GB1568375A

GB1568375A - Kitchen or household weighing balance

Info

Publication number: GB1568375A
Application number: GB5137675A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Salter Housewares Ltd Great Britain
Current assignee: Salter Housewares Ltd Great Britain
Priority date: 1975-12-16
Filing date: 1975-12-16
Publication date: 1980-05-29
Also published as: FR2335832A2; DE2656562A1

Description

(54) KITCHEN OR HOUSEHOLD WEIGHING BALANCE (71) We, SALTER HOUSEWARES LIMITED, a British Company, of Spon Lane, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 6AD, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to weighing balances, particularly for kitchen or household use, and is concerned with improvements in or modifications of the invention described in the complete specification of our Patent No.

1,396,437.

The complete specification of our above mentioned patent describes a weighing balance including a rotatably mounted scale carrier member having a dial face carrying a plurality of different separate graduated scales lying in angularly spaced relationship with one another.

More specifically, it discloses and describes a weighing balance, herein referred to as a weighing balance "of the kind described", particularly for kitchen or household use having weight indicator means comprising a movable indicating pointer which co-acts with graduated scale means on a dial face of a scale carrier member disposed behind a viewing window, said pointer being operatively controlled by the weighing mechanism of the balance so as to be displaced from an initial zero applied load position to an extent sub stantially proportional to the load applied to the balance throughout the operational weighing range thereof, wherein the graduated scale means comprises a plurality of separate graduated scales in fixed predetermined angular relationship with one another which follow circular arcs with at least two differently calibrated said separate graduated scales lying respectively within separate different angular segments of said dial face and said scale carrier member is rotatably adjustable so as to enable the dial face to be moved and set to bring any one of said separate graduated scales selectively into an operative position to co-act with the indicating pointer, the range of adjustable movement of the scale carrier member being at least sufficient to enable a zero marking of each said separate graduated scale to be brought selectively into a position coincident with said initial zero applied load position of the pointer and sufficient also to enable said zero marking of each said separate graduated scale to be selectively advanced from the position coincident with the zero applied load position of the pointer up to a position adjacent or coincident with the position of the pointer when deflected by an applied load equal to the load corresponding to the maximum graduation reading of the respective said separate graduated scale whereby any one of the graduated scales can be selected for use in co-acting with the pointer and, when using any selected said separate graduated scale, rezeroing adjustments can be made by rotating the scale carrier member to facilitate measurement of successively added loads throughout substantially the full operational weighing range appertaining to the particular selected said separate graduated scale in use.

One object of the present invention is to provide a weighing balance of the abovementioned kind which is adapted specifically for weighing food and for facilitating determination of the calorie content thereof as, for example, when preparing calorie controlled diets. In general, foodstuffs can be divided or classified into different groups, those in each group all having similar calorific values per unit weight.

According to the present invention, in a weighing balance of the kind described, at least one of said differently calibrated graduated scales is a "weight" graduated scale calibrated in units of weight and another of said differently calibrated graduated scales in a said separate different said angular segment is a "calorie" scale calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for a particular or given group of foodstuffs having similar calorific values.

At least one of the graduated scales may cover an angular segment of the dial face within a range of 150 to 180 , and also, in preferred embodiments, the scale carrier mem ber may be rotatably adjustable through an angle of 3600.

It will be understood that the term "angular segment" is used herein to denote an area of the dial face bounded by a pair of angularly disposed radii, and in a full circular disc dial face would be equivalent to a sector thereof.

The facilitation of additive weighing, that is, the measurement of successively added loads, by means of the re-zeroing adjustment feature of the scale carrier member is particularly useful in preparing calorie controlled diets because it is frequently necessary to weigh and ascertain the weight equivalent calorific value of each of a number of different foodstuff ingredients when carrying out such preparative work.

If there is not a "calorie" scale covering the foodstuff group which includes a particular foodstuff being weighed, the "weight" scale may be used and the calorific value would then be computed separately, by consulting published tables for example, from the actual weight reading obtained. But, for maximum convenience, the dial face of the scale carrier member should be provided with a plurality of "calorie" scales covering as many different foodstuff groups as possible.These different "calorie" scales may be arranged not only in different angular segments of the dial face but also as a group, in concentric radiallyspaced relationship, lying within one angular segment or in each of a number of different angular segments of the dial face, thereby to assist in solving the problem of providing a sufficiently large number of different "calorie" scales to meet practical requirements upon a single dial face of a weighing balance of compact design.

The different graduated scales may be readily identified and distinguished one from another by using any desired visual coding means, such as coding symbols and/or colours.

The weighing balance of weighing apparatus in accordance with the invention may also include various structural features which can be useful, for example, in facilitating assembly during manufacture and in providing for a wide range of angular adjustment of the scale carrier member and convenient manipulation thereof.In one advantageous form of construction, a circular or annular portion of the body structure or casing of the weighing balance which extends around and below a central tubular portion surmounted by a telescopically movable weighing platform structure, comprises a base frame of circular peripheral contour and an overlying separate cover member, also of circular peripheral contour, which provides a transparent window (the viewing window) through which the pointer, pivotally mounted to turn about a central vertical axis, is exposed to downwards viewing when the balance is in use.With this form of construction, the scale carrier member, in the form of a circular ring horizontally disposed in co-axial relationship with the pointer, is mounted upon said base frame with the peripheral portion of said scale carrier member fitting with working clearance within a circumferential gap between opposed spacedapart peripheral portions of the base frame and cover member which lie in mutually confronting relationship, said peripheral portion of the scale carrier member carrying or being formed with digitally engageable means exposed outside the body structure or casing in order to facilitate the manual manipulation and adjustment of said scale carrier member.

The digitally engageable means may comprise at least one radially protruding grip or handle element carried by the scale carrier member.

In the above construction, conveniently the central tubular portion, in the form of a housing or boss, is a separate part which is detachably fixed to the base frame and which locates the cover member. The cover member may be a one-piece moulding of transparent plastics material, and may have a truncated shallow substantially conical configuration.

The weighing mechanism preferably comprises a leaf spring parallel motion unit mounted on the base frame, and in preferred embodiments the balance includes "up stop" means to limit upwards movement of the leaf springs as a precaution against possible damage to the mechanism.

One form of weighing balance, together with a bowl type weighing container, which represents one practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the weighing balance and, in fragmentary form, through the weighing container shown in its inverted out-of-use condition; Figure 2 is a top plan view, on a somewhat smaller scale, of the weighing balance, with the graduated scales and markings of the dial face of a scale carrier member component omitted; Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the weighing balance in the direction of the arrow X shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view of the dial face provided by the scale carrier member component; Figure 5 is sectional view of the scale carrier member taken on line V-V of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side elevational view, on a larger scale, of the weighing mechanism accommodated within the body structure or casing of the weighing balance which is partially shown in outline; and Figure 7 is a top plan view, with part broken away, of the weighing mechanism shown in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, the weighing apparatus illustrated therein comprises a weighing container in the form of a deep cup shaped circular bowl 30 and a weighing balance 40 having a body structure or casing 42 enclosing weighing mechanism 1 > 1.

The body structure or casing 42 comprises a circular or annular lower portion 44 and, upstanding therefrom, a cylindrical central portion in the form of a tubular housing or bests 6 over the upper end of which is fitted a hood-like weighing platform structure 1 adapted for telescopic up and down vertical movement.

The circular or annular lower portion 44 protrudes radially with respect to the central titular housing or boss 6 and is made up of a shallow cylindrical base frame 5 and an overlying separate cover member 2, moulded of transparent plastics material, which has a truncated shallow substantially conical configuration.

The cover member 2 thus forms an upwardly presented transparent window which exposes to downwards viewing a dial face 3 of a graduated scale carrier member 4 and the outer end portion of a complementary indicating pointer 23 which together provide the weight indicator means of the balance.

The lower portion 44 of the body structure or casing of the balance also provides a seating which supports the bowl 30, by engagement with a rim portion thereof, when the bowl is fitted in an inverted out-of-use condition over the balance so as to serve as a cover, as indicated in Figure 1. The seating is formed by the upper surface of the outer peripheral portion 46 of the cover member 2 which has a stepped configuration adapted to interengage and locate with the rim portion 32 of the bowl 30 which rests thereon. As anon, the rim portion 32 has a deep peripheral flange 33, spaced from the main wall of the body of the bowl, which prwides a wide U-shaped channel profile and which protrudes so as to interlock with the stepped configuration of the seating 46 thereby to restrict lateral displacement of the inverted bowl.

In use, the bowl 30 is of course utilised in an upright condition and, during weighing, stands upon the top of the weighing platform structure 1. The base of the bowl is fitted with a rubber ring 31 to improve stability and non-slip characteristics when in its upright condition.

The scale carrier member 4 is in the form of a horizontally disposed flat circular ring, of which the uppermost surface constitutes the dial face 3, co-axially arranged and rotatably mounted upon a flat horizontal surface 48 of the base frame 5 beneath the transparent cover member 2. The base frame 5 includes an integral upstanding circular flange 49 which locates the ring of the scale carrier member 4 and forms a hub bearing about which it turns.

The pointer 23 is mounted so as to turn, in a horizontal plane, about a central vertical pivotal axis and is operatively controlled by the weighing mechanism, as hereinafter more fully explained, so as to deflect angularly, from an initial zero applied load position, to an angular extent substantially proportional to the load applied to the balance throughout the operational weighing range thereof which, in this embodiment, corresponds to a pointer deflection of substantially 1800. For clarity, the pivot mounting of the pointer and part of the weighing mechanism connected thereto has been omitted in Figure 1, but as shown the horizontally extending outer end portion of the pointer 23 lies closely above the dial face 3 of the scale carrier member 4.

As best seen in Figure 4, on the dial face 3 the scale carrier member 4 carries a plurality of different graduated scales extending in concentric circular arcs for co-operating with the pointer 23. One of these graduated scales, indicated by the reference W, is calibrated solely in units of weight. In this example, this "weight" scale W has a weight range of 0 to 3 kilograms and it covers an angular segment of the dial face ranging through an angle which is only slightly less than 1800.

The other graduated scales, indicated by references A to H and WI, W2, W3, are all arranged in three different adjacent smaller angular segments, each of slightly less than 600 angular range, which together cover most of the opposite remaining portion of the dial face 3. And, each of these smaller angular segments contains three or four of the different graduated scales arranged as a set in concentric radially spaced relationship. As shown, the radially outermost scale W1, W2, or W3, in each such set is again calibrated in units of weight ranging from 0 to 1 kilogram, but the other scales therein form a group of "calorie" scales each calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for a particular group of food stuffs.All the "calorie" scales, both those in the same angular segment and those in differ ent angular segments, differ from one another, each covering a different particular foodstuff group, and they are distinguished and identified by the series of individual alpha betical references or code letters A to H.

Thus, with this arrangement, it is possible to display on a single dial face not only a "weight" scale covering an extensive direct weighing range up to 3 kilograms unencum bered by any other closely adjacent calibra tions, but also a series of "calorie" scales covering eight different groups of foodstuffs and having each a weight range of one kilo gram which is frequently quite sufficient in practice when preparing mixed diets. This arrangement can, however, readily be modi lied to include an even greater number of "calorie" scales, if desired.

The peripheral portion of the scale carrier member or ring 4 fits with working clearance within a circumferential gap 52 between the undersurface of the outer peripheral portion 46 of the cover member and the opposed uppermost surface of the peripheral portion of the base frame 5 which lies in confronting relationship therewith.

To facilitate manual manipulation and rotatable adjustment of the scale carrier member 4 it is provided with a pair of integral diametrically opposed radially protruding finger grip or handle projections 54a, 54b, which are exposed outside body structure or casing, and in this embodiment the scale carrier member can be rotated through a full 3Xoo.

In use, before a load is applied to the balance, whilst the pointer 23 is in its initial zero load position, the scale carrier member 4 is rotated using one or other of the projections 54a, 54b, so as to bring into a position of coincidence with the pointer the zero marking of whichever graduated scale it is desired to use. After then weighing out in the weighing container bowl 30 a quantity of a first foodstuff material, either according to its actual weight value or according to its total calorific value as ascertained by using the appropriate "calorie" scale, a quantity of a second different foodstuff material can be added and weighed successively after turning the scale carrier member to carry out a rezeroing operation.Again, in re-zeroing, the zero marking of whichever graduated scale it is desired to use for the second ingredient, whether it be the main "weight" scale 50 or a "calorie" scale in an angular segment the same as, or different from, that of the graduated scale first used, is brought into a position coincident with the pointer in the position to which the pointer is deflected by the load of the first foodstuff ingredient.

The above additive weighing sequence can clearly be repeated as many times as required, within the operational weighing range of the balance. The latter may conveniently be indicated by a suitable permanent marking or a non-adjustable additional "weight" scale on the transparent cover member, or on another part of the lower portion of the body structure or casing, showing the position of maximum permissible angular deflection of the pointer.

If the total quantity of a particular foodstuff to be weighed out according to its total calorific value is greater than one kilogram so that it exceeds the range of an appropriate "calorie" scale, it will be seen that the foodstuff can be weighed out in two or more stages, using a quantity in each stage which does not exceed one kilogram and using the re-zeroing facility between successive stages.

And, in general, with the graduated scale arrangement and layout shown and with the re-zeroing adjustment feature of the scale carrier member, the user is presented with a very versatile choice sufficient to cover a wide range of domestic food weighing requirements in a highly convenient manner.

The central tubular housing or boss 6 is a separate part which is supported upon a number of circumferentially spaced integral seating portions 58 of the base frame 5 to which it is detachably fixed by screws 59. It also serves to locate the transparent cover member 2 which rests on the top of an upstanding part-circular extension 60 of the flange 49 of the base frame 5, a shallow bevelled circular rib 62 around the outer cylindrical surface of the housing or boss 6 abutting the top edge of the cover member 2 as shown in Figure 1.

This manner of construction facilitates assembly of the balance.

The weighing mechanism 11 includes a parallel motion leaf spring unit 65 which comprises a pair of spaced-apart horizontally extending parallel leaf springs 28, 28, interconnected at one end by a front frame member 26 and at the other end by a rear frame member 29. The rear frame member 29 slots into and is fixed to an upstanding integral internal bracket or pillar formation 67 of the base frame 5, and the front frame member 26 is secured to a bracket 24 which carries the weighing platform structure 1.

Vertical movement of the front frame mem ber 26 as the leaf springs flex under load applied to the weighing platform controls, by abutting engagement through a screw 19, movement of a spring-biassed bell-crank lever or quadrant 15 which drives, through gear teeth 69, a pinion 14 connected to the pointer 23. The pinion and pointer are rotatably mounted, to turn about a centrally located vertical axis, in bearings carried by a fixed mounting block 12 which also mounts the lever or quadrant 15.

As seen in Figure 1, the bracket 24 has a short horizontally projecting arm 70 extend ing beneath an inwardly projecting lug 72 of the housing or boss 6 which is fitted with an adjustable screw 74. This arrangement forms an "up stop", the screw 74 engaging the arm 70 to limit upwards movement in the leaf spring unit 65, if for example the balance is lifted by means of grasping the weighing platform 1, thereby reducing risk of damage to the weighing mechanism.

The outer peripheral portion of the base frame 5 includes a short cylindrical depending skirt portion 76 formed with finger grip apertures 77, 77, at two diametrically opposed positions. The skirt portion 76 also has three circumferentially spaced depending lugs 78 fitted with rubber feet 8 for stable support of the balance on an underlying supporting surface.

The weighing mechanism 11, as shown in the drawings, is described in greater detail in our co-pending Patent Application No.

51377/75, Serial No. 1,497,538 and certain features of the embodiment of the invention herein described are also the subject of our co-pending Patent Application No. 51375/75, Serial No. 1,564,110.

It will, of course, be understood that, within the scope of the invention as defined in tea appended claims, many variations and modiEcations can be made, if desired, in many specific detail features of the embodi wnt herein described by way of example, ih in the particular form, arrangement and number of the graduated scales provided, and in the physical structure.Thus, for example, obviously the graduated scales could, if desired, all be marked directly upon the transparent window cover member 2 which could itself be mounted for rotatable adjustment so as thereby also to constitute the scale carrier the the pointer being re-profiled if necessary to ensure a close co-acting relationship with said graduated scales on the cover member.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A weighing balance, particularly for kitchen - or household use, having weight indicator means comprising a movable indicating pointer which co-acts with graduated scale means on a dial face of a scale carrier member disposed behind a viewing window, said pointer being operatively controlled by the weighing mechanism of the balance so as to be displaced from an initial zero applied load position to an extent substantially proportional to the load applied to the balance throughout the operational weighing-range thereof, wherein the graduated scale means comprises a plurality of separate graduated scales in fixed etermined angular relationship with one another which follow circular arcs with at least two differently calibrated said graduated separate scales lying respectively within separate different angular segments of said dial face and said scale carrier member is rotably adjustable so as to enable the dial face to be moved and set to bring any one of said separate graduated scales selectively into an operative position to coact with the indicating pointer, the range of adjustable movement of the scale carrier member being at least sufficient to enable a zero marking of each said separate graduated scale to be brought selectively into a position coincident with said initial zero applied load position of the pointer and sufficient also to enable said zero marking of each said separate graduated scale to be selectively advanced from the position coincident with the zero applied load position of the pointer up to a position adjacent or coincident with the position of the pointer when deflected by an applied load equal to the load corresponding to the maximum graduation reading of the respective said separate graduated scale whereby any one of the graduated scales can be selected for use in co-acting with the pointer and, when using any selected said separate graduated scale, rezeroing adjustments can be made by rotating the scale carrier member to facilitate measurement of successively added loads throughout substantially the full operational weighing range appertaining to the particular selected said separate graduated scale in use, characterised in that at least one of said differently calibrated graduated scales is a "weight" graduated scale calibrated in units of weight and another of said differently calibrated graduated scales in a said separate different angular segment is a "calorie" scale calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for a particular or given group of foodstuffs having similar calorific values.

2. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least said "weight" graduated scale covers an angular segment of said dial face extending through an angle within a range of 1500 to 1,800.

3. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the scale carrier member can be rotatably adjusted through an angle of 3600.

4. A weighing balance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least two of the graduated scales, lying in different angular segments of said dial face, are "calorie" scales calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for different given foodstuff groups.

5. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 4, wherein a plurality of different angular segments of said dial face each also include different said graduated scales, calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units each for a different foodstuff group, arranged as a group of "calorie" scales in concentric radially spaced relationship.

6. A weighing balance as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of the said graduated scales comprises a number of "calorie" scales each calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for a different given foodstuff group, which are arranged in concentric radially spaced relationship as a group of "calorie" scales lying within the same angular segment of said dial face.

7. A weighing balance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the balance has a body structure or casing which incorporates a transparent window forming the viewing window for exposing to view, when the balance is in use, the pointer which co-acts with the graduated scale means.

8. A weighing balance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pointer is pivotally mounted to turn about a central vertical axis, and the scale carrier member has a circular profile and is disposed for horizontal

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

the drawings, is described in greater detail in our co-pending Patent Application No.

51377/75, Serial No. 1,497,538 and certain features of the embodiment of the invention herein described are also the subject of our co-pending Patent Application No. 51375/75, Serial No. 1,564,110.

It will, of course, be understood that, within the scope of the invention as defined in tea appended claims, many variations and modiEcations can be made, if desired, in many specific detail features of the embodi wnt herein described by way of example, ih in the particular form, arrangement and number of the graduated scales provided, and in the physical structure.Thus, for example, obviously the graduated scales could, if desired, all be marked directly upon the transparent window cover member 2 which could itself be mounted for rotatable adjustment so as thereby also to constitute the scale carrier the the pointer being re-profiled if necessary to ensure a close co-acting relationship with said graduated scales on the cover member.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A weighing balance, particularly for kitchen - or household use, having weight indicator means comprising a movable indicating pointer which co-acts with graduated scale means on a dial face of a scale carrier member disposed behind a viewing window, said pointer being operatively controlled by the weighing mechanism of the balance so as to be displaced from an initial zero applied load position to an extent substantially proportional to the load applied to the balance throughout the operational weighing-range thereof, wherein the graduated scale means comprises a plurality of separate graduated scales in fixed etermined angular relationship with one another which follow circular arcs with at least two differently calibrated said graduated separate scales lying respectively within separate different angular segments of said dial face and said scale carrier member is rotably adjustable so as to enable the dial face to be moved and set to bring any one of said separate graduated scales selectively into an operative position to coact with the indicating pointer, the range of adjustable movement of the scale carrier member being at least sufficient to enable a zero marking of each said separate graduated scale to be brought selectively into a position coincident with said initial zero applied load position of the pointer and sufficient also to enable said zero marking of each said separate graduated scale to be selectively advanced from the position coincident with the zero applied load position of the pointer up to a position adjacent or coincident with the position of the pointer when deflected by an applied load equal to the load corresponding to the maximum graduation reading of the respective said separate graduated scale whereby any one of the graduated scales can be selected for use in co-acting with the pointer and, when using any selected said separate graduated scale, rezeroing adjustments can be made by rotating the scale carrier member to facilitate measurement of successively added loads throughout substantially the full operational weighing range appertaining to the particular selected said separate graduated scale in use, characterised in that at least one of said differently calibrated graduated scales is a "weight" graduated scale calibrated in units of weight and another of said differently calibrated graduated scales in a said separate different angular segment is a "calorie" scale calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for a particular or given group of foodstuffs having similar calorific values.
2. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least said "weight" graduated scale covers an angular segment of said dial face extending through an angle within a range of 1500 to 1,800.
3. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the scale carrier member can be rotatably adjusted through an angle of 3600.
4. A weighing balance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least two of the graduated scales, lying in different angular segments of said dial face, are "calorie" scales calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for different given foodstuff groups.
5. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 4, wherein a plurality of different angular segments of said dial face each also include different said graduated scales, calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units each for a different foodstuff group, arranged as a group of "calorie" scales in concentric radially spaced relationship.
6. A weighing balance as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of the said graduated scales comprises a number of "calorie" scales each calibrated in weight equivalent calorie units for a different given foodstuff group, which are arranged in concentric radially spaced relationship as a group of "calorie" scales lying within the same angular segment of said dial face.
7. A weighing balance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the balance has a body structure or casing which incorporates a transparent window forming the viewing window for exposing to view, when the balance is in use, the pointer which co-acts with the graduated scale means.
8. A weighing balance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pointer is pivotally mounted to turn about a central vertical axis, and the scale carrier member has a circular profile and is disposed for horizontal

rotatable adjustment in co-axial relationship with the pointer.
9. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the weighing balance has a body structure or casing comprising an upstanding central tubular portion, over the upper end of which is a weighing platform structure adapted for up and down movement, and a circular or annular portion which extends around and below said central tubular portion and which incorporates or contains said scale carrier member.
10. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 9 as appendant to Claim 7, wherein an upper part of the circular or annular portion of the body structure or casing provides the transparent window.
11. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 9 as appendant to Claim 7, wherein the circular or annular portion of the body structure or casing protrudes radially with respect to the upstanding central portion, and the transparent window is provided by an upwardly presented top surface of said circular or annular portion disposed so as to expose said pointer to downwards viewing when the balance is in use.
12. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, wherein the circular or annular portion of the body structure or casing comprises a base frame of circular peripheral contour and an overlying separate upper cover member, also of circular peripheral contour, which provides the transparent window.
13. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the scale carrier member, which is in the form of a circular ring, is mounted upon said base frame with the peripheral portion of said scale carrier member fitting with working clearance within a circumferential gap between opposed spaced-apart peripheral portions of the base frame and cover member which lie in mutually confronting relationship, said peripheral portion of the scale carrier member carrying or being formed with digitally engageable means exposed outside the body structure or casing in order to facilitate the manual manipulation and adjustment of said scale carrier member.
14. A weighing balance as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the digitally engageable means comprises at least one radially protruding grip or handle element carried by the scale carrier member.
15. A weighing balance as claimed in any of Claim 12 to 14, wherein the central tubular portion is a separate part which is detachably fixed to said base frame and which locates said cover member.
16. A weighing balance as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 15, in which the cover member is moulded of transparent plastics material.
17. A weighing balance as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 16, in which the cover member has a truncated shallow substantially conical configuration.
18. A weighing balance substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.