Plural path weight sorting system
AssigneeW. F. Altenpohl, Inc.
InventorsWilliam F. Altenpohl, Paul J. Altenpohl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The loads suspended from poultry carriers are weighed at a monitoring station as the carriers travel along a fixed track. The carriers loaded above a predetermined amount are transferred to a lower level by retraction of a section of the track downstream of the weighing platform. A selectively retractable ejector bar engages a latch arm projecting from each carrier, during descent to the lower level for release of the load suspended on the carrier. Descent of the carrier to the lower level is retarded by a pivoted ramp which also produces a signal to register transfer of a carrier from the fixed track to the lower level.
Claims21
In combination with a conveyor moving a plurality of carriers through at least one monitoring station along a first path of travel, a weight sorting system including sensing means for detecting those of the carriers at said station loaded above a predetermined value, path changing means rendered operative for establishing a second path of travel along which the loaded carriers may be moved by the conveyor at said station, and control means responsive to said detection of the loaded carriers by the sensing means for rendering the path changing means operative to transfer movement of the loaded carriers from the first path to the second path of travel.
In combination with a conveyor moving a plurality of carriers through at least one monitoring station along a first path of travel, an operational control assembly comprising sensing means for detecting selected ones of the carriers at said station, path changing means rendered operative for establishing a second path of travel along which the selected carriers are moved by the conveyor from said station, means responsive to transfer of the selected carriers from the first path to the second path of travel for generating signals registering detection of the selected carriers by the sensing means, and control means connected to the sensing means and the signal generating means for rendering the path changing means operative to effect said transfers of the selected carriers between the paths of travel.
In combination with a conveyor moving a plurality of carriers past at least two monitoring locations along a first path of travel, an operational control assembly associated with each of said locations, comprising sensing means for detecting selected ones of the carriers at said station, path changing means rendered operative for establishing a second path of travel along which the selected carriers are moved by the conveyor from said station, means responsive to transfer of the selected carriers from the first path to the second path of travel for generating signals registering detection of the selected carriers by the sensing means, control means connected to the sensing means and the signal generating means for rendering the path changing means operative to effect said transfers of the selected carriers between the paths of travel and passive means connected to the control means associated with one of the operational control assemblies for engaging the selected carriers during transfer to the second path adjacent one of the monitoring locations.
In combination with a conveyor moving a plurality of carriers in one direction through at least one monitoring station along a path of travel, a fixed track structure disposed substantially parallel to the conveyor comprising a pair of laterally spaced support surface portions between which said carriers are movable along said path of travel, said track structure having at least one gap formed in one of the support surface portions, and movable track means occupying said gap for displacement from a position substantially flush with said one of the support surface portions, said gap and movable track means extending rearwardly at an acute angle to said path of travel relative to said one direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.