Apparatus for the metering and loading of articles of substantially uniform size and shape
Abstract
Abstract AN APPARATUS FOR METERING AND LOADING UNIFORMLY SHAPED, CHIP-TYPE SNACK FOOD PRODUCTS, E.G. POTATO CHIPS, BY FORMING A STACK OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH WHICH IS SUBSEQUENTLY CONVEYED INTO A SUITABLE CONTAINER. THE PRODUCT IS RECEIVED AND FED INTO SHINGLED RELATIONSHIP ON A VIBRATORY METERING TROUGH. THE CHIPS ARE HELD BACK BY A FEED STOP UNTIL A SUFFICIENT NUMBER HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATED TO FORM A METERED STACK AS SENSED BY A PHOTOCELL. AN OVERHEAD METERING STOP IS LOWERED INTO THE ACCUMULATED ARTICLES TO ISOLATE A PREDETERMINED METERED STACK BETWEEN THE METERING STOP AND THE FEED STOP. THE FEED STOP IS LOWERED WHEREUPON THE METERED STACK IS FED FORWARD TO A VIBRATORY LOADING TROUGH AND SUBSEQUENTLY INTO A CONTAINER HELD AGAINST THE END THEREOF. A SWEEP ARM HAVING A RESILIENTLY MOUNTED HEAD IS ACTIVATED TO PUSH THE LAST SEVERAL ARTICLES FROM THE LOADING TROUGH INTO THE CONTAINER IN ORDER THAT THE ENTIRE METERED STACK IS PLACED IN THE CONTAINER WHICH IS THEN REMOVED FOR FURTHER HANDLING AND PROCESSING.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard C Hooper
- 👤 Howard E Mathes
- 👤 Richard A Schaeffer
Bibliographic Details
Claims Analysis
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-04 | 1975-04-05 | 1975-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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