Improvements in or relating to Appliances or Tackle for Use in Weighing Packages or Articles of Merchandise, Blocks, or the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1889--Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Appliances or Tackle for Use
in Weighing Packages or Articles of Merchandise, Blocks, or
the like.
I, JOHN HARKNESS of 44, Melrose Road, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Stevedore, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus whereby articles can be weighed at
the docks without being placed upon a scale. I am aware, that for long. hooks have
been used to hook on to a package and in this way a package has been weighed.
The disadvantages of this plan are however, 1. It requires a chain to be fixed round
the package to hook on to the hook. 2. It can only he used with packages of one
uniform height and size. Now my invention is designed to be able to weigh any
sized package or lump.
The apparatus consists of a pair of curved or bent tongs with roughened ends or
hooks or other clasping or gripping pieces which hold the article; the free ends are
united by a loose chain loop and this loose chain loop has a third chain linked to it
which can be lengthened or shortened at pleasure in the manner hereafter described.
This chain is hung to a slip hook, itself suspended to the weigh beam of the machine.
The slip hook can be of any usual description. I prefer a hinged book with a sliding
clasp ring to hold it in position when the weight is on and which can be very quickly
opened out. The chain is preferably formed of a single length with a hook at the end
hooking into itself so that it can be made of any desirable length. It
can, however,
be of double length passing over the slip hook, then down through a ring or through
a sling chain at the bottom and then up again to the slip hook and back again hooking
on to itself. By this means any desired difference of length of chain can be obtained.
In order to be able to use various varieties and sizes and weights of slinging
apparatus 1 arrange the slip hook and its suspension hook piece with other hooks
or appliances by which compensating weights can be attached so that if any lighter
tongs he used the equivalent weight can be added to this part and thus the
apparatus be always of a weight to counterbalance the scale at the other end of
the beam. The slip hook is preferably simply hooked on to a ring at the end of
the weigh bar by means of a second hook.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Appliances or Tackle for Use
in Weighing Packages or Articles of Merchandise, Blocks, or
the like.
J, JOHN HARKNESS of 44, Melrose Road, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Stevedore 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 an apparatus whereby articles can be weighed
at the docks without being placed upon a scale. I am aware, that for a long
time, hooks have been used to hook on to a package and in this way a package
has been weighed. The disadvantages of this plan are however, 1. It requires a
2. It can only be
chain to be fixed round the package to hook on to the hook.

page_text: used with packages of one uniform height and size. Now my invention is designed
to be able to weigh any sized package or, lump, and that without the necessity of
placing a chain round it.
In the drawings Figure 1 is a side. elevation of my device showing it attached to
one end of a scale beam.
1
Figure 2 is an elevation of the gripping surface which I prefer.
The apparatus consists of a pair of curved or bent tongs A pivotted together at a
and provided with roughened ends or hooks or other clasping or gripping pieces B
which hold the article Z.
I prefer to construct the gripping pieces B as shown, that is they consist of a pair
of flat plates B attached to the ends of the arms A, each plate being provided on its
inner surface with a number of short studs or spikes b, which are adapted to slightly
enter and so firmly hold the package placed between them. These studs may however
be dispensed with in cases where the package or article would be injured by their use.
If desired the plates B may be attached in a movable manner to the arms A,
such as by ball and socket, or hinged joints. When they are so connected the
joints allow of the plates adapting themselves to irregularities of surface in the
packages or bales. The upper free ends of the arms A are united by a loose
chain loop which passes through an eye a on each of the said ends, or small
sheaves may be substituted for the eyes a¹ to diminish friction. This chain loop C
has a second chain D linked to it, which can be lengthened or shortened at pleasure
in the manner hereafter described. This chain D is hung to a slip hook E which
is itself suspended to the weigh beam F of the machine. The slip hook E can be
of. any usual description. I prefer a hinged hook E with a sliding or pivotted
clasp ring e as shown which holds it in position when the weight is on and can
be very quickly opened out by means of the handle e¹. The chain D may be
formed of a single length with a hook at the end hooking into itself so that it
can be made of any desirable length. It can however be of double length passing
over the slip hook, then down through a ring a2 or through the sling chain
at the bottom and then up again to the slip hook and back again hooking onto itself.
By this means any desired difference of length of chain can be obtained.
slip hook E is preferably simply hooked onto a ring F1 at the end of the weigh
bar by means of a second hook F².
The
In order to be. able to use various varieties and sizes. and weights of slinging
apparatus I provide the slip hook and its suspension hook piece or either of them with
other hooks for appliances by which compensating weights can be attached, so that
if any lighter tongs be used the equivalent weight can be added to this part and thus
the apparatus may be always of a weight to counterbalance the scale at the other end
of the beam.
For convenience in opening the tongs A. when inserting or removing a bale etcetera,
I may provide a pair of light cords or chains g which may be attached at their lower
ends as shown to the lower arms of the tongs A. The upper ends of the cords g are
united to a single cord or chain g' which passes over the pulley or pulleys g² situated
in any suitable position, preferably on an arm H mounted in a detachable manner on
the beam F of the scale. From the last pulley g² the cord gl descends to within reach
of the ground. By pulling on the free end of the cord g¹ the arms A may be readily
separated. If preferred separate pulling cords may be employed for each arm.
Instead of the above arrangement, the tongs A Amay. he opened by, means of a
lever. J which by preference.turns about the pivot a of the tongs, and is provided at
one end with a projecting piece jadapted to restragainst the inner.edge of one or
other of the lower limbs of the tongs.
If a bale Z of.cotton for., instance is to be, weighed it is not necessary to transfer it
from the truck onto the scale pan and back again to the truck as heretofore. It suffices
to wheel the same under the arms A, which are then so placed that. their ends B rest
against the sides of the bale. On placing sufficient; weight at the other end of the
beam F, the arms rise and take the, bale,with them and the weight may be ascertained.
To disengage the arms the cord g' is pulled and the bale is left on the truck.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved device for use in weighing consisting of a pair of tongs A,
suspended by means of adjustable connection devices from a scalo beam in such
manner that when the beam is raised in the act of weighing the tongs will grasp an
object placed between their gripping ends B, whereby objects of varying size may be
raised by the scale beam and their weights readily ascertained without the necessity
of placing a sling round the same as heretofore, substantially as described.
2. The improved tackle for use in weighing packages, or articles of merchandise,
blocks or the like, taken as a whole, substantially as described and shown.
1900
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.