IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING SCALES OR BALANCES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, London in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING SCALES OR
BALANCES " 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 that class of weighing scales which are provided with
dials and indexes, and comprises a novel construction and arrangement of the parts
as hereinafter more fully set forth, by which a more effective device of this
character is produced than is now in ordinary use.
In weighing articles of value, where tare liás to be deducted and great accuracy
is desirable, mistakes frequently occur, which occasion much annoyance and delay,
and sometimes result in a very considerable loss. This is more especially the case
in worsted, silk and other manufactories where the yarn, or the like, is weighed on
the bobbins before being sold or used, the work being usually performed by boys.
who are often careless or have not sufficient arithmetical knowledge to enable them
to make the necessary calculations rapidly and accurately. The mere physical
labor of subtracting the tare from the gross weight at each weighing of a bobbin,
is also, in the aggregate, very large, and consumes much time when properly
performed.
My invention is designed to obviate these and other difficulties and objections,
by furnishing a scale which instantly and accurately denotes both the net and
gross weight of any article weighed thereon, where tare has been previously
ascertained; and to that end I make use of means which will be readily understood
by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation, its extreme
simplicity rendering an elaborate description unnecessary.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved scale, and
Figure 2 a like view showing it in use.
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page_text: "
A indicates the body or case of the scale, B the bar, C the supporting ring and D
the hook.
The bar is fitted to slide vertically and is provided with a stout coiled spring
(not shown) which acts contractively to keep it within the case.
An arbor or shaft, E is journalled in the case at right angles to the bar in proper
bearings; and firmly attached to its outer end is a disc or dial G, provided with
the index or finger .
The shaft is provided on the interior of the case with a pinion (not shown).
which engages with a toothed rack (not shown) connected with the bar B, and so
arranged that, when the said bar is drawn outwardly from the case, the disc will
be turned or revolved to the right, and when retracted by the spring, or drawn
inwardly, it will be revolved to the left.
As the case, ring, hook, bar; spring, rack, arbor and pinion are all of ordinary
construction, or such as are usually found in spring balances or scales having an
index finger and dial, it is not deemed essential to more fully show or describe
these parts in order that my invention may be understood.
The revolving dial or disc G is provided on its face, near its periphery, with an
annular scale, divided into ten equal sections numbered from 1 to 10 respectively,
in reverse order, or from right to left, each of these sections being divided into
sixteen equal parts, the sections and their divisions. representing respectively.
pounds and ounces avoirdupois weight.
Around the disc or dial G and firmly attached to the face of the case 'A, there is
an auxiliary annular scale H divided into ten equal sections numbered respectively
from 1 to 10 in regular order or from left to right; each of these sections being
divided, to correspond with those on the disc. G into sixteen equal parts, the
sections and their divisions representing pounds and ounces avoirdupois.
For convenience the pounds, or sections representing pounds, on either scale are
divided into half-pounds, the half-pound division line being marked with 'the
figure 8, standing for eight ounces.. The quarter, eighth, and sixteenth pound
marks may also by indicated by proper numerals if desired.
In the use of my invention the scale is suspended by the ring C, and the article
to be weighed attached to the hook D as usual, the gross weight being indicated
by the index x on the auxiliary scale H, in a manner which will be readily obvious
without a more explicit description.
The pounds and subdivisions of pounds on the dial G, have reference to the tare,
and those on the auxiliary scale H to the gross weight, and when the gross weight
is ascertained the amount of the net weight will always be found on the scale H,
opposite the amount of the tare, for instance :-In Figure 2 the scale is represented
as in use weighing a bobbin filled with yarn, the gross weight of which is 2 lbs.
and 8 ounces, the weight of the bobbin or tare, being 1 lb. and 10 ounces and the
net weight of the yarn 14 ounces. To ascertain the net weight in this instance
the mark denoting 1 lb. and 10 ounces is first found on the dial G counting
from 10 towards the left, which is at i; and opposite this at m, on the scale H,
will be seen the mark denoting 14 ounces, or the net weight of the yarn.
In case either the gross weight or tare of any article is more than ten lbs., the
numbers above ten on the respective scales are added to ten; for instance, if the
filled bobbin shown in Figure 2 weighed 12 lbs. and 8 ounces the scale, as it stands
in Figure 2, would correctly indicate the gross weight, and if the bobbin itself
weighed 12 lbs., the net weight, or weight of the yarn; would be 8 ounces, which
it will be observed is the number on scale H opposite figure 2 of the dial. G.
It will be obvious that the sections may be divided into twelve or any other
number of parts if desired, also that the invention may be readily adapted to
platform and other scales; I do not therefore confine myself to its use with spring
balances or scales exclusively. Neither do I confine myself to having the disc G
rotate and the scale H stationary, as the disc may be made stationary and the
scale so arranged as to revolve around it, if desired, and accomplish substantially

page_text: the same results. The scales of figures may also be straight instead of circular, if
desired, the operative mechanism being constructed accordingly.
-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. In a weighing scale or balance, a movable and a fixed scale of figures
denoting pounds and the fractional parts thereof, one of the said scales of figures
being numbered in reverse order from the other and adapted to register therewith,
in combination with an index and operative mechanism, substantially as, and for
the purpose, set forth.
Second. In a weighing scale or balance, the revolving disc G provided with the
index and with a scale of figures denoting pounds and the fractional parts
thereof, the said figures being arranged in reverse order, or from right to left, in
combination with the auxiliary scale H, substantially as specified.
Third. The weighing scale or balance herein described, the same consisting of the
body A, the ring. C, the bar B, the hook D; the scale H, the arbor E, the index x,
and the dial G having a scale the figures of which are arranged in reverse order, in
combination with operative mechanism, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 27th day of Fahru 1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.