Vacuum transfer apparatus and process with improved product weighing controls

• US 7,972,087 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Food Processing Equipment Company
• Original Assignee: Food Processing Equipment Company
• Inventors: Davison, Alan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US12/379,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20100014924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 406/28, 406/52, 406/82, 406/151, 406/168, 406/169, 22/52, 224/10
• US Class Current: 406/28
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 21/0053 Transferring or conveying devices for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/28 involving variation of an electrical variable which is used to control loading or discharge of the receptacle

Abstract

A vacuum transfer apparatus and process with weighing controls. An exemplary vacuum transfer apparatus includes a hopper that retains food product and includes a discharge port. A vacuum chamber has an inlet coupled to the discharge port of the hopper, and a member that is time-controlled to dispense product from the vacuum chamber. A portioning hopper receives product from the vacuum chamber and dispenses a predetermined weight of product.

Claims

1. An apparatus for vacuum transferring food product, comprising:

a hopper for retaining food product, the hopper including a discharge port;

at least one vacuum chamber having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is coupled to the discharge port of the hopper, and the outlet of the vacuum chamber includes a member that is time-controlled to dispense product from the vacuum chamber;

a portioning hopper receiving product from said vacuum chamber including a dispensing means for dispensing a predetermined weight of product from the portioning hopper to an outlet of said apparatus.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said vacuum chamber includes an electronic level sensing probe for controlling a quantity of food product provided for said vacuum chamber from said hopper.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said portioning hopper includes a paddle wheel rotating in response to output data from said load cell to provide predetermined output from said portioning hopper.