Combinatorial weighing system with discharge control

Abstract

A combinatorial weighing system designed for weighing out a desired number or weight of articles, wherein groups of articles are respectively weighed by a plurality of weighing machines, combinatorial addition is performed on all or a fixed number of possible combinations for weighed values obtained, a particular combination whose combination value is equal or the closest to a set value is selected, and articles are discharged from the weighing hoppers corresponding to the selected combination. It is contemplated to improve performance of this system by ensuring that groups of articles successively discharged from the weighing hoppers are collected separately one from the other without intermingling. To that end, an intermediate shutter is provided in a collecting chute.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A combinatorial weighing system comprising a plurality of weighing hoppers, a plurality of weighing machines respectively associated with said weighing hoppers for weighing articles received in the latter, an arithmetic section for performing combinatorial operation on the basis of weighed data from said weighing machines, searching for a combination whose addition value is equal or closest to a set value and sending discharge signals to the weighing hoppers corresponding to the searched-for combination, a collecting chute for collecting articles discharged from said weighing hoppers and dropping them into a timing hopper situated thereunder, a shutter located, within the collecting chute, above the discharge port of said collecting chute, and a drive unit for opening and closing said shutter in response to a signal from said timing hopper. 
     
     
       2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the timing for operation of said shutter is adjustable in relation to the falling speed of articles along the collecting chute. 
     
     
       3. A combinatorial weighing method comprising the steps of weighing groups of articles received in a plurality of weighing hoppers by a plurality of weighing machines respectively associated with the weighing hoppers, computing combinations of weight values obtained to search for a combination whose addition value is equal or the closest to a set value, causing the weighing hoppers corresponding to the searched-for combination to discharge articles toward a collecting chute, opening a timing hopper situated under the discharge port of the collecting chute simultaneously with the opening of said weighing hoppers, and actuating a shutter located, within the collecting chute, above the discharge port of said collecting chute in response to a signal from said timing hopper, whereby groups of articles successively discharged from the weighing hoppers are collected separately one from the other. 
     
     
       4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the timing for operation of said shutter is adjustable in relation to the falling speed of articles along the collecting chute. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus for collecting articles in a combinatorial weighing system, comprising a collecting chute for receiving articles from a plurality of weighing hoppers, a timing hopper located below the discharge port of said collecting chute, and a shutter located, within the collecting chute, above the discharge port of said collecting chute and a drive unit for opening and closing said shutter. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the timing for operation of said shutter is adjustable in relation to the falling speed of articles along the collecting chute. .Iadd. 
     
     
       7.  In an automatic combinational weighing system, a plurality of separate article batch handling means for receiving individual article batches, weighing said received article batches, storing said weighed article batches, and selectively discharging stored article batches in response to a discharge signal;   article feeding means for feeding individual article batches to separate article batch handling means;   article collecting means for collecting articles discharged by said separate article batch handling means; and   control means for acquiring batch weight information from said individual article batch handling means, selecting a combination of stored article batches to make up a combinational total weight, and sending a discharge signal to an associated combination of said batch handling means to discharge associated stored article batches during a discharge cycle;   said article collecting means comprising an article collection chute for collecting said discharged article batches and delivering said collected article batches to a discharge port; and   shutter means mounted within said collection chute and selectably actuable to a closed position to intercept said collected article batches prior to reaching said discharge port and to an open position to release said collected article batches to travel toward said discharge port. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       8.  Apparatus for collecting articles in a combinational weighing system which includes a plurality of hoppers for selectably discharging articles contained therein, said apparatus comprising a collection chute disposed underneath said hoppers and having an article collecting port at an upper end for receiving articles discharged from said hoppers and an article discharge port at a lower end; and shutter means mounted within said collection chute at an intermediate position between said collection port and said discharge port and being selectably actuable between a closed position for stopping a batch of articles discharged from said hoppers at said intermediate position and an open position for releasing said batch of articles to travel toward said discharge port. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. In a method for collecting articles in a combinational weighing system having a plurality of article containing hoppers which are discharged in combination to a collection chute having an upper article receiving port and a lower article discharge port, the steps of disposing a shutter at a position within said collection chute intermediate said article receiving port and said article discharge port;   discharging articles from a plurality of said article containing hoppers into said article receiving port;   positioning said shutter in a closed position during a first time period to stop and collect said discharged articles at said intermediate position; and   positioning said shutter in an open position during a second time period to discharge said collected articles toward said article discharge port.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.10.  The method of claim 9, wherein said step of positioning said shutter in an open position during a second time period is carried out coincidentally with said step of discharging articles from said article containing hoppers such that articles are released from said shutter towards said discharge port at the same time that articles are traveling toward said shutter; and said step of positioning said shutter in a closed position during a first time interval is carried out prior to the arrival at said shutter position of articles discharged from said hoppers. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of positioning said shutter in an open position during a second time period is carried out at a time delayed a predetermined amount from the step of discharging articles from said article containing hoppers such that articles are released from said shutter toward said discharge port after the next batch of articles have started traveling towards said shutter; and said step of positioning said shutter in a closed position during a first time interval is carried out prior to arrival at said shutter position of articles discharged from said hoppers. .Iaddend.