Improvements in Weighing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE NATIONAL WEIGHING MACHINE COMPANY
(Incorporated), of No 320, Broadway, in the City of New York, State of New
York, United States of America]
Improvements in Weighing Machines.
I PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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
-
The invention relates to machines whereby the weight of a person or article upon a
platform scale will be accurately registered upon the insertion of a coin of certain size
and shape.
The improvement consists, first, in the combination with a weighing scale, of a rack
disconnected therefrom, an index spindle upon which is mounted a pinion with which
said rack engages
On said spindle is a ratchet wheel; with said ratchet wheel a pawl
engages, and said pawl is supported by the rack so that it will not engage with said
ratchet wheel when the rack has been raised.
The improvement further consists in the combination with the elements above set
forth, of a retarding device preventing a too sudden engagement of the pawl with said
ratchet wheel when the support for the pawl has been removed.
The improvement further consists in the combination with an index shaft, of ratchet
wheels on said shaft, the teeth on one of said ratchet wheels being inclined in a reverse
direction to the teeth upon the other ratchet wheel -With these ratchet wheels
engage pawls, which are normally out of engagement therewith, and with said pawls
retarding device is combined, which prevents a too sudden engagement of the
pawls with the ratchet wheels when the machine is operated.
The improvement further consists in mounting upon the said index shaft, a third
ratchet wheel with which a pawl operates. When a coin is inserted in the machine,
it operates to release the last named ratchet wheel and pawl. With this combination
of parts is combined a retarding device, which acts upon all said pawls to prevent a
too sudden engagement of the pawls with their respective ratchet wheels.
The improvement further consists in combining with the elements heretofore named,
a pinion loosely mounted on the index shaft, upon which are also mounted the ratchet
wheels previously referred to, and with which co-act the pawls previously described;
-a pin or projection on one of said ratchet wheels, and another pin or projection on
said loose pinion, whereby the pin upon the loose pinion will operate to cause a rota-
tion of the ratchet wheels and the index shaft, when the supporting frame is moved
downwardly, but when said frame is moved upwardly, the loose pinion may move
freely.
The improvement further consists in combining with said retarding device, an
escapement which regulates the movement of said pawls, and prevents their too
sudden engagement with the ratchet wheels.
The improvement further consists in combining with a retarding device, a trip which
is operated by a coin to disengage a pawl from a ratchet wheel, said retarding device
preventing a too sudden return of the pawl to engagement with the ratchet wheel.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front view of a weighing machine embodying the improvement, partly

page_text: Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line x ≈, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line y y, Fig 2.
Fig. 4 is a detail in section, taken on the line z z, Fig 2
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the liness Fig 3
Fig. 6 is a section of a detail view, also taken on the line y y, Fig 2, certain parts
being shown in a different position from that in which they are shown in Fig. 4.
A designates the base of the machine, B designates the weighing platform upon
which the person to be weighed stands. Extending inwardly from this weighing
platform is an arm B', which arm engages a vertically extending rod B² extending
upwardly through the interior of the case B3 of the machine This rod bears, near
its upper end, a cross bar B* Connected to this cross-bar, near its end, are one
of the ends of vertically extending coil springs B, which coil springs are connected
near their other ends to a support B6, of the usual, or any desired construction.
As shown, this support is held up by one arm of a bell crank lever B' fulcrummed
upon a frame B8
An adjusting screw B°, engaging a tapped hole in said frame, and
bearing against the other arm of the lever B', may be adjusted so as to admit of the
rocking of the lever and the raising or lowering of the support B³.
C designates a vertically-extending rod guided between guide rollers c during its
vertical movements The lower end of this rod is provided with a weight C¹ A
spring-actuated pin with which said weight is provided, rests upon the top of the cross
bar B¹. The upper end of the rod C supports a frame (*. The frame C has two
upwardly extending arms C³, C. Upon the arm C is a rack (³. The rack C
engages a pinion C, which pinion is loosely mounted upon a shaft C', Journalled
in the frame B8, and extending centrally through a dial plate C8. Upon the outer
end of the shaft C is mounted an index finger C'.
Upon the shaft C7 is rigidly secured a ratchet wheel D Normally in engagement
with the ratchet wheel Ď, is a pawl D¹, which pawl is pivotally hung upon one
arm of a lever D³, which lever is loosely fulcrummed upon a shaft D Journalled
in the frame B8. To the other arm of the lever D³, is connected one end of n
rod D. The rod D' connects, near its other end, with a lever D, which lever
extends into a shute or passage way D, down which a coin, inserted through a
slot D' in the case B³, will pass The downward passage of the coin causes the
rocking of the lever D, and thus the rod D is drawn downwardly in such a way
as to raise the pawl D1 out of engagement with the teeth upon the ratchet wheel D.
As the ratchet wheel D is rigid upon the index shaft C, the pawl D¹ operates
normally as a stop to prevent the rotation of the index shaft, and consequently the
maintenance of the index finger at the zero point. It is not until a coin has been
inserted, and the wheel D released from the pawl D', that the index shaft and finger
may rotate.
Rigidly mounted upon the shaft C', are two ratchet wheels G G' These ratchet
wheels are adjacent to each other, and the teeth upon one extend in a reverse direction
of those upon the other.
Upon the hub of the pinion C is a pin or projection d, and upon the side of the
ratchet wheel G adjacent to the pinion C, is a pin or projection d'. Normally,
these pins are in engagement, so that when the pinion C is rotated in one direction,
the rotation of the shaft C' will ensue.
When a person or weight is placed upon the platform B, the rod B2 will operate
to draw downwardly the cross bar B. If, now, the ratchet wheel D be released
from the stop pawl D', by means of a coin, as previously described, the rod will
fall, cariying with it the frame C³, and consequently the rack C. This last being
in engagement with the pinion C, and the latter, as described, being locked with
the ratchet wheel G, the downward movement of the rack will result in the rotation
of the shaft C, and consequently in the movement of the index finger about the
dial
Upon the arm C³ of the frame ( is a roller or bowl d' When said arm occupies
its normal or elevated position, the roller or bowl bears against an arm d³, formed
upon, or connected to a wheel or disc d' The wheel dis loosely mounted upon

page_text: the shaft D. Also loosely mounted upon the shaft D³, 13 a pawl d³. When the
parts occupy their normal or elevated position, the arm a bears against the under-
side of the pawl do, and raises the latter into an elevated position. Pivotally mounted
upon the pawl d is a pawl do. Assuming that the person or weight is upon the
platform B, and the arm C has been allowed to descend until it rested upon the
cross bar B, the roller or bowl d' will of course have been moved downwardly, and
out of contact with the arın d; the wheel d' will then rotate, and will permit the
pawls d³ de to fall into such position that the tooth of one of said pawls will engage
one of the ratchet wheels G G₁, and the tooth upon the other of said pawls will engage
the other of said ratchet wheels. As the teeth on these pawls extend in reverse
directions, it will be clear that the rotation of the ratchet wheels G G¹, and consequently
of the index shaft C, will be positively prevented until sud pawls have been moved
out of engagement with said ratchet wheels. At the same time that the pawls d' d
fall to engage with the ratchet wheels G G', the pawl D' also talls into a position
where it will engage the teeth upon the ratchet wheel D. It will therefore be seen,
that by the time the weight of a person has been indicated upon the dial, the index
shaft C will have been locked in such manner that it cannot be rotated in either
direction, and the pawl D' will also have locked the shaft, so that it cannot rotate
in a direction to indicate increased or additional weight placed upon the platform B,
until another coin has been inserted in the machine. By locking the index shaft
against rotation in either direction, two persons cannot weigh upon the machine
at the same time, and then one get off, and the index finger be caused to record a
lesser weight.
It is desired that the pawls d', d and D¹ shall descend somewhat slowly, so as not
to lock the index C' until the index finger has ceased vibrating; for this purpose, a
retarding device is employed The retaiding device consists of a gear wheel I,
rigidly mounted upon the shaft D³ This gear wheel gears with a pinion I¹ secured
to an escapement wheel 12. The pinion and escapement wheel are mounted upon
a shaft 13, journalled in the frame B Co-operating with the escapement wheel I³,
is a verge I mounted upon a rock shaft I Upon the rock shaft I is a vibrating
governor I'
When the parts occupy their normal or elevated position, a coil
spring J, one end of which is secured to the frame B8, and the other to the
wheel d, is coiled up Upon the shaft D adjacent to the wheel d', is rigidly
secured a ratchet wheel e A pawl e upon the wheel d', actuated by a spring e,
engages the ratchet wheel e. When the support of the roller has noved from
benoath the arm d³ upon the wheel d', the latter is rotated by the tendency of the
spring J to uncoil, and, through the ratchet and pawl engagement between said
wheel and the shaft D³, the latter is rotated, thereby causing the rotation of the
wheels I I¹ and the escapement I². The escapement prevents a too sudden rotation
of the shaft D³, and as the pawls d, are upheld by the arm upon the wheel d*,
said pawls will be caused to descend slowly Secured to the gear wheel I, is a
ratchet wheel H, and upon the lever D2 is a pawl g, adapted to engage the teeth
upon the ratchet wheel H
When a coin has operated to rock the lever D* and
raise the pawl D¹, the pawl 9 rides around upon the teeth of the ratchet wheel H,
until the upper movement of the pawl D' ceases The pawl g will then engage one
of the teeth upon the ratchet wheel H As the shaft D rotates, the ratchet wheel H
of course rotates with it, carrying the pawl g around, and permitting the pawl D¹
to again drop down into engagement with one of the teeth upon the ratchet wheel D.
This movement 1s somewhat quicker than the downward movement of the
pawls dd. The coil spring J is recoiled, and the index finger returned to the
zero point during the upward movement of the rod C
Near one of the ends of the index shaft is a coiled spring L, which coiled
spring is secured, near its other end, to the frame B8 When a person gets off
the platform B, or a weight is removed therefrom, the rod B³, together with the
cross bar B', is moved up very suddenly, by means of the springs B. This move-
ment also suddenly raises the rod C and the frame C. The roller or bowl d' on the
arm (contacts with the arm & upon the wheel d³, causing the rotation of said

page_text: wheel antil said arm strikes the pawl d³, whereby said pawl and the pawl de are
moved out of engagement with the ratchet wheels G, G¹. The continued upward
movement of the arm C³ and the roller or bowl d, raises the pawls d', d to their
most elevated position, and as the wheel dis being constantly rotated during this
movement, the coil spring J becomes re-wound, at the same time the pawl e¹ is
playing freely over the teeth of the ratchet wheel é
There are shown stop pins ff1 for preventing the rotation of the wheel d* too far
in either direction When the wheel rotates in one direction, the pawl ď³ will
contact with the stop pin f, and when it rotates in the other direction, the arm d³
will contact with the stop pin f¹. A stop pin f prevents a too extended downward
movement of the frame C A too extended upward movement of said frame is
prevented by the weight C contacting with a portion of the frame BB It is to be
remembered that the pinion C is loose upon the index shaft C7 When the frame (*
is moving upwardly, the rack C operates to rotate said pinion freely upon the shaft
for nearly a complete rotation, because the pin d will be moved away from contact
with the pin d. It is not until the frame (" has nearly reached the limit of its
upward movement, that the arm de contacts with the pawl do, to lift the latter and
the pawl d out of engagement with the wheels G G¹ When this operation occurs,
the coil spring L operates to rotate the shaft C' and the ratchet wheels G G¹ and D
in a contrary direction to that in which they were rotated when the fiame was
moved downwardly. During this operation the pawl D₁ passes freely over the
teeth of the wheel D. It is to be understood that the coil spring L is recoiled
during the opposite rotation of the shaft C, or that occasioned by the downward
movement of the frame C² When the shaft 7 is being rotated by the spring L, the
pin d, passing around with the ratchet wheel G, again contacts with the pin a
pinion C, and follows it to its normal position
on the
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that I am aware of Everitt's Specification
No. 16433 and of Ubrig's Specification No. 19798, and I do not claim anything
described and claimed therein; but what I claim is :-
1. The combination with weighing scales, of a rack disconnected therefrom, an
index spindle, a pinion on said spindle gearing with said rack, a ratchet wheel also
on said spindle, a pawl for engaging said ratchet wheel, supported by the said rack,
when the latter is raised, substantially as specified.
2. The combination with weighing scales, of a rack disconnected therefrom, an
index spindle, a pinion on said spindle gearing with said rack, a ratchet-wheel also
on said spindle, a pawl for engaging said ratchet wheel, supported by the said rack
when the latter 18 raised, and a retarding device for preventing a too sudden
engagement of the pawl with the ratchet wheel teeth, on the removal of said support,
substantially as specified.
3. In a weighing machine, the combination with an index shaft, of ratchet
wheels on said shaft, the teeth upon one wheel being inclined in a reverse
direction to those upon the other, pawls for engaging the teeth on said wheels,
but normally out of engagement therewith, and a retarding device for preventing
a too sudden engagement of the pawls with the ratchet wheel teeth, substantially as
and for the purpose specified
4. In a weighing machine, the combination with an index shaft, of two ratchet
wheels mounted on said shaft, the teeth upon one wheel being inclined in a reverse
direction to those upon the other, pawls for engaging the teeth on said wheels, but
normally out of engagement therewith, a third ratchet wheel, also mounted on said
shaft, a pawl for engaging the teeth on the last named ratchet wheel, the latter
operated upon the insertion of a coin, to release said last named ratchet wheel and
pawl, and a retarding device acting upon all said pawls, to prevent a too sudden
engagement of the pawls with their respective ratchet wheels, substantially as
specified.

page_text: 5. In a weighing machine, the combination with a vertically movable frame
provided with a rack, an index shaft, a pinion loosely mounted on said index
shaft, two ratchet wheels mounted on said shaft, the teeth upon one of said
wheels extending in reverse direction to those upon the other, pawls for engaging
said ratchet teeth, but normally out of engagement therewith, a ratchet wheel on
said shaft, a pawl for engaging said ratchet wheel, operated upon the insertion of
a coin in the machine, to release said ratchet wheel, and to permit the rotation of
the index shaft, a pin or projection on one of said ratchet wheels, and another pin
or projection on said loose pinion, whereby, when said frame is moved downwardly,
the pin upon the loose pinion will operate to cause the rotation of said ratchet
wheels and index shaft, but when said frame is moved upwardly, the loose pinion
will rotate freely, substantially as specified.
6. In a weighing machine, the combination with an index shaft, of ratchet
wheels on said shaft, the teeth upon one of said ratchet wheels being inclined in a
reverse direction to those upon the other, pawls for engaging said ratchet wheel,
but normally out of engagement therewith, and a retarding device comprising an
escapement for preventing the too sudden engagement of said pawls with the
ratchet wheels, substantially as specified.
7. In a weighing machine, the combination with an index shaft, of a ratchet wheel
on said shaft, a pawl for engaging said ratchet wheel, and normally in engagement
therewith, a trip operated by a coin to disengage said pawl from the ratchet wheel,
and a retarding device for preventing a too sudden return of the pawl to engagement
with the ratchet wheel, substantially as specified.
Dated this 7th day of May 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.