On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:22:22 -0400, Joe
wrote:

OK, I posted a photo in the Dropbox: Hay_CottonScale.gif & Hay_CottonScale.txt
Coming from this area, it's possible that it's a cotton scale, but I still don't
know what would have been attached to the left side to bring it level. The scale
is 0 - 50 lbs. Maybe a pan - it took about 2.75 lbs to level it out.

Hi Joe,

I suspect you only have the beam portion of a platform
scale. Take a look at Fig 1 in this old patent diagram:

http://www.google.com/patents?vid=1072020

It looks like your beam may have been meant to sit in some
sort of framework. That would explain why it doesn't have
any hooks to hang it up with or hang stuff to be weighed on.

The McFarlane patent diagrams also use the same shape of
cut-out on the sliding weight. I couldn't find out much
about McFarlane Manufacturing other than they did make some
platform scales that used a dial indicator...

It seems like I have seen some floor type platform scales
that used a similar balance beam system before. Maybe this
will stir up some other peoples memories of what they looked
like.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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