Counter for counting elongate objects

Abstract

A counter for counting elongate objects having a separating section which vibrates groups of elongate objects in order to separate such elongate objects and move them to a weighing device that determines the average weight of an elongate object in the lot to which this group belongs. Such average weight is then utilized to determine the number of elongate objects that are subsequently placed in a counting basked to be weighed. Optionally, a storage section retains groups of elongate objects and moves them to the separating section. Also optionally, the counting section, which contains the weighing device, is constructed with the capability of moving elongate objects to a delivery section.

1 . A counter for counting elongate objects, which comprises:
 a separator section, which comprises:
 a support structure; 
 at least two crossbars mounted on said support structure and with all said crossbars slanting downward from a rear of each said crossbar to a front of each said crossbar; and 
 a means for vibrating at least one of said crossbars in order to separate and move elongate objects; and 
   a counting section, which comprises:
 a counting basket to receive elongate objects from said separator section; and 
 a weighing device in contact with said counting basket. 
   
   
   
       2 . The counter as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one vibrational insulator located between each of said crossbars and said support structure.   
   
   
       3 . The counter as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a means for moving elongate objects from said counting basket.   
   
   
       4 . The counter as recited in  claim 3 , wherein:
 said weighing device is electronic; and, further comprising:   a computerized control unit, said computerized control unit being electrically connected to said weighing device, having a means for an operator to enter instructions and numbers, being programmed—when so instructed—to divide the weight received from said weighing device by a number entered by a user, being programmed to retain the quotient from such division in a memory until (a) being instructed by a user to remove such quotient from the memory, (b) the passage of a specified amount of time, or (c) said computerized control unit has been disconnected from a source of power, and being programmed to divide the quotient in memory into the weight provided by said weighing device after a quotient has been put in memory.   
   
   
       5 . The counter as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       6 . The counter as recited in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       7 . The counter as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       8 . The counter as recited in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       9 . The counter as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       10 . The counter as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       11 . The counter as recited in  claim 10 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       12 . The counter as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       13 . The counter as recited in  claim 12 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       14 . The counter as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       15 . The counter as recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 said weighing device is electronic;   a computerized control unit, said computerized control unit being electrically connected to said weighing device, having a means for an operator to enter instructions and numbers, being programmed—when so instructed—to divide the weight received from said weighing device by a number entered by a user, being programmed to retain the quotient from such division in a memory until being instructed by a user to remove such quotient from the memory, as a result of the passage of a specified amount of time, or said computerized control unit has been disconnected from a source of power, and being programmed to divide the quotient in memory into the weight provided by said weighing device after a quotient has been put in memory.   
   
   
       16 . The counter as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       17 . The counter as recited in  claim 16 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       18 . The counter as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       19 . The counter as recited in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       20 . The counter as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       21 . The counter as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       22 . The counter as recited in  claim 21 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       23 . The counter as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       24 . The counter as recited in  claim 23 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       25 . The counter as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       26 . The counter as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a means for moving elongate objects from said counting basket.   
   
   
       27 . The counter as recited in  claim 26 , wherein:
 said weighing device is electronic; and further comprising:   a computerized control unit, said computerized control unit being electrically connected to said weighing device, having a means for an operator to enter instructions and numbers, being programmed—when so instructed—to divide the weight received from said weighing device by a number entered by a user, being programmed to retain the quotient from such division in a memory until (a) being instructed by a user to remove such quotient from the memory, (b) the passage of a specified amount of time, or (c) said computerized control unit has been disconnected from a source of power, and being programmed to divide the quotient in memory into the weight provided by said weighing device after a quotient has been put in memory.   
   
   
       28 . The counter as recited in  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       29 . The counter as recited in  claim 28 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       30 . The counter as recited in  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       31 . The counter as recited in  claim 30 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       32 . The counter as recited in  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       33 . The counter as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       34 . The counter as recited in  claim 33 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       35 . The counter as recited in  claim 33 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       36 . The counter as recited in  claim 35 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       37 . The counter as recited in  claim 26  further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       38 . The counter as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said weighing device is electronic;   a computerized control unit, said computerized control unit being electrically connected to said weighing device, having a means for an operator to enter instructions and numbers, being programmed—when so instructed—to divide the weight received from said weighing device by a number entered by a user, being programmed to retain the quotient from such division in a memory until being instructed by a user to remove such quotient from the memory, as a result of the passage of a specified amount of time, or said computerized control unit has been disconnected from a source of power, and being programmed to divide the quotient in memory into the weight provided by said weighing device after a quotient has been put in memory.   
   
   
       39 . The counter as recited in  claim 38 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       40 . The counter as recited in  claim 39 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       41 . The counter as recited in  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       42 . The counter as recited in  claim 41 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       43 . The counter as recited in  claim 38 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       44 . The counter as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a storage section, which comprises:
 a base; 
 support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams; 
 a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and 
 a means for moving elongate objects from said support beams of said storage section to said crossbars of said separator section. 
   
   
   
       45 . The counter as recited in  claim 44 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       46 . The counter as recited in  claim 44 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       47 . The counter as recited in  claim 46 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       48 . The counter as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a delivery section.   
   
   
       49 . A counter for counting elongate objects, which comprises:
 a separator section, which comprises:
 a support structure; 
 at least two crossbars mounted on said support structure and with all said crossbars slanting downward from a rear of each said crossbar to a front of each said crossbar; 
 at least one vibrational insulator located between each of said crossbars and said support structure; and 
 a vibrational motor directly attached to at least one of said crossbars; 
   a counting section, which comprises:
 a counting basket to receive elongate objects from said separator section; 
 an electronic weighing device in contact with said counting basket; 
   a computerized control unit, said computerized control unit being electrically connected to said electronic weighing device, having a means for an operator to enter instructions and numbers, being programmed—when so instructed—to divide the weight received from said weighing device by a number entered by a user, being programmed to retain the quotient from such division in a memory until (a) being instructed by a user to remove such quotient from the memory, (b) the passage of a specified amount of time, or (c) said computerized control unit has been disconnected from a source of power, and being programmed to divide the quotient in memory into the weight provided by said weighing device after a quotient has been put in memory;
 a lifting device, which comprises:
 a first blade, located outward from a first side of said counting basket, said first blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said first blade; 
 a means for elevating said first blade of said lifting device of said counting section; 
 a second blade, located outward from the second side of said counting basket, said second blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said second blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said second blade; and 
 a means for elevating said second blade of said lifting device of said counting section; 
 
   a storage section, which comprises:
   a base;   support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams;   a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and   a lifting device, which comprises:   a first blade, located near a front and also near a first side of said storage section, said first blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said first blade;   a means for elevating said first blade of said lifting device of said storage section;   a second blade, located near the front and also near a second side of said storage section, said second blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said second blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said second blade; and   a means for elevating said second blade of said lifting device of said storage section; and   
   a delivery section, which comprises:
 removable stops; and 
 a sloping ramp containing apertures for said removable stops. 
   
   
   
       50 . The counter as recited in  claim 49 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       51 . A counter for counting elongate objects, which comprises:
 a separator section, which comprises:
 a support structure; 
 at least two crossbars mounted on said support structure and with all said crossbars slanting downward from a rear of each said crossbar to a front of each said crossbar; 
 at least one vibrational insulator located between each of said crossbars and said support structure; 
 a substantially rigid torsion bar connected to at least two of said crossbars; and 
 a vibrational motor directly attached to said substantially rigid torsion bar; 
 a counting section, which comprises: 
 a counting basket to receive elongate objects from said separator section; 
 an electronic weighing device in contact with said counting basket; 
 a computerized control unit, said computerized control unit being electrically connected to said electronic weighing device, having a means for an operator to enter instructions and numbers, being programmed—when so instructed—to divide the weight received from said weighing device by a number entered by a user, being programmed to retain the quotient from such division in a memory until (a) being instructed by a user to remove such quotient from the memory, (b) the passage of a specified amount of time, or (c) said computerized control unit has been disconnected from a source of power, and being programmed to divide the quotient in memory into the weight provided by said weighing device after a quotient has been put in memory; 
 a lifting device, which comprises: −a first blade, located outward from a first side of said counting basket, said first blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said first blade;
 a means for elevating said first blade of said lifting device of said counting section; 
 a second blade, located outward from the second side of said counting basket, said second blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said second blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said second blade; and 
 a means for elevating said second blade of said lifting device of said counting section; 
 
   a storage section, which comprises:
   a base;   support beams mounted on said base, said support beams sloping downward toward a front of said support beams;   a stop located near the front of at least one of said support beams; and   
 a lifting device, which comprises:
 a first blade, located near a front and also near a first side of said storage section, said first blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said first blade; 
 a means for elevating said first blade of said lifting device of said storage section; 
 a second blade, located near the front and also near a second side of said storage section, said second blade having an uppermost point near a rear of said second blade and sloping from such uppermost point both to the rear and to a front of said second blade; and 
 a means for elevating said second blade of said lifting device of said storage section; and 
 
   a delivery section, which comprises:
 removable stops; and 
 a sloping ramp containing apertures for said removable stops. 
   
   
   
       52 . The counter as recited in  claim 51 , wherein:
 the fronts of said support beams of said storage section extend past the rears of said crossbars of said separator section.   
   
   
       53 . A counter for counting elongate objects, which comprises:
 a means for holding elongate objects;   a means for weighing elongate objects and determining the number of elongate objects being held by said holding means; and   a means for separating elongate objects and individually conveying such elongate objects to said holding means.   
   
   
       54 . The counter as recited in  claim 53 , further comprising:
 a means for storing elongate objects; and   a means for moving elongate objects from said storing means to said separating means.   
   
   
       55 . The counter as recited in  claim 54 , further comprising:
 a means for delivering elongate objects; and   a means for moving elongate objects from said weighing and determining means to said delivering means.   
   
   
       56 . The counter as recited in  claim 53 , further comprising:
 a means for delivering elongate objects; and   a means for moving elongate objects from said weighing and determining means to said delivering means.   
   
   
       57 . A counter for counting elongate objects, which comprises:
 a means for holding elongate objects;   a means for weighing elongate objects and determining the number of elongate objects being held by said holding means;   a means for separating elongate objects and individually conveying such elongate objects to said holding means;   a means for storing elongate objects;   a means for moving elongate objects from said storing means to said separating means;   a means for delivering elongate objects; and   a means for moving elongate objects from said weighing and determining means to said delivering means.   
   
   
       58 . A counter for counting elongate objects, which comprises:
 at least two counter units, all of said counter units being aligned with one another and each counter unit having an electronic weighing device; and   a computerized control unit to which all of the electronic weighing devices of said counter units are electrically connected.