Method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling the filling of receptacles with a determined weight of material

• US 4,635,689 A
• Filed: 11/15/1984
• Issued: 01/13/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Etablissements A. Bertaud
• Original Assignee: Etablissements A. Bertaud
• Inventors: Graffin, Andre J. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cusick, Ernest G.
• Application Number:
  US06/671,668
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 177/58, 177/25, 177/1, 141/83, 141/1, 141/98, 141/129, 141/144-152, 141/167, 141/181-183, 141/188, 141/250, 141/255, 141/258, 141/259, 141/392, 141/128
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/26 Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled

Abstract

A rotary carrousel of a filling installation includes a plurality of filling stations each equipped with a volumetric dispenser (37) whose volume may be varied by varying its dispensing time or the stroke of a piston in a cylinder. At least one of the filling stations includes a balance (36). As a receptacle (39) passes through the filling installation in a filling station equipped with a balance, it is first weighed empty while the corresponding dispenser (37) is filled, and it is then weighed continuously as the material is transferred from the dispenser to the receptacle. The actual weight of material dispensed is determined by comparing the full and empty weights of the receptacle. This weight is compared with a set weight. Any drift which is detected from the set weight can be corrected for subsequent receptacles passing through the filling installation by varying the volume of the material dispensed.

Claims

1. A method of filling receptacles in a filling installation including a rotary carrousel having a plurality of filling stations, each including a volumetric dispenser having a piston (28) movable into a cylinder (13), said method comprising the steps of:

(a) successively and individually introducing the receptacles in a filling station and weighing at least one receptacle placed in a control filling station while said receptacle is still empty,

(b) simultaneously with step (a), filling a corresponding volumetric dispenser (37) having its piston (28) connected to a common adjustable volume control member (34),

(c) filling each receptacle by emptying said corresponding volumetric dispenser into said receptacle,

(d) simultaneously with step c, continuously weighing said receptacle at said control filling station and comparing an actual net weight of product in said receptacle at said control filling station with a reference value weight, and

(e) setting said volume control member according to a difference between said actual net weight of product and said reference value weight as soon as said volumetric dispenser is empty at said control station.

2. A receptacle filling installation, comprising:

a rotary carrousel, a plurality of filling stations on said carrousel each comprising a volumetric dispenser (37) including a piston (28) movable into a cylinder (13), and means for filling said volumetric dispenser with a product and for thereafter emptying said volumetric dispenser into a receptacle to thus fill said receptacle, said piston (28) of each dispenser being connected to a common control member (34) by an actuating member (33), said control member including an adjustable volume determining portion (341) having a position determined by a setting member (42), at least one of the filling stations including a receptacle weighing balance which moves with an associated station such that said weighing balance progressively stabilizes during the filling of said receptacle, said installation further comprising a control unit (41) receiving outputs from said weighing balance as inputs for storing a weight of an empty receptacle when introduced on a weighing balance and determining a net weight of product in said receptacle at said weighing balance, said control unit having an output connected to said setting member for adjusting the position of said volume determining portion in response to a difference signal between an input signal from a weighing balance and a reference value when the volumetric dispenser associated with said weighing balance is empty.

3. An installation according to claim 2, wherein said volume determining portion comprises a cam ramp having an adjustable slope.