Digital scale from 1971, with nixies of course

[Paolo Cravero]

Hello.

I didn't know they existed and apparently there were very few models made worldwide: a digital scale with Nixies. At least according to this discussion <https://www.tubeclockdb.com/forum/6-related-technology/2700-nixie-tube-based-weight-scales> from almost 9 years ago.

There is one currently on sale in Italy, an Italiana Macchi Mach 55. See the attached picture. According to the producer's brief history page (http://www.italianamacchi.it/1505-2/) it was made in 1971 and uses an optical transducer. It should contain 29 or 30 nixies, no idea which ones.

It is heavy for shipping. It is 6+6 hours drive from here and I would not know where to display it (not counting the family related "issues"). But it's a good idea for building something different from the ubiquitous clock.

Paolo

[Nick Andrews]

That's very cool!

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[Yohan Park]

Oh boy, that looks a lot like the one at the butcher's when I was a small kid (early seventies)
Does it have Nixies on the other side as well?

[Paolo Cravero]

Il Mer 25 Nov 2020, 00:05 Yohan Park ha scritto:

Does it have Nixies on the other side as well?

I think so, that's why the tube count is close to 30. Unfortunately I have not been able to get a picture of the customer's side but it can be confirmed with other rare pics online. 

Paolo

[Paolo Cravero]

Hello everyone.
You may remember this thread from few months ago when I discovered the
existance of digital scales with Nixie readout. Well, I have been able to get one.

This thing, Italiana Macchi model "Mach 55", weights more than 30 kg
(66 lbs), it is hard to grab and even contains fluid as I painfully
later discovered (a quantity of scale oil used for dumping the
oscillation of the weighting plat that spilled around, whose
smell sticks to the skin for days).

There was one on sale online located in a village along a route to
relatives and the seller was kind enough to keep it for 4 months
until I would pass from there. I got it home few weeks ago and
started working on it to study the internals.

It works, even if the weight reading is on the low side.

Basically it operates as a fixed calculator. Once the tare is set, it is
deduced from the measured weight (5 kg max) and multiplied
in real time times the price set. In 1970's Italy had no decimals
in the Lire currency, so only one decimal point is shown in the
weight counter. On the base of the scale there is a multipole
connector I have not investigated yet, but probably going to
a printer.

The whole scale is made of 5mm (or more) thick metal, probably
Aluminium, with as few as 8 screws. I had to drill the two screws
that keep the display shell together because their head had
vanished. Half of the display shell weights 1.3 kg alone!

Today I've finally managed to open the display head and see which
tubes they used: Philips ZM1000, thirty pieces. Undoubtedly they
have had many hours of operation given the darkening on the
glass (might also be 50 years of dust, too). I attach a picture
with another ZM1000 from my collection whose glass is clear.

I will continue my way into the electronics side of the Mach 55
scale when time allows. Then I will have to decide if it is a
keeper, sell it or scrape it for parts.

I am also in touch with a person that worked in the factory
in those years when this scale was produced and sold, that
is around year 1971. I am trying to figure out a good set
of questions for him.

Paolo