GB778402A - Equipment for governing the rating of objects or packages according to two or three parameters thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

778,402. Assessing freight charges. CONTINENTAL SILVER CO., Inc. Aug. 20, 1954 [March 22, 1954], No. 24332/54. Class 40 (1). Electrical arrangements for assessing charges for carriage take into account the dimensions as well as the weight of the package concerned. In one arrangement, Fig. 7, the ratio of weight to volume determines whether the charge shall be in accordance with weight or with volume. In another, Fig. 8, the charge is always in accordance with the same function of weight and volume. In a third, Fig. 9, the charge is in accordance with one of two functions of weight and volume selected in accordance with the ratio of weight to volume. In another arrangement, Fig. 10, length and girth combined in relation to weight determine whether the charge shall be in accordance with weight or in accordance with volume, but for a certain range of relations of weight and volume the charge is in accordance with weight irrespective of the length and girth. Constructional details. The package is placed on a weighing platform 38, Fig. 1 (not shown), controlling an indicator 81, Fig. 1, and a variable resistor 36, Fig. 7. Feelers 46 . . . 48, Fig. 1, are then moved up to it by hand or springs or automatically to register its dimensions on variable resistors 63 . . . 65, Fig. 7. First system, Fig. 7. On the momentary operation of switch 85, sequence switch 238 . . . 244 is started and continues for one revolution. Cam 239 energizes relays RL1 . . . RL3 to complete the driving circuits for self-balancing bridges B1 . . . B3. B1 sets itself in accordance with the product of the dimensions registered by resistors 64, 65 and at the same time adjusts resistor 108 in B2. B2 similarly sets itself in accordance with the product of the third dimension, registered by resistor 63 and the product of the other two registered by 108. B3 sets itself in accordance with the weight as registered by resistor 36. In due course, cam 239 releases RL1 . . . RL3 and cam 240 energizes RL7 which corrects resistor 114, on which volume is registered, as the upper left-hand arm of bridge B4 and resistor 128, which registers weight, as the lower left-hand arm. At the same time cam 241 energizes RL4 to complete the driving circuit for bridge B4. For a predetermined ratio of weight to volume and for larger ratios the bridge is balanced or the balancing action is ineffective but, for smaller ratios the balancing action operates contact 177. The predetermined ratio is chosen with the aid of a switch 145 by which alternative shents for the right-hand arms of the bridge may be connected. Contact 177 if operated energizes RL8 and RL13. If RL8 is not operated, 242 now energizes RL9. According as RL8 or RL9 is operated the volumeregistery resistor 114 or the weight-registery resistor 128 is connected as the missing arm of the charge-assessery bridge B5 which is driven to balance when cam 243 energizes RL5. Lamps 288, 293 show the method of assessment. By means of a switch 84, resistor 187 can be shunted to multiply the basic assessment in accordance with the destination of the package. To ascertain density, the operator actuates key 86. RL6 pulls up and connects the weight and volume registering resistors 128, 144 as the missing arms of bridge B6 which then balances itself and drives the corresponding indicator. Relay RL13 transposes these resistors to ensure that the unbalance is always in the same direction whichever of these resistors is the larger. Operation of the resetting key 90 energizes RL10, RL11 and RL12. RL9 falls and RL1 . . RL3 and RL5 re-operate and complete the driving circuits for their bridges. RL10, however, has substituted resistors 305, 306 for resistors 108, 36 in bridges B2, B3 and has replaced the upper left-hand arm of bridge B5 by resistor 307. These bridges therefore drive their indicators to zero. Release is completed by the restoration of key 90. Second system, Fig. 8. By means of selfbalancing bridges, volume and weight are registered as in the first system but in this case, the weight and volume servomotors drive input shafts of a differential gear, the output of which adjusts a resistor 336 in the chargeassessing bridge. Third system, Fig. 9. Volume and weight are compared by a differential gear 333 and if the ratio exceeds a given figure, switch 347 is actuated to energize relay 354 which connects into the charge-assessing bridge a resistor 365 operated via differential 345 preponderantly in accordance with volume, but with an addition for weight, in place of a resistor 361 operated on the converse manner via differential 346. Fourth system, Fig. 10. In this case, weight is registered by a bridge B7 which also controls the values of resistors 405 . . . 407, the lastmentioned varying non-linearly with weight. Volume is registered by a bridge B9 which controls resistors 412, 413. A further bridge B10 sets itself in accordance with the sum of length and girth and adjusts a resistor 419 which, with resistor 407 and two fixed resistors, forms bridge B11. The latter, if the departure from balance is in a particular direction, operates contact 425 controlling relay 434 which determines whether the charge-assessing bridge shall include the weight resistor 406 or the volume resistor 412. Bridge B13 compares weight and volume and for certain ratios energizes 428 to disconnect 434 so that weight is the controlling factor whatever the figure for girth and length combined.