IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUND LEVER WEIGHING MACHINES to be as follows
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM SIMPSON, of N° 14 Elvet Street, Heaton, in the City and County of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Foreman Engineer to Messrs Henry Pooley and Son, do
hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUND
LEVER WEIGHING MACHINES to be as follows :-
"
My invention relates to improvements in weighing machines (specially such as
are adapted for heavy goods) which are themselves suspended, as from a crane or
other point of support, whereby the following advantages are obtained over
existing machines in use.
1st The weight is accurately ascertained to fractions of the whole, without steel-
yard adjustment and indicated by a pointer upon a large dial which can be read off
from the ground when the machine is suspended at a considerable height as at the
top of a crane or shear legs.
2nd The whole of the compound lever mechanism, tension springs, and adjust-
ment balances and indicating gear, are enclosed within a strong box, and cannot
be tampered with.
3rd The mode of attachment of the levers at their several working centres, is such
as to ensure great freedom of action giving perfect accuracy whether heavy or light
goods are being weighed, and the working mechanism is protected from injury by
guides which relieve it from any disturbing strains resulting from careless use.
4th The weights of the levers and other working parts are compensated by
balances, enclosed by the box, capable of the most delicate adjustment.
The machine is suspended froin the crane or other support by a shackle, bolted
to top of box, through which its feet project, forming double eyes fitted with knife-
edged centre pins from each of which are hung a pair of straps, the lower ends of
each pair supporting the fulcrum of a lever upon knife-edged ends of a centre pin
fixed in the lever at some distance above its centre line. The short ends of these
levers project toward each other and support each a short link upon knife-edges in
levers, and these links project through bottom of box and carry between them a
"swivel shackle" to which are attached the sling chains by which the goods to be
weighed are suspended. The long arms of the levers project to right and left of
the centre to the sides of box and are connected by box links working on knife-
edges to the short ends of another pair of levers above, having their fulcrums in
the top ends of links secured at their lower ends in brackets bolted to sides of box,

page_text: both ends working on knife-edged centre pins. The longer arms of these upper
levers project toward the centre of box and are attached by links working on
knife-edged centre pins to boxes which form the centre part of a platform which is
suspended from top of box by spiral springs of number and strength proportioned
to the size of machine. This suspended or "floating" platform is provided at ends
with small sheaves which run freely upon vertical guides on inside of box and is
thus kept truly in position.
The systems of compound levers are also protected from injury or disturbance of
their centres by careless handling, or when being transported, by guides attached
to juside of box in which guides they can move freely and without friction when
in their normal or working position..
The dead weight of the levers and of other working parts is compensated by
balance weights capable of the most accurate adjustment upon levers having their
fulcrums on knife-edged brackets bolted to sides of box, their centres resting on
knife-edges in the lower ends of swing loops, the longer arms of the lever projecting
toward centre of box and carrying balance weights adjustable by movement to or
from the fulcrums and further by being run up with lead. The swing loops rest
at their top ends on knife-edges in short pillars fixed in the foot of light frames the
horizontal arms of which project beyond the centre the ends of one overlapping and
working clear of the ends of the other so that the right hand arms are attached to
the short arm of the left hand main levers and the left hand arms to the short arın
of the right hand main lever the effect of the balance weights being to compensate
by pressure on the main levers at these points for the dead weight of the levers link,
and all the working parts the system thus being in perfect equilibrium and the
pointer at zero when unloaded. The indicating dial is of large diameter and
marked with tons in bold figures subdivided into hundredweights or other
convenient parts of a ton.
"
"
All the knife-edges, eyes and other working points are of steel or are steeled or
steel bushed; the levers preferably of cast steel, and the links, shackles and straps
of forged iron or steel.
Although I have described my invention as applied to a double system of
compound levers in pairs it will be obvious that it may be carried out with treble
or quadruple systeins of levers either in pairs or groups of pairs or any number of
levers yoked together the principle of the machine being the same.
Dated thi. 10th 1
100K

page_text: I WILLIAM SIMPSON of N° 14 Elvet Street, Heaton in the City and County of
Newcastle upon Tyne, Foreman Engineer to Messrs Henry Pooley and Son, do
hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUND
LEVER WEIGHING MACHINES" to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in weighing machines (specially such as
are adapted for heavy goods) which are themselves suspended, as from a crane or
other point of support, whereby the following advantages are obtained over existing
machines in use.
1st The weight is accurately ascertained to fractions of the whole, without steel-
yard adjustment and indicated by a pointer upon a large dial which can be read
off from the ground when the machine is suspended at a considerable height as at
the top of a crane or shear legs.
2nd The whole of the compound lever mechanism, tension springs, and adjust-
ment balances and indicating gear, are enclosed within a strong box and cannot
be tampered with.
3rd The mode of attachment of the levers at thoir several working centres, is
such as to ensure great freedom of action giving perfect accuracy whether heavy
or light goods are being weighed and the working mechanism is protected from
injury by guides which relieve it from any disturbing strains resulting from
careless use.
4th The weights of the levers and other working parts are compensated by
balances, enclosed by the box, capable of the most delicate adjustment.
The machine is suspended from the crane or other support by a shackle bolted
to top of the box which encloses the mechanism through which its feet project,
forming double eyes fitted with knife edged centre pins from each of which are
hung a pair of straps, the lower ends of each pair supporting the fulcrum of
a lever upon knife edged ends of a centre pin fixed in the lever at some distance
above its centre line.
The short ends of these lovers project toward each other and support each a
short link upon knife edges in levers, and these project through bottom of box
and carry between them a "swivel shackle" to which are attached the sling chains
by which the goods to be weighed are suspended. The long arms of the levers
project to right and left of the centre to the sides of box and are connected by
box links or struts working on knife edges to the short ends of another pair of
levers above, having their fulcrums in the top ends of links secured at their lower,
ends in brackets bolted to sides of box; both ends working on knife edged centre
pins. The longer arms of these upper levers project toward the centre of box and
are attached by links working on knife edged centre pins to boxes which form the
centre part of a platform which is suspended from top of box by spiral springs of
number and strength proportioned to the size of machine. This suspended or
"floating" platform may be provided at ends with small sheaves which run freely

page_text: both ends working on knife edged centre pins. The longer arms of these upper
levers K. K¹ project toward the centre of box B and are attached by links N
and O both working on knife edged centre pins to the centre part of a platform P,
which is suspended from top of box by spiral springs Q of number and strength
proportioned to the size of machine.
The dead weight of the levers and of other working parts is compensated by
balance weights T capable of the most accurate adjustment upon levers U having
their fulcrums on knife edged brackets V bolted to sides of box, their centres
resting on knife edges in the lower end of swing loops W the longer arms of the
lever projecting toward centre of box and carrying balance weights T adjustable
by movement to or from the fulcrums and further by being run up with lead.
The swing loops W rest at their top ends on knife edges in short pillars fixed in
the foot of light frames X the horizontal arms of which X' project beyond the
centre, the ends of one overlapping and working clear of the ends of the other so
that the right hand arms are attached to the short arm of the left hand main
lever E and the left hand arms to the short arm of the right hand main lever E¹
the effect of the balance weights being to compensate by pressure on the main
levers at these points for the dead weight of the levers, links, and all the working
parts the system thus being in perfect equilibrium and the pointer at zero " when
unloaded.
When goods to be weighed are hung by slings on shackle G the operation of
the compound system of levers causes the floating platform P to descend against
the tension of the springs Q a rack Y suspended from platform causing a pinion Z
to rotate and move a pointer attached to it round the dial.
A light spring on back of rack Y keeps its teeth in gear with those of the
pinion Z and a spring, attached to its lower end, corrects its tendency to act and
react when goods are being weighed through the elasticity of the platform springs Q
and thus the pointer is brought to rest at the proper weight indicated on the
dial. This latter controlling spring fitting forms part of my invention now under
provisional protection N° 5648 dated May 7, 1885.
The indicating dial shewn on Figure 5 to half the scale of the other Figures
is of large diameter and marked with tons to 50 in bold figures subdivided into
hundredweights or other convenient parts of a ton.
Figure 4 shews a machine constructed according to the principle of my invention
applied, instead of the usual steelyard with adjustable weight, to indicate on a dial
the weight on a platform weighing machine and fitted with relieving gear. B is
a box fitted in a convenient position in the weigh-cabin and containing a lever E,
having its fulcrum suspended on knife edges in links D, the upper ends of which
work on knife edges in brackets C, bolted to top of box. The short end of this
lever is connected with the short end of another lever K by box links or struts H,
the fulcrum of lever K being carried by links L attached to their lower ends to
brackets M, bolted to sides of box B, and the longer end of lever K is connected
by links N to platform P suspended from top of box by spiral springs Q. A rack Y
attached to platform P revolves a pinion Z and moves the pointer on dial indicating
the weight.
The weight on the platform of machine is transmitted to the longer end of
ever E by the rod R corresponding with that which in ordinary machines is
connected to the steelyard.
The relieving gear is shewn disengaged the weight on platform acting on the
ever E by the hooked link W resting on a knife edge, the relieving arm S being
ree from the lifting link T and kept so by the spiral spring U until the hand
ever V is pulled down when the hooked link W is raised and falls back off the
nife edge and the levers are free from weight. The small trigger gear shewn at
back of hooked link is for the purpose of putting it back onto knife edge.
An arrangement for allowing the "tare" is shewn consisting of a lever working
na fulcrum fixed to box attached by links to short end of lever E and loaded
t its longer end by moveable weights, a permanent weight compensating for the

page_text: dead weight of the levers and other working parts thus putting the machine in
equilibrium when unloaded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood
that I make no claim to the use of compound levers in weighing machines as I am
aware that machines so constructed and with steelyard adjustment are well known
but I declare that what I claim is
First. In weighing machines the combination of compound levers with spiral,
or other springs in such a manner that the weight suspended from the machine
will be indicated by a pointer upon a dial so as to be read off at a considerable
distance substantially as described and illustrated.
Second. In compound lever weighing machines the arrangement of levers U
weighted by adjustable weights T acting upon levers X. X' so as to exert a pres-
sure upon the short ends of levers E and El sufficient to compensate for the dead
weight of the system of compound lovers and other working parts requiring to be
balanced substantially as described and shewn.
Third. In compound lever weighing machines the method of transmitting the
ultimate effect of the system of levers to spiral springs by means of what I call
the floating platform P arranged and operating substantially as described and
shewn.
Fourth. The application of such a weighing machine in the modified form shewn
by Figure 4 of accompanying drawings to indicate on a dial the weight upon a
platform weighing machine in lieu of a steelyard substantially as described and
shewn.
Fifth. The combination of parts constituting the suspended weighing machine
arranged and operating as shewn by Figures 1. 2 and 3 and the combination of
parts constituting the modified form of machine as applied to platform machines
arranged and operating as shewn by Figure 4 of accompanying drawings.
Deted the 17th day of December 1885