IMPROVEMENTS IN PARTS OF SCALES OR WEIGHING MACHINES, AND IN BALANCE WEIGHTS USED FOR THOSE ARTICLES, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PUR- POSES
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Dowling at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th April
1859.
I, EDWARD DOWLING, of Little Queen Street, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Scale Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PARTS OF SCALES OR WEIGHING MACHINES, AND IN BALANCE
WEIGHTS USED FOR THOSE ARTICLES, WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PUR-
POSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, first, to the pillars upon which the beams or levers of
weighing scales are mounted, and consists in forming such pillars of glass,
either of one piece or of several pieces, built upon a brass or other metal tube,
and of a more or less ornamental character, the tube serving for the passage
of the metal rod or stem on which the beam or lever is mounted, and which
tube relieves the glass from the pressure to which it would otherwise be
necessary to subject it, in fixing and mounting the beam or lever.
The second part of my Invention relates to forming scale pans or plates of
glass, or it may be porcelain, with a lip turned under which embraces or covers
the arms or ring supporting the scale pan, notches being cut in such lip to
permit of the scale plate or pan dropping on its support; it is then partially
turned round to keep it in position.

page_text: The third part of my Invention relates to balance balls or weights for
weighing machines or scales, which are also suitable for other purposes, and
consists in forming such balance weights of hollow glass forms adapted for the
reception of shot or other adjusting material, such glass forms either having
through holes for the passage of the support of the scales or other articles
counterbalanced, with which the weights are concentric, or simply with an
aperture for the admission of the shot, and suitable parts for the attachment of
the chains or suspending cords. If the hole is made through, I insert a metal
tube through the centre for the passage of the support of the scales or other
articles counterbalanced, which also retains the shot or adjusting material
within the balance weight. These balance weights may or may not be coated
in the interior to hide the shot or other material. The glass counterbalance
weights may be also of solid glass, & of more or less ornamental form, and
ornamented in the interior, if desired, in the various ways well known for
rendering glass ornamental. These balance weights, with the through tube,
are suitable for chandeliers and other like purposes as counterbalances.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to counterbalance weights for
determining the weight of articles, and consists in the particular application of
'metal to glass weights for the purpose of adjustment. In weights made of glass,
heretofore the adjusting metal applied has frequently broken the glass, by
reason of its heat producing sudden expansion therein. Now, according to my
Invention I form the glass weights of any suitable shape, but for the larger
ones I prefer them circular, with a double bulge, and flat at the bottom, the
larger bulge serving as the base, and the smaller one to take hold of. I form
a hole through the body of the glass from top to bottom, such hole being
largest at the ends, and small in the middle, thus a piece of cylindrical lead or
other soft metal may be inserted and pressure applied above and below, which
will fix the lead or soft metal firmly in the glass; this soft metal may be
flush with the glass, and the hall mark applied at the upper part, if desired,
or above as well as below. Instead of compressing the metal cold, I some-
times insert a piece of lead or other metal tinned on its surface nearly as large
as can be inserted in the smallest part of the hole or cavity; I then pour a
little molten solder or other metal around it, which fills up the dovetail of the
cavity, and so secures the whole firmly in position. The small quantity of
molten metal inserted has no injurious effect on the glass. If the centre piece
of metal is of copper, it absorbs the heat of the solder rapidly. This piece of
copper may cover the hole at the top like a rivet head. Instead of forming
the hole quite through the glass, I may make only a cavity in the upper or

page_text: lower part of a dovetailed or other suitable form, whereby a cold piece of
metal can be inserted, and secured by introducing a small quantity of molten
metal, either by the soldering action or simply by the shape of the hole and
metal or metals adapted thereto. The weights may be flat or of any other
shape according to the purposes for which they are required.