IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christian Schiele, of North Moor Foundry, Oldham,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEIGHING MACHINES."
.::
Sealed the 28th February 1860, and dated the 3rd September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christian Schiele at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
September 1859.
I, CHRISTIAN SCHEILE, of North Moor Foundry, Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Consist in supporting the body to be weighed on a body of water so
enclosed as partly to allow of a minute yielding, so that the support may fall
on. the water, which, exerting a pressure against a pressure indicator, will
show the weight. The equalizing of the pressure on the water, should the
weight be placed on one side, is done by side lever connections, so arranged
that each lever transmits part of the weight exerted on its one end to its
other extremity where less weight is placed. The dial of the indicator is
sometimes made spiral so as to allow of several revolutions of the finger by
which the divisions are better to be read. The finger is arranged to follow
the spiral dial plate.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Christian Schiele in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTIAN
SCHIELE, of North Moor Foundry, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Christian Schiele, Her special licence that I, the said Christian Schiele,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Christian Schiele, my 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, use,
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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Christian Schiele, my executors or administrators, "by an 'instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Soal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Christian Schiele, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 boing had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:―
My Invention is applicable for the purpose of weighing heavy bodies by
-supporting the same on a body of water, enclosed in such a manner as to
allow of a minute yielding, so that the body to be weighed shall rest entirely
upon the water for support, at the same time exerting a pressure upon an
-indicator which will shew the weight thereof. The equalizing of the pressure
on the water, should the weight be placed on one side, is done by side lever
connections, so arranged that each lever transmits part of the weight placed
on its one end to its-other extremity where less weight is placed. The dial of
the pressure indicator is sometimes made spiral, so as to allow of several
revolutions of the finger, by which the divisions thereon are better to be read.
"The finger is arranged to follow the spiral dial plate.

page_text: In order that my Invention may be fully understood and explained in
detail, I will now proceed to describe the same in connexion with the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a corresponding plan, of a weighing
machine constructed according to my Invention, and suitable for use on a
counter. a is the platform of the machine; b is the indicator dial, on which
such divisions are marked as result from actually placing "standard weights"
in succession upon the platform. Figure 3 represents an equalizing lever,
shewing its elementary construction; c is the fulcrum to the fixed or stationery
portion of the machine; d is its centre connexion with another lever, and by
means of which the movements of both levers are made conjointly; and e is its
point of contact with the inner side of the rim of platform. It being by
means of the levers (arranged as shewn in Figures 4 and 5) that the bridge or
platform is retained in its position both sideway and endways, and also hori-
zontally. The end e of the lever is rounded off to the radius from c, and the
touching face of the platform is made tangential to it. The top and bottom
faces of the platform portion are square, and the lever ends are fitted in to
allow of a small motion to the platform up and down without apreciable play.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively sectional and plan views showing the con-
struction of the machine and arrangement of the levers. f, f, f, f, are the
guides of the platform sideways, just touching the lever ends e, e, e, e; ġ is an
elastic diaphragm made of vulcanized india-rubber cloth or suitable material,
it is firmly and tightly held by a rim or flanche i pressed against it by screws,
as seen at k in Figure 6. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the machine
with the levers omitted, so as to show the hydraulic action in connection with
the pressure indicator; and Figure 7 is a corresponding plan with the greater
portion of the platform broken away so as to show the moveable or loose
piece h, and also the adjustable bearings or inclines on which it rests. h is a
loose portion of the supporting frame, adjustable up and down by means of
inclined planes drawn in and out by the screwl; a space between the flanchei
is left loose or unsupported all round, so as to allow the slight amount of
yielding required. m is the dial plate of pressure indicator with its spiral
guide for the finger; n, a glass cover for the same; and o, a cover to protect
it when not in use. The finger is loose endways, and is taken round by a light
frame. The divisions on the dial plate are arranged spirally, allowing of
several circumpherential travellings of the finger. For this purpose, the
finger is furnished on its under side with a small pin, which projects through a
slot in its supporting frame, and enters a spiral groove in the dial plate; by
which means, as the finger revolves, it is shortened or lengthened, as the case

page_text: may be, so as to follow the divisions spirally arranged. p is a corrugated
steel diaphragm, and shows one of the modes adopted in pressure indicators
for transmitting the pressure exerted on a fluid body by known means, so as
to act upon the indicating finger; r is the screw cover of the filling tube,
carried sufficiently high as to counterbalance the dead weight of the platform
pillar and levers. The dial finger can be adjusted by means of the screw / to
its previously ascertained correct position. Figure 8 is a sectional elevation
of a weigh bridge, the pressure indicator for which is placed near a desk, at
which its indications can be at once noted down at almost any convenient
distance from the wagon or other load. The diaphragms g, g, are here so
placed as to support the weight near the ends of the bridge. The water
chambers are, connected by canals or tubes, and communication is made with
the indicator at the desk by means of a tube, as shown in the Figure; the
levers are omitted in order to simplify the Drawing. In some cases, where
water would freeze, it may be desirable to mix spirits of wine with the water
used in filling the machine.
:
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the exact details as herein set forth, as these may be
varied, the peculiar characteristics and main features of my Invention being
at the s same time retained; but what I claim as new and of my Invention is
as follows:
First, the weighing by means of a fluid body acting on a pressure indicator.
Secondly, the employing of a yielding material to enclose the fluid, so that
the substance to be weighed shall rest entirely upon the fluid for support.
Third, the insuring of the position of the platform by means of levers,
which transmit the pressure exerted on one of their supporting ends to the
other supporting ends less loaded, and also keep the platform in position side
and endways.
Fourth, the arrangement of the divisions spirally on the indicator dial, and the
manner of regulating the movement of the finger so as to follow such divisions.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christian Schiele,, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day- of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
CHRISTIAN SCHIELE. (L.S.)