초록 ▼

A method of operating an article sorting machine automatically adjusts weight cutoff values defining size grades to compensate for variations in weight distribution of the articles. The method comprises the steps of monitoring the actual average weight of the articles classified into each size grade

A method of operating an article sorting machine automatically adjusts weight cutoff values defining size grades to compensate for variations in weight distribution of the articles. The method comprises the steps of monitoring the actual average weight of the articles classified into each size grade, periodically comparing the actual average weight of the articles classified into each size grade to values indicative of the desired average weight of the articles classified into each size grade, and modifying ones of the weight cutoff values if the actual average weight of the articles classified into selected ones of the size grades differs from the desired average weight of the articles to be classified into the selected ones of the size grades.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for automatically adjusting plural successive weight cutoff values defining plural successive weight breaks into which articles are to be classified according to their weight for use in an article sorting machine of the type having a scale over which the articles are transported for providi

A method for automatically adjusting plural successive weight cutoff values defining plural successive weight breaks into which articles are to be classified according to their weight for use in an article sorting machine of the type having a scale over which the articles are transported for providing article weight data, a controller receiving and processing the article weight data and classifying the articles into ones of the weight breaks, and plural discharge stations having means responsive to the controller for discharging each article at a selected one of the discharge stations for packaging, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing values indicative of the desired average weight of the articles to be classified in each weight break; (b) computing values indicative of the actual average weight of the articles classified into each weight break based upon the weight data provided by the scale; (c) computing the differences between successive weight break cutoff values, each difference corresponding to a weight break and defining a gap width; (d) computing the difference between the desired average weight and the actual average weight for each weight break; (e) performing a first adjustment to the magnitude of the weight cutoff values by an amount determined by the magnitude of the differences between the desired average weights and actual average weights, the result of the first adjustment defining preliminary modified weight cutoff values; (f) performing a second adjustment to the magnitude of the weight cutoff values by an amount determined by the magnitude of the gap widths, the result defining final modified weight cutoff values; (g) discharging the articles at selected ones of the discharge stations based upon the modified weight cutoff values and the actual weight of the articles.