Article handling system with dispenser

A vibratory bowl feeder apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a bowl-shaped feeder hopper having a base portion, a sidewall, and a ramp extending upwardly from the base portion which at least partially define a chamber for holding articles to be dispensed;
• (b) the hopper including a first discharge opening communicating with the chamber for discharging a relatively large quantity of articles in a given time interval;
• (c) the hopper including a second discharge opening communicating with the ramp for discharging a relatively small quantity of articles in such given time period;
• and,
• (d) flow restriction means for selectively restricting the flow of articles discharging through the first opening.

An apparatus for dispensing weighed batches of articles, comprising:

• (a) an upstanding base structure;
• (b) a vibratory feeder carried by the base structure and having a bowl type feeder hopper for feeding articles to the discharge station;
• (c) weighing means carried by the base structure and having an accumulator for collecting and weighing articles passing through the discharge station;
• (d) the feeder hopper having sidewall defining a first discharge opening and an upwardly extending ramp communicating with a second discharge opening, the first and second discharge openings being located near each other and at the discharge station;
• and,
• (e) flow restriction means for selectively restricting the flow of articles discharging through the first opening.

An apparatus for dispensing weighed batches of articles, comprising:

• (a) a support structure including an upstanding base portion and a supporting portion which extends forwardly from the base portion near the upper end of the base portion;
• (b) article feeder means carried on the supporting portion for feeding articles to a discharge station located near the forward end of the support portion;
• (c) weighing means carried on the support portion near the forward end of the supporting portion and including:
• (i) a housing structure positioned forwardly of and in the same horizontal plane with portions of the feeder means;
• (ii) an armature movably supported in the housing structure;
• (iii) electrically-operated armature positioning means carried within the housing structure for applying forces to the armature when in use to maintain the armature at a predetermined position;
• (iv) signalling means operably connected to the armature for generating an electrical signal representing the magnitude of the forces applied by the armature positioning means to the armature;
• (v) an accumulator receptacle supported by the armature and positioned to receive and collect articles which pass through the discharge station;
• and
• (d) the weighing means being releasably secured to the supporting portion as a self-contained module to facilitate its removal and installation for servicing and assembly

A mechanism for dispensing in repetitively produced and uniform batches comprising:

• (a) a vibratory feeder hopper having a bottom wall, a first discharge structure for delivering a relatively high volume of products and a ramp extending upwardly from the bottom wall and communicating with a second discharge structure for delivering products at a relatively slow rate;
• (b) an accumulator assembly for receiving products delivered by the discharge structures, the accumulator assembly including measuring apparatus responsive to predetermined product delivery conditions;
• (c) flow control means operable connected to the first discharge structure and the measuring apparatus for causing the termination of product delivery from the first discharge structure when a predetermined condition is reached;
• and,
• (d) said flow control means also being operably connected to the second discharge structure to cause the termination of product delivery from the second discharge structure when the accumulator has collected a complete batch.