Continuous flow weighing apparatus

A continuous flow weighing apparatus comprising:

• a support frame;
• a weighing drum having a plurality of weighing compartments each having an eccentric center of gravity, the drum being rotatable about a central axial rod;
• a fixed stop bar mounted to the support frame above the drum;
• a latch bar pivotally mounted to the support frame and so positioned above the fixed stop bar so as to form a downwardly open notch with the fixed stop bar when the pivotal latch bar is in its horizontal position;
• a drum stop situated on the exterior side of each compartment and so positioned to slidably engage the notch formed by the fixed stop bar and pivotal latch bar when the drum stop is brought into alignment therewith as the drum rotates about its central axis to bring an empty weighing compartment into position for receiving loose material to be weighted and disengaged by the weighing drum moving downwardly upon the addition of the weighed material;
• biasing means for maintaining the pivotal latch bar in its horizontal position;
• and
• a balance beam rotatably mounted to the support frame wherein one end is fixedly secured to the axial rod of the weighing drum and the other end has a counter weight for determining the discharge weight of the material being weighed.

A releasable stop mechanism for a continuous flow rotary drum type apparatus having a plurality of weighing compartments comprising:

• a support frame;
• a drum stop for each weighing compartment adapted to attach to the rotary drum;
• a drum stop receiving member pivotally mounted to the support frame and having a notch for receiving and engaging the drum stop as the drum rotates, the drum stop and notch having engagable inclined mating surfaces for maintaining a horizontal resultant force as the material to be weighed flows into the weighing compartment and moves the drum downwardly to disengage the drum stop from the notch;
• means for selectively determining the weight of the discharged material;
• and
• means for controlling the direction of the drum rotation for discharging the weighed material.