Improvements in Scales for Weighing.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM L. WHITCOMB, Merchant, and FRED. C.
HAMMOND, Mechanic, both of Springfield, Vermont, United States of America.]
Improvements in Scales for Weighing.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to weighing-scales, such as are commonly termed "beam-
scales," which are made to balance by means of a poise that is moved back and forth
along the beam; and the invention consists of a beam-scale provided with a poise,
and mechanism whereby the same is actuated, and of a recording attachment to be
used in connection therewith, constructed and operating substantially in the manner
and for the purpose herein described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention partly in section.
Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2, 2, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3, 3, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a detail of one of the standards of the recording-roller.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.
The object of this invention is to render a platform-scale, a grocer's counter-
scale, or any other similar beam-scale automatic with respect to the balancing of the
beam by the poise and the indicating or recording of the weight. This object is
effected by means of a rolling poise in connection with a sliding index.
The drawings represent the upper portion of a platform scale, and the invention is
herein described as applied to such a scale; but these drawings, with the description,
will enable the invention to be thoroughly understood, so that it can also be readily
embodied in beam-scales of other forms.
The
The beam, poise, and index are designated, respectively by A, B, and C.
poise is round and is mounted on the beam, being kept in place by the groove a,
in which the edge of the beam is received, and from each face of the poise projects a
small pin b, which is coincident with the axis of the poise.
The beam is not graduated or notched along its upper edge, as such beams usually
are, and it is hung in such a manner that the straight portion of its upper edge
passes above and below the horizontal plane 1, 1, as the outer end of the beam is
elevated and depressed, thus causing the edge when in one position to incline toward
the standard and in the opposite direction when in the other position. The index
rests and slides freely upon a bar c and its lower portion extends downward in two
branches or limbs d, d, which stand on opposite sides of the poise, as shewn in
figure 2 when this passes beneath the index, and with which the pin b of the poise
either comes in contact or under which it passes, according to the position of the
beam. The pointer e of the index projects up through a slot f in the ordinary
arm D of the scale-frame, and behind the pointer is fixed a graduated plate E.
The bar cis supported by the frame, to which it may be attached in any convenient
manner. It has near its inner end a curved shoulder c¹.
To the bracket F, near the outer end of the arm D, is secured a slide G, through
which, as well as through the bracket F, the beam passes. This slide has a vertical
movement, and is held in place by a suitable guide. A latch g supports it in its highest
position, while a spring h tends to push it downwards.
The bar c and plate E. are inclined slightly away from the standard of the scale
for reasons, that will hereinafter appear.

page_text: "
The operation of that portion of the invention which has been described may
here be explained. The parts of the scale being in the respective positions in which
they appear in figure 1, and the article to be weighed being placed upon the scale,
the outer end of the beam is thrown upward and the latch g is thereby tripped, so
that the springh pushes the slide G against the beam. The power of the spring is
such that in case the weight upon the scale is not greater than the highest number of
pounds indicated on the graduated plate E, then the outer end of the beam will at
once be forced downward by the slide but in case the weight is greater than the
number of pounds thus indicated a weight or weights of the ordinary kind should be
added at the outer end of the beam until the resistance thereof to the spring becomes
somewhat less than the power of the spring, whereupon the spring's action will be.
the same as in the former case. The end of the beam is thus depressed to such an
extent that the edge on which the poise travels is inclined away from the standard;
but the beam is not forced by the slide down to the bottom of the opening in the
bracket F. This inclination of the beam causes the poise to roll forward and in so
doing it pushes before it the index C. When the poise reaches the proper point, the
beam balances, its outer end falls as far as the bracket F will allow it to go, and the
index is left at that point by the poise, which drops, so that the pin 6 passes under
the limbs d, d and the poise rolls on until it meets the bracket F. The index then
marks on the plate E the weight of the article on the scale or the excess of its weight
over the amount represented by the weight or weights at the end of the beam.
Upon
the end of the beam being lifted with the hand this will again be held up by the latch,
and the inclination being reversed the poise, will roll toward the standard, and when
it reaches the index this will be carried along by it, since the poise will then have
been raised far enough to allow the pin 6 to once more strike the limbs d d of the
index. This will be carried back in the manner described to the curved shoulder c¹,
and here the momentum of the poise will tip the index and force it upon the shoulder,
so that the pin 6 will pass under the limbs d, d, and then the index will fall back,
guided by the curved surface of the shoulder, into its proper position on the bar c.
Provision is made for obtaining a certain number of pounds of a commodity
as for instance, grain or coal in the following manner: A bar H is pivoted to links h¹
and, each of which is also pivoted to some stationary portion of the scale, as
the arm D, a suitable handle being fixed to the link h¹ and the bar H being so
located that it shall press against the index C when the links are vertical and hold it
fast upon the bar c as will be understood by reference to Figure 2. The index now
being set to indicate the weight desired, either with or without any number of
weights at the outer end of the beam, it is clamped at that point by moving the
handle of the link h¹, and a convenient quantity of the substance to be weighed is
placed on the scale. The end of the beam is first thrown up and then forced down
by the slide G, as before explained, and the poise rolls forward to the index. The
link his arranged to serve as a stop to limit the descent of the slide G, so that the
beam shall not be allowed to fall quite far enough to enable the poise to roll beyond
the index, though the beam may fall somewhat below the position to which the
spring depresses it. Thus the quantity of the substance on the scale may be
increased or decreased until the beam is caused to balance, the same as in the case of
an ordinary scale, the poise remaining constantly at the index, since the direction
of the inclination of the beam does not change so as to affect the poise after the first
downward motion of the slide.
:
The recording attachment now remains to be described. On the arm Da
roller H¹ covered with paper, is mounted in standards and the index C is
provided with a needle k, which extends upward close to the under surface of the
roller. A pawl 7, fastened to the arm, engages with a ratchet-wheel m at the end of
the roller, and to the end of the roller shaft is pivoted a bar
which passes down
near the end of the beam and has at its lower end a projection o. The standard is
slotted, as appears by Figure 4, and the bar n has a notch p in its edge, into which
enters a plate, (shown in Figure 1) at the end of the spring. h, and is so weighted at
n,

page_text: its lower end that this naturally rests close to the end of the scale beam, and when
the shaft is lifted in the slotted standard to the upper end of the slot the notch p
is caused by the gravity of the bar n to engage with the plate on the arm and hold
the roller in that position. The roller H' being thus elevated, when the outer end
of the beam descends under the weight of the poise, as in the operation of the scale
above described, the beam strikes the projection o of the bar n, thus forcing the
notch p off the supporting-plate, and the roller H' falls on the needle of the index,
which pierces the paper surface of the roller, and thus marks the weight upon it.
The roller is returned to its elevated position by the slide G acting against the shaft,
when the outer end of the beam is lifted by the hand, and it is at the same time
turned slightly on its axis by the pawl-and-ratchet wheel / and m, so that a fresh
portion of the surface shall each time be presented to the needle, thus enabling a
large number of weights to be recorded upon a single roller. The weights are read
from the roller by the graduations of the scale E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The combination of the beam, the rolling poise mounted on the beam, and
the sliding index actuated by the poise, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Second. The combination of the beam, a support and stop to regulate the in-
clination thereof, the rolling poise mounted on the beam, and the sliding index
separate from but actuated by the poise, as and for the purpose described.
Third. The combination of the beam, the slide G, forming a support and stop
to regulate the inclination of the beam, the rolling poise mounted on the beam, and
the sliding index actuated by the poise, as and for the purpose described.
Fourth. The combination of the beam, a support and stop to regulate the
inclination thereof, the rolling poise mounted on the beam and provided with the
axial pin b, and the sliding index having the depending limbs d. d. constructed and
operating as described.
Fiftb. The combination of the beam, a support and stop to regulate the inclination
thereof, the rolling poise mounted on the beam, the inclined bar c, having the
shoulder c¹, and the sliding index mounted on the bar c, as and for the purpose
described.
Sixth. The combination, in a beam-scale, of a rolling poise and separate index, the
index being actuated by the poise when the beam of the scale is inclined to some
extent, and being left by the poise when the beam is depressed to a sufficient extent,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
Seventh. The combination of the beam, a support and stop to regulate the
inclination thereof, the rolling poise mounted on the beam, the sliding index co-
acting with the poise, and a holding device to fix the index at different points along
its course, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Eighth. The combination of the beam, the slide G, to regulate the inclination
thereof, the poise B, mounted on the beam, the bar c the index C, mounted
thereon, the clamping bar H, and the link ¹, which supports the bar H and
serves as a stop to limit the descent of the slide G, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Ninth. The combination of the index provided with the needle k, projecting
upward above the beam, the roller H₁, mounted above the index, and having a
vertical movement, the bar n, supporting the roller in an elevated position and
extending downward therefrom to the level of the beam, and the beam, whereby
the bar n is moved to allow the roller to fall upon the needle of the index,
substantially as described.
Tenth. The combination of the index, the roller H¹, having a vertical move-
ment, the pawl and ratchet-wheel and m, the bar n, and the beam A, as and for the
purpose described.

page_text: :
Eleventh. The combination of the index, the roller H', the bar n, the beam
acting on the bar, and the slide G, whereby the roller is elevated, as and for the
purpose described.
Dated this 10th day of February 1890:
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applican