IMPROVEMENTS IN BALANCES OR WEIGHING MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 12, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BALANCES OR WEIGHING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by
Major General William Rosecrans, and Doctor Anson Platt, both of
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America.
Scaled the 15th April 1864, and dated the 21st October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st October 1863.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No.. 12,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BALANCES OR WEIGHING MACHINES," a communication, to be as
follows:-
These improvements relate chiefly to the employment of a long balance
beam which contains the poise-bars, dial plate, and index for indicating the
weight to the employment of a separate poise-bar for exhibiting simultaneously
the tare and net weight of an article to the marking of the poise-bar with two
or more graduations, for the purpose of weighing by two or more systems of
weights at the same time, and to the employment of a dial plate and of an
index or indexes actuated by the sliding poise-bar for the purpose of indicating
the fraction of weight while the poise-bar exhibits only the units of weight.
A suitable stand supports the balance beam by the usual knife-edge bearings
and the balance beam supports the platform by similar bearings. The

page_text: balance beam is made sufficiently long to contain the full length of the body
of the poise-bar which slides therein, and it also contains the dial plate, the
index, and the parts by which the index is actuated. This beam is made to
exactly balance its appendages when the poise-bar is pushed entirely in, at
which point no weight is indicated. This poise-bar is employed for weighing
instead of ordinary weights, and this bar is always retained in the balance
beam. In addition to the weighing poise-bar a tare poise-bar is used to
indicate the tare or weight of the containing vessel or sack by simply drawing
it out till the balance beam is in equilibrium. The weighing poise-bar has
two or more graduations, as may be required, to indicate the weight by different
systems. The end of the balance beam is the index, for the graduations on
said poise-bar, the highest figure to be seen showing the number of units of
weight. The fractions are exhibited by an index secured to a spindle with a
pinion matching into a rack on the edge of this poise-bar so that the latter in
its motion operates the index by a positive movement. The circumference of
said pinion is such that it has precisely one revolution imparted to it by moving
the poise-bar through the space of one unit. Thus any portion of the unit is
indicated by a corresponding portion of the circle of the dial plate passed over
by tlie index, the latter being adjusted to point at zero on the dial plate when
the poise-bar is pushed entirely into the balance beam and the desired fractional
divisions of the pound or other unit being marked on the dial plate. When
two or more systems are marked on the weighing poise-bar the units of which
are not equal, there must be different indexes actuated by different pinions,
each being of the required size to make one revolution as often as the poise-
bar moves through the space of the unit in that particular system. Only.one
dial plate is required, but it must have as many circles of graduation as there
are systems to be indicated by the balance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 12, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Haseltine, Her special license that I, the said George Haseltine,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Haseltine, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and 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 BALANCES
OR WEIGHING MACHINES," a communication, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Haseltine, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand
and seal of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
per-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
with letters and figures marked thereon making a part of this Specification.
These improvements relate to the employment of a long balance beam
which contains the poise bars, dial plate, and index for indicating the weight
to the employment of a separate poise bar for exhibiting simultaneously the
tare and pet weight of an article; to the marking of the poise bar with two
or more graduations for the purpose of weighing by two or more systems of
weights at the same time, and to the employment of a dial plate, and of an
index or indexes actuated by the sliding poise bar for the purpose of indicating
the fractions of weight while the poised bar exhibits only the units of weight.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of the balance complete; Figure 2 is a side elevation
of the same; Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the balance beam, showing
the poise bars in place. Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
A suitable stand A, Figure 2, supports the balance beam B by the usual.
knife-edge bearings and the balance beam supports the platform or dish F by
the same means. The balance beam B is made long enough to contain the

page_text: full length of the body of the poise-bars C and D, which slide therein. It
contains the dial plate E, the index G; Figure 1, and the parts by which the
index is actuated. It is made so as to accurately balance all its appendages
when the poise-bars are pushed entirely in, in which position they are at
zero or indicate. no weight. The poise-bar C is employed for weighing articles
instead of movable weights, and this is always retained in the balance beam.
In addition to the weighing poise-bar a tare poise-bar D, Figure 3, is employed
to indicate the tare or weight of the containing vessel or sack, by simply
drawing it out till the balance beam is in equilibrium. This poise-bar needs
no scale or weight indicator, but may have one if desired. Both poise-bars
have suitable knobs or handles f for moving the same. The weighing poise-
bar C has two or more graduations, as shown in Figure 3, where there are
two graduations, one indicating weight by the French decimal system, and the
other by the English avoirdupois system. Any convenient number of systems
may thus be marked on the poise-bar, and if necessary for the purpose more
than one poise-bar may be used. In this way the systems of weights used by
all the principal nations may be shown on one balance. The end of the
balance beam B, is the index for the graduations on the poise-bar C, the
highest figure to be seen at any time showing the number of units of weight.
Only the units are generally marked on the poise-bar. The fractions of the
unit are exhibited by the index G and dial plate E, Figure 1, as follows:-
The index G is secured to a spindle a, which has below a pinion H, Figure 3,
matching into a rack on the edge of the poise-bar C, so that the latter in
its motion operates the index by a positive movement. The circumference of
the pinion H is such that it has precisely one revolution imparted to it by
moving the poise-bar C through the space of one unit. Thus any portion of
the unit is indicated by a corresponding portion of the circle of the dial-plate
moved over by the index G. The index is so adjusted as to point to zero on
the dial-plate when the poise-bar is pushed entirely into the balance beam
and the desired fractional divisions of the pound or other unit are marked on
the dial plate. When two or more systems are marked on the poise-bar, the
units of which are not equal, there must be different indexes actuated by
different pinions, each being of the required size to make one revolution as
often as the poise-bar moves through the space of the unit in that particular
system. Only one dial plate E is required; but it has as many circles of
graduations as there are systems to be indicated by the balance. Instead of
the rack d and pinion H, friction pulleys or any other equivalent means may
be employed to give revolution to the index spindles by the poise-bar. The
rack and pinion, however, are generally preferable.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said improvements (communicated to me
from abroad) and shown how the same may be conveniently and advantage-
ously carrie:l into effect, I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to
the details herein set forth, as these may be considerably modified without
changing essentially the character of the Invention, but I claim,-
First, the long balance beam B, containing the poise-bars, index or indexes,
and dial plate.
Second, the separate tare poise-bar D, acting independently of the weighing
poise-bar.
Third, I claim graduating the weighing poise-bar C, according to two or
more systems of weights.
Fourth, the dial-plate E, and the index or indexes G, moved by the poise-
bar C, for the purpose of indicating the fractions of the units.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)