Under-transporter shield for a weighing machine

• US 6,753,484 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bilwinco A/S
• Original Assignee: Bilwinco A/S
• Inventors: Widmer, Hans Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US09/980,958
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 177/25.18, 177/103, 177/238, 177/243, 177/180
• US Class Current: 177/25.18
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/026 by mechanical conveying means, e.g. belt or vibratory conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/393 using two or more weighing units

Abstract

A weighing machine for weighing off batches of material, said weighing machine comprising a frame on which a central distributor, a plurality of transporters and a plurality of scales are mounted, and wherein the transporters are arranged around the central distributor and configured with a view to transporting material from the distributor and radially outwards from the central distributor and to the scales, and wherein the weighing machine comprises one or more substantially uninterrupted shields in the form of screen faces that extend from a point underneath the distributor and outwards and downwards underneath at least that end of the transporters that faces towards the central distributor in the operative position of the machine.

Claims

1. A weighing machine for weighing batches of material, said weighing machine comprising

a frame portion on which a central distributor, a plurality of transporters and a plurality of scales are mounted, wherein the transporters are arranged around the central distributor for transporting material radially outwards from the central distributor to the scales and

one or more substantially uninterrupted shields that all extend downwards underneath the transporters in an operative position of the weighing machine.

2. A weighing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the uninterrupted shield extends from a point underneath the distributor and outwards and downwards underneath at least that end of the transporters that faces towards the central distributor in the operative position of the machine.

3. A weighing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the transporters comprises a groove with a first end that faces towards the central distributor and another open end that faces towards one or more scales, and wherein the groove is delimited by two lateral edges that extend between the first and the second open end.

8. A weighing machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the screen faces constitute a part of the frame construction of the weighing machine, and wherein the central distributor, the transporters and/or the scales are mounted on the screen face by means of fittings intended therefor.

9. A weighing machine according to claim 8, characterised in that the fittings are configured such that they permit material that runs or slides down the screen face to run or slide past the fitting.

10. A weighing machine according to claim 9, characterised in that the fittings comprise substantially plane plate flanges that are attached to the screen face in such a manner that the plane of the plate flange extends substantially vertically or slantingly downwards.

11. A weighing machine according to claim 10, characterised in that the weighing machine comprises a computer ia for collecting weighing data from the scales and for controlling the transporters, and wherein at least a part of the weighing machine computer is located underneath the screen face.

12. A weighing machine according to claim 11, characterised in that a number of liquid nozzles are configured underneath the screen face, said nozzles being connected to a liquid conduit with a view to sweeping and cleaning the screen face with cleaning liquid.

13. A weighing machine according to claim 3, characterised in that the screen face extends substantially uninterrupted from a place underneath the central distributor and out below the other end of the grooves.

4. A weighing machine for weighing batches of material, said weighing machine comprising

a frame portion on which a central distributor, a plurality of transporters and a plurality of scales are mounted, wherein the transporters are arranged around the central distributor and configured with a view to transporting material from the distributor and radially outwards from the central distributor and to the scales, characterized in that the weighing machine comprises one or more substantially uniterrupted shields in the form of screen faces that extend outwards and downwards underneath the transporters in an operative position of the weighing machine,

characterised in that the screen faces comprise frustoconical faces that are made of a plate material, and that at the bottom the screen faces end in a relatively sharp edge with a view to forming a drop catcher for liquid, if any, that runs down the screen faces.

5. A weighing machine according to claim 4, characterised in that the screen faces further comprise cylindrical faces that extend from a frustoconical face and downwards from its lowermost edge.

6. A weighing machine for weighing batches of material, said weighing machine comprising

a frame portion on which a central distributor, a plurality of transporters and a plurality of scales are mounted, wherein the transporters are arranged around the central distributor and configured with a view to transporting material from the distributor and radially outwards from the central distributor and to the scales, characterized in that the weighing machine comprises one or more substantially uninterrupted shields in the form of screen faces that extend outwards and downwards underneath the transporters in an operative position of the weighing machine,

characterised in that, at the lowermost edge of the screen faces, a collector groove or a collector tray is configured with a view to collecting material that drops from the distributor or transporters and that will, via the screen faces, proceed into the collector groove.

7. A weighing machine according to claim 6, characterised in that an outlet from the collector groove is configured in particular for liquids that are collected in the collector groove.