IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES OR SCALES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Converse Heywood, of New York, United
States of America, at present residing at the Langham Hotel,
Portland Place, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES OR SCALES."-A
communication from abroad by Michael Kennedy, of the City and
4
Sealed the 29th April 1870, and dated the 8th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Converso
Heywood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th November 1869.
I, JOSEPH CONVERSE HEYWOOD, of New York, United States of
America, at present residing at the Langham Hotel, Portland Place, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES OR SCALES,"
a communication to me from abroad by Michael Kennedy, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America, Mechanic, to be as
follows:-
These improvements are designed. 1st. to reduce the height of certain

page_text: practicable to construct portable scales and scales of small sizes on the
same general plan as the large short lover weighing scales.
2nd. To prevent the displacement of the parts of the scale when
once combined, so that this combination may be used in constructing
portable weighing scales without danger of any derangement of the
different parts when moved or when subjected to shocks incident to
its use.
3rd. To render it possible to increase the thickness and consequently
the strength of the parts of the scale, without the necessity at the same
time of increasing the height of the levers.
To accomplish these objects in the first place the upper yoke is placed
outside of the branches of the body of the lever instead of inside or
between these branches. This arrangement permits the diminution of
the height of the body of the lever, the elevation of the upper yoke to
the level of the highest part of the body of the said first lever, and as a
consequence permits the elevation of the lower yoke or plate, so that the
height of the supports of the lever may be diminished without interfering
with the free play of the adjuster. This upper yoke is made with
branches terminating in hooks to which the oval links are hung by
which the lower yoke or plate is suspended. This yoke is elevated by
means of a foot descending from its lower part, by which it rests on the
pivot of the short arm of the lever. This yoke may have two branches
on one side and one on the other, or one on each side, or two on cach
side; but they must be so constructed that when the scale is set up the
yoke will remain in a state of perfect equilibrium.. The two sides of the
annular groove in the foot of the yoke which rests on the pivot are
prolonged so as to come below said pivot where they are united by a
piece of metal screwed to their ends and passing from one to the other
below said pivot, so that the pivot is entirely surrounded by said foot,
and cannot get out of its position in consequence of any shock or move-
ment. To prevent the oval links from getting out of place on the hooks
at the ends of the branches an iron wire is placed at the extremity of
each branch near the hook strong enough for the purpose, which is bent
over upon yet without touching the oval link when placed.
In the second place the lower yoke or plate in form of a long square,
the middle empty for the passage of the lever, has at each corner a
column to support the platform attached to said columns by screws

page_text: higher than the lever when in place, so that said lever may never come
in contact with the platform. As many hooks advance into the empty
middle of said lower yoke or plate as there are branches to the upper
yoke, but bent in a direction opposite to the hooks which terminate said
branches, to which they are attached by the oval links, which are pre-
vented from getting out of place on the hooks of the lower yoke or plate
by an iron wire placed and bent over said links in a manner similar to
that described for the hooks terminating the branches of the upper yoke.
Said columns on the lower yoke are only used for the smaller scales.
For the larger scales the beams of the platform rest on and connect the
lower yokes in the ordinary manner.
In the third place the first lever is composed of one casting in two
branches, connected at their base by a casting immediately under the
pivot of the short arm of the lever, thus rendering the pivot firm, and
also connected a little above their middle by another casting forming a
projection, in which is a hole for the rod of the adjuster. Each branch
of the lever has externally an ear to cover and render firm the part of the
fulcrum pivot which passes into each branch of the lever. The fulcrum
pivot is divided into two parts, each to be adapted to one of the branches
of the lever, and is a square piece of steel placed so that it rests by one
of its angles on the cushion or bearing of the support. In all that part
which is to traverse the branch of the lever and rest on the cushion or
bearing of the support below the ear of the lever, this piece of steel is
kept in a perfectly right line, at the point where it leaves the ear and
the cushion or bearing it is bent to take again afterwards the right
line to its end in such a way that the upper side of the exterior part and
the lower sides of the interior part must be on the same right line. The
exterior parts of said pivot are to be bound to the support of the lever
by a piece constructed for that purpose.
In the fourth place the support of the first lever is composed of a
plate and two branches, between which is placed the lower part of the
lever, which they support by its fulcrum pivot. On the exterior of each
of these branches is a casting cast with the principal part, in which a
hole receives the rod of the piece, which binds the support to the
exterior part of the fulcrum pivot.
In the fifth place there are two pieces used to bind the support to the
fulcrum pivot of cach lever, each one composed of an iron rod, the upper

page_text: end terminating in a ring, in which is placed the exterior portion of the
fulcrum pivot of the lever. The upper part of this ring, which may find
itself in contact with the edge of the upper side of the pivots, is made of
steel. The lower part of said rod is cut like a screw to receive two nuts,
one above and one below the cast projections on the exterior parts of the
support, which nuts render the pieces in question immovable, and place
them so that they grasp the fulcrum pivot without pressing it, but
leaving it entirely free in its movements.
In the sixth place the position of the lower part of the adjuster
referred to in the Provisional Specification filed by Michael Kennedy on
the 28th of June 1869, No. 1953, is changed on account of the small
height given to the branches of the lever, to the side opposite that it
occupied, so as to leave room for the play of the nuts which work it, as
is done in the case of the levers with equal arms, also described in the
said Provisional Specification.
This manner of construction not only accomplishes the objects of the
Invention, as herein-before enumerated, but also secures a notable
economy in the construction of the scales by the reduced height of
certain pieces, and the consequent reduction in the foundations or frame
which surrounds the scale.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Converse Heywood in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
CONVERSE HEYWOOD, of New York, United States of America, at present
residing at the Langham Hotel, Portland Place, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Joseph Converse Heywood, Her special
licenso that I, the said Joseph Converse Heywood, my executors, admi-

page_text: Third. The possibility of augmenting the thickness and consequently
the strength of the parts without the necessity of increasing at the
same time the height of the levers.
In order to obtain these results it has been found necessary to modify
certain parts and to make certain new ones, which modifications and
new formations I shall now proceed to describe.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed-more-particularly to describe the same, and for that. -purposo
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
corresponding Figures.
Sheet 1 of the Drawings illustrates a scale completely set up, with
the said improvements attached.
Sheet 2 shews various details constituting the new or modified parts
forming the essential features of the said Invention.
Figure A, (Sheet 1,) represents a plan of the improved scale without
the platform, and shewing the combination of the "first levers," the
"second levers" the "beam lever" or lever for transmitting the effect
of the weight to the weighing beam itself, the connecting rods, and
other parts all occupying their respective positions.
Figure B (Sheet 1) represents a vertical section taken along the
line I, J, showing the platform, the combination of two of the "first
levers," one of the "second levers," the "beam lever," the transmission
between them, the lower part of the connecting rod which transmits the
effect of the weight from the "beam lever" to the weighing beam itself,
all these parts occupying their respective positions.
Figure C (Sheet 1) represents a front view shewing the combination
of the "second levers," the "beam lever" the transmission between
them and the lower part of the connecting rod which transmits the
effect of the weight from the "beam lever" to the weighing beam itself,
all these parts occupying their respective positions.
The several Figures on Sheet 2 of the Drawings will be herein-after
fully described and referred to.
First. As to the upper yoke which forms a part of the combination of
the levers called "first levers" because they receive first the impression a
of the weight placed on the platform of the scale.-This upper yoke

page_text: (Figure A, Sheet 2,) and a (Sheet 1,) to which the impression of the
weight placed on the platform of the scale is transmitted by the lower
yoke, which it holds suspended by the aid of the oval links, is placed
outside of the branches (Sheet 1) of the principal body of the first
lever instead of being inside of these same branches. This change
enables me to diminish the height of the branches or body of the lever
to raise the said upper yoke to the level of the head of the said body of
the lever, and as a consequence to raise equally the lower yoke, and
finally to diminish also the height of the support of the lever. So long
as the upper yoke had to be placed within the body of the lever it was
necessary to preserve between the fulcrum pivot of the lever and the
adjuster which makes a part of this last sufficient distance to permit the
placing and the play of the upper yoke, and moreover the impossibility
of raising the upper yoke on account of the adjuster coupled with the
necessity of always leaving a certain space between the upper and lower
yokes for the oval links and their respective movements made it necessary
to give a certain height to the support of the lever in order that the
lower yoke should be kept at a certain distance from the plate of the
support.
.
By this Invention however all these defects are obviated, whilst at
the same time the necessities imposed in order to obtain exactness in the
scale are preserved.
My actual yoke (Figure A, Sheet 2) is composed of one casting
terminating at its lower part in a foot a, (Figure A, Sheet 2,) destined
to rest on the pivot n of the short arm of the lever (Figure E, Sheet 2).
At its upper part three branches detach themselves, of which two b, b', ·|
(Figure A, Sheet 2,) on the same sido each start from one of the
extremities of the yoke, and are parallel one to the other and surround
the sides of the body of the lever, yet without touching this last, and
the third c starts from the side opposite to the two others and from the
middle of the casting, and runs in an opposite direction to the lever.
These three branches are each terminated in the form of hooks d
(Figure A, Shect 2), cach hook being destined to receive an oval link
which is to suspend from my upper yoke the lower yoko or plate which
will be referred to hereafter.
I would here observe that the importance of this Invention consists

page_text: in the placing my yoke outside the branches or body of the lever.
Instead of three branches I can make four to my yoke or even reduce
them to two, one on each side, (as shewn in Figure B, Sheet 2) but in
this last case it will be necessary that the branches be cach opposite the
one to the other, that is to say, that the one of the two branches a
(Figure B) which is directed towards the body of the lever, being
towards the left extremity of the yoke, the other branch b, which is
directed to the side opposite to the body of the lever, must be towards
the right extremity of the yoke, or vice versa. !
The main object to be attained in the construction of the branches of
the yoke, whatever be the number of these last or their respective
lengths, is to maintain the yoke (the scale having been set up) in a
state of perfect equilibrium in such a way that it can receive the lightest
impression produced by the weight placed on the platform of the scale.
The foot of my yoke presents at its lower extremity, which is intended
to rest on the pivot of the short arm of the lever, a notch e (Figures A
and B, Sheet 2) in which the said pivot is lodged, which notch is in the
form of an inverted V, and is sufficiently broad for the yoke to move
on the pivot. The two sides of the notch e are so far prolonged that
they shall descend below the lower part of the pivot on which the yoke
rests, in order that after the yoke has been placed on the pivot these
two sides below the said pivot may bo united by a picco of metal f
(Figures A and B, Sheet 2,) which is attached by screws in such a way
that the pivot being thus entirely surrounded by the foot of the yoke
'this last cannot come out of its position whatever be the movements or
shocks to which the scale is subjected. The upper part of the notch
which rests on the pivot is of hardened steel. In order to prevent the
oval links from coming out of their positions I place at each extremity
of the branches of the yoke an iron wire k (Figures A and B, Sheet 2)
sufficiently strong which I bend over upon the oval link when in place
but without touching the said link.
• Second. As to the lower yoke or plate attached to the "first levers
and which receive directly by the aid of columns thereto attached or
otherwise the impression of the weight placed on the platform in order
to transmit it to the upper yoke already referred to and from which it
is suspended by the oval links.-This lower yoke or plate (Figure C,
Sheet 2 and c, Shect 1) consists of a single casting in the form of a

page_text: long square open in the interior in order to permit of the introduction
of the lever and its free movement in the exercise of its functions. At
cach corner of the plate rises a column a (Figure C, Sheet 2), which is
intended to support the platform fixed thereto by screws (see Figure B,
Sheet 1). These columns must have a height superior to that of tho
lever when in its place in order that this may never come in contact
with the platform whatever be the weight or the movement given to this
last. From the inner sides of the open space in the plate as many hooks
project as there are branches to the upper yoke from which this plate
is to be suspended. These hooks b (Figures C and D, Sheet 2) formed
in a direction opposite to those which terminate each branch of the
upper yoke must correspond exactly to these last, to which they are
bound by the oval links. Each of these hooks of the lower yoke is also
provided with an iron wire g sufficiently strong, which is also bent over
on the oval link after this is in its place, yet without touching it, in
order that the said link may not come out of the position which it
occupies. With reference to the columns which rise from the lower
yoke I only employ them in general for small scales, for other scales I
use the ordinary means of binding together the lower yokes of the
levers as well as of attaching to them the platform.
Third. As to the "first lever" and fulcrum pivot. The main body of
the lever undergoes certain modifications. It is formed of one casting
composed of two branches a (Figure E, Sheet 2) and 6 (Sheet 1),
which two branches are connected together at their base 6 (Figure E,
Sheet 2) by a casting placed immediately under the pivot of the short
arm of the lever, which pivot is thus at the same time strengthened, and
by another casting c a little above their middle forming a projection or
cross bar. In this projection or cross bar a hole is made, which is
traversed by the rod of the adjuster hercin-after referred to. Each of the
branches of the lever is furnished externally with an ear d (Figure E,
Sheet 2), which covers and strengthens the part of the fulcrum pivot which
passes into each branch of the lever. This strengthening is so much the
moro necessary as instead of being composed of one single piece traversing
the lever in all its breadth the fulcrum pivot is divided into two parts.
Each of these two parts destined each one to be adapted to one of the
two branches of the lever is composed of a square piece of steel, which
must be placed in such a way that it rests by one of its angles on the

page_text: cushion or bearing of the support. Throughout the whole of that
portion of it which is to traverse the branch of the lever and rest on the
cushion or bearing of the support below the car of the lever, this picco
of steel is maintained in a perfectly right line, as shewn at c (Figure E,
Sheet 2). At the point where it leaves the car and the cushion or
bearing it is bent to take again afterwards the right line to its termination
(as shewn at ), but in such a way that the upper part of the exterior
portion of the pivot corresponds with the lower part of the interior
portion c of the said pivot, in other words the lower side of the interior.
portion of the pivot e and the upper side of the exterior portion of
the pivot (f) must be on the same right line. These exterior portions
of cach fulcrum pivot are to be bound to the support of the lover by
a new picce (herein-after described) in such a way that the lever cannot
in any case come out of its position.
Fourth. As to the supports of the lever. The support of the "first
lever" shewn at Figure F (Sheet 2) and at d (Sheet 1) is composed
of a plate a (Figure F) and of two branches or bracket supports b,
between which is placed the lower part of the lever which they support
by its fulcrum pivot. I add to each of these branches bat their lower
and exterior part a casting or lug c (Figure F) cast in one with the
main part. In each of these lugs c a hole is made to receive the rod
of the picco which unites the support to each exterior portion of the
fulcrum pivot.
Fifth. As to the piece uniting the support to the fulcrum pivot of the
lever. There are two of these pieces for each lever. Each one of these
pieces (Figure G) is composed of an iron rod b, of which the upper
part terminates in the form of a ring a (Figure G), in which is placed
the exterior portion of the fulcrum pivot of the lever. The upper part
of this ring, which may be in contact with the edge of the upper side of
the pivot, is made of steel. The lower extremity of the iron rod 6 is
screwed to receive two nuts one placed above and the other below the
lug or projection c of the support, Figure F. These two nuts render
the picce in question immoveable, and adjust it in such a manner that
it will grasp the fulcrum pivot of the lever, yet without pressing it, and
so as to leave it entirely free in its movements.
Sixth. As to the adjuster of the "first levers."-In consequence of
the small height given to the branches of the lever I have changed the

page_text: position of the lower part of the adjuster, and placed its rod on the side
opposite to that which it occupied in order to have sufficient room for
the play of the nuts which work the adjuster, as shewn at 1, Figure E,
Sheet 2), or as is done in the case of levers with equal arms described
in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Michael Kennedy on
or about the Twenty-eighth of June One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine, No. 1953. From the foregoing description of the various
parts it will be seen that by the modifications which I introduce into the
upper yoke, the lower yoke, and the lever I place my upper yoke outside
the branches of the lever, which permits me to diminish the height of
certain picces, and as a consequence diminish also the height to be given
to the foundations or to the frame which surrounds the scale, whenco
results not only a notable economy but also the possibility of making
portable scales of smaller size and of much less weight.
It will be seen also that by the new combination I can increase the
strength of the pieces, and notably that of the upper yoke by an increase
of its thickness, without being obliged as a consequence to increase the
height of the lever..
It will be further observed that by the peculiar arrangement of the
foot of the upper yoke, by the adjunction of a piece of iron screwed to
the lower extremity of this foot, and uniting the two sides of the notch
below the pivot of the short arm of the lever when the yoke is put in
its place by the use of iron wires or others above the hooks as well
of the upper as of the lower yoke to prevent the displacement of tho
oval links, by the particular arrangement of the fulcrum pivots, by the
adjunction of a casting at the base of each branch of the support, and
finally by the formation of a new piece destined to bind the fulcrum
pivots to the plate of the support, I prevent all displacement of the parts
whatever may be the object and size of the scale.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The so constructing the upper yokes that they may be placed
outside of the branches or arms of the lever in lieu of inside as hicreto-
forc, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.

page_text: Second. The so constructing and prolonging the pivots in conjunction
with the use of loops on the supports as to effect the binding or coupling
together of the levers and their supports without interfering with the
free action of the said levers and to render the scale thereby safely
portable, substantially as hercin-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Converse Heywood, have
to this my Specification set my hand and scal, the Fourteenth
day of January One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness to signature of
J. C. Heywood,.
WILLIAM MORGAN BROWN,
13, Rue Gaillon, Paris.
J. C. HEYWOOD.--(L.S.).