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Help identifying this apothecary/laboratory balance
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<p>[QUOTE="Phil Douglas, post: 2190679, member: 13223"]A balance can have its sensitivity changed either by design, or due to wear. If you look at my incredibly crap picture you can see the beam, which holds the two pans equidistant from the main pivot. The pivots holding the two pans should be on the same level as the main pivot -- if they are lower, the sensitivity will be reduced, and it will tend to sit in the middle even when there is a difference between the pans. If they are higher, it will never find a balance position. The sensitivity can also be changed by adding more weight to the bit that hangs down from the beam that I've marked sensitivity, or lowering the weight so it is further below the main pivot point.</p><p>The image I grabbed marked two pan three knife edge gives a clearer impression, showing a laboratory analytical balance. There is a nut which can be made to travel up or down called the Sensitivity Adjustment nut, moving the centre of gravity of the beam higher or lower with respect to the pivot, the central knife edge.</p><p>I'm guessing that you nice balance would have been used in a shop selling something quite expensive by weight[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Phil Douglas, post: 2190679, member: 13223"]A balance can have its sensitivity changed either by design, or due to wear. If you look at my incredibly crap picture you can see the beam, which holds the two pans equidistant from the main pivot. The pivots holding the two pans should be on the same level as the main pivot -- if they are lower, the sensitivity will be reduced, and it will tend to sit in the middle even when there is a difference between the pans. If they are higher, it will never find a balance position. The sensitivity can also be changed by adding more weight to the bit that hangs down from the beam that I've marked sensitivity, or lowering the weight so it is further below the main pivot point. The image I grabbed marked two pan three knife edge gives a clearer impression, showing a laboratory analytical balance. There is a nut which can be made to travel up or down called the Sensitivity Adjustment nut, moving the centre of gravity of the beam higher or lower with respect to the pivot, the central knife edge. I'm guessing that you nice balance would have been used in a shop selling something quite expensive by weight[/QUOTE]
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