A BALANCE WITH COUNTER
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Placide Nézeraux at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
April 1875.
I, PLACIDE NÉZERAUX, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine and
Republic of France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A BALANCE WITH COUNTER," to be as follows:-
The object of the indicator, balance, or improved weighing machine,
the subject of this Invention, is to give at the same time as the weight
the corresponding price of each article of merchandize, and with sufficient
approximation for the requirements of housekeeping or of retail trade;
it therefore consists of two main and distinct parts, that which gives the
weight and that which gives the price.

page_text: the scales, the divisions upon which are proportioned to the prices of tho
merchandize; and Figure 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.
The bearings A and B, each form in the middle of their axis a ring
exactly embracing the tube C upon which they are fixed. This tubo C
is preferably of iron scoured at the bench; on a mandril it carries a
scale which indicates the weights from 10 grammes to 10 grammes, up
to 2 kilogrammes; the numbers 100, 200, 300, and so on are principal
divisions indicating 100 grammes, 200 grammes, 300 grammes, and so
on. D is a small suspended hook which receives an initial weight of the
value of either 2, 4, 6, or more kilogrammes, in case the merchandize to
be weighted should exceed the maximum weight indicated on the scale;
E is a sliding ring, lined interiorly with lead; its weight is such that the
weight which it indicates on the scale corresponds exactly with that of
the merchandize placed on the plate or scale G; H is a moveable or
revolving tube; it is held in the iron tube C by a ferrel soldered at each
end, giving easy friction without play. At the right end of this tube is
a plate I of brass, copper, or other metal milled on the edge, so that it
may be easily turned by hand. The tube H, herein-after called the
indicating tube, is thus composed (see Fig. 4) :-The numbers 50, 60,
70, 80, 90, 1., 10, 20, 30, 2ª., 10, 20, 30, 3"., 5 "., 10, 20, 30, 40 : : : : |
6″., 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, indicate in the left margin of the scales the price
of 1 kilogramme of each kind of merchandize from 10 to 10 centimes,
from 50 centimes up to 6". 50°.; the corresponding horizontal lines
carry proportional divisions at specific prices, and the small figures 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1'., inserted between each of them and its neighbour
indicate 10 centimes, 20., 30., to 1 franc. The large figures placed
above the horizontal lines and at each tenth division indicate francs.
Suppose, for example, that it is desired to ascertain the value of 1*.
700. of a merchandize at 3 francs the kilogramme:-The indicating
tube H is turned until the figure 3". in the margin and its scale are
slightly above the edge of the scale of weights; the cursor or slider E is
then moved to 1*. 700., and on looking to the scale of the indicating
tube there will be read 5". 10°., the result sought for. Each of the
scales of the indicating tube as well as those of the weights may give
numbers ten times greater, for which purpose it is only necessary to mul-
tiply each indicated number mentally by ten; then the numbers 100 "*.,
200., 300”., 1., would express 1., 2., 3., & 10%, and the
subdivisions would then indicate 100"., 200 "., etc., instead of 10".,

page_text: 20., 30. K is a cap supporting the plate or scale G by means of the
cross bar L; it rests on the points a and b of the pieces and 1 by
means of a knife edge; P is the cast-iron base supporting the entire
arrangement.
It will be evident that this Invention is characterized by the mode of
construction of the calculating system and the particular arrangement of
its scales, the balance being only the useful accessary arranged for this
purpose.
This system of balance, as above described, is based upon the decimal
system of weights and measures in actual use in France and some other
countries. The base of this system is nevertheless not indispensable, as
that of any other system of weights and measures employed in other
countries may be used. The said balance may therefore be adapted for
every country by altering the scale.
The main features of this Invention are,-
1°. Indicating by means of proportional scales and as shown on the
Drawing the prices of merchandize corresponding with the given weights,
with a view to their application for housekeeping accounts or those of
retail trade.
2°. Indicating not only the prices corresponding with the weights, but
also those which correspond with other measures, linear, or others.
3°. Forming scales proportioned to the prices and weights according to
the system of weights and measures used in different countries.
4°. Obtaining the aforesaid scales printed on paper and stuck upon the
movable tube, or better imprinted on tubes of enamelled iron, or
engraved by means of galvano-plastic proofs.
5°. The faculty of applying the system of indicator, the main object of
this Invention, to every kind of balance or weighing machine, as steel
guards, or Roman balances, and others may be arranged for this
purpose; and also of making indicating apparatuses independent of the
balances.
6°. That the shape and construction of the said balance may be varied,