Improvements in Apothecaries' Scales or Apparatus for Weighing Small Quantities of Different Substances in Rapid Succession.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1891-Accepted, 25th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apothecaries' Scales or Apparatus for Weighing
Small Quantities of Different Substances in Rapid Succession.
I, GUSTAV NITHACK, Dispensing Chemist, of Obernigk, in Silesia, Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows: -
My invention has for its principal object, to save time in weighing off small
quantities of different powders which are to be mixed together in equal pro-
portions.
that
For this purpose, I construct the weighing apparatus in such a manner,
either the scale beam together with the post supporting the same, or the table
which carries the row of receptacles for the different powders, may be easily turned
by hand, on the axis of the said post, or caused to move in a straight, horizontal
line within given limits, and that at every motion of the kind described, the scale
beam or arm supporting the substance weighed off, is relieved of its load and sub-
sequently loaded with the receptacle which is to be filled and weighed next; the
said scale arm being adapted to lift the receptacles containing the powder, one
after the other, off the table or stand, and to deposit them again upon their original
supports, when the substances have been weighed and the scale beam drops.
If the scale beam is horizontally movable around its vertical axis, the centra!
post or spindle which carries the scale beam is guided at its lower part in a casing
or hollow bracket, which contains a pair of bevel wheels, one wheel being fixed on
the said scale post, while the other is mounted on a horizontal shaft extending
through the bracket to the circumference of the table or base plate which carries
the whole apparatus, in order that the said shaft may be easily turned by hand.
On the top of the said casing is fixed a circular horizontal rack which meshes with
the short arm or pawl of a bellcrank lever, pivoted to the side of the scale post in
the same vertical plane as the scale beam, so that the long arm of the said bell-
crank lever may lift that side or arm of the scale beam which carries the
weight.
The dished receptacles for the different powders are placed in a semicircular
row on a raised stand or platform concentric to the scale post. Each receptacle is
supported in a separate recess of the said platform, and the said recesses are at the
same angular distance from each other as the teeth of the circular rack mentioned
above, so that every time the bellcrank lever falls in between the two teeth, the
scale beam is situated vertically under one of the said dished receptacles and
capable of lifting the same.
If the post supporting the scale beam is fixed; while the raised platform or stand
is capable of turning horizontally, the said raised platform, as well as the
circular rack, is fixed to a sleeve mounted on the vertical stand and adapted to
turn thereon.
On the sleeve is fixed a bevel wheel which gears into another bevel wheel
mounted on a horizontal shaft extending radially from the centre to the circum-
ference of the apparatus and carrying at its extremity a small hand wheel or knob
for turning the said shaft by hand.
Instead of using bevel wheels for producing the horizontal motion of the scale
beam or platforms, springs may be arranged to produce the same effect.
Dated this 8th day of September 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apothecaries' Scales or Apparatus for Weighing
Small Quantities of Different Substances in Rapid Succession.
I, GUSTAV NITHACK, Dispensing Chemist, of Obernigk, in Silesia, Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :—
My invention has for its principal object, to save time in weighing off small
quantities of different powders which are to be mixed together in equal pro-
portions.
For this purpose I construct the weighing apparatus in such a manner, that either
the scale beam together with the post supporting the same, or the table which
carries the row of receptacles for the different powders, may be easily turned by
hand, on the axis of the said post, or caused to move in a straight horizontal line
within given limits, and that at every motion of the kind described, the seale
beam or arm supporting the substance weighed off, is relieved of its load and
subsequently loaded with the receptacle which is to be filled and weighed next.
In the following description reference will be made to the necompanying drawings,
of which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a weighing apparatus having a scale beam
adapted to turn on a vertical axis.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a weighing apparatus, in which the table supporting
a row of powder receptacles may be turned on a vertical axis, while the post of the
scale beam remains stationary.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.
Figs. 5 to 9 show various details of construction on a larger scale.
Figs. 10 to 13 represent a modification.
If the seale beam is horizontally moveable around its vertical post, a, the central
post or spindle a which carris the seale beam is guided and held at its lower part
in a casing or hollow bracket, which contains a pair of bevel wheels c, d, one
wheel being fixed on the said scale post a, while the other dis mounted on a
horizontal shaft extending through the bracket to the circumference of the
table or base plate which carries the whole apparatus, in order that the said shaft
may be easily turned by means of a button e. On the top of the said casing bis
fixed a circular horizontal rack which meshes with the short arm or pawl
bellerank lever, pivoted to the side of the scale post a in the same vertical plane
as the scale beam, so that th long arm of the said bellerank lever may support
or lift that side or arm of the scale beam m which carries the weight, and that an
excess of weights presses the pawl upon the toothed rack f.
'
of a
When the post a is being turnel, the pawl falls successively into the different,
recesses between the teeth at equal distances apart. In the example represented
by the drawing, every time the pawl snaps in between two teeth, the post, together
with this senle beam, will have described of a circle.
The dished receptacles o for the different powders are placed in a semicircular
row on a raised stand or platform concentric to the seale post. Each receptacle
is supported in a separate recess of the said platform, and the said recesses are
at the same angular distance from each other, as the teeth of the circular rack,
so that every time the bellerank lever falls in between two teeth, the scale
beam m and scale is situated vertically under one of the said dished receptacles
and capable of lifting the same.
0
This occurs, when the opposite scale is loaded with sufficient weights, to lift the
scale up to or through the opening n.
If now the receptacle is filled with the substance to be weighed, until the
oquilibrium is restored, and if subsequently the button is turned, the pawl will
N

page_text: rise together with the lever 1, and the latter will lift that arm of the scale beam,
which is loaded with weights, as indicated in Fig. 5 by dotted lines. Consequently,
the arm m carrying the scale dish (Fig. 3) will descend, until the pawl h rests
in the next recess of the rack and the cup i has arrived under the next
5 opening of the table, where it lifts another receptacle, which may be immediately
filled.
In this manner, I may accurately and rapidly weigh a large number of powders,
provided that all receptacles and the cup or dish serving to receive the weights,
are equally heavy.
If the post supporting the scale beam is fixed, while the raised platform or
stand h, k, k, is capable of turning horizontally, (Figs. 3 & 4), the said raised
platform, as well as the circular rack, is fixed to a sleeve F mounted on the vertical
stand and adapted to turn thereon.
с
On the said sleeve F is fixed a bevel wheel c which gears into another hevel
wheel mounted on a horizontal shaft extending radially from the centre to the
circumference of the apparatus and carrying at its extremity a small hand wheel or
a knob e for turning the said shaft by hand.
Figs. 10 to 13 represent an apparatus in which the operations of releasing the
scale beam from the dish or receptacle holding the material, and of shifting the
scale beam, are effected automatically. The stand or post a of the scale beam is
mounted upon a levers which has its fulcrum at pand is provided with a handle
composed of two springs », r. The main lever a carries on its underside smaller
lever u which has its fulcrum at and is connected by a link with the lever v
adapted to support the scale beam m, the said lever having its fulcrum w on the
stand a, (Fig. 10).
As shown by Fig. 11, which is an underside view of the main lever along
line S-S of Fig. 10, and by Figs. 12 and 13, which are sections along T-T of
Fig. 11, in different positions of the apparatus, the springs ",, carry on their inner
face, that is right and left of the lever w, a pair of lugs, provided with inclined
faces, which during the operation of weighing, do not act on the lever
(Fig. 12), thus leaving the scale beam » free. If, however, the lever is turned
on its fulcrum by means of the handle, during which operation the springs r, r
are pressed towards each other, into the position represented by Fig. 13, and
consequently the lever is pressed downward by the oblique faces,, the opposite
end of the lever u is lifted, thereby causing the link to lift the lever and con-
sequently the scale beam m, so that the dish or cup i descends into the position
shown in Fig. 10 by dotted lines, after which the scale beam and dish are free to
move sideways (horizontally).
The stationary base of the apparatus, which in the construction represented by
Figs. 1 and 2, carries the casing and the perforated platform or table k, while in
Figs. 3 and 4 it supports the stand or scale beam post a, around which turns the
hollow table k, k, l, may be utilized for carrying drawers or boxes which contain
weights, and weighing cups or receptacles for granular or other materials.
Instead of turning the scale posts on the platform by acting on toothed wheels,
I may employ the tension of springs, and instead of making a circular motion, the
stand carrying the scale beam may be moved in a straight or curved line, in which
case the platform or table & carrying the receptacles would not be semicircular, but
straight or curved in any required manner.
All these modifications embody the fundamental feature, that between two
consecutive operations of weighing the relative position between the scale beam
and the powder receptacle is changed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for weighing off equal quantities in rapid succession, having the
characteristic feature that he turning
shifting the l

page_text: ()
platform k, k², k, supporting the receptacles (for the material to be weighe")
that arm of the scale beam which carries the material weighed off, is relieved of
its load, and is loaded with the receptacle o to be filled afresh, the scale beam being
adapted to lift the receptacles for the material to be weighed, and to deposit them
upon their original support k, when the senle beam descends again after the
weighing, substantially as described.
2. An apothecaries scale or apparatus for weighing off equal proportions in
rapid succession, comprising in its construction a post a and scale beam in carrying
a cup, a circularly curved table or platform & provided with equidistant apertures a
arranged in a circle having the post a as a centre, a rack concentric to the post a,
means for supporting and holding the post a and table k, and a shaft g and tooth
gear c, d, adapted to turn either the post a together with the scale Leam, or the
table & around the axis of the post, substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 1 to 9.
3. In apothecaries scales or weighing apparatus of the type specified, an automatic
appliance for holding lifting and lowering the scale beam, comprising an arm s
provided with a spring handle r, r, carrying lugs with inclined faces, r, a lever #
actuated by the said handle, a lever connected with the said lever a and adapted
to lift the scale beam m, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of June 1891.
GUSTAV NITHACK.
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.