Weaver Wheel balancing machine

[Ercole]

Hi,
To give it it's correct title it is a Weaver Wheel Counterbalancer.
I recently purchased this having seen it on "Ebay" and from the word "counterbalancer" I new that it wouldn't be your normal kind of set-up and it intrigued me.
I don't have any instructions for it yet but I've got it running and tried to balance a wheel on it (which was interesting to say the least!).
I have also put a request on the wanted forum for a copy of the original instructions, but I would love to hear from anyone who has one of these or similar (Kismet Weaver?) and anyone who has used one.
I am in England and this one was made here in Weaver's Bedford factory, but the design was obviously originally from the states and when I go on "Castle Equipment Co" website there is a red one which looks older with the round top and extra foot pedal, but you can see the origins.
As I said I would love to hear from anyone with any knowledge on it including it's age.
Come on guys there must be some old-timers out there who know all about it?

 

[Davros]

Hi, I've got one of these! Basically, having bolted the wheel on (mine has a faceplate onto which you can insert either 4 or 5 radius arms to suit 4 or 5 stud wheels) you pull the clutch out (the flange at the other end of the shaft) so that the drive is dis-engaged. You then switch on the motor and the vibration will help the wheel settle with its heaviest point down - you now have a rough idea where the heaviest point is. Stop the motor and engage the drive clutch by pushing in the flange. Restart the motor and the machine accelerates - you now move each lever slowly around its arc to minimise the wobbling of the pointer - one lever simulates weights and the other rotates the simulated weight around the shaft to provide a simulated weight in opposition to the out of balance wheel. You turn the motor off and when it all comes to rest the position of the two weights you can see through the window correspond to the lightest and heaviest points - from the previous rough assessment you know which is which. You then add the weights indicated on the weight lever to the lightest point - I use stick on weights and put them in the middle of the rim as I don't think you can balance the inner and outer rims separately. I can get the wheels of my Jag pretty spot on by this method - it's certainly smooth to 130 anyway!