Method and apparatus for separating and sorting articles
AssigneePackage Machinery Company
InventorOren A. Mosher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for separating and sorting articles that are supplied in bulk employs a series of vibratory feeders for generating a stream of the articles and gradually reducing the size of the stream for discharging the articles one by one into an accumulator. Individual articles are dispensed alternately from the accumulator to a pair of weigh scales which supply weight data to a controller for classifying each article in accordance with its weight. The individual articles are released from the weigh scales onto a conveyor where the articles are tracked and then sorted into a series of collectors according to their weight.
Claims15
Article separating and sorting apparatus for articles of various weights comprising:
- feeding means receiving articles in bulk quantities for separating the bulk quantities into a moving stream of individual articles for movement and discharge one by one at a discharge station;
- weigh scale means receiving, weighing and discharging one by one the articles discharged at the discharge station by the feeding means, the weigh scale means producing a signal indicative of the weight of each article received and discharged;
- a plurality of receivers for receiving articles of different weight classes, and
- conveying means receiving the individual weighed articles from the weigh scale means and distributing the articles by weight to the receivers in accordance with the weight signals from the scale means.
Apparatus for separating and sorting articles by weight comprising:
- feeding means for generating a moving stream of individual articles for movement toward a discharge station;
- an accumulator located at the discharge station of the feeding means for receiving and storing articles discharged from the feeding means;
- control means including a sensor associated with the feeding means at the discharge station for detecting the discharge of individual articles from the moving stream, the control means also be operatively connected with the feed means to interrupt a feeding operation with the detection of each article discharged into the accumulator whereby the articles are caused to be discharged into the accumulator one at a time;
- the control means also being connected with the accumulator means for controlling the release of an article stored by the accumulator;
- a weigh scale positioned to receive articles released by the accumulator and generating a weight signal indicative of the measured weight of each article received, the weigh scale including means for discharging a weighed article after weighing;
- and
- conveying means positioned to receive articles discharged from the weigh scale and associated with the weigh scale for receiving the weight signal and distributing the individual articles according to the measured weights.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.