An Improved Value-indicating Weighing Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar.,
1898
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 7th Jan.,
1899
An Improved Value-indicating Weighing Apparatus.
I, ARTHUR BRYCE MEES, of Comberton Villa, Stourbridge, in the County of
Worcester, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object so to construct and arrange the parts of an
instrument or machine for indicating the value of commodities that the price
per pound or other unit of the commodity being set on one dial or indicator
the total value of a commodity when placed on the instrument or machine shall
be shewn on a second dial or indicator. According to one of the arrangements
of my invention the instrument or machine consists of a spring balance the
spring of which has a certain number of effective coils. The upper end of spring
is fixed to a suspension rod which is suspended inside case of balance, this sus-
pension rod hangs within the spring and extends to the bottom of spring, the
lower end of the spring is attached to a bar from which is suspended the pan
or hook, in or on which the commodity is placed, this bar carries a pointer which
when the spring is extended moves over a dial or indicator which is marked to
indicate the total value. The suspension rod has a number of holes through its
diameter, these holes correspond to the spaces between the coils of the spring
so that when a pin is inserted between two coils it passes through suspension
bar and between two coils on opposite side of spring. The holes through the
suspension rod are of such a form that the pin bears in the centre and allows
the pin to follow the angle formed by the coils of the spring.
By inserting the pin through the suspension rod the coils which come below
the pin only are extended when any weight is put in pan.
The different positions of the holes in suspension rod are indicated on a dial
or indicator and are equivalent to the price per pound or other unit. The bar
is attached to the lower part of spring by means of a pin passing through two
opposite sides of spring, the bar pulling in the centre of pin midway between
coils of spring in like manner to the suspension rod attachment, for the purpose
of a central attachment to either of the connections to the spring.
The attachments are made in such a manner that when the pin is in the lowest
hole in the suspension rod, exactly two coils will be extended should any weight
be placed in the pan. For example say the instrument or machine is arranged
to indicate up to ten pounds commodities between one penny and two shillings
per pound and that the price per pound increases by halfpennies. The coiled
spring of the instrument would have by preference in this case forty eight
effective coils.
The total value dial or indicator would by preference be graduated or divided
into ten divisions or parts each division representing one shilling and each of
said ten divisions would be subdivided into twelve parts or subdivisions, each
part or subdivision representing one penny. The price per pound dial or indi-
cator would by preference be divided into forty seven divisions the lowest division
representing one penny and each of the other divisions representing one half-
penny increase so that the forty-seventh division equals two shillings per pound.

page_text: The total value dial or indicator is so divided that when the pin is inserted at
the division representing two shillings per pound, a weight of five pounds will
extend forty eight coils of the spring and the pointer will move over total valuc
dial or indicator and indicate ten shillings. Say for instance that the total value
of an article weighing five pounds is required at eight pence per pound.
The pin would be inserted at the fifteenth division marked eight pence per
pound, the pin in this position would cut off thirty two coils leaving only six
teen to extend so that the pointer would move over total value dial or indicator
a distance representing sixteen fortyeighths of ten shillings and indicate three
shillings and four pence.
Instead of placing the commodity in the pan of the instrument or machine,
the instrument or machine may be suspended to one end of the beam of a pair
of scales, the commodity placed in the pan attached to the other end of the
beam, weights placed in the pan of the instrument or machine to counterbalance
the commodity, and the total value shewn in the said dial or indicator.
instead of suspending the instrument or machine from a pair of scales, a pair
of scales or spring balance to shew the weight of the commodity may be sus-
pended from the instrument or machine, in which case the spring would be
adjusted to compensate for weight of the scales or spring balance.
Or
Instead of the total value being indicated on parallel vertical dials or indi-
cators, it may be indicated on a circular dial or indicator, the rectilinear motion
of the bar communicating a circular motion to the pointer of the circular dial
or indicator by means of a rack and pinion.
An improved value-indicating Weighing Apparatus.
I, ARTHUR BRYCE MEES, of Comberton Villa, Stourbridge, in the County of
Worcester, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object so to construct and arrange the parts of an
instrument or machine for indicating the value of commodities that the price
per pound or other unit of the commodity being set on one dial or indicator
the total value of a commodity when placed on the instrument or machine shall
be shewn on a second dial or indicator. In order that my invention may be
clearly rendered, reference may be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Fig. 1 represents in front elevation one of my improved value indicating weigh-
ing apparatus, the dial and weight pan being removed;
Fig. 2 represents a front elevation with the dial and weight pan in position.
Fig. 3 represents a vertical section through the side of the apparatus, the sus-
pension bar being partly in section. Fig. 4 represents the application of the
apparatus to a pair of ordinary beam scales. The same letters of reference indicate
the same parts in the said Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
a is the case of the apparatus b is the coiled spring c is the suspension bar
the upper end being secured to the case and forming an eye for suspending the
apparatus. The coiled spring b represented has twenty four effective coils;
but the number of effective coils in the spring can be varied according to the
maximum price per pound or other unit that the apparatus is constructed for.
The upper end of the coiled spring b is secured to the suspension bar c by
a pin d the lower end of the spring passes through two holes in the bar e which
is attached by a pin through the central hole to the hanger f. The hanger f

page_text: carries the rack which actuates the pinion h and moves the pointer i over
the dial k. The dial k is divided into ten parts representing shillings each
division being sub-divided into twelve parts representing pence. The weight
pan is attached to the lower end of the hanger f. The suspension bar c has a
row of twenty three holes passing through the centre which correspond to the
spaces between the coils of the spring b these holes are so formed that a ridge
or centre c¹ is left midway between the coils of the spring b. The upper part
of the dial k has a row of holes corresponding to the holes in the suspension
bar c each hole having its ratio or value indicated by figures. The apparatus
shewn is arranged to indicate ten pounds up to a maximum price of one shilling
per pound the price per pound being adjustable by means of the pin m to prices
increasing by halfpennies from one penny to one shilling. The spring b would
in this case be of such a strength that when the pin m is in the position marked
twelve pence, a weight of ten pounds when placed in the weight pan I extends
twenty four coils of the spring and the pointer i indicates ten shillings. The
pin m is shewn in the position marked one penny and allows two coils of the
spring to extend so that upon placing ten pounds in the weight pan the two
coils would extend two twenty fourths and the pointer i would indicate ten
pence which is two twenty fourths of ten shillings. The pin m when inserted
in any of the indicated holes cuts off the coils above the pin and allows the coils
coming below the pin to extend in various proportions of the maximum price.
The apparatus may be applied to scales or weighing machines in various ways;
one method of its application is represented with a pair of ordinary beam scales
in Figure 4. In this case the article or substance is placed on the pan n and
the weights placed in the pan to counterbalance the article or substance and
the total value in shillings and pence shewn on the dial k at the price per pound
to which the pin m has been set. The frame p is fixed to the case a and regu-
lates the travel of the scales. The units of value are varied according to the
use for which the apparatus is designed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I
claim as my invention of "An improved value indicating weighing apparatus":
scale
First. The improved apparatus for indicating the value of com-
modities at various ratios herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, B and 4 of the accompanying drawings the said
apparatus consisting essentially of a spring balance having one
and a removeable pin to indicate the price Har unit of the
article or substance to be valued and another scale or dial and pointer indicating
the total value of the substance or article acting on the spring of the apparatus,
the several parts of the apparatus being constructed, arranged and operating
substantially as herein before described.
Secondly. The combination of a spring balance value indicating apparatus
in connection with scales or weighing machines as shewn on Figure 4 of the
accompanying drawings, the parts of the said apparatus being constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described.
Thirdly. Varying the effective number of coils of springs in order to indicate
the value at various ratios of articles or substances operating the effective coils,
by means of a pin inserted between the coils, the said pin taking a bearing on one
of the centres of a suspension bar arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described.