MENTS IN WEIGHING MACIUNES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hines at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th August 1880.
JAMES HINES, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
MENTS IN WEIGHING MACIUNES."
" IMPROVE-
This said Invention has reference to automatic or self-weighing and recording
machines of the lever, platform, or steelyard class, and especially to special new
or improved constructions and arrangements of the counterpoise or differential
weights, and their balance levers, or steel yards and accessary fittings, and
combinations of these parts, for automatically weighing and recording in such
weighing machines, and having the advantage of greater simplicity in mechanical
construction and action, and greater ease of adjusting or regulating than in such
self-acting weighing machines heretofore in use.
The nature and novelty of the Invention or improvements consist all as
follows: First, in erecting and arranging the balance counterpoise weighing
lever or steelyard of such weighing machines, as a lever of the second order with
its carrying knife edged centres at the one end resting in their hollow fixed steel
bearings below them, and with the inverted steel knife edge load carrying centres
fixed in the lever for having the shackle and rod to the main levers of machine below,
at a distance proportionately near the fixed centre, that the whole length of the
lever to its free end is to the power exerted by the counterpoise acting upwards,
would balance and weigh the maximum load on the platform, which the weighing
machine is made for; and further, and especially, in fixing and applying under the
free end of the steelyard, a hollow float counterpoise with a fluid-tight bottom and
sides, but preferably open at top for free admission of air or adjustment of its weight,
and made of a little greater length or depth than the whole motion required by the
lever, and parallel in its sides, and preferably of a square or rectangular form in
horizontal cross section, and segmentally concentric to the stationary bearing
centre, all for the purpose of and fitted to act as a float counterpoise, which would

page_text: be immersed in a small cistern of water (or it might be oil, glycerine, or other
liquid or mixture of liquids) erected for the purpose below it, all proportionately to
the weight of the load exerted on the lever as to carry it and displace a nearly
equal or uniform quantity of water for every hundred weight of the load or aliquot
part thereof, and of the motion of the lever. One end of a light rod, wire, or cord
would be attached to any convenient part of the lever, and at the other end to the
rack of a pinion, or other essential motive barrel part of a light re-acting spring
index pointer, and always brought back to zero on the dial after each action; these
parts not being required to carry or transmit any of the weight on lever or
counterpoise. The dial would be divided into sufficiently large divisions to suit
the corresponding motions of the lever and float counterpoise, which performs the
actual weighing for each hundred weight of load, to show also the quarters and
pounds by smaller intermediate marks, as is usual in such automatic spring dial
weight index recorders; but without their usual complicated differential weighing
spring mechanism, which so frequently varies and requires adjustment after
considerable use. The steelyard or lever would preferably be made with a short
lever arm behind the fixed bearing for slide, with shifting screw for the nice
balancing and adjustment of the lever and its pointer at zero on the dial, with
the float counterpoise in proper position to the normal level of the water, which
would always be regulated by an over flow pipe and tap in a line with the centres
of the steelyard, by the addition of a little water when it fell below this normal
level. For the heavier class of weighing machines, when a single balance lever or
steelyard would require to be too long, or have an inconveniently large float
counterpoise and cistern, I prefer to mount the float counterpoise lever as described,
over the actual steelyard lever, also of the second order, lengthening its free end
by a bearing shackle and short link rod to the weight carrying shackle, and centre
of the counterpoise lever above. And by another improvement in automatic
weighing or recording machines, I would fulcrum the end fixed bearing centre
of this first or under steelyard, or it might be that of the float or steelyard,
on a hanging bearing shackle at the lower end of a chain, carried over and
secured to a segmental wheel, carried on an oscillating spindle with long engaging
and disengaging hand lever and quadrant, carried on a suitable strong short
standard for the purpose, with heavy counter-weights on the opposite end of the
chain and side of the quadrant; or it might be by other disengaging raising and
lowering levers, or rack and pinion, or equivalent arrangement, which in either
case would always leave the platform of the machine on its rest blocks, when the
heavy waggons or lorries came on, and allow the man to bring the weight gently
and steadily up by the hand lever on to the bearing carrying centres of the beams
and shackles and steelyards, until the pointer index came to the maximum
division and weight without abnormal vibration, as is the case in all self-acting
weighing machines beretofore in use. For giving additional steadiness to the
steelyards and index mechanism of these self-recording weighing machines (as
when the said improved engaging and disengaging hand lever mechanism is not
desired to be used at each act of weighing), the water cistern would be provided
with a shallow part up at the water level to give greater area where there is
plenty of room for it, so that the displacement by the float counterpoise would
not produce great differences of level, whether slowly or suddenly actuated; but
to ensure greater steadiness in the case of sudden action, I would fit a perforated
plate all over the cistern a little below the normal level, leaving a hole through it
for the float counterpoise to work down through into the deep part of the cistern
with a raised rim all round this, to cause all the water to pass up and down
through the perforations, when the level of the water was altered by the sudden
motion of the float, and so steady the surface level of the water, and consequently
also the action of the float counterpoise, while the rim round it on the plate would
prevent the lateral action of the water on the sides of the float, and if curved on
the inside of the rim next the float, the flow of the water up and down between
them would further tend to steady the float; but where the cistern requires to be

page_text: small, and the surface level of the water would be affected considerably by the
motion of the float, a number of super-imposed thin plates would be secured to the
sides of the cistern some little distance between each other, at and above and
below the changing level, opening all round to the recess in them through which
the float works, so that as the water rises and falls in its level around the recess
and float, its motion would be retarded and steadied by entering the spaces
between, and acting on the surface of the angled plates, or otherwise; conical
or curved plates or other plates or discs might be fixed to a stem projecting
down from the centre of the float counterpoise into the water and cistern below
it, which would have the effect of steadying it from the hold their surfaces had
of the water. Although this float counterpoise has been described as hollow, this
being preferred (as requiring more power or weight on the steelyard to immerse
it), yet still it will be understood that the float might be made solid instead of
hollow when desired or preferred.
By another new or improved arrangement of this Invention, the counterpoise
may be made in the form of a hollow vessel hung to the free end of the upper or
weighing steelyard, always filled with water inside to the top, or to free openings
in its sides to coincide with the normal surface level of the water within the cistern
outside the counterpoise vessel, when the lever and parts are properly balanced and
set with the index recording pointer at zero. Thus in this case the water
counterpoise acts as an ordinary counterpoise of weights in the downward
direction, and the proportional quantity of water lifted by the load above the
level, so that the steelyard here requires to be fitted with its centres to act as
a lever of the first order, and lift the free end of the intermediate steelyard
below it by the link and bearing shackles carried up and connected to the end
centre of its short arm; and this arrangement also would have its lower or
intermediate steelyard mounted as a lever of the second order, carried on and fitted
with the improved disengaging quadrant carrying chain with hand lever, or other
equivalent, all as and for the purposes described in reference to the former
arrangement. In some cases of this latter arrangement of steelyard and lifting
water counterpoise, a hollow inverted air cup might be fitted on the rod above the
level of the water in it and the cistern, so as to steady the vibration of these and
the pointer, when falling, by the sudden removal of the load, while in rising, the
water float, and surface level of the water in the cistern could be steadied by any
of the arrangements of plates described for this purpose in the former modification
of the lifting float counterpoise. The outer surfaces or other parts of these new or
improved float counterpoise exposed to the water would by another improvement
be enamelled or covered with a siliceous or other hard impervious coating or
varnish, which would not lift or absorb the water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Hines in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th February
1881.
JAMES HINES, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES.'
My said Invention has reference to automatic, or self-acting and recording, or
indicating weighing machines of the lever, platform, or steelyard class, and especially
to special new or improved constructions and arrangements of the counterpoise or
differential weights, and their balance levers or steelyards and accessary fittings,
and combinations of these parts, for automatically weighing and recording in such
weighing machines, and having the advantage of greater simplicity in mechanical
construction and action, and greater ease of adjusting or regulating than in such
self-acting weighing machines heretofore in use.
In order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing or putting my said
Invention into effect or practice, may be properly understood, I shall now proceed
to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto
appended for that purpose, the same reference letters indicating the same or like
parts in the several Figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of an arrangement of the weighing
balancing levers or steel-yards A, B, and their knife edge fulcrum and carrying
centres a, a, a, and b, b', b, and respective bearing shackles a², c, c¹, c², and connecting
links C, C, of a platform weighing machine of any ordinary construction not shown in
the Drawings, and as fitted with one arrangement of my new or improved float
counterpoise D and fittings D¹, D¹¹, D¹¹¹‚ Ñ³, with divided index dial E, and
pointer and connections, all in accordance with my said Invention for
automatically acting and indicating or recording the weights on such machines, as
are placed thereon, without the use of ordinary shifting or differential weights
thereon. Figure 2 is a plan view of the new or improved float water or other
liquid water chest or vessel D', D", D¹¹¹, D³, detached from Figure 1 to show this
more clearly; and Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of Figure 1 as taken
on the line 4 - 4 of that Figure.
Referring to these Figures 1 to 3, the arrangement of weighing levers or
steel-yard A, B, and new float counterpoise D and water cistern D¹, D¹¹, are all
perfectly enclosed within a protecting cast-iron box or chamber Z, carrying the
recording index dial E, and case E' and its mechanism, at the top of the hollow
column X. The pointer e of this indicator has its pinion wheel e¹ worked by the
toothed rack e gearing into it at the upper end of the rod e², connected at its
lower end by the regulating joint piece e screwed to the upper front part of the
lever A. of the counterpoise float D. This lever A is carried by its fulcrum or rear
centre a in bearings a' in the top of the fixed standard Z' screwed to the lower
central part of the enclosing iron box Z, and has its short arm weight centres a¹¹, a²,
connected by the link C to those c¹¹, 61, of the free end and arm of the second power
increasing balance lever B, also of the second order, mounted on its fulcrum centre b to
a shackle c, and chain c² and segmental quadrant c² secured on the tilting spindle C",
carried in bearings in the upper end of a double or open bracket standard C³, screwed
by a strong base or flange at C to the inside of the bottom of the box Z (all below
the first lever A) and so as to have its weight carrying centres b', c', connected by the
link C to the free arm (or arms) of the main levers of the platform part of the
weighing machine of any ordinary construction, and not therefore shown in.the
Drawings. The tilting spindle C of the carrying quadrant C² is carried out

page_text: through one side of the box Z, and has an actuating hand lever keyed on it
outside with a notched or other retaining guard, for raising and retaining the lever B
to its working nearly horizontal position, with the parts all ready for or in the act
of weighing, as indicated in Figure 1, when the lever is in position shown at --;
or in the position dotted in at ¹, when the fulcrum b of this lever B is lowered
for taking all strain off the levers and centres when the weighing machine is not
weighing or in use. The float counterpoise lever A. is by preference formed with a
back index divided arm A, A", and a movable hand counterbalancing weight A²,
with fixing pinching screw As for adjusting this float lever A, D, and the other
parts with the pointer e at zero on the dial E, all ready for accurate weighing, or
it might be for taking or adjusting the parts to the tare and give the exact weight
of articles. To prevent friction, the toothed rack ell is steadied in its acting position
by a Vedged or rounded frictionless guide el behind, and by a light lateral
projecting weighted arm e to keep it in gear with its toothed pinion while
reciprocating without touching its guide c¹, and the spindle of the pointer e, and
its pinion e' is carried in the journal bearing bracket e screwed to the inside of the
case E¹, all close on the back and edges and covered in with a protecting glass in
front, and secured to the top of the column X.
The essential nature and novelty of the Invention or improvements consists in
erecting and arranging the balance counterpoise weighing lever or steelyard A. (of
such weighing machines) as a lever of the second order, with its carrying knife
edged centres a at the one end resting in their hollow fixed steel bearings a¹ below
them, and with the inverted steel knife edge load carrying centres fixed at all in
the lever A for the connection by the shackle a² and rod C (to the second lever B,
or the main levers of the machine below) at the proper proportionate distance as
from a to a¹, near the fixed centre a to that of the whole length of the lever a, d,
to its free end d is to the power required to be exerted by the counterpoise float D
secured at d thereto, and acting upwards would balance and weigh the maximum
load carried by the centre a¹¹ and link C on the platform, of and which the weighing
machine is required to weigh. And also, especially in fixing and applying at d
under the free end of the steelyard lever A, a hollow float counterpoise D with a
fluid-tight bottom and sides or case (but it might be with an open top for free
admission of air, or the adjustment of its weight when there was no back arm A'
used), and made of a little greater length or depth than the whole motion required
by the end d of the lever A. in taking the said maximum weight, and parallel in
its sides, and preferably of a square or rectangular form in horizontal cross section,
as seen in Figure 2, and segmentally concentric to the stationary bearing centre a
of the lever A, all as seen in Figure 1, for the purpose of and fitted to act as a
float counterpoise proportional to the weight of the load to be exerted on the lever,
and which would be immersed in a small cistern of water D', D', (or it might be
oil, glycerine, or other liquid or mixture of liquids) placed or erected for the
purpose below it within the box Z; all so as to carry the lever A and load on it,
and displace a nearly equal or uniform quantity of the liquid for every hundred-
weight of the load or aliquot part thereof, and of the motion of the lever. The
index dial E in this example is divided to weigh twenty hundred-weight for the
whole motion of the pointer e and lever A and float D with quarters between
each, and it might be pounds. The index pointer e would always be brought back
to zero on the dial after each action by the rod e³ and lever A, D, these parts
having little or no friction or weight, and not being required to carry or transmit
any of the actual weight through them exerted on the lever A or its counterpoise D,
as in other self indicating or recording weighing machines which have springs.
The dial is divided into sufficiently large divisions 1, 2, 3, and so on, to suit the
corresponding motions of the lever A. and float counterpoise D, which performs the
actual weighing for each hundred weight of load, and show also the quarters and
pounds by smaller intermediate marks, as is usual in such automatic dial weight
index recorders, but without their usual complicated differential weighing spring

page_text: use.
mechanism, which so frequently varies and requires adjustment after considerable
The steelyard or lever A would be nicely balanced and adjusted to set its
pointer e at zero on the dial E with the float counterpoise D in proper position to
the normal level of the water, as indicated at D", D1, in the long shallow part at
the upper part D of the water float vessel D'. This level D", D", might always
be maintained or regulated by an overflow pipe or orifice or a tap in a line with the
fulcrum centres a of the steelyard A, and by the addition of a little water, when it
falls below this normal level from time to time by hand, or automatically by an
ordinary siphon or air admitting water fountain supply fitted a little above the
level of the cistern D¹ at one side within the box Z.
For giving additional steadiness to this new steelyard float mechanism of a self-
weighing and recording machine and its index fittings (as when the said improved
engaging and disengaging hand lever mechanism is not desired to be used at each
act of weighing), the water cistern is provided with a shallow part D² up at the
water level D to give greater area where there is plenty of room for it, so that
the displacement by the float counterpoise D would not produce great differences
of level, whether slowly or suddenly actuated. And to ensure greater steadiness
in the case of sudden action I fit a perforated plate D" all over the cistern a little
below the normal level D", having a hole through it for the float counterpoise D
to work freely down through into the deep part of the cistern D', with a raised
rim all round at D2 to cause all the displaced water to pass up and down through
the narrow space round the float D and the perforations d¹ in the plate D1, when
the level of the water was altered by the sudden motion of the float, and so steady
the surface level D" of the water equally over the whole as quickly as possible, and
consequently also the action of the float counterpoise D, while the rim D² round
the hole in the plate D for the float D working through it, and the water passing
would prevent any irregular lateral action of the water on the sides of the float, and
thus further tend to steady it.
to
For the more perfect steadying of the motion and surface level of the water
at D, I divide the small holes d in rows across the plate D¹¹¹, and mount a
shifting plate D³ in guides below it with corresponding rows of holes d", or it
might be slits under the former d¹, so that this plate D³ can be shifted and set by
slots and thumb screws d² at the top to regulate the size of the openings d', d", and
flow of the water through them, and I fit between the rows of holes d¹ narrow
transverse division plates D in the top shallow water space D2 projecting down
below the surface level D", but not quite down to the perforated plate D11,
allow of the water finding its level D" all over steadily through the under edge of
these divisions D. A great advantage of this new or improved upward acting
float counterpoise D fixed to the end of the steelyard or balance weighing
lever A acting downwards is, that the weight coming more or less suddenly on
the lever A of the machine instantly increases the resistance on the float
counterpoise D on the water or liquid proportionately, which has the effect of
steadying it, and the pointer e bringing this steadily up to the exact division on
the dial E indicating the true or maximum weight of the article, any apparent
vibration that takes place being after the weight has been taken by the re-action
of and rising of the float counterpoise on the removal of the load or article being
weighed. Thus other equivalent simple means may be adopted than that described
and shown for steadying the surface level and motion of the water or liquid
disturbed and displaced by the immersion of the float counterpoise D, reduced to
a minimum at the moment of taking the weight by reason of the improved
construction and increasing upward resistance of the float and water during the
downward action of the lever A.
In some cases, as for a light class of weighing machines, both levers A
and B might be mounted with the fulcra a and b on stationary bearings, and only
one balance weighing lever might be used, as A, made longer and with a suitable :
larger float D fixed to its free end d, and have its fulcrum centres a, a, either carried

page_text: in fixed bearings as a¹, a¹, on a standard Z', or by a shackle and chain as c² over
a carrying quadrant C2, with tilting or lifting and lowering spindle Cu and
lever 2, as shown and described in reference to that of the second lever B; and for
the heavier class of such self-weighing and recording machines a counterweight
might be fitted to a chain and pulley or quadrant on the spindle C or other.
equivalent, to enable the attendant to work the engaging and disengaging
lever and the machine levers with the heaviest loads on the weighing platform,
and so relieve the wear and tear on the centres of the levers and allow the
weighing platform to be carried on its rest blocks and not on the levers, while the
heavy loads, waggons, and lorries, came on it, and thus allow the man to bring the
weight gently and steadily up by the hand lever on to the bearing carrying
centres of the levers, shackles, and steelyards, until the pointer index came to the
maximum division and weight without abnormal vibration, as is the case in all
self-acting weighing machines heretofore in use.
Although a toothed rack e and pinion e¹ have been described to give a positive
motion to the index pointer e direct from the lever and float counterpoise A, D, it
is to be understood that other equivalent connections might be used, such as a wire
or cord round a small barrel on the spindle e¹ of the pointer e acting in one direction
to indicate the weight on the dial E, and a light spring acting in the other
direction to bring the pointer always back to zero on the dial after each action of
the machine.
Although this new float counterpoise D acting or re-acting upwards on its
lever A has been described as hollow, this being preferred (as requiring more power
or weight on its lever or steelyard to immerse it), yet still it will be understood
that it might be made solid, of metal or other substance impervious to water, or
other liquid used in the cistern D₁, instead of hollow when desired or preferred,
but by a further improvement the outer surfaces of these new or improved float
counterpoise D exposed to the immersing water or other liquid, would be enamelled
or covered with a siliceous or other hard impervious coating, or of paraffin wax, or
other varnish, which would not attract, lift, or absorb the said water or liquid.
Although in the Provisional Specification I described a modification of float
counterpoise acting downwards on the end of its lever or steelyard as a lever of
the first order, in the manner of some ordinary differental weight, counterpoises, I
do not desire to claim this, not finding or considering it so good, perfect, or original
in its action as that which I have herein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying Drawings. And for the like reason I do not desire to claim the
other modifications described in the Provisional Specification of steadying the
notion of the water or vibration of the float counterpoise during immersion, which
though they might have been required in this arrangement of lever and float
counterpoise weighing in their upward action, I do not find necessary for the new
or improved lever A and float counterpoise D, which I have shown and described,
weighing and recording by and during their downward action and upward
resistance of the float D and water.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I consider novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First. The general construction or combination and arrangement of the parts of
the mechanisin or levers A, B, and counterpoise D, D¹, and recording dial and
index E, e, and their fittings, in or for automatic or self-acting and recording or
indicating weighing machines, all substantially as herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. In automatic or self-acting and recording or indicating weighing
machines, the construction and use of a float counterpoise D attached to the balance
lever or steelyard A thereof acting downwards, in weighing against the pressure of

page_text: the immersion of the float acting upwards, substantially as herein described in
reference to the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hines, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAMES HINES. (L.S.).