Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-06-19
WEIGHING COINS,
HOW Light Weights Are Detected at the
Bank of Enxlan1

800 ->~~~>s ''S>f3AeS <AAo O0CoOtOu az WAS
Bank Of England.
In another room in this department
the weighing otfice-are seen the
machines for detecting light coin.
These machines are marvels of ingen-
| lous mechanism. Three or fonr hun
dred sovereigns are laid in a long
brass scoop or semi-tube, of such d.
ameter as to admit them comfortably,
and self-reg u!ating to such an incline
that the coins gradually slide down by
their own wei ght on to one plate OF a
little balance placed at its lower ex-
tremity. Across the face of this plate
two little bolts make alternate thrusts,
one to the right, one to the left, but
at slightly different levels. II the coin
be Of full weight, the balance is held
IN equipose, and the right-hand bolt,
making its thrust, pushes it off the
plate and down an adjacent tube into
the receptacle for full-weigAt coin. If,
on the other hand, the coin is ever SO
little "light.'' the balance naturally
rises with it. The right-hand bolt
makes its thrust as before, but this
time passes harmlessly beneath the
coin. Then comes the thrust Of the
luft~hand bolt, which, us we have said,
is fixed at tractionally hi gher level,
and pushes the coin down a tube on
tie opposite side. through which it
falls into the !jght-cojn receptacle.
The coins thus condemned arc after
ward dropped into another machine,
which defaces thems by {. cut half way
across their diameter, ut the rate Of
.2uOa minute. The weighing machines,
Of which there are sixteen, arc actuated
By small atmospheric engine in one
corner OF the room, the on,v manual
assistance required being to keep them
supplied with coins. 1t is said that
81, Ueo so, cvejgns and half-sovereigns
can be waivhcu here in a single day.
:! lie wciShing- luachne in question is
the Invention of Mr. Cotton, Il former
governor Of the bank, and among
scientific men is regarded as one ot
TIE most striking achievements Of
practical mechanics.
In the bullion department we find
another weighing machine OF Il differ
eEt character. but in its way equally
remarkable. 1t is the first of it's kind
having been designed specially for the
bank by Nj. james Murdoch Napier,
by whom it has been patented. 1t is
used for the purpose of weighing bull
lion, which is purchased in this de-
pArtment. Gold is brought in bars of
about s inches long, wide and inch
thick. A bar of gold of these dimen-
:sjons will weigh about 200 ounces. and
is worth, ii pure, about GsOp. Each
bar when brought in is accompanied
by memorandum of its weight. The
question of quality is determined by
the process of assaying; the weight is
checked bv means of the e;yhirg
machine we have referred TO. This
takes the form OF an extremely mas
siye palr IF scales, working on & beam
Of immense strength and solidity, and
is based, so as to be absolutely rigid,
on solid bed Of concrete. The whole
stands about 6 feet high by 8 wide,
and is inclosed in an air-tight plate
glass case, 4 sash N which is raised
when it is desired to use the machine
The two sides of the scales are each
kept permanently loaded, the one
with single weight of $50 ounces, the
other with number Of weights of va
rjous sizes to the same amount When
il is desired to test the weight OF bar
Of gold, weights to the amount stated
in the corresponding memorandum,
Jess half an ounce are removed from
the latter scale. and the bar Of gold
substituted in their place. Up to this
point the beam Of the scale is kept
perfectly horizontal, being main tanned
in that position by mechanical brake;
bur now Il stud is pressed, and by
means Of delicate machinery, actuated
; by water-power, the beam IS released.
Ii the weight of the bar has been cor
rectly stated in the memorandum, the
scale which holds it should BE- exactly
half an ounce in excess. This or any
less excess of weight over the $50
ounces in the opposite scale is instant
" registered by the machine, a pointer
travelling round a dial until it indicates
the proper amount The function of
the machine, however, is limited to
weio hing half an onnce only. Ii the
! Discrepancy between the two scales
as loaded IS greater than this, or if,
on the other hand, the bar of gold is
more than halt an ounce less than the
! amount stated in the memorandum
an electric bell rings by way of warn
| ipg, the pointer travels right rounC
the diaa, and returns to zero. So deli.
cate is the adjustment that the weight
OF half a penny postage stamp-some
what less than malt a grain-will Sc
! the nand in motion and be recorded
on the dial.
The stock Of gold in the bullion
vault varies from fl, O00.O 00 to $4,000.
| 900. The bars are laid side by side
on small fat trucks or barrows carry
ing 100 bars each. In a glass case in
tho vault is seen portion of the wal
indemnity paid by King Coffee, 0
Ashantee, consisting Of gold orna
ments, little short of standard fine
ness. Chnn1bers's Journal.