Improvements in Apparatus for Weighing, or for Weighing and Indicating, or Measuring the Dimensions of Letters, Parcels, or the like.
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Weighing, or for Weighing and
Indicating, or Measuring the Dimensions of Letters, Parcels,
or the like.
I, ALBAN EDWARD RAGG of Christ Church Vicarage, Chester, in the County
of Chester, Clerk in Holy Orders do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING OR FOR WEIGHING
AND INDICATING OR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF LETTERS, PARCELS, OR THE
LIKE to be as follows:-
"
Several years ago I invented and entered at the Patent Office an apparatus for
indicating the weight of letters, parcels, etcetera on a dial by simply suspending
them to a hook. It consists of a pendulum suspended from a graduated quadrant
which is itself suspended on its centre axis from a hook, nail, or other support.
The pendulum has a pointer rigidly attached to it at its axis pointing to zero on
the scale when the apparatus is at rest and a second short arm proceeding from the
opposite side of the pendulum at the point of suspension but pointing obliquely
upward to which is suspended a hook or scale on which the letters are placed for
weighing.
Now this invention was however adapted only for a very limited range of
weights. Now my present invention is designed to improve it so as to adapt it to
an extended range of weights, and also to enable it to be used not merely for
measuring the weight, but the dimensions also-a very important point for
postal use.
My new improvements consist
1st. In constructing the quadrant with two or more scales one for ounces, the
other for pounds or higher weights-or one for letter post, the other for parcel
post or in fine one for lesser weights and the other or others for greater.
2nd. In forming the pointer with two or more points, one pointing to the outer
scale, the others to the inner ones.
3rd. In having two or more points of suspension on the arm carrying the hook
or scale, upon which the article to be weighed is laid, with preferably a slot
connecting the points of suspension-or there can be independent hooks. One
point of suspension or hook is used for the lesser weights, the other or others for
the greater ones.

page_text: 4th. I form my pendulum bob hollow or partially hollow to hold a measuring
tape, so that it can also be used for measuring, and supply it with a crank handle
or a spring to wind up the tape in the usual manner, The crank handle or spring
and tape forming a part of the balance weight.
It will be obvious that if used for the decimal system, or for ounces and pounds,
or for any series of weights in which the lesser series have a given uniform
arithmetical ratio to the higher series, it would be possible by making the points of
suspension at the same ratio of distance from the centre of oscillation, to have only
a single pointer, and a single scale to be read say as pounds in one case, as ounces
in the other. In practice however it will generally be found preferable to use
two or more scales, and two or more pointers or two or more points on the same
pointer, one for each scale, and I merely mention this apparent simplification of my
invention to prevent others claiming it as theirs.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Weighing, or for Weighing and
Indicating, or Measuring the Dimensions of Letters, Parcels,
and the like.
I, ALBAN EDWARD RAGG of Christ Church Vicarage, Chester in the County
of Chester, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING OR FOR WEIGHING
AND. INDICATING OR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF LETTERS, PARCELS, OR THE
LIKE," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
Several years ago I invented and entered at the Patent Office an apparatus for
indicating the weight of letters, parcels, etcetera on a dial by simply suspending
them on a spring catch attached to a short lever connected at an angle with a
weighted pendulum.
Referring to the drawing of my present apparatus, my former invention consisted
of a pendulum A suspended from a graduated quadrant B which was itself
suspended on its centre axis from a hook nail or other support. The pendulum
had a pointer C rigidly attached to it at its axis pointing to zero on the scale when
the apparatus was at rest and not working, and the said second short arm or
lever D proceeding from the opposite side of the pendulum at the point of
suspension but pointing obliquely upward to which was suspended a hook or
spring catch E or a pan on which the letters were placed for weighing.
Now this invention was adapted only for a very limited range of weights. My
present invention is designed to improve it so as to adapt it to an extended range
of weights, and also to enable it to be used not merely for measuring the weight,
but the dimensions, also a very important point for postal use.
My new improvements consist :-
1st. In constructing the quadrant with two or more scales, BF, one say for
ounces or portions thereof, the other for pounds or portions thereof or higher
weights, or one for letter post, the others for parcel and book post, or in fine one
for lesser weights, and the other or others for greater.
2nd, In forming the indicator with two or more points G H one pointing to the
outer scale, the others to the inner ones.
3rd. In having two or more points of suspension I J on the arm D carrying the
hook or scale, upon which the article to be weighed is laid, with preferably a
slot notched or plain as shown connecting the points of suspension, or there can be
independent hooks. One point of suspension or hook is used for the lesser weights
the other or others for the greater ones.
4th. I form my pendulum bob hollow or partially hollow to hold a measuring
tape K, so that it can also be used for measuring and I supply it with a crank
handle L or a spring to wind up the tape in the usual manner. The crank handle
or spring and tape forming a part of the balance weight.
5th. It will be obvious that if used for the decimal system, or for ounces and
pounds, or for any series of weights in which the lesser series have a given uniform

page_text: arithmetical ratio to the higher series, it would be possible by making the points of
suspension at the same ratio of distance from the centre of oscillation, to have only
a single pointer and a single scale to be read say as pounds in one case, as ounces
in the other. In practice however it will generally be found preferable to use two
or more scales and two or more pointers, or two or more points on the same
pointer, one for each scale, thereby reducing the size and weight of the apparatus,
and I merely mention this apparent simplification of my invention to prevent
others claiming it as theirs.
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
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1st. The various improvements on my former apparatus each substantially as set
forth in paragraphs beginning 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively, and for the
purposes described.
2nd. The modified apparatus in which a single scale is used, substantially as
described, under paragraph beginning “ 5th.”
Dated this 11th day of September 1885..
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