Metering and balancing device and filling machine including such a device

A device for metering and balancing the total load of a container during filling, characterized in that it comprises a beam rotatable about a fixed horizontal axis constituting a simple lever, on the end of the first arm of which rests the end of a vertical rod guided for axial movement and of which the other end is affixed to the inside surface of the platform supporting the container during filling, and of which the other arm is made up of two mutually pivoted parts the first being directly attached to the first arm and rotatable simultaneously therewith about the axis of the beam and provided, at its free end, with a rail in which may slide a counterweight pivoted for rotation about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the beam, a bearing acting as the support of the axis of the counter-weight being provided with means for allowing it to slide in the rail and being connected to an element forming the second part of the second arm of the beam, which part comprises, at its free end opposed to that provided with the bearing, a slide movable along a straight inclined rail acting as a guide, the straight rail being disposed in a vertical plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the beam and the counter-weight and being inclined at a pre-determined angle related to the amount of product to be discharged into each container, the lengths of the arms of the beam and the weight of the counter-weight and the slope of the straight rail co-operating with the second arm being selected so that the moments of the forces acting on each of the arms are at all times substantially equal.