W & T Avery Limited

Andrew C Ferguson

A price computing weighing scale has a platform 10 and a m in housing 14 and also incorporates a printer unit 16 located between the platform 10 and the main housing 14 so as to be removable as a unit whereby the scale can be supplied with or without a printing facility. Location of the printer unit 16 within the area beneath the platform 10 minimises the counter space occupied by the weighing scale and printer.

Weighing scales incorporating printers

A force transducer comprises a block of material which is formed with a generally U-shaped or pi-shaped throughaperture 24 and a generally T-shaped throughaperture 26 in such a way as to form two loading members 10, 12 coupled together by first flexure elements 14, 16 which constrain the loading members to move in a predetermined direction under load and a second pair of flexure elements 18, 20 united by a connecting portion 22. In use, one loading member is connected to a fixture and the other is connected to a force receiver so that when one loading member is displaced relative to the other in said predetermined direction, the second flexure strips 18, 20 undergo a lateral deflection which is a measure of the applied force. This arrangement is particularly suitable for use with strain gauges as the flexures 18, 20 are subjected to a substantially uniform stress along their lengths when loaded.

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Sutton Coldfield, United Kingdom

Andrew C Ferguson