Sorting and counting tray
OwnerMichael L. Pinizzotto, Nancy J. Pinizzottoinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tray for receiving a multiplicity of small objects, such as pills, nuts and bolts or sundry items, to be sorted and/or counted. The tray includes an integral funnel-shaped outlet for dispensing or discharging the sorted and counted objects. A series of score lines or lines of weakness are provided around the surface of the funnel-shaped outlet at its discharge end to enable the discharge end of the outlet to be cut to a desired diametrical outlet size corresponding to the size of the objects to be counted out and/or sorted in the tray and poured through the funnel-shaped into a dispensing or storage bottle or container. In a second embodiment, removably-securable separate funnel-sections are provided, with each having the size entrance mouth but different size exit mouth.
Claims10
Apparatus for sorting and counting small objects comprising:
- a) a tray-type housing having a bottom wall and a side wall which encircles the bottom wall at the rim thereof and extends upwardly therefrom, said side wall being of reduced height in the area of a forward portion of said housing;
- b) a frustro-conical-like funnel mounting section connected to and forming an integral forwardly projecting part of said tray-type housing at said forward portion thereof, said funnel-mounting section having an object entrance mouth at one end and an object discharge mouth at its other end;
- and
- c) at least two funnel sections for removable securement to said funnel-mounting section;
- d) said funnel-mounting section comprising first mounting means for removably securing one of said at least two funnel sections;
- e) each of said funnel sections comprising second mounting means for cooperating with said first mounting means for removably securing the respective said funnel section to said funnel-mounting section;
- f) each of said funnel sections comprising an open mouth entrance of the same size and dimensions, and each funnel section comprising an open exit mouth having a size and dimension different from any other said funnel section.
A method of sorting objects for storage in a container, comprising:
- a) placing a plurality of objects to be poured into a container onto a tray-support structure having a support-surface and funnel-mounting portion;
- b) removably securing a first end of a first funnel section to the funnel-mounting portion where the interior of the first funnel section opens up to the tray-support surface;
- c) placing a second end of the first funnel section into a mouth of a container;
- d) tilting the tray-support structure and pouring the plurality of objects through the first funnel section into the container;
- e) removing the first funnel section from the tray-support structure;
- f) removably securing to the funnel-mounting portion a second funnel section having the same inlet size as the first funnel section and having a different outlet size from the first funnel section;
- g) placing the exit end of the second funnel section into a mouth of a different container having an entrance mouth of different size than the container used in said step (d);
- h) tilting the tray-support structure and pouring objects through the second funnel section into the different container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.