Method and apparatus for weighing divided portions
AssigneeCreative Automation, Inc.
InventorPaul Hebenstreit
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for automatically weighing portions of semi-solid matter using a weigh station having a rotating receptacle which receives the portion so that an accurate weight indication of the portion can be taken, and propels the portion from the weigh station to a further conveyor or processing system, a drive motor which powers the weigh station through a disengageable motor drive connection, and a weight signal processor which converts and stores the weight indications as weight data and transmits appropriate control signals to the drive motor, whereby variations in the weight of each portion are measured and evaluated to control the further processing of each portion, according to whether the portion weight is within predetermined parameters.
Claims21
A method of weighing a plurality of portions of semi-solid matter comprising the steps of:
- providing a receptacle for receiving individual portions;
- rotatably mounting said receptacle to a load cell for producing electrical indications according to an applied load;
- providing a motor which operates in response to a control signal;
- connecting the motor to the receptacle with a disengageable connection for driving the receptacle in rotary motion;
- sending a control signal to the motor to disengage the connection after a portion is received;
- and
- determining the weight of the portion from load cell indications after the connection is disengaged.
A method of weighing a plurality of portions of semi-solid matter comprising the steps of:
- providing a receptacle for receiving individual portions;
- rotatably mounting said receptacle to a load cell for producing electrical indications according to an applied load;
- providing a motor which operates in response to a control signal;
- connecting the motor to the receptacle with a disengageable connection which operates in response to a control signal;
- sending a control signal to the connection to disengage after a portion is received;
- and
- determining the weight of the portion from load cell indications after the connection is disengaged.
An apparatus for weighing a plurality of portions of semi-solid matter comprising:
- a load cell for producing electrical indications according to an applied load;
- a receptacle rotatably mounted to said load cell for receiving individual portions;
- a motor which operates in response to a control signal for driving the receptacle in rotary motion;
- a disengageable connection between the motor and the receptacle;
- and
- a processor in electrical communication with the load cell and the motor, the processor programmed to receive electrical indications from the load cell for determining a portion weight and to send a control signal to the motor to disengage the connection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.