Improved Coin Balance

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Although we have many coin weighers that will tell us if the coin be the proper weight or not, these do not save the public from much fraud, as a counterfeit coin is often the correct weight but not the exact size, so that we require a measurer as well as weigher. Our illustration shows a balance for this purpose, the invention of F.J. Herpers, 432 Washington street, Newark, N. .T., which consists in a balance, suspended from an axis and having a broad expansion on one side and a scale and weight on the other ; the coin is placed in its appropriate slit in the broad end, and if it exactly fits, then its size is correct, and the weight, F, being adjusted to the coin by the graduated scale, E, the indicator, 1, will show whetlfer it is good or base. The construction of the little apparatus is simple. A is the stand, B are two supports, their edges turned inwards, as seen at Figs. 2 and 3, to form a frame wherein the two supports, H, can slide ; in each of these slides is a heart shaped groove in which the knife-edge of the beam, J, rests. When not required to be poised so up when not in use, as it also allows J to rest on B. Tiie balance, C, is supported from the beam, J, by the connections, G', and underneath, C, there is a rack, c, which is to support the coin in the measuring slit. It is applicable to all kinds of currency and can be graduated to suit any standard. The bearings as to weigh, the beam is in the position shown in Fig. 2, resting on B, but when it is wanted, the thumb is pressed on the lever, K, which moves on an axis, L, and lifting up the wires, M, raises H to the position shown in Fig. 3 The smstU spring, h, tends to keep the lever of the knife edges may be applied to all kinds ?of balances for weighing diamonds or analytical purposes, and it is a cheap and useful little addition to every counting-house. It was patented Dec. 29, 1857, by the inventor, who will give any further information on being addressed as above.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 13 Issue 25This article was published with the title “Improved Coin Balance” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 13 No. 25 (), p. 200
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican02271858-200a

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