Collection chute for automatic weighing apparatus

Claim 1

A collection chute in an automatic weighing apparatus having a plurality of weighing hoppers arranged in a circular pattern and each having an inner gate and an outer gate, comprising: first and second upper chutes, each of said first and second upper chutes being composed of a substantially semi-circular inner collection member having upper and lower ends and a semi-circular outer collection member having upper and lower ends and being spaced from the inner collection members to define a clearance gap between said inner collection member and said outer collection member, said upper ends of said inner collection members defining said inner inlet ports confronting said inner gates, said clearance gaps between said inner and outer collection members defining upper openings serving as the outer inlet ports confronting said outer gates; and first and second lower chutes each having an upper end connected to the lower ends of said first and second upper chutes and having a lower end and an outlet port in the lower end, said first lower chute being in communication with a path defined by the clearance gap of said first upper chute and a path defined by the inner collection member of said second upper chute, said second lower chute being in communication with a path defined by the clearance gap of said second upper chute and a path defined by the inner collection member of said first upper chute, the upper ends of the first and second lower chutes confronting each other at an S-shaped intersection so that the upper opening of the first lower chute extends below the lower end of the inner collection member of the second upper chute, and so that the upper opening of the second lower chute extends below the lower end of the inner collection member of the first upper chute.