Apparatus and method for dispensing batches of articles
AssigneeBatching Systems, Inc.
InventorsDonald R. Wooldridge, John L. Ditman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and a method for aggregating a desired number of articles without individually counting out each article to achieve the desired number. A stream of the articles is discharged into a weigh hopper until substantially a predetermined weight of articles is in the hopper. The number of articles in the hopper is determined from the total weight of the hopper and the weight of a single article. Additional articles are caused to enter the hopper one-by-one until the desired total number of articles is contained in the hopper. The contents of the hopper are then packaged for distribution.
Claims18
Apparatus for receiving a plurality of individual articles and for feeding and dispensing the articles in predetermined batches, said apparatus comprising:
- a. a feeder bowl for receiving a plurality of articles to be arranged in predetermined batches, the bowl including a spiral track along which articles within the bowl are caused to move by vibrating the bowl, the bowl including a first discharge port and a second discharge port, wherein the track includes a narrow ledge upstream of the first discharge port to pass articles individually in single file order and the track upstream of the second discharge port has a width to pass articles to the second discharge port in a stream containing a plurality of articles;
- b. an intermediate receiver positioned to receive articles discharged form the first and second discharge ports, the intermediate receiver including a first discharge chute for receiving articles discharged from the first discharge port and a second discharge chute for receiving articles discharged from the second discharge port, wherein each of the first and second discharge chutes includes a respective chute outlet door operable to control the flow of articles from the respective discharge chutes;
- and
- c. a weighing device positioned to receive articles discharged from the first and second discharge chutes of the intermediate receiver, the weighing device including a container and a weighing means associated with the container for sensing the weight of the container and its contents.
Apparatus for receiving a plurality of individual articles and for feeding and dispensing the articles in predetermined batches, said apparatus comprising:
- a. a feeder bowl for receiving a plurality of articles to be arranged in predetermined batches, the bowl including a spiral track along which articles within the bowl are caused to move by vibrating the bowl, the bowl including a first discharge port and a second discharge port, wherein the first discharge port is adapted to pass articles individually and the second discharge port is adapted to pass articles in a stream containing a plurality of articles;
- b. an intermediate receiver positioned to receive articles discharged form the first and second discharge ports, the intermediate receiver including a first discharge chute for receiving articles discharged from the first discharge port and a second discharge chute for receiving articles discharged from the second discharge port, wherein each of the first and second discharge chutes includes a respective chute outlet door operable to control the flow of articles from the respective discharge chutes;
- and
- c. a weighing device positioned to receive articles discharged from the first and second discharge chutes of the intermediate receiver, the weighing device including a container and a weighing means associated with the container for sensing the weight of the container and its contents;
- and
- d. a diverter gate positioned adjacent the second exit track for diverting flow of articles from the second exit track to the second discharge port.
Apparatus for receiving a plurality of individual articles and for feeding and dispensing the articles in predetermined batches, said apparatus comprising:
- a. a dual-flow, vibratory, article feeder bowl for receiving a plurality of articles, the bowl including a first exit track having a narrow ledge for feeding articles individually to a first discharge port and a second exit track having a width greater than the narrow ledge for feeding articles in a stream to a second discharge port;
- b. a dual chamber accumulator positioned to receive articles from the feeder bowl, the accumulator including a first chamber for receiving individual articles that exit from the first discharge port, and a second chamber for receiving a plurality of articles that exit as a group from the second discharge port, each chamber including a discharge door to discharge articles from the respective chambers;
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- c. a weigh hopper positioned to receive articles discharged through the discharge doors of the accumulator and provide a signal indicative of the weight of articles within the hopper.
A method for accumulating a predetermined number of articles, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. loading a feeder bowl with a plurality of the articles;
- b. discharging a stream of articles from the feeder bowl through a second discharge port into a weigh hopper until a predetermined weight of articles is received in the weigh hopper;
- c. determining the number of articles in the weigh hopper based upon the weight of the weigh hopper and the weight of an individual article;
- c. individually discharging a sufficient number of additional articles from the feeder bowl through a first discharge port into the weigh hopper until a desired total number of articles is determined to be within the weigh hopper;
- and
- d. discharging the articles from the weigh hopper into a container positioned to receive articles discharged from the weigh hopper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.