Weighing and transporting system

Claim 1

An apparatus for transporting weighed articles rapidly away from a weighing station, including a scale, to a precisely located predetermined lateral position with the center of the article positioned at said lateral position, while clearing the weighing station in preparation for receiving the next article to be weighed, wherein said apparatus comprising: a. a weigh-platform operatively connected to said scale; b. independent support means which may be positioned adjacent to said weigh-platform for receiving and supporting weighed articles placed thereon after discharge from said weigh-plaform; c. means adjacent to said weigh-platform for engaging and discharging weighed articles from said weigh-platform to said independent support means and for moving said weighed articles away from said weigh-plaform, said means including a pushing means which follows a closed continuous non-reversing path; d. detecting means mounted so as to be positionally adjustable along the path of said pushing means for detecting the position of said pushing means and for generating a control signal indicative thereof; and e. means responsive to said control signal and operatively connected to said article engaging and moving means for intermittently driving said article engaging and moving means in a non-reversing, start-stop manner so that a succession of weighed articles may be intermittently discharged from said weigh-platform and whereby the stationary position of said pushing means may be adjustably regulated by adjustably positioning said detecting means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for transporting weighed articles rapidly away from a weighing station, including a scale, to a precisely located predetermined lateral position with the center of the article positioned at said lateral position, while clearing the weighing station in preparation for receiving the next article to be weighed, wherein said apparatus comprising: a. a weigh-platform operatively connected to said scale; b. independent support means which may be positioned adjacent to said weigh-platform for receiving and supporting weighed articles placed thereon after discharge from said weigh-plaform; c. means adjacent to said weigh-platform for engaging and discharging weighed articles from said weigh-platform to said independent support means and for moving said weighed articles away from said weigh-plaform, said means including a pushing means which follows a closed continuous non-reversing path; d. detecting means mounted so as to be positionally adjustable along the path of said pushing means for detecting the position of said pushing means and for generating a control signal indicative thereof; and e. means responsive to said control signal and operatively connected to said article engaging and moving means for intermittently driving said article engaging and moving means in a non-reversing, start-stop manner so that a succession of weighed articles may be intermittently discharged from said weigh-platform and whereby the stationary position of said pushing means may be adjustably regulated by adjustably positioning said detecting means.

Claim 12

A method for sequentially weighing a plurality of similarly sized articles in a production line at a weighing station having a weighing scale and a pushing means with a plurality of pushing flights which follow an endless closed path, said pushing means being driven by a non-reversing driving means which may be intermittently started and stopped, said driving means being responsive to a control signal generated by a detector capable of being adjustably positioned along the path of said pushing means, wherein the method comprising the steps of: a. adjusting the position of said detector dependent upon the size of the articles to be weighed so that a signal from said detector to said driving means may be effective to halt said driving means with one of said flights in a position in close proximity to the weighing position of the next article to be weighed without actually contacting said article; b. placing an article to be weighed on the weigh-platform of said weighing scale in close proximity to but not touching said flights; c. weighing the article; d. actuating said driving means so as to cause one of said flights to contact one side of said weighed article and to push said weighed article from the scale; e. detecting the degree of advancement of said pushing means by said detector and generating a control signal indicative of the position of the pushing means for delivery to said driving means; f. in response to said control signal, halting said pushing means to position one of said flights in said position in close proximity to the weighing position of the next article to be weighed; and g. repeating steps (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f).

Claim 13

A method for sequentially weighing a plurality of similarly sized articles in a production line at a weighing station having a weighing scale and a pushing means with a plurality of pushing flights which follow an endless closed path, said pushing means being driven by a non-reversing driving means which may be intermittently started and stopped, said driving means being responsive to a control signal generated by a detector capable of being adjustably positioned along the path of said pushing means, wherein the method comprising the steps of: a. adjusting the position of said detector dependent upon the size of the articles to be weighed so that a signal from said detector to said driving means may be effective to halt said driving means with one of said flights in a position in close proximity to the weighing position of the next article to be weighed without actually contacting said article; b. placing an article to be weighed on the weigh-platform of said weighing scale in close proximity to but not touching said flights; c. weighing the article; d. actuating said driving means so as to cause one of said flights to contact one side of said weighed article and to push said weighed article from the scale; e. detecting the degree of advancement of said pushing means by said detector and generating a control signal indicative of the position of the pushing means for delivery to said driving means; f. in response to said control signal, halting said pushing means to position one of said flights in said position in close proximity to the weighing position of the next article to be weighed; and g. repeating steps (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f).