A New and Improved Machine for Weighing Coal in Small Quantities.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 30th May, 1891
A New and Improved Machine for Weighing Coal in
Small Quantities.
WILLIAM LUKE EVANS, Inspector of Weights and Measures, Town Hall,
Cardiff County of Glamorgan. I do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
This invention is intended to meet the requirements of a very large number of
people, who are at present unable to see that they get the correct weight when buying
coal or other produce in small quantities, a desideratum long sought for, and one
which will be received with great satisfaction.
Hitherto the machines used for the weighing of coal have required the tare to be
deducted from the gross weight, consequently was open to great fraud, as much as
28 lbs. in the hundredweight has been deficient.
By the Weights and Measures Act of 1889 which came into operation on the
1st day of January 1890. All dealers in coal are compelled to carry suitable
weighing instruments for the trade and to deliver to the purchaser a sale ticket for
quantities of 2 cwt. and to weigh the coal in the presence of the purchaser.
The improvement in this machine over all others is to make the bucket, basket
bag or other suitable vessel, part and parcel of the machine, so that no deductions
from or additions to are required.
The weighing machine is so constructed, that unless the vessel contains the
quantity of coal asked for, it cannot be removed from its position in consequence of
two bars of curved iron or bolts being fixed to the frame-work to which is suspended
a spring balance, and so placed that when 112 pounds are weighed, the bottom of
the bucket, basket, or bag, whichever the machine is adjusted for, touches the
saddle on the sill or base of the frame-work and the hooks and the chains released,
the coal is then free to be conveyed to the purchaser, who can if he chooses be
satisfied that he has the weight required, by looking at the indicator on the dial
plate.
The accompanying drawing is the machine.
Figure 1. The frame.
"
2. The spring balance.
3. The bucket &c.
"
4. Curved irons & bolts.
"
"
5. Bolt through sill & bed.
"
6. Angle iron screwed to cart.
7. The saddle on the sill.
"
"9
8. The conveyance.
Dated this 29th day of April 1890.
TA

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Machine for Weighing Coal in
Small Quantities.
I WILLIAM LUKE EVANS Inspector of Weights and Measures Town Hall,
Cardiff, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to meet the requirements of a large number of
people who are at present unable to see that they get the correct weight when
buying coal in small quantities.
Hitherto the machines used for the weighing of coal have required the tare to be
deducted from the gross weight, consequently open to great fraud.
My improvement is to supply a basket, bucket or bag, or other suitable vessel,
and make it part and parcel of the machine, so that no deduction nor additions are
required.
The weighing machine is so constructed that unless the vessel contains the
quantity of coal asked for it cannot be removed from its position in consequence of
two bars of curved iron or bolts fixed to the frame work of the machine to which
is suspended a spring balance and so placed that when one hundred weight is
weighed the bottom of the bucket or its equivalent touches the centre of the
saddle No. 7 on Provisional Drawing or the sill on base of the frame work it is
then free to pass under either of the two curved bars (4 on the Provisional
Drawing before mentioned).
It is obvious that when the bucket and its contents are light that the top portion
will be above these bars and therefore the bucket cannot be withdrawn, but when
it is of the correct weight it will descend by reason of its gravitation and therefore
will with ease pass under the bars, the bucket resting on the V shaped sill B the
apex being on the top it will fall over on either side.
The bucket is suspended by a chain (A) which is slung on to a spring balance
weighing machine the ends of the chain where attached are provided with shaped
hooks (A) which are bent in such a way, so as to easily be released when the bucket
touches the apex of the sill as before described.
The coal is then free to be conveyed to the purchaser, who can be satisfied that
the weight is correct by looking at the indicator on the dial face.
In the accompanying Provisional Drawing,
No. 1 represents the frame to which the spring balance No. 2 is attached, and
from which the bucket No. 3 is suspended, No. 4 is the curved iron bars, under
which the bucket passes, No 5 is the bolt that attaches the frame work to the bed
of the cart, No 6 is the attachment which connects the side of the frame to the cart,
No. 7 is a detailed side view of the sill or saddle shewing the apex on which the
bucket rests, No. 8 is the cart to which the apparatus is fixed.
The sarino balance is to be engraved and painted.
The frame of the machine is to be made of wood or iron or other metal.
The buckets baskets or bags are all to weigh respectively the same weight so as
to tare correctly.
For example if the spring balance be adjusted for buckets each bucket must
weigh say 14 lbs., baskets 8 lbs. and bags in like manner, so that any number of each
can be of use.
The small chain on drawing about 12 inches long is to be attached to the
frame to place the bucket &c. at an angle to allow 2 men to work at a time one
on cach side of the machine.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is as follows.
Firstly. The frame attached to a cart, with spring balance as herein set forth.
Secondly. Fixed bars to prevent bucket from being withdrawn unless sufficiently
loaded.
Thirdly. The saddle or ✓ shaped sill for bucket to rest on.
Fourthly. The hooks as described to allow the bucket to be easily released.
A new & improved machine for weighing coal in small quantities.
WILLIAM LUKE EVANS,
Inspector of Weights and Measures, &c.,
Town Hall, County Borough of Cardiff.