IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 60;
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES." A communication from abroad
by Georges Louis Charles Coulon, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th June 1877.
"f
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES."
[A communication from abroad by Georges Louis Charles Coulon, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.]
The object of this Invention is to construct a weighing machine by means of
which not only the total weight of the goods being weighed will be shown, but the
total cost of the same will also be indicated.
The weighing is effected without the employment of any weights, and with
greater exactitude and sensibility than upon the ordinary weighing machines.
The indication of the price is effected by means of a graduated scale or counter,
over the divisions of which a needle of a slider is moved and is stopped at tho
moment that the total weight is obtained. The figure thus indicated by the needlo
is exactly the total cost of the goods that are being weighed.
If this weighing mechanism be employed without the price counter or scale, the
weight only of the goods will be given or indicated by the index of the slider
pointing to the divisions on the steelyard.
The mechanism consists of a horizontal frame on which is placed the scale pan
to receive the goods to be weighed. The vertical motion of the scale pan caused by
placing any heavy substance thereon is transmitted to the horizontal frame, upon
which are mounted two levers in the form of graduated scales, and which both par-
ticipate in the same oscillating movement. When the scale or balance is in equilibrio
the indexes are placed opposite to one another, and the double lever represented by
the graduated scales is perfectly horizontal, and the moveable pointers are at the

page_text: starting point or zero. If anything be placed in the scale pan the latter will be
lowered or depressed, and will cause the framing which carries the two graduated
scales to oscillate on its centre of motion.
If the weight only of the object be required the movable pointer of the larger
graduated scale which indicates kilogrammes and hectogrammes is moved along it
until the machine is in perfect equilibrio; the indicator is then carefully moved back
to the nearest division, indicating an undivided kilogramme or hectogramme, then
the indicator of the other scale is moved along the latter until the machine is again
equilibrio. By this means the number of odd grammes will be indicated and the
sum of the two graduated scales will give the total weight in kilogrammes and
odd grammes.
If it be desired to know the total cost of the article at the rate of so much per
kilo., a straight, square, or polygonal bar is arranged between the two graduated
scales for the weight. This polygonal bar is supported at its two ends in
brackets or otherwise, and does not in any way participate in the vertical motion
or oscillations of the weight scales; it simply serves to receive on its several flat
faces graduated bands or strips which are graduated in various manners, according
to the prices or rates at which the goods are to be priced. One band will be at the
rate of 1 frame per kilo.; the next at 1.20; another at fr. 1-50 the kilo., and so on.
This bar is mounted on centres in its supports so that either face can be brought
uppermost.
It will be evident that any number of bands for different prices may be pre-
pared ready to be adapted, when required, to the polygonal har. This being
understood, and the band with the proper weight having been brought uppermost,
the attendant will only have to move the sliding indicator along the graduated
scales (in the manner already explained for ascertaining the weight), and horizontal
pins fixed in these movable indicators, and pointing inwards towards the price
scale, will indicate theron the total price of the article that is being weighed.
The large indicator will point out the francs, and the smaller one the centimes,
and the two sums added together will be the total price of the article.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent. filed by
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th December 1877.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING MACHINES.”
A communication from abroad by Georges Louis Charles Coulon, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is to construct a weighing machine by means of which
not only the total weight of goods being weighed will be shown, but the total cost
of the same will also be indicated.
The weighing operation is effected without the employment of any weights
and with greater exactitude and sensibility than upon the ordinary weighing
machines.
The indication of the price is effected by means of a graduated scale or counter,
over the divisions of which the needle of a slider is moved and is stopped at the
moment that the total weight is obtained. The figure thus indicated by the
needle is exactly the total cost of the goods that are being weighed.
If the weighing mechanism be employed without the price counter or scale, the
weight only of the goods will be given or indicated by the index of the slide
pointing to the divisions on the steelyard.
The mechanism consists of a horizontal frame on which is placed the scale pan
to receive the goods to be weighed. The vertical motion of the scale pan (caused
by placing any heavy substance thereon) is transmitted to the horizontal frame,
upon which are mounted two levers in the form of graduated scales, and which
both participate in the same oscillating movement. When the scale or balance is
in equilibrio the indexes are placed opposite to one another, and the double lever
(represented by the graduated. scales) is perfectly horizontal, and the moveable
pointers are at the starting point or zero. If anything be placed in the scale pan
the latter will be lowered or depressed, and will cause the framing which carries
the two graduated scales to oscillate on its centre of motion.
If the weight only of the object be required the moveable pointer of the larger
graduated scale which indicates kilogrammes and hectogrammes is moved along it
until the machine is in perfect equilibrio, the indicator is then carefully moved
back to the nearest division indicating an undivided kilogramme or hectogramme;
then the indicator of the other scale is moved along the latter until the machine is
again in equilibrio. By this means the number of odd gramines will be indicated,
and the sum of the two graduated scales will give the total weight in kilogrammes
and odd grammes.
If it be desired to know the total cost of the article at the rate of so much per
kilo., a straight, square, or polygonal bar is arranged between the two graduated
scales for the weight. This polygonal bar is supported at its two ends in brackets
or otherwise, and does not in any way parcipitate in the vertical motion or
oscillations of the weight scales. It simply serves to receive on its several flat
faces graduated bands or strips, which are graduated in various manners, according
to the prices or rates at which the goods are to be priced. One band will be at the
rate of one franc per kilo.; the next at fr. 1-20, another at 1-50 the kilo., and so on.
This bar is mounted on centres in its support, so that either face can be brought
uppermost.
It will be evident that any number of bands for different prices may be prepared
ready to be adapted when required to the polygonal bar. This being understood
(and the band with the proper rate having been brought uppermost) the attendant
will only have to move the sliding indicators along the graduated scales (in the
manner already explained for ascertaining the weight) and horizontal pins fixed to
these movable indicators, and pointing inwards towards the price scale, will
indicate thereon the total price of the article that is being weighed.

page_text: The large indicator will point out the francs, and the smaller one the centimes,
and the two sums added together will be the total price of the article.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the improved weighing machine taken
in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2, which is an external plan or top view of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4, another plan view, but with the scale pan
and cover removed in order that the parts beneath may be more clearly seen.
The principle upon which the machine is constructed will be best understood by
referring to the diagram Fig. 10.
The instrument reduced to its simplest elements may be considered as consisting
of a moveable, but rigid frame, one end of which rests upon the knife edges A
supported on the side standard. The opposite end of the frame would (from its
own weight) drop, and in so doing would describe an arc of a circle having for its
radius the line A, B, if it were not supported. In order however to maintain this
arrangement of parts in equilibrium, a lever of the first order C, D, is employed,
the shorter arm of which supports at C the weight of the moveable frame. The
effort exercised at B to draw down the moveable frame is transmitted to C, and it
follows that by making OD, ten times as long as O C, and representing the power
by P, and the resistance by R, we have the following proposition:-P:R::OD: C.
By making the resistance R equal to ten kilos., the arm O C, of the lever equal to
0.015, the arm O D, of the lever equal to 0.150, we have the following
proposition:-10 kilos.: P:: 0m 150: 0·015. Seeking for the value of P, wo have
0-150 1 kilo. If now we divide the longer arm of the lever O D,
into 100 equal parts, starting from the point of support, the distance between these
divisions will be 0.0015, and a slider or traveller weighing 1 kilo. placed upon the
first division will be equal to the weight of 100 grammes placed in the scale pan.
The same weight placed at the second division will be equal to 200 grammes, at the
tenth division to 1 kilo., and at the 100th division to 10 kilos. It will be under-
stood now that a graduated steelyard has been adapted to one-half of the mechanism
of an ordinary balance, the steelyard being divided in 10ths by hectogrammes,
from 0 kilos. to 10 kilos., the space between the divisions being 0·0015.
P =
10ko. x 0.015 0-150
0-150
=
=
In order to double the length of the divided or graduated part, so as to render
the apparatus more accurate and the reading easier, a scale is employed (as in
Figures 2 and 4) indicating the weight from 0 kilo. to 10 kilos. under the following
conditions-Let C.D, be the horizontal projection of the steelyard, and Othe
point of support; we then have, as before, the weight or power applied at D and
the resistance at C.. If we extend the longer arm of the steelyard, so as to make
0 E,
O B, and we suppose, as before, that O E, equals 0m 150, then we shall
have OD, + O E, = 0-300. Upon arranging parallel to the extended steel-
yard D E, by means of branches F, a rule divided into 100 equal parts, 0·003 distant
apart, we shall have for the total length of the divided part twice the length of the
longer arm of the lever or 0m 150 x 2 = 0.300. The space between the divisions.
will then for a hectogramme be 0·003, for 1 kilo. 0-030, and for 5 kilos. Om-150.
-
Having made the 50th division (that is to say, that indicating the weight of 5
kilos.) coincide with the point of support of the lever, the 100th division will
coincide with the point E, and will consequently be 0-150 from the point O. The
zero of the graduations will also be at 0:150 of the 50th division, that is to say,
opposite to the point D. If now we consider the slider or traveller (the weight of
which has been already determined) we know that it ought to weigh 1 kilo., and
that at the distance of Om-150 from the point of support it should balance a weight
of 10 kilos. placed upon the scale pan. If we diminish the weight of the slider or
traveller by one-half, and arrange it in such a manner that the rule provided with
a counterweight of 500 grammes fixed in a stationary manner to the end
D' of a lever at 0-150 from the centre of oscillation of the steelyard (so that the
centre of gravity of this piece shall be exactly upon the knife edges), and we cause
the slider (which weighs 500 grammes) to move up to the point E (so that

page_text: the centre of gravity of this moveable piece shall pass exactly up to this point) the
scale will again be in equilibrium, these pieces being placed at each end of the
equal arms, and being of equal weight. The length of the arms of the lever may
be diminished, and the weight of the stationary counterweight increased in
proportion to obtain the same result. In fact, this is what is done in the apparatus
shewn in the Drawings.
When it is required to deal with weights from one gramme to 200 grammes,
a steelyard of the same length as the former is employed. The divisions
on this steelyard to the number of 200 are 0m. 0015, apart, and indicate
grammes. The apparatus being thus arranged, the operation thereof will be easily
understood, and it will indicate in the clearest manner the weight and price of
all kinds of goods up to the maximum weight the machine is intended to deal
with.
The apparatus consists of a simple mechanism M formed of one-half of an
equilibrium balance or scale beam. The lower frame G is provided with four vertical
pins H, upon the upper ends of which is placed the scale pin P. The vertical
motion of the parts is transmitted by the forked piece I to the point O of the short
arm of the lever formed by the distance between this point and the point of
oscillation C. As has been already said the arm D of the steelyard is lengthened
by another piece E of equal length. The ends d and e of this arm are bent forward
and carry two rods T, on which are fixed the graduated scale N indicating the kilos.
and hectogrammes, and also, but further forward, the steelyard indicating the
grammes. All these parts are permanently connected together and are subjected to
the oscillating motions of the elongated lever to which they are secured. Two bent
arms K have at their upper ends forks which receive the spindles of a square or
polygonal bar L, the flat sides of which carry scales showing the price of the goods
(according to their weight) in units of 10 centimes, according to any predetermined
scale or rate of price.
The collection of scales of this kind may be it will be understood indefinite,
according to the number of rates of prices that may be required, but they may be
limited to the number of prices or rates usually current, or in use for the various
articles of commerce incident to the particular trade.
In order to avoid the necessity for a multiplicity of these square or polygonal
bars, a series of scales of prices may be connected together in the form of an endless
chain like the pattern cards of a jacquard loom. This endless chain may be
adapted to a single square or four-faced bar, which is capable of being turned on its
axis so as to bring any one of its scales into view. The essential point (when the
weighing operation has been done) is to present in a horizontal position, and in
contact with the pointers of the slider or traveller, the proper divided scale so as to
give the total price (according to the scale or rate) of the weighed goods. The
slider n (Figures 2 and 4) on being moved along the large scale of kilogrammes N
indicates the exact number (without a fraction) of kilogrammes or hectogrammes,
its slider indicates upon the scale of prices the corresponding sum. The fractions of
weight in grammes are indicated upon the small steelyard Q by the small slider p,
the index of which will be brought opposite to the corresponding fractional price.
It will thus be evident that this arrangement of parts admits of the machine being
used for the following purposes,
First. As an ordinary weighing machine for giving the weight from one gramme
up to 10 kilos.
Second. As a machine for giving weight and price by the combination of a series
of scales divided for francs and centimes; these scales are of the same length as tho
steelyards.
If it be desired to find the weight and price upon a machine of a capacity up to
one kilogramme (of which Fig. Y. represents the different scales), the following is the
mode of proceedure:-For instance, it is required to find the weight of an article
placed in the scale pan, and the corresponding price at the rate of 2 francs the kilo.,
let us suppose that in order to bring the parts into equilibrium, the slider n has

page_text: been moved to the line 200 gramines on the large steelyard N, and the small
slider p to the line 44 of the small steelyard q, the sum of these numbers will be
the total weight, that is, 244 grammes. Now if we wish to know the price corre-
sponding to this weight we shall examine the price scale, and we shall see that the
index of the larger slider n is opposite the Figure of 40, and that of the small
slider between the Figures 8 and 9 of the same scale. This will indicate more
than 8 centimes, and less than 9 (say 8), which will make 48 centimes and a
fraction. By proceeding in the same manner for all the scales, we shall have to a
gramme and a centime the weight and the price of the article placed in the scale
pan.
If it be required to weigh with a 10 kilogramme machine (such as that shown in
the Drawing), we shall see that the larger steelyard N is 0300 in length, and is
divided into 10 parts, each corresponding to a kilo., and that each of these parts is
subdivided into 10 other parts so as to give hectogrammes.
The smaller steel-
yard Q is first divided into two parts to give two hectogrammes, and each of these
is subdivided into 100 parts so as to give grammes. The scale of prices L shown
in its place between the two steelyards N and Q is that required when weighing
goods, the price of which is 1.50, the kilo. It may happen that in order to
counterbalance the weight of the goods placed in the scale pan, the large slider n
must be brought over a division of the steelyard not coinciding with any division
on the scale of prices; for instance, the slider might stop at a point between
2 kilos. 800, and 2 kilos. 900, but in order to learn the exact weight, the slider n
must be moved back to the 800, and the scale beam afterwards counterbalanced
again by means of the small slider ? which will indicate, say 49 grammes; the total
weight will therefore be 2 kilos., 849 grames.
It will be understood that what happens with the steelyards nearly always
happens with the scale of prices, that is to say, but very rarely does the slider n
coincide with a division on the scale of prices, so that in order to obtain the price
of the goods the same operation must be performed as for obtaining the weight.
The slider is brought over the division in the price scale indicating 4-20, and the
equilibrium is re-established by moving the small slider 1 up to the point indicating
on the same scale, 7 centimes and a fraction. The weight of the goods placed on
the scale pan and the price will thus be ascertained by a double operation, one upon
the two steelyards N and Q to obtain the weight, and the other upon the scale of
prices L to ascertain the cost.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Weighing Machines"
which has been communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would observe in conclusion
that the mode above described of constructing weighing machines is applicable to
machines for weighing heavy as well as light substances, but it may be desirable in
some measure to modify the construction, arrangement, and dimensions of some of
the parts, according to the nature of the goods to be operated upon; these modifi-_
cations will not. however necessitate any alteration in the principle of construction,
I therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the
general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein set forth, where-
by the total weight and price of goods may be ascertained and read off from
graduated scales or steelyards in combination with travelling sliders or indexes as
above shown and described.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have' hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.