Automatic portioning and weighing arrangement

An automatic portioning and weighing arrangement for loose products, said arrangement comprising:

• a collecting capacity for collecting loose products;
• an outer jacket;
• at least one cylindrical store drum which is rotatable about a central axis thereof and disposed substantially horizontally within said outer jacket;
• an eccentric axle disposed substantially parallel to said central axis of said cylindrical store drum;
• a delivery valve pivotally connected at one end thereof to said eccentric axle so as to be pivotally movable thereabout between collection and delivery positions;
• a filing valve which is also pivotally connected at one end thereof to said eccentric axle so as to be pivotally movable thereabout between operative and filling positions;
• wherein
• said store drum includes a portioning capacity extending substantially over a complete length of said store drum, said portioning capacity being defined collectively by a part of said outer jacket and said delivery valve when in said collection position thereof;
• said arrangement further comprises a cam which actuates said delivery valve in response to rotation of said store drum to cause said delivery valve to pivotally move from said collection position into said delivery position against said filling valve in said operative position thereof to allow said products in said portioning capacity to be discharged therefrom;
• and wherein
• said filling valve is pivotally movable from said operative position into said filling position against said delivery valve in said collection position to thereby allow loose product to be introduced into said store drum.