Additive inventory control, batching and delivery system

Apparatus for storing, dispensing, weighing, conveying and charging predetermined quantities of particulate solid ingredients selected from a plurality of different particulate solid ingredients into a plurality of batch blenders arrayed in a blending zone, comprising

• a plurality of particulate solid storage bins arrayed in a storage zone, each provided with a dispensing portal opened and closed by external "open" and "close" dispensing control signals,
• a trolley conveyor track extending beneath the dispensing portals in the storage zone and above the batch blenders in the blending zone,
• a plurality of carriers adapted for carrying batches of particulate solids, each having code indicia displayed thereon,
• a plurality of carrier holders, each movably engaged on the trolley conveyor track for travelling delivery of a carrier between the dispensing portals and the batch blenders,
• carrier holder moving means for propelling each holder along the track or stopping its movement in response to received "start" and "stop" signals,
• weighing means in the storage zone positioned to support a carrier while particulate solid ingredients are loaded therein through each dispensing portal, the weighing means producing a signal corresponding to the weight for the carrier and ingredients loaded therein,
• means at predetermined locations for reading the code indicia on each carrier,
• and a computer control system for receipt and execution of batch mixing receipt programs that prescribe the weights of selected ingredients, the computer control system having means responsive to the outputs of the code indicia reading means and of the weighing means, so as to produce said "start" and "stop" signals controlling the travel of one or more carrier holders for causing a carrier holder to move a carrier into juxtaposition with the dispensing portals of selected storage bins, wherein the computer control system produces said "open" dispensing control signals to dispense the selected ingredients into the carrier and so that the "close" dispensing control signal is generated when the weighing means signal reaches a value corresponding to the recipe prescribed weight for the selected ingredient, and further wherein said "start" and "stop" signals cause the carrier holder to move into juxtaposition with a selected blender after the desired ingredients have been loaded from the storage bins, so as to generate a dumping signal to cause the carrier holder to empty the contents of the carrier into the selected blender.