Weighing scales – Computer – Electrical
Patent
1997-06-05
1999-03-30
Gibson, Randy W.
Weighing scales
Computer
Electrical
177 52, G01G 1300
Patent
active
058892354
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a combination weighing machine which can weigh and transport adhesive or sticky articles, such as cut vegetable, pickles and roe, while holding them in article holding means.
BACKGROUND ART
As shown in FIG. 36 which is a partially simplified cross-sectional view, a prior art combination weighing machine includes a cone-shaped distributing table 1 onto which articles 2 to be weighed are supplied. The distributing table 1 distributes the articles 2 outward of the outer periphery of the table 1 by centrifugal force, for example. The articles 2 moved outward of the periphery of the distributing table 1 are fed to a plurality of straight feeders 3 disposed along the outer periphery of the distributing table 1. The straight feeders 3 transport the articles 2 successively outward. The articles 2 discharged from a distal end of each straight feeder 3 drop into a supply hopper 4 disposed beneath the distal end of the feeder 3. The articles 2 in the hoppers 4 are then fed to weighing hoppers 5 which are disposed beneath respective ones of the supply hoppers 4. The articles in each weighing hopper 5 are then weighed by a weight detector 6 which supports that weighing hopper 5. After the articles 2 are weighed, a gate 7 inside each weighing hopper 5 is opened and the weighed articles are fed to a memory hopper 8 disposed beneath the weighing hopper 5. When the weighing hoppers 5 are emptied, other articles are supplied to the weighing hoppers 5 in a manner similar to the one described above. The measured weights of weighed articles in the respective weighing hoppers 5 and the measured weights of weighed articles in the respective memory hoppers 8 are arithmetically combined and processed, and the combination of measured weights which is equal or nearest in weight to a predetermined weight is selected. The articles corresponding to the selected weight are discharged from the weighing hopper 5 and the memory hopper 8. The discharged article 2 are fed to a collection hopper 11 via an individual chute 9 and a collecting chute 10, where they are fed to a packaging machine 12.
Usually, the prior art combination weighing machine shown in FIG. 36 requires at least ten to fourteen weighing hoppers 5, although the number depends on a required measuring precision. These ten to fourteen weighing hoppers 5 are disposed beneath the distal ends of the respective ones of ten to fourteen straight feeders 3. Then, the diameter D (see FIG. 36) of a circle on which the weighing hoppers 5 are disposed is relatively large. For feeding articles selected for combination to the packaging machine 12, the selected articles must be gathered to one location above the packaging machine 12. Therefore the selected articles are fed to the single collection hopper 11. Accordingly, the diameter D of the prior art combination weighing machine is relatively large as shown in FIG. 36, and the length R of the path from the respective weighing hoppers 5 to the collection hopper 11, too, is long accordingly.
For weighing articles which are sticky or adhesive, if the length R of the path 13 is long, amounts of articles sticking to inside walls of the individual chutes 9 and collecting chute 10 which together form the path 13 increase, which results in lowering of the weighing precision of the combination weighing machine.
With the combination machine shown in FIG. 36, the use of the memory hoppers 8 increases the number of weighed articles which can be combined, which can improve the combination weighing precision. However, with this machine, because weighed articles 2 in the weighing hoppers 5 must be removed into the memory hoppers 8, a larger amount of articles, when they are sticky or adhesive, will adhere to the weighing hoppers 5 and the memory hoppers 8, which degrade the combination weighing precision. Then, for sticky or adhesive articles, it sometimes become impossible to use the memory hoppers 8 in order to maintain a desired weighing precision.
In order to maintain a desired weighing precision without
REFERENCES:
patent: 4418772 (1983-12-01), Fukuda
patent: 4420051 (1983-12-01), Furuta et al.
patent: 5340949 (1994-08-01), Fujimura et al.
Higuchi Hiroshi
Kawanishi Shozo
Mikata Yoshitaka
Nakagawa Kenichi
Yamano Seiji
Gibson Randy W.
Yamato Scale Company, Ltd.
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