ACME egg scale

ACME egg-grading scale by The Specialty Mfg. Co.

This is certainly not a postal or letter scale, it's an egg-grading scale. This egg scale is an invention of Norton E. Chapman of St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. A patent application was made September 26, 1922. A patent was granted June 24 1924. The US patent number is 1,499,153. Its purpose is to quickly grade eggs according to weight. A heavier egg will lift more strips. The weight is indicated by the figures 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28

back of egg-grading scale

animation: weighing an egg move mouse over photo

patent figures 1 & 2

and 30. These are the egg grades. When grading an egg and the figure 24 is the lowest figure still visible, this means a dozen of those eggs weighs about 24 ounces. The patent figures show some differences with the photographed egg scale. Some variations in the construction of the strips grid were made during the years this egg scale was produced. I don't know for how many years this egg scale was in production. Below are some more pictures of this ACME egg scale.

ACME egg-grading scale	the egg grades	counterweight
the grid for the strips	the bottom of the base	side view