US 4,050,531 AGranted

Beam balance weighing scale with self-aligning point contact support elements

OwnerClifford Logan Ashbrookinventor

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Abstract

A low-cost rugged beam balance weighing scale with an automatically aligning point contact support mechanism. The beam balance is supported centrally of a base and a pair of balance pans are each supported on opposite ends of the beam, with all supports employing a tapered male member terminating in a rounded point and a female member having a recess for receiving the rounded point of the male member. The radius of curvature of the central region of the recess is greater than the radius of curvature of the mating rounded point to ensure point contact support therebetween. Automatic alignment is provided by providing a loose fit between a coupling portion of either the male or the female member and a corresponding mounting aperture in an appropriate support region of the base, beam or balance pan, the aperture being oval and oriented with the maximum inner dimension normal to the longitudinal axis of the beam balance. Several alternate equivalent arrangements are shown for the point contact support elements. The scale is provided with a tare adjustment mechanism, a zero indicator and means for preventing the beam from being completely disengaged from the base.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A beam balance weighing scale comprising:

a base having a fulcrum region extending transversely thereof;
a beam balance adapted to be supported on said base in said fulcrum region for oscillatory motion thereon;
first means for providing point contact support for said beam balance on said base, said first point contact support means including first and second pairs of mating members, each said pair being alternately spaced along said fulcrum region, each said pair comprising a male support member having a centrally arranged longitudinally extending portion tapering inwardly toward one end thereof and terminating in a rounded point having a first radius of curvature, and a coupling portion extending in a generally opposite direction from said one end;
and a female support member having a coupling portion extending in a first direction and a body portion with a centrally arranged recess facing in a direction generally opposite from said first direction for receiving said rounded point, said recess having a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of said rounded point;
said base and said balance beam each being provided with mounting apertures for receiving said coupling portions of said support members, a coupling portion of one of said male and female support members being received in said base mounting aperture and the coupling portion of the remaining one of said male and female support members being received in said balance beam mounting aperture;
and
means for providing automatic alignment for said first point contact support means, said automatic alignment means being provided by a loose fit between one of said coupling portions of each of said pair and the corresponding mounting aperture.

4 more elements

A beam balance weighing scale comprising:

a base having a fulcrum region extending transversely thereof;
a beam balance adapted to be supported on said base in said fulcrum region for oscillatory motion thereon, said beam having a pair of transversely extending outer fulcrum regions each located outboard of said base fulcrum region on opposite sides thereof;
first means for providing point contact support for said beam balance on said base;
a pair of balance pan means each adapted to be supported on said beam in a different one of said outer fulcrum regions for oscillatory motion thereon;
and
second means for providing point contact support for said balance pan means on said beam, said second point contact support means including first and second pairs of mating members for each of said pair of balance pans, each said pair being laterally spaced along the corresponding one of said outer fulcrum regions, each said pair comprising a male support member having a centrally arranged longitudinally extending portion tapering inwardly toward one end thereof and terminating in a rounded point having a first radius of curvature, and a female support member having a centrally arranged recess for receiving said rounded point, said recess having a radius of curvature greater than the radius of curvature of said rounded point, one of said support members of each pair being coupled to said beam, the other of said support members of each pair being coupled to said balance pan means;
and
means for providing automatic alignment for said second point contact support means, said second alignment means being provided by a loose fit between one of said coupling portions of each of said pair of mating members of said second point contact support means and the corresponding mounting aperture.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.