An Improved Combined Coin-controlled Weighing and Strength Testing Machine.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1898
An Improved Combined Coin-controlled Weighing and Strength
Testing Machine.
I, GEORGE GREGORY SCOTT MERRY, of No. 96, Appleton Street, Boston, in the
County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Machinist,
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 a coin-released weighing-scale mechanism, and devices in
combination therewith, whereby in the same scale-case and with the same dial or
index, gripping and lifting strength tests may be made and indicated, these last two
functions being accomplished by a mechanism released by a coin from a single chute,
and said mechanism operating, in turn, portions of the weighing mechanism
sufficiently to indicate the gripping and lifting power in suitable units. Each of the
devices may be operated independently, yet the weighing mechanism is the base for
the operation of the others.
The object of the invention is, while providing a simpler and far cheaper coin-
operated weighing mechanism than many now in use, to produce a mechanical
combination therewith, by the addition of comparatively simple movements, and
impart the additional functions of lifting and gripping.
The nature and operation of the device will be understood by those conversant with
such matters, from the following description.
Of the drawings accompanying this Specification,-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved combination machine.
Figure 2 represents a front elevation of the parts inside the case, in the upper
portion thereof, this view being a section taken just behind the dial.
Figure 3 represents a sectional view, taken at right angles to the section in
Figure 2.
Figure 4 represents a front elevation of the parts immediately concerned in the
weighing operations of the machine.
Figure 5 represents an enlarged sectional view of parts shown in Figure 3, taken
on the line of the operating-shaft or spindle.
Figure 6 represents a detail plan view of parts shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 represents an enlarged front elevation of parts having to do with the
lifting and gripping operations of the machine.
Figure 8 represents a detail elevation of one end of the register employed in the
machine.
The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
Referring to the drawings,-
a is the case of the machine, which is of the general form common to machines of
this class, and has the platform 6 mounted on the ordinary tilting-beam (not shown)
which connects with the index mechanism by a rod b¹, as is customary in all machines
of this kind. On the front of the case-head is a dial c, so spaced and numbered that
the needle or pointer c¹ may indicate through two revolutions. On one side of the

page_text: case is a coin-chute a' for operating the weighing mechanism, and on the other side
of the case is a second coin-chute a³ for operating the lifting and gripping
mechanisms, Inside of the case is a frame d for supporting the operating
mechanism. I will first describe the weighing mechanism proper, which is best
shown in Figure 4.
At the upper end of the rod 61, on a stud 64, is pivoted an equalizing-bar 6³, to
which are attached the lower ends of two helical springs 62 62, the upper ends of
these latter being attached to a second equalizing-bar 63 pivoted at 65 to a lever 66.
Said lever is pivoted at 67 to the case, and is provided with an adjusting-screw b³,
whereby a very delicate adjustment of the springs may be attained. There is
journalled in the frame d a sectional shaft e e¹, whose outer section e¹ carries the
index-finger c¹. On the rear end of this shaft is secured a pinion f, which gears
with a vertical rack f¹ guided between rollers f2f2. At the lower end of the rack is
a downwardly extending rod f³, having a resilient connection with the rack f¹, by
means of the spring f. The rear section of the central shaft or spindle is
normally locked by means of a dog f5 pivoted on a stud f21 and having a tooth fo
which engages either one of two teeth f8f8 formed on a disk f which is secured to the
shaft e.
When a person steps on the platform of the scale, to be weighed, the bar 6¹ is depressed,
and the springs 62 are distended an amount proportional to the weight of the person.
The rod has adjustably attached to it, by means of screws 612 612, a shelf or bracket 610.
This bracket, upon the depression of the rod 6¹, retreats from the lower end of the
bar 3, this latter and the rack f¹ being sustained by the locking of the dog f³ and
disk. The person then deposits a coin in the chute a¹, and said coin falls and
strikes against a trip fº pivoted at f10 to the frame d and carrying a counter-
balancing weight f¹². The coin passes the trip f, and in doing so raises its right-hand
end (Figure 4). The latter is offset at ₤13, and the offset portion takes under an
extension f¹ of the dog f. The dog is therefore raised as the coin passes the trip,
and the shaft e is released. The rack fl then falls by gravity until the lower end of
the rod f3 strikes against the shelf 610, the spring 4 yielding to the impact. The
dial-hand is therefore caused to move around the dial and indicate the weight of the
person.
f15 is a lever pivoted at f16 to the frame and carrying at its forward end three
pivoted pawls f18 and at its rear end a counterbalancing weight f17. The left or pawl
end of this lever is normally held in a raised position by means of a plate 6º (Figure 3),
adjustably mounted on the upper end of the rod b¹. When said rod is depressed, the
lever 15 loses its support, and its left end falls upon the end of a short lever f10 pivoted
at f20 to the frame. The latter is connected by a wire or cord f25 with a second trip-
lever (Figure 2) located at the extreme lower end of the coin-chute. This second
trip is pivoted at f23 in a bracket a² inside the case a, and carries a counterbalancing
weight 4. In the time taken by the coin to pass from the upper trip fo to the
lower trip f, the dial-hand has come to rest at a point which indicates the weight
of the person, and the passage of the coin past the trip f22 lifts the right-hand end
of the lever f19, causing it to pass above the lever f15, so that said lever
is released and the pawls f18 fall against the periphery of a toothed or
ratchet wheel f20 secured on the shaft-section e. This locks the said shaft-section
against further rotation in either direction. The object of providing a plurality of
pawls f18 is to insure an immediate engagement with the ratchet-wheel f26, since if
only one pawl were employed, it might rest on the top of a ratchet-tooth and fail to
perform its locking function properly.
The shaft-section e remains locked until the person steps off the scale-platform and
allows the rod 6¹ to rise and elevate the pawl-supporting lever f15. The dial-hand c¹
is then returned to the zero point by means of a light spring f27 supported by a
fixed standard 28 and connected with a cord f29 which winds around the forward
section e¹ of the shaft. As the rod b¹ rises to its normal position, the spring-tensioned
rod is forced upwardly, compressing its spring f, until the shaft e is unlocked by
the pawis f18, when the rack fl returns to its normal position by the force of said

page_text: spring, and the dog falls into place over the teeth and locks the shaft e and
pinion against movement in the direction required to permit the depression of the
rack-bar f¹.
The sectional shaft mechanism is organized as follows: The opposed ends of the
sections e e¹ are provided with fixed collars e² es, and adjacent to said collars are loose
collars e. Behind the loose collar et on the section e, is a loose sleeve g. The loose
collare has a forwardly projecting horizontal pin e engaging a radial pin e on the
fixed collar e³ of the shaft-section el, and the fixed collar e2 of the shaft-section e has
a radial pin engaging the pin eo. The sleeve g has a horizontal pin e engaging the
pin e, and also a pin elo mounted on the loose collar e. The latter has a pin el
engaging a fixed stop-pin e¹³. It will be noted that this arrangement permits the
dial-finger c¹ to have two revolutions, due to a rotation of the sleeve g before being
stopped by the fixed pin e¹³; for when the sleeve starts to revolve in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Figure 6, the pin e and with it the pointer, are carried
around and the front end of the pin e comes around behind the pin elo and engages
the same after a complete revolution of the parts. The collar e may then be carried
around for another complete revolution, until finally the limit is reached by the
pin e striking against the fixed stop-pin e¹³.
The lifting mechanisin which co-operates with the weighing mechanism above
described is as follows: The sleeve is provided with a pinion g', which gears with
a vertical rack y². The latter is held in a swinging frame g³ (Figure 7) pivoted on a
stud g, and is guided in its vertical movement by grooved rollers g5 gs go on said
fraine. On the lower end of the rack g² is pivoted at g³ a pawl g7 having stops gº g¹º
to limit its motion. When the lower end of the rack g² is moved to the right, this
pawl engages with teeth g¹³ formed on a ratchet-bar g12, the latter being mounted to
slide between rollers g14 g¹ and attached at its lower end to a bracket 613 on the
rod 61. The pawl g is normally held out of engagement with said ratchet-bar by
means of a lever g16 pivoted at 930 to the frame d and notched at g17 to engage the
upper end of the pivotal frame g³. When said lever g16 is raised, to release the
frame g³, a spring 15 draws the latter to the right, so as to bring the pawl g' into
engagement with the ratchet-bar g¹²
At the base of the case a is pivoted a bracket j adapted to swing horizontally out
over the scale-platforin b, and carrying at its outer end a handle ji mounted at the top
of a screw-spindle j. By screwing this spindle into or out of its socket in the end
of the bracket j, the handle j¹ may be raised or lowered to suit the convenience of
the operator. The effect of pulling up on the handle 7, which is fixed relatively to
the case a, is to increase the pressure on the scale-platform b over that due to the
weight of the operator. When a person steps on the platform to determine his lifting
strength, the bar band with it the ratchet-bar g12, are depressed a certain distance.
In order, then, to release the lifting mechanism, the person deposits a coin in the
right-hand chute a³, and the same falls down the chute and displaces a trip-lever g18
which is pivoted at g19 to the frame d and bears against the lever g¹6 (see Figure 2).
The lever g18 is provided, on an extension 921, with a counter-balancing weight go. A
movement of the trip g18 by a coin raises the lever g1, releasing the frame g³, and
causing the engagement of the pawl g with the ratchet-teeth g¹³. The person, as
soon as he deposits the coin, grasps the handle j¹ and pulls up thereon, to determine
his strength. This causes a depression of the platform b and the rod b¹ with its
ratchet-bar g12, and as a consequence, the rack g² is depressed and the pinion g¹ and
sleeve rotated. The said sleeve g being in engagement, as previously described,
with the front section e¹ of the central shaft, causes the latter and the pointer c¹
to revolve and indicate the lifting strength of the person.
In order to keep
the indicator of the dial-hand at the farthest point reached, and not allow it to
return, I provide a brake, consisting of a roll 922 (see Figure 7) loosely confined
between the sleeve g and a cross-piece d' on the frame d, said roll being further re-
tained by a removable screw d. This roll allows the sleeve to rotate freely in the
forward direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 7; but should the sleeve reverse
its movement, the roll becomes wedged in the tapering recess formed between the

page_text: The
The
sleeve g and the cross-piece d¹, and prevents the reverse rotation of said sleeve.
dial-hand therefore stays at the highest point reached, until the person steps off the
platform. When he does so, the ratchet-bar g12 rises, and a pin g thereon engages
the free end of a lever g23 pivoted at g24 to the frame. Said lever g23 carries a hook
or staple 925, which takes under the roll 22 and lifts the same a slight distance, as
represented in Figure 7, thus allowing the sleeve g to reverse its rotation.
sleeve is returned to its initial position by means of a spring 927 supported by a fixed
standard g and attached to a cord g which winds around the sleeve. At the lower
end of the rack g2, on a stud g³, is pivoted eccentrically a ratchet-segment 930 ad-
justed by a stop 932. When the lower end of the rack is drawn to the right, this
ratchet-segment engages with the teeth of a ratchet g³3 formed on the lower end of
the ratchet-bar g12. The object of this construction is to release the rack g² from its
engagement with the ratchet-bar g¹² when the operator ceases to lift on the handle j',
for the ratchet-segment being eccentrically pivoted with its longest radius at the
lower corner, a relative upward movement of the ratchet-bar g12 with respect to the
rack will cause this ratchet-segment g30 to turn on its pivot and force the pawl g
out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth g¹³. A continuation of the upward move-
ment of the ratchet-bar brings the upper end of the frame g³ into line with the
notch g in the pivoted arm 916, and the latter engages and holds said frame, as
shown in Figure 7. It is hence apparent that the operator will have to exert a steady
lifting force, in order to test his full strength, since any cessation of pull will cause
the mechanism to cease to register.
i is a register mounted inside the case and constructed to register the total
number of coins deposited in the machine. It has a ratchet-wheel on the end of
its spindle, and an actuating pawl 12 mounted on a pivoted block which has an arm 2³
extending into the coin-chute a¹ and adapted to be displaced by coins falling there-
through, and also an arm 4 engaged by a lower extension of the trip g18, whereby
the register is operated by coins falling through the chute a³.
The grip-testing mechanism forming part of the machine is operated by means of
a handle h rigidly mounted at a convenient height on the outside of the case a, and
a grip h having guiding legs which extend inside the case. On the upper one of
said legs is mounted an adjustable block h² abutting against a spring h³. The said
block is connected by a strap h passing over a guide-pulley h, with the lower end
of a connecting-rod he which connects with a vertical sliding rod, h7 suitably guided
in the frame, and normally held in raised position by means of a spring h³ interposed
between a collar h on the top of the rod, and a lug d³ on the frame. This rod h
has a conical lower end 10 adapted to engage a conical depression g³5 formed in a
lug g³ extending laterally from the lower end of the rack g², Normally the rod h
is free to move up and down without encountering the lug 934, so that a person
grasping the handle h and grip h¹ will force the latter inwardly, without operating
the index; but when a coin is deposited in the chute a³, the pivotal frame g³ is re-
leased, as before described, and the lower end of the rack g² is drawn to the right.
This brings the conical depression g35 underneath the lower end of the rod h³, and
then when the operator actuates the grip, the said rod in moving downwardly en-
gages the lug 93 and draws the rack g2 downwardly, so as to rotate the dial-hand and
give an indication of the person's gripping strength. The strength of the spring ½³
is made such as to indicate the grip in units corresponding to those marked on the
dial. is a detent pivoted at h¹³ in a collar which is secured on the rod 7.
This detent, in moving downwardly when the rod engages the lug g4, yields to pass
a stud 93 on the frame g³, being turned on its pivot as it passes the stud, and then
re-assuming a horizontal position. If the tension of the grip is released, the rod h
moves upwardly with respect to the frame g and its rack, and the detent 12 being
constructed to act rigidly against the stud 930 in this movement, displaces the lower
end of the frame g³ laterally, and brings its upper end into engagement with the
notch g17 in the arm y¹.
It will be noted that when a coin is deposited in the chute a³, both the lifting and

page_text: gripping mechanisms are put into operative condition, so that either the one or the
other may be operated, at the choice of the person on the scale-platform.
It is necessary to stand on the platform of the machine when the gripping
mechanism is operated, since otherwise the brake-roll 22 will not act, and hence the
dial-hand will immediately return when the pressure is released, instead of staying
at the highest point reached.
It will be seen that in my improvement I provide a simple and accurate coin-
released spring-scale mechanism, a lifting mechanism, and a grip-testing device, all
in the same machine, wherein each succeeding mechanism is dependent in some
degree upon at least a portion of the preceding, and wherein the results of each
specific device may be indicated upon the same dial, with a common index-finger,
and as only one platform is employed, the necessity of having said platform effect
any of the functions is obviated.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a coin-controlled weighing-scale, a rotary index-shaft, a coin-released locking
mechanism therefor, and a second locking mechanism operated subsequently by the.
action of the same coin.
2. In a coin-controlled weighing-scale, the combination of a spring-scale balance, a
rotary index-shaft, a gravity device for actuating said shaft, the movement of which
is determined by said scale mechanism, and a spring for returning said gravity
device.
3. In a coin-controlled weighing-scale, the combination of a spring-scale balance, a
rotary index-shaft, a coin-released locking mechanism for the shaft, a gravity device
for actuating said shaft when released, the movement of which is determined by the
scale mechanism, and a device for locking said shatt after rotation, released by the
action of the same coin.
4. In a coin-controlled weighing-scale, a rotary index-shaft in combination with a
coin-actuated member normally locking said shaft, a member adapted to lock
said shaft after rotation, and a coin-actuated member adapted to release the last
said member.
5. In a coin-controlled weighing-scale, the combination of the shaft carrying the
toothed wheels, the coin-actuated locking member engaging one of said wheels, the
locking-pawl adapted to engage the other wheel, the member holding said pawl from
engagement with its wheel and releasing the latter when actuated by the coin,
and mechanism for rotating said shaft when released from the first said locking
member.
6. In a coin-controlled weighing-scale, a spring-scale balance comprising the rod b¹
and its return springs, in combination with an index-shaft carrying a pinion, a
gravity rack in mesh with said pinion and provided with a spring-cushioned
extension in position to be engaged by said bar on its return and thereby compressed,
whereby at a predetermined point in said return said rack may be actuated to return
said shaft.
7. In a coin-controlled weighing scale, the combination of the shaft carrying the
toothed wheel f28, coin-released means for normally locking said shaft, and means
for locking said shaft after rotation, comprising the lever f15 carrying a plurality of
pivoted pawls f18 adapted to engage the toothed wheel, and a coin-actuated member
adapted to release said lever and allow the pawls to fall upon said toothed wheel.
8. In a coin-controlled weighing-scale, the combination of the index-shaft, coin-
released means for normally locking said shaft, a locking lever for locking said shaft.
after rotation, the lever fo adapted to sustain said locking lever, the coin-actuated
trip f22, and the connection f25 between said trip and the lever f19, whereby the
latter is moved to release the locking lever upon the passage of a coin.
9. A coin-controlled weighing and lifting machine comprising a dial, an index, and

page_text: coin-controlled mechanism arranged to actuate said index, to indicate the force
expended in each of the two operations independently on said dial.
10. A coin-controlled weighing, lifting, and grip-testing machine, comprising a
dial, an index, and coin-controlled mechanism arranged to actuate said index to
indicate the force expended in each of these three operations independently.
11. A coin-controlled lifting and grip-testing machine comprising a dial, an index,
and coin-controlled mechanism arranged to actuate said index to indicate the force
expended in each of these two operations independently on said dial.
12. A coin-controlled weighing, lifting, and grip-testing machine comprising a
case provided with a single dial and index therefor, two coin-chutes in said case,
mechanism controlled by a coin in one chute for actuating said index to indicate the
weight applied, and by a coin in the other chute to indicate either the lifting or grip
power applied.
13. The case, a lifting handle secured thereto, the spring-balance, comprising the
platform, in combination with the index, and a coin-controlled mechanisin för
actuating said index when said platform is depressed by the lifting strain.
14. The case, a grip-handle thereon, and a spring scale balance, comprising a
platform, in combination with an index, and a coin-controlled mechanism adapted to
actuate said index to indicate when the grip power is applied.
15. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocating member actuated by the
operator, a swinging frame carrying a sliding rack which is thrown into connection
with said member by the action of a coin, an index-shaft, a pinion thereon meshing
with the rack, and means operated by the retraction of the reciprocating member for
automatically separating the latter and the rack.
16. In a machine of the class described, an index-shaft and coin-controlled
actuating mechanism therefor, in combination with the friction-brake roll 92, the
releasing-lever 923, the spring-scale mechanism carrying the ratchet-bar, and a
projection on said bar for engaging the lever and releasing the brake at a pre-
determined point in the passage of said bar.
17. In a machine of the class described, a spring-scale mechanism carrying a
ratchet-bar, an index-shaft, a sliding rack adapted to actuate said shaft and having
a pawl adapted to engage the ratchet-bar, a swinging frame carrying the rack and
normally actuated in a direction to cause the engagement of the same with the
ratchet-bar, a coin-operated latch for holding the latter two out of-engagement, and
an eccentric member carried by the rack and adapted to be moved by the retraction
of the ratchet-bar, so as to automatically disengage said rack and ratchet-bar and
latch the former.
18. In a machine of the class described, the case and platform b, in combina-
tion with the swinging frame ; pivoted on said case, and a handle mounted on said
frame and vertically adjustable thereon.
19. In a machine of the class described, the spring tensioned grip-actuated
sliding rod, in combination with the index-shaft, and a coin-actuated mechanism
adapted to be projected into the path of said rod, whereby said shaft may be
rotated.
20. In a machine of the class described, the coin-operated swinging frame, and the
shaft-actuating rack carried thereby, in combination with the grip-actuated sliding
rod arranged to operate said rack.
21. In a machine of the class described, the swinging frame carrying the shaft-
actuating rack and the coin-operated latch therefor, in combination with the grip-
actuated bar adapted to operate said rack when the latter is unlatched.
22. In a machine of the class described, the grip-actuated sliding bar, in combina-
tion with the swinging frame carrying the shaft-actuating rack, the coin-operated
latch therefor, means for producing engagement between the sliding bar and the
rack when said frame is unlatched, and means operated by the retraction of the bar,
for disengaging said bar and rack.
23. In a machine of the class described, a coin-chute, in combination with a
register for recording the number of coins deposited in said chute, and an aroi

page_text: projecting into the chute and arranged to operate the register upon the passage of
a coin.
24. The case having a single dial and index, separate coin-controlled mechanisms
for operating said index independently, and two coin-chutes pertaining to the
respective mechanisms, in combination with a register for recording the total
number of coins deposited in the two chutes, and arms projecting into said
chutes and arranged to operate said register upon the passage of coins there-
through.
Hoth way on augu
GEORGE GREGORY SCOTT MERRY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.