Fluidic control system

Claim 2

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material-feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device; a fluidic air transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic air pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic air gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic air gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle and for initiating operation of said dumping means; and means for adjustably controlling said batch-feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits.

Claim 3

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device, said dumping means including fluidic means to indicate the condition of said dumping means; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle, said second gate means being adaPted to initiate operation of said dumping means; and means for adjustably controlling said batch-feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within said desired limits, and said condition indicating means serving to control operation of said gate means to permit initiation of a subsequent batch-feeding cycle.

Claim 4

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device, said dumping means including fluidic means to indicate the condition of said dumping means; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle, said second gate means being adaPted to initiate operation of said dumping means; and means for adjustably controlling said batch-feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within said desired limits, and said condition indicating means serving to control operation of said gate means to permit initiation of a subsequent batch-feeding cycle.

Claim 5

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch-feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device, said dumping means includes a fluidic NOR gate, means to apply a first input signal to said NOR gate and means operable to turn off said first input signal; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle, said second gate means includes a bistable flip-flop fluidic device, said bistable flip-flop being alternately in first and second conditions when said second gate means is responsive and nonresponsive to said feed control output, said bistable flip-flop producing a second input signal to said NOR gate only when in said second condition, said NOR gate producing an output signal to effect dumping of said scale device when said first input signal is turned off and said bistable flip-flop is in said first condition; and means for adjustably controlling said batch feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits.

Claim 6

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch-feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device, said dumping means includes a fluidic NOR gate, means to apply a first input signal to said NOR gate and means operable to turn off said first input signal; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle, said second gate means includes a bistable flip-flop fluidic device, said bistable flip-flop being alternately in first and second conditions when said second gate means is responsive and nonresponsive to said feed control output, said bistable flip-flop producing a second input signal to said NOR gate only when in said second condition, said NOR gate producing an output signal to effect dumping of said scale device when said first input signal is turned off and said bistable flip-flop is in said first condition; and means for adjustably controlling said batch feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits.

Claim 7

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material-feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device, said feed control output including separate bulk and fine-feed control signals; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said bulk feed control signal for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said fine-feed control signal for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle, each of said fluidic gate means including a Schmitt trigger, said bulk feed control signal being a first input to one of said triggers, said fine-feed control signal being a first input to another of said triggers, said triggers having outputs switchable to effect termination of said cycle feed portions; and means for adjustably controlling said batch feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits, said adjustable control means being provided one for each of said gate means and providing adjustable second inputs to said triggers, said second inputs defining the switch points for the outputs of said trigger so as to control response thereof to said feed control signals.

Claim 8

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material-feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device, said feed control output including separate bulk and fine-feed control signals; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said bulk feed control signal for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said fine-feed control signal for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle, each of said fluidic gate means including a Schmitt trigger, said bulk feed control signal being a first input to one of said triggers, said fine-feed control signal being a first input to another of said triggers, said triggers having outputs switchable to effect termination of said cycle feed portions; and means for adjustably controlling said batch feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits, said adjustable control means being provided one for each of said gate means and providing adjustable second inputs to said triggers, said second inputs defining the switch points for the outputs of said trigger so as to control response thereof to said feed control signals.

Claim 9

A batch material weigher comprising In combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine-feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device, said dumping means including fluidic means to indicate the condition of said dumping means; a fluidic transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic air pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic air gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic air gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine-feed portion of said cycle, each of said gate means includes a bistable flip-flop fluidic device, said flip-flops being alternately in first and second conditions when said gate means are responsive and nonresponsive to said feed control output, said flip-flops when in said first condition producing output signals terminating said cycle portions of said feeding means said output signal produced by the flip-flop of said second gate means when in said first condition being adapted to initiate operation of said dumping means, and said condition indicating means being adapted at the completion of scale device dumping to return said flip-flops to said second condition to permit initiation of a subsequent batch feeding cycle; and means for adjustably controlling said batch-feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits.

Claim 10

A batch material weigher comprising In combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine-feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device, said dumping means including fluidic means to indicate the condition of said dumping means; a fluidic transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic air pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic air gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic air gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine-feed portion of said cycle, each of said gate means includes a bistable flip-flop fluidic device, said flip-flops being alternately in first and second conditions when said gate means are responsive and nonresponsive to said feed control output, said flip-flops when in said first condition producing output signals terminating said cycle portions of said feeding means said output signal produced by the flip-flop of said second gate means when in said first condition being adapted to initiate operation of said dumping means, and said condition indicating means being adapted at the completion of scale device dumping to return said flip-flops to said second condition to permit initiation of a subsequent batch feeding cycle; and means for adjustably controlling said batch-feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits.

Claim 11

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: a first scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said first scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a bulk feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said first scale device; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said first scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said first scale device; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle; means for adjustably controlling said batch-feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits; and a second scale device for receiving said batch deposited thereon from said first scale device, said second scale device having associated therewith means to generate signals indicating overweight and underweight conditions of said deposited batch, said indicating signals controlling said adjustable control means when said deposited batch varies beyond said desired limits.

Claim 12

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: a first scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said first scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a bulk feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine feed portion; means for dumping said first scale device; a fluid transducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said first scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said first scale device; a first fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means responsive to said feed control output for terminating the fine feed portion of said cycle; means for adjustably controlling said batch-feeding cycle to maintain the weight of said batch within desired limits; and a second scale device for receiving said batch deposited thereon from said first scale device, said second scale device having associated therewith means to generate signals indicating overweight and underweight conditions of said deposited batch, said indicating signals controlling said adjustable control means when said deposited batch varies beyond said desired limits.

Claim 13

A weigher according to claim 6, wherein said adjustable control means controls response of said second gate means to said feed control output.

Claim 14

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch-feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine-feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device; a fluidic tRansducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic gate means having feed and no-feed conditions, said first gate means being responsive to said feed control output for change from said feed into said no-feed condition thereof thereby to terminate the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means having feed and no-feed conditions, said second gate means being responsive to said feed control output for change from said feed into said no-feed condition thereof thereby to terminate the fine-feed portion of said cycle; and means responsive to operation of said dumping means for returning said first and second gate means to said feed condition thereof thereby to initiate said feeding cycle.

Claim 15

A batch material weigher comprising in combination: at least one scale device movable in response to material deposited thereon; a material feeding means for depositing a batch of material on said one scale device, said feeding means being adapted to produce a batch-feeding cycle having an initial bulk feed portion and a final fine-feed portion; means for dumping said one scale device; a fluidic tRansducer, said transducer having a stationary part and a part mounted for movement with said one scale device relative to said stationary part, said transducer being adapted to produce a fluidic pressure feed control output variable in accordance with relative movement of said parts in response to the weight of material deposited on said one scale device; a first fluidic gate means having feed and no-feed conditions, said first gate means being responsive to said feed control output for change from said feed into said no-feed condition thereof thereby to terminate the bulk feed portion of said cycle; a second fluidic gate means having feed and no-feed conditions, said second gate means being responsive to said feed control output for change from said feed into said no-feed condition thereof thereby to terminate the fine-feed portion of said cycle; and means responsive to operation of said dumping means for returning said first and second gate means to said feed condition thereof thereby to initiate said feeding cycle.

Claim 16

A weigher as set forth in claim 8, wherein said second fluidic gate means initiates operation of said dumping means when changed into said no-feed condition thereof.