Improvements in Weighing and Value-indicating Scales.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1898-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Weighing and Value-indicating Scales.
I, HENRY BIRKBECK, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck, of 31, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, England, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute
of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communica-
tion to me from abroad by The American Computing Scale Company, Manufac-
turers, a Corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York, and
located and doing business at No. 24, East 24th Street, Borough of Manhattan,
City of New York, State of New York, United States of America) 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 computing scales for use by storekeepers or others
where a practically accurate computation of the price of the material weighed
out can be ascertained, and the object of the invention is to render this class of
scales more reliable by the provision of means for the accurate and ready adjust-
ment and a further object is to simplify and improve the construction of the
poise.
In the acompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a computing scale embodying one form of our
invention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side elevation showing the construction_and
arrangement of the poise mechanism in connection with the scale beam and the
angular member.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the poise on line 3-3 Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is. a detail view of the arm at the end of the scale beam and the devices
for adjusting the angular arm thereon.
Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-6 Fig. 5, and
Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the adjustable mechanism of the angular
arm showing more clearly the construction of the setting-member.
Fig. 8 to 15 inclusive represent a modified form of the invention.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the modified form.
Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the outer arm of the scale beam
and the outer end of the adjustable angular member.
Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views in transverse and vertical section respectively
showing the manner of connecting the rack bar to the adjusting bar.
Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the poise taken longitudinally of the
scale beam.
Fig. 13 is a similar view taken transversely of the poise.
Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view through the outer arm of the scale beam
and the angular member.
Fig. 15 is a detail view showing the dial and hands of the indicating
mechanism.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.

page_text: Referring to the drawings-Figs. 1 to 7-A indicates a bracket arm extending
from the usual standard of ordinary weighing scales not necessary to be shown
in detail.
-
a indicates an upright extending from the bracket arm A and to which is
fulcrumed at a¹ the scale beam B. C indicates the poise which slides along the
scale-beam and acts on an angular member E. The poise C is composed of a
back plate D and an elongated front plate I which is secured to the back plate
in any suitable manner said back plate D being provided with a transverse guide
way d which receives the scale beam B so that the poise is guided along the
same.
E indicates the angular member which is pivotted at el to a lug e on the scale
beam and is provided with a longitudinal slot e² said angular member being
adjusted at its opposite end by mechanisin to be hereinafter described so that
the indicating mechanism arranged on the poise may indicate the price of the
material weighed out.
The indicating mechanism consists of a rack bar F which is swivelled at f on
a slide f guided in the longitudinal slot e² of the angular member so that the
rack bar hangs freely. from the angular member and may move in a vertical.
path in the vertical guideway C shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full
lines Fig. 3 such guideway being formed in the front plate D₁ of the poise.
By this construction no matter at what angle the angular member E may be
placed the rack bar F will always be moved vertically.
This rack bar F acts on a gear wheel G the sleeve 9 of which turns on a pin
or arbour h which is journalled in the back plate D at h₁ and which is provided
at its front end with a hand i which is adapted to sweep around the dial I on
the front of the plate D₁ while the sleeve g is provided at its front end with a
hand which is adapted to sweep around a smaller and interior dial I¹ arranged
also on the front plate D¹. The gear wheel G meshes with a pinion ; which is
mounted on an arbour which is journalled in the back plate and front plate
of the poise and on which is mounted a gear wheel J which meshes with a
pinion H fixed to the inner end of the arbour h. The teeth of the described
gearing are so arranged as that while the large hand i sweeps twelve times around
its dial I the smaller hand will sweep once around its dial I¹.
In the lower part of the front 'plate D¹ is formed an observation opening d
vertically above which at the edge of the opening is formed an indication mark
or nick d. The observation opening d' is large enough so as to clear and bring
to view the scale of pounds arranged on the scale beam and also so that the upper
part of an ounce 'disc K which is journalled below said opening can be seen.
The ounce disc K is graduated around its periphery and the graduations run
from 1 to 16 indicating sixteen ounces to the pound and the same is mounted
on a pink which also carries a pinion the teeth of which mesh with a series
of rack teeth 6 formed on the lower edge of the scale beam B below the pounds-
scale thereon. The movement of the ounce disc K is so timed that when the
indication mark on the poise is shifted from one pound to the next said disc
will complete one rotation while when the disc has rotated to the fifth graduation
as seen in Fig. 2 five ounces will be thereby indicated in connection with the
pounds indication on the pounds scale shown through said observation opening.
In this manner the scale readings are rendered accurate and can be quickly read
off as it is not necessary to so closely examine the pounds scale and in fact the
graduations on the pounds scale will not accurately show the weight in ounces.
In computing the price of articles per pound the multiplier is the pounds
together with the ounces and the multiplicand is the price per pound whether
a whole number or a whole number and a fraction. The multiplier in the pre-
sent instance is shown as ten pounds five ounces the poise being set to that
point and the adjusting mechanism of the angular member which is influenced
by the poise according to its distance to or from the pivot of said angular member
is set for a certain price per pound for example only this price per pound being

page_text: the multiplicand while the product is indicated by the hands i¹ in connection
with the graduations of the indicator discs. The scale beam B is provided at
the ends with uprights arms or plates LL¹ the same being connected above the
scale beam by the tare beam L on which the weight L³ slides. Formed in the
outer or end plate or arm L' is an arc-shaped slot in which is guided a stud /
on the angular member from which extend in diametrically opposite directions
in line with the axis of the angular member E two pointers 123. At the outer
side of the arc-shaped slot are a series of price per pound graduations and at
the inner side of the arc-shaped slot are a series of graduations which indicate
the pounds a dollar will buy at any price per pound on the scale at the outer
side of said slot.
At the outer end of the angular arm E is a fixed finger piece m between which
and a movable finger piece m¹ is located an expansion spring m² the tendency
of which is to push the finger piece m¹ inwardly towards the angular member.
Said movable finger piece m extends from a short neck of a shank M which is
guided along the back of the angular member E said neck passing through
a longitudinal slot in the outer end of the same. Also passing
through the slot and fixed to the shank M is a headed journal pin n on which
is journalled what may be termed a setting member N which is here shown of
rectangular form but it will be evident from the description which follows that
the said setting member is not necessarily four-sided as it may be hexagonal,
octagonal, etc. For practical and ordinary purposes however it is only essential
that the setting-member be in the form of a square. The journal pin nis
arranged on the same axis as the pointers 123 and they should be accurately
adjusted relatively to each other. The setting member N is provided on its four
edges with teeth which are adapted to engage a series of teeth which are formed
on the outer edge of the upright arm L.
Referring now more particularly to Fig. 7-it will be seen that the bases of
the teeth are of the same width as the distance from one graduation to the
next on the price per pound series of graduations while also the width of the
bases of the teeth on the setting member N are of equal dimensions so that the
graduations and the bases of the teeth all correspond and are methodically exact.
The setting member is provided near its respective edges with indications.
denoting zero one-quarter, one half and three quarters the fractions denoting one
quarter one half and three quarters of a cent respectively. Heretofore the
angular member has had no provision for its accurate setting with reference to
fractions of a cent; nor has it had means for quickly adjusting and positively
locking and setting the angular member when the price per pound is to be indi-
cated: The present invention overcomes this deficiency by the described
adjustment.
The peculiarity of the setting member resides in the fact that the centre line
which corresponds with its diameter and passes through the centre of the journal n
passes or cuts through the teeth on the zero side of the setting member at a
point midway between the teeth as clearly indicated while at the opposite or
half-cent side the said centre line coincides with the altitude of the triangular
tooth at the centre of the said half cent side. This is by reason of the fact
that the teeth at the half-cent side are shifted or offset relatively to each other
for a distance corresponding to half of the width of the base of any one tooth.
The other diameter y of the square setting member N cuts through the central
teeth at the one quarter cent and three-quarter cent side but it strikes preferably
the centre tooth of each of said sides at opposite sides of the teeth at a point
about half-way up the inclined sides.
The teeth at the one quarter cent half cent and three quarter cent sides are
thus offset from the diameter of the setting member; one quarter one half and
three quarters respectively of the width of the base of any one tooth or in other
words of the distance between the adiacent graduations of the price per pound
scale.

page_text: It will be seen from this arrangement of the teeth on the setting member that
the centre of the same will be shifted relatively to the centre line with which
the pointers 123 coincide depending upon which side of the setting member is
set against the series of teeth 14.
In Fig. 6 the series of teeth at the one quarter cent side are set against the
teeth so that the pointer 13 will be set opposite the corresponding one quarter
cent point of the proper graduation. When the teeth at the zero side are set
against the teeth the pointer 13 will coincide with any one of the graduations
of the price per pound series. When the teeth at the one half cent or at the
three quarter cent side are set against the teeth the pointer . will respectively
and accurately indicate and be set to position at distances between the adjacent
graduations corresponding with the one half and three quarter cent points of the
graduations. This avoids the necessity of taking extreme care in setting the
pointer opposite the proper intermediate point between the graduations or
opposite a graduation inasmuch as the pointer will be automatically set opposite
the proper point providing of course that the pointer be moved to any point
between two graduations. To set the angular arm and the setting disc N the
finger-pieces m¹ and m are grasped the finger-piece m¹ pressed towards the finger
piece m and the setting member turned according to the fractional part of a cent
to which it is desired to be set.
The operation is as follows:-It will be assumed that the weight of the article
which is being weighed is ten pounds five ounces in which event the poise C
will have been moved to a corresponding point on the scale beam B see Figs. 1
and 2 so that the weight of the article namely ten pounds five ounces will be
exhibited through the observation opening . Assuming that the price per
pound of the article is seventeen and one quarter cents the angular member will
be adjusted to the position shown the setting member N having been adjusted
for one quarter of a cent as previously described. In moving the angular
member to its inclined position the same will act by means of the rack-bar F
and the train of gearing of the indicator mechanism on the hands of the
same and cause them to sweep around the faces of the dials on the poise so that
the product of the multiplier namely the pounds and the multiplicand namely
the price per pound will be exhibited and indicated by the hands in connection
with the dials such product being one dollar and seventy-eight cents. The dial I
indicates up to one hundred cents while the dial I indicates up to twelve
dollars; but it is evident that by the proper construction and slight additional
calculation any amount can be computed and additional weights suspended from
the scale-beam.
In general the description applied to the main form of the invention applies
equally to the modification shown in Figs. 8 to 15.
The corresponding parts which bear similar letters of reference in all the figures
are A, a, a, B, C, d, E, e, e', F, L, L1, L2, L3, 1, 13, 13, and these will only be
mentioned in a general way hereinafter.
Referring to Figs. 8 to 15:-
-
P designates a base supporting a platform P¹ and having standards P2 and P3
rising from the back of it; the standard P2 is hollow and scale-beam B is con-
nécted with the platform P¹ by a link P4 in the usual manner.
The poise C carries vertically_movable rack bar F which is connected at its
upper end with adjustable bar E.
The poise C is provided at its top with a vertical post C₁ having a vertical
slot C to receive the adjustable bar E and provide it at the inner faces of its
sides with vertical grooves C³ which are engaged by the ends of a horizontal
pin C. The upper end of the rack bar F is bifurcated to receive the adjustable
bar and the pin C which pivots the rack-bar to the adjustable bar slides in
slot of the latter whereby the rack bar will be drawn upward as the poise
slides outward.
The lower bar of the scale beam passes through an opening of the poise C

page_text: and the latter is provided with upper and lower rollers and Q which enable
the said poise C. to slide frictionlessly on the scale-beam. The lower rollers Q¹.
are journalled in bifurcations of rods R and are forced against the lower edge
of the scale beam by springs R¹ which exert sufficient pressure to prevent the
poise from sliding accidentally. The springs R¹ which are disposed on the rods R
are engaged by sleeves 12 having the upper portions of their bores or openings
smooth to receive the rods and the lower portions of the openings or bores
threaded and engaged by adjusting screws R³. The adjusting screws are mounted
on the poise at the bottom thereof and have exteriorly arranged heads which
permit the tension of the springs to be readily regulated.
The rack bar meshes with a pinion S of a shaft S₁ which carries a hand S
and the said pinion S also meshes with a gear wheel S³ connected with a pinion S
and mounted on a shaft S. The pinion S* meshes with a gear wheel So which
is mounted on the shaft S₁ and which is connected with a hand S7 and the
diameters of the gears are such that when the hand S2 makes one revolution
the other hand will make ten or in other words one hand moves one-tenth as
fast as the other.
The hands are arranged on a dial T which is provided with two separate series
of graduations as shown; the outer graduations are divided off into hundreds
and represent cents and the inner circle of graduations is divided off into ten
equal parts and represents dollars so that the indicating mechanism records or
registers dollars and cents.
The arm L' at the outer end of the scale beam is provided with a longitudinal
slot to receive the outer portion of the adjustable bar E and it has also a longi-
tudinal slot or opening through which extends the shank of pointers 1213.
The slot divides the arm into two portions and the pointers 1213 extend to
opposite sides of the opening and register with each of the scales or series of
graduations of the arm L' and by adjusting the bar E on the said arm the
indicating mechanism of the poise C corresponds to the position of the pointer 13
and indicates the correct price while the poise C indicates the weight as in the
main form of the invention. The outer side of the arm L¹ is divided off into
ten parts representing from one cent to ten cents but the range of the scale
may be readily increased. If the article to be weighed costs forty cents per
pound the adjustable bar is arranged at 4 on the outer scale. and a naught is
affixed to the result shown by the indicator which operation is equivalent to
multiplying the result by 10.
The outer end of the adjustable bar is bifurcated to form spring arms W
which are provided with teeth W₁ and which are adapted to interlock with corre-
sponding teeth W2 of the walls of the longitudinal slot W3 of the arm L'.
It will be seen that the computing scale is exceedingly simple and inexpensive
in construction that the operating mechanism for indicating the price is positive
and reliable and it cannot readily become broken or otherwise get out of order.
Changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be
resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages
of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination of a scale beam a sliding poise mounted thereon an
adjustable bar arranged at an angle to the scale beam and adapted to be moved
to and from the same to vary the angle indicating mechanism mounted on the
poise and operated by the adjustable bar an arm extending. from the scale beam
and provided with graduations and means for securing the adjustable bar at any
point on the arm substantially as described.
2. The combination with a scale beam and an angular member movable rela-
tively thereto of a poise mounted to slide on the scale beam and provided with

page_text: indicating mechanism influenced by said angular member and a rotary ounce
disc provided with means whereby it is turned when the poise is moved along
said scale being substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a scale beam and an angular member movable rela-
tively thereto of a poise mounted to slide on the scale beam and provided with
an indicating mechanism and having an observation opening in its front plate
an ounce disc seen through said observation opening and means in connection
with the scale beam for turning said disc as the poise is slid along the scale
beam substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with a toothed scale beam and an angular member mov-
able relatively thereto and provided with means for adjusting it relatively to
the scale beam of a poise mounted to slide on the scale beam and provided with
an indicating mechanism influenced by said angular member and a rotary ounce
dise provided with a pinion adapted to engage the teeth on said scale beam
substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with a scale beam of a poise provided with a rotary ounce
disc and means in connection with the said ounce disc whereby when the poise
is moved along a scale beam the disc is rotated through the medium of the
scale beam substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with a scale beam provided with a series of teeth of a
poise guided on said scale beam and provided with a rotary ounce disc having
a pinion adapted to mesh with said series of teeth substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a scale beam provided with a series of teeth of a
poise arranged to slide on said seale beam and provided in its front face with
an observation opening and a rotary ounce-disc seen through said observation
opening and provided with a pinion adapted to mesh with said series of teeth
substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with a scale beam provided with a pound scale of a poise'
provided with an observation opening for disclosing the weight indicated by the
scale-beam substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of a scale beam a poise an angular member indicating
mechanism influenced by the position of the angular bar and poise and a setting
member constructed to set the angular member for accurately indicating the
fractions of a cent substantially as set forth.
10. The combination of a scale beam a poise an angular member movable
relatively to the scale-beam indicating mechanism arranged on the poise and in-
fluenced by said angular member a rotary setting member for adjusting to
fractions of a cent and means carried by the scale beam against which said
setting member may be set substantially as set forth.
11. The combination of a scale beam a poise an angular member movable
relatively to the scale beam indicating mechanism carried by the poise and acted
on by said angular member and a shiftable and rotary setting member provided
with sides indicating fractions of a cent any one of said sides being adapted to
be set relatively to the longitudinal axis of the angular member substantially as
set forth.
12. The combination of a scale beam a poise an angular member on the poise
and influenced by the movement of said angular member a plate or arm carried
by the scale beam and provided with a series of price per pound graduations a
pointer carried by the angular member and adapted to be set opposite any of
said graduations and a rotary setting member adapted to be set at any one of its
sides against the said arm or plate on the scale beam the axis of said setting
member being coincident with the pointer on the angular member substantially
as set forth.
13. The combination of a scale beam a poise an angular member indicating
mechanism arranged on the poise and influenced by said angular member an
arm projecting from the scale beam and provided with a series of teeth and
having a series of price per pound graduations a pointer on the angular member

page_text: and a rotary toothed setting member adapted to be set in contact with the series
of teeth on the arm of the scale beam substantially as set forth.
14. The combination of a scale beam a poise an angular member indicating
mechanism carried by the poise and influenced by the angular member a rotary
setting member adapted to be set against an arm attached to the scale beam
and a spring-pressed finger piece for shifting said setting member substantially
as set forth.
angle
15. The herein described setting member having sides arranged at an
to each other each side being provided with a series of teeth one series being
offset or shifted from the centre of the setting member relatively to the other
series substantially as set forth.
16. The herein-described rectangular setting member having a series of teeth
on each of its four sides each series of teeth being offset or shifted from the
centre of the setting member relatively to each other so that the series of teeth
on the four sides are shifted at determined and differing distances from the
diameters of the setting member substantially as set forth.
17. The combination of a scale beam a sliding poise mounted on the same
and upper and lower rollers carried by the poise and bearing against the upper
and lower edges of the scale beam one set of rollers being spring actuated and
yieldingly engaging the beam substantially as set forth.
18. The combination of a scale beam an adjustable bar arranged at an angle
to the same a sliding poise mounted on the scale beam a rack bar mounted on the
poise and connected with the adjustable bar an indicator geared with and
operated by the rack bar upper rollers journalled on the poise and resting upon
the upper edge of the scale beam the lower rollers engaging the lower edge of
the scale beam screws mounted on the poise sleeves adjustably connected with
the screws rods arranged in the sleeves and carrying the lower rollers and springs
interposed between the sleeves and the lower rollers substantially as described.
19. The combination of a scale beam a sliding poise mounted on the same
and provided at its top with a vertical post having a longitudinal slot an adjust-
able bar disposed longitudinally of the scale beam arranged within the slot of
the post and adapted to be moved to and from the beam to vary the angle be-
tween the same a vertically movable rack-bar mounted on the poise extending
into the post and connected with the adjustable bar and adapted to be actuated
by the same when the poise slides along the scale beam and an indicating
mechanism mounted on the poise and geared with and actuated by the rack bar
substantially as described.
20. The combination of a scale beam provided with graduations an arm
extending upward from the outer or front end of the scale beam said arm being
provided with a longitudinal slot and having graduations an adjustable bar
arranged at an angle to the scale beam and adapted to be moved to and from
the same to vary the angle thereof said adjustable bar having its outer end
arranged at and moving along said arm a pointer carried by the adjustable
bar operating in the slot a sliding poise mounted on the beam and a registering
mechanism carried by the poise and actuated by the adjustable bar substantially
as described.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.