Patent attributes
A mechanical scale has a weighing basket with a platform having entrance and exit ends. A hanging assembly for supporting the weighing basket includes a break-over beam. A counterweight assembly is connected to the break-over beam and is adjustable to select a threshold scale weight required to trigger a scale-operated feature, such as a spray marking mechanism. The counterweight assembly has a weight selection device bracket pivotally mounted to the frame assembly about a pivot point, and a freely moveable counterweight mass supported by the bracket. The freely moveable counterweight mass is moveable from a first position to a second position when the threshold scale weight is exceeded in the weighing basket, thereby causing an abrupt triggering of the scale-operated feature when the threshold scale weight is exceeded in the weighing basket. The freely moveable counterweight mass is a rolling spherical member enclosed within a hollow chamber inside the bracket.