The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

THE AUTOMATIC WEIGHING OF MATERIAL 723 constructed so as to take up the shock of the falling coal and to conduct the coal into a second hopper, which is part of the actual weighing machine. As the coal reaches the weighing hopper, the scale automatically begins to work by the immediate rising of the steelyard ; and as it rises the poise weight commences to travel forward, and this continues until the weight of it is sufficient (owing to the added leverage it has gained) to overcome the weight of the coal in the weigh hopper, when the steelyard will fall and be in equilibrium. Connected to the poise weight by gearing is a special counter which records and adds together the weight of the coal. As soon as the weighing operation has been completed, the discharging gear comes into action, causing the door of the weigh hopper to open and discharge its contents into the shoot below. When the last piece of coal has left the weigh hopper the door automatically shuts and locks itself, ready for the next weighing, and simultaneously the poise weight upon the steel- yard returns to the starting point. No feed valves are required; consequently this machine will weigh any size pieces from nuts to the largest lumps. The power required for operating this machine may be obtained from a small motor of J H.P. Figs. 1038 and 1039. The figures indicated by the totalling counter are read by the person in charge at the commencement of weighing each barge load, etc., and again at the finish. The difference between the two accounts, of course, represents the sum total of the coal carried by that particular barge or truck. Avery’s Patent Automatic Truck Weighbridge and Totaliser.—This machine is illustrated in Figs. 1040 and 1041. It automatically weighs all trucks brought on to the platform and registers the weights upon a special counter, so that the total net weight of material passed over the track during any period can be seen at a glance. The number of trucks weighed is also automatically recorded. Only 1 H.P. is required to operate the mechanism. A loaded truck coming upon the weigh- bridge automatically sets the mechanism in action, while empty trucks or people passing over the platform have no effect upon the records. These machines are built for any size of truck and gauge of rail, and can be fitted with a system of truck controllers which prevents the same truck being weighed twice over. If it is desired to record the weight of each individual load instead of the total weight this machine can also be fitted with printing mechanism. The weighing is then performed automatically as usual, but it is necessary to pull a handle after each weighing in