IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING SCALES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67 Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
WEIGHING SCALES, a communication to me from abroad by Richard Watson of
New York, United States, Manufacturer, 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 reference to certain improvements in weighing scales and
especially in scales for weighing letters and packages, and the invention consists of
a weighing scale, the beam of which is made of a hollow U shaped main-piece,
solid end-pieces and a graduated scale-plate at the top of the beam. The weight
sliding on the beam is provided with a projecting tongue and spring-lip that takes
into the depressed middle-portions of the graduations of the scale-plate. The
scale-pan is suspended on knife-edges of the beam by a U shaped link, provided
with a stop to prevent the detaching of the pan. The pan is provided with an
elastic cushion at the underside and with a central depression or cup for the
reception of the adjusting shot, which is retained by a covering plate secured by
bent ends over the edges of the pan.
In the accompanying drawings: Fig 1 represents a side elevation, and Fig 2 &
plan of the improved weighing scale. Fig 2a is a detail side-view of the fulcrumed
front piece of the scale beam. Fig 3 is an end-elevation, partly in section of the
improved weighing scale. Figs 4 and 5 are respectively a vertical transverse
section of the sliding weight on lines x x and y y, Fig 2, and Fig 6 is a detail
section of the suspension link of the scale-pan.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A in the drawings represents the supporting post or standard of the improved
weighing scale, the base of which is provided with a forward extending heel a, by
which the tilting of the scale is prevented. The post A is provided with a
horizontal bracket B, that extends in opposite direction from the post A and is
provided at one end with a forked vertical support B' for the knife-edged fulcra of
[Price 6d.1

page_text: the scale-beam C, and at the opposite end with a vertical guide-staple or loop B*
for the rear-end of the scale-beam C.
The scale-beam C is made of a hollow main-piece of U shaped cross-section,
which is bent up or drawn out of suitable metal. On the outwardly bent flanges
of the shaped main-piece is supported a graduated scale-plate C¹, which is
soldered, riveted, or otherwise secured to the U shaped beam C.
The ends d d¹ of the scale-beam C are made of solid metal, the fulcrumed
front-piece d being provided with a shoulder d' at the upper part, against which
abuts the end of the scale-plate, and with a second shoulder da at the lower part,
against which abuts the end of the hollow main piece of the scale-beam, as shown
clearly in Figa 1 and 2. As the end of the scale-plate C¹ extends over the front-
piece d and beyond the point of connection of the beam with the same, a more
rigid connection of these parts is obtained.
The rear end d¹ is inserted and soldered into the rear end of the beam C.
The advantage of the hollow scale-beam C, having a scale-plate C¹ at the top is
that thereby the weight of the scale-pan and of the sliding counterpoise can be
considerably decreased and secondly, that by the arrangement of the scale at the
top of the beam the weight of the articles placed in the scale-pan can be read off
with great facility without stooping down and reading it off at the side of the
scale-beam, as heretofore.
A counterweight C² of U-shape slides on the beam C. It is retained thereon by
inwardly-projecting stop-screws bb, which grip below the flanged edges of the
beam. A tongue b¹, made of a spring plate, that is riveted to the inside of the
weight C² is retained by laterally-projecting stops or shoulders shown in Fig 2
on the weight C and provided at a suitable point within the weight C with a
downwardly bent lip b³ that is integral with the body of the tongue b' and adapted
to engage the depressed middle portions of the graduations of the scale-plate C, as
shown clearly in Fig 5. The lip b² gives sufficiently to clear the depression of the
beam, when the weight C is moved in either direction over the beam. The figures
indicating the graduations are preferably arranged at both sides of the middle
depressed portions. The weight C on being moved over the beam C is readily
retained by the lip 63 at any one of the graduations of the scale-plate; so as to
facilitate thereby the quick adjustment of the weight, in weighing a letter, package,
or other article.
62
To knife-edges of the front-piece d of the beam C is hung a scale-pan D, by a
suspension-link D' and bent wire-arms D¹ D¹. The arms D are riveted to the
link D³ that rests on the knife-edges at the end of the beam C, said link being
made of cast metal and provided with an upwardly projecting stop D³ that is
screwed to the middle portion or web of the suspension link D. The lower ends
of the arms D¹ are attached to perforated ears e of the pan D. The middle-portion
of the scale-pan D is provided with a depression or cup f and the latter with a
central downwardly extending stud f', cast integral therewith. The depression
or cup freceives the shot by which the proper balancing of the scale-pan and beam
is adjusted The stud f is covered with a certain sleeve or socket f² of rubber or
other elastic material, which acts as a cushion, when the scale-pan strikes the
table or other support. To retain the shot in the cup fa sheet-metal top-plate D³
is extended over the upper surface of the pan D between the end flanges of the
same and attached by its bent edges thereto.
The advantages of the improved weighing scale are
1st, that by the light construction of the scale-beam the weight of the parts and
the expense is decreased.
2nd, that the weight of the letters and packages placed in the scale-pan can be
quickly and economically read off on the top scale-plate, and
3rd, that by the rubber-cushion of the scale-pan the oscillations of the scale-
beam are made shorter so that the proper balance of the counterpoise on the beam
and of the article placed is obtained in a quicker manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a weighing scale, a scale-beam composed of a hollow main-piece of U shaped
cross-section and of a scale-plate secured to the top of the same, substantially as
set forth.
2. A scale-beam, composed of a hollow U-shaped main-piece, a scale-plate
secured to the top of the same and end-pieces secured to the ends of the beam,
substantially as described.
3. The combination of a hollow U-shaped main-piece C, top scale-plate C,
rear-piece d¹ and front end-piece d having a top shoulder d² and a bottom shoulder
d³, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination, of a fulcrumed scale-beam made of a hollow U-shaped
main-piece and of a scale-plate secured to the top of the same with a sliding
weight C2 having inwardly projecting stops b b and an index tongue 61, sub-
stantially as specified.
5. The combination, of a fulcrumed scale-beam composed of a hollow U-shaped
main-piece and of a graduated scale-plate, the graduations of said scale-plate having
depressed middle portions with a sliding weight C having stops b b and an index-
tongue 6 with a downwardly-projecting lip b³ that takes into the depressions of
the scale-plate, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with a scale-beam, having a scale-plate at the top, of a
sliding weight C having guide-stops b b and an index-tongue b', said index tongue
having laterally projecting end-shoulders 6* and a bent lip b³, substantially as
specified.
7. The combination of a fulcrumed scale-beam C having knife-edges at its front-
end with a suspension-link D¹, a scale pan D secured thereto by arms D2 and a
stop D3 whereby the detaching of the suspension-link from the beam is prevented
substantially as set forth,
8. A scale-pan having a central depression or cup f, a downwardly extending
button-stud f¹ and an elastic covering socket f* that acts as a cushion for the pan,
substantially as set forth.
H. J. HADDAN.
By Herbert & Co., Agents,
67, Strand.