US377417A - Automatic grain weigher - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) v ZShBetS-Shet L E. C. WILEY.

- AUTOMATIC GRAIN WBIGHER.

No. 877,417. Patented Feb.. 7, 1888.

Je w all. 1

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

E. o. WILEY.

' AUTOMATIC 'GRAIN WEIGHER. I

NQ. 377,417. n Patented Peb. 7, l888; y

UNITED STATES PATENT OEFICE. i

EDGAR CLARENCE WILEY, 0E INDEPENDENCE, VIRGINIA.

AuroMA-rlc GRAIN-WEIGHER. f'

SPE-CIFICA'JLION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,417, dated February 7 ,1888."

' Application filed October21, 1887. Serial No. 252,996. (No model.) y i .To aZZ whom, it mwy'concerm Be it known that I, EDGAR CLARENCE WILEY, a citizen of the United States, resid- Ing at Independence, in the countyof Grayson and State of Virginia, have invented a,Y

consists in the peculiar/construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the -drawings, Figure 1 isa side elevation of a grain-weighing machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the line ma' of Fig. 1.

A represents a tripod comprising the legs B and C and the cap D, attached to the upper ends of the legs. On the said cap is secured a cross-bar, E, vprovided at its extremities with .vertical openings F.' In the center of the cap is a. vertical opening,` Gr.

H represents a curved arm which connects the two legsk B and extends inwardly to a point in line with the center of the cap D, and is provided with a Vertical opening, I.

K represents a y vertically-'movable` shaft which has its lower end journaled in the opening I, and is journaled near its'upper endr in the opening G. Fitted on the upper end of the said shaft K is a collar, L, which bears upon the upper side of the cap D, and in which the shaft K is free to rotate.

move vertically with the shaft K, but that it is prevented from rotating with the said shaft by the arms O and the cross-bar E.

` P represents a measuring-head which is pro-` vided with a central hub, R, rigidly secured 0 To the upper side of this collar is attached the een` to the upperend of shaft K, vertical `partition-boards S, which Y' radiate from the said` hub, and a circular vertical' board, T, which; connects theouterends of the boardsS andl forms the outer sides of the measu'ringfcom#y partments U, which are formed between the V represents a vertical cylindrical sleeve which is fitted looselyon the lower portion of boards S. Each of these compartments U corresponds in sizeand shape with the opening, LN in the platform. Y

W, provided with bevel gear-teethj On the upper end of the sleeve V is formed a series of ratchet or clutch teeth, X. 'e n Y represents a spring-arm kwhich hasits outer end attachedto one of the tripodflegs,

B, and has its lower end bearing on the upy per side of the wheel ,W, near4 the center thereof, so as to prevent the said wheel' and the sleeve V from rising 'onthe shaft.

Z represents a horizontal circular disk which is rigidly attached to the shaft'K at a suitable s distance fromthe lower end thereof,` the said. S

disk being arranged above the upper end of the sleeve V. On the lower side of the said disk, at,

diametrically-opposite points, are formed depending studs A', which are adapted to en? gage the teeth X of the sleeve vwhen the shaftL is lowered, as will be hereinafterexplained.

Becesses B are formed inthe outer edge of the i disk Z at diametrically-opposite points, there being as many of these rece'ssesas there are; compartments in the head P, and the said recesses corresponding with the boards S in their` relation to the shafty K. y C represents a horizontal arm which projects inward from one of the tripod-legs, B, and

is provided on its inner end with a -roller, D. E represents `a horizontal arm which exa tends outward from the tripod-leg C and isV provided with suitable bearing-bracketsF,

in which is journaled the horizontal drivingshaft G. `The said shaft may bea'ctuated by any suitable motor, or it may be rotated. by

`means of-a crank, H, as shown. To the inner end of this shaft is rigidly attached a bevelpinion, I', which meshes Withthe'WheelW. K representsa scale-beam which is ful` IOO crumed at a suitable distancel from its inner end between a pair of depending arms, L', at the upper end of the tripod or supporting frame. On the said scale-beam is a movable Weight, M. v

N represents a lever which is fulcrumed to the tripod-leg C, near the lower end thereof, and extends under the shaft K, and is provided with an opening in which the lower end of the said shaft is stepped. The free end of this lever N is connected to the inner end of the scale-beam by means of a rod, O', and a link, I, as shown.

R represents a depending handle which is connected to the scale-beam, and by means of which the outer end of the latter may be lowered by hand when it is desirable to do so.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The scale-beam, by drawing upward on the rod O', causes the free end of the lever N to be normally elevated, and the said lever moves the shaft K upward, and consequently elevates the platform M and the measuring-head T. The weight is adjusted on the scale-beam to the number of pounds whichV constitute the unit of measure or weight. When the invention is adapted to be used in connection with thrashing-machines, an endless elevator (not shown)is employed to discharge the grain as it comes from the thrasher into the compartment U of the measuring-head which is next adjacent to the opening N. When the said compartment has received-the required weight of grain, the weight of the platform and of the measuring-head counterbalances the leverage of the scale-beam, and the said lplatform and measuring-head are thereby caused to descend, and consequently lower the shaft K and the leverN and raise the scale-beam K. When the platform is in its normal elevated position, the disk Z is elevated, so that the roller Dengages one of its openings B', and consequently prevents the shaft from rotating; but when the said shaft is lowered by the descent of the platform and measuring-head, as before described, the disk K is also lowered, thereby Vcausing the roller D to clear the upper side of the said disk, and causing the studs A to engage the notches or teeth at the upper end of the sleeve. The rotation of the shaft G', which, it will be understood, is normally in constant motion, will be thereby instantly communicated to the shaft K through the gearwheels W and I', and consequently the measuring-head will be caused to rotate through a portion of a circle on the upper side of the platform M, and thereby discharge the contents of its loaded compartment through the opening N into a suitable spout or trough, which delivers the grain into a bag or other suitable receptacle. As the filled compartment moves over the opening N, and thereby becomes discharged of its contents, the next adjacent compartment moves under the discharge end of the elevator in position to be filled.

As soon as the grain is discharged from the measuring-head, the latter and the platform become lightened to such an extent that the leverage of the scale-beam overcomes their gravity, and consequently the shaft O is immediately elevated to its former initial position, thereby raising the platform and measuringhead and causing the roller D to become engaged with the next adjacent opening B in the disk Z. As the said disk rises, it becomes disconnected from the sleeve G, as will be very readily understood, and thereby leaves the wheel WV free to rotate with the shaft G without turning the shaft K. A

A suitable registering device may be connected to the shaftK in order to keep a register of the quantity of grain weighed.

In order to adapt the machine for measuring grain accurately, I adjust the Weight on the scale-beam so as to cause the measuring-compartment of the head into which the grain is being poured to become more than level full before the scale-beam is overbalanced and the platform and measuring-head descend. I also secure to the platform a support, a, to which is attached an arm, b, that extends inwardly in a horizontal-direction over the measuringhead, andjust above the latter. By this device when the platform descends and rotation is imparted to the head the arm b,st.rikes off the excess or surplus grain above the level of the upper side of its measuring-head and sweeps Vthe surplus or excess grain into the next compartment, as will be very readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the tripod or frame having the cap D, the arms L', depending from said cap, and scale-beam fulcrumed to the said arms, the link P at the inner end of the scale-l beam, the lever N', fulcrumed to one of the tripod-legs, the rod O, connecting the free end of said lever to the link P', the verticallymovable platform on the upper side of the cap and having the discharge-opening, the vertically-movable shaft K, journaled in the cap and platform and supported by the lever N',` the revoluble head secured to the upper end of said shaft and resting on the platform, said head having the compartments, and the gearing to rotate the shaft when the same is lowered, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the vertically-movable shaft having the clutch,` the rotating wheel WV, journaled loosely on the said shaft and IOO IIO

having the sleeve adapted to be engaged by the clutch when the shaft is lowered, for the purpose set forth, the platform movable vertically with the shaft and provided with the opening N, means to prevent the said platform from rotating, the measuring-head secured to the upper end of the shaft, revoluble therewith, arranged on the platform, and having the compartments U, the scale-beam having the adjustable weight, and connections between the said scale-beam and the shaft, substantially as described.

'377,411 y V s 3. The combinatifom'in an automatic grainweighing machine, of the verticallyfmovable platform having the opening N, the verticallyf movable shaft extending through the said platform and having the measuring-head secured thereto, the said vhead being provided4 with the compartments U, the rotating wheel W, journaled loosely on the shaft, the stopdisk Z, rigidly secured to the shaft 'and adapted to engage the wheel W when the shaft is lowered, the sca1e-beam, connections between the same and the shaft to normally elevate the lat ter, and a detent-roller adapted to engagethe disk when the shaft is raised, for the purpose" to` connect the shaft to the said wheel when the shaft is lowered, the lever N', supporting the shaft, and the scale-beam connected to the said and theplatform and-measuring-head,substantiallyl as described,

Y 5. The combination ofthe supporting-frame, the vertically-movable counterbalanced sh aft jouvrnaled therein, the platform having the dislever and adapted to normallyfelevate thesame vcharge-opening supported on the said shaft and having the guide-arms wherebyv it is pre-A vented fromfrotating, and the measuring-,head f attached tothe shaft, revoluble therewith', and having the compartments U, substantially'as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature lin presence of two witnesses.4 Y

\ Y "EDGAR CLARENCE WILEY. Witnesses:

nW. M. WARREN, L. lLUNDY.

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