apparatus for marking or Printing the weights of Packages (without said Weights being First Ascertained).
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 21st Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 17th Feb., 1888
apparatus for marking or Printing the weights of Packages
(without said Weights being First Ascertained).
We, ELLIS CARR, of the firm Peek, Frean and Company, Bermondsey, Surrey,
Biscuit Manufacturer, and WILLIAM SNELGROVE of 42 Hillsboro Road, North
Dulwich, Surrey, and in the employment of the above firm, Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is, to construct or arrange certain appliances that the
weight of any article, box, bundle, or thing can be stamped or marked to indicate its
weight without said weight being first otherwise ascertained.
The invention is specially adapted for use in Warehouses and Factories in which
goods are made up or packed in uniform sized boxes or packages and where the
approximate weight of each box or package has to be recorded upon said package.
For the purpose of this invention we construct a scale pan on the long end of a
pivotted lever, the short end being weighted as a counterpoise. This lever is within
contact range
of suitable weighing mechanism so that when the package to be weighed
is placed on the pan, the weighing mechanism is acted upon to the desired extent
according to the weight of the package, the scale pan being proportionately depressed.
The lever of the scale pan has a rod connected to it for removing a balanced bar
from contact with a disc or its equivalent and set it at an agle due to the weight of
the package.
a series
Below the scale pan lever is a beam also pivotted to the frame in such a position
that it can be lowered (mechanically or by hand) and in its descent to cause, through
the attachment of a cord or other mechanism the disc to revolve and so bring
of stamps which are on its periphery round with it, the beam then lifts or is lifted
which, through a slackening of the cord allows the disc to turn back under the action
of a spring until one or other of a series of pins which project from the face or other
part of the disc presses against the balanced bar forming a stop for the disc and with
he marking stamp in position for recording the weight of the package upon its
pper surface.
As the beam continues to rise, it comes into contact with the scale pan lever and

page_text: then they both lift as, one, carrying the package with them up to the stamp to receive
the impression, the beam is then lowered to a fixed position where it remains stationary
sufficiently long to allow a package to be removed and a fresh one to be placed.
The disc may be locked for the time being by any suitable means for the printing
operation.
If the apparatus is worked mechanically the free end of the beam may be connected
by a link to a gear wheel receiving rotation from a worm or other gear, the shaft of
the worm being provided with a clutch, one portion of which can be thrown auto-
matically into frictional contact by rods and a tumbling weight which comes into
operation when the package is placed on the scale pan.
The disc or its equivalent to which the stamps are attached for impressing the
weights revolve by mechanical power entirely distinct and independent of the scale
pan, and the position of the particular stamps corresponding to the weight of the
package is determined by the balanced bar or stop connected to the scale pan
coming in contact with a projection on the disc bringing the latter with the stamps
to rest at the proper point for stamping the weight on the package, the position of the
balanced bar or stop influenced by the scale pan being more or less according to
the weight of the package, this being regulated to a point at which the disc ceases
to revolve, said point corresponding to the weight of the package, so that the proper
stamp is directly over it.
We have described one method by which this invention can be carried into practice,
but the details are subject to several modifications but in all cases the independent
stamp disc or its equivalent, the scale pan appliance and the beam are always used
substantially in the manner above referred to.
Dated this 21st day of February 1887.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Ellis Carr
and W. Snelgrove.

page_text: Apparatus for Marking or Printing the Weights of Packages
without said Weights being First Ascertained.
We, ELLIS CARR, of the firm Peek, Frean and Company, Bermondsey, Surrey,
Biscuit Manufacturer, and WILLIAM SNELGROVE, late of 42 Hills'boro Road, North
Dulwich, but now of West View, Dulwich Grove, in the county of Surrey, and in the
employment of the above firm, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to construct a machine or apparatus by which an
article such as a box or package can be weighed and its weight indicated or printed
thereon.
Such a machine or apparatus is specially adapted for use wh ro goods are made up
or packed in uniform sized boxes or packages and where the approximate weight of
each box or package has to be recorded thereon.
According to this invention we employ a scale pan or support carried by a counter-
balanced lever which is so arranged in connection with suitable weighing mechanism
that after the article to be weighed is placed on the pan or support the weighing
mechanism will be acted upon to an extent depending upon the weight of the article
and the scale pan correspondingly depressed.
To the lever or scale pan or support is loosely connected a rod which actuates a bar
stop or catch and holds the same in a position depending upon the weight of the article
being weighed. The bar stop or catch serves when operated to arrest and hold a
type or printing disc or its equivalent in the proper position for printing the weight
on the article.
Below the lever is a pivoted beam or frame that can be lowered either mechanically
or by hand and which in its descent causes, by means of a cord or other suitable
mechanism, the type or printing dise to revolve and carry a series of printing stamps
arranged on the periphery thereof round with it. When the beam or frame rises the
slackening of the cord permits the type or printing disc to turn backward under the
action of a spring until one or other of a series of pins or projections which project
from the face or other part of the disc comes into contact with the bar or catch which
then prevents further rotation of the printing disc and holds it and the marking stainp
corresponding to the weight of the article in position for recording such weight upon
the article. The arrangement is such that as the beam or frame continues to rise, it
comes into contact with the scale pan lever, the two rising together clear of the
weighing mechanism and carrying the article weighed with them up to the printing
stamp to receive an impression indicating its weight. The beam or frame is then
lowered to a position in which it remains stationary and free from the weighing
mechanism sufficiently long to allow the article weighed to be removed and a fresh one
to be placed on the scale pan or support.

page_text: The type or printing disc may be locked by any suitable means during the printing
operation.
When the apparatus is worked mechanically one end of the beam or frame may be
connected by a link to a disc or wheel which receives rotary motion from a worm
or other suitable gearing. The driving shaft may be provided with a clutch, one
portion of which can be thrown automatically into frictional contact with a driven
portion by a rod or rods and a tumbling weight brought into operation when the
article to be weighed is placed on the scale pan or support.
The disc or its equivalent to which the type or printing stamps are attached is
arranged to revolve by means entirely distinct and independent of the scale pan.
The position of the particular stamp corresponding to the weight of an article, is
determined by the position of the scale pan or support and the connected balanced bar
or catch which comes into contact with one of the pins or projections on the type or
printing disc which is thereby brought to rest with the printing stamp corresponding
to the weight of an article at the proper position for stamping the weight on the
article.
As will be obvious apparatus according to our invention may be constructed in
various forms.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in vertical section of apparatus according to
this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan or top view thereof with the type or printing disc
removed.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line A B, fig. 1, looking in the direction of the
arrow, and
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views hereinafter referred to.
1 is a counterbalanced lever able to oscillate on a fixed shaft or bar 2 carried by side
frames 3; it is formed or provided with a part 4 which serves as a scale pan or
support for the article to be weighed. 5 is a bar or stop pivotted at 6, 7 is a rod con-
nected at one end to the bar or stop 5; its other end extends through the lever 1 and
is provided with an adjustable nut 7* the arrangement being such that the lever and
scale pan drawn down the inner end of the bar 5 when they descend but do not lift it
when they rise.
The outer arm of the bar 5 is weighted or made sufficiently heavy to lift the inner
arm of such bar, and the attached rod 7 when the bar is released by the lever 1.
8 is a type or printing disc mounted so as to be able to rotate upon a fixed rod or
bar 9 and provided with printing stamps 10 at its circumference and with a series of
pins or projections 11 arranged in a helical manner on one of its faces each pin or
projection corresponding with a stamp 10. The disc 8 is also provided with a spring
barrel S to which one end of a spring located therein is connected, the other end of
the spring being connected to the rod or bar 9. Each stamp 10 carries at its outer
end a type preferably of india rubber to which printing ink may be imparted by a
roller 12 (saturated with a suitable ink) during the rotation of the disc 8.
The types comprise figures or other characters corresponding to different weights
within the weighing limits of the apparatus.
13 is a beam or frame composed of two side pieces connected by cross ties and pre-
ferably counterbalanced as shown; it is mounted at one end, so as to be able to rotate,
on a rod 14 and is provided at its upper part with two projections 15 that bear against
the under surface of the scale
pan 4.
13 is a band or belt wound upon and connected at one end to the spring barrel 8*
and at its other end secured to the beain or frame 13. By it the disc 8 is rotated in
one direction when the beam or frame descends, the return movement being effected
by the spring in the spring barrel.
The weighing mechanism in the example shewn consists of a spring balance com-
prising springs 16 which are connected at their upper ends to a frame 17 and at their
lower ends to a cross bar 18 that is secured to a vertical rod 19. The rod 19 extends
nearly to the under surface of the scale pan 4 but is not in contact therewith when
the lever 1 is in its normal attitude. 20, 20, are anti-friction rollers carried by

page_text: rod 19 upon them the scale pan 4 rests during the weighing operation. 21 is a link
that connects the free end of the beam or frame 13 with a crank disc 22 fixed upon
a shaft 23-24 is a spur wheel loose upon the shaft 23 and provided with a cone 25
constituting the male part of a friction coupling. It is driven from the driving
shaft 26 by another wheel 27. The driving shaft 26 may be operated by manual
power in an obvious manner or by steam or other power. In the example illustrated
it is arranged for the latter being provided with fast and loose pulleys 28 and 29.
30 is the female part of the friction coupling of which cone 25 is the male part and
is keyed upon the shaft 23 in such a manner that it can be slidden thereon and be
forced into frictional contact with the cone 25. 31 is a lever arm (Figs. 1 and 4)
secured at one end to a vertical spindle 32 carried by a bracket or support 33 secured
to a transverse angle plate 33*. 34 is a bifurcated arm secured at one end to the
lower end of the spindle 32 and embracing a neck on part 30 of the friction coupling.
The outer end of the lever arm 31 is slotted and connected by a bolt 35 with ono
end of a slotted bar 36 arranged to slide in a guide bearing 37. The slotted bar 36
is provided at its free end with a plate or enlargement 38 against which the article
to be weighed is pushed when placed upon the scale pan 4. 39 is one arm of a
tumbling bell crank lever pivotted at 40; it passes through a slot 41 in the bar 36
and carries at its upper end a weight 4. 43 is the other arm of this bell crank
lever; it is arranged to overlap part of the back surface of the crank disc 22 as
shewn. 44 is a pin projecting from the said surface of the crank disc 22 and adapted,
during the rotation of the latter to act upon the arm 43 and throw the weighted bell
crank lever into the attitude indicated by dotted lines (Fig. 1).
The operation of the apparatus is as follows
Assuming the lever 1 and beam or frame 13 to be at rest in their normal attitudes
as shown and the driving shaft 26 to be rotating, then by the placing of an article to
be weighed (for example a tin of biscuits) in the position indicated by dotted lines upon
the scale pan 4 the slotted har 36 will be moved from the position indicated by dotted
lines to that shown in full lines in fig. 1. This movement of the bar 36 throws over
the weighted bell crank lever 39-43 and causes the part 30 of the friction coupling
to be forced into frictional contact with the part 25 thereof, so that the notion of the
toothed wheel 24 is transmitted to the crank disc 22. As the latter rotates in the
direction of the arrow b, the beam or frame 13 is lowered and releases the lever 1
and the scale pan 4 which then acts directly upon the rod 19 of the spring balance
and falls to a position that depends upon and is proportional to the weight of the
article being weighed. The lowering of the beam or frame 13 rotates the type or
printing disc 8 by means of the chain or band 13 a against the action of the spring
in the spring barrel 8 a. The lowering of the lever 1 and scale pan will by means of
the rod 7 cause the bar 5 to assume such an attitude that when the disc 8 rotates
backwards under the action of its spring, during the rising motion of the beam or
frame 13 the bar 5 will come into contact with that pin or projection on the disc 8
which accords with the particular stamp that corresponds to the weight of the article
weighed, thus bar 5 will arrest the motion of the disc and retain it in such a manner
that the proper stamp for marking the weight of the article on the scale pan will be
immediately opposite the top of the said article. When the beam or frame 13 rises its
projections 15 come into contact with the lever 1 and scale pan 4 and raise them so as
to force the article that has been weighed against the stamp, thus the proper weight
is marked upon the top of the said article When the beam or frame 13 again
descends to the attitude shown in fig. 1, the pin 44 acts upon the arm 43 of the
weighted bell crank lever and throws it into the position indicated by dotted line.
Thereby the part 30 of the friction coupling is thrown out of gear with the friction
cone 25 and the machine is stopped with the lever 1 in the attitude shown and clear
of the rod 19. The article weighed may then be removed and a fresh one put upon
the scale pan 4, when the above described operations will be repeated. The machine
might be modified by providing it with an automatic feeding arrangement for
mechanically placing articles on the scale pan and removing them therefrom,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. For marking or printing the weights of packages without its being necessary
for any person to previously learn the weight thereof the use of marking or printing
apparatus in conjunction with suitable weighing mechanism the arrangement being
such as to form a compound apparatus or machine whereby when an article is properly
placed therein such article will not only be weighed but also a corresponding weight
will be marked or printed upon it by the marking or printing apparatus.
2. In apparatus such as referred to in claim 1 the use of a device carrying a series
of stamps or types to which the necessary movements for bringing the proper stamp
or type into position for marking or printing an article weighed and for afterwards
causing the said device to return so that the several stamps or types will resume their
normal positions are imparted by means independent of the weighing mechanism
and of the article weighed.
3. A device such as referred to in claim 2 provided with a series of printing
stamps or types to print the weight of an article weighed and with a series of corre-
sponding pins or projections for the purpose of enabling the motion of the said
device to be arrested and the proper stamp or type to be kept in position for marking
or printing an article that has been weighed substantially as described.
4. The combination with a device provided with stamps or types and pins or
projections as set forth in claim 3 of a bar or catch for arresting motion of the said
device and holding it in position for marking or printing an article weighed the
position of the said bar or catch and consequently the stamp or type brought into use
being determined by the weight of the article weighed substantially as hereinabove
described.
5. The use with weighing mechanism and a scale pan of a beam or frame caused
to release the scale pan with the article thereon for the purpose of enabling the latter
to be weighed the arrangement being such that subsequently for the purpose of
enabling the marking or printing of the weight on the article weighed to be effected
the scale pan (with the said article upon it) is raised clear of the weighing mechanism
substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. Providing in connection with mechanism for operating the beam or frame that
alternately releases and lifts the scale pan a clutch adapted to throw the said
mechanism in gear with a driving shaft when an article to be weighed is put upon
the scale pan, and to throw the said mechanism out of gear with such driving shaft
after the article has been weighed and marked or printed upon substantially as
hereinabove described.
7. Apparatus substantially as described with reference to and shewn in the
drawings annexed for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 21st day of December 1887.