Improvements in the Dials and Computing Scales of Spring Balances.
Year: 1897

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by DANIEL MYERS of 69 Clinton Street, Cleveland,
Ohio, United States of America, Wholesale Druggist.]
Improvements in the Dials and Computing Scales of Spring Balances.
I, CHARLES JUNGE, of Lincoln Chambers, 75 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Consulting 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 relates to improvements in spring balance computing scales which
employ a rotatable dial; and particularly to the manner of graduating the dial
whereby its capacity for indicating values at different rates is increased without
increasing its size; and to the combination of a flexible dial and a stiffening
frame, with means whereby the said dial will be held flat and smooth upon the
frame under the varying changes in the atmospheric conditions.
Dials for computing scales are usually made of paper, cloth, celluloid, or other
analogous flexible material, which, under different atmospheric conditions,
absorbs moisture and thereby loses its stiffness, the result being that, although the
dial is secured upon a stiffening frame usually made of metal, said dial does not
always lie smooth and flat, but often becomes puckered and wrinkled more or
less.
The rotatable dials of computing scales are divided into annular columns, and these
columns contain value indicating figures. The dial lies behind a bar or plate
having a sight opening, and rate indicating figures are placed upon the bar or
the edge of the sight opening in line with the corresponding annular columns of
value indicating graduations.
The drawing shows a construction embodying my invention, and in the drawing,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a spring balance computing scale, with a part of the
face plate and scale frame broken away to show a considerable part of the dial;
Figure 2 is a rear view of the dial; Figure 3 is a section through one of the spokes
of the dial frame, and Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Figure 2.
Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the dial of a spring balance com-
puting scale, which when a weight is placed upon the scale pan, (not shown) revolves
proportionately in the direction of the arrow b. C represents the face plate which
is placed over the dial, and is provided with two sight openings e e¹ on opposite
sides of the axis of the dial.
The dial is divided into annular columns a, a¹, a³, a³, a¹, a³, a", a7, as of which
there may be any desired number. The outer column a is the weight column,
and it is divided by radial lines f to indicate as many pounds as the scale will weigh
with one revolution of the dial, in the present case ten pounds. In the face plate
the sight opening is cut over the weight column through which a little more than
one-tenth of the column may be seen, that is to say a little more than the

page_text: space devoted to one pound. The space devoted to each pound is subdivided,
by lines f¹, into sixteen equal divisions representing ounces.
The other annular columns are the value columns. Each column is divided by
two series of approximately radial indicating lines dd, which extend partly
across the column from opposite sides thereof,-that is to say, from the two
circles e e which separate said column from the adjacent columns. Each value
column may be seen at two places viz., through the two sight openings c c.
On the lower or reading edge of the sight opening c, in line with the several columns
are placed the rate indicating figures 6, 8, etc. And upon the upper and reading
edge of the sight opening c are other rate indicating figures 5, 7, etc. Any figure
may be used as rate indicating figures, provided the value columns are correspond-
ingly divided. The reading edges of the two sight openings correspond with a
diametrical line. Each of the value columns has, therefore, associated with it, two
rate indicating figures on opposite sides of the face plate. Take the column a8
for example. The indicating marks which extend inward from the outer
dividing circle e, are to be read in conjunction with the rate figure on the face
plate at the right. The number of these marks is such that they divide the
columns into equal spaces, each representing one cent of value at six cents per
pound. Since the scale in one revolution of the dial weighs ten pounds, and ten
pounds at six cents amounts to sixty cents, there are sixty divisions
formed by the marks d. At intervals value indicating figures are
placed adjacent to said marks, so that they may be read right side
up through the sight opening c. These figures correspond with the
number of divisions from the zero point, and indicate the value, at the rate indicated
on the face plate, of any article on the scale pan which turns the dial so as to
bring them in line with the reading edge of the sight opening. The zero line
of the dial is in line with said reading edge of the sight opening c when the scale
is empty.
The indicating marks d across the inner periphery of said column a8,--that
is the marks which extend from the inner division circle e¹,-are to be read in
conjunction with the rate figure 5 on the reading edge of the left sight opening c¹.
These lines divide this part of the column into fifty spaces, representing each
one cent, because at. five cents per pound, ten pounds will amount to fifty cents.
Indicating figures are placed at intervals in the column adjacent to such inner
indicating marks, and they are so placed that they may be read right side up,
through the left sight opening c. The figures to be read in conjunction with the
inner value division marks in any column, are therefore inverted with respect to
the figures which are to be read in conjunction with the outer value division
marks. The zero line for the figures which are to be read at the left, is in
line with the reading edge of the sight opening c¹, when the scale is empty.
The other value columns are divided like the column a8 to indicate values
upon one side of the axis of the dial at one rate, and upon the other side of the axis
at another rate. For example, the column a' is divided at its outer edge into
eighty divisions and at its inner edge into seventy divisions. Value figures
readable through sight opening c, are associated with the outer divisions, and
relatively inverted figures which are readable through sight opening e, are
associated with the inner divisions. Any number of columns may be formed upon
the dial, and any rate per pound may be placed upon the face plate, provided the
corresponding column is proportionately divided.
It should be here stated that to prevent confusion in reading the indications
upon the dial, the value figures and marks which are to be read at the right, and
those which are to be read at the left, should be printed in contrasting colors.
It will be noticed that the dial bears two sets of annular rows of value indicating
figures, the figures in one set being inverted with respect to, the figures in the
'other set, which figures indicate progressive values at different rates, and that
one set of rows appears right side up on one side of the center and is to be read
through the corresponding sight opening and in conjunction with the rate figure

page_text: on the reading edge thereof, while the other set appears right side up through the
other sight opening and is to be read in conjunction with the rate figures on the
edge thereof, this being the essential characteristic of the invention.
The dial frame G consists of a hub g, longitudinally corrugated or grooved
spokes g, a rim g², and a rearwardly projecting cylindrical flange g' on the outer
edge of the rim,--this frame being stamped out of sheet metal. The frame thus
constructed is light but stiff, and it may be additionally strengthened by a
disk J having an annular cylindrical flange j,-which disk is secured to the rear
side of the hub g, while the flange jabuts and is soldered to the inner ends of
the turned up sides of the spokes.
The flexible dial A may be made of paper, cloth, celluloid or other suitable
material. At intervals holes are made in it near its edge, and eyelets a³ are
secured in these holes to prevent the surrounding material from being torn.
Similar holes g are made in the rim of the frame.
H, H represents springs, which are secured to the rear side of the rim; they
have outwardly bent ends which extend loosely through the holes g in the
rim and into the eyelets a³, with which they engage, and exert a continuous force
upon the edge of the dial away from the center.
These springs, as shown, consist of small pieces of spring wire having both
ends h bent outward and extended through the holes g and into the eyelets.
The middle part of the spring, which is slightly bent outward from said holes,
is soldered to the rim g². This form of spring is simple, light and effective, but
any other form of spring might be substituted. The connection between the rim
and springs may be strengthened by the rearwardly extended tongues which
are pressed out of the rim,and between which the middle parts of the spring
lie.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
from abroad, I declare that what I claim is;-
1. In a computing scale, a dial having on its face two sets of concentric rows
of figures, which rows respectively represent progressive values at different rates,
the figures in one set of rows being inverted with respect to the other figures,
and the rows of one set beginning in a common zero line upon one side of the
dial, while the rows of the other set begin in a common zero line upon the
opposite side of the dial, combined with a face plate having two sight openings
on opposite sides of the center, the reading edge of one sight opening having rate
indicating figures in line with the rows of value indicating figures on the dial
which appear right side up through said sight opening, the other sight opening
having on its reading edge other rate indicating figures in line with the rows
of value indicating figures which appear right side up through said sight opening,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a computing scale, a dial having a plurality of annular columns each
of which is subdivided by two series of value-graduations and is provided with two
sets of associated value figures, the figures in one set being inverted with respect
to those in the other set, substantially as and for the purnose specified.
3. In a dial, the combination of a stiff frame and a flexible dial having a series
of holes near its edge, with a series of springs engaging with the dial in said
holes, and exerting their force to draw the edge of the dial away from the center,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a dial, the combination of a stiff frame having a series of holes, and a
flexible dial having corresponding holes near its edge, with a series of springs
secured to the frame extended through the holes therein and into the holes in the
dial, and exerting their force to draw the edges of the dial away from the center,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a dial, the combination of a stiff frame having a series of holes, and a
flexible dial having corresponding holes in which eyelets are secured, with a

page_text: plurality of spring-wires having outwardly-turned ends which pass loosely through
two holes in frame and into the said eyelets, the middle part of said wires being
bent outwardly and soldered to said frame, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.