An Improved Computing Weighing Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Computing Weighing Apparatus.
We, WILLIAM RICE DUNN, Inventor, and LYCURGUS HARRISON, Manufacturer,
both of Alton, Crawford County, Indiana, U.S.A., 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: —
This invention is a computing scale having a platform actuating a plurality of
beams, and the scale having two weights working respectively on beams, and
referring respectively to weight and price, so that upon the proper adjustment of
these weights, according to the price and the desired amount of the article, the
balancing of the scale will indicate that the proper amount of the commodity is
on the scale.
This specification is the disclosure of two forms of my invention, while the
claims define the actual scope of the invention.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure is a side elevation of the invention with parts broken away and in
section.
Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of one of the weights which I employ.
Figure is a plan view of the platform beams.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing the manner of slinging the scale
beams to the platform beams.
Figure 5 is a sectional view, on the line 55 of Fig. 1.
Figure 6 is a partial section of a modified form of the invention, adapted to a
balance.
Figure is a side elevation of a modified construction of the invention, parts
being broken away and in section.
Referring to the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the device has a
base 7 on which a platform S is supported by means of four legs 9, two of which
are shown in the drawings. The legs 9 respectively bear on knife edges 10, which
are four in number, and are produced two on each platform-beam 11. The two
platform beams 11 each have two additional knife edges 12 that respectively bear
on pedestals 13 standing within the base 7.
As shown in Fig. 7, the knife edges 12 bear in swinging loops 14° suspended
from above said knife edges. Inward of the knife edges 12, the beams 11 are
provided with knife edges 14 connected with each other by a link 15, by which
means the beams 11 are connected with each other, the beams being arranged one
above the other, as shown in Fig 1. Each beam 11 has its inner end provided
with an arm 16. (Fig. 3) which arms project oppositely to each other and longi-
tudinally past the adjacent knife edges 10 and 12, and have their extremities bent
transversely to form projections 17. Each projection 17 carries two links 18
(Fig. 4) which hang down therefrom and form slings for the feet 19 of the rods 20

page_text: such rods extending upward from the projections 17 and respectively through the
columns 21 of the scale. A screw 22 is passed through each projection 17 and
engages the respective feet 19, so as to prevent excessive play of the parts. By
this arrangement, the rods 20 are slung on the beams 11 so as to be sensitive to
the movements thereof, such movements of the beams 11 being in turn effected by
the platform S. (Fig. 1.)
A scale beam 23 is mounted at its left-hand end on the left-hand column 21,
through the medium of the knife edges 24 bearing in orifices in the column. The
right-hand end of the beam 23 has knife edges 5 respectively bearing in recesses
formed in two plates 26, that are fastened side by side to the right-hand rod 20:
the drawings show but one of these plates 26. The poise of the scale beam 23
may be adjusted by means of a weight 27 working on an angular screw-threaded
arm S, supported from the scale-beam 23. Two weights 29 and 30 slide on the
scale beam 23. The weight 29 is adapted to be seated in a recess 31 formed in the
upper edge of the scale-beam 21, when the scoop of the scale is on the platform.
whereupon the weight 29 will counterbalance the scoop and maintain the
equilibrium of the scale. The weight 30 slides along graduations on the scale
beam 23. and may be used for tare purposes, or for balancing the scale after the
plate or dish has been placed on the platform. A beam 2 having its right-hand
portion graduated to indicate prices per pound, and having its feft-hand portion
provided with a counterweight, is provided with two plates 84 riveted to the
beam and having knife edges 35 bearing upward in orifices 6 formed in the left-
hand column 21. Fixed to the upper ends of the rods 20 and extending horizontally
between the two, is a scale beam 37, which may be provided with graduations, and
having a fulcrum 38 slidable thereon. The faterum 38 is provided with an
upwardly projecting plate 39, which is adapted to engage the underside of the
price beam 32 and move the heam upward, so that it will swing on the knife
edges 35, the scope of such swinging movement being regulated by the counter-
weight, and by the position of the fulcrum 38 on the scale-beam 37, and con-
sequently, by the pound on the price-beam 32, which is engaged by the plate .
The left-hand end of the price beam 32 is provided with two knife-edges 40, that
respectively engage eyes formed in the lower ends of links 41. The links 41
are two in number and are arranged one on each side of the scale. The drawings
ehow only one link. These links 41 are attached to the main beam of the scale,
and the left end of the price beam 32 drawing downward. actuates said main
beam of the scale.
The main beam of the seale is formed of two horizonial parts 42 and 43. These
parts are joined to each other by end portions 44, and are each graduated and
numbered, so that they will indicate pounds, dollars and cents. The part 43 of
the main beam has two knife edges 45. bearing on pedestals 46 supported by the
top rail 47 of the frame of the scale, such rail in turn being supported by the
columns 21. The upper end of each link 41 has an eye, and these eyes respectively
receive knife edges 48 carried one at each side of the part 43 of the main scale
beam. On the part 43 of the main scale beam, a weight 49 is mounted to slide;
and a pea 50 is mounted to slide on the portion 42 of the main scale beam. The
poise of this beam is adjusted by means of the weight 51 working on the screw-
threaded portion of the arm 52 that is fixed to the beam. The Tree end of the
main seale beam is guided by means of an arm 53 standing on the rail 47: and
the free end of the main scale beam is also provided with a weight support 54
pendent therefrom. The weight support 54 is designed to receive weights such as
are shown in Fig. 2. These weights may be provided with numerals, as shown in
Fig. 2. such numerals indicating the pounds when weighing for pounds, reading
the large figures only, and the numerals indicating cents when weighing for value,
reading both large and small figures for cents. Thus 500 ernis ($5.00) are
indicated in Fig. 2. The same system of numbers is used on the main scale beam.
The invention may be used both for weighing pounds and owners, and also for
weighing goods according to the price thereof. To weigh goods weighing pounds

page_text: and ounces simply, the fulcrum 38 should be moved on the scale beam 31, so that
the plate 39 will bear against the price beam 32 at the graduation 10 thereof,
such graduation being positioned with the knife-edges 35 directly equidistant
between the graduation 10 and the knife edges 40. Movement transmitted from
the platform S to the scale beam 37 will be in turn transmitted to the price beam 32,
and will be transmitted from said bean without variation to the main scale beam;
and such beam will be balanced according to the adjustment of the peas 49 and 50
thereof: which adjustment should have been previously made to accord with the
desired weight of merchandise. To weigh the goods according to the price thereof,
the graduations on the main scale beam are considered as dollars and cents. Now,
should a customer desire 50 cents worth of goods at 10 cents per pound, the pea 50
should be moved to the graduation 5° of the part 42 or 43 of the main scale beam.
and the fulcrum 38 should be moved on the scale beam 37 until the plate 39 is
engaged with the price beam 32 at the graduation 10 thereof. According to the
balance of the main scale beam, it may be known that the requisite amount of
merchandise is on the platform S. In the use of the scale the peas 29 and 80
should be manipulated for the purpose before described.
The form of my invention shown in Fig. 6 is simply an adaptation of the inven-
tion to a balance. This is effected by substituting for one pan of the balance
a beam 55, whereon slides a fulcrum 38" similar to the fulcrum 38, and having a
plate 39 similar to the plate 39. The plate 39 engages a beam 32" similar to the
beam 32, which in turn transmits movement to the main scale beam through the
medium of links 41" similar to the links. The operation of the invention in
this form is exactly the same as in the form first described.
It will be observed that the scale herein shown and described has no surplus
beams or counterweights to balance the platform, or the levers under the platform,
as each counterbalances the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is;
-
1. The combination with a frame, of a platform mounted and movable
thereon, platform beams in connection with the platform. rods in con-
nection with the platform beams and extending vertically, a scale beam
extending horizontally between the rods and rigidly connected thereto,
a fulerum movable along the scale beam, a second scale beam pivoted on the
frame and having pivotal connection with one of said rols, weights movable on the
second scale beani, a price beam mounted on the frame and engaged by the fulcrum
on the first named scale beam, a main scale beam mounted on the frame, and a
connection between the price beam and the main scale beam.
2. The combination of a frame, a platform mounted on the frame, platform
beams beneath the platform and supporting the same, vertically extending rods
connected with the platform beams, a horizontal scale beam rigidly attached to the
rods and extending between the same, a second scale-beam pivotally mounted on
the frame and pivotally connected with one of the rods, a weight movable on each
of the scale beams, a price beam mounted on the frame and engaged by one of the
weights, a main scale beam mounted on the frame, the main scale beam having
two parallel portions, a weight movable on each of said portions, and a link con-
necting the price beam with the main scale beam.
3. In a seale. the combination with the frame, of a platform, two platform
beams mounted beneath the platform and supporting the platform, an extension
carried by each platform beam, the extensions running oppositely to each other
and having laterally bent end portions, links carried on said end portions, and
scale beams hung in said links and actuated by the scale-beams.
4. The combination with the frame. of a platform and platform beams, a scale
beam having connection with the platform beams and moved vertically thereby,
a falerum movable along the said scale beam, a price heam having upwardly dis-

page_text: posed knife edges bearing against the frame, the price beam being engaged by the
fulcrum of the said scale beam, a main scale beam mounted on the frame, and a
link connecting the price beam with the main scale beam.
5. The combination with the frame and platform mechanism, of the horizontally
disposed beam moved vertically by said platform mechanism, a fulcrum movable
along the beam, a price beam located above the fulcrum and capable of being
engaged thereby, the price beam having upwardly disposed knife edges bearing
against the frame, a main scale beam mounted on the frame, and a connection
between the price beam and the main scale beam.
6. In a scale, the combination with the frame, of a platform, two platform
beams fulcrumed beneath the platform on a stationary support and projected toward
each other from said fulerumis, a link connecting the beams at their inner or free
ends, the beams supporting the platform, an arm for each beam, the arms running
oppositely to each other and respectively toward the fulcrum of the beams, and
scale mechanism connected with the arms of the beams.
14. 1900
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents.