IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE.
SALTER, of West Bromwich, near Birmingham, in the County of Stafford,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Ninth day of July, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight,
in the second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors;
give and grant unto me, the said George Salter, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said George Salter, my exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Salter, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso, that I, the said George Salter, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Salter, do hereby declare the nature of my improvements, and the

page_text: manner in which the same are performed, are particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say):
My improvements relative to spring balances or spring weighing apparatus 5
consists, firstly, in a method of indicating the weights by means of an index
and scale of divisions marked on the exterior of a tube of any required form,
either curved or plane-sided.
Secondly, in attaching by rivetting or otherwise a separate piece of white
metal on the front plate or tube, on which white metal the scale of divisions 1
and figures are marked.
Thirdly, in the application of a hollow or tubular slide capable of admitting
the spring.
Fourthly, in a method of indicating the weight by means of parallel and
diagonal lines marked on the slide and divisions on the external tube.
Fifthly, in a method or methods of indicating the smaller division of
weights by means of an additional index and scale of divisions, by which
means a much greater degree of portability, compactness of form, perspicuity,
and neatness of appearance are acquired.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a spring balance made with part of my improvements;
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the space W; Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
are views of different parts separately. The same letters refer to similar parts
in all the Drawings. A is the external cylindrical tube; B, the white metal
plate on which the divisions are marked; C is a stationary index fixed on the
screwed
tube and points to the divisions on the moveable cap D; E is a cap
on the bottom of the tube A, having an aperture to admit the hollow or
tubular slide, except the projecting rim fat top, which prevents the spring
from being overstrained. At the upper end of the tube A is a piece of metal
made to fit and soldered in; this piece of metal is of sufficient thickness, and
has a hole in it, as is shewn in the Drawing, to allow the slide, Fig. 4, to move
in it, the parts b, b, being made to fit, the two sides a, a, of the slide. The part
N is a screw, the space between the threads of which should be equal to or
greater than the space between the divisions on the white plate. On this part
the top or cap D is made to screw. The part G passing through the cap has a
hole, through which passes the ring by which the balance is suspended. The
revolution or part of revolution which the cap makes for the screw, to move
'it equal to the space between the divisions on the white metal, is divided

page_text: into sixteen equal parts, fifteen of which are marked on the cap, the sixteenth
not being necessary. It is evident by moving the cap one of these divisions, it
will be raised or lowered one-sixteenth part of one of the divisions on the
white metal, which, in the balance I am describing, will denote one ounce or
one-sixteenth part of a pound; the divisions here indicating one pound, though
on the same principle they may indicate greater or lesser weights, and the
divisions on the cap proportionate parts thereof. Fig. 5 is a view of the
bottom of the slide d, c, d, shewing the aperture c, which is less than the
diameter of the hole H in the centre. Fig. 6 is a flat circular-headed pin
with round shank, nearly the same diameter as the hole H. The part is made
to pass through the aperture c. The pin then slides through the hole H, and
rests on its head. In the shank of this pin is a hole, which receives the bow at
the top of the spring, by which it is suspended. Fig. 7 is a short spiral spring,
same diameter as the slide a, a, which passes through it, and the spring. rests
on the projecting ends d, d; this spring is made to press the tube against the
cap, and yet allow the tube to be moved when the cap is turned. Fig. 8
represents the hollow or tubular slide: T, the tube; f, a projecting rim at the
top, which prevents it passing through the aperture in the cap at the bottom
of the tube A; K is a projecting pin, on which the index I is fixed. M is a
circular piece of metal made to fit the tube and is soldered therein. This piece
of metal has a projection at the bottom, having a hole by which the hook or
scale is attached; it has also two projections or uprights g, g, on the other
side, which are inside the tube through which the pin p passes. Fig. 9 is a
piece of metal attached to the bottom end of the spring S, the end of which is
passed through each of the notches n, n, and is made firm therein. There is
a hole in this piece of metal by which the spring is attached to the bottom of
the hollow slide by the pin p, which passes through it and the uprights g, g,
into one of which it is screwed. The adjusting the length and strength of the
spring and the divisions on the white plate will be done in the usual way,
which it is unnecessary for me here to describe, that forming no part of my
present improvements.
Figure 10 is another spring balance with part of my improvements;
Fig. 11 is the front, removed to shew the interior; Fig. 12 is an under side
view of the front plate; Fig. 13 is the front plate with white plate and index
removed; Figs. 14, 15, 16, are views of different parts. The barrel or case
has a curved back with longitudinal flanches, to which the front plate is
attached by means of screws, being similar to what has hitherto been used,
except it having a round hole instead of a slit at the bottom, and for the
slide to move in. The spring is attached to the barrel or case at the top end

page_text: in the usual way, and to the bottom of the hollow or tubular slide, as has
been before described. s, Fig. 12, is a piece of steel having a square hole in
the centre, and its circumference formed into a circular inclined plane or
spiral curve gradually increasing in distance from the centre, so that in one
revolution from i to t the space between i, t, equals that between the
divisions on the white metal B. On the under side of this piece of steel the
part b, Fig. 14, projects, and is turned to the same centre, being in thickness
the same as the front plate and same diameter as the hole e in the front
plate. Fig. 15 is a section of this piece of steel. F is an index, having a
small knob or handler by which it is moved. The circular part m is greater
in diameter than the hole e in the front plate, and has a square hole in the
centre same size as that in the spiral s. The part 6 is placed in the hole e on
the under side of plate, and by means of a square pin or rivet made to fit the
index on the front side of the plate and the spiral s are rivetted together, so
as to turn freely at the same time on the part b as their common axis; the
index pointing to the division marked O when the part iis in contact with
the slide k. Fig. 16 is an edge view, showing two or more projections u, u,
same thickness as the front plate, and made to fit the two holes q, q, in the
front plates, the holes in the plate "being made a little longer to allow
the slide to move the space of one of the divisions on the white metal. The
projections u, u, are placed in the holes q, q, on the under side of the plate,
and the white metal on the front side is rivetted to them, so that the slide
and white metal will move freely at the same time. I is a pin fixed in the
front plate, to which one end of a small spiral spring is attached, the other
end of the spring being attached to the lower part of the slide k. This spring
is made to press the slide k against the spiral or circular inclined plane s. One
revolution of the index m will move the slide k and with it the white metal
equal to the space i, t, which is equal to one of the divisions on the white
metal, and as the circle on the front plate is divided into sixteen equal parts,
each one of them will indicate one ounce or one-sixteenth part of one pound,
the divisions here shewing pounds, tho' they may indicate smaller or larger
weights, and the divisions on the circle proportionate parts thereof. The
mode of using these balances is to place the article to be weighed on the hook
or scale. Should the index point between any of the divisions, turn the index
For cap D till the index I points exactly to the next line, that will be the
weight. in pounds, and indexes F or C will shew the number of ounces in
addition which the article weighs; the index or cap- should then be returned
to their original position. Fig. 17 is a spring balance with the hollow slide
inverted, to which the white metal plate with divisions is attached, and the

page_text: index is fixed on the external tube. Fig. 18 is a vertical section. A is the
tube in which the index C is fixed. At the upper end of this tube a rim is
soldered inside of sufficient thickness to admit the slide, but not the rim; at the
lower end thereof the spring is attached (as has been described) to the hollow
slide and to a circular piece of metal made to fit the bottom end of the tube
A. The hollow slide and spring is passed through the lower end of the tube
A, to which it is fastened by two or more screws.
Fig. 19 is another spring balance with part of my improvements, having
a flat tube and flat hollow slide, on which is affixed the white metal with
parallel and diagonal lines thereon, and diversions marked on the external tube.
Fig. 20, the front part of the tube, removed to shew the lines on the slide.
Fig. 21 is a vertical section; the spring may be a flat one or two circular
ones, as shewn in the Drawing. The hollow slide is prevented passing thro'
the external tube by a rim at the bottom of the slide and the upper end of the
tube, as has been described. The horizontal lines on the slide shew one
pound and the diagonals shew ounces by their intersection of the edge of the
tube on which the ounces are marked. The divisions on the slide and tube
may indicate smaller or greater weights.
Having thus described the nature of my improvements, it is evident various
spring balances may be made, each possessing one or more parts of my im-
provements; and I would remark that I lay no claim to the parts shewn and
described in their separate condition, but only the application and adaptation
thereof to the particular spring weighing apparatus herein described, tho' I
do not confine myself to the arrangements herein described provided the
principle of my improvements be adhered to; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly, the indication of the weights on the. exterior of a tube or on a
separate piece of white metal attached thereto, as has been described.
Secondly, the application of a piece of white metal whereon the division of
weights are marked.
Thirdly, in the application of an hollow or tubular slide.
Fourthly, in a method or methods of indicating the smaller divisions of
weights by means of an additional index and scale of weights.
Fifthly, in a method of indicating the weights by means of parallel and
diagonal lines marked on the slide and divisions on the external tube.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Salter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.
GEORGE (L.s.) SALTER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifth day of January, in the
_year of our Lord 1839, the aforesaid George Salter came before our said
.Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified; in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inselled the Ninth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand
Inrolled the Ninth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-nine.