Spring Scales

Spring Scales

The first spring balance in Britain was made around 1770 by Richard Salter of Bilston, near Wolverhampton.

4 spring scales from my collection. Three of the scales I purchased recently. I got a pretty good deal on the three for $20. The American scale I've had for awhile and didn't pay very much for that either.

John Chatillon & Sons

American - Not sure if this is the manufacturer? Still researching..

Excelsior- Sargent & Co

SPRING SCALES & "Not Legal for Trade"
A spring scale or spring balance or newton meter is a type of mechanical force gauge or weighing scale. It consists of a spring fixed at one end with a hook to attach an object at the other.

It works by Hooke's Law, which states that the force needed to extend a spring is proportional to the distance that spring is extended from its rest position. Therefore, the scale markings on the spring balance are equally spaced. A spring scale cannot measure mass, only weight.

A spring balance can be calibrated for the accurate measurement of mass in the location in which they are used, but many spring balances are marked right on their face "Not Legal for Trade" or words of similar import due to the approximate nature of the theory used to mark the scale. Also, the spring in the scale can permanently stretch with repeated use.

CHATILLON
The John Chatillon & Sons Company was formed in 1835 in New York. Today the Chatillon brand is part of the AMETEK Sensors, Test & Calibration business unit. Chatillon Precision Weighing is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and developers of precision weighing solutions.

SARGENT
In 1810, the Sargent family entered the hardware business. Joseph Bradford Sargent and his two brothers operated a wholesale hardware business in New York City, and subsequently obtained an interest in one of their suppliers, the Peck and Walter Manufacturing Company of New Britain, CT. This company was the predecessor to the present SARGENT Manufacturing Company.