An Improved Steelyard Runner or Loop.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th. May, 1891.
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Steelyard Runner or Loop.
We, HENRY JOHNSON AVERY, of the firm of Messrs. W. & T. Avery,
Weighing Machine Manufacturers, Birmingham, and GEORGE WILLIAM DAVIS,
of 7 Thynom Street,. West Bromwich in the County of Stafford, Foreman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
Our invention relates to that class of steelyards in which the weighing is effected
by moving a loop carrying the poise or weight along the free end of the steelyard,
the loop or runner being provided with a knife edge engaging teeth or serrations
in the upper side of the steelyard. Such steelyards are in common use in many
retail trades and the graduated end of the steelyard is often made long enough to
allow of the whole range of weighing required, to be made by the movement of onc
weight or poise suspended from the loop or runner. In using these steelyards a
difficulty is encountered which it is the object of our invention to obviate.
When the hooks receive the load to be weighed the steelyard often assumes an
angle or inclined position so steep that the loop or runner knife edge engaging the
serrations on the steelyard slips and the poise or weight slides downwards towards
the point of suspension or if the pan be empty and the weight or poise in such
position as to overbalance it then the runner and weight slip in the opposite
direction.
In a runner or loop constructed in accordance with our invention we provide
projections at some distance on both sides of the loop forming part of it or attached
to it in any convenient manner, so arranged as to act on the lower edge of the
steelyard to limit the angle which the body of the loop can assume to the steelyard.
By this device the. knife edge of the loop is always held, with reference to the
steelyard serrations, at an angle. so moderate that it cannot slip and run down
the incline however steep. it may be. The projections thus limit the movement of
the runner or loop so far as its angular oscillation is concerned and prevent it
slipping along the. steelyard in any extreme positions which it may be caused to
assume, by overbalancing on either side. At the same time ample freedom is
allowed to alter the position of the runner with its poise or weight when weighing
goods. Although the projections described may be arranged with regard to the
runner or loop in several ways, we prefer to construct the runner or loop in one
piece with a plate underneath it, this plate forming suitable horns to bear on
either side alternately and having below an eye or aperture for attaching
the poise.
The angle of movement of the runner may also be limited by shortening the loop
and broadening its lower edge so that although freedom to slide by hand is
allowed for weighing yet the inclination is limited should either end of the steelyard
greatly overbalance.
10
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Steelyard Runner or Loop.
We, HENRY JOHNSON AVERY, of the firm of Messrs. W. and T. Avery,
Weighing Machine Manufacturers, Birmingham, and GEORGE WILLIAM DAVIS,
of 7 Thynne Street, West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Foreman, 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 :-
Our invention relates to that class of steelyard in which the counterpoise or
weight is suspended from a loop or runner movable upon the long arm or shank of
the steelyard, the loop or runner being provided with a knife edge, engaging teeth,
serrations, or notched graduations in the upper side of the steelyard. Such
steelyards are in common use in many retail trades and the graduated end of the
steelyard is often made long enough to allow of the whole range of weighing
required to be made by the movement of one weight or poise suspended from the
loop or runner. In using these steelyards a difficulty is encountered which it is
the object of our invention to obviate.
When loading or unloading the goods to be weighed upon the steelyard, the
long arm or shank of the steelyard often assumes an angle or inclined position so
steep that the runner or loop carrying the counterpoise or weight will slip from the
notch in which it is engaged, travelling down the shank until it reaches one end,
seriously cutting and damaging the notches or serrations of the steelyard.
The object of our present invention is to prevent this by constructing runners
or loops in the manner illustrated in the accompanying sheet of explanatory
drawings.
Figure 1 is an end elevation and Figure 2 is a front elevation of our improved
loop or runner A, B, C, when formed out of one piece of metal.
"
We provide projections or horns. A, B on one or both sides of the loop portion C
of the ordinary construction, which projections or horns are so arranged that when
the long arm or shank E assumes an inclination greater than that required in the
operation of weighing, the projections or horns will press upon the lower edge of
the shank and prevent the knife edge of the loop or runner from rising or slipping
out of the notch in which it is engaged, however steep the inclination of the shank
may be. At the same time ample freedom is allowed to alter the position upon
the shank of the runner with its poise or weight, and also for the free play or
vibration of the steelyard during the operation of weighing. Although the pro-
jections described may be arranged with regard to the runner or loop in several
ways, we construct the runner or loop simply and conveniently in one piece A, B, C
with a horned plate or bar A, B, or a thickened plate as at Figure 34, underneath
the loop, this plate forming suitable projections to bear on one or either side and
having below an eye or aperture D for attaching the poise or weight.
Figure 4 is a front elevation and Figure 5 an end elevation of our improved
runner or loop formed in two pieces, the loop C being fixed to the bottom plate
or horn bar A, B, by rivets, pins or screws a, a, and the lower end of the loop
portion being thickened or widened out to receive the pins.
Instead of rigidly fixing the bottom bar to the loop, we sometimes attach the
loop to the bottom bar as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7 by means of a single
pin b. from which the bottom plate A2, B2, is free to swivel.
Figure 8 is an end elevation, and Figures 9 and 10 are front elevations showing
our improved runner with the horn plate A³, B³ arranged to bear upon the upper
portion of the steelyard and having one or more teeth or serrations a³, b provided
upon the horns for the purpose of engaging with the serrated or notched edge of
the steelyard. We construct this form of upper or top bearing horn runner or
loop with an independent loop as herein before described and as illustrated at
Figure 4 and Figure 5; or with swivelling loop as at Figure 6 and Figure 7.

page_text: We also limit the angle of movement of the runner by shortening the loop and
broadening its lower edge so that although freedom to slide by hand is allowed for
weighing, yet the inclination is limited should either end of the steelyard greatly
overbalance.
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) A steelyard runner or loop in which projections are so arranged to bear
upon or engage with a steelyard edge and so prevent the said runner or loop
from slipping when the steelyard is inclined, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
(2) The construction of steelyard runners or loops having projecting horns such
as A, B; A, B₁; A2, B2; which bear upon the edge of the steelyard when it is
caused to assume an inclined position in one or either direction to the point of
suspension, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as
illustrated at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
(3) The construction of steelyard runners or loops having projecting horns such
as A, B, provided with serrated edges for engaging with the top or the bottom
edge of a steelyard when inclined, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described and as illustrated at Figures 8, 9 and 10 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.