US4629017A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for producing weighed batches of aligned elongated articles
Assignee: Lamb Weston Inc
•
Filing: 1985-03-19
•
Granted: 1986-12-16
•
Expires: 2005-03-19
Abstract
Abstract With the method and apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of elongated articles such as french fry potatoes are separated into a plurality of groups of articles which are weighed. The weighed groups are selectively combined into a batch of articles of predetermined weight by selectively dumping scale buckets containing such groups into a common collector container to provide such weighed batch. The articles of such weighed batch are then discharged from such common collector container into one of a plurality of alignment systems mounted on a rotating common support. Each alignment system includes three vibrating conveyor stages which prealign the articles and feed such articles into an alignment container where they are aligned so that their longitudinal axes are substantially parallel in such container. The plurality of alignment systems are carried on a common support which is intermittently rotated about an axis of rotation to move the input conveyor stage into a load position beneath the output gate of the common collector container for loading. After 360 degrees rotation such alignment system is moved into an unload position where the weighed batch of aligned articles are discharged from the alignment container as a batch through a transfer tube into a packaging machine for packaging such aligned batch of articles.
Inventors
- 👤 David Shroyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:03
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B1/00; B65B1/30; B65B1/32; B65B1/34; B65B19/00; B65B19/34; B65B35/00; B65B35/30; B65B35/34; B65B61/00; B65B61/28; G; G01; G01G; G01G19/00; G01G19/387; G01G19/393
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
Apparatus for producing predetermined weight batches of elongated articles and for aligning the articles in said batches, comprising: separator means for separating a plurality of elongated articles into groups of articles; scale means for weighing each of said groups of articles; selection means for selecting a combination of certain ones of said weighted groups to provide a combination of selected groups whose total weight is approximately equal to a predetermined weight, and for discharging said selected groups into a common container to form a batch of said articles, said batch being of said predetermined weight; alignment means for aligning the articles in said weighted batch in an alignment container so that the longitudinal axes of said aligned articles are substantially parallel, said alignment means including a plurality of alignment systems each having an alignment container, and including gate means for feeding the weighted batches from said common container to different ones of said alignment systems; and discharge means for discharging said aligned articles in a batch from said alignment container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
Apparatus for producing predetermined weight batches of elongated articles and for aligning the articles in said batches, comprising: separator means for separating a plurality of elongated articles into groups of articles; scale means for weighing each of said groups of articles; selection means for selecting a combination of certain ones of said weighted groups to provide a combination of selected groups whose total weight is approximately equal to a predetermined weight, and for discharging said selected groups into a common container to form a batch of said articles, said batch being of said predetermined weight; alignment means for aligning the articles in said weighted batch in an alignment container so that the longitudinal axes of said aligned articles are substantially parallel, said alignment means including a plurality of alignment systems each having an alignment container, and including gate means for feeding the weighted batches from said common container to different ones of said alignment systems; and discharge means for discharging said aligned articles in a batch from said alignment container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which also includes packaging means for packaging said batch of aligned articles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the discharge means includes automatic gate means at the bottom of each alignment container which opens when said alignment container is moved into the unload position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the scale means includes a plurality of scales each weighing a different group of articles and transmitting an electrical output signal corresponding to the weight of said group to a data processor means for automatically controlling said selection means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said alignment systems are mounted in a carriage means for selectively positioning one of said systems at a time at a load position in communication with the output of said common container so that each system aligns a different batch of articles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which the carriage means rotates to move each of said alignment systems from said load position to an unload position where the aligned articles are discharged from the alignment container by said discharge means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the alignment systems each include vibrating conveyor means for separating said articles into a plurality of parallel channels and for prealigning said articles with their longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the direction of travel of said articles along said channels before said articles are fed by said conveyor means into the alignment container.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which the channels terminate over the top of the alignment container and the direction of travel of the articles in said channels forms an acute angle with a back wall of the alignment container so that said articles strike the back wall and slide along said back wall into alignment generally parallel to said back wall before falling into said alignment container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which the alignment container is coupled to vibrator means for vibrating said alignment container to further align and compact the articles in said alignment container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
119 words
Method for producing predetermined weight batches of elongated articles and for aligning said articles in said batches, comprising: separating a plurality of elongated articles into groups of articles; weighing each of said groups of articles; selecting a combination of certain ones of said weighted groups to provide a combination of selected groups whose total weight is approximately equal to a predetermined weight; discharging said selected groups into a common container to form a batch of said articles, said batch being of said predetermined weight; and aligning the articles in said weighed batch so that the longitudinal axes of said aligned articles are substantially parallel by conveying the weighted batch of articles on a vibrating conveyor into an alignment container.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
Method for producing predetermined weight batches of elongated articles and for aligning said articles in said batches, comprising: separating a plurality of elongated articles into groups of articles; weighing each of said groups of articles; selecting a combination of certain ones of said weighted groups to provide a combination of selected groups whose total weight is approximately equal to a predetermined weight; discharging said selected groups into a common container to form a batch of said articles, said batch being of said predetermined weight; and aligning the articles in said weighed batch so that the longitudinal axes of said aligned articles are substantially parallel by conveying the weighted batch of articles on a vibrating conveyor into an alignment container.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method in accordance with claim 10 in which the articles are discharged as a batch of aligned articles from said alignment container.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method in accordance with claim 11 which also includes the steps of packaging the batch of aligned articles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method in accordance with claim 11 in which the articles are conveyed into said alignment container at an acute angle to the back wall of the alignment container during the aligning step.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method in accordance with claim 13 in which the alignment container is vibrated to further align and to compact the articles in said alignment container.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method in accordance with claim 13 in which a plurality of alignment systems each including a vibrating conveyor and associated alignment container, are employed for aligning different weighed batches of said articles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
Method in accordance with claim 15 in which the alignment systems are selectively moved into a load position for loading a weighed batch of articles onto the vibrating conveyor of the selected system and into an unload position for unloading an aligned batch of articles from the alignment container of said selected system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method in accordance with claim 16 in which the alignment systems are rotated about an axis between said load and unload positions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method in accordance with claim 10 in which the articles are elongated food products.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method in accordance with claim 18 in which the articles are french fry potato strips.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method in accordance with claim 10 in which the selecting step is automatically done by a data processor in response to weight signals produced by scales on which said groups are weighed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-15 | 1990-06-16 | 1990-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-15 | 1994-06-16 | 1994-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-15 | 1998-06-16 | 1998-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |