Batch-controlled readout system

Claim 2

A batch process readout system for automatically recording the delivery of material to a receiving means, comprising measuring means to establish a signal proportional to each material delivered to the receiving means, a batching control means establishing a related signal proportional to the desired material to be delivered to said measuring means, a readout means, control means selectively connecting said measuring means to said batching control means and to said readout means and including first transfer means responsive to a comparison of said signals to indicate a completion of a measuring cycle with said measuring means connected to said batching control means to connect said measuring means to the readout means and second transfer means responsive to selected operation of the readout means to connect said measuring means to the batching control means, wherein said readout means includes a sequentially activated printout means, a resettable multiple digit number storage means connected to said measuring means, printout control means to connect said storage means to said printout means to said sequentially transmit the stored number digits to the printout means, and said second transfer means being responsive to operation of the printout control means.

Claim 3

The batch process readout system of claim 1 wherein said measuring means includes a voltage signal source having an output means establishing said signal proportional to each material delivery, said voltage signal source having a voltage input means, said readout means including an analog to digital converter having a power supply, said first transfer means connecting said voltage input means to said power supply and the output means to the converter.

Claim 4

The batch process readout system of claim 2 having said voltage signal source energized to establish a selected voltage signal for a zero material delivered and thereby establishing an apparent zero offset of the zero delivered position of the source from the normal zero output signal of the signal source.

Claim 5

The batch process readout system in claim 1 wherein the measuring means is a weighing scale means having a precision potentiometer set in accordance with the scale reading to establish a voltage signal proportional to the material in the scale means, said readout means including an analog-to-digital converter, said first and second transfer means including switch means connecting said measuring means to the converter of said readout means and to the batching control means, and said readout means having digital counting means to read the converter and to selectively transfer the number into a plurality of storage counters and means to sequentially and selectively read out the numbers in the storage counters and reset said counters during each batch.

Claim 6

The batch process readout system of claim 4 wherein said readout means includes a sequentially activated character-typing means and said plurality of counters being resettable multiple digit number storage counters, a digital comparator having a first input connected to said converter, a counting means connected to a second input to said comparator, said counting means being simultaneously connected to said storage counters, printout control means selectively connecting said counters to said typing means to sequentially record the stored number digits on a removable ticket, and means to reset the storage counters after transfer of the stored number to the ticket.

Claim 7

The batch process readout system of claim 5 wherein said typing means includes a plurality of selectively enabled control lines, and said printout control means connected to sequentially enable said lines.

Claim 8

The batch process readout system of claim 1 wherein said measuring means includes a tare component signal means and the signal is proportional to the summation of the tare and material in the measuring means, said control means including polarity sensitive means connected to said measuring means By said first transfer means and establishing a first polarity output in response to a positive tare and a second different polarity output in response to a negative tare, and selection means connected to the polarity-sensitive and to the readout means to control the readout of said tare component.

Claim 9

The batch process readout system of claim 7 wherein said readout means includes resettable multiple digit number storage means connected to said measuring means, and said polarity-sensitive means operatively connects said storage means to said measuring means to insert the tare component in said storage means only in response to the first polarity output.

Claim 10

The batch process readout system of claim 1 wherein said readout means includes counting means and printout means, and said measuring means having a first and a second weighing means associated with corresponding receiving means for separately measuring different material employed in a process, each of said weighing means having an associated signal transducer means with an output proportional to the tare weight of the weighing means and the weight of the material therein, said first transfer means including means to sequentially connect said signal transducers to the counting means of the readout means with the second transducer connected to temporary storage means to maintain a tare record in the readout means during a plurality of recorded deliveries to the first weighing means, and means responsive to the last of said plurality of recorded deliveries to connect said storage means to said printout means.

Claim 11

The batch process readout system of claim 1 for an asphalt batching plant wherein said readout means includes teletype printout means adapted to releasably receive a ticket and to type information thereon, an asphalt weighing means for separately measuring the asphalt and a second weighing means for sequentially measuring and accumulating a plurality of aggregate materials, each of said weighing means having an associated analog signal transducer means with an output proportional to the summation of the tare weight of the weighing means and the weight of the material therein, a counting means, a plurality of storage counters selectively connected to said counting means, said transfer means including means to sequentially connect said signal transducers to the counting means to readout the weight of material in the corresponding weighing means, and means responsive to the last of a plurality of material deliveries to connect said storage means to said teletype printout means and to reset selected counters.

Claim 12

A batch process readout system for recording the multiple delivery of materials, comprising a batching control means including a receiving means for automatically delivering and measuring predetermined material amounts, a measuring means connected to said batching control means and establishing a digital encoded signal proportional to the measured material delivered to the receiving means, a digital counting means, a digital number comparator, and control means selectively connecting said comparator to said measuring means and to said digital counting means, said comparator having an output means establishing an output signal related to a preselected comparison to terminate operation of said counting means, and recording means selectively connected to said counting means to establish selected records of the numbers presented to said comparator by said counting means.

Claim 13

A batch process readout system for recording the multiple delivery of materials, comprising a batching control means including a receiving means for automatically delivering and measuring predetermined material amounts, a measuring means connected to said batching control means and establishing a digital encoded signal proportional to the measured material delivered to the receiving means, a digital counting means, a digital number comparator, and control means selectively connecting said comparator to said measuring means and to said digital counting means, said comparator having an output means establishing an output signal related to a preselected comparison to terminate operation of said counting means, and recording means selectively connected to said counting means to establish selected records of the numbers presented to said comparator by said counting means.

Claim 14

The batch process readout system of claim 11 wherein said measuring means has an analog signal voltage means, and an analog-to-digital converter connected to said analog signal voltage means.

Claim 15

The batch process readout system of claim 11 having a sequentially actuated printout means to print out information on a ticket as a series of interrelated characters including numbers, letters and punctuation characters, said control means including a logic control and sequencing means connected to said printout means and to said recording mEans to control the sequential transfer of the measured material information to said ticket.

Claim 16

The batch process readout system of claim 12 wherein said measuring means is alternately connected to the batching control means for establishing said signal proportional to the material delivered to the receiving means and connected to the digital number comparator.

Claim 17

The batch process readout system of claim 11 wherein said measuring means includes an analog input means connected to said batching control means and an analog-to-digital converter counting from zero to the analog input at said analog input means, said comparator having an output means establishing an output signal related to a preselected comparison of the count in said converter and said digital counting means and including the interlock means coupled to said counting means to disable the counting means with the converter at a count below that in the comparator.

Claim 18

The batch process readout system of claim 11 wherein said receiving means includes weighing means to measure the material delivered, said weighing means having a tare weight, said recording means including a plurality of resettable counters each having a reset input means, a reset means connected to said reset input means, and sequencing means connecting said plurality of counters to said counting means and to said reset means, said control means including means to record said tare weight prior to the delivery of material to said weighing means.

Claim 19

The batch process readout system of claim 11 wherein said receiving means includes a pair of weighing means to measure different materials, said weighing means each having a tare weight, a storage means for storing numerical data, said recording means including a compare counter, and a logic control means having sequencing means connecting said first weighing means to said comparator and actuating said compare counter to insert the tare weight in the comparator, and the second weighing means to the storage means to store said second tare weight for subsequent readout.

Claim 20

The batch process readout system of claim 17 wherein said logic control means includes polarity-sensitive means having a first polarity output related to a positive tare weight, and a second polarity output related to a negative tare weight, and interlock means connected to said polarity-sensitive means and controlling the connection of said compare counters to said counting means.

Claim 21

The batch process readout system of claim 11 wherein said measuring means includes a first batch weighing means for the material and having a precision potentiometer establishing an analog signal proportional to the measured material with a zero setting offset from the measuring means apparent zero, said measuring means including an analog-to-digital converter having an analog input means and a digital number output means, a transfer switch having a first position connecting said potentiometer to said batching control means and a second position connecting said potentiometer to said digital converter, and said digital converter including an operating power supply connected by said switch means to energize said potentiometer in said second position to establish an offset zero position.

Claim 22

The batch process readout system of claim 11 for mixing of a first material with a plurality of similar second materials wherein said measuring means includes first batch weighing means for the first material and having a first analog signal means establishing an analog signal proportional to the measured first material, a second batch weighing means for the second materials and having a second analog signal means establishing an analog signal proportional to the received second materials, said measuring means including an analog-to-digital converter having an analog input means and a digital number output means, said converter establishing the digital output number by counting up to the analog signal, a pair of transfer switch means, one for each signal meAns and each having a first position connecting said analog signal means to said batching control and a second position connecting said analog signal means to said converter, said digital converter including an operating power supply connected by said switch means to energize said signal means in said second position, said digital counting means including a counting clock means and a compare up-counter driven by said signals from said clock means, a readout control means having a transfer switch operating means including interlocking means actuated by said batching control means to sequentially connect said signal means to said digital converter and responsive to selected operation of said recording means to reconnect said signal means to said weighing means, said readout control means including a sequencing switch means to selectively actuate said recording means to sequentially record the delivery of said materials.

Claim 23

The batch process readout system of claim 20 wherein said recording means includes a net weight up-counter and totalizing up-counters, said up-counters having means for resetting said up-counters to an initial count position, and said sequencing switch means includes means selectively controlling the connection of said net weight up-counter and said totalizing up-counters to the counting means and then resetting said up-counters.

Claim 24

The batch process readout system of claim 11 for mixing of a first material with a plurality of similar second materials wherein said measuring means includes first batch weighing means for the first material and having a precision potentiometer establishing an analog signal proportional to the measured first material with a zero setting offset from the measuring means apparent zero, a second batch weighing means for the second materials and having a second precision potentiometer establishing an analog signal proportional to the received second materials, said measuring means including an analog-to-digital converter having an analog input means and a digital number output means, a pair of transfer switch means, one for each signal means and each having a first position connecting said potentiometers to said batching control means and a second position connecting said potentiometers to said converter, said digital converter including an operating power supply connected by said switch means to energize said potentiometers in said second position with said offset zero position, said digital counting means including a counting clock means and a compare up-counter driven by said signals from said clock means, said recording means includes a net weight counter and a plurality of totalizing counters, a readout control means having a transfer switch operating means including interlocking means actuated by said batching control to sequentially connect said potentiometers to said digital converter and responsive to selected operation of said recording means to reconnect said potentiometers to said weighing means, said readout control means including a sequencing switch means to selectively connect said clock means to said net weight counter and to said totalizing counters and to reset the net weight counter after each delivery of material to the measuring means, means to record the net weight counter reading prior to resetting thereof and thereby establish a record of the individual deliveries and to subsequently record the totalizing counters to establish a record of the summations of selected deliveries, and means to reset said totalizing counters.

Claim 25

The batch process readout system of claim 11 wherein said digital counting means includes a counting clock means and a compare counter driven by said signals from said clock means, a net weight counter, at least one totalizing counter, and logic control means connected to actuate said counting clock means and simultaneously connect said compare counter and the net weight counter and the totalizing counter to the clock means to record each material delivery and to reset the net weight Counter after each individual delivery.

Claim 26

The batch process readout system of claim 11 wherein said recording means includes a plurality of information counters, and said digital counting means includes a compare counter and a clock pulse means having an input control gate, said control means including a sequence stopping switch for selectively enabling said control gate and selectively connecting said clock pulse means to said compare counter and to said information counters.

Claim 27

The batch process readout system of claim 24 having means to connect the comparator to said control gate to prevent operation of the clock pulse means in response to a larger count in the measuring means than in said compare counter.