Abstract:
In a balance with a parallel-guided load receiver ( 5 ) and a force-reduction mechanism using a series of two levers ( 18, 30 ), the input arm ( 17 ) of the first lever ( 18 ) to which the weight force of the load to be weighed is applied is extended into the space outside of the load receiver ( 5 ) and past a force transducer ( 43 ) arranged in that space, the end of the extension being equipped with a coupling area ( 58 ) for a calibration weight ( 59 ). This accomplishes a large lever-reduction of the calibration force in combination with a compact configuration, thus allowing a full-load calibration of the balance to be performed with a relatively small calibration weight ( 59 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns a balance in which the weight force of a load to be weighed is introduced through a load receiver that is constrained in parallel-guided motion by two guide links extending in parallel at a distance from each other, each of the guide links being connected at one end to the load receiver and at the opposite end to a stationary part of the balance. The load receiver is guided in relation to the stationary part of the balance in a parallel-displacement mode within the plane of the parallelogram that is defined by the four ends of the guide links. The balance has a force transducer to convert the weight force into an electrical signal and a lever mechanism for transmitting the weight force from the load receiver to the force transducer with a first and a second lever as well as a mechanical coupling area for the releasable connection with a calibration weight., The first lever has an input arm extending from a coupling that introduces the force from the load receiver and is formed on a load receiver portion facing the stationary part to a first support that serves as lever fulcrum and is formed on a portion of the stationary part facing the load receiver; and the first lever also has an output arm extending from the support in the direction towards the stationary part. Receiving the force through a coupling from the output arm of the first lever, the second lever is held by a second support serving as lever fulcrum formed on a portion of the stationary part facing the load receiver; and the second lever also has a portion that extends in the direction towards the load receiver and serves to further transmit the weight force to the force transducer. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In a known balance of this kind (DE 196 05 087 A1) whose lever mechanism has a total of three levers for the successive reduction of the weight force introduced into the load receiver, the coupling area that serves for the connection of the calibration weight is arranged on an arm of the third lever that is coupled to the second lever (the third lever following the second lever in the force reduction chain). A small calibration force introduced to this coupling area thus corresponds to a weight force on the load receiver of a multiple amount that is determined by the reduction ratio of the lever mechanism. Therefore, by using this arrangement of the coupling area, the application of a relatively large weight force to the load receiver may be simulated by a calibration weight of desirable small size. In particular, with a calibration weight corresponding only to a small fraction of the capacity load of the balance, it is possible to perform a calibration as if a full load were placed on the balance. 
     However, with this simulated application of the full capacity load it is not possible in the calibration process to cancel errors in the lever ratio occurring in those levers of the mechanism that precede the lever that is equipped with the coupling area. Over the course of the lifetime of a balance, lever ratio errors of this kind can easily develop because the levers that follow the first lever are supported and coupled to each other by very delicate, thin flexure pivots that can suffer deformations when the balance is subjected to shocks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to develop a balance of the kind described at the beginning in such a manner that, with a calibration weight corresponding to only a fraction of the full load of the balance, it is possible to perform a full-load calibration unimpaired by ratio errors of the lever mechanism where the risk that the calibration is affected by lever ratio errors from extraneous causes is largely avoided. 
     According to the invention, the solution of this problem is to provide the input arm of the first lever with an extension that extends beyond the coupling into the space adjoining the side of the load receiver facing away from the stationary part, at which location the extension is equipped with a coupling area for the calibration weight. 
     With the inventive solution, the calibration weight by way of the extension acts immediately on the input arm of the first lever. Possible ratio errors occurring in the parts of the lever mechanism after the input arm of the first lever, e.g., as a result of shock-induced deformations of the couplings and fulcrums of the levers, are cancelled in the calibration process. By giving an appropriate length to the extension beyond the point where the coupling connects the load receiver with the input lever arm in proportion to the length of the input lever arm between the coupling and the first support, the calibration force that correlates with the full-capacity load of the balance is reduced correspondingly, e.g., to an amount of {fraction (1/10)} to {fraction (1/40)} of the full-capacity load. Thus, the full-load calibration can be performed with a relatively small calibration weight resulting in design economies in the size and weight of the balance. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the coupling area for the calibration weight contains a guide for positioning the calibration weight on the extension, guiding the calibration weight to take its defined working position under the influence of gravity. In this, the location where the calibration weight is transferred to the guide does not have to be defined with any particular accuracy. As the calibration weight passes along the guide under the influence of gravity, it automatically reaches its precisely defined working position, so that its distance from the first support of the first lever is maintained very accurately in the calibration process. 
     A practical configuration of the inventive balance has the characteristic feature that the extension of the input arm of the first lever is formed by two legs located at a distance from each other on opposite sides of the plane of the parallelogram. The ends of the legs that are nearer to the stationary part are firmly attached to the first lever, the coupling area for the calibration weight is formed at the opposite ends of the legs, and the load receiver extends between the legs with lateral clearance. This allows the two legs to be dimensioned in a manner that is appropriate for the desired full-capacity load and the desired weight amount of the calibration weight, independent of the interior space of the parallelogram enclosed by the load receiver, the stationary part and the two guide links. In particular, the legs may be configured as separate from the first lever and attached to the latter with screws. 
     In a further useful embodiment within this context, the ends of the two legs that form the coupling area are designed in the shape of receiving forks oriented against the direction of gravity for the calibration weight to be deposited in the direction of gravity. When the calibration weight is set down, it will seat itself in the receiving fork to a depth where it is positioned without any horizontal play in its precisely defined location relative to the first support of the first lever, thereby allowing the calibration process to be performed with a high degree of accuracy. 
     For reasons of structural rigidity, it is practical to connect the two legs by a brace extending transverse to the plane of the parallelogram in the area of the ends that form the coupling area. 
     In accordance with a further thought of the present invention, the force transducer is located in a space delimited on the one hand by the side of the load receiver facing away from the stationary part and on the other hand by the coupling area for the calibration weight; and the portion of the second lever that runs in the direction towards the load receiver has an extension that reaches to the force transducer. In this embodiment, the space required for the force transducer is at the same time available for the extension of the input lever arm that extends through this space in the direction of the plane of the parallelogram, whereby a desired large lever ratio for the calibration weight is achieved in a space-saving configuration. 
     As an advantageous further development within this context, the force transducer is mounted on two support members located at a distance from each other on opposite sides of the plane of the parallelogram, which support members extend with lateral clearance alongside the load receiver and are attached to a portion of the stationary part that is oriented towards the load receiver. 
     Also, it is advantageous for the extension of the second lever to be formed by two extension legs that are located at a distance from each other on opposite sides of the plane of the parallelogram and are attached to the portion of the second lever that extends in the direction towards the load receiver, the latter taking up the space between the extension legs but leaving a lateral clearance gap. In this, the laterally arranged legs are of a design that provides the desired rigidity in relation to the force they are subjected to while at the same time the lateral space required for them is minimized. 
     The inventive configuration is advantageously realized in balances where the force transducer is an electromagnetic force compensation system whose load compensation coil is arranged at the ends of the extension legs that reach towards the force transducer. In balances of this kind, a current flowing through the load compensation coil is servo-controlled in such a manner that the magnetic force acting on the load compensation coil is in equilibrium with the force generated by the weight of the load to be weighed, whereby the load receiver and the lever mechanism are maintained in their null position under the control of a displacement sensor. In this way, the current flowing through the load compensation coil provides a measure for the load to be weighed. 
     A particularly important embodiment has the characteristic trait that the load receiver, the guide links, the stationary part and the levers are formed out of one material block as integrally connected material portions that are separated by material-free spaces. This unitary design configuration eliminates the assembly process for connecting these components with its particular requirements for an ultra-precise position adjustment of the fulcrum supports of the levers and of all coupling points. 
     As a particular advantage, the invention provides that the material-free spaces are at least in part formed only by thin linear cuts that traverse the material block in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the parallelogram. These thin linear cuts may be produced, for example, by spark erosion. Because the space required for the material-free spaces is minimal in this case, this leads on the one hand to a very compact arrangement. On the other hand, the available space for the material portions forming the individual parts of the parallel-guiding and lever mechanism is maximized, so that these parts can be designed for especially high strength. 
     Further included within the scope of the invention is a lifting mechanism associated with the coupling area for the calibration weight, allowing the calibration weight to be transposed between a calibrating position where it is supported by the coupling area and a rest position where it is lifted off the coupling area. Due to this lifting mechanism, the calibration weight does not need to be operated manually. Rather, the calibration process can be performed by actuating the lifting mechanism through an operator keyboard on the balance. 
     In this arrangement, it is of advantage for the calibration weight to have essentially the shape of an elongated cylinder with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder at a right angle to the direction of gravity, with the lifting mechanism preventing the cylinder from rotating about its longitudinal axis. Unless a high production cost for the calibration weight is considered acceptable, the gravitational center line of the cylindrical calibration weight will have minor eccentricities and deviate from the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. By constraining the rotation of the cylinder, these deviations from rotational symmetry are prevented from causing measurable variations between successive calibrations. Thus, calibration errors are avoided in spite of the lack of rotational symmetry. 
     In a practical embodiment, the cylindrical surface of the calibration weight contains a planar portion that rests in a rotationally constrained condition on three support points of a lifter element of the lifting mechanism that performs the transposition of the weight between its rest position and its calibrating position. Due to this three-point support, an invariant angular position of the calibration weight is maintained with a high degree of accuracy, thereby ensuring a highly accurate calibration. 
     Other characteristic features, details, and advantages of the invention will be presented in the following description and in the drawing that is also being referred to for the disclosure of all details essential to the invention that are not expressly mentioned in the text. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of essential parts of the balance where the enclosure, the weighing pan and the calibration weight have been removed, seen under the angle of a viewer looking from the side and slightly above the balance. 
     FIG. 2 represents a view corresponding to FIG. 1 but with the calibration weight in position. 
     FIG. 3 represents a partially cut-away view looking at the balance from the side. 
     FIGS.  4 ( a ) and ( b ) represent partially cut-away views of opposite sides of a lifting mechanism for the calibration weight. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 , the balance contains a unitary material block  1 , of which the two largest side surfaces  2 ,  2 ′ extend parallel to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 3, with one of the material block&#39;s two largest side surfaces  2  in FIG. 3 facing the viewer. Of the two other pairs of narrow sides that are perpendicular to the pair of the material block&#39;s two largest side surfaces  2 ,  2 ′, one of the two longer narrow sides  3  faces up while the downward-facing longer narrow side  3 ′, running parallel to  3 , is hidden to the viewer. Further in FIGS. 1 and 2, one of the shorter narrow sides  4  faces to the rear while the forward-facing shorter narrow side  4 ′ that runs parallel to  4  is essentially covered from view. 
     Formed as portions of the material block  1  are a load receiver  5 , a stationary part  6  and two mutually parallel guide links  7 ,  7 ′ whose respective outside surfaces, facing away from each other, are delimited by the longer narrow sides  3 ,  3 ′ and whose respective inside surfaces, facing towards each other, are delimited by thin linear cuts  8 ,  8 ′ forming material-free spaces. The ends of the guide links  7 ,  7 ′ by which the latter are joined on the one side to the load receiver  5  and on the other side to the stationary part  6  are configured as thin flexible portions  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 , which are defined by curved segments of the thin linear cuts  8  and  8 ′ deviating towards the respective narrow side  3 ,  3 ′ that delimits the outside of the respective guide link  7 ,  7 ′ and on the opposite side, like mirror images, by curved recesses in the narrow sides  3 ,  3 ′. These thin flexible portions  9  through  12  define the corner points of a parallelogram whose plane extends parallel to the plane of the drawing in FIG.  3 . 
     The thin linear cuts  8 ,  8 ′ which, except for their curved segments, run essentially parallel to the longer narrow sides  3 ,  3 ′, have sections  13  and  13 ′, respectively, continuing beyond the thin flexible portions  10 ,  11  on the load-receiver side, running essentially parallel to an imaginary line connecting the thin flexible portions  10 ,  11  on the load-receiver side, and extending into the vicinity of the respectively opposite guide link  7 ′,  7 , where they have curved segments with mirror-image convex arches facing each other and thereby defining thin flexible coupling portions  14 ,  15  connected by a coupling member  16  that is delimited by the mutually parallel portions of sections  13  and  13 ′. The coupling member  16  is connected to the load receiver  5  through the thin flexible coupling portion  15  near the guide link  7 ′. 
     At the thin flexible coupling portion  14  at the opposite end from the thin flexible coupling portion  15 , the coupling member  16  is connected to the input lever arm  17  of a first lever  18 , the latter being delimited on the side nearer the longer narrow side  3  by the thin linear cut  8  that delimits the guide link  7 . In a portion  19  of the stationary part  6  extending between guide links  7 ,  7 ′ in the direction towards the load receiver  5 , a thin linear cut section  20  extends from the thin linear cut section  13 ′ in the direction towards the longer narrow side  3 , forming a curve that is convex towards the shorter narrow side  4 . Shaped like a mirror image on the opposite side of an imaginary line connecting the thin flexible portions  10 ,  11  near the load receiver, the thin linear cut section  20  has as its counterpart a linear cut section  21  which continues at the end nearer to guide link  7 ′ into another thin linear cut  22  that runs in the direction towards the shorter narrow side  4  delimiting the stationary part  6 , subsequently approaches an imaginary line that connects the thin flexible portions  9 ,  12  near the stationary part, then follows part of the way along that line in the direction towards the narrow side  3 ′ that is farther from the first lever  18 . Following further along the aforementioned imaginary straight line, the continuation  24  of the thin linear cut  22  has curved end portions whose convex sides face the imaginary straight line. On the opposite side of the imaginary straight line, a linear cut section  25  runs like a mirror image of the continuation  24  and terminates in a drilled hole  26  that is also the end of the thin linear cut  8  delimiting the first lever  18 . This drilled hole  26  may serve to introduce a spark-erosion wire in case the thin linear cuts are made by the process of spark erosion. Instead of arranging the thin flexible portions  9 ,  12  on the imaginary straight line perpendicular to the longer narrow sides  3 ,  3 ′ as described above, the thin flexible portions could also be slightly offset in relation to each other. Likewise, the thin flexible portions  10 ,  11  do not need to be one above the other vertically. 
     Similar to the linear cut sections  13 ,  13 ′ that form the coupling member  16 , the continuation  24  and the linear cut section  25  between each other delimit a second coupling member  27  with a thin flexible portion  28  at the end that connects to the first lever  18 . 
     Likewise, at the opposite end from the thin flexible portion  28 , the coupling member  27  has a thin flexible portion  29  where the coupling member  27  is connected to the second lever  30  which, on the side facing the first lever  18 , is delimited by the linear cut section  22 . On the side facing away from the first lever  18 , the second lever  30  is separated from the portion  19  of the stationary part  6  by a thin linear cut  31  extending essentially in the lengthwise direction of the longer narrow sides  3 ,  3 ′. At the end closer to the load receiver  5 , the thin linear cut  31  runs through two drilled holes  32 ,  33  and connects to the thin linear cut section  22  that delimits the first lever  18 . At the end closer to the stationary part  6 , the thin linear cut  31  in a convex curve approaches an imaginary straight line that is parallel to the imaginary straight-line connection between the thin flexible portions  9 ,  12  adjacent to the stationary part  6 . On the opposite side of the imaginary straight line, a convex curve segment of a short linear cut section  34  runs like a mirror image of the convex curve of linear cut  31  and terminates in the drilled hole  26 . The material portion delimited by the convex curve segments forms a thin flexible portion  35  representing a second support point that serves as the fulcrum for the second lever  30 . 
     Thus, for transmitting forces, the second lever  30  is coupled to the output arm  17 ′ of the first lever  18  (the output arm  17 ′ extending between the thin flexible portion  28  of the second coupling member  27  and the first support  23 ) while the input arm  17  of the first lever  18 , extending between the first support  23  and the thin flexible coupling portion  14 , is coupled to the load receiver  5 . A weighing pan (not shown) for a load to be weighed, located above the guide link  7  delimited by the longer narrow side  3 , is attached to a support surface  38  (very clearly visible in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the load receiver  5  by means of a cantilevered support  37  shown only schematically and partially cut away in FIG.  3 . Not shown in the drawing, a support post attached to the cantilevered support  37  and carrying the weighing pan projects through an opening of an enclosure top  36  above which the weighing pan is located. The peripheral rim  39  of the enclosure top  36  is skirted down to meet an upstanding rim  40  of a balance base plate  41  on which the stationary part  6  is mounted in a manner not illustrated in detail. When a load is placed on the weighing pan, the load receiver  5  will therefore tend to move downward, parallel to the imaginary straight line through the thin flexible portions  10 ,  11 , and as a result the first lever  18  in the representation of FIG. 3 will tend to rotate clockwise about the support  23 , while the second lever  30  (being coupled to the first lever  18 ) will tend to rotate counter-clockwise about the second support  35 . The tendency of the lever mechanism comprising the first and second levers  18 ,  30  to move in this manner is due to the fact that the first lever  18  is a two-armed lever, meaning that its input arm  17  and its output arm  17 ′ extend in opposite directions from the first support  23 , while the second lever  30  is a one-armed lever, i.e., the lever portion from the fulcrum formed by the second support  35  to the thin flexible portion  29  extends in the same direction as the lever portion  42  that extends from the thin flexible portion  29  in the direction towards the load receiver  5 . 
     The incipient motion of the lever mechanism is transferred to a force transducer  43  adjacent to where the outside of the load receiver  5  is delimited by the shorter narrow side  4 ′ of the material block  1 ′. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the force transducer  43  is mounted to the stationary part  6  by means of two cantilever arms  44 ,  44 ′ that are attached to the side surfaces  2 ,  2 ′ (which run parallel to the plane of the parallelogram) of the block by screw bolts  46 ,  46 ′ engaged in tapped holes  45 ,  45 ′ (FIG. 3) in the portion  19  of the stationary part that extends towards the load receiver  5 . Inserted between the side surfaces  2 ,  2 ′ of the block and the respective cantilever arm  44 ,  44 ′ are spacers to ensure that the load receiver  5  as well as other parts of the balance that will be described later have lateral play between the cantilever arms  44 ,  44 ′. In the portion projecting beyond where the load receiver  5  is delimited by the shorter narrow side  4 ′ of the material block  1 , the two cantilever arms are connected by a platform  47  transverse to the displacement direction of load receiver  5 , with the force transducer  43  being mounted on the platform  47 . In the embodiment shown, the force transducer consists of a force compensation system as known to those skilled in the art in which a load compensation coil, receiving through the lever mechanism the leveraged weight force of the load to be weighed, is immersed in the air gap of a permanent magnet system mounted on the platform  47 , and where the compensation current flowing through the force compensation coil is controlled by an electronic servo-control unit  100  of the balance in such a manner that the resultant interactive force between the permanent magnet system and the force compensation coil counterbalances the effect of the weight force, whereby the lever system is caused to maintain its null position which is registered by a position detector connected to the input of the servo-control unit  100 . 
     To transfer the weight force after it has been reduced by the lever mechanism, the portion  42  of the second lever  30  that extends in the direction of the load receiver  5  is provided with two extension legs  48 ,  48 ′. With clearance provided by spacers  49 ,  49 ′, these extension legs  48 ,  48 ′ are each attached at one end by screw bolts  51 ,  51 ′ engaged in tapped holes  50 ,  50 ′ (FIG. 3) in the portion  42  of the second lever to those parts of the largest side surfaces  2 ,  2 ′ of the block  1  that delimit the second lever  30 . The spacers  49 ,  49 ′ are appropriately dimensioned, so that the extension legs  48 ,  48 ′ have free play within the space enclosed between the cantilever arms  44 ,  44 ′ and the largest side surfaces  2  and  2 ′, respectively. Attached to the other ends  52 ,  52 ′ of extension legs  48 ,  48 ′, away from the tapped holes  50 ,  50 ′, is the force compensation coil that is immersed in the permanent magnet system. 
     Located across from each other on opposite sides of the plane of the parallelogram, two legs  56 ,  56 ′ are attached by screw bolts  54 ,  54 ′ (FIG. 2) engaged in tapped holes  53 ,  53 ′ of the first lever (FIG.  3 ), with clearance provided by spacers  55 ,  55 ′, to those sides of the first lever  18  that are delimited by the two largest side surfaces  2 ,  2 ′. The spacers  55 ,  55 ′ are appropriately dimensioned, so that the legs  56 ,  56 ′ have free play within the space enclosed between the respective largest side surface  2 ,  2 ′ and extension leg  48 ,  48 ′ of the pair of extension legs  48 ,  48 ′ holding the force compensation coil. 
     From the ends that are attached to the first lever  18  by means of screw bolts  54 ,  54 ′, the legs  56 ,  56 ′ extend beyond the thin flexible coupling portion  14  of the first lever  18 , alongside the load receiver  5 , into the space occupied by the force transducer  43  and beyond the latter, thereby forming an extension of input lever arm  17  reaching beyond the narrower side  4 ′ of material block  1  that delimits the load receiver  5  on the side facing away from the stationary part  6 . At their opposite extremity from screw bolts  54 ,  54 ′, the legs  56 ,  56 ′ are connected by a brace  57  extending transverse to the plane of the parallelogram. Furthermore at that location on the legs  56 ,  56 ′, a coupling area  58  is formed for a calibration weight  59 . It is conceivable, but less advantageous, that the legs  56 ,  56 ′ extend beyond the narrow side  4 ′ of the material block  1  only as far as the space occupied by the force transducer  43  and are at that point continued far enough in an upward direction so that the coupling area will be located in a free space bordering on the top of the force transducer  43 . To avoid errors caused by an out-of-level condition, an arrangement is preferred where the center of gravity of the calibration weight  59 , the first support  23  of the first lever  18  and the thin flexible coupling portion  14  that connects the first lever  18  to the coupling member  16  are located on a common straight line. 
     The coupling area  58  is formed by the two ends of legs  56 ,  56 ′, which are configured as receiving forks  60 ,  60 ′. In more detail, each of the forks  60 ,  60 ′ has two prongs that diverge from their base pointing against the direction of gravity, the prongs having inside edges  61  serving as guides by which the calibration weight  59 , being lowered in the direction of gravity, is guided towards the base of the prongs where, through positive contact, it is held in its precisely defined working position. For this purpose, the cylindrical calibration weight  59  is equipped with appropriately dimensioned holding grooves  62 ,  62 ′ where the calibration weight  59  is engaged by the receiving forks  60 ,  60 ′. 
     Arranged on the base plate  41  of the balance and closely adjacent to the front side  63  of the force transducer  43  (facing away from the material block  1 ), an electrically powered lifting mechanism  64  (FIGS. 3 and 4) serves in the calibration mode to lower the calibration weight  59  onto the coupling area  58 , and for the normal working mode of the balance to lift it into a rest position where the calibration weight  59  is pushed home into a locked condition against a retaining bracket  65 ,  65 ′ that engages circumferential retainer grooves  66 ,  66 ′ of the calibration weight  59 . 
     As a result of this arrangement, the calibration force applied through the calibration weight  59  is multiplied by a ratio that is determined on the one hand by the distance between the first support  23  and the coupling area  58  and on the other hand by the length of the input lever arm  17 , i.e., the distance between the first support  23  and the thin flexible coupling portion  14 . Thus, the balance can be calibrated at full-load condition with a relatively small calibration weight. 
     The representations of FIGS.  4 ( a ) and ( b ), showing both sides of the lifting mechanism  64  in viewing directions perpendicular to the plane of the parallelogram, illustrate the feature that the essentially cylindrical calibration weight  59  has within its cylindrical surface  110  and running parallel to a tangential plane of the cylindrical surface  110  two mill-cut planar areas  111 ,  111 ′, each extending from the respective holding groove  62 ,  62 ′ (FIG. 2) into the area of the calibration weight  59  that lies between the two holding grooves  62 ,  62 ′. These two mill-cut planar areas  111 ,  111 ′ together form a planar surface domain where the calibration weight is supported at a fixed angle of rotation by two lifter legs  112 ,  112 ′ that are arranged below the mill-cut planar areas  111 ,  111 ′ and belong to a lifter element of the lifting mechanism  64  that is movable in the direction of gravity between the rest position and the calibrating position. Formed on the end face of the lifter leg  112  that faces one of the planar mill-cut areas  111  and separated from each other by a recessed portion  113  are two localized support contacts  114 ,  115  on which the calibration weight  59  rests with its planar mill-cut area  111 . In contrast, formed on the end face of the other lifter leg  112 ′ that faces the other planar mill-cut area  111 ′ there is only a single localized support contact  116  protruding above the general level of this end face. Therefore, the calibration weight  59  overall rests with its planar mill-cut areas  111 ,  111 ′ only on the three support contacts  114 ,  115  and  116 . In this manner, its angular orientation is precisely defined in the rest position. As a result, when lowered into the calibrating position, the calibration weight is always set down in the same angular orientation on the receiving forks  60 ,  60 ′ of the coupling area  58 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
       1  material block 
       2 ,  2 ′ largest side surfaces of the material block 
       3 ,  3 ′ longer narrow sides of the material block 
       4 ,  4 ′ shorter narrow sides of the material block 
       5  load receiver 
       6  stationary part 
       7 ,  7 ′ guide links 
       8 ,  8 ′ thin linear cuts 
       9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12  thin flexible portions at ends of guide 
     links 
       13 ,  13 ′ sections of thin linear cuts 
       14 ,  15  thin flexible coupling portions 
       16  coupling member 
       17  input lever arm 
       17 ′ output lever arm 
       18  first lever 
       19  portion of the stationary part 
       20  linear cut section 
       21  linear cut section 
       22  thin linear cut 
       23  first support 
       24  continuation of thin linear cut 
       25  linear cut section 
       26  drilled hole 
       27  second coupling member 
       28  thin flexible portion 
       29  thin flexible portion 
       30  second lever 
       31  thin linear cut 
       32 ,  33  drilled holes 
       34  linear cut section 
       35  thin flexible portion forming second support 
       36  enclosure top 
       37  cantilevered support 
       38  support surface 
       39  peripheral rim of enclosure top  36   
       40  upstanding rim of balance base plate  41   
       41  balance base plate 
       42  portion of second lever  30   
       43  force transducer 
       44 ,  44 ′ cantilever arms 
       45 ,  45 ′ tapped holes 
       46 ,  46 ′ screw bolts 
       47  platform 
       48 ,  48 ′ extension legs 
       49 ,  49 ′ spacers 
       50 ,  50 ′ tapped holes 
       51 ,  51 ′ screw bolts 
       52 ,  52 ′ ends of extension legs  48 ,  48 ′ 
       53 ,  53 ′ tapped holes 
       54 ,  54 ′ screw bolts 
       55 ,  55 ′ spacers 
       56 ,  56 ′ legs attached to first lever  18   
       57  brace 
       58  coupling area 
       59  calibration weight 
       60 ,  60 ′ receiving forks 
       61  guide (inner edge, guiding edge) 
       62 ,  62 ′ holding grooves 
       63  front side of the force transducer  43   
       64  lifting mechanism 
       65 ,  65 ′ retaining bracket 
       66 ,  66 ′ retainer grooves 
       100  servo control unit 
       110  cylindrical surface 
       111 ,  111 ′ mill-cut planar areas (planar portions) 
       112 ,  112 ′ lifter legs 
       113  recessed portion 
       114 ,  115  support contacts 
       116  support contact