Dayton Computing Scale

Name/Title

"Dayton" Computing Scale

Entry/Object ID

1972.05.03

Description

large scale with marble flat surface. Has raised oval tag that says "The Computing Scale Co." "Dayton Ohio, U.S.A." embossed along with serial number "15587" and patent dates - June 26, 1888 - Nov. 22, 1892 and Oct. 9, 1894. Base is cast iron - Rod that has amounts looks to be brass along with the slide. Weight is solid iron - marble top has bottom right corner chipped away.

Use

a weighing machine that indicates both weight and the proper selling price for that weight In The Encyclopedia American, 1903–1905, it was “classified as follows: Platform scales with change of leverage.”1 The price beam and money-value beam are mounted in a frame that slides left and right to change the leverage (lift the small handle on the left and slide the frame). This is how the price per pound is set. No competitors ever used a change-of-leverage mechanism, and within 10 years, it was surpassed by other technologies. The total capacity is 100 pounds (45 kg), which was a huge market advantage because other price computing scales only went up to 10 pounds at the most. The price beam and the additional weights have two graduations for prices, and the money-value beam also has two graduations―in all cases, one being four times the other (for example, see the photo of the weights). The grocer either used the lower amounts on both the beams and the weights, or the grocer used the upper amounts for all readings to make it work. https://isasc.omeka.net/items/show/207

Acquisition

Accession

1972.05

Source or Donor

William Elton Derenberger

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Computing Scale Company

Date made

circa 1894

Place

City

Dayton

State/Province

Ohio

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Scale, Computing

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Scale

Nomenclature Class

Weights & Measures T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 05: Tools & Equipment for Science & Technology