초록 ▼

A bagger for fruit or other discrete articles ensures that the bag has a minimum weight of fruit but with the lowest overage practical. A weigh pan is fed by a first conveyor having a number of singulating lanes, with an individual weigh chute at the end of each lane. The conveyor is controlled to s

A bagger for fruit or other discrete articles ensures that the bag has a minimum weight of fruit but with the lowest overage practical. A weigh pan is fed by a first conveyor having a number of singulating lanes, with an individual weigh chute at the end of each lane. The conveyor is controlled to stop filling the pan once a certain number of articles (sensed by photosensors) have passed into the pan which is less than the expected number of articles which will meet the minimum weight of articles to be bagged. Then the individual weigh chutes are loaded with one article each, and the individual or combinations of weights of one or more articles from the weigh chutes are calculated. The desired individual combination is selected which causes the weight of articles in the pan to exceed the predetermined weight by the lowest amount, and that desired individual or combination of articles is fed to the pan, the weight is confirmed in the pan, then the pan tilted to discharge the articles. A second conveyor feeds the first conveyor, and a shunt is provided to divert all, none, or some articles from the second conveyor to the first conveyor.

대표청구항 ▼

An automatic bagger for discrete articles, comprising: a primary weigh pan for weighing articles fed thereto, and upon the articles therein exceeding a predetermined weight, discharging the articles; first conveying means for delivering articles to said primary weigh pan, said first conveying means

An automatic bagger for discrete articles, comprising: a primary weigh pan for weighing articles fed thereto, and upon the articles therein exceeding a predetermined weight, discharging the articles; first conveying means for delivering articles to said primary weigh pan, said first conveying means including a plurality of discharge structures, said discharge structures immediately adjacent said primary weigh pan; each said discharge structures comprising a weigh device, and a releasable stop finger for releasably holding an article in said weigh device, each weigh device large enough to receive one of the articles therein; and control means for: activating said fingers for holding articles in said weigh devices once said primary weigh pan senses a weight of articles just short of said predetermined weight; for receiving the individual weights of said articles in said weigh devices; for calculating the desired individual or combination of article weights in said weigh devices which is the lowest weight which will cause the articles in said primary weigh pan to exceed said predetermined weight; and for activating said fingers associated with said calculated desired individual or combination of weigh devices.