Improvement in Height Measuring Apparatus.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom) 19th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Nov., 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Height Measuring Apparatus.
I, NEWTON WALKER HARTWELL, of Louisville, in the County of Jefferson, in the
State of Kentucky, in the United States of America, Gentleman, 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 improvement relates to a measuring apparatus designed to automatically
indicate the height of anything standing on the platform of the machine, but is more
especially designed to indicate the height of human beings; and the invention
consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts more
particularly hereinafter described and then definitely pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, which show one way of carrying out my invention,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my apparatus; Fig. 2 a rear view with the back
of the case removed. Fig. 3 is a side view with the side of the case removed; and
Figs. 4 and 5 are details on a larger scale showing back and side views respectively,
of the device which locks the indicator in its normal position until a coin has been
inserted in a slit in the case.

page_text: Referring now to the details of the drawings A, represents the case or cabinet
containing most of the mechanism, and having an extension B, at the foot, on the
upper part of which extension is pivoted a platform or treadle, Ć, having an arm C",
which is connected to a vertical rod, D, and a spring E, the latter having its upper
end attached to a bracket F, but it may be connected to any fixed part of the
mechanism or the case.
The rod D carries at its upper end a short rack G, which meshes with a pinion H,
that is fast on a shaft I, journalled in the bracket F. and carrying a gear J, that
meshes with a long rack K, connected to a rod L, working on guides M, and passing
through a bracket N and a projection O, on the hollow adjustable weight O¹. At the
top of the rod L is fastened a washer P, which acts as one of the points of resistance
of a spring resting on top of the projection O, of the weight O'. This weight is
designed to contain shot, as shown, the quantity of which may be varied as occasion
may require to regulate the pressure on the escapement.
The top and bottom of the rack K are provided with cross-heads R, that slide on
the guides M, and the latter are held in brackets S S. Between the upper bracket S,
and upper cross-head R, is a spiral spring T, which acts as a buffer when the cross
head R rises far enough to strike it, thus preventing noise and the jarring of the
mechanism.
Connected to the top of the weight 0₁ is one end of a chain or cord U, which passes
over pulleys V, and has its other end connected to a cross head W, sliding on
guides X, supported by brackets a screwed to the case A. The cross-head W carries
a rod Y, one end of which supports a hollow adjustable weight Z, and its other end
protrudes through a slot a, in the caso, to receive a follower or gage consisting of a
metal socket b, by which it is secured to the rod, and a flat wooden piece c, of the
shape shown, although the shape of this may be varied to some extent to suit
the maker.
Extending from the cross-head W is an arm, we carrying a rod e, having a pro-
jection and pin c¹, at its lower end, that act on the teeth of a ratchet-wheel d (see
Figs. 4 and 5) which is firmly mounted on a shaft e, carrying an escapement wheel,
which shaft is journaled in a frame g, secured to the case A, and carries an arm g¹ on
which is mounted an anchor having pallets and an arm ", which latter normally
projects through an opening in a tube i¹, whose lower end terminates in a money
box j, and whose upper end communicates with the lower end of a curved passage k,
whose top is in line with an opening 1, through the case.
On the outside of the front of the case, at the side of the slot a, is a scale m,
showing feet, inches, and fractions of an inch, and attached to the rod Y, is a
pointer n, that as it moves down the scale indicates the height of the individual being
measured.
I prefer to put an inscription on the front, as at o, giving directions how to ascertain
the height, and also a photographic or other picture at p, illustrating the same. These
Inst mentioned features however, are not essential, as the apparatus will work just as
well without them.
The operation is as follows:-The person to be measured stands upon the treadle C,
thereby depressing arm C', and pulling rod D and short rack G, downward, which
rotates the pinion H and the gear wheel J in the direction shown by the arrow, and
thus raises the long rack K and rod L, leaving the weight O¹ free to rise, so far as the
rod L is concerned. It will not, however, ascend until a coin is put into the slit l,
which coin as it descends through the tube strikes the arm ", which moves the
escapement and causes the pallets to liberate the escape-wheel which will now
turn, allowing the ratchet-wheel to turn also, and thus the cross-lead W descends,
carrying with it the gage or follower until the latter rests on the head of the person
standing on the apparatus, when, of course, it will stop and the pointer will indicate
the height of the person being measured. As soon as the person steps off of the treadle,
the spring E pulls up the arm C, and through the rod D, short rack G, pinion Fl,
wheel J, long rack K, rod L, and cord or chain U, draws up the cross head, gage,

page_text: pointer, and the rod c¹ until the pin c¹¹ touches the back of one of the teeth on th
ratchet-wheel, and thus forces it backward until the upper pallet h¹ drops on one o
the teeth of the escape wheel and the hook of the rod c¹ rests on the tooth of the
ratchet wheel below that operated on by the pin ell when the apparatus is ready for
measuring another person, but will not indicate the height until another coin is put in
the slit, when the above operation will be repeated.
The tube should he of the necessary size to allow the coin to freely travel down
the same, and yet small enough to prevent its passing the arm " without operating
the escapement.
I make the weights O' and Z hollow and adjust them to their duty by putting in
more or less slot. This is important, as otherwise the escapement would not operate
properly. If the weight Z were too heavy the coin would not operate the escapement,
and if it were too light a metal disk or coin of less weight than the proper coin might
operate the escapement.
I have shown at a section of a sheave attached at the wheel J, from which
depends a cord r, and weight s, which will assist the spring E, although I do not
consider this essential, as the spring may be made sufficiently strong for the pur-
pose. The spring itself may be dispensed with by making the weights sufficiently
heavy.
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 measuring apparatus, the combination of an indicator, a ratchet-wheel, a
gage supported by the ratchet-wheel, a locking-rod as c' connected to the gage and
resting on the ratchet-wheel, and means, as the anchor and escape-wheel f, for
releasing said ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.
2-In a measuring apparatus, the combination of an indicator and gage, a locking-
rod connected thereto and a tube adapted to receive a coin, with a ratchet wheel d, on
which the locking-rod rests, an escape-wheel f, connected to the ratchet-wheel, an
anchor having pallets engaging with the escape wheel, and an arm projecting in the
path of the coin travelling in the tube, substantially as described.
3-In a measuring apparatus, the combination of a treadle B, cross-head W, and
intermediate mechanism, as the racks G K, pinion H, gear J, rod L, and cord U, with
a locking-rod c and means as the escapement and wheels d f for holding and
liberating the same substantially as described.
4-In a measuring-imachine, the combination of an escapement, a gage held normally
in fixed position by said escapement, and means, as the cord U, treadle C, and con-
nections between them, for bringing the gage into operative connection with the
escapement substantially as described.
5 In a measuring-machine, the combination with an escapement, of a gage normally
held in a stationary position by the same, and an adjustable weight acting to partly
counterbalance the weight of the gage, and also governing the pressure on said
escapement substantially as described.
•
6 The combination with a measuring-machine, of a channel adapted to receive a
coin, an escapement having an arm projecting into the coin-channel, a cross-head
carrying a gage, a pointer, and a rod coacting with said escapement, a weight 0¹, a
cord passing over suitable pulleys and connected at one end with the cross-head and
at the other to said weight O', with a rod L, loosely connected to said weight, a treadle
and intermediate connections between the treadle and the rod, substantially as
described.
'
7-The combination in a measuring-machine, of a channel adapted to receive a coin,
an escapement having an arm projecting into the coin channel, a cross-head, a gage,
a pointer, and a rod attached to said cross-head, said rod coacting with said escape-
ment, a weight O', a cord passing over suitable pulleys and connected at its opposite
ends to said cross-head and weight, with a rod L, loosely connected to said weight and

page_text: carrying at its lower end a rack K, a gear meshing with said rack, a pinion connected
with said gear, a rack meshing into said pinion, a treadle connected with said rack,
and a spring or weight acting to raise the treadle, all substantially as shown and
described.
8-The combination of a ratchet wheel, and an escapement with a rod c¹ having
a projection and pin c¹, acting on said ratchet wheel, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this Dial 1
2000
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.