Combination weighing machine with feed control
AssigneePackage Machinery Company
InventorsOren A. Mosher, Ellwood S. Douglas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A combination weighing machine has a plurality of weigh scales for weighing quantities of product, and the scales are selectively dumped and loaded in a cyclic operation to form a package containing a number or weight of product that closely approximates a target amount. The machine includes a plurality of feeders and corresponding accumulators that are associated respectively with the scales for loading product into the scales after they are dumped. To ensure a more accurate feeding of product to a scale, a sensor is provided for detecting the pieces of product as they are loaded into the associated accumulator from a feeder, and the feeder is regulated in accordance with the pieces of product detected to control the duration of feeder operation.
Claims21
A combination weighing machine having a plurality of weigh scales for weighing quantities of product, the scales being selectively dumped and loaded in a cyclic machine operation to form a package containing a number or weight of product at or closely approximating a target amount, including a plurality of feeders and corresponding accumulators disposed below the feeders to receive falling product, the accumulators being associated respectively with the scales for loading the received product into the scales comprising:
- sensing means associated with the accumulator of a weigh scale for detecting product discharged from the associated feeder during the fall into the accumulator and producing a control signal indicative of the discharged product;
- and
- feeder control means connected in controlling relationship with the feeder to operate the feeder for an indeterminate period during a cycle of machine operation, the control means also being responsive to the control signal of the sensing means for terminating the indeterminate period of feeder operation and the discharging of product into the accumulator for preparation of a charge of product for the associated scale.
A combination weighing machine having a plurality of weigh scales for receiving quantities of product to be weighed and combined in selected combinations to form targeted amounts of product, and a plurality of vibratory feeders disposed above corresponding accumulators to drop product into the accumulators, the accumulators being associated respectively with the plurality of weigh scales for feeding product to the scales as needed, comprising:
- a vibrator control having a vibrator control channel associated with a vibratory feeder for controlling the operation of the feeder at selected times during the machine operation to feed product from the feeder into the corresponding accumulator, the control channel having means for initiating the operation of the feeder in response to a need for product and means for terminating the operation of the feeder in response to the detection of product dropping from the feeder to the accumulator whereby the amount of product fed to the accumulator and associated scale is precisely controlled.
A method of feeding product in a combination weighing machine having a plurality of weigh scales which receive product from a corresponding plurality of feeders and associated accumulators for weighing and combining product in amounts closely approximately a predetermined target amount comprising:
- positioning the feeders above the associated accumulators to permit product to drop along feed paths between the feeders and associated accumulators;
- energizing a feeder to cause product to be discharged from the feeder and drop along the feed path into the associated accumulator;
- detecting pieces of product being discharged from the feeder into the associated accumulator while the pieces are dropping along the feed path to establish the amount of product discharged;
- and
- terminating the energizing of the feeder and the discharging of product in accordance with the pieces of discharged product detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.