Antique Hanging Iron Steelyard Balance Scale

This vintage scale may look difficult to understand, but it's brilliant in its simplicity! The item to be weighed is hung from the shorter arm, and a counterweight slides along the longer arm until the scale is balanced. The position of the counterweight on the longer arm indicates the weight of the item in question.
This is a mercantile scale, possibly used by a butcher, or used on a farm, or some other industrial purpose in the early to mid-1800s.
Item Measurements: 17(L) x 3.5(H).