CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Shilton, of Baddesley Ensor, War-
wickshire, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEIGHING MACHINES."
Sealed the 5th July 1853, and dated the 5th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Shilton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th January 1853.
I, THOMAS SHILTON, of Baddesley Ensor, Warwickshire, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEIGHING MACHINES" to be as follows:-
This machine consists of a table or flat surface of metal, the four
corners of which rest on the short arms of two lover beams, or steel-
yards, placed underneath. At the side of the machine is a scale or
index, with weight attached, and at the end of the machine is a knife
edge, or bar of metal, connected with one of the levers for the purpose
of hanging on any additional weights that may be required. Any article
being placed on the table raises the long arms of the levers, and the

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Shilton in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 5th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS SHILTON, of Baddesley Ensor, in the County of Warwick, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-3, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Shilton, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Shilton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Shilton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Shilton, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Shilton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-

page_text: My Invention consists of certain improvements in weighing
machines, the construction of which improved machines is shown
upon the Drawings above mentioned; in which Drawings F. 1, is a
geometrical elevation of one of the said machines complete, the size
and end thereof being shown as when they are let down. Fig. 2, is
the end elevation.. F. 3, is a plan of the machine, with the platform or
scale dish removed; and F. 4, is longitudinal section on the line X, Y.
Fig. 3, the scale to which the same are drawn, is four inches to a foot
respecfully. For convenience of reference, the same part of the
machine are lettered with similar letters, so that when the same letter
appears more than once, wherever it is repeated it still applies to the
same part of the machine, which is shown in a different position for
the better explanation of its action, or use it. The goods or articles
intended to be weighed are placed upon the platform or scale dish
beam, and the weight is indicated on a graduated lever scale-beam, or
a graduated index, along the side of the machine, by the sliding ball or
weight F, or the weight may be ascertained without the use of said
sliding ball by the use of contracted weights on the knife edge, D, at
the end of the machine. When it is necessary to ascertain the weight
of goods heavier than the index will indicate, the same may be deter-
mined in the following manner: suppose the machine shown on the
Drawings to have an index or scale-beam graduated in lbs. and
fractional parts of 1 lb. to 28 pounds, then the weight of any article up
to 28 pounds placed upon the platform or scale dish can be ascer-
tained by the sliding ball F; but if the article exceeds 28 lbs., and
exceeds 56, then a contracted weight F, equal to 28 pounds being
placed on the long knife edge D, and this 28 pounds added to the
weight now indicated by the sliding ball, gives the weight of any article
between 28 and fifty-six lbs.

page_text: where the contracted weights above mentioned are attached. B, the
platform on which the articles are weighed, on which there is a gra-
duated index. L, is a seperate side bar, on which there is also a similar
index. The two last-mentioned indexes may be numbered so as to
indicate the weight by the sliding ball; when weighing with a con-
tracted weight on the knife edge, the platform or scale dish is sup-
ported at the four corners by the pivots or uprights a, a, a, a, the feet of
which rest upon four knife edges b, b, b, b, on the ends of the graduated
scale-beam and lever, which are coupled at the point c, in the centre
between the supports along the side, so that both have the same single
action, and the articles are thereby weighed on their first motion,
whether the machine is. used with the sliding ball only, or with the
contracted weights, or both; the graduated scale-beam and lever arc
each made in one piece, and are hung or supported upon knife edges at
the points d, at each end of the machine, which for convenience is
mounted on the wheels f. G, is a temporary railing to hold packs,
bales, or casks, and G, are the shields or lids that cover and inclose
the scale-beam and long knife edge when the machine is not in use,
when the platform can be lifted off the centres or knife edges by the
short handle or lever H, for the purpose of adjusting tlie equipoise of
the machine, a thumb-screw I, works a small balance weight K, at the
end of the scale-beam.
CLAIMS..
Having now, in the best manner I am able, described the nature of iny
said Invention, Invention, an the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed, it is to be understood that I do not do not confine myself to the
precise form of machine, or particular manner of making the graduated
lever, scale-beam, and lever, nor the precise manner of fitting the same,
as shown upon the Drawings, as the same may be varied. I therefore
claim, as included in my said Invention, all such variations in size and
form as may be, so long as the weighing by the first motion of the
scale-beam and lever, and the said principle and action of the machine,
are maintained; (that is to say,) I claim the first motion graduated

page_text: lever scale-beam, weighing with one quadrupetal platform or scale dish
resting thereon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Shilton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of July, A.D. 1858.
THOMAS SHILTON. (L.S.)