Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Measuring and Indicating the Height of Human Beings.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 16th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 16th Dec., 1887
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Measuring and
Indicating the Height of Human Beings.
I, ELLIS PARR, of Long Lane, in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to new or improved methods of constructing apparatus for
automatically measuring and indicating the height of the person using it, and also
preferably of preventing such measurement being effected until a determined coin,
for example a penny, has been first placed in an opening provided for it.
In order to put the invention in operation I take a frame of iron or other suitable
material into which I fit a horizontal moveable platform upon which the person
whose height is to be measured stands. The platform is arranged so as to move
vertically for a very short distance in guides or upon centres and has connected to its
under side a lever connected in turn with other levers, so that a very short movement
of the platform is sufficient to cause a considerable movement of the last of such
levers, which is provided with a toothed wheel upon its axis or a segment upon its
outer end actuating a toothed wheel in such manner that when the weight of the
person using it is placed upon the platform and the platform accordingly descends
through a very short distance, the wheel is caused to make a complete revolution
more or less.
At the back of the frame of the apparatus is erected a vertical standard of
sufficient height having a vertical slot in its front face through which projects a
moveable arm of wood or other suitable material capable of sliding up and down in
the vertical slot, so that its outer end can be brought down upon the top of the head
of the person standing upon the platform.
At the back of the standard at its upper end is arranged a wheel or pulley turning
in bearings round which is passed an endless chain or cord the lower end of which
passes round a corresponding wheel or pulley of suitable diameter upon the same axis
as the toothed wheel already described in the base of the machine. The inner end of
the wooden moveable bar which slides in the slot as described is fixed to the chain or
cord, and the moveable platform is balanced by a weight which brings it up to its
proper position when the weight of the person is removed.
It will be seen therefore that when the platform is at the top of its stroke and the
moveable bar at the upper end of the vertical slot, if the person to be measured

page_text: stands erect under the inoveable bar his weight will cause the platform to descend
very slightly and at the same time by means of the levers to cause the wheels or
pulleys to rotate and the endless chain or cord to be carried round them and the
moveable bar to descend slowly until it just touches the top of the person's head who
is standing upon the platform. An index hand is carried by the moveable bar and
points out upon a scale fixed to the side of the slot the height of the person being
measured.
An index hand may also be fixed upon the axle of the upper wheel or pulley
pointing out the height upon a dial plate properly divided. When the person moves
from the platform the latter rises and as well as the index hands return to their
original position.
In order to prevent the moveable bar from descending too rapidly upon the head
of the person being measured I prefer to use a fly or vanes set in rapid revolution by
gear connected with the toothed wheel and this fly or vanos may be connected to its
axle by a ratchet wheel and pall so that it is only driven in one direction and in this
way the moveablo bar will be caused to descend slowly but when the weight of the
person is removed it will rapidly return to its highest position.
In order to prevent continual pressure upon the head by the moveable bar the
latter may have hinged to it a light bar or lever the inner end of which actuates a
pall or friction clutch engaging with a rack or bar upon the inner side of the vertical
slot. The outer end of this lever will first come in contact with the head and rising
with slight pressure will stop the further descent of the moveable bar as soon. as the
latter comes in contact with the head.
In a convenient part of the apparatus is arranged a slot or opening of the exact
size to receive a penny or other determined coin, which when inserted falls upon and
depresses the arm of a delicate lever, the other end of which in the normal position of
the lever operates a detent which holds the fly or vane or other moving part of the
apparatus. When the coin is introduced its weight acting upon the lever releases the
detent and allows the wheel to revolve in the way above described.
The apparatus described may be modified in various ways. For instance instead of
the series of levers described a plunger or its equivalent may be arranged below the
platform so as to be forced by the latter into a cylinder or vessel containing water
which water is forced out and up a small vertical pipe which pipe contains a piston or
floating weight operating the moveable bar and indicating devices. In this case the
lover moved by the coin may be made to act upon a valve in the pipe which is
normally closed but is opened by the weight of the coin when the latter is introduced.
In either case a small lever or equivalent device actuated by the platform or other
moving part of the apparatus is arranged so as to remove the coin at the proper time
from the lever into a box or drawer provided for it.
In a simpler form of apparatus not automatical in its action the endless cord or
chain carrying the moveable bar may be actuated by a handle connected to the lower
pulley in such manner that the person standing upon the platform (which is not
moveable) by moving the handle can bring down the moveable bar until it touches
his head when the indicators will point out his correct height.
The moveable bar can be raised again by turning the handle in the opposite
direction.
In this form of arrangement the introduction of the coin is first necessary before
the handle can be moved, its weight operating the devices which release the handle as
in the arrangement first described.
The measuring apparatus may be used either alone or in combination with weighing
machinery.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Indicating the Height of Human Beings.
I, ELLIS PARR, of Long Lane, in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby declaro
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 and
accompanying drawing, (that is to say) :-
This invention relates to new or improved methods of constructing apparatus for
automatically measuring and indicating the height of the person using it, and also
preferably of preventing such measurement being effected until a determined coin, for
example a penny, has been first placed in an opening provided for it.
In order to put the invention in operation I take a horizontal frame of iron or
other suitable material into which I fit a horizontal moveable platform upon which
the person whose height is to be measured stands. The platform is arranged so as to
move vertically for a short distance in guides or upon centres whilst retaining its
horizontal position and it has connected to its under side a lever which may be
connected in turn with other levers, so that a short movement of the platform is
sufficient to cause a considerable movement of the outer end of such lever which is
provided with a toothed wheel upon its axis or a segment upon its outer end actuating
a toothed wheel in such manner that when the weight of the person using it is placed
upon the platform and the platform accordingly descends through a short distance,
the wheel is caused to make a complete revolution more or less. At the back of
the frame of the apparatus is erected a standard of sufficient height having a vertical
slot in its front face through which projects a moveable arm of wood or other suitable
material capable of sliding up and down in the vertical slot, so that its outer end can
be brought down upon the top of the head of the person standing upon the platform.
In the standard at its upper end is arranged a wheel or pulley turning in bearings
round which is passed an endless chain, cord, or band, the lower end of which passes
round a corresponding wheel or pulley of suitable diameter upon the same axis as the
toothed wheel already described in the base of the machine.
The inner end of the wooden moveable bar which slides in the slot as described is
fixed to the chain or cord, and the moveable platform is balanced by a weight which
brings it up to its proper position when the weight of the person is removed.
It will be seen therefore that when the platform is at the top of its stroke and the
moveable bar at the upper end of the vertical slot if the person to be measured stands
erect under the moveable bar his weight will cause the platform to descend for a short
distance and at the same time by means of the levers to cause the wheels or pulleys
to rotate and the endless chain, cord, or band to be carried round with them and the
moveable bar to be drawn down by the chain or band until it touches the top of the
person's head who is standing upon the platform. An index hand is carried by
the moveable bar and points out upon a scale fixed to the side of the slot the height of
the person being measured.

page_text: An index hand may also be fixed upon or connected with the axle of the upper
wheel or pulley, so as to point out the height upon a dial plate properly divided.
When the person moves from the platform the latter rises and as well as the index
hands return to their original position.
In order to prevent the moveable bar from descending too rapidly and heavily upon
the head of the person being measured I prefer to use a fly or vane set in rapid
revolution by gear connected with the toothed or other wheel, already described, and
this fly or vane may be connected to its axle by a ratchet wheel and pall so that it is
only driven in one direction and in this way the moveable bar will be caused to
descend slowly but when the weight of the person is removed it will more rapidly
return to its highest position.
In order to prevent continual pressure upon the head by the moveable bar the
latter may have hinged to it a light bar or lever the inner end of which actuates à
pall or friction clutch engaging with a bar upon the inner side of the vertical slot.
The outer end of this lever will first come in contact with the head and rising with
slight pressure will stop the further descent of the moveable bar as soon as the
latter comes in contact with the head. Or, the main lever itself may turn upon a
hinge carried by the endless band.
In a convenient part of the apparatus is arranged a slot or opening of the exact
size to receive a penny or other determined coin, which when inserted falls upon and
deprosses the arm of a delicate lever, the other end of which in the normal position of
the lever operates a detent which holds the fly or vane or other moving part of the
apparatus. When the coin is introduced its weight acting upon the lever releases
the detent and allows the wheel to revolve in the way above described.
As a modification of the apparatus above described, a vertical rack may be used
gearing with one of the wheels which is set in motion by the weight of the person
standing upon the platform as already described. This rack works in guides and
carries at its upper end the rising and falling hinged bar which measures the height
of the person. As in the first described arrangement, the weight of a coin introduced
through a proper opening, is necessary to release a fly or vane, which regulates the
movement of the gear.
When the moving hinged bar touches the head of the person upon the platform, an
arm connected with the bar allows the coin to fall from its lever, and the detent or
catch thus again holds the fly or vane and prevents the bar from moving further down.
In the accompanying drawings which are in illustration of the invention, figure 1
is a longitudinal section of a machine, and figure 2 a front view of the same.
Figure 3 is a side view partly in section, and figure 4 a front view of the modified
form last described. Figures 5, 6, and 7 are horizontal sections through different
parts of the standard.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several figures.
al
In figures 1 and 2, a is the frame, in which fits the horizontal platform which is
carried by suitable levers c of the well known kind ordinarily used in weighing
machines (as shewn in figures 1 and 8), or other equivalent arrangement of lovers.
These levers are so proportioned that the weight of the person standing upon the
platform bis sufficient to depress the outer end of the lever c¹ which is provided with
a toothed segment d, gearing with the pinion e, and to turn the latter round together
with the parts connected with it. f is a pulley driven by the pinion e, and having
round it a flexible endless steel or other band (chain, or cord) g, the other end of which
passes over the pulley in the upper end of the standard i which carries the bearings
(preferably adjustable) in which the axles of the pullies turn with as little friction as
possible. The standard i has a vertical slot k in front, and is a moveable arm
projecting through the slot, and jointed at its inner end to a hinge fixed upon the
endless band g. It is evident that the weight of a person standing upon the platform b
will partially turn the pulley f, bringing down the band y and the arm until the
latter touches the head of the person; whilst when the weight of the person is
removed from the platform, the latter together with the endless band and the arm
are returned to their original position as shewn, by means of a weight m.

page_text: A fly or vane n is set in rapid revolution when the platform 6 descends, by means
of a toothed rack o connected to the end of the lever c¹ and actuating the toothed
wheel and pinions p, so as to prevent the too quick descent of the bar 1, which carries
an arm provided with a detent which engages with a bar at s when the arm / is
raised, and so prevents the further movement downward of the latter as soon as it has
touched the head of the person being measured.
A detent t is arranged turning upon a centre u and raised by the weight v so that
it stops the revolution of the fly n and so prevents the arm 1 from descending.
A third arm w is arranged so that the weight of a penny (or other determined
coin) dropped upon it through the opening is sufficient to raise the weight v and so
release the detent t, the coin still remaining upon the arm wo, and being only removed
when the arm has touched the head of the person being measured, by means of the
device shewn in figures 3 and 7.
This consists of a cranked bar or wire 1, turning in
bearings at 2 and 3, and carrying an arm 4, upon which the arm w rests so that the
coin cannot fall from it. The arm when 7 is raised by touching the head of the
person upon the platform, strikes the bar 1 and so removes the support from under
the arm w, and the coin depresses the latter until it falls from it into a box or
receptacle indicated at 5, figures 1 and 2. The weight then brings the detent t
against the fly n, and the arın 7 cannot then be brought further down until a fresh
coin has been inserted in the opening. When the person gets off the platform 6 the
ratchet and pall z (figure 6) which connect the fly n to its axis allow the latter
to turn without the former, and the bar 7 to rise to its highest position again.
In figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, instead of the endless band g, a rack A is used working
in vertical guides, and gearing with the toothed wheel p, which is itself set in motion
by the rack o connected with the end of the lever c¹ in the base of the machine. The
lover is hinged to the rack A, and is provided with the arm which acts upon the
cranked bar 1 in the manner, and for the purpose just described.
The apparatus described may be modified in various ways. For instance (as shewn
in figures 9 and 10) instead of the series of levers described, a plunger or its
equivalent 6 may be arranged below the platform so as to be forced by the latter into
a cylinder 7 or vessel containing water which water is forced out and up a small
vertical pipe 8 which pipe contains a piston or floating weight 9 operating by the
wire 10 the moveable bar and indicating devices. I this case the lever to moved by
the coin may be made to act upon a valve 13 in the pipe 8 which is normally closed
but is opened by the weight of the coin when the latter is introduced. In either case
a small lever 4 or equivalent device actuated by the platform or other moving part of
the apparatus in the manner already described and shown is arranged so as to remove
the coin at the proper time from the lever w into a box or drawer provided for it.
When the weight is removed from the platform b, the water returns from the pipe 8
to the cylinder 7, through the adjustable valve 12.
It will be seen that the improved apparatus described is entirely automatic in its
action, the measuring arm being brought down only by the weight of the person
standing upon the platform, and without the necessity for such person moving or
releasing any separate handle, stop, or catch, whilst the apparatus returns to its
original position when the person leaves the platform. The release of the fly or
vane, by which the descent of the measuring arm is rendered possible, is effected
by the weight of the coin introduced, which coin is removed when the proper
height is indicated, and prevents the further descent of the measuring arm.
In a simpler form of apparatus not automatical in its action the endless cord
or chain, or the vertical rack, carrying the moveable bar, may be actuated by a
handle in such manner that the person standing upon the platform (which is not
moveable) by moving the handle can bring down the moveable bar until it touches
his head when the indicator will point out his correct height.
The moveable bar can be raised again by moving the handle in the opposite
direction.
In this form of arrangement the introduction of the coin is first necessary before

page_text: the handle can be moved, its weight operating the devices which release the handle
as in the arrangement first described.
The measuring apparatus may be used either alone or in combination with
weighing machinery.
I do not claim generally the use of automatic apparatus for measuring height, but
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. The combination of the moving horizontal platform b, rack or wheel and
pinion d, e, pullies f, h, and endless band, cord, or chain, g, carrying a moveable
measuring arm, substantially as described and shewn in figures 1 and 2.
2. The combination of the moving horizontal platform b, rack o, wheel and pinion p,
rack A, and moveable measuring arm l, substantially as described and shewn in
figures 3, 4, and 5.
3. The combination of the fly or vane n, detent t, weight v, arm w, moveable bar 1,
support 4, and arm r, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes
described and shewn.
4. The use, instead of the levers described and shown, of a cylinder, piston, and
pipes, containing water, in combination with a valve opened by the weight of a coin
introduced for the purpose, substantially as described and shewn.
5. The combination with a fixed platform and standard, of a moveable measuring
arm, raised and lowered by a handle moved by a person standing upon the platform,
substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of Santamber 1887