Year: 1885

page_text: I DAVID FRANCE of 51 to 53 Needwood Street, Collyhurst, Manchester in the
County of Lancaster Provision Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this, inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My said Invention is chiefly applicable to carts used in the conveyance of coal
and other materials or goods and consists in applying to such vehicles a weighing
apparatus by which the weight of the cart body and its contents can be easily
ascertained or tested. In vehicles to which my invention is applied the body is
made separate or separable from the shafts and axle. The weighing apparatus is
fixed to or supported by the axle or axle beam and consists mainly of two levers
which lie in line with and on each side of the axle or axle beam and pivotted in
supports attached thereto. The outer ends of these levers are bent or cranked so
as to lie at right angles with the lever and in line with the sides of the cart body
the said bent or cranked portions being provided with anti-friction bowls on which
the cart body rests when the weighing operation takes place. When the weighing
apparatus is not being used the cart body rests on blocks on the axle and is
secured to the axle by means of the ordinary bolts. When it is desired to weigh
the cart body with its contents the axle bolts are loosened and allowed to drop out
of gear with the cart body and the connection between the shafts and the cart
body is also removed. To raise and poise the cart body on the weighing apparatus
I inanipulate a screw which passes through the axle or through an attachment
thereon which has the effect of raising the ends of pivotted rocking levers which
in their turn act upon and depress the inner ends of the aforesaid side levers.
The outer ends of these levers are thus caused to rise and lift the cart body from
the axle. The body with its contents is thus supported entirely upon the anti-
friction bowls on the side levers. The upper end of the screw which passes
through the axle works loosely in the bottom part of a double jaw above the axle.
Between the said jaw and the axle I interpose a hinged plate which is preferably
provided with locking projections which enter recesses in the bottom of the jaw so
as to keep the jaw in position. When the cart body has been poised on the side
levers as already described the hooked end of the weigh beam which is supported
on fulcrum pivots further back can be caused to act on a cross pivot in the double

page_text: jaw so as to raise the jaw and permit of the removal of the supporting hinged
plate. The jaw and weigh beam end then drop slightly and the weight of the
contents of the cart body can be ascertained by a sliding weight and graduated scale
on the weigh beam. Instead of using the screw which passes through the axle to
operate the levers and raise the cart body as described, I may arrange screws
beneath the pivots of the side levers so as to raise the said pivots and consequently
the side levers and thus elevate the cart body. When these side screws are.
employed, the screw beneath the weigh beam jaw may be used to brace the
apparatus tightly together and so prevent jarring and rattling of the parts when
the vehicle is in motion. Conical projections on the axle enter conical holes in the
frame of the cart body and act as guides to bring the cart body exactly into
position when the cart body is lowered. Although I have described my improved
apparatus as applicable chiefly to weighing the contents of two wheeled vehicles
the said apparatus may with modifications be applied to vehicles having four
wheels. According to a modified form of my invention instead of using screws to
raise the side pivots as already described I employ cams or excentrics which upon
being rotated by a handle raise the pivots with the cart body and load. The
central screw and double jaw hereinbefore referred to are dispensed with and the
tails of the side levers act in concert upon a common lever which is pivoted on
the axle beam and which is connected with the weigh beam and sliding weight.
When the apparatus is not in use the said transmitting common lever and the
weigh beam are removed and the tails of the side levers are confined by a strap or
link attached to a pivot on the axle beam. The arrangement of levers may be
varied so long as means substantially the same as those described are provided
whereby the cart body is capable of being detached from the axle and shafts and
weighed with its contents in the manner set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1885.
DUTTON & FULTON,
Agents.

page_text: other Vehicles.
I DAVID FRANCE of 51° to 53 Needwood Street, Collyhurst, Manchester in the
County of Lancaster Provision Dealer, 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 and accompanying
drawings:-
My said Invention is chiefly applicable to carts used in the conveyance of coal
and other materials or goods and consists in applying to such vehicles a weighing
apparatus by which the weight of the cart body and its contents can be easily
ascertained or tested. In vehicles to which my invention is applied the body is
made separate or seperable from the shafts and axle while the weighing apparatus
is fixed to or supported by the axle or axle beam. And in order that my said
invention may be properly understood I will now proceed more particularly to
describe and ascertain the system mode or manner in or under which the same
is carried practically into effect reference being had to the annexed sheet of
drawings.
Fig. 1 of the said drawings is a cross section of the body of a two wheeled cart
to which my invention is shown applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus
and of the axle beam to which it is attached. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the axle
beam and axle showing a portion of the apparatus in side elevation. Figs. 4 and 5
are detail views of the means I employ to disconnect the cart body from the shafts
automatically, by the same means which bring the weighing apparatus into
operation. In Fig. 1 A. is the cart body; B. is the axle beam and C. the wheels of
the cart. The weighing apparatus constituting my invention is fixed to the axle
beam B. As shown in the drawings the cart body A. is supposed to be detached
from the axle beam and shafts and to be resting upon the weighing apparatus.
Upon the bottom of the cart body A. are fixed hollow beds or centres D. of
hardened steel two being fixed on each side at a suitable distance apart as shown
at Fig. 3. Immediately beneath these beds D. are situated brackets E the ends of
which are provided with hardened steel vee pieces. F. which enter the hollow
beds D. Two lever arms E¹ and E2 are formed upon or attached to each of the
brackets E. the said lever arms lying at right angles to the brackets E. and parallel
with the axle bean B. The lever arms E1 and E2 are sustained on knife edges in
hollow centre blocks of hardened steel which slide in boxes in the brackets.G.
fixed to the axle beam as shown at Figs. 1., 2. and 5. The said sliding blocks rest
upon the upper ends of studs H. which also slide in the brackets G. so that as the
studs H. are moved up and down, the centre blocks and consequently the lever
arms E, E and brackets E. with the sustained cart body are correspondingly
raised and lowered. The studs H. are operated by the following means. Beneath
the axle beam and at or about its central part I fix a bearing block I which
sustains a shaft J. carrying a worm wheel K.. A worm L. carried by a shaft N. at
right angles to the shaft J. can be operated by a handle M. or it might be a hand

page_text: .
wheel so as to rotate the worm wheel and shaft J. The shaft J. is cut with a right
hand screw at one end and with a left hand screw at the other end and these
screwed portions which may be cut with a double thread if desired engage with
the central bosses of cross heads O. The block I. is formed with horns or
projections P. upon the ends of which are pivotted side levers Q. The lower
prolongations of these levers Q. engage with the ends of the cross heads O, while
the upper extensions of the same levers are formed with eyes which are made to fit
hooks R. formed on the sides of the lever arms E' E' as has been already said.
Fig. 1 shows the cart body A. raised and resting upon the weighing apparatus. If
it is desired to lower the cart body upon the axle beam it is only necessary to turn
the handle M. which actuates the worm whereby the right and left hand screw
shaft J. is rotated and the cross heads Ọ. pushed apart in the direction of the
arrow in Fig. 1. As the lower ends of the side levers Q are connected by
links S. and bell crank levers T. with the studs H. as shown, it will be
evident that the studs H. will be lowered, allowing the cart body to descend
until it rests upon the blocks V. on the axle beam. When down, the cart
body and axle beam are secured together by the usual bolts V. which are
passed up through a slot in the iron plate W. and then turned so that their
elongated heads cross the slot and prevent the bolt from passing through
until again loosened and dropped into the indicated position for the purposes
of weighing. A clip spring may be applied to the sides of the boxes in the
brackets C. which will lay hold upon the levers E¹ E2 when they descend and
thus act as auxilliary means for holding the said levers steady when down. As
the cart body and supporting parts are lowered the side levers Q. are swung into
an erect position the eyes at the upper ends of the levers engaging with the hooks R.
on the levers E¹ E', the said levers being thus firmly held and prevented from
shaking or vibrating when the cart is in ordinary use and in motion. The free
ends of the levers E¹, E' are connected by links ✗. to the end of a double lever Y.
which is pivotted in bearing brackets Z. fixed to the sides of the axle beam. The
other end of the double lever Y. is connected by a spur shackle as shown more
clearly in the detached view to the inner end of a steel yard a. which is supported
on knife edge points in a bracket b. fixed to the axle beam. The steel yard a. is
marked with any desired divisions of weight and carries a moveable weight c.
When, the cart body is raised by the studs H. and is supported by the weighing
levers, the side brackets E and lever arms E¹ E are canted on their pivot bearings
at G so as to pull on the links X. and thus cause the double lever Y. to pull down
the inner end of the steel yard a. and raise the outer end of the said steel yard.
By adjusting the weight c. on the steel yard the exact weight of the contents of
the cart body can be ascertained. The weight of the cart body itself is provided
for by suspending a cup h. on the end of the steel yard. Small shot is put into
this cup until the weight of the empty cart body is exactly balanced. Accidental
increase of weight in the cart body can be provided for. For example if the cart
has been exposed to wet the increase of weight can easily be balanced by the
addition of a few shot to the cup h. A cover is screwed on the cup to keep the
shot from falling out. Figs. 2. 4. and 5. illustrate a method which I adopt for
automatically disconnecting the cart body from the shafts when it is desired to
perform the weighing operation. The side levers Q, which are situated in front of
the axle beam are utilised to operate the said automatic releasing arrangement.
A double jaw is formed on the front end of each of the brackets G. as shown at
the plan view Fig. 2 and also at Figs. 4 and 5. The cart shafts are secured to
plates d. a projection from the end of which fits the double jaw on the bracket G.
A double jaw d¹ is also formed on the end of each plate as shown and the head
of an eye bolt e extending from the cart body fits this double jaw d and is at
times held therein by a sliding bolt f. which is applied at each side of the cart and
is slid to and fro by one of the side levers Q, Q as they are moved in the manner
herein before described. The bolts f.. slide towards and away from the double
jawa d³ in a support g. attached to the sides of the double jaws and the bolts f. are

page_text: •
so arranged with reference to the apparatus that when the handle M is turned the
bolts f, are withdrawn from the jaws d¹ before the cart body A. begins to lift
whereby jamming of the bolts is prevented. The attachment of the plates d. to
the double jaws on the brackets G. prevents the shafts from falling to the ground
when thus disconnected from the cart body. It is to be understood that the method
of so disconnecting the cart body from the shafts may be varied but in all cases
I prefer that such disconnecting should be performed automatically. To guide the
cart into its correct position upon the axle beam when being lowered I form
conical projections i. upon the brackets G. which enter corresponding conical hole3
in the cart body and serve both to guide the body into correct position when being
lowered and also to steady it when in ordinary use. To prevent the double lever Y
from rattling when the cart is in motion I may provide a presser on one of the
pairs of side levers Q and not shown in the drawings which will press upon the
lever Y and hold it down firm in its bearings. I do not consider myself confined
to the exact mechanism described and shown as many of the parts could be modified
without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The application to wheeled vehicles of an apparatus for weighing the contents
of the vehicle constructed and operating substantially as herein before described
and shown or any mere modification of the same.
"
2. In a weighing apparatus of the indicated nature the levers E. arranged
beneath and at times supporting the cart body and carried by suitable pivots, the
said levers being placed in communication with an intermediate lever Y. whereby
the movements of the levers are imparted to a steel yard marked with a graduated
scale and provided with a fixed weight to balance the empty cart body and with
a moveable weight to indicate the weight of the contents of the vehicle, all arranged
and acting substantialy as herein before described and shown.
3. The means for raising and lowering the levers E. and their attached parts
together with the cart body by means of a worm, worm wheel and right and left
hand screw so as to bring the weighing apparatus into operation or to lower it
when not in use, together with the means for holding or binding the levers so
as to prevent rattling when the vehicle is moving, substantially as described and
shown.
4. The means for automatically disconnecting the cart body from the shaft at
the times when the weighing operation is to be performed substantially as herein-
before described and shown or any mere modification thereof.