improvements in weigning machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan., 1898
improvements in weigning machines.
We, DANIEL JOHNSTON of 17 Alfred Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and ELIJAH BANKS, of 28 Berkeley Street, Liverpool, aforesaid, Super-
intendent, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object, primarily, to provide a weighing machine for
readily and quickly weighing packages of goods, or bodies of goods, as they are
delivered out of or into ships, warehouses, trucks, and under other similar or
analogous circumstances, and one that can be easily moved about; the weighing
being effected through compound levers, and a steelyard, or other suitable weighing
or indicating mechanism.
A weighing machine according to this invention comprises an overhead system
or arrangement of levers carried by a frame, supported by suitable standards or
stanchions from the ground below; and, at the bottom, a plate or floor suspended
from the levers at the four corners, by chains or the like, this plate or floor lying
close to the ground, so that packages or goods can be very readily placed or run
upon it, and taken off. At one end of the machine, the weight from the weighing
levers is transmitted to a suitable arm or lever to a steelyard, carried by the
stanchions or standard of the frame.
According to one arrangement of the weighing machine, the levers employed are
of the second order, fulcrummed at their outer ends by knife edges supported upon
the frame; while their inner ends come together at the centre, from which point
the weight is transmitted, by an arm to the steelyard. Between the outer and
inner ends of these levers, at the four angles, the knife edges for carrying or sus-
pending the weighing plate or floor are disposed. The weight is transmitted from
the levers and the transmission arm to the steelyard, by a rod, direct therefrom,
and acting in compression; the lower end of which acts upon knife edges on the
short end of the steelyard lever; the pressure in one case being applied to said
knife edges through a socket, carried on a ring supported by the knife edges, and
having a balance weight below. The steelyard may be of any known kind carry-
ing ordinary or any known form of sliding weights.
In connection with a weighing machine of the kind herein described, we use,
in some cases, in connection with the steelyard, a weight indicator, such as a cir-
cular dial and finger working about a centre, by which the weight or approximate
weight can be seen at once; the finger being operated from the end of the steel-
yard through a spring or its equivalent. In some cases, this type of weighing
indicator can be used alone in connection with the weigh beam, for weighing
and indicating approximate weights, by which great rapidity of indication of the
weight of goods or packages is ascertained without any hand weighing action.
The frame is carried below upon wheels, which are adjustable upon the standards
or stanchions vertically, so that the height of the platform from the ground can be
regulated as desired; and in connection with these wheels, springs may be
employed to give the machine flexible base, and to support the weighing parts

page_text: from thr ground through the intervention of springs. Or, as another mode of
adjustment, the suspending chains or rods may be adjustable vertically.
In some cases, according to this invention, we employ or use in connection with
the weighing plate or floor, a travelling conveyor or brattice, or the like, supported
upon rollers and placed upon said floor or plate. By this, goods may be placed
on the plate or floor at one side of the machine, and then transferred to the other
when discharged; and fresh goods may be placed on when the others are being
removed, and then moved by the travelling floor or bottom into the required
position.
The machine being practically open from side to side, there is no obstruction to
this mode of weighing, and the actions of weighing goods are as freely performed
as with machines of the ordinary platform type.
Dated this 31st day of Danambar 1902
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON
Applicants' Patent Agents,
15 Water Street, Liverpool.
We, DANIEL JOHNSTON of 17 Alfred Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, and ELIJAHI BANKS, of 28 Berkeley Street, Liverpool, aforesaid, Super-
intendent, 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:-
This Invention has for its object, primarily, to provide a weighing machine for
readily and quickly weighing packages of goods, or bodies of goods, as they are
delivered out of or into ships, warehouses, trucks, and under other similar or
analogous circumstances, and one that can be easily moved about; the weighing
being effected through compound levers, and a steelyard, or other suitable weighing
or indicating mechanism.
A weighing mechanism according to this Invention comprises an overhead system
or arrangement of levers carried by a frame, supported by suitable standards or
stanchions from the ground below; and, at the bottom, a plate or floor suspended
from the levers at the four corners, by chains or the like, this plate or floor lying
close to the ground, so that the packages or goods can be very readily placed or run
upon it, and taken off. At one end of the machine, the weight from the weighing
levers is transmitted by a suitable arm or lever to a steelyard, carried by the
stanchions or standard of the frame.
According to one arrangement of the weighing machine, the levers employed are
of the second order, fulcrummed at their outer ends by knife edges supported upon
the frame; while their inner ends come together at the centre, from which point
the weight is transmitted by an arm to the steelyard. Between the outer and
inner ends of these levers, at the four angles, the knife edges for carrying or sus-
pending the weighing plate or floor are disposed. The weight is transmitted from
the levers and the transmission arm to the steelyard, by a rod, direct therefrom,
and acting in compression; the lower end of which acts upon knife edges on the
short end of the steelyard lever; the pressure in one case being applied to said
knife edges through a socket or shackle, or other suitable device supported by the
knife edges, and having a balance weight below. The steelyard may be of any
known kind carrying ordinary or any known form of sliding weights.
In connection with a weighing machine of the kind herein described, we use,

page_text: in some cases, in connection with the steelyard, a weight indicator, such as a cir-
cular dial and finger working about a centre, by which the weight or approximate
weight can be seen at once; the finger being operated from the end of the steel-
yard through a spring or its equivalent. In some cases, this type of weighing
indicator can be used alone in connection with the weigh beam, for weighing
and indicating approximate weights, by which great rapidity of indication of the
rough or approximate weight of goods or packages is ascertained without any hand
weighing action.
The frame is carried below upon wheels, which are adjustable upon the standards
or stanchions vertically, so that the height of the platform from the ground can be
regulated as desired; and in connection with these wheels, springs may be
employed to give the machine a flexible base, and to support the weighing parts
from the ground through the intervention of springs. Or, as another mode of
adjustment, the suspending chains or rods may be adjustable vertically.
In some cases, according to this Invention, we employ or use in connection with
the weighing plate or floor, a travelling conveyor or brattice, or the like, supported
upon rollers and placed upon said floor or plate. By this, goods may be placed
on the plate or floor at one side of the machine, and then transferred to the other
and discharged; and fresh. goods may be placed on when the others are being
removed, and then moved by the travelling floor or bottom into the required
position.
The machine being practically open from side to side, there is no objection to
this mode of weighing, and the actions of weighing goods are as freely performed
as with machines of the ordinary platform. type.
A machine of the kind herein described, is illustrated in the drawings hereto
annexed; in which, Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2 a plan; and Figure 3
an elevation to a larger scale, illustrating the steelyard and parts connected with
it. Figure 4 illustrates a side view of roller platform according to this Invention ;.
and Figures 5 and 6 are sectional elevation and end view of lever coupling.
Referring to the drawings, a represents the frame of the base of the machine,
which primarily carries all the other parts; and on or to which the axles of the
roller wheels bare secured. This frame will, preferably, be of simple rectangular.
form, consisting of side and end members; and within it the platform proper,
c, of the machine is disposed, this platform being suspended from overhead levers
as hereafter described. Upon the lower frame a, there is mounted at each corner
substantial and rigid standards or stanchions d; and on the upper ends of these
stanchions there is mounted and attached a simple frame e; which, together with
the lower part a, and the stanchions, provide a substantial and rigid framework
to the machine.
Upon the end members of the upper frame e, rests or seats f, preferably of
inclined or curved form, are provided, which take the knife edges of the weighing.
levers, which are designated g. The two ends of the levers come together at the
centre, where they are provided with knife edges g', as shewn in Figures
and 6,
which bear upon upper and lower rests g² in a coupling g
One of the levers 'g has a part h extended out to or over the end of the frame of
the machine, and constitutes the weight transferring lever.
The platform c is supported from the levers g by knife edges at h¹, at either side
of the machine, and suspension rods m, or chains, or the like, supported from these
knife edges, and attached at their lower ends to the platform.
The weight from the levers g, as stated, is transferred to the steelyard i by the
arm h, (which is supported from the two bars j, fixed on the standards d, and carry-:
ing the main supporting knife edges j¹), it being transmitted from h, to the knife
edges of the steelyard, by the rod k, the upper end of which is formed with an
inclined or curved rest for the knife edges ', at the end of the lever or arm h;
wlrilst the lower end is bifurcated, and the ends of this part bear upon the lower
part of a link 7, the upper ends of which bear upon knife edges at either side of
the steelyard. In the weighing action, the rod k operates in compression.

page_text: Generally, the action is: -the goods are placed upon the platform c (which being
low down close to the ground enables them to be easily placed on), and the mass
pulls upon the overhead levers h through the suspension rods or chains m; and
this tension or pull is transferred through the arm h and compression rod k, to the
steelyard i, where the weight is taken.
"
In some cases where it is desired, there is combined with the steelyard of the
weighing machine, an indicator-viz. a spring gauge, designated in Figure 3-
by which, when a weight is placed on the machine, the rough or approximate
weight is at once indicated to the weigher. For instance, it may be adapted to
indicate" Cwts," whilst the smaller weights, such as l'ounds and parts of Pounds
between any two Cwts, will be subsequently ascertained by the usual operations of
weighing; that is, in the case of a steelyard weighing machine, by the adjustment
of the weight connected with the minor weights. As an illustration, if the rough or
approximate weight of a parcel of goods be 10 Cwt, this will be at once indicated
by the gauge p, which will at once shew the weigher that the main weight of the
steelyard (e. o in Figure 3) is to be moved along it to the 10 Cwt notch or posi-
tion; and this, therefore, can be done rapidly, and without thought or bestowal of
any particular attention; after which, the Pounds can be taken by the usual
small weight o¹. This gauge (p) is shewn in Figure 3, and may be taken to repre-
sent an ordinary spring indicator with moving pointer and fixed dial, the spring
and pointer being actuated by upward pressure due to the rising action of the
steelyard in the weighing operation. In the case shewn, it is fixed upon the
bracket which
I
say is a bracket such as is commonly used in steelyard weighing
machines, in which the end of such steelyard works; and a Fall-catch" of any
known suitable kind is disposed between the tip of the steelyard, and the actuating
part of the gauge. In action, therefore, when a mass is to be weighed, the fall
catch is so placed that any weight transmitted to the steelyard, is transmitted to
the gauge; and the rough or approximate weight having been observed,
and the major weight o moved up to a corresponding notch or point
on the steelyard, the fall catch is thrown out, which breaks the connection
between the steelyard and the gauge, and the steelyard is freed and alone remains
in action, whereupon the minor weights are operated to weigh the precise weight
of the goods. The object and effect of the dial is, in the first place, that the major
or approximate weight of any goods, is at once rendered visible to the weigher, and
therefore he can at once, and with assurance, move the major weight of the steel-
yard into its desired position, as he has not to find out what this major or rough
weight is by multiplying the major weight. That is to say, all he has to do is to at
once move up the major weight to the visibly ascertained or indicated point or
position on the scale of the steelyard, and then to manipulate the minor weight, to
ascertain the true weight. And the second effect is that the checkers and any one
about, employed in the weighing operation, (especially if the gauge be double faced)
can see at once what the rough or approximate weight is; and therefore mistakes
by checkers or weight takers, as to the gross amount of any parcel of goods, are not
so liable to happen; and at present, it is these major or gross weights, about which
mistakes are more frequently made, than the minor weights.
This
Figure 4 shews a side elevation of a conveyor platform according to this inven-
tion. It consists of a frame r; rollers s, mounted and adapted to rotate in this
frame; and an endless band t, brattice, or like conveyor device, running over the
end rollers, and supported by the intermediate rollers, at intervals.
mechanism or platform may be placed directly on the platform c of the machine;
and in weighing, the goods-such as bags or sacks and bale goods--may be placed
on it at one side, weighed, and then conveyed by the conveyor device to the other
side, where they are discharged. It will be seen that while one bale or package is
being taken off at one-the "take off "--side, after being weighed, another may be
placed on in position at the opposite side,-i.e. the "take on
side.
It is to be stated that although, in the main, the improvements hereunder have
been described as applied to the machine more particularly shewn in the drawings;

page_text: yet they are not at all necessarily restricted in their use in connection with that
kind of machine; since they may be used, separately, or two or more of them con-
jointly, in connection with, or on, widely different types or kinds of machines, or
in other words to in any machines to which they may be suitably applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The herein described new or improved Platform weighing machine, viz., a
machine having a platform below, near the ground or floor, and weighing levers
above, supported from below, and carrying (i.e. suspending) the platform; operat-
ing substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. An improved platform weighing machine wherein there is comprised :—a
lower frame; a platform below-on-or-connected with said frame; an upper frame
mounted on or from the lower frame; weighing levers supported upon or by said
upper framework; suspension rods, chains, or the like, carried by said weighing
levers and connected with and carrying the platform; and a steelyard or equivalent
weighing device, connected with and operated by the weighing levers; operating
as or substantially as set forth.
3. In a steelyard weighing machine, the employment in connection with the
steelyard (directly as described, or indirectly), of a weight indicator or gauge oper-
ated by the steelyard, and adapted to indicate the rough or approximate weight of
goods being weighed; for the purposes set forth
4. In a platform weighing machine, an endless conveyor comprising rollers and
an endless band, brattice, or the like, working over said rollers, and adapted to be
placed on, or form part of the platform; substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
5. In a platform weighing machine, overhead weighing levers supported from
a frame or base below, a steelyard disposed at one side or end of the machine and
between the levers and the base, and a rod or bar connecting said weighing levers
and the steelyard; arranged and operating substantially as set forth, and as shewn
in the drawings.
6. In a steelyard weighing machine, a steelyard, and a rough or approximate
weight gauge or indicator, operated thereby; substantially as set forth with refer-
ence to and shewn in the drawings.
7. The weighing machine having parts arranged, constructed, and adapted to
operate, as shewn in and set forth with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 30th day of September 1897
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON.
Applicants' Patent Agents,
15 Water Street, Liverpool.