Combination weighing method

Claim 1

A combination weighing method comprising a transfer step for transferring product to empty ones of a plurality of auxiliary hoppers arranged to receive product from a plurality of weighing hoppers respectively, from those weighing hoppers corresponding to said empty auxiliary hoppers; a loading/weighing step for feeding product to said weighing hoppers having emptied by transferring the product to said empty auxiliary hoppers, and weighing the same; and a combination/unloading step effected in parallel with said transfer step and said loading/weighing step for repeatedly combining in various fashion the weights of said product having been transferred to said auxiliary hoppers and selecting from the resultant combinations a combination whose sum weight is equal or approximate to a predetermined weight, and unloading the hoppers of the selected combination.

Claim 17

A method of making successive deliveries of product measured by weight with each delivery comprising a quantity of product of an acceptable weight, utilizing a plurality of weighing units, each unit comprising a weighing hopper adapted for weighing out and unloading a fraction of said quantity of product, and an auxiliary hopper adapted for receiving product unloaded from said weighing hopper and for unloading said product to contribute to a delivery, said method further utilizing memory means adapted for storing the weights of product weighed out by said weighing hoppers and unloaded into respective auxiliary hoppers, said method for each delivery comprising the steps of: unloading a plurality of weighing hoppers corresponding to respective auxiliary hoppers which were unloaded to contribute to the preceding delivery; during unloading of said plurality of weighing hoppers, initiating a combination search of (a) those weights being unloaded by said weighing hoppers and (b) those weights in the auxiliary hoppers not unloaded for the preceding delivery, to select a combination of weights to be unloaded to deliver an acceptable weight quantity; and unloading the selected combination of weights to effect a delivery of said acceptable weight quantity.

Claim 18

A method of making successive deliveries of product measured by weight with each delivery comprising a quantity of product of an acceptable weight, utilizing a plurality of weighing units, each unit comprising a weighing hopper adapted for weighing out and unloading a fraction of said quantity of product, and an auxiliary hopper adapted for receiving product unloaded from said weighing hopper and for unloading said product to contribute to a delivery, said method further utilizing memory means adapted for storing the weights of product weighed out by said weighing hoppers and unloaded into respective auxiliary hoppers, said method for each delivery comprising the steps of: unloading a plurality of weighing hoppers corresponding to respective auxiliary hoppers which were unloaded to contribute to the preceding delivery; during unloading of said plurality of weighing hoppers, initiating a combination search of (a) those weights being unloaded by said weighing hoppers and (b) those weights in the auxiliary hoppers not unloaded for the preceding delivery, to select a combination of weights to be unloaded to deliver an acceptable weight quantity; and unloading the selected combination of weights to effect a delivery of said acceptable weight quantity.

Claim 21

A method of making successive deliveries of product measured by weight with each delivery comprising a quantity of product of an acceptable weight, utilizing a combination weighing machine of the type comprising a plurality of weighing units, each unit including a weighing hopper adapted for weighing out and unloading a fraction of said quantity and an auxiliary hopper adapted for receiving product unloaded from said weighing hopper and for unloading such product to contribute to a delivery, said method further utilizing memory means adapted for storing the weights of product weighed out by said weighing hoppers and unloaded therefrom into respective auxiliary hoppers, said combination weighing machine being operable in weighing cycles, each cycle comprising the steps of (1) initiating a weighing cycle by making a combination search to select a combination of weight corresponding to the weights of product of a plurality of weighing hoppers and/or auxiliary hoppers, (2) unloading the weighing hoppers and/or auxiliary hoppers corresponding to the selected combination of weights to effect a delivery, (3) transferring product from weighing hoppers not corresponding to the selected combination of weights to respective unloaded auxiliary hoppers, and (4) reloading the weighing hoppers from which product has been unloaded to effect said delivery or from which product has been transferred to respective auxiliary hoppers, and weighing the product in such reloaded weighing hoppers, said weighing cycle terminating on the completion of said reloading and weighing step, said method comprising: initiating a first weighing cycle; initiating before termination of the first weighing cycle a second weighing cycle excluding those weighing hoppers unloaded in the first weighing cycle and those unloaded auxiliary hoppers not having product transferred to them in the first weighing cycle; and initiating before termination of the first weighing cycle a third weighing cycle excluding those weighing hoppers unloaded in the first and second weighing cycles and those unloaded auxiliary hoppers not having product transferred to them in the first and second weighing cycles.

Claim 22

A method of making successive deliveries of product measured by weight with each delivery comprising a quantity of product of an acceptable weight, utilizing a combination weighing machine of the type comprising a plurality of weighing units, each unit including a weighing hopper adapted for weighing out and unloading a fraction of said quantity and an auxiliary hopper adapted for receiving product unloaded from said weighing hopper and for unloading such product to contribute to a delivery, said method further utilizing memory means adapted for storing the weights of product weighed out by said weighing hoppers and unloaded therefrom into respective auxiliary hoppers, said combination weighing machine being operable in weighing cycles, each cycle comprising the steps of (1) initiating a weighing cycle by making a combination search to select a combination of weight corresponding to the weights of product of a plurality of weighing hoppers and/or auxiliary hoppers, (2) unloading the weighing hoppers and/or auxiliary hoppers corresponding to the selected combination of weights to effect a delivery, (3) transferring product from weighing hoppers not corresponding to the selected combination of weights to respective unloaded auxiliary hoppers, and (4) reloading the weighing hoppers from which product has been unloaded to effect said delivery or from which product has been transferred to respective auxiliary hoppers, and weighing the product in such reloaded weighing hoppers, said weighing cycle terminating on the completion of said reloading and weighing step, said method comprising: initiating a first weighing cycle; initiating before termination of the first weighing cycle a second weighing cycle excluding those weighing hoppers unloaded in the first weighing cycle and those unloaded auxiliary hoppers not having product transferred to them in the first weighing cycle; and initiating before termination of the first weighing cycle a third weighing cycle excluding those weighing hoppers unloaded in the first and second weighing cycles and those unloaded auxiliary hoppers not having product transferred to them in the first and second weighing cycles.