IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING SCALES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING SCALES."-A communication from abroad
by Daniel Hand Wilcox, of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Huglies
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th March 1866.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING SCALES," a communication to
me from abroad, by Daniel Hand Wilcox, of New Haven, State of Con-
necticut, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in counter scales, or such as are
used for light weights, its object being to reduce the friction upon the bearings.
In the ordinary scales the bearings are so arranged that the article to be
weighed increases the friction in proportion as the article is heavier, for the
reason that the bearings support the weight.

page_text: By this Invention the bearings are arranged so that the weight upon the
bearings is the same or nearly so under all circumstances, and consequently the
friction is the same.
To enable others to construct and use the improved weighing scales, I will
proceed to fully describe the same, as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
which represent in Fig. 1, a front view; Fig. 2, the samo view with the dial
removed to show the working parts; Fig. 3, a top view, with the pan broken
to show the working parts; and Fig. 4, a side view.
A is the base which supports the scale; B, the pan or plate upon which the
article is placed; C, the dial upon which the weight is indicated; and D, the
indicator; E, is a support resting upon the base A; F, a similar support upon
which the pan B is placed, but independent of the base A, the support F
being placed at a little distance from the support E, as seen in Fig. 3. Between
the two supports F and E aro placed parallel bars G, G, resting in notches a,
as seen in Fig. 2, constructed in similar manner as the bearings of ordinary
scales, and the said bars are prevented from displacement by a curvature upon
either side which passes outside of the bars I and I', see Figs. 2 and 4.
Upon the lower end of the bar I, and upon the upper end of the bar 12, a
projection d is formed, between which a spring S is fixed, secured to each of
the projections & at the required tension, so that any article placed upon the
pan B would depress the pan and extend the spring S in proportion to its
weight. To the support F a toothed rack L, see Figs. 2 and 4, is fixed,
which gears into a pinion n, see Fig. 2, to which the indicator D is attached,
so that when the pan B is depressed, the indicator D will be proportionately
turned around the dial C, indicating the weight or force of the depression.
The spring S may be arranged with screws for the purpose of adjustment in a
common and well known manner.
By this mode of construction it will be obvious that the weight upon the
pan does not increase the friction upon the bearings to any extent as compared
with scales of ordinary construction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 128, 3
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight. hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
.and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING SCALES,"
a communication to me from abroad by Daniel Hand Wilcox, of New Haven,
State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I,- the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors
.or administrators, by an instrument, in writing under .my, or their, or
one of their hands, and, seals, 'should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of tho said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
.performed, and cause the same; to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
፡
t. NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in. what i
manner.the same is
to be performed, to be, particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is; to say):
:
This Invention relates to improvements in counter scales, or such as aro
used for light weights, its object being to reduce the friction upon the
bearings. In the ordinary scales the bearings are so arranged that tho
article to be weighed increases the friction in proportion as the article is
heavier, for the reason that the bearings support the weight. By this
Invention the bearings are arranged so that the weight upon the bearings is
the same or nearly so under all circumstances, and consequently the friction
is the same.
To enable others to construct and use the improved weighing scales, I will
proceed to fully describe the same, as illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, which represent in Fig. 1 a front view; Fig. 2, the same view
with the dial removed to show the working parts; Fig. 3, a top view, the pan
broken to show the working parts; and Fig. 4 a side view.
A is the base which supports the scale; B, the pan or plate upon which

page_text: the article is placed; C, the dial upon which the weight is indicated, and D,
the indicator; E is a support resting upon the base A; F, a similar:support
upon which the pan B is placed, but independent of the base A, the support F
'being placed at a little distance from the support E, as seen in Fig. 3;
'between the two supports F. and E are placed parallel bars G, G, resting in
notches a, as seen in Fig. 2, constructed in similar mannor as the bearings-of
ordinary scales, and are prevented from displacement by a curvature upon
either side which passes outside of the bars I and I¹, see Figs. 2 and 4.
Upon the lower end of the bar I, and upon the upper end of the bar I³ a
projection d is formed, between which a spring Sis fixed, secured to each of
the projections & at the 'required tension, so that any article placed upon-the
pan B-would depress the pan and extend the spring S in proportion to its
weight. To the support Ta toothed rack L, see Figs. 2 and 4, is fixed,
which gears into a pinion'n, see Fig. 2, to which the indicator D'is attached,
so that when the pan B is depressed the indicator D-will be proportionately
turned around the dial C, indicating the weight or force of the depression.
The spring 'S may be arranged with screws for the purpose of adjustment in a
'common and well-known manner. By this mode of construction it will bo
obvious that the weight-upon 'the pan does not increase the friction upon
the bearings to any, extent as compared with scales of ordinary.con-
struction.
Having therefore thus 'fully described this Invention as communicated to
'me, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent
is, the combination of the supports E and F, the parallel bars G, G, and a
spring S, or its equivalent, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
*specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, 'in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight 'hundred and sixty-six.