Improvements in Weighing and Price Scales
Year: 1891

page_text: .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Weighing and Price Scales..
A communication from abroad by JOHN WOODRUFF CULMER, of New Brighton
Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
I, HOWARD LANE, of Corporation Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to scales for weighing and for indicating the price of the
article per pound and of its total cost; and my invention consists of certain novel
parts and combinations of parts, the separate features of which will be separately
and specifically pointed out in the claims concluding this Specification, reference
being had to the annexed drawings, which illustrates scales of the dial-indicating
type embodying my invention..
As shown in the drawings, my invention embodies a dial-scale indicating the
price of the article in money values, a pointer rotating upon such dial-scale,
a mechanism for operating said money-indicating pointer, and a mechanism to
control and regulate the relation of the weight-pointer to the money-pointer, whereby
the price of any article per pound being indicated its weight and total cost are
indicated at once by dials which indicate the weight and cost.
Referring to the drawings,
Figure 1 represents in front elevation a weighing and price scales embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, the weight and cost dials being removed to show the
mechanism for operating the pointers of such dials.
Fig. 3 is a vertical central cross-section on the line yy of Fig. 1, and
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line aa of Fig. 1.
Figs. 5 and 6 are views in different positions of the coacting toothed slotted
sectors which actuate the weight and cost. pointers.
Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view showing the relation of the coacting toothed
slotted sectors and an adjusting-screw connected therewith.
Fig. 8 is a sectional detail showing the universal-joint connection of the adjusting-
screw with its short operating-shaft, and
Fig. 9 is a sectional detail showing the relation and connection of the adjusting-
screw with the toothed slotted sectors.
Fig. 10 shows in enlarged elevation the tooth slotted sectors and their connecting
mechanism, and
Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-section of the same.
Fig. 12 is a vertical cross-section of a weighing and price scales embodying my
invention in a modified form, and
Fig. 13 is a vertical longitudinal section of Fig. 12.
Referring now to Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive, of the drawings as illustrating one
embodiment of my invention, the case which incloses the indicating mechanism is
composed of a casing, preferably of a back a and a face B, each provided with
abutting-bosses and secured together by screws u, as in Fig. 4. These parts are of
sheet iron or brass pressed or stamped to the desired form.
To the back plate are riveted an inward centrally-standing boss or hub a¹ and
the bosses r, s and t, for purposes which I shall presently state, and at its
periphery there is an arc-formed scale A, the divisions of which indicate the price
per pound of the article to be weighed, and, as shown, stand from one to twenty
cents per pounds. The face-plate has two concentric scales, the inner one of which

page_text: represents pounds or other units of weight and fractional divisions thereof, and the
outer scale represents dollars or other units of money value and fractional divisions
thereof for indicating both the weight and cost of the article to be weighed.
The platform P has a yoke Y, which, by a vertical central extension, passes into
the casing and terminates in a cross-head C, suitably mounted between guides C'C',
Fig. 10, and said cross-head has connected to each end a coiled spring D, which,
rising therefrom, is connected to the ends of a cross-bar e, which latter is adapted
to ride upon said guides, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, and is itself secured to the upper
side of the back casing-plate by screws d, placed coincident with the springs, and
passing up through openings in said back plate are secured by nuts N at the outer
side of said plate, so that by adjusting these nuts the tension of the springs may be
equally increased or diminished and the scale adjusted to give the proper balance
to the platform. The platform and its yoke-connected cross-head are by this
construction suspended and balanced by the adjustable springs, screws, and nuts.
Within bearings in the central hub a' and in the face-plate B is fitted a short
shaft k, which projects beyond said face-plate and has a pointer k¹ fixed on its outer
end to indicate upon the weight-scale the pounds of the article being weighed, and
said shaft has a pinion K on its inner end. A toothed sector-plate E is mounted.
upon the case-boss r so as to engage with the said pinion K, and at its toothed end
is pivotally connected to the platform cross-head by a link M, (better seen in
Fig. 10,) so that the movement of the platform is communicated to said toothed
sector-plate and by it to the pinion K and to the weight-indicating pointer. This
toothed sector-plate has a slot which stands radial to its boss-bearing pivot r, the
purpose of which I will presently state.
A sleeve is fitted loosely upon the shaft k between its pinion K and the
pointer, and has a pinion L adjacent to the pinion K and a pointer fixed on its
outer end to indicate upon the cost or money-value scale the price of the article
being weighed, as I will presently state.
A toothed sector-plate F is mounted upon the case-boss-s, so as to engage with
the said sleeve-pinion L, and is connected at its toothed end to the toothed sector-
plate E in such manner by a slotted arm F¹ that the movement of the said sector-
plate E is communicated to the toothed sector-plate F and by it to the sleeve
pinion and to the cost-indicating pointer. The sector-plate F is slotted to surround
the sleeve-pinion, and its slotted arm F is extended so as to lap with the slotted
sector plate E, and these toothed sector-plates are pivotally mounted on opposite
sides of the central shaft, so that when the balance is at rest the slots in these
sector-plates will be coincident in a horizontal plane, as in Figs. 2 and 10. A
screw-threaded stem I is placed between the sector-plates, and is mounted in a boss
at the inner end of the sector plate E, and at its outer end is connected by a
ball-and-socket joint or flexible connection with the inner end of a short shaft O,
as in Figs 8 and 9, which shaft is fitted in a bearing in the case-boss t and carries
at its outer end a pinion h, the purpose of which I will presently state. This screw
passes through a nut 2, placed upon it between its bearings, and has two oppositely-
projecting arms or pins ii, which enter and are free to slide within the slots of the
lapping toothed sector-plates, as seen in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 9, whereby when the
screw is caused to rotate by means which I shall presently describe the pins or
arms of the nut will be caused to travel in the slots of the toothed sectors and
indicate upon the weight scale the changes produced by the action of the spring.
A segmental rack-plate G is mounted upon the central boss or hub a' against the
inner side of the back case-plate, so that the rack g² at its outer edge will engage
with the pinion h on the short screw-connected shaft. This rack-plate has a
handle end g, which extends through a slot r, Fig. 11, by which it is turned
upon its hub-bearing a¹, and when so turned moves with the segmental rack g³,
and thereby causes the pinion to rotate to operate the sector-plates by the
screw-nut in the way described. In this movement the said handle is set upon
the price-scale to the number which will indicate the price per pound of the
article to be weighed, and the position of this handle when the scales are at rest is

page_text: at the unit mark 1 upon the price-scale, the screw-nut of the sector-plate E is
at the outer limit of its movement, and therefore farthest removed from the
pivot-bearing of the sector-plate F, and the weight being placed upon the
platform P the cross-head is drawn down thereby, and through the link M
the sector E is rotated upon its pivot bearing r, and the pinion K is rotated through
a portion of one revolution equal to the weight upon the platform. At the same
time the sector-plate F is rotated through a portion of a revolution, which is
regulated by the arm or pin of the screw-nut, and transmits through the
pinion L and the pointer an indication upon the money-value scale, which has
a relation to the indication upon the weight-scale, this relation being fixed or
determined by the position of the nut arms or pins in the slots of the sector-plates.
When the segment-rack G is rotated by means of its handle-arm the toothed
rack 9, engaging the pinion h, revolves said pinion, and with it the screw I, and
the relation of the arc through which the sector-plates move is changed and the
motion imparted to the pointers k changed proportionally. A screw having one-
eighth of an inch pitch will be revolved once for each division on the price-scale ;
but it is evident that the proportions may be varied to suit the size of the scales.
Figs. 12 and 13 show my invention as applied to the lever type of scales with
two opposite scale-indicating faces, and in such construction the pinion K is fixed
upon the central shaft between the sector-plates, and a sleeved pinion L L is fitted
upon said shaft on each side of the said pinion K, and an additional sector-plate F²
engaged with the additional sleeved pinion L³, and is secured to the sector-
plate F so that it will rotate with that sector-plate.
9,
It is evident that immaterial departures may be permitted from the general
construction and arrangement of parts contributing toward my invention, and
for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto in precise
detail.
Referring to the universal ball-joint connection of the screw I with its operating
shaft, it will be understood that, while such connection must permit the free
swinging movement of the screw with the toothed sector-plate E under the weight
upon the platform, such ball-joint connection must by a feather and groove also
provide for positively rotating the screw by the shaft O to change the relative
position of the armed nnt 22 with both said toothed sector-plates, as shown in
Fig. 8.
In the operation of scales of the construction shown, assuming the price of any
given article to be seven and one-half cents per pound, the segment-rack G is rotated
by means of the projection g until the centre of the opening go therein is half-way
between the Figures 7 and 8 on the indicator-arc A. The relation of leverage is
there changed, so that while the pinion actuating the weight-pointer makes a
complete revolution, the pinion which actuates the price-pointer makes fifteen-
fortieths of a revolution. If now a given quantity of the given article is placed
upon the platform, its weight will be indicated by the partial rotation of the weight-
pointer, and at the same time the price-pointer will rotate fifteen-fortieths of the
space rotated by the weight pinion and indicate the price or cost at the required
cost per pound. Assuming that sugar at six and one-half cents per pound is called
for, the customer demanding one dollar's worth, the indicator being set at 6 cents
of the arc, the weight-pointer will indicate 15 pounds when the price-pointer
points to $1.00.
The change in relation of leverage may be effected by increasing the size or
diameter of one of the pinions Lor K where great range of changes are demanded;
but the form shown is approved because it is simple and of a form easily constructed
and understood.
Although the drawings illustrate the application of my invention to the indication
of money values consisting of cents and dollars, it is obvious that the scale may be
adapted to other money values such as pence shillings and pounds, or to the coinage.
of any foreign country where it may be adopted.

page_text: 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 :-
1. In a combined weighing and price scale, the combination, with the counter-
balanced weight-receiving platform, a dial provided with a weight-indicating and a
money-value scale, and pointers adapted to travel over the respective weight-
indicating and money-value graduations, of two sectors pivotally supported at their
opposite ends and having over-lapping portions, each sector having connection with
and constructed to control the movements of its respective pointer, and one of the
sectors having connection with the said weight receiving platform, and a connection
between the overlapping portions of the sectors, whereby a movement of one is
transmitted to the other, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated by
the drawings.
2. In a combined weighing and price scale, the combination, with the counter-
balanced weight-receiving platform, a dial provided with a weight and a money-
value indicating scale, and pointers constructed to travel over the said weight and
money-value graduations, respectively, of two sectors connected with and adapted
to control the movements of the respective pointers, one of the sectors having con-
nection with the said weight-receiving platform, and a variable connection between
the sectors to govern the relative movements of the pointers, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The combination, with the counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, a dial
having a money-value and a weight indicating scale, and pointers adapted to travel
over the respective scales, of two sectors, each having connection with and adapted
to control the movements of the respective pointers, a connection between one of
the sectors and the weight-receiving platform, a connection between the sectors,
and mechanism for positively and properly adjusting the connection between the
sectors, whereby the relative movement of the aforesaid pointers can be regulated
according to a predetermined scale, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings.
4. The combination, with the counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, a dial
provided with a money-value and a weight indicating scale, pointers constructed to
travel over the said respective scales, and two sectors, one having connection with
the weight-receiving platform and cach having connection with and constructed to
control the movements of its respective pointer, of a connection between the sectors,
an adjusting device for moving the said connection, and an arm adapted to move
over a graduated are and having a portion thereof constructed to engage with the
said adjusting device and operate the same to change the position of the said
connection between the sectors, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings.
5. The combination, with the counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, pointers
for indicating the money-value and weight on suitable scales, two sectors for con-
trolling the movements of the pointers, respectively, and a connection between
the sectors, of a feed-screw having engagement with the said connection, a
graduated arc, and an arm concentric with the are and having a segment which is
adapted to engage with and effect a movement of the said feed-serew, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
6. The combination, with the counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, pointers
for indicating the weight and the money-value on suitably-graduated scales, and
two sectors having engagement with and adapted to control the movements of the
respective pointers, one of the sectors having connection with the weight-receiving
platform, of a connection between the sectors, a feed-screw journaled at its inner
end to one of the sectors, a short shaft journaled in a bearing near the pivot-support
of the said sector and having a ball-and-socket connection with the outer end of
the fced-screw, and provisions, as the cog-segment and pinion, for engaging with

page_text: and rotating the said short shaft, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the drawings.
7. The combination, with the counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, weight
and money-value indicating scales, pointers adapted to move over the respective
scales, and two sectors, one having connection with the weight-receiving platform,
and each having connection with and adapted to operate its respective pointer, of a
connection between the sectors, a feed-screw having attachment with the said con-
nection, a short shaft having a pinion and having attachment with the said feed-
screw, and a toothed segment meshing with the said pinion and having an arm by
which it is operated, said arm moving over a graduated arc, substantially as herein
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
8. The combination, with the counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, a dial
provided with a money-value and a weight indicating scale, and two sectors pivotally
supported at their opposite ends and constructed to operate and move pointers over
the respective weight and money-value graduations, and having overlapping portions
that are provided with slots, one of said sectors being in connection with the
weight-receiving platform, of a connection between the sectors, having its ends
projected into the said slots therein, and instrumentalities for moving the said con-
nection in the said slots in the sectors according to a predetermined scale, whereby
the relative movement of the pointers over the money-value and weight indicating
graduations can be varied, as required, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the drawings.
9. The combination, with the case provided with a money-value and a weight
indicating scale, a shaft having a pointer on its outer end and a pinion on its inner
portion, a boss or sleeve mounted on the shaft, and having a pinion on its inner end
and a pointer on its outer end, the pointers being arranged to travel over the
respective scales, and a counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, of two sectors
pivoted at their opposite ends and having engagement with the respective pinions,
one of the sectors having connection with the said weight-receiving platform, and
the said sectors having overlapping portions, which are slotted, and a connection
between the sectors, having portions projected into the slots in the said sectors, the
said connection being adjustable between the sectors substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the drawings.
10. The combination of the case having a stud al projecting inward from its back
plate, and having a money-value and a weight indicating set of graduations on its
face, a shaft stepped in said stud and projected through the face and having a
pointer on its outer end and having a pinion on its inner end, a boss or sleeve.
mounted on the said shaft and having a pinion on its inner end and a pointer on its
outer end, a counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, two sectors, one having
engagement with the said weight-receiving platform, and each meshing with its
respective pinion, the sectors having overlapping portions that are slotted, a con-
nection between the overlapping portions, having portions projected into the slots
therein, a feed screw, a toothed segment mounted on the stud a¹ and meshing with
the feed-screw, and having an arm, and a graduated arc for the arm of the toothed
segment to move over, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by
the drawings.
11. The combination, with the two oppositely-disposed dials, each having a
money-value and a weight indicating scale, two sets of pointers, one set for each
dial, and a counterbalanced weight-receiving platform, of three sectors, the middle
sector having.connection with the weight-receiving platform and adapted to directly
control the movements of corresponding pointers on the dials, the outer sectors.
having independent attachment with the other pointer on the dial, and a variable
connection between the middle and the side sectors, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the drawings.
12. In weighing and price scales, the combination of concentric dial-scales
indicating the weight, the cost, and the price, indicators therefor, a counterbalanced
veight-receiving platform substantially such as described for connecting the weight

page_text: and cost indicators with said platform, and mechanism substantially such as described
for connecting the price-indicator with the said weight and cost connecting indicators,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
13. In weighing and price scales, the combination of concentric dial-scales.
indicating the weight, the cost, and the price, indicators therefor, a counterbalanced
weight-receiving platform, mechanism substantially such as described for connecting
the weight and cost indicators with said platform, mechanism substantially such as
described for connecting the price-indicator with said weight and cost indicators,
and mechanism substantially such as described whereby the relations of the weight
and cost indicators can be fixed, changed, and regulated, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
14. In a weighing and price scales, the combination of concentric dial-scales,
indicating the weight, cost, and the price, a counterbalanced platform, the indi-
cators k' and ', their actuating-pinions K and L, the toothed and slotted sectors E
and F, the screw I, the nut 2, having the arms i in the slots of said sectors and
engaging said nut, the socket-shaft O, connecting said screw, the pinion h on said
socket-shaft, and the segment rack (2 engaging said pinion and having the
indicator for the price-scale, the said slotted sector E having a pivoted connection
with the said platform, for operating substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings.
15. The combination of the counterbalanced platform, dial scales indicating the
weight, cost, and the price, indicators therefor, and a device for connecting these
indicators for operation in the way described, consisting of the slotted toothed
sectors E and F the pinions K.and L, the screw I, the nut 2, engaging said screw
and the slots of said sectors, the shaft O, having the pinion h, a ball-and-socket
connection for said screw and shaft, the link M, and the segment-rack G 9²,
engaging said pinion, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the
drawings.
16. The combination of a counterbalanced platform, a dial-scale indicating the.
weight, cost, and price of the article in money-values, weight, and cost, pointers
rotating upon such dial-scale, mechanism for operating said pointers, mechanism to
control and regulate the relation of the weight-pointer to the cost-pointer, the
price-scale A, the segmental rack 92 and indicator 9°, and the pinion h, connecting
and operating said controlling and regulating mechanism, in the way described, and
the link M, connecting said platform with the rotating pointers and their controlling
and regulating mechanism, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the drawings.
17. In weighing and price scales, the central shaft k, the fixed and loose
pinions K L thereon, the pointers k¹ 1, the toothed sectors engaging said pinions,
pivoted upon fixed studs rs and having radial slots in lapping relation to each
other, the screw I, arranged between the slotted sector parts and pivotally mounted
in the sector E, the nut 2, engaging said screw and the slots of said sectors, the
shaft O, mounted in the fixed stud and having the pinion and connected by ball-
joint with said screw, the toothed segment g², mounted upon the fixed boss a¹ and
having the indicator g, the counterbalanced platform, the link M, connecting it
with the sector E, and the weight, cost, and price indicating dial scales, for
operation, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings..
18. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of the several and
respective parts, together forming my invention of improvements in weighing
and price scales, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
drawings.
11 2001
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant..