IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING BALANCES WEIGHING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Salter of West Bromwich in the County of
Stafford Manufacturer and John Hughes of West Bromwich aforesaid Manager
of Works for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRING BALANCES
WEIGHING MACHINES"
OR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Salter and John
Hughes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd September
1883.
GEORGE SALTER of West Bromwich in the County of Stafford Manufacturer and
JOHN HUGHES of West Bromwich aforesaid Manager of Works
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN SPRING BALANCES OR WEIGHING MACHINES"
Our invention consists in constructing and arranging in the manner hereinafter
described the parts of spring balances or weighing machines whereby a spring
balance or weighing machine simple in construction durable and efficient in action
is produced. Spring balances or weighing machines constructed according to our
invention are especially fitted for use on counters and for weighing for postal
purposes where a weight of seven pounds and under is required to be weighed but
the said balances or weighing machines may be constructed to weigh a greater
weight than seven pounds.
The fixed frame of the spring balance or weighing machine consists of a
horizontal hollow foot to one end of which a hollow vertical pillar is connected. In
the said hollow foot a horizontal platform or support having a vertical motion
works. To this moveable platform the scale or scale pan on which the article to be
weighed is placed is connected by four vertical connecting pieces working through
slots in the hollow foot. The said moveable platform is supported at one end by
means of a strong coiled spring one end of the said spring being connected to the
platform and the other end to the underside of the fixed foot of the balance. The
end of the moveable platform opposite to that at which the spring is connected
carries a vertical rod which passes up and works in the hollow vertical pillar of the
balance.

page_text: When a weight is placed on the scale pan the platform connected with it
descends and the coiled spring is elongated the amount of elongation of the said
spring depending upon the weight placed upon the scale pan. As the platform
descends a similar motion is given to the vertical rod connected to it and the
weight on the scale pan is indicated in the following manner. The upper end of
the said vertical rod carries a rack which engages with a pinion giving motion to a
finger or pointer on the axis of the said pinion. This finger or pointer traverses a
graduated scale or dial plate at the head of the balance and indicates thereon the
weight placed on the scale pan.
The vertical motion of the platform and rod connected with it is preserved by
means of three or more jointed guide rods working in the foot of the balance one
end of each guide rod being jointed to the moveable platform and the other end to
the fixed foot of the balance and by two jointed guide rods at right angles to one
another working in the case carrying the dial plate at the head of the balance.
Instead of supporting the moveable platform by a single coiled spring at one end
as described it may be supported by two or more coiled springs placed either in the
foot of the balance or connected to the top of the vertical rod passing to the head
of the balance

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Salter and John Hughes in the Patent Office on the
19th February 1884.
GEORGE SALTER of West Bromwich in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer and
JOHN HUGHES of West Bromwich aforesaid Manager of Works "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SPRING BALANCES OR WEIGHING MACHINES
"
Our invention consists in constructing and arranging in the manner herein after
described the parts of spring balances or weighing machines, whereby a spring
balance or weighing machine simple in construction, durable and efficient in action
is produced.
Spring balances or weighing machines constructed according to our invention are
especially fitted for use on counters and for weighing for postal purposes where a
weight of seven pounds and under is required to be weighed but the said balances
or weighing machines may be constructed to weigh a greater weight than seven
pounds.
The fixed frame of the spring balance or weighing machine consists of a
horizontal hollow foot to one end of which a hollow vertical pillar is connected.
In the said hollow foot a horizontal platform or support, having a vertical
motion, works. To this moveable platform the scale or scale pan on which the
article to be weighed is placed is connected by four vertical connecting pieces
working through slots in the hollow foot. The said moveable platform is supported
at one end by means of a strong coiled spring one end of the said spring being
connected to the platform and the other end to the underside of the fixed foot of
the balance. The end of the moveable platform opposite to that at which the spring
is connected carries a vertical rod which passes up and works in the hollow vertical
pillar of the balance.
When a weight is placed on the scale pan, the platform connected with it
descends and the coiled spring is elongated the amount of elongation of the said
spring depending upon the weight placed upon the scale pan. As the platform
descends a similar motion is given to the vertical rod connected to it and the
weight on the scale pan is indicated in the following manner.
The upper end of the said vertical rod carries a rack which engages with a
pinion giving motion to a finger or pointer on the axis of the said pinion. This
finger or pointer traverses a graduated scale or dial plate at the head of the balance
and indicates thereon the weight placed on the scale pan. The vertical motion of
the platform and rod connected with it is preserved by means of three or more
jointed guide rods working in the foot of the balance one end of each guide rod
being jointed to the moveable platform and the other end to the fixed foot of the
balance and by two jointed guide rods at right angles to one another working in
the case carrying the dial plate at the head of the balance.
Instead of supporting the moveable platform by a single coiled spring at one end
as described it may be supported by two or more coiled springs placed either in the
foot of the balance or connected to the top of the vertical rod passing to the head
of the balance.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which our invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation and Figure 2 partly in front elevation and
partly in vertical section (with the dial plate removed) a spring balance or weighing
machine constructed according to our invention; Figures 3 and 4 represent the

page_text: same in vertical section taken in planes at right angles to one another; Figure 5
represents a plan of the balance and Figure 6 represents a plan of the underside of
the foot of the balance.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the Drawings.
a is the hollow foot of the balance to one end of which the hollow vertical
pillar b is connected; c, c is the moveable platform situated in the hollow foot a
and having a vertical motion; d is the scale or scale pan which is connected with
the moveable platform c, c by the four vertical connecting pegs or pieces e, e, e, e
working through slots f, f, f, f in the hollow foot a. The arm or bar c' of the
platform has connected to it near its end a vertical rod g which passes up and
works in the hollow vertical pillar b. The said platform c, c² is supported at one
end by the coiled spring hand at the opposite end by a second coiled spring i.
One end of each spring is connected to a bracket on the platform c, c² and the other
end of the spring is connected to the underside of the fixed foot a of the balance
(see Figure 4). The upper end of the vertical rod g carries a rack k which engages
with the pinion m. On the axis of the pinion m is a finger or pointer n which
traverses the graduated dial plate at the head of the balance for indicating the
weight placed on the scale pan.
The vertical motion of the platform c, c² to which the scale pand is connected is
preserved by the four jointed guide rods p, p and q, q, the pair of rods p p being
situated at right angles to the pair of rods 9, q. The two side guide rods 2, p are
each jointed at one end to an arm on the platform c and at the other end to the
fixed foot a of the balance, the higher jointed ends of the rods p, p working in
pockets at r, r in the foot of the balance. The end guide rods q, q are jointed to
the platform c, c² and fixed foot a in a nearly similar way.
The distant end jointed rod q is not directly connected to the platform but is
connected through the connecting piece or arm c³ fixed to the bar c² of the platform
as seen in Figure 6.
The vertical motion of the rod g connected with the platform c, c² is preserved by
the two jointed guide rods t, u at the head of the balance. The guide rod tis
situated parallel to the dial and is jointed at one end to the case and at its other
end to the top of the rod g. The other guide rod u is situated at right angles to
the rod t and works in a small chamber or pocket w at the head of the balance.
One end of the rod u is jointed to the end of the chamber or pocket w and the
other end is jointed to the cranked end of the rod g (see Figures 3 and 4).
By the
When a weight is placed on the scale pan d the platform c, c² connected with it
descends and the coiled springs h, i are elongated the amount of elongation of the
said springs depending upon the weight placed upon the scale pan.
descent of the platform c, c² a like motion takes place in the vertical rod g
connected with it and the weight on the scale pau is indicated by the pointer n
traversing the graduated dial .
The moveable platform c, c² may be supported by more than two coiled springs
and in addition thereto a coiled spring or springs may be connected to the top of
the vertical rod g and to the fixed part of the balance.
Having now described the nature of our invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
invention of "Improvements in spring balances or weighing machines
"
First The combination in a spring balance or weighing machine of the spring
supported platform c, c², c³ to which the scale or scale pan d is connected, the said
spring supported platform having attached to it the vertical rod g through a rack
on which its descending motion is transmitted through a pinion to an index finger
or pointer, traversing a graduated scale supported above the scale or scale pan
substantially as bereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly-The combination with the spring supported moveable. platform
claimed in the first claim of the jointed guide rods P, p and q, q for preserving its

page_text: vertical motion and the jointed guide rods t, u for preserving the vertical motion
of the rod g of the said spring supported platform substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof we the said George Salter and John Hughes have hereunto
set our hands and seals this Seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
Witness,
JNO. BIRCH
West Bromwichi
GEORGE SALTER (LS.)
JOHN HUGHES
(L.S.)