초록 ▼

A system for weighing and sorting poultry parts based upon the weight of the poultry parts is disclosed. An infeed conveyor module receives delivers poultry parts to a scale module and also produces a part position signal to a control module. The scale module diverts successive poultry parts to succ

A system for weighing and sorting poultry parts based upon the weight of the poultry parts is disclosed. An infeed conveyor module receives delivers poultry parts to a scale module and also produces a part position signal to a control module. The scale module diverts successive poultry parts to successive ones of a plurality of scale units where the parts are statically weighed and weight signals are transmitted to the control module. The weighed parts are successively discharged from the scale units to a sorter module where the parts are sorted according to their weights. The sorter module comprises a conveyor that carries parts away from the scale module and sweeper elements that sweep parts off of lateral edges of the conveyor into appropriate receptacles depending on the part weight. The sweeper elements can move in either direction along a loop path adjacent the conveyor as determined by the control module to sweep the parts from the conveyor.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for weighing and sorting poultry parts based upon the weight of the poultry parts is disclosed. An infeed conveyor module receives delivers poultry parts to a scale module and also produces a part position signal to a control module. The scale module diverts successive poultry parts to succ

A system for weighing and sorting poultry parts based upon the weight of the poultry parts is disclosed. An infeed conveyor module receives delivers poultry parts to a scale module and also produces a part position signal to a control module. The scale module diverts successive poultry parts to successive ones of a plurality of scale units where the parts are statically weighed and weight signals are transmitted to the control module. The weighed parts are successively discharged from the scale units to a sorter module where the parts are sorted according to their weights. The sorter module comprises a conveyor that carries parts away from the scale module and sweeper elements that sweep parts off of lateral edges of the conveyor into appropriate receptacles depending on the part weight. The sweeper elements can move in either direction along a loop path adjacent the conveyor as determined by the control module to sweep the parts from the conveyor. ong a line extending transversely across said travel path, first and second article sweeper elements each having a first article engaging face and a second article engaging face opposite said first face, said article engaging faces extending transverse to said line, a sweeper element carrier for moving said sweeper elements along a loop path adjacent said travel path, and a carrier drive unit for effecting sweeper element motion along said loop path, said drive unit operating to move said carrier for shifting either article sweeper element from one conveyor edge to the opposite conveyor edge along said line so that a poultry part on said conveyor is swept into one of the article receptacles. 7. The static weighing system claimed in claim 6 further comprising a second poultry part sensor for producing a signal indicative of a poultry part being discharged from a scale unit to said sorter module, said control module producing a command signal for operating said drive unit to sweep said poultry part into one of said receptacles in response to the signal from said second poultry part sensor and the signal from the scale unit from which said poultry part was discharged. 8. A system for weighing poultry parts, comprising: an infeed conveyor module comprising a conveyor for moving poultry parts along a path of travel, said conveyor having a discharge end from which poultry parts are delivered from the conveyor; a plurality of scale units for weighing poultry parts discharged from the conveyor; and, a plurality of poultry part diverters disposed below the infeed conveyor discharge end for receiving poultry parts dropped from the conveyor and directing poultry parts received from the infeed conveyor to an individual one of said scale units, each said diverter comprising a diverter member movable between alternate positions and a diverter actuator for shifting said diverter member between said positions so that poultry parts from the conveyor are directed to alternative scale units upon actuation of said diverter member; said scale units disposed below said diverters for receiving poultry parts dropped from said diverters, said scale units weighing said parts and discharging weighed parts. 9. The system claimed in claim 8 comprising four scale units with parts delivered from said conveyor passing along one of four paths of travel, each said path of travel extending between said diverters and a respective one of said scale units. 10. The system claimed in claim 8 wherein each scale unit is constructed and arranged to receive, weigh, and discharge a single poultry part. 11. The system claimed in claim 8 comprising first and second diverters, said first diverter directing poultry parts from said conveyor along first or second alternate paths of travel and said second diverter directing poultry parts along third or fourth alternate paths of travel. 12. The system claimed in claim 11 wherein said second diverter is operated between its alternate positions while said first diverter remains in one of its positions.