PRODUCT WEIGHING SYSTEM

• US 3,705,636 A
• Filed: 12/28/1970
• Issued: 12/12/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Robert Dunphy, Richard Lee Helseth
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Robert Dunphy, Richard Lee Helseth
• Inventors: Dunphy, Kenneth Robert, Helseth, Richard Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, Jr., Robert S.
• Application Number:
  US05/101,466
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 177/114,120,122,123,1,210
• US Class Current: 177/114
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/08 wherein the main feed is effected by mechanical conveying means, e.g. by belt conveyors, by vibratory conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/28 involving variation of an electrical variable which is used to control loading or discharge of the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 7/02 by electromagnetic action

Abstract

A product weighing system having a beam balance which includes a beam having a product receiving station and pivot means forming a support fulcrum for the beam. Position responsive means are coupled to the beam and are adapted to deliver a signal representing the immediate disposition of the beam. The position responsive means includes a transformer having primary and secondary windings, along with movable core means inductively coupling the windings one to another. The core means is operatively coupled to the beam, the arrangement being such that movement of the beam is adapted to vary the inductive coupling between the primary and secondary windings so as to deliver a signal representing the immediate disposition of the beam balance. Means are provided for coupling the signal to a product delivering conveyor, a weighing container, and gates which function in combination with the conveyor and control delivery of product into the weigh container. If desired, the signal may also be coupled to read-out means including visual or audible readout.

Claims

1. In a product weighing system:

a. a single product delivering conveyor and beam balance means including a beam having a product receiving station adapted to receive product from said conveyor, and pivot means forming a support fulcrum for said beam;

b. position responsive means coupled to said beam and adapted to deliver a signal representing the immediate disposition thereof, said position responsive means including a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and movable core means inductively coupling said windings, one to another, said core means being operatively coupled to said beam with the movement of said beam being adapted to vary the inductive coupling between said primary and secondary windings;

c. power supply means coupled to said primary winding and adapted to deliver electrical power to said primary winding at a substantially constant potential;

d. said product receiving station being a weigh container disposed along said product delivering conveyor, said container having side walls, an open top and a bottom closure wall adapted to intermittently open in response to a signal from said transformer indicating said beam balance means having reached a certain limited predetermined position indicating a fill of product having been received;

1 e. said conveyor means having first and second delivery channels with Said first delivery channel receiving product at a substantially greater rate from said conveyor than said second delivery channel, each delivery channel being disposed immediately adjacent said weigh container and being arranged to deposit product into said weigh container with each delivery channel having reciprocatorily movable gate means for controllably interrupting flow of product into said weigh container, the gate means for said first delivery channel being closed in response to a first signal generated by said transformer indicating said beam balance means having reached a certain first predetermined position which is prior to reaching said limited predetermined position, the gate means for said second delivery channel remaining open and continuing to deliver product to said weigh container until being closed in response to a second signal generated by said transformer indicating said beam balance means having reached said limited predetermined position; and

f. means interrupting said product delivering conveyor in response to said second signal.

2. The product weighing system as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that read-out means are provided, with said transformer being coupled to said read-out means.

3. The product weighing system as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that the secondary windings of said transformer are coupled to amplifier means, with the magnitude of signals from said secondary winding being controllably adjustable.