned to divert the flow into the closed bucket. The automatic movement of the latch-lever 10 is effected by means of a rod 12, the lower end of which is bent so as to engage with an arm 13 or equivalent device carried by the latchlever 10 and pulling upwardly upon the rod 12 lifts the latch-lever,as previously described. This rod 12 has its upper end connected with a short rocker-arm 14:, which is mounted upon a shaft carrying at its opposite end a too or cam 15. This cam is engaged by a similar cam 16, which is carried upon the supply-controlling gate 17 and engages the cam 15 at the instant when this gate closes, so that it trips the latch 10 with the results previously described. The cam 16 is spring-pressed (see Fig. 12) and turnable when moved backwardly so as to pass the cam 15, and astop-pin holds it rigid when moving in the direction to engage 15.

There are two gates 17 and 18. These are closable against the vertical side 19 of the sumuly-hopper 20, which is located above the bucket in such relation therewith that the discharge will be approximately central of the length of the bucket and can be diverted to either side of the partition 2 by the tilting of the diaphragm 3. The gates 17 and 18 are in the form of segments extending the full length of the bottom of the hopper, and at each end they have arms extending upward, with sleeves at the upper end, as shown at 21, these sleeves fitting upon a horizontal shaft, as at 22. The shaft 22 is supported, as here shown, in the lower part of the hopper 20. Upon one end of the shaft 22 is a short rocker-arm 23, and from this rocker-arm connecting-rods 24 extend downwardly and at their lower ends are connected with the horizontal fulcrumed arms 25. These arms are fulcrumed at 26 upon the bottom of the bucket and have weights 27 upon their outer ends, which act through the rods 24 to open the gates 18 and 17 after they have been closed at the completion of a load and the tilting diaphragm has been turned to divert the flow into the other compartment. This operation is as follows: The supply- gates 17 and 18 are held open while the bucket-compartment is being filled by devices to be hereinafter described and are released and allowed to close successively by the sinking of the bucket as the load is completed. The inner apertured gate 18 is fixed to the shaft 22 and turnable with it. The outer gate 17 is suspended from and turns loosely upon the shaft. A set-screw in the back of the gate 17 provides for its adjustment with relation to the gate 18 and furnishes a contactpoint against which the back of the gate 18 strikes when it is opened, and thus opens the gate 17 at the same time. The gate 18 is first closed by disengaging its retaining mechanism before the load in the bucket is fully completed, and this is effected by the weight of the material falling from the source of supply into thebucket and overeomingthe balance-weight sufliciently to cause the bucket to sink a little before the load is fully complete. This movement disengages the retaining mechanism of the inner gate and allows it to close and cut off the greater part of the supply. \Vhen this is done, the balance-weight reasserts itself and sinks, raising the bucket until the small fiow, which continues through the opening in the inner gate, has completed the load, when the bucket finally sinks and disengages the retaining mechanism and allows it to close and entirely cut off the flow, at the same time tripping the discharge-gate lock and tilting the diaphragm 3, so that the next opening of the supply-gates will discharge into the other compartment.

Below the discharge-gates 4L and 1 are plates or valves 60, asl here term them. These valves have their upper edges fixed to the fulcrum-shafts 26, and when a dischargegate is opened the flow striking the valve on that side turns it outward, also turning its shaft 26 and tilting the weight 27 upward. This movement pulls down upon the rod 21 and turns the rocker-arm 23, which is fixed to the supply-gate shaft 22, and by this movement the gates 17 and 18 will be again swung open and locked by their retaining devices. As soon as the compartment is emptied and the How ceases the weight 27 will be allowed to drop to its normal position, and the leverarm 25 will push the rod 2 1 up. As this rod is slotted at the top, as shown, this upward movement will leave the pin of the rockerarm 23 at the bottom of the slot, so that it will be free to move upward and allow the supplygates to close when again released. \Vhen the gates are opened, they are retained in the open position by jointed rods 28 2 which have one end fulcrumed upon a suitable support, as 29, and the opposite ends connect ed with the sides of the gates 17 and 1.8.

When these rods are in straight line, the gates. 17 and 18 will be caused to turn around their support 22 and stand fully open. -When the joint in the center of either of these rods is bent upwardly, the gate with which the rod connects is allowed to close. Thus. both gates being wide open the material is allowed tov flow freely from the hopper 20- into one compartment of the bucket until that compart.-- ment has nearly the desired load within it. The momentum of the flow materially acts to; cause the bucket to sink before the load is actually complete, and this sinking of the bucket actuates a mechanism which breaks the joint of the rod 28, and the gate18 is closed. by the action of the Weight 27, previously described, This gate 18 has an open-ingth-rou-ghit, so that after it closes and cuts off the larger portion of the flow there will still be a small flow take place through the opening, and this load con tinues until the load is finally completed and the bucket sinks.

The bucket is suspended by the usual knifeedged pivots, as at 3.0, from a yoke 31, which is fulcrumed at 32 and which has an extension-arm 33 from the center of its end, from which arm the adjustable weights 34 are suspended by a link, as at 35, so that the vertical movement of the bucket depends upon the distance between the supports 30 and 32' and the amount of vertical movement allowed to the beam 33. This vertical movement is limited by the slotted guide 36, through which the beam or arm 33 extends.

37 is a tiltable beam fulcrumed at 38 and connected with the arm 33 by a link 39,. so-

that the movements of this end of the scalebeam will act to correspondingly move the arm 37. The free or swinging end of this arm 37 carries a pin 40, which acts to break the joint of the rod 28 and allow the gate 18 to be closed, as follows:

-41-is a lever fulcrumed in a standard, as shown at 42, so that one end projects into the path of movement of the pin 40. The lever is bent so as not to touch the rod 28 of the gate 17;. but its end will strike the rod 28 and will thus bend the joint upward and release the gate 18. This is, effected by the first sinking of the bucket, which correspondingly raises the weighted arm 33 and through the connection 39 tilts the lever 37 until it strikes.

the arm 41 with the above result. If the bucket were allowed to sink the full distance at this first movement, it would close the second gate 17 immediately or nearly simultaneously with the closing of the gate 18, and as this second gate entirely cuts off the flow into the bucket it would prevent the completion of the load within the bucket. It is therefore necessary to provide some device to prevent this complete motion. This device, as here shown, consists of a stop 43, fixed to the plate upon which the mechanism is. carried, and a ball; or equivalent movable part 44, which is carried in the tilting guide 45, fulcrumed as shown at, 46. This guide normally has its free end lower than its pivoted end. Consequently the ball, whichrol-ls easily, will lie at the nearest to the free end. The guide, as here shown, is in the shape of a hollow rectangular bar having a slot cut vertically through the free end, through which the ball may operate. A block 31 is fixed to the yoke 31 in line below the opening which is made through the guide or race 45, and the top of this block is inclined so that as the free end of the guide or race rises until the ball contacts with the stop the ball rests on the inclined surface, and at an instant after it contacts it rolls ofi the inclined surface, A counterweight 45 is carried upon a stem projecting from the fulcrumed end of the guide-race, and as soon as the yoke 31, is so located that a pin on the free end of the race projects through it and acts as a check to the upward movement of the race. It also serves to pull it down when the yoke again sinks-and to incline it so that the ball will move to the outer free, end, in which position it is sufiiciently heavy to overbal-ance the weight 45 and retain the race in its inclined position. This completion of the upward movement acts to bend the joint of the rod 28, and this releases the gate 17, which closes beneath the gate 18 and entirely cuts oil further supply to the bucket. The rod 28 is bent upward by the pressure of a lever 47, which is fulcrumed upon a post at 48, so that one end lies beneath the rod 28 and the other in the path of a lever 49, which is fulcrumed upon a support, as at 5 0, with the outer end passing through a slotted guide 51,, which is fixed to the yoke 31 and is movable therewith. The slot in this guide 51 is long enough to allow the previous upward movement of the yoke 31, which acted to close the gate 18 without actuating the lever 49; but when the load in the bucket is completed the continued downward movement of the bucket operates the yoke 31 still further and moves the guide5l upward with the yoke until the bottom of the slot in the guide strikes the end of the lever 49, which extends through it, and causes the lever to tilt around its fulcrum at 50 until the opposite or free end of the lever strikes the end of the lever 47, thus tilting its opposite end upwardly about its fulcrumed point until it strikes the jointed rod 28 and bends the joint upwardly. A counterbalance-weight 49 is carried above the lever 49, and as soon as it is tilted beyondthe center it falls, so as to insure the movement of the lever 47. This allows the weight 27, which is connected with the arm 23 of the gate-carrying shaft, to act and immediately close the gate. This closing of the last gate 17 shuts ofi" the supply to the compartment which is being filled, and at the same time. as previously described, the cam 16 strikes the cam 15 and trips the latch 10, thus allowing the weight of the material within the filled compartment of the bucket to act upon and open the discharge-gate 4 or 4, which had closed the bottom of that compartment. At the same time the connecting-rods 5 act to tilt the diaphragm 3, so that when the gates 17 and 18 are again opened the discharge will take place into the other compartment of the bucket.

In order to prevent the bucket from swinging too freely about its points of suspension, 1 have shown a rod or link 53, one end of which is pivoted to a stationary part of the frame, and the other is pivoted to the lower part of the bucket, so that in rising and falling the bucket will be maintained essentially steady in its movements.

The adjusting poise-weight 54 is slidable upon a bar 55, which is carried upon one arm of the yoke 31. This bar is notched on its lower edge and is provided with graduations upon its upper edge corresponding with said notches. The weight 54 is held at any point by a spring-pressed catch, as 56. This catch extends transversely through the weight and has the end notched and beveled'so that the action of the spring 57 will draw it into the notches of the bar, thus locking the weight in place. By pressing the head of the catchpin inwardly to compress the spring the catch will be released, and the weight can be moved along the bar to any desired point of adjustment. This poise-weight 54:, with its graduated bar, is for the purpose of supplementing the weights 3a and enabling the operator to adjust his scale not only to register correctly, but to weigh any amount intermediate of an amount represented by any of the weights 34:. Thus, for example, with weights 34 representing multiples of fifty and it is desired to weigh a thousand buckets of material, as grain, of one hundred and twenty pounds each, weights 34, aggregating one hundred pounds, would be hungfrom yoke 36 and the poise-weight 54 adjusted on bar 55 to the twenty-pound graduation. Releasing catch 56, which immediately engages its corresponding notch, the weight 34 is locked in position, and no matter what jarring or use the machine may have the weight would not be shifted.

The meeting ends of the knee- levers 28 and 28 are curved on radii having their centers in the pivot-points of the opposite ends of the levers, so that the meeting ends roll smoothly together and with the least possible friction.

When the trip-rod 12 is turned so as to be out of engagement with the latch-lever 10, it will not trip automatically, but allows the load to remain in the bucket until the latchlever is moved by hand.

The tilting beam 37 has a weight 37 adjustable upon it, and it assists in raising the main beam or yoke before the load in the bucket is fully completed, and this allows the gate 18 to be closed to cut off the main or principal flow and allow the load to be completed by the small flow through this gate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combinationin a weighing apparatus of a scale-beam; a bucket suspended therefrom, having a discharge-gate at the bottom; a source of supply; means controlling the How from the source of supply and including a plurality of concentric segmental gates turnable about an axis common to both independently-actuating mechanism comprising jointed levers connecting with the gates and by which said gates are held open until the load is nearly completedymechanism by which one of the gates is released to partially cut'oli' the supply when the load is nearly completed said gate having a small opening through which the material flows, after the gate is closed, to complete the load; mechanism independent of the closing mechanism of the first gate, by which the second gate is subsequently released 'when the load is completed; and mechanism the discharge-gate of the bucket.

2. A weighing apparatus comprising a fulcrumed scale-beam; a compartment-bucket suspended therefrom and having a tilting diaphragm connected with its upper edge whereby fiow of material may be diverted from one compartment to the other, said bucket having dischargegates at the bottom; connections between said gates and the diaphragm whereby they are movable in unison; a source of supply located above the bucket; a pair of concentric segmental gates turnable about an axis common to both; independent mechanism including jointed levers by which the gates are held open until the load is nearly completed, one of said gates having a small opening through which some of the material flows after the gate is closed, to complete the load; mechanism by which the second gate is subsequently released when the load is completed said second gate entirely cutting off the supply to the bucket; and mechanism by which the closing of the second gate opens the discharge-gate of the bucket.

3. A weighing apparatus consisting of afulcrumed scale-beam, a weighing-bucket suspended therefrom, having a discharge-gate at the bottom, a source of supply located above the bucket, concentric turnable gates one of which partially cuts off the supply when the load is nearly completed, and the other subsequently cuts off the entire supply after the IIC completion ofthe load, jointed levers whereby" both the supply-gates are held open, a mechanism actuated by the sinking of the bucket whereby the jointed levers are successively moved to successively release the gates.

at. A welghing apparatus conslsting of a fulcrumed scale-beam, a compartment weighingbucket suspended therefrom having connected tilting discharge-gates, a tilting diaphragm at the top of the bucket whereby flow of material may be diverted into either compartment,

connections between the tilting diaphragm and the discharge gates whereby the d1aphragm and gates are movable in unison, a source of supply, gates therefor, mechanism actuated by "the sinking of the bucket when the load is nearly complete whereby one of the supplygates is closed to partially cut off the supply, similar and independent mechanism by which of the second supply-gate whereby the dis- -charge-gate of the full compartment is opened and the other gate is closed, and mechanism by which the supply-gates are again opened by the discharging materiaL' 5. The combination in a weighing apparatus of a fulcrumed scale-beam, a weighing-bucket suspended therefrom having a discharge-gate at the bottom, a source of supply located above the bucket, swinging gates controlling the fiow of material into the bucket, mechanism by which one of said gates is closed to partially cut off the supply when the load is nearly complete, and the second one is closed to entirely cut off the supply when the load is fully complete, jointed rods or knee-levers by which the supply-gates are retained in an open position during the filling of the bucket, fulcrumed levers moved by the sinking of the bucket when the load is nearly completed, whereby the knee-lever of the first supplygate is bent to allow said gate to close, and

the knee-lever of the second gate is bent to allow said gate to close by the further sinking of the bucket upon the completion of the oad.

' 6. The combination in a weighing apparatus of a fulcrumed scale-beam, a weighing-bucket suspended therefrom, a source of supply, gates and mechanism whereby they are held open until the load in the bucket is nearly complete, mechanism by which one of the gates is closed by the first downward movement of the bucket whereby the supply is partially cut oil", a movable ball to' check the downward movement of the bucket after the closing of the first gate, said ball being automatically movable to allow the downward movement of the bucket to continue, a second mechanism actuated by said further downward movement whereby second gate is closed and the supply entirely cut off, and connected mechanism to simultaneously open the discharge-gate of the filled compartment.

7 The combination in a Weighing apparatus of a tilting scale-beam, a weighing-bucket suspended therefrom, a source of supply, a gate closable by the partial sinking of the bucket when the load is nearly completed, whereby the supply is partially cut off, a second gate by which the supply is entirely cut off when the load is fully completed and the bucket sinks to its lowest point, a stop-plate and a ball-race fulcrumed in the path of the beam so that its free end is raised by the first tilting movement of the beam, a ball within the race which contacts with the stop to prevent the further movement of the beam after the first gate is closed, said ball being then free to move to the lower end of the race and leave the beam free to complete its movement upon the closing of the second gate.

8. The combination in a weighing apparatus of a fulcrumed scale-beam, abucket suspended therefrom, a source of supply, a check-gate by which the supply is partially cut off when the load in the bucket is nearly completed, mechanism actuated by the first tilting of the beam to close said gate, a ball whereby the beam is prevented from completing its tilting movement, said ball being movable to afterward allow the beam to complete its tilting movement when the load in the bucket is completed, a second independent mechanism actuated by the completion of the beam movement whereby the second gate is closed and the supply cut off, a discharge-gate at the bottom of the bucket, a latch-lever and a latch whereby the discharge-gate is retained in a closed position until the completion of the load, a tripping mechanism actuated by the closing of the second supply-gate whereby the latch-lever is released and the discharge-gate opened, and mechanism actuated by the discharging material to again open the supply-gates.

9. In a weighing apparatus of the character described and in combination with the supply and discharge gates thereof, a latch-lever by which the discharge-gate is retained in a closed position while the bucket is filling, a tripping mechanism by which said lever is released upon the closing of the second supply-gate and the completion of the load, a fulcrumed lever by which the connecting-rod of the tripping mechanism may be engaged so as to operate the tripping mechanism automatically, or may be disengaged therefrom by moving the fulcrumed lever into its disengaged position.

10. The combination in a weighing apparatus of a tilting scale-beam and Weighing-bucket suspended therefrom having discharge-gates at the bottom, a source of supply, a checkgate, mechanism by which the gate is held open until the load in the bucket is nearly complete and afterward released by the partial sinking of the bucket, a second gate similarly released by the final sinking of the bucket upon the completion of the load, whereby the supply is entirely out off, a rocker-arm connected with the shaft upon which the supply-controlling gates are mounted, fulerumed weighted levers and rods connecting the rocker-arm with said levers.

11. In a weighing apparatus of the character described, an inner supply-controlling gate fixed upon its fulcrum-shaft, an outer gate loosely turnable upon said shaft, and a contact-screw adjustable between the gates whereby the opening of the inner gate acts to simul taneously open the outer gate, and jointed rods or knee-levers to hold both gates in open position.

12. In a weighing apparatus,a double-chambered bucket, a plurality of supply-controlling gates, one of which is notched to allow a limited fiow and the other adapted to entirely cut off the flow, mechanism by which both gates are simultaneously opened by the flow of discharging material from one compartment to permit a full flow into the other compartment, amechanism by which the first-named supplygate is closed to reduce the How when the load has been nearly completed, and a second mechanism acting to close the second su iply-gate, and immediately open the discharge-gate.

13. In a Weighing apparatus, a double-compartment bucket provided with dischargegates, a plurality of hinged swinging weightactuated plates so located below the dischargegates of the bucket that the flow of material from the discharge of one bucket when opened, will strike the corresponding gate and swing it outward, su 'iply-controlling gates and connections between said gates and the plates, whereby the supply-gates are opened by the discharging material and when the plates are relieved of the discharge-flow, the weights Will return said plates to their normal position and allow the supply-gates to be closed.

14:. In a weighing apparatus of the character described, an inner supply-controlling gate fixed to a fulcrum-shaft, an outer gate loosely turnable upon the shaft and contact-points by which both gates are simultaneously opened, a rocker-arm on the fulcrum-shaft, a plurality of discharge-gates, plates hinged below the discharge-gates so as to be swung open by the weight of the discharging material, weighted lever-arms fixed to the hinge-shafts of the plates, and rods connecting said lever-arms with the rocker-arm of the gates, whereby the plates serve alternately to open the supplygates.

15. In a weighing apparatus, a suspended rising and falling compartment-bucket, supply-controlling gates above the bucket, connected tiltable discharge-gates at the bottom,

adapted to alternately open after the filling of either compartment, plates fulcrunied below the discharge-gates so that the flowing material will swing them outward by its impact, weights connected to return said plates when the discharge-flow has ceased, a rockerarm fixed to the fulcrum-shaft of the supply gates and having a projecting pin, rods connecting said rocker-arm pin with the swinging plates and having their upper ends slotted and loosely movable on the pin, either red being moved to open the supply-gates when the discharge has ceased, and the slots permitting the supply-gates to be independently closed.

16. In a weighing apparatus of the character described a rising and falling scale-beam, a bucket suspended therefrom, a ball-race pivoted and tiltable above said beam, a stop against which the ball is caused to strike when the race is tilted upward and an inclined block upon which the ball rests and by which it is caused to roll to the opposite end of the race after contacting with the stop.

17. In a weighing apparatus, the combination of a frame; a scale-beam; a race pivoted to the frame; a ball adapted to travel in said race; means for tilting the free end of the race upward by the rising of the scale-beam, whereby the ball is moved to the fulerumed end of the race; and a counterbalance-weight by which the race is maintained in the said tilted position.

18. In a Weighing apparatus a tiltable beam and suspended bucket, a race pivoted to the frame of said apparatus, a ball adapted to travel in the race, the free end. of said race being lowest when the bucket is empty, a contact-lug upon the scale-beam by which the race is raised and the ball started toward the fulcrum end of the race when the beam commences to rise by the sinking of the bucket, and a Weight on the fulerumed end of the race by which that end is kept depressed after the ball has started.

19. In a weighing apparatus, the frame thereof, a eompartment-bucket, a scale-beam, a race pivoted to said frame, a ball adapted to travel in said race, the free end of said race being lowest and the ball therein being at the lower end when the bucket is empty, a lug raised by the sinking of the weighing-bucket and rising of the scale-beam and acting to raise the race and ball, a stop with which the ball contacts to arrest the upward movement of the beam, an inclined surface by which the ball is started toward the fulerumed end of the race after its contact with the stop, and a weight by which the tilting of the race is completed and maintained until the load in the bucket has been discharged when the free end of the guide or race is carried downward by the movement of the beam.

before the completion of the load in the bucket, and to release the first supply-gate. IO

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE HOEPNER. Witnesses S. H. NoURsE, JEssIE C. BRODIE.

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