US552826A - Computing-scale - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Shet 2.

(No Model.) 7

J. W.GULMER. COMPUTING SGALB.

' Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

Swvawboz UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JOHN V. CFLMER, OF NE'W BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMPUTING-SCALE.

SYEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,826, dated January 7, 1896.

Application filed February 16, 1895. gerial No. 538,678. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN XV. GULMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brighton, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Computing- Scales; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to computii'lg-scales of the platform type; and its object is to improve the means by which the ordinary parts and mechanisms for receiving actual weight and transmitting its effect to the weight-indicating mechanism may be united to and co-ordinated with the beam of a computingscale.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters represent the same parts throughout, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a computing platform-scale provided with my improvements; Fig. 2, a top plan of the same; Fig, 8, a vertical lengthwise section of the same; Fig. 4, a plan view of my lever and trolley-bar with some convenient balancing devices added; Fig. 5, an end view of the same; Fig. 6, a detached front elevation of the trolley-bar, the trolley, and the linked sliding poise by which the connection is made with the computing beam; Fig. 7, an end view of the same, showing the trolley-bar and the computing-beam in section; Fig. 8, a front interior view of the aforesaid linked sliding poise upon the computing-beam; Fig. 9, an end view thereof, and Fig. 10 a top view of the same.

A is the ordinary hollow base of the scale, having at its rear a pair of standards B, each with a bearing a on its inner face. The standards support a plate 0, which extends far to the right, and midway of this plate rises a standard I), and this completes the frame of the scale.

E is the weighing-platform, having the customary feet I), and these bear upon the levers c and d, which, with their usual pivots, links, and supports, constitute the ordinary system,

within the hollow of the scale-base, for pullin g down the vertical rod 6, that, in a non-computing scale, would actuate the lever operating the weighing-beam. In this construction it actuates the lever now to be described.

F is my trolley-supporting lever. It con.- sists of two forwardly-proj ecting parallel arms 7, joined at their rear ends by a base g, which may be straight or curved, as taste, convenience, or other circumstance may suggest. Each of the arms is provided with a fulcrumpivot 71 for the balancing of the lever upon its support. From the lever-base projects at right angles an arm '2', the front end of which is pivoted to the top of the vertical rod already described as proceeding from the scalebase. The lever being seated by its fulcrumpivots in the bearings a of the base-standards, the pull of the vertical rod upon the arm i of the lever will depress the front of the latter. Across this otherwise vacant front is the trolley-carrying bar G, supported at the ends of the arm f of the lever, and this bar must be so seated in the arms as to be in true parallel with the fulcrum-pivots, which are to be parallel with each other. This may be done by making the seats in the arms longer than the width of the bar and passing a screw through bar and seat, as indicated in Figs. at and 5; but this is mere mechanical detail for the scale-maker to decide.

Preparatoryto weighing or computing anything the lever F must be in balance. There are various familiar ways of adjusting balance, among them the addition of weights, as 7a, to the light end of the lever, these working adj ustably on screw-stems projected from the lever-base.

A scoop is sometimes used on the weighingplatform. To counterbalance this I may projeet a stem Z from the base end of the aforesaid lever and mount upon it a screw-fastening balance-weight m, which, when the scoop is on, is turned over to or toward the rear till the scoop is counterbalanced, and when the scoop is off the platform the balance-weight may be turned forward and assist in establishing the general balance of the lever.

II. is a trolley, made wide and heavy at bottom to keep it upright. It has a pair of wheels 12 to support and move it upon the trolley-bar carried by thelibratin g lever, and it may have an under wheel 0, engaged with the bottom edge of the trolley-bar, to assist in holding the trolley to the bar when the latter is pulled down. The upper part of the trolley forms a standard, which in front is prolonged and projected into a curved finger-catch p, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. Behind the fingercatch a shoulder r is formed, making a seat for the mechanism to be supported by the trolley.

I is the computing-beam. It consists of two parallel bars, one above the other, with an interval between the proximate edges, and these bars are united at their ends. By means of a pivot s, mounted .in the center block t, form ing part of the lower bar, the beam is properly supported and librated 011 the standard D, which is part of the framework of the scale. Scale-makers will graduate and mark the three spaces afforded by the upper bar and the divided lower bar of the beam, according to the work and result-s desired from a particular scale; but one of the many practical arrangements I will. now describe.

Take the left-hand section of the lower bar. The available marking-space begins at the straight edge of the block t and extends to the left till the boundary is reached of the end space within which can be exactly contained the poise necessary to operate this part of the beam. The marking-space so available I divide into forty equal portions. Along the bottom each of these vertical marks represents a price-rate of one-quarter of a cent; but along the top each mark represents one cent. This (the pri ce-graduation of the beam) is therefore capable of doing its share in any computation involving a .rate from five to sixty cents,with quarter-cent fractions. Take now the upper bar of the beam. he space along this bar I mark off near the top into equal divisions to indicate value. Read along the top of these vertical marks, each mark indicates an increase of one cent and so co-operates with the upper readings, above described, of the left lower bar. Read along the bottom, each mark indicates but one-quarter of a cent, and so corresponds with the lower readings of the left lower bar. Along the bottom of this upper mark I mark the space off into pounds and half-ounces, so that articles may be weighed without computation, or the accuracy of the scale tested by an official inspector. Take now the righthand section of the lower bar. The resting-place of the poise for this bar is against the center block. The rest of the space I have marked off into pounds and ounces when read along the bottom. of the marks. There are no top readings, because it is designed to sometimes use this part of the lower bar and the poise belonging to it for purposes of tare, when the weight of vessels containing articles to be weighed is to be counterbalanced.

On the upper bar of the computing-beam is a sliding poise K, the resting-place of which is at the left-hand extremity of the bar. This poise may be, as shown, cut away on its rear face to form pointers for the upper row of marks along the beam, and on its front face to form a pointer for the lower row of marks. Of course,the weights of the poise are adjusted to enable the value-pointers to be at the rear of this poise, instead of on the front face, they might be, if desired.

On the right-hand section of the lower bar of the beam is a sliding poise L, the restingplace of which, as already stated, is at the left-hand extremityof the section, against the center block. The straight front face of this poise is a su'fficient marker for reading along the single scale of weight-marks; but for convenience that face may be recessed, as shown, to emphasize the indicating to be done by the poise.

lVhen prices or weights run above those provided for on the beam, movable poises, such as are usual in platform-scales, may be used on the swinging seat M, pivotally hung from a goose-neck N, projected from the righthand extremity of the beam. This goose-neck may also be used to check excessive libration of the beam by mounting on the framework an arm 0 with a pair of studs 0 on it, respectively above and below the goose-neck, as shown.

Preparatory to an operation in weighing or computing, the beam I must be balanced. There are various ways of doing this, including the one I have shown, in which a balancing-weight P moves in and out upon a stem projected horizontally from another balancin g-weight It, which moves up an d down upon a vertical screw-stem w, bracketed at the lefthand extremity of the compu tin g-beam. This arrangement insures a nice balancing of the beam upon its fulcrum-pivot.

Upon the left-hand section of the lower bar of the beam is a sliding poise S, which is normally at home anywhere along the beam-section. It is hung in a link T by means of a bolt y in the top of the link, which bolt is axially traversed by a pin .2, supported by and near the top of the poise, a recess a being formed at the top of the poise to accommodate the bolt and the pin. This enables the poise to swing within the link and give nee essary flexibility to the movements of the poise.

The poise S is provided with rollers Z) journaled in the top extremities of the poise, and these fit on the top edge of the left-hand barsection of the beam, without, however, bearing down upon the beam.

The link T, carrying the poise just mentioned, rests with its stem at its rounded bot-- tom upon the shoulder 7' in the upper part of the trolley, and a shoulder-screw g is passed through the trolley and the stem to make a flexible connection between link and trolley, and hold them together when the latter pulls upon the former in the downward movement of the scale. This trolley-borne poise S is hollow, and has a lock U within it supported by springs e resting upon the .floor of the poise, which normally press the lock up against the under edge of the left-hand bar-section upon which the poise slides. This under edge may be toothed, if desired, in correspondence with the markings, to make a firm engagement with the upwardly-pointing prongs of the lock. The lock has a bearing (1 upon each inner face. A thumb-lever \V is pivoted at the back and lower part of the poise, and has lugs e by which it rests upon the bearings cl of the look. It may have, also, a stop 1 underneath to come upon the top surface of the finger-catch p forming the front upper extremity of the trolley, thus to prevent excess ive depression of the springs when the lever is pressed down.

For the operation of the scale the lever F is put in balance upon its pivots by its balancing-weights at the rear end, thus enabling it to support the trolley-bar G, the trolley H, and the poise S from its front end at the balancinglevel. The computing-beam I is also put in balance by the balancing-weights at its left-hand extremity, the poises K and L being in their respective resting-places, as already described. The poise S, though upon the lower bar of the beam, does not disturb nor enter into the balance, because it is supported by the trolley, and is therefore in the balance of the aforesaid lever; and because the bar that supports the trolley is properly parallel, the poise S can be moved to and fro upon the lower bar of the beam without disturbing the beam-balance at any place of its rest. Now put weight upon the platform. The rod 2 pulls down the arm '7', and so depresses the bar G and with it the trolley 11, which, by means of the poise S, depresses the left side of the computing-beam and so throws the beam out of balance. The balance is restored by moving out to the right either the poise K on the upper or the poise L on the lower bar.

Having regard to the system of graduations herein chosen for illustration, suppose the price of an article on the platform to be thirty cents per pound. Take the thumb-lever V and the finger-catch between the thumb and forefinger and press upon the former, thus disengaging the lock U from the bottom edge of the computing-beam, and then move the poise S, by means of and with the trolley, till the upper pointer of the poise is at the mark for thirty cents Then release the thumb-lever, and the lock will again bear upon the edge of the beam. Next move the poise K along the upper bar until the beam balances and the pointer in the rear face of that poise will tell the value of that article.

Suppose an article is to be only weighed. Place a standard one-pound weight upon the platform of the balanced and unoccupied scale, and set the poise K or the poise L at the one-pound mark. Then move the poise S till the scale balances, which will be, let us say, when the lower pointer of that poise is at the figure 8 on the lower line of readings. A mark is then made against that figure to denote the correct position of that poise whenever, in future, there is to be simply a weighing operation. Now remove the standard weight from the platform, put the article thereon, and the poise S being in its proper place for simple weighing move out either of the other poises till the beam is in balance and the weight is told.

Suppose a vessel is put on the platform to contain the commodity. The tare of the Vessel may be balanced either by adjustment of the balance-weight m on the lever or by moving out the poise L, while the poise S is at its weight-mark, till the scale is in balance, and then proceed as before with the weighing or computing.

Having thus described my invention, and disclaiming anything shown or described in the Letters Patent of the United States Nos. 442,218 and 530,930, I claim the following:

The combination, in a platform computing scale, of the hollow scale base; the pair of standards at the rear thereof; the bearings on the inner faces of said standards; the weighing platform supported upon and within the hollow base, and having the feet descending the interior of said base; the pair of connected and pivoted levers within said base, adapted to the support of the aforesaid platform; the vertical rod pivoted to said levers and rising from said scale base; the lever, supported by the aforesaid standards upon the scale base and provided with the pair of fulcrum pivots adapted to engage the bearings upon said standards, and having alsothe central forwardly projected arm pivoted to the aforesaid vertical rod, the adjustable balancing weights at the rear, and the long straight bar at the front, parallel with the aforesaid fulcrum pivots; the broad based trolley, supported upon and moving along the bar at the front of the aforesaid lever and having the pair of wheels resting upon said bar, and further provided with the shoulder in the upper part thereof; the link, supported at the top of the trolley andprovided with the screw adapted to flexibly connect said trolley and link; the hollow block, pivoted at the top to the upper part of said link and adapted to swing therein, and provided interiorly with the spring supported look having an upward bearing; the plate resting on the pair of aforementioned standards of the scale base; the standard rising from said plate; the computing beam formed into two parallel bars and supported bysaid standard, and having the center block adapted to the division of said beam into graduations, the fulcrum pivot adapted to librate the beam upon its standard, the gooseneck at the right hand end and the swinging seat dependent therefrom, and the adjustable balancing weights at the other end of said beam; the sliding poises respectively on the upper bar of the beam, and on the right hand section of adapt said block to traverse said bar section between end and center block; the whole construction and arrangement as described, and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN XV. CULMER. Witnesses J. A. TATRO, G. L. EBERHART.

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