IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF INDICATING OR AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINES in
Year: 1886

page_text: I WILLIAM HODGSON (trading as Hodgson and Stead) of Egerton Iron Works
Windsor St Salford in the County of Lancaster Weighing Machine Maker do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF INDICATING
OR AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINES 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 that class of pit bank and other weighing machines and
indicators wherein the connecting rod from the transfer lever of the machine is
suspended on knife-edges fixed in a pendulous lever mounted vertically (or nearly
so) on other knife edges resting on a fixed part of the frame the lower arm of the
said pendulous lever being provided with an adjustable weight, and the upper arm
of the same with a curved toothed rack which by means of a train of gearing moves
an index finger on a circular dial or turns a circular dial in combination with a
fixed finger. This invention is an improvement on my patent No 15872 of 1884.
The object of this invention is to dispense with the curved rack toothed gearing
and circular dial and to simplify and improve the construction and working of the
indicator and obtain rapidity of action and greater accuracy of weighing.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed will be readily understood on reference to the annexed drawings and
the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the annexed drawing is an elevation of my improved machine with the
front plate removed and Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a plan view and
Fig. 4 is a moveable figure hereinafter referred to.
I use the pendulous lever b mounted as before and provided with an adjustable
weight c attached to its lower arm and I suspend therefrom the connecting rod
connected to the transfer lever of the weighing machine in the usual manner.
The lower arm of the pendulous lever 6 however merely serves to actuate a
lever provided with a paddle working in the vessel k of water or other fluid the
resistance of which to the motion through it of the paddle serves to prevent undue
vibration of the pendulous lever b and to cause it to settle more quickly to its
position of rest without oscillation so as to indicate the exact weight of the load
without delay and with accuracy,

page_text: On bracket o at its end is an upright which forms a fixed centre or fulcrum e
from which an index finger d is supported In this finger immediately below the
fulcrum e a slot fis formed in which works a pin fixed in the horizontal arm of
the pendulous lever b so that as the latter vibrates the index finger & vibrates also
but to a much larger extent.
The end of index finger d works against a curved graduated index plate i fixed
vertically and attached to bracket p at the top of the frame or case q marked with
hundredweights and quarters and other graduations.
?"
The upper arm of pendulous lever b is formed to receive graduated bars or steel-
yards g and h (or any number of arms to suit the power of machine) These
graduated bars are made adjustable and reversible and are provided with moveable
weights and 8 r being for the tare or weight of the tubs boxes or other vessels
and 8 to be placed at a point indicating the minimum net load likely to be weighed
on the machine. When these weights are once adjusted the pendulous lever b
remains stationary unless the load exceeds the minimum weight but as soon as a
greater weight is placed on the platform the pendulous lever moves and causes the
finger to indicate on the curved index plate the exact net weight of the load
being weighed. In the index plate loose or moveable figures see Fig. 4 are
placed to adapt the machine to the varying loads of different localities. When the
moveable weights r and s are at zero the index finger d is also at zero and the
adjusting and testing of the machine may then be easily accomplished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
First. The mode of attaching index finger to horizontal arm of pendulous lever
and the method of actuating same.
Secondly. The combination and arrangement of one or more adjustable and
reversible steelyards with pendulous lever.
Thirdly. The manner of supporting index finger on upright or fixed fulcrum.
Fourthly. The mode of attaching vertical index plate.
Dated this 4th day of September 1886.