Method and apparatus for conveying linear articles

• US 4,564,103 A
• Filed: 03/17/1982
• Issued: 01/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ishida KOKI Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ishida KOKI Seisakusho
• Inventors: Sashiki, Takashi, Sakaeda, Keiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nase, Jeffrey V.
• Application Number:
  US06/359,138
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 177/25, 198/426, 198/429, 198/751, 198/773-777, 198/443, 198/445, 198/459, 198/358, 198/505, 198/420
• US Class Current: 198/358
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 25/02 the carrier or impeller having different forward and return paths of movement, e.g. walking beam conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 37/00 Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes series of co-operating belt conveyor units B65G15/22; series of co-operating chain conveyor units B65G17/26; sequence control of combined conveyors B65G43/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/393 using two or more weighing units

Abstract

An apparatus for conveying linear articles while maintaining the specific orientation thereof. The apparatus includes a supply station for supplying linear articles having a specific orientation to a plurality of locations, a weighing station for weighing the linear articles deposited in the weighing scales of weighing machines, a pair of walking beams provided along the direction of conveyance with a multiplicity of first holders for taking up the linear articles and with a multiplicity of second holders for taking up the linear articles deposited in the weighing scales of the weighing machines, an electronic computing unit for forming combinations of weight values of the linear articles deposited in the weighing scales of the weighing machines, and for selecting the best combination of weight values whose sum is closest to a preset target weight, and holder drive for actuating those first and second holders which correspond to the weighing machines that give the best combination of weight values. The linear articles are disposed at the plurality of locations and at the weighing stations so as to be situated on circular orbits described by the actuated first and second holders as the walking beams are oscillated. By oscillating the walking beams the linear articles which give the best combination are discharged from the weighing station by the actuated second holders and, at the same time, the weighing scales of the weighing machines giving the best combination are supplied with the articles from the plurality of locations by the actuated first holders.

Claims

1. A conveyance apparatus for conveying linear articles while maintaining the specific orientation thereof, which apparatus comprises:

a supply station for supplying linear articles having a specific orientation, said supply station including an electromatic feeder, and a main trough vibrated by said electromagnetic feeder in such a manner as to dispense a required amount of the linear articles;

distribution means for distributing to a plurality of locations the linear articles supplied by said supply station, and for holding said linear articles at said locations, said distributing means including an arraying tray for receiving the linear articles dispensed by the main trough, said arraying tray having an opening in the bottom thereof, a mechanism for reciprocating said arraying tray along the direction of conveyance, and a stand-by tray adapted to be raised through the opening in said arraying tray, said stand-by tray having a multiplicity of V-shaped grooves in the floor thereof for receiving and holding the linear articles in said arraying tray as said stand-by tray is raised through said opening;

a pair of walking beams having a multiplicity of first holders disposed along the direction of conveyance for taking up the distributed linear articles;

a crank mechanism for oscillating said pair of walking beams while moving them in the direction of conveyance so that said first holders describe circular orbits;

first holder drive means provided on said walking beams for actuating the first holders corresponding to those linear articles that are to be conveyed from the linear articles previously distributed articles to said plurality of locations, in order that the linear articles to be conveyed may be taken up from said previously distributed articles, linear articles being distributed to said plurality of locations so as to be positioned on the circular orbits of the actuated first holders, the linear articles on the circular orbits of said first holders being taken up by said actuated first holders in the course of their circular orbits, and being conveyed forwardly in the direction of conveyance;

a weighing station provided with a plurality of weighing machines arranged in the direction of conveyance, each having a weighing scale, the linear articles distributed to said plurality of locations being conveyed selectively to the weighing scales of said weighing machines;

a multiplicity of second holders provided on said walking beams along the direction of conveyance for taking up the linear articles conveyed to the weighing scales of said weighing machines;

second holder drive means provided on said walking beams for actuating said second holders; and

an electronic computing unit for forming combinations of weight values of the linear articles conveyed to the weighing scales of said weighing machines, for selecting from said combinations the best combination of weight values whose sum is closest to a preset target weight, and for causing said second holder drive means to actuate those second holders that correspond to the weighing machines which give said best combination of weight values, linear articles being deposited in each of said weighing scales so as to be positioned in the circular orbits of the actuated second holders, the linear articles on the circular orbits of said second holders being taken up by said actuated second holders in the course of their circular orbits and being conveyed to a discharge station and, at the same time, predetermined linear articles distributed to said plurality of locations are supplied to the weighing scales of said weighing machines that give the best combination, along the circular orbits of said first holders.