IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES AND INDICATORS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Hodgson and James Whitley Stead, of
Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES AND INDICATORS."
Sealed the 1st March 1867, and dated the 8th September 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Hodgson and.
James Whitley Stead at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 8th September 1866.
We. CHRISTOPHER HODGSON and JAMES WHITLEY STEAD, of Salford, in the
County of Lancaster. Machine Makers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES AND INDICATORS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain arrangements of machinery or apparatus
to be employed in platform weighing machines as self-acting indicators to
be used by themselves as weighing machines. When used as indicators
to platform weighing machines we make the triangular levers, transfer
lever, and connecting rod of the machine similar to those at present in
use. but instead of connecting the rod to the ordinary steelyard we connect
it to a two-armed pendulous lever working on a fulcrum fixed to a frame or
standard. On the lower arm there is an adjustable bob or weight. and on the
top of the upper arm a curved rack gearing into a toothed wheel, the spindle
of which carries a finger or pointer in front of a stationary dial marked with
the required numbers in graduations. When the transfer lever of the
machine is depressed by the goods or material placed on the platform the
connecting rod works the pendulous lever, the lower arm with its bob or weight

page_text: in connection with the triangular levers and transfer lever balancing the
weight on the platform, and the upper arm with its rack working the pointer
or finger and correctly indicating the said weight on the platform. When
extreme accuracy is not of so much importance as rapid weighing we employ
a fan or fly driven at a quick speed by gearing from the curved rack for the
purpose of steadying the pendulous lever and enabling the pointer or finger to
turn to its destination without oscillating to and fro and loss of time. The
fan may work either vertically or horizontally and be worked by any required
train of wheels, but in most cases it will be suflicient to gear into the teeth of
the rack a pinion on the spindle of which is a toothed wheel gearing into
another pinion on a spindle carrying another toothed wheel gearing into a
pinion the spindle of which carries a fan. We employ the two-armed
pendulous lever working on a fulcrum in a standard or frame in connection
with the pointer and dial either with or without the governor as a weighing
machine, it being only necessary to place a sufficient weight on the bottom
of the lower arm and attach a scale, hook, or other holder to the rod connected
to the lever.
SPECIFICATION
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Christopher Hodgson and James Whitley Stead in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 7th March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHRISTOPHER
HODGSON and JAMES WHITLEY STEAD. of Salford. in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six. in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto us, the
said Christopher Hodgson and James Whitley Stead. Her special license that
we. the said Christopher Hodgson and James Whitley Stead. our executors.
administrators, and assigns. or such others as we. the said Christopher
Hodgson and James Whitley Stead. our executors. administrators, and assigns.
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, nse, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man. an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES AND INDICATORS," upon the con-

page_text: dition (amongst others) that we, the said Christopher Hodgson and James
Whitley Stead, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Christopher Hodgson and James
Whitley Stead, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the figures on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of
reference marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in certain arrangements of machinery or apparatus
to be employed in connection with platform weighing machines as self-acting
indicators, or to be used by themselves as weighing machines. When used as
indicators to platform weighing machines we make the triangular levers,
transfer lever, and connecting rod of the machine similar to those at present
in use, but instead of connecting the rod to the ordinary steelyard we connect
it to a two-armed pendulous lever working on a fulcrum fixed to a frame or
standard. On the lower arm there is an adjustable bob or weight, and on the
top of the upper arm a curved rack gearing into a toothed wheel, the spindle
of which carries a finger or pointer in front of a stationary dial marked with
the required numbers and graduations. When the transfer lever of the
machine is depressed by the goods or materials placed on the platform the
connecting rod works the pendulous lever, the lower arm with its bob or
weight in connection with the triangular levers and transfer lever balancing
the weight on the platform and the upper arm with its rack working the
pointer or finger and correctly indicating the said weight on the platform.
When it is desired that the pointer should indicate the net weight contained
in boxes, baskets, or other receptacles we alter the centre of gravity of the
pendulous lever by placing on it an additional weight, and adjust the weight
to bring back the pointer behind zero on the dial plate to a position corre-
sponding with the tare or weight of the receptacle, and when the gross weight
has to be indicated it is only necessary to shift back the weight until the
pointer stands at zero. When extreme accuracy is not of so much importance
as rapid weighing we employ a governor consisting of a fan or fly driven at a
quick speed by gearing from the curved rack for the purpose of steadying the
pendulous lever and enabling the pointer or finger to turn to its destination

page_text: without oscillating to and fro and loss of time. The fan may work either
vertically or horizontally and be worked by any required train of wheels, but
in most cases it will be sufficient to gear into the teeth of the rack a pinion
on the spindle of which is a toothed wheel gearing into another pinion on a
spindle carrying another toothed wheel gearing into a pinion the spindle of
which carries the fan.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation: Figs.
2 and 3. front and side views, and Fig. 1 a plan of a platform weighing
machine provided with one of our improved indicators and governors, and also
an additional weight on the pendulous lever. there being in Figs. 2 and 3 an
outside plate removed, and in Fig. 4 a part in section for the purpose of
shewing the interior.
a, Figs. 1. 2. 3, and 4. represents the box containing the ordinary tri-
angular and transfer levers; b. Fig. 4, the platform; and c, Figs. 2 and 3. the
connecting rod, which rod is linked at the bottom to the transfer lever in the
usual manner and at the top to the knife-edged centre d fixed to the two-
armed pendulous lever e. f. having the knife-edge centre g working on fulcra
fixed to the framework. The lower arm of the pendulous lever carries at or
near the bottom the adjustable bob or weight h. and to the top of the upper
arm is fixed the curved rack i gearing into the toothed wheel on the spindle
which works in bearings in the small frame and carries at the front the
pointer or finger m. Fig. 1. before the stationary dial n. This is the simplest
arrangement of our improved weighing machines, for when the bob or weight
is properly adjusted, and the matters to be weighed placed on the platform, the
lower arm of the pendulous lever rises and the upper arm is lowered. thereby
causing the rack to turn the toothed wheel and enabling the pointer to indicate
on the dial the correct weight.
In Figs. 2 and 3, o represents the additional weight jointed to the lower
arm of the pendulous lever, for enabling either net or gross weights to be
indicated. At the top of the weight there is a pointer p corresponding with a
vernier q fixed to the arm, and on the arm is also fixed the bracket carrying
the screws for shifting the weight, changing the centre of gravity of the
pendulous lever. and turning back the pointer until the tare is balanced.
One arrangement of governor for steadying the pendulous lever and pre-
venting the oscillations of the pointer is shewn in Figs. 2. 3. and 4. In the
curved rack is geared the pinion I fixed to the spindle a working in bearings
in the small frame and carrying the toothed wheel gearing into the pinion
won the spindler which carries the crown wheel gearing into the pinion
fixed to the vertical spindle a', on which is held the fan or fly b' which revolves

page_text: at a great speed when the rack moves downwards, and thereby imparts
steadiness to the pendulous lever and pointer. We employ the two-armed
pendulous lever working on a fulcrum in a standard or frame in connection
with the pointer and dial either with or without the governor as a weighing
machine, it being only necessary to place the weight or bob on the bottom
of the lower arm and attach a scale, hook, or other holder to a rod connected
to the lever.
Having now described the nature and particulars of our said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be understood
that we claim,-
First, the two-armed pendulous lever e, Figs. 2 and 3, working on acute or
knife-edged centres instead of an ordinary steelyard or spring balance.
Secondly, the application of a fly or fan acting as a governor for the purpose
of retarding or arresting the vibration of the two-armed pendulous lever and
dial finger.
Thirdly, the application of the two-armed pendulous lever to weighing
machines with or without the governor.
And, fourthly, the method of indicating on the dial the tare allowed, as all
such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Christopher Hodgson and James
Whitley Stead, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day
of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the within-named Christopher
Hodgson and James Whitley
Stead, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
CHRISTOPHER HODGSON. (L.S.)
JAMES WHITLEY STEAD. (L.S.).