Improvements in Steelyard Weighing Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1898-Accepted, 11th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steelyard Weighing Apparatus.
I, CHARLES HENRY MATTICE, a Citizen of the United States, residing at Troy,
in the County of Renaselaer, State of New York, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
-
One object of my invention is to produce improvements in scales, whereby deli-
cately accurate measurements of the weights of ponderable bodies may be ascer-
tained throughout ranges of minute gradations, without the employment of the
ordinary loose or shifting weight measures.
Another object is to produce a magnified scale indicator of the movement of
a weight or weight measure to and from the fulcrum of a scale beam.
Another object of my invention is to produce a delicate beam clamping mecha-
nism, by which the beam may be secured in the horizontal position to steady it,
and afterwards released without shock or jar of any kind to disturb its equili-
brium when the weight is properly adjusted upon it.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. I is a side elevation of one form of my scale complete, showing it in the
stationary position and the weight adjusted to zero;
Fig. II is a similar view, showing the clamping mechanism released;
Fig. III is a view of the weight portion of the scale, with the weight retired to
its furthest point from the fulcrum;
Fig. IV is a transverse vertical section through the weight end of the beam,
and the weight, showing the weight at zero;
Fig. is a similar view, showing the weight as in the position shown in
Fig. III;
Fig. VI is an end view of the scale, looking towards the weight end of the beam,
with the weight detached;
Fig. VII is an interior end view of the weight detached;
Fig. VIII is a top plan view of the scale, with the weight in the position shown
in Fig. III;
Fig. IX is a side elevation of the clamping mechanism, with the sheath removed;
Fig. X is a view, taken at right angles, showing the clamping mechanism open;
and
Fig. XI is a similar view, showing the clamping mechanism closed.
In the drawing I have illustrated one and that the simplest form of embodi-
ment of my invention. It is to be understood that I contemplate in practice the
employment of any of the well known accessories to weighing scales of the different
varieties now in public use, and that I do not limit the application of my inven-
tion to any special variety or class of weighing scales.
With this provision, I shall proceed to the description of the drawings, refer-
ence being had to the figures thereon.
1 indicates the base of the standard scale illustrated for example, and 2 the

page_text: upright, beam support, or standard thereon. Those parts being merely illustra-
tive of mechanism for supporting a beam do not require special description.
The standard, as illustrated, is preferably a bifurcated head 3, the arms of which
are provided with bearing recesses or boxes 4 within which, as by means of trun-
nions 5, the beam 6 is pivotally supported or fulcrumed, the connections between
the boxes and the trunnions constituting the fulcrum.
The usual means for rendering the beam delicately vibratory, such for example,
as knife edges upon the trunnions, may be employed.
Upon one extremity the beam carries a pan, platform, or other support 7, car-
ried, for example, as illustrated, upon studs 8, and in the form shown, held upright
by a vertical rod 9 pivotally connected to a horizontal rod 10 that is also pivoted
at the bottom of the base, as for example, underneath the upright 2, thus securing
parallel movement between the beam 6 and the rod 10.
The end of the beam may be screw threaded to carry an adjustment nut 12,
and may be provided near its fulcrum with a vertically adjustable plug or screw 13
for raising and lowering the center of gravity, in order to secure most delicate
adjustments.
sure.
14 indicates a rigid, coaxial prolongation or extension of the beam C, consti-
tuting in fact that end of the beam which extends beyond the opposite side of the
fulcrum from that side on which the beam, numbered 6 the drawings, extends.
It is, in fact, the scale end of the beam, or that end which carries the scale mea-
It is cylindrical in shape and is screw threaded to fit the internally screw
threaded bore of the tube 15 that is secured to and forms a part of the weight 16.
By turning the weight, the tube 15, working on the screw threads of the part 14,
may be made to travel with regularity and precision of movement to or from the
fulcrum of the beam, the change of leverage thus obtained sufficing, in accordance
with well-known laws, to render the single weight 16 available to measure accur-
ately within prescribed limits the weight of any object which may be placed in
the pan 7.
The pitch of the correlative screw threads upon the projections 14 and within
the bore of the tube 15 determines the degree of the axial movement, or move-
ment in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the beam, which the weight 16
makes with each complete revolution. Therefore, the pitch of the threads may be
changed at will to suit the character of the scale upon which they are intended to
be employed, and the kind of work which the scale is intended to do. Not only is
a certain axial movement imparted to the weight in each complete revolution, but
each complete revolution is susceptible of subdivision, and cach degree of sub-
division, however minute, will indicate a proportionate axial movement of the
weight, each degree of the axial movement of the weight in scales of sufficiently
delicate adjustment being sufficient to disturb a previously established equilibrium
in the beani
By this means the most delicate differences or variations between bodies to be
weighed in the pan 7 may be accurately ascertained.
It may be apprehended, however, that in scales of minute graduations the num-
ber of screw threads to the inch (it being practicable to make them one hundred
or more to the inch) would be so great as to render the axial movement of each
complete revolution of the beam practically illegible and the reading of the axial
movement produced by a partially complete revolution thereof impossible. On
that account, I provide a magnified scale indicator, which affords means for readily
reading the most minute axial movement of the weight produced by a complete
revolution thereof, or by any portion of a complete revolution thereof.
I accomplish this by projecting, in effect, the lines of the screw threads upon
a scale exhibitor of greater diameter than the screw 14, the increase of diameter
being practically determinable by the pitch of the threads of the screw, and the
consequent degree of magnification required.
As complementary to the scale exhibitor on the beam, I prefer to provide both
an indicator and a scale exhibitor upon the weight. In its indicative capacity,

page_text: the
the indicator upon the weight will readily declare the axial movement of the weight
obtained through a complete revolution thereof, with reference to
scale exhibitor upon the beam, and in its capacity as an additional scale exhibitor,
it indicates the axial movement produced through any portion of a complete revolu-
tion of the weight upon its screw.
In the form of embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the scale exhibitor upon
the beam, or the beam scale exhibitor, as it may be called, consists of a cylinder 17
coaxially secured to and made part of the beam 6, as by a disc head 18.
As illustrated, the cylinder 17 surrounds the screw 14 with which, as stated, it
is coaxial. The disc 18 is in line with the fulcrum of the beam, and its weight is,
therefore, not of consequence. If, however, the weight of the cylinder 17 were
considerable it would necessitate an increased length of beam, which would be
objectionable in small scales.
For that purpose I prefer to employ a hollow cylinder, which enables it to per-
form its function of scale exhibitor without material increase of weight upon the
end of the beam to which it belongs. This is particularly true, if it be made of
light material, for example, of aluminium.
The scale exhibitor upon the weight consists of a cylinder 19 coaxial with the
cylinder 17 and of an internal diameter to neatly fit upon the exterior of the
cylinder 17 so that when the weight is turned upon the screw 14 the cylinder 19
slips smoothly, without friction, upon the surface of the cylinder 19, both parts
being for that purpose preferably highly polished. The edge of the cylinder 19
is preferably slightly beveled, as indicated at 20, and presents an inclined surface
toward the cylinder 17. That inclined boss 20 is graduated so as to indicate
degrees of revolution of the cylinder 19, or, which is equivalent, of the weight 16
in terms of subdivision of the unit of weight to which the scale is adapted.
It is not material that the cylinder 19 should fit upon the outside of the
cylinder 17. It is sufficient that either one telescope within the other, but if the
cylinder 17 be the outside cylinder, the scale measures illustrated in the drawings
are interchanged, the circular scale appearing upon the cylinder 17 and the axial
scale appearing upon the cylinder 19. It is obvious that in such modified form of
my invention the cylinder 19 may be made solid, if preferred, and be itself provided
with an internally screw threaded bore to fit the screw threaded prolongation 14.
In the scale illustrated the unit of weight is the grain of the troy system, 480
grains being indicated on the cylinder 17, with marks on the cylinder to indicate
subdivision into twentieths, twenty grains being indicated by each complete revolu-
tion of the weight 16 and its cylinder 19, and the subdivision of each complete
revolution being subdivided into units of one grain each, as indicated by the num-
hered lines upon the boss 20. Further subdivision of each grain into fourths is
indicated upon the boss 20 by short lines displayed between the numbered lines
on the boss
Upon the end of the weight 16 and coincident with its axis knurled discs or
knobs 21 and 22, respectively, for imparting rotation to the weight, are provided.
The larger knob 21 may be called the fine adjustment and the smaller knob or pin,
it may be, 22 is the coarse adjustment. The smaller pin will, through a twist
given to it by the thumb and finger of an operator impart several rotations to
the weight, while the larger knob will impart only one rotation, or a part of a
rotation. This affords simple and convenient means for shifting the weight from
place to place, as required.
The next feature of my invention consists in clamping mechanism, which, in its
preferred embodiment, consists of an upright sheath 23 upon the base 1. Within
this sheath is confined vertically movable rods 24 and 25, each preferably being
a half cylinder and, conjointly, neatly fitting within the sheath. One of the rods,
as for example 24, carries a hook 26 which is supported by a slightly elongated
shank 27. The other rod carries a crotch or fork 28, which fits into the off-set
afforded by the position of the shank and is adapted to move vertically in a path
directly opposite the hook 26.

page_text: The hook and the crotch constitute clamping jaws, in addition to which I employ
jaw actuating mechanism, for simultaneously actuating the jaws in opposite direc-
tions. Such actuating mechanism preferably consists of a shaft 29 rotatably
secured in the walls of the sheath and provided with a knurled head 30 for rota-
ting it. The shaft carries oppositely disposed cams 31 and 32, that are fixed to
it. These cams move in recesses 33 in the rods 24 and 25, respectively, and, by
the rotation of the shaft, impart the required motion to the jaws, the vertical
movement of the rods 24 and 25 being permitted by longitudinal kerfs 34 in them,
through which the shaft 29 passes.
The beam 6 may be provided with an angular pointer 35 which moves vertically
across the shank 27 of the hook 26, the shank being provided with a line 36 on
its outside to indicate when the beam is in equilibrium.
In operation, the body to be weighed is placed upon the pan or support 7 and the
weight 16 is adjusted in the manner described, until the pointer 35 indicates upon
the line 36 that the beam is in equilibrium. The weight may then be read by com-
parison of the scale measures upon the cylinder 17 and boss 20, respectively. In
operating the weight 16, or in bringing the beam to rest after the adjustment has
been made, the clamping mechanism may be employed to hold the beam 6.
Thereafter, by the operation of the shaft head 30, the jaws are simultaneously
separated from the beam 6 and it is released without imparting any vibration to it.
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
1. The combination with a scale beam and support, of a weight screw threaded
thereto, and coaxially movable thereon in the manner described, and telescoping
cylinders inscribed, respectively, with correlative scale measures, carried upon the
beam and the weight, respectively, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a scale beam and its support, of a screw threaded pro-
longation of the beam, and a coaxial hollow cylinder carried thereon around the
screw threaded prolongation, a weight and internally screw threaded tube adapted
to fit the prolongation of the beam, a coaxial cylinder surrounding the same, the
tube and cylinder being inscribed with correlative scale measures, and the cylinder
upon the beam and the cylinder upon the weight being adapted to telescope one
upon the other, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a scale beam and its support, of a coaxially movable
weight screw threaded thereto, and fine and coarse adjustment mechanism secured
to the weight for rotating it upon its screw threads, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with a vibratory scale beam, and its support, of a sheath,
semi-cylindrical rods carried therein, beam clamping jaws located upon the respec-
tive rods, and mechanism for simultaneously actuating the rods in opposite direc-
tions, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with a scale beam and its support, of beam clamping jaws
and rods, a sheath containing the rods, a shaft mounted in the walls of the sheath,
oppositely disposed cams secured to the shaft, the rods being provided with recesses
in which the respective cams work, and with longitudinal kerfs through which
the shaft passes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1898.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.