COUNTER MACHINE

Introduction

A counter machine is an equal arm weighing

instrument of a capacity not exceeding 50kg, the
pans of which are above the beam.

The machines may be of the following maximum

capacities 500g, 1kg, 2kg, 3kg, 5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg,
25kg, 30kg and 50kg.
Types of counter machines

Three types of counter machines are Roberval,

Beranger and Phanzeder

Roberval and Beranger are commonly used

Static enigma
Roberval counter machine are working on the principle of static
enigma.

In 1669 Gilles Personnel de Roberval invented a device.

He deduced from experiments with this contrivance that provided the
beam, legs and stay comprise perfect parallelograms and the
movable poises are of equal weight a condition of equipoise will be
maintained in the assembly regardless of the position of each poise on
the arm from which it is suspended.
Static enigma…..cont….

Fig 1.principle of static enigma

Construction details of Roberval counter machines

Fig 2. Roberval counter machine

Construction details of Roberval counter machines……cont…

Early in nineteenth century the conventional Roberval counter machine was

evolved by substituting, for the arms attached to the legs in static enigma,
pans mounted above the beam on upward projecting

If a load be placed on either pan with its Centre of the mass immediately over
the terminal knife-edge, no torque or turning moment is induced.

Eccentric dispositioning of a load on a pan, i.e nearer to or more remote from

the fulcrum knife-edge, produces couples of differing significance, tending to
equalize wear on the leg/stay and stay/Centre fork bearing surface
Essentials for accuracy

The arms of the beam must be equal.

 Each leg must be equal in length to the vertical distance
between the fulcrum knife edge and the stay contact on
Centre fork.
The two halves of the stay should be equal in length and as
near as may be, to the length of the beam.
Length of leg should be as great as possible.
Essentials for accuracy…..cont….

The pan should not be of unnecessarily generous size in relation to

the capacity of the machine.
The vertical distance between the terminal knife edges and their
associated scale pans should be as small as practicable
Knife edges bearing and the contact edges of stay, legs and Centre
fork should be of hard steel, should be of adequate length and
continuous in regard to contact edge.
Effect of Long leg

Figure 3-Roberval counter machine-effect of long leg

Weight near to the outside edge of the pan

 The moment of W about B induces a thrust along

stay DE which, being resisted by centrefork, causes a
reaction along ED in downward direction,

 The pressure on terminal knife-edge B will be

increased in consequence, the weight W has an
apparent value in excess of true weight
Weight near to the inside edge of the pan

 The moment of W about B induces a tension along

stay DE to maintain equilibrium.

 This force tends to lift up the leg BD, resulting in

weight W having an apparent value less than
true weight
Effect of short leg

Figure 4:Roberval counter machine –effect of short leg

Weight near to the outside edge of the pan

 Here the reaction along the stay from D to E

diminishes the pressure of W on B and the apparent
weight W is less than true weight
Weight near to the inside edge of the pan

 Here the reaction of the centrefork E imposes an

extra pressure on knife-edge B, causing W to have
apparent weight in excess of true weight.