Weighing method and apparatus
AssigneeHobart Engineering Limited
InventorJack Hobart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Weighing apparatus conveys irregular pieces of product to a grading device for separating the regular pieces into two fractions respectively containing relatively smaller-sized pieces and relatively larger-sized pieces. A second conveyor conveys the larger-sized pieces to a weighing device until a batch of the product is accumulated having a weight slightly less than the required batch weight, and a third conveyor adds smaller-sized pieces to the batch until the minimum batch weight is achieved.
Claims9
A method of weighing a product made up of irregular pieces into a batch of predetermined weight, including grading a flow of the irregular pieces to separate smaller-sized pieces from the flow, conveying the remaining flow of pieces towards a weighing device, delivering pieces from the remaining flow to a first weighing station of the weighing device until a batch of the product is accumulated having a weight slightly less than said predetermined weight, subsequently transferring the batch to a second weighing station of the weighing device for determining when the batch just achieves the said predetermined weight, and adding the smaller-sized pieces to the second weighing station whilst pieces are being delivered from the remaining flow to the first weighing station for accumulating the next batch.
Apparatus, for weighing a product made up of irregular pieces into a batch of predetermined weight, including a first conveyor means for conveying the irregular pieces, a grading device to which the irregular pieces are conveyed by said first conveyor means, said grading device being arranged to separate the irregular pieces into two fractions respectively containing relatively smaller-sized pieces and relatively larger-sized pieces, a weighing device for weighing pieces of the product, a second conveyor means for conveying the relatively larger-sized pieces from the grading device to the weighing device, a third conveyor means for conveying the relatively smaller-sized pieces from the grading device to the weighing device, control means associated with the weighing device and the second and third conveyor means whereby the second conveyor means will be operated to deliver relatively larger-sized pieces to the weighing device until a batch has been accumulated having a weight slightly less than said predetermined weight and the third conveyor will be operated to add relatively smaller-sized pieces to the batch until the said predetermined weight is just achieved, and a demand-sensing device arranged operatively between said grading device and said third conveyor means for sensing the rate at which smaller-sized pieces should be supplied to the third conveyor means to maintain a satisfactory equilibrium and for returning any surplus supply of smaller-sized pieces to said second conveyor means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.