Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Jan., 1889
1, GEORGE PHILIP SKIPWORTH, Mechanical Engineer, of 29 Royal Crescent, Bath,
England, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in applying to any weighing machine which has a dial
or other arrangement marked with divisions for indicating the weight of the body
weighed, or any to which such dial or other arrangement could be applied, an
arrangement for shewing the price of the body weighed at different rates, by the act
of weighing.
The arrangement consists of a drum or drums, the surface or surfaces of which are
suitably divided into lines of spaces running parallel with its or their axes; the spaces
are also in lines running round the circumference or circumferences, at right angles
to the former lines. Each space in the lines parallel with the axis contains the
calculated price of a certain weight at different rates; each space in the lines running
round the circumference contains the calculated price of different weights at the
same rate.
Each drum is enclosed in a suitable case, fixed to the weighing machine, and
having a line of rectangular apertures, so placed that they can easily be seen, the said
line running parallel with the axis of the drum. Each aperture corresponding and
being opposite to a space on the drum.
Each drum is so connected, by suitable gearing, with the weighing or indicating
mechanism, that each line of spaces running parallel with its axis, corresponds with
one division on the weight indicating scale; and as the weight indicator is moved
from one division to another, by any article being weighed, the drum or drums
revolve and bring another line of spaces opposite the apertures in the case-The
spaces then seen on the drum or drums contain the calculated price of the article
weighed, at all the rates within the scope of the machine-Over each aperture is
marked the rate at which the corresponding calculation has been made.
The apertures may have lids or other suitable covers over them, which can be
removed at will.

page_text: I apply the arrangement as described, to the ordinary Spring balance weighing
machines in the following manner; whether fitted with a dial or other scale for
indicating the weight: The draw bar has an extra rack or racks attached to it,
which engage with a pinion or pinions on the shaft or shafts of the drum or
drums, & causes it or them to revolve on being drawn or pressed down by the
article being weighed. The drnm or drums are so connected with the draw bar, that
the divisions on the weight scale correspond with the lines of spaces, on the drum
or drums, which run parallel with their axes.
I apply the arrangement, as described, to all other weighing machines fitted with
a dial or other suitable weight indicator, by means of toothed or other gearing,
connecting the drum or drums with the weight indicating gear preferably, or with
some part of the weighing mechanism.
I apply the arrangement, as described, to an ordinary scale beam weighing
machine, in the following manner: attached to the beam, which may be inade of
two rectangular or other suitably shaped bars, and marked with a scale in the
ordinary way. is a rectangular frame, in which are suitable bearings for the drum or
drums At each side of the frame are the knife edges by which the frame rests
on the stand of the weighing machine-The drums are constructed with hollow shafts
if necessary, so that the beam can pass through them. There is a sliding weight on
the beam which is drawn either way along by a steel ribbon running over pulleys,
one at the extreme end of the beam, and the other in the centre of the frame, in
a line with the knife edges, or by any other suitable contrivance; the latter pulley is
fixed on to a shaft running in suitable bearings, and extending from the centre
of the frame to one side of it, and beyond the knife edge; on the outer end of
it is fixed a small handwheel. This shaft is placed as little above the knife edge
as possible. The drum or drums are so connected with this shaft by suitable
gearing, that, as the weight on the beam is moved from one division to another
of the scale, the drum or drums are moved round one space-The handwheel on
being turned, draws the weight along the beam by means of the steel ribbon or
other contrivance, and also causes the drum or drums to revolve; they being enclosed
in a case, as before described, will shew the price of the article weighed, as soon as
the weight has been properly adjusted.
The sliding weight is fitted with an adjusting arrangement, so that it can be moved
one way or the other independently of the means used to draw it along the beam.
A suitably marked dial may be fixed to the frame before described, and a finger
or fingers, connected by gearing to the handwheel shaft, may be used to indicate
the weight, instead of or in addition to the scale on the beam.
The scale pan may be connected by any ordinary method to the beam, preferably
it would be above it, the knife edges resting on the sides of the frame described
before.
The whole arrangement swings by the knife edges attached to the frame before
described, resting on the stand of the machine, which may be of any ordinary
construction.
A pointer or other suitable arrangement is attached to the frame before described,
to shew when the weight on the beam balances the article being weighed.
Dated this 19th day of January 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Price Indicating Weighing Machines.
I, GEORGE PHILIP SKIPWORTH, late of No. 29, Royal Crescent, Bath, in the County
of Somerset, but now of No. 41. Hall Gate, Doncaster, in the County of York,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in weighing machines, according to which
the motion of a sliding weight, or of the article weighed, is communicated to a
divided surface having calculated values at various rates tabulated thereon, and
the balance in the machine, i.e., between the goods on the scale pan and the said
weight, (or their respective equivalents), and the presentation of a line of calculated
values next to a scale of rates, are effected simultaneously.
The invention is, therefore, applicable to any type of weighing machine, irrespec-
tive of the principle of. its construction, provided that there is, or can be, embodied
in it, a sliding weight, or an index, adapted to move over a scale of weights.
The distinguishing feature of it is the combination of one or more drums upon
which the calculated values are set out in order, a line of rates against a vision-slot
past which the said values are rotated as the act of weighing is proceeding, and
suitable gearing for transferring the motion of the sliding weight, or of the article
weighed, to the drum or drums.
In order that my said invention, and the means by which it is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe them in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of
this specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a counter weighing machine in equipoise at 3 lb. 1 oz.
The article weighed is not represented.
Fig. 2 is a plan; and
Fig. 3, an end elevation corresponding therewith.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation illustrating the application of my invention to a spring
counter-weighing machine.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, corresponding therewith.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
A is the base of the machine; and a, a, a pair of standards which furnish the
bearings for the knife-edges B, B, of the beam C. This beam is, in the particular
construction illustrated, an open frame having a transverse bar c occupying a
position to one side of the knife-edges B, B, and in which bar are formed the
bearings d, d, for the knife-edges of the saddie D of the scale-pan E.
The standards a, a are continued upwards for the purpose of providing a suitable
guide e for the rise and fall of the scale-pan.
F is a slotted bar having a double scale f marked thereon. This bar is fast to the
beam C, being virtually a continuation of it. It is, of course, on the opposite side of

page_text: the knife-edges B, B to that on which the saddle D is fixed. G is a weight adapted
to slide upon the bar. For the purpose of conveniently moving the said weight
backwards and forwards along the bar, I attach an endless ribbon g to the weight, in
the plane of the slot, and lead the said ribbon round pulleys H, h, and between guide-
pulleys, h¹ h¹
The pulley H is fast upon a shaft I adapted to be rotated in suitable bearings by a
milled head i, while the smaller pulley h has its bearings in a block h² adjustable
within the end of the bar, in respect of the tension on the ribbon, by a tightening nut
and screw-device h³.
The shaft I is aligned with the knife-edges B, B, and is, preferably, as close down
upon them as possible. In the figures it is represented as having one of its bearings
in the block upon which the front knife edge is formed.
The weight G may be provided with any suitable adjustment to compensate for
the interference with the normal balance of the operative parts of the machine caused
by wear and tear.
J, J are two drums mounted upon bearings in the frame C. I do not confine
myself to the use of either one or two drums, because, in point of fact, the pair of
drums illustrated in the figures are, for the purpose of my invention, only a single
drum. The bearings of the right hand drum are hollow to allow of the bar F and
weight G passing through them.
=
The whole drum surface is divided by horizontal lines j, j to correspond with the
scale. For instance the scale fin Fig. 2 is from zero to 8 lbs., and is subdivided into
ounces. The drums are, therefore, divided by 16 x 8 = 128 lines, producing that
number of bands j¹, all parallel with the axis of the drum.
Both drums are geared to the shaft I of the pulley H in such a way that they shall
make one revolution, exactly, in the time that the weight is being traversed the length
of the scale f
The gear illustrated consists of a cross-shaft driven from the shaft I by a pair of
mitre wheels j³, and driving the drums by equal pinions j engaging with gear wheels
thereon.
K, K are fixed covers over the respective drums, each having a vision-slot k in it.
A vision-slot is as long as the drum is wide, and as wide again as a horizontal band j¹.
Along the two slots is set out a scale of rates ¹ sufficiently comprehensive to include
the various values of the respective goods weighed on the machine.
Circles drawn around the drum-surface divide each of the horizontal bands j¹ into
spaces corresponding in number with the rates on the scale k. On the two drums
illustrated there would be 8 x 16 x 12 x 2 = 3072 spaces, and in these are set out
the several values of the weight appropriated to the respective bands at the rates
respectively over the divisions of the bands.
L is a pointer carried by the beam, and adapted to coincide with a vertical line on
the fixed plate when the beam is equipoise..
A weighing machine constructed as described with reference to the accompanying
Figs. 1 to 3 operates as follows:
The article to be weighed, e.g., a joint of meat, is placed upon the scale-pan E and
the milled head i turned until the pointer L stands truly over the vertical line on the
plate l. As soon as the pointer is steady, there will be exposed at the vision-slots k
the calculated value of the weight of the joint at all the rates marked on the "scale k¹,
when the right one is read off at a glance.
In addition to, or instead of, the scale f, I may provide a dial having a circular
scale thereon, and a finger fixed to the centre of the beam C.
The relative positions of the scale-pan and the beam may be varied so far as to the
scale pan being either above or below the beam.
Referring to Figs. 4 and 5,
M is the case of a counter weighing machine constructed on the spring, as
distinguished from the, beam-principle.
N is the scale pan; n, the standard working through the top of the case; and n¹ a
guide.

page_text: O is the spring; o, the index; o¹, the circular scale; o³, the pinion on the spindle o³
which carries the index o.
In applying my invention to a machine constructed as above described, I form a
second rack p on the standard, or it may be on a continuation of, or attachment, to it,
which rack engages with a pinion p¹ on the axis of the drum Q. This drum is divided
as hereinbefore described with reference to the drums K, K; and is geared so as to
make one complete revolution for each rotation of the index o; and the vision-slot, r,
and scale of prices, ¹, are arranged as the corresponding members of the machine
illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3.
My invention is not confined to the precise details, nor to the two applications,
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for it is clear that having a graduated beam
and a weight free to slide upon it, the mechanical connection of the said weight to a
table of calculated values, so that both shall move, the one along the bar and the other
past a scale of rates, is easily practicable by other mechanisms than those illustrated,
without departing from the substance of my invention.
So also with the various kinds of spring-balances, provided there is an index moved
over a scale of weights by the pull or pressure of the article against, or upon, a spring,
the addition of a rack to the index-bar will provide for the transmission of the movement
of the index over a scale of weights to a calculated table of values, and move the latter
pari passu past a scale of rates.
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. The combination, in a weighing machine, of a table of calculated values, a line
of rates, and gearing, by which the motion of a weight to or from the axis about
which the machine-beam oscillates, is communicated pari passu to the said table, as set
forth.
2. The combination, in a weighing machine, of scale-pan, beam, sliding weight, table
of calculated values, scale of rates, and mechanism adapted to move the weight and the
table of calculated values at the same relative rates, as set forth.
3. The combination, in a spring balance, of circular or straight scale of weights,
movable index, calculated table of values, and gearing by which the said table is moved
with the index, as set forth.
4. The combination of index, dial, scale-pan, rack actuated thereby and engaging
with a drum having a table of calculated values upon it, whereby the motion of the
index about its axis is accompanied by a corresponding motion of the said drum about
its axis, as set forth.
5. The combination of spring, index upon a bar adapted to be moved against the
resilience of the spring in the act of weighing, a rack upon said bar from which the
motion of the index is communicated to a table of calculated values upon a drum, as
set forth.
1000