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A combinatorial weighing method and apparatus for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined weight or made up of a predetermined number of articles. The method includes the steps of setting a target value for each catego

A combinatorial weighing method and apparatus for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined weight or made up of a predetermined number of articles. The method includes the steps of setting a target value for each category of articles, and supplying a plurality of weighing machines, groups of which are provided for each category of articles, with the articles of the category corresponding thereto. For each category of articles and from all combinations of the weighing machines supplied with the category of articles, a best combination is selected, whose total value (weight or number) is equal to the target value set for that category or closest to the target value within preset allowable limits. Then, the articles from those weighing machines corresponding to the best combination obtained for each category of articles is discharged, so that a batch composed of the discharged articles, is obtained.

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1. A combinatorial weighing method for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined weight, said method comprising the steps of: (a) setting a target weight for each category of articles; (b) supplying a plurality of gr

1. A combinatorial weighing method for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined weight, said method comprising the steps of: (a) setting a target weight for each category of articles; (b) supplying a plurality of groups of weighing machines, each of said groups of weighing machines being provided for a corresponding one of the categories of articles; (c) selecting, for each category of articles and from all combinations of the weighing machines provided for said each category of articles, a best combination whose total weight is equal to the target weight set for that category or closest to the target weight within preset allowable limits; and (d) discharging the articles from those weighing machines corresponding to the best combination obtained for each category of articles, whereby a batch composed of the discharged articles is obtained. 2. A combinatorial weighing method according to claim 1, wherein said setting step (a) comprises finding the target weight for each category of articles from a gross target weight of a batch and a weight ratio of each category of articles. 3. A combinatorial counting method for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined number of articles of that category, said method comprising the steps of: (a) setting a target number for each category of articles; (b) supplying a plurality of groups of weighing machines, each of said groups of weighing machines being provided for a corresponding one of the categories of articles; (c) selecting, for each category of articles and from all combinations of the weighing machines provided for said each category of articles, a best combination that gives a total number of articles equal to the target number set for that category or closest to the target number within preset allowable limits; and (d) discharging the articles from those weighing machines corresponding to the best combination obtained for each category of articles, whereby a batch composed of the discharged articles is obtained. 4. A combinatorial counting method according to claim 3, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of: measuring the weights of the articles supplied to each weighing machine; computing the number of articles supplied to each weighing machine by dividing the measured weights by the units weight of each article; and computing the best combination for each category of articles on the basis of the number of articles supplied to each weighing machine. 5. A combnatorial counting method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said step (a) comprises finding the target number for each category of articles from an overall target number for the batch and a number ratio of the articles in each category. 6. A combinatorial weighing method for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined number of articles, said method comprising the steps of: (a) setting a target number for each category of articles constituting the batch and a target weight for the batch; (b) supplying a plurality of groups of weighing machines, each of said groups of weighing machines being provided for a corresponding one of the categories of articles; (c) finding a storing in memory, for each category of articles and from all combinations of the weighing machines supplied with said each category of articles, all best combinations that give a number of articles equal to the set target number for that category or closest to the set target number within preset allowable limits; (d) selecting, from all combinations of the best combinations, each chosen from one or more of the best combinations obtained for each category of articles, an optimum combination having a total weight which is equal to the target weight set for the batch or closest to the target weight within preset allowable limits; and (e) discharging the articles from those weighing machines corresponding to the optimum combination obtained in said step (d), whereby a batch composed of a collection of the discharged articles is obtained. 7. A combinatorial weighing method according to claim 6, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of: measuring the weights of the articles supplied to each weighing machine; computing the number of articles supplied to each weighing machine by dividing the measured weights by the unit weight of each article; and computing and storing in memory the best combination for each category of articles on the basis of the computed number of articles. 8. A combinatorial weighing method according to claim 6, wherein said step (a) comprises finding the target number for each category of articles from an overall target number for the batch and a number ratio of the articles in each category. 9. A combintorial weighing method according to claim 6, 7 or 8, further comprising performing the following steps when no best combination is found in said step (c) for a certain category of articles: revising the target numbers of two or more categories of articles inclusive of the certain category of articles, while holding the total number of articles constant; and repeating said step. 10. A combinatorial measuring method for obtaining a collection of articles from N categories, where N is an integer greater than one, each of the N categories of articles having a target value, said method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the target value for each category of articles; (b) supplying N groups of article weight values, each of said N groups of article weight values being provided for a corresponding one of the N categories of articles, each of the article weight values within a group corresponding to the actual weight of a batch of articles within the corresponding one of the N categories; (c) selecting, for each category of articles and from all combinations of the article weight values provided for said each category of articles, a best combination whose total value is equal to the target value set for that category or closest to the target value within preset allowable limits; and (d) selecting the batches of articles within each category corresponding to the article weight values which make up the best combination obtained for each category of articles to form the collection of articles. 11. A combinatorial measuring method according to claim 10, wherein said step (a) comprises setting a target weight for each category of articles and wherein said step (c) comprises selecting, for each category of articles, the best combination whose total weight is equal to the target weight set for that category or closest to the target weight within preset allowable limits. 12. A combinatorial measuring method according to claim 10, wherein said step (a) comprises setting a target number for each category of articles and wherein said step (c) comprises selecting, for each category of articles, the best combination that gives a total number of articles equal to the target number set for that category or closest to the target number within preset allowable limits. 13. A combinatorial weighing apparatus for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined weight, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of weight setting units for setting a target weight for each category of articles; a plurality of groups of weighing machines for providing weight values, each of said groups of weighing machines being provided for a corresponding one of the categories of articles; a single arithmetic unit, operatively connected to said weight setting units and said weighing machines, for obtaining an optimum category combination weight for each category of articles by subjecting the weight values obtained from the groups of weighing machines to a combinatorial calculation for each category of articles; and means for discharging the articles from the weighing machines combining to give the optimum category combination weight, these weighing machines being among the plural weighing machines provided for each category of articles. 14. A combinatorial counting apparatus for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined number of the articles of that category, said apparatus comoprising: a number setting unit for setting a target number for each category of articles; a plurality of groups of weighing machines for providing weight values, each of said groups of weighing machines being provided for a corresponding one of the categories of articles; a single arithmetic unit, operatively connected to said number setting unit and said weighing machines, for obtaining an optimum category combination number for each category of articles by calculating the number of articles in each weighing machine in a group of weighing machines based on the weight values obtained from each of said weighing machines, and performing a combinatorial calculation for each category of articles; and means for discharging the articles from the weighing machines corresponding to the optimum category combination number, these weighing machines being among the plural weighing machines provided for each category of articles. 15. A combinatorial counting apparatus for obtaining a batch of articles of a plurality of categories, each category of articles in the batch having a predetermined number of the articles of that category, said apparatus comprising: a number setting unit for setting a target number for each category of articles; a target weight setting unit for setting a target weight which is a total weight value of all articles contained in all categories; a plurality of groups of weighing machines for providing weight values, each of said groups of weighing machines being provided for a corresponding one of the categories of articles; and an arithmetic unit, operatively connected to said number setting unit, said target weight setting unit, and said weighing machines, for obtaining an optimum category combination number for each category of articles by calculating the number of articles in each weighing machine based on the weight values obtained from each of said weighing machines, for performing a combinatorial calculation for each category of articles to obtain the optimum category combination number, and for calculating the gross weight of all articles participating in the optimum category combination number for all categories of articles to obtain a combination equal or closest to the target weight value.