CA1232156A - Random sampling system - Google Patents

Random sampling system

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Publication number
CA1232156A
CA1232156A CA000478523A CA478523A CA1232156A CA 1232156 A CA1232156 A CA 1232156A CA 000478523 A CA000478523 A CA 000478523A CA 478523 A CA478523 A CA 478523A CA 1232156 A CA1232156 A CA 1232156A
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Canada
Prior art keywords
articles
batch
random
series
numbers
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Expired
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CA000478523A
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French (fr)
Inventor
Roger Bennison
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority claimed from US06/597,364 external-priority patent/US4580226A/en
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Abstract

PATENT APPLICATION

OF: Roger Bennison FOR: RANDOM SAMPLING SYSTEM

ABSTRACT
Apparatus and process for randomly selecting articles for removal from an advancing series thereof,. An operator chooses the total number of a batch of the articles from which the random selection is to be taken, as well as the total number of samples of the articles to be taken from the batch. A series of random numbers, each representing an incremental advancement of the series of articles, is developed when a reset button is actuated by the operator which interrupts a very long sequence of numbers held in the memory of a micro-computer, thereby establishing a starting point. A sensor senses the articles as they pass a predetermined station, and those articles are removed from the advancing series which relate in the sequence to each randomly generated number. Information is displayed which relates to the number of the batch, the number of samples, and the number of articles still to pass the predetermined station immediately prior to the next article scheduled for removal. The apparatus and process can also be used to remove random samples from an advancing flow of fungible material.

Description

., 1 13~
., 1 ~::CMUII~
2 1.
3 The preset ~nv~ntiorl relates generally to a new and
4 improved process and apparatus f or rarldomly electing any S preselected n~nber ox samples of on i. em frcml any preselected 6 Buicks or populatiorl nabber for that item., The item being 7 monitored may be any item which I& King produced in quantity, I
B the level of quality of which it it desirable Jo inspect from 9 time to time.
For purposes of the disclosure herein, toe term "batch" or 11 population" it taxes to mean the group of all the it's that 12 fit a particular de~criptioa 7 for example, a productiosl run;
13 the teem sample" is teak n to Jan number of object chosen 14 for given batch or population as representative of the entire group; and random sample" is a sample in which every i em in 16 the batch or population ha a equal chance of being chosen for 17 the simple.

19 It it customary in aye industries utilizing mast product lion techniques to remove at intervals items being produced 21 a they advance along the amoeba line These items are then 22 examined to determine their fitness for sale and consumption 23 In the ideal world each item would be examined. however, such I 100 percent examination is a practical or commercial impossibi-lily since the t ye and, therefore, cost involved would not foe permit it. Furthermore, it it not necessary to perform such a 27 oily examination it any event, wince, statistically; it is 28 very likely that if a proper sampling is take any problems 29 pretty will appear no if a problem with the production item appears in quantities that are greater than a permissible level, 31 that is a clear indication hut some action must ye taken with 32 the entire production run in order to alleviate the problem.

;~V~J;~^~

1 139~01 .. 1 1 such sampling lo of portlier impureness in the food end 2 beverage processing industries 'co sure that it untended 3 for human consumption ore fit for such connation. however, pa various sampling techniques have been used in virtually every
5 industry in which relatively large numbers of item are
6 produced acid in which it would be impractical or imp Bible Jo
7 inspect error jingle item
8 ~owe~rer, no only s it r~ece~saxy that a ampule no of items
9 be made in order to detennine the quality ox the vast majority
10 of thy items in the Norway batch or population from which the
11 inspection is taken. Indeed, it is necessary that: the sampling I be random in order for it to be effective It will be 13 appreciated that machinery operates in a repetitive fashion and 14 that while this is a desirable characteristic for many functions, it it an undesirable characteristic when the goal it 16 to stain randomness ox operation. Specifically, it it 17 possible that a selection of items at uniformly spaced 18 interval during a production rut could establish a pattern 19 which would closely match a patter in the population of the items such that an accurate representation of the finished 21 product is jot obtained. For example, most filling and 22 packaging systems operate on a fixed scale basis such what a 23 uniformly spaced selection of sample items could result in 24 obtaining successive sample items which were willed by the tame I station of a filling machine or closed by the same station of 2 26 sealing machine. my so dwelling on one aspect of the 27 production run, a problem Which might actually exit at some 28 other station of the anywhere might be overlooked.
I The most pertinent prior art known to the in nor will Dow be discusses. the So patent to wreck, owe 30151D237 31 issued September 29, ~964, is representative of that class of 32 i notions in the prior I which serves to glean an mount of . ~39.~01 ~23~

a variable for controlling the quality of hut specific v~ri~ble. The potent it not kerned with random number 3 ~elec~on, buy dozily a aye icily us y control system 4 for determining the ~tatifitical distribution of certain quality ch~racteris~ic~ of on article of manufacture.
6 The US. patent to Wallace et alp, No. 4,187,545 issued 7 February 5; 1980, it representative of that class of prior art inventions which serve to compare on article of manufacture being produced with an established one. If there is a problem, that problem is corrected or the item causing the problem is 11 ejected. In the Wallace patent, apparatus it disclosed for
12 determining the orientation of articles advancing along a conveyor, correcting them if they are not properly oriented or 14 ejecting the for another attempt. As with the Hrabak patent, there is no consideration or discussion in the Wallace patent 16 of random number election.
17 The So patent to Weaver, No. 3J~4~,051 issued March 16, 18 1976 is the prior art known to the investor which it closest it 19 concept to the invention Weaver utilizes a pair of counters which operate in conjunction with a switching mechanism Jo 21 achieve some degree of randomness. however, unlike the system 22 employed in the present invention, Weaver seeks Jo achieve a 23 result in which the random selection is spread evenly across I the entire production run. That is, according to the system of Weaver, only one sample is chosen out of a predetermined watch 26 size which will result in a preselected whole number percentage 27 at the end of a production Hun. On each occasion what the 28 fixate counter recycles, for example after the passage of every 29 50 or 100 articles of the proud lion run, a new batch it begun.
pa Although the Weaver system does achieve a con awn level of randomness, it does not achieve that degree Jo randomness which I joy Of VOW -1 modern 3 Doria, par~eul~rly Tao f old pry en g industry 2 Gliders Nasser in order to provide toe Sal fly of product 3 properly demanded by today 8 ~on6uxner .
4 With proper deference bring giver: Jo the foresaid 5 patents, each ox which, on it face, discloses on advance in 6 the ~tate-of-t:he-art a of the daze when each respective patent 7 way granted, nonetheless like present :i~ven~:ion it deemed to be 8 a considerable ~provesnent over us known device deed, it 9 was with recognition of the ye d and the state of the prior art that the present invention was conceived and has now been 11 reduced to practice
13 Jo this end, there is disclosed heroin apparatus an a
14 process for randomly selecting articles for removal from a advancing series to roof. An operator chooses the total number 16 of a batch of the articles from which the random selection is 17 Jo be taken 7 as well as thy total number of samples of ho 18 ~rti d en to be taken from the batch. A series of random 19 number, each representing an incremental advancement ox the series of articles, it developed when a reset b ill ton is 21 activated by the operator which interrupts a vex long sequence 22 of numbers he'd it the Myra of a micro-computer, thereby 23 establishing a starting point. A sensor detects the articles 24 as they pass a predetermined Tahitian and whose articles are removed from the advancing series which relate in the sequence 26 to each randomly generated number. Information is displayed 27 which relates to the number o-f the batch, the number of samples I and the umber of articles still to pass the predetermined 29 ration immediately prior to the next article scheduled fox removal. The apparatus and process can also be used to remove 31 random samples from an advancing flow of fungible material.

.

13g . ~01 Lo 1 ¦ Prior to Zle~cribing ye ~nve~tic~n itself on furler detail, 2 it us considered as helpful, flyer, to dukes in general err 3 the concept of Bausch issue, ample size, rands:mnes~, and radon 4 slumber generation.
At the outset, thy tent "batch" ha previously been defined 6 a the group of all items which particular description, 7 as, for example, a production run. In the extreme, for any 8 manufacturing facility making a particular product Lowe ultimate 9 batch would be the total number of that product which has ever been made or even will ever be made at that f agility . However, 11 for alto control purposes, it wassailed be impossible to consider 12 anything more than a very small percentage within that full size 13 batch. Specifically, quality control requires that the informal 14 lion as to quality of the product become available sufficiently quickly that such knowledge cay influence the outcome of the 16 production process. Thus, the user will want to so define a 17 batch to be examined as a number of article of sufficient size 18 a Jo establish a meaningful result, yet not so large what the 19 response time it unacceptably long.
I When one it establishing a quality control procedure, 21 there are predetermined and well-known mathematical relation-22 ships which allow one to specify what percentage of the product 23 is defective according to some predetermined test. Once the 24 percentage of acceptable units is defined, a sampling procedure can ye derived which establishes a sample percentage. For ox-26 ample, to tare an over-simplified instance, if it is desired to 27 obtain no more than owe percent defective product to be shipped 28 out to a customer, 125 samples would be randomly selected from I batches of loo en isles subjected to testing, and, of this group, no more than three failures would be considered as 31 acceptable. See Standard Tables, STUDIED, quoted from I
1 ¦ Quill y Senatorial Handbook gird Edition EM Juan" Editor, 2 ¦ McGxaw~ill Book C~npany, It 07~033175-8~
3 ¦ Of course it mutt be appreciated that randomness it owe:
4 ¦ an absolute concept; rather it us on ideal to approached, 5 ¦ The close one approaches the ideal, however, generally the 6 ¦ greater thy cot. The present invention it successful if 7 ox awning a very high degree of ra~doTnne~& moderate 8 OWE, if a large nailer of room numbers" aye generated, g the randomness of their selection can by gauged by reference to 10 perfect randomne~". Taking nwnber~ from 0 to 9 for 11 simplicity, if they are generated at random, when any digit 12 such as "3", will occur at a rate which gives a total of 1/10 13 or 10% of the total of numbers gyrated In other word each 14 digit in the range 0-9 has an equal (10%) probability of occurring A measure of this would be the expression:
16 lo - essay 17 lo Tao) 18 where o equal actual occurrence of digit i and e equals Pocketed occurrence of digit to Normally accepted is the criterion that this expre~ion my woks out to a number 21 greater Han 2.7 and less thaw 19Ø See Kennedy, Michael and 22 Solomon, Martin By, , Prentice all Inc. 1972, I5BN 0-13-246827 1. This result cay be teen graphically by plotting the sequence 0 through 9 on the ordinate or x-axis and the number of times a particular digit 26 is allocated on the abscissa or yuccas If imaginary dice are rolled for a very long time; and the results are plotted, the 28 result should be a flat or horizontal distribution Nerve 29 because there is an equal likelihood that any of those digits will be chosen after making man, many selections.

32 _ 7 ;:L~3~.~5~

1 the approach so the :~nvenltor in striving it like random 2 Mel of the prune oven n n Jo Jim for 3 independence prom outside influerlces Audi us aureole a 4 psartical, achieve the die rollirlg ideal.
In practical terms, however, it is wrier do focal Jo 6 obtain truly random number in simple electronic machine.
7 Lowry few clerical phenomena are random; they USA lye run the B risk of being periodic at Rome time or another. For this 9 reason, it is usual to deal with "pseudo-randosn" numbers.
10 these are numbers taken from a very lore sequence which can be 11 obtained by arithmetic operations. One example is to take 12 ascending powers of 75, module 65537, subtract one, then divide 13 by 65536. This procedure yield a series of buyers in the 14 range of I ¢ 1 which can then be used to multiply by the
15 batch size to obtain suitable sample numbers The following
16 example provides a partial reprasentatiorl Stoat is, only
17 through the fifth power of 75) o this procedure.
18 Sample Namer In
19 Powers of 75 ~odulc~ 65537 -1 . 65536 ah of I
(75)1 = I 00~7~ 0.0011291 (75)2= 5625 ~5625 0.085~154 43 ~75) = '121875 ~8653 0.4371~8 219 22 (75)4= 3~40625 ~17~1 0.7902526 395 (75~ 5 - 2373046875 17642 0 . 2691803 135 To complete this example, one would continue on for 6553S
total numbers in a series. The umber 65536 is chosen because 27 it is the lath power of two, a convenient number utilized electronic hardware for computing operations. In further explanatiorl, the word l'modulo" is a mathematical term which simply denotes a continuing series of subtractions until a 3û
31 remainder is reached which is smaller in magnitude than the 32 divisor Thus the numbers in the second column represent those - o w -1 remainders from toe fruit column umber we ho follr~ing 2 succe~ive subtraction of the number 65537 from ye firs 3 column nuurber, it let n the lumber 65537 I Course! in 4 she first two instances; there can be no such remainder since the f irrupt column number is too small; here the raw f irk 6 Cole one number i merely transferred to the second column.
7 us a furler assurance of randomize, the n~nber 6553~ it Casey to Lowe one digit larger than 65536 (i.e. 216~c As shah, 9 it is a pry number, and it it highly urllikely that any resulting remainder would produce a regularly repeatable 11 number. Then for the operation as presented in the third 12 column of the exasnpl~, the number one is subtracted from 'eke 13 second column number in order to assure that all ens 14 obtained are within the Rutledge of the computer. In this regard, it will be recalled that the Norway 65536 is 216, a convenient 16 number f or electronic hardware .
17 Having thus ~nployed computing power to obtain such a 18 large series of umbra one can enter the ~equerl~e at any 19 point to obtain a suitable group of numbers Of course, as I
be readily imagined, such a technique was impractical until the 21 advent ox relatively inexpensitre micro-computers. Now, if one 22 uses owe random event to select a starting point in the 23 sequence, such as the length of time a person presses the reset 24 button, then the sequence of numbers obtained will appear to be random and will be guaranteed to maintain acceptable randomness 26 of selection.
27 The concept of the random Ampex of the invention, then, 28 is generally as phyla A microprocessor waits for a resew 29 by ton to be pressed. In the meantime it it kittens 30 cycling through, or a least has available in it, the random 31 number calculation described above When the button is 32 l sued, the front panel displays are examined to discover what I I

1 number ox samples it required end prom whit size of botch 2 avid deltermin~d thlP~e data ye micro prosier pucks up 3 wherever it happened to be in the numb ~equerice when the 4 button was released; end tarts to list the desired samples in S I memory.
6 Since a pseudo-random number is usually multi-digit 7 decimal in ye range 0C2~ G 1, the micro-proce!;~or multiplies 8 the f first Norway encountered by the number in the Bush to 9 obtain the number of a sample to be taken. The resulting number will of course }Rae the nearest weakly number in the range 11 O batch.
12 This procedlare is repeated, again and again, until enough 13 sample umber have teen accumulated in memory, whereupon the 14 numbers are ferreted into aficending order. When this it complete, the mi~ro-proc~sor begins to count items until the 16 first sample umber is reached t at which point the package is 17 ejected from the covey ox The next sample number is the 18 fetched from memory and the micro-processor keeps counting 19 items until that or it reached. this process continue until all the desired samples have been taken, whey the micro-21 processor can either begin another batch or Pease until resew 22 by the operator, according to how it was programmed.
23 Thus, the present simpler can perform in the same way as 24 the Weaver patent, dukes previously, by choosing one sample out of a batch of 50, or can be very much more satisfactory 26 from a fatuity tidal point of view in choosing 79 ampule from a I batch of 4973 (for example), or any other number of samples 28 from any other batch issue within the limits of the design. In 29 addition, of course, the present sampler is guaranteed to be acceptably random whatever conditions prevail on the conveyor.
31 Still awry benefit can be ruled by users of the 32 invention. In this regard, it is noteworthy what many large I
volume producer ox coD~umer good wrier essay upper Jo 2 include ammeter sample" ~hiprnent~ wow is Tuesday for 3 defer prior to ye acceptaslce of ye inane. ~ypic~lly, 4 box ox lo can or bottles or cup I separately boxed in truckload of 100 000 . This ammeter ampule is collected 6 manually by ye producer according Jo preestablished 7 interaction from the 6upplie~ an expensive system Noah 8 one which it dip f icily Jo administer . the new random sampler 9 can easily perform this task automatically and set aside the "master sample" on an organized, economical end accurate basis.
11 Thus both the producer and thy supplier benefit from the 12 invention and can pass those Ben f its, including savings 13 rev looted in lower prices, lug to the consumer .
14 Ocher arid further features, objects, advaTI~ages, and 15 benefits so the inver~tiosl will become apparent from eye 16 f hollowing descri~tisn taken an conjunction with the ollowiIIg 17 dryness It is to be understood that both the foregoing 18 general description and the follDwan~ detailed description ore 19 exemplary and explanatory but are not re~triGtive ox ye
20 irlvention. The ac~ompa~yin~ drawings which are i~orporated in
21 and constitu. e a part of this ventiorl, illustrate owe
22 embodiment of the inverltion end, together with the description,
23 serve to explain the principles of the invention.
24 D
In ho drawings:
26 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sampling station 27 alongside an advancing conveyor which utilizes the random 28 sampling process and apparatus of the present invention;
29 FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the frost panel illustrated in FIG. 1 illustrating its components in detail;
31 FIG 3 is an operational schematic drawing which servos to 32 illustrate the operation of owe embodiment of the present ^

1 invention and 2 JIG 4 it a Perle ivy view similar Jo FIG I but 3 illustrating a m~dif ted sampling system which operates to tare 4 random mule of fungible material as it advances on ye conveyor .
6 DESCRIPTION OF TIE PROOFED EMBODI~T
7 Refer now 'co the drawings, and initially to JIG. 1 which 3 generally illustrate a random sampler 20 which embodies the 9 principles of the present invention.
In accordance wit h the invention apparatlls it disclosed 11 for randomly electing articles for removal from an advancing 12 series thereof as they pass a predetermined s anion comprising:
13 fluorite selection means operably for establlshi~g the total 14 number of a batch of the articles from which the random selection is to be taken; second selection meats operable for 16 establishing the total nonuser of samples of the articles to be 17 take from the batch; a number generator providing a very long 18 sequence of numbers; reset means operable Jo externally 19 interrupt said number generator to establish a starting point in the sequence of numbers provided by said number generator;
21 developing means responsive to operation of said reset means 22 for developing a series of random numbers within toe magnitude 23 of the batch size as established by said first selection means, 24 each random number reporting an incremental advancement of the series of articles; random access memory meats for storing I in memory the series ox numbers developed by said developing 27 means; sensor means for sensing the presence of each of the 28 articles as it passes a predetermined station; and selection 29 means operable for removing prom the advancing series of articles whose articles which relate in the sequence to each 31 randomly generated umber stored within said random access 32 memory means. - 12 1 A embodied rein, with particular reference to FITS.
2 1-3, random ampere 20 it used in conjunction with series 3 of articles 22 they dunce in any customary fashion ox 4 utile conveyor 24~ -For purposes of the inv~ntlon, it makes no difference whether the conveyor remains ~ationary and the 6 articles 22 are moved relative to the conveyor, or if the 7 conveyor itself it moved Mud the arid en 22 advance err 8 What it important it that the articles 22 are moved relative Jo 9 a sampling station as represented by a sample collection container 26 positioned adjacent to the conveyor 24 in some 11 suitable manner and at some suitable location so as to receive 12 therein selected ones of the articles 22, 13 As seen particularly well in FIG. 2, a first selector 28 14 provided it the frost panel of main control unit 29 serves to establish the total user of a batch of the articles 22 from 16 which the random elks is to be taken. the firs selector 17 28 con be any suitable device for this purpose, hut is 18 illustrated in Fig 2 as being a plurality of thum~wheel 19 switches 30, each switch representing one digit of a multi digit number. Thy operator of the random sampler 20 sets the first 21 selector 28 to reflect the total number of the batch of the 22 articles 22 from which the random selection is to be taken, 23 In a similar fashion, a second selector 32 is also located 24 in the front panel of the control unit 29 and sexes to establish the total number of samples of the articles 22 which 26 axe to be taken from the batch as determined by the firs 27 selector I Again, it it the choice of the operator to 28 determine the number of ampule to be take and the selector 32 29 is suitably provided with a plurality of thimble witches 34, each of which represents one digit of a ~nultidigit number, 31 Thus, the operator uses well-known mathematical 2 relationships and standards of quality control to determine U V Jo 1 ¦ wit Norway of plus I; desired prom a prede~cerm~ned batch 2 size end this information us entered irrupt the random snowplows 20 3 prior to it vperat~on.
4 With particular attention now to FIX. 3, the random ampler 20 it provided with micro computer 36 which is 6 illustrated, for sake of simplicity, single component. In 7 actual f act, the micro-computer 36 may be a in~l~rconnec~ed 8 group ox integrated sorts irlcluding a number generator and 9 an inter ace between passive elements for recei~rin~ i~fs:~nnation and active element err performing physical operations. One 11 typical example of the micro computer 36 might be the 12 combination of a BACKUP microprocessor integrated circuit 13 anal a ZIP progxa~nable i~put-output integrated circuit, 14 both manufactured and told by Zilog Inc., of Campbell, Calf ornia .
16 As is seen in FIG. 3, the information provided by the 17 first and second selectors 28 and 32 it provided to ye 18 micro computer 36 via electrical loads 38 and 40, respectively 19 In furthering toe operation of the random sampler 20, the 20 micro-computer, as prosily explained, includes a number 21 generator which provides a very lung sequence of numbers. The 22 numbers of the sequence may be generated in accordance with the 2 3 example indicated above and may be that series of member I obtained in the t}lircl colonial of the example provided above As 2 5 previous lye explained, it it prey err Nat these ~nbers be in 26 the Lange of 0-1, so that, when multi ted by the size of the 27 batch as determined by the operator, the multiplicand is a 28 Howe number no greater than the predetermined size of the 2 9 batch O
The element of the random sampler 20 which actually serves 31 to initiate it operation is a reset }Sutton 42 9 also located in 32 front panel of the main control unit 29 (see FIGS. 2 and I
1 ¦ 3 kick, electrical lewd 43 sununic:~te6 with the 2 ¦ microcomputer 36. yo-yo operating lye reset button 42, the 3 I number generator porl~iorl of Ire micro~s:ompu~eE 36 it externally 4 ¦ interrupted to whereby establish a ~t2lr~ g pow no in a sequence S ¦ of the numbers provided by the umber goner our. The reset 6 ¦ button 42 is actuated whenever desired by the operator 7 ¦ However, it will be appreciated thaw while the bulletin 42 can be ¦ operated by a human being, it can ~180 be operated by any other 9 ~ui~cable external force or mechanic . Elowever if the outside force is provided by Rome external mechanism, whether it be 11 mechanical, electrical, chemical, or some other energy form it may lose some of the random behavior which is assured by use of 13 a living being. Thus, the reset button 42 serves to establish 14 a haphazard starting point in a sequence of numbers as presented in the third column of the example provided above.
16 The micro-computer 36 also includes a development Sweeney 17 which is responsive to operation of the reset button 42 for 18 developing a series of random numbers within the magnitude of 19 the batch size as established by the first selector 28~ Each of the random numbers represents an incremental advancement of 21 the series of articles 22. That is, each random number 22 represents one of the sample articles chosen to ye removed from 23 the conveyor 24; and when the random n~mhexs are arranged in 24 sequence from lowest to highest, each random number represents the next sample article chosen Jo be removed from the conveyor..
26 The development section, when, represents what portion of the 27 micro-computer 36 why ah multiplies the numbers in the third 28 column of the above described example by the number chosen for 29 the batch in order to arrive at the numbers in the fourth column of the tame example 31 The random Sampler 20 also includes a random access memory 32 44 for storing the series of numbers developed by the develop . , .. ox !
I
1 mint section of the micro-computer 36. The memory 44 serves 2 tore reunion data us and when it i venerated in the Corey 3 of operation of the sampler 20 One typical example s: f mums 4 44 it the type MM 5290 integrated circuit manufactured by 5 National Semiconductor Corporation ox Sun tale j Cole Bryan .
6 A utilized in the present involution the memory 44 is 7 preferably directional that is it can receive, tore, and 8 retransmit information. Also, as utilized in the present 9 invention, the memory 44 supplements the limited data storage 10 capacity of the micro-computer 36 to which it is electrically 11 connected as by lead 45, specifically, the memory 44 provides I the micro-computer 36 with the list of random numbers as 13 described above.
14 A suitable sensing device 46, such as a proximity tensor, one example being type 871C, manufactured by Allen-Bradley of I Milwaukee, Wisconsin operates to Zen e the presence of each of 17 the articles 22 as it passes a sample collection con aider 26.
18 As illustrated in FIG. 3, the senor 46 is electrically 19 coquetted to the micro-computer 36 as by electrical lead 48 to whereby convey information to the micro-computer as Jo each 21 article 22 which has passed the station reprinted by the 22 sample collection container 26.
23 The random sampler 20 also includes a selection mechanism 24 which is operable for removing from the advancing series of articles 22 those articles which relate in the sequence to each 26 of the randomly venerated numbers stored within the random I access memory 44. To this end, a program memory 52 serves to 28 instruct the micro-computer 36 in the operation of the 29 selection mechanism 50. In actual fact/ the program memory 52 30 is a list of instructions for the microcomputer. A typical 31 integrated circuit which operates in a manner necessary to 32 support operation of the invention in this regard it designated I
1 the type ~716~ manufactured by Mel Corporation of Snow 2 Clara, C~lifQrnia. Wile ~2716~ it a chip Jo integrated 3 circuitry which i purchased Blake, it it programmed with 4 information provided by the manufacturer or u or which enable it to control the operation of the microcomputer 36.
6 In hi application, it reads the information eye into the 7 thimble wish 30 and 34 by the operator, govern the 8 action of thy number generator (one of the function of the 9 micro-computer 36), and organize the storage of the sequence of random number. A primary function of the program memory it 11 to de~exmine when the selector mechanism 50 is to operate.
12 aye it, it count the number of articles I which ore detected 13 by the tenor 46~ then coordinates with the development 14 mechanism section of the micro computer 36 to arrive a aye particular number of the next article 22 to be removed from the 16 conveyor 24. When this is determined it signals ho 17 micro computer 36 via electrical lead 54 to operate a drive 18 circuit 56 via elect eel lead 57. the drive circuit actuates 19 a selector ram 58 which is suitably positioned over the conveyor 24 in the vicinity of the sample collection container 21 26 to engage an article 22 and cause it to move off the 22 conveyor 24 and into the container 26. The selector ram 58 may 23 be pneumatically operated as by an air cylinder 60 which is fed 24 air from a suitable compressor 62 via a suitable valve 6q. Of course, it will be appreciated that the selector ram 58 may ye 26 operated electrically, as by a solenoid, or hydraulically, or 27 in Rome other likable fashion.
28 In accordance with the invention, the random simplex 20 is 29 generally a previously described and includes first display means responsive to operation of said first selection means for 31 misplaying the total number established for the batch of the 32 tales prom which the random section it to be taken. As by I

1 embodied herein, with refer nice to FIG. 2, numerical dipole 2 6 6 i provided on the front panel of the eosl~rol no 29 3 ~djaceslt ~C9 the first selector 28. When the thrill 4 switches 30 have been actuated by the operator to denote the 5 number ox articles 22 coo en or the batch, ugh inorm~ion i..
6 therm Sally displayed on tube numerical display 66 it any 7 suitable f Ann, there being some appropriate connection 8 butter the dipole 66 and the selector 28, depending upon 9 whether the display 66 is operated mechanically, electrically, 10 electronically, or in Rome other manner. Correlation be wren 11 the infonnation presented on the display 66 arid entered in the 12 micro-computer 36 is provided by an electrical lead 67.
13 In accordance with the invention the random sampler 14 generally as previously described in&ludirag second display 15 means ra~pon~ive to op~xation of said fecund selection meats 16 for displaying the total number established fur samples of the 17 articles lo be taken from the batch. As embodied herein with 18 c:ontiIlued reference to FIG. 2 a numerical misplay 68 of the 19 number of sample to ye chosen is utilized lo preread visual 20 information correlating Jo the informatiorl previously applied 21 Jo the thimble witches 34 by the operator. As in the 22 instance of ye numerical display I the numerical display 68 23 it suitably collected to the second selector 32 in such a 24 marker as to re1eclt eye infonnation placed into the system by
25 the operator Similarly correlation bP~ween the islforma~ion
26 preseslted on the display 68 and Entered in the microcomputer
27 36 it provided by an electrical lead 69.
2 8 In accordance with like invention the random sampler is 29 generally as previously described wherein said developirlg means 30 is operable to arrange thy rundown number in a ~equelltial 31 Asian As unbodied herein, a preferred function of the 2 program memory 52 is or it to be programmed in such a manner 1 13g . ~01 1 ¦ that it operate upon the awnbers Trudy in the random access 2 memory 44 such that key are arranged in ~e~aueDtial pharaoh.
3 Thus, the micro-Gompu or 36 it enabled Jo excite the drive 4 circuit 56 as each successive article 22 to be ejected into the sample collection container 26 arrives a: location opposite 6 the selector mechanism 50.
7 lo accordance with the ntrention, the random sampler is 8 generally as previously described and includes third display 9 means responsive to operation of said tensor means and idea selection meats for displaying the nwnber of articles Jill to 11 pass the predetermined statuary immediately prior to the next 12 sample scheduled for removal from the ad~Janci~ag series whereof.
13 As embodied herein, with continued rev erroneous to FIGS . 2 and 3, 14 a numerical display 70 is alto provided in the front panel of the control unit 29. The display I is responsive to operation 16 ox the sensor 46 and selector mechanism I fur displaying the 17 number of articles remaining before the next sample is 18 selected, a determined by the random cues memory 44, for 19 removal by the selector ram So. The tensor 46 operates the display 70 after the sampler 20 is placed in operation and Al aster information has teen provided to the displays 66 and 68.
22 Thus, the display 70 is a changing one which counts down 23 as the articles pass, and is then updated with the next random 24 interval Lmmediatel~ after a sample has been taken. For the sake of clarity, consider an example in which the following 26 list of random numbers has been established: 107, 362, 753, 27 etc. When the reset button 42 was pressed, these were the
28 numbers which were ge~exated. Before the first article passes
29 the sensor 46, the display 70 will read ~107", which it the interval before the fist sample. After the first article 31 passes the sensor 46, the display 70 will read ~106", then 32 " 5" after the second article, and 50 on. When the display 70 13~ 0~1 , I
1 read boa; the first Nile it Olsen prom the conveyor 24 2 which point the display 70 it updated to read ~255~ t 3 should ye noted that n255" it the i erval to ye next sample I it owe The prowess it repeated, as article number 362 S it selected to become the second ample the display 70 it 6 updated to read "391" it 753 362), and o on. In this 7 mariner, an ob~er~rer it in orbed that the random sampler 20 is 8 truly operative wise it is between samples being token and to 9 provide reassurance that, indeed a sample will be taken before long. Of course, the declining count presented on the display 11 70 informs the observer last how oriole the next sample will 12 actually be 'awaken.
13 The progr~n memory 52 also cooperates by organizing into 14 numerical sequence the output of information to the display 70 at the appropriate time. As with the displays 66 and 68, the 16 particular form of the display is not essential to the 17 invention but may be of any suitable form adequate for the lo purpose. Similarly with the displays 66 and 68, correlation 19 between the information presented on the display 70 and entered in the micro-computer 36 is provided by an electrical lead 71.
21 It accordance with the invention, the random sampler is 22 generally as previously described wherein said selection meats 23 includes a counter responsive to operation of said sensor means 24 for counting the umber of articles which has been removed from the advancing series thereof since the beginning of the batch, 26 and display means responsive to said counter for displaying 27 such information. As embodied herein, the micro-computer 36 28 includes a counter section which is responsive to the article 29 sensor 46 and to the selector mechanism 50 for counting the number of articles which ha been ejected from the conveyor 24 31 into the sample selection container 26. As thaw process 32 continues, the microcomputer then instructs a suitable display 1 72 It p~eBe9'1t a visual representation of the nunnery of Naples 2 already received within the coiner 26~, Billy with the 3 dipole 66, 68, bald 70, correlation Betty thy ~nfonna~io~
4 presented on the display 70 and entered in the mi~roc~mputer 36 it provided by an electrical lead 730 6 The preceding description ha been limited lo: discussion 7 of the random sampling of f invite ~xticles 22 0 It will be 8 appreciated, however, that it it highly desirable us well to 9 sample quarltities of Metro at which are of a fusible nature:
that is, material which it not neatly packaged in boxes, can, 11 bottles; or o'er container but rather may be in an 12 unpack aged form. Such fungible material would customarily be 13 particulate in form, or liquid, that: is, of such a nettler thaw 14 ore specimen or part cannot be dustiness d from another specimen or part. For sampling of such furigible material, 16 a~tentiorl is directed to FIG. 4 which illustra en a ~y~tesn much 17 similar to FIG. 1 except that the conveyor 24 is Sue carrying 18 such fungible material '14 as lit advances past tile sample 19 collection container 26. The selector mechanism 50 may be a 2û previously described except that in place so the plunger 58 t a 21 scoop 76 is provided to discharge sample quantities I into the 22 container 26. Furthennore, the sensor 46 may be of a nature 23 that it senses incremental advancement of the fungible material 24 74 as a function of time lapse since the beginning of the batch from which the random selection is to be waken. In anywhere 26 instance, the incremental advanc~menk may be a function of 27 c~nulative weight of the fungible material moved since the 28 beginning of movement of the batch from which the random 29 selection is to be taken In yet another instance, the incremental advancement might be a function of the cumulative 31 distance moved by the fungible material wince the beginning of 32 movement of the batch from the random selection is to be waken.

if 1 I In any eve~t9 other Karl a just men nod ye operation 2 ¦ of eye random sampling Lomb would in ~11 repack the me 3 ¦ as what already described with repack to the ~amplil~g of 4 ¦ f inn mules utile izin~ the disclosure presented in FIG . 2 5 ¦ and 3.
6 ¦ While the preferred embodiments of the invention have bee 7 ¦ disclosed in decal, it killed key understood by Jose ~lcilled 8 ¦ in the art that various motif cations may be made Jo the 9 illiterate embodiments without departing from ye spirit and 10 the scope thereof as described in the specification and defined 11 in the appended claims.

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Claims (22)

1. Apparatus for randomly selecting articles for removal from an advancing series thereof as they pass a predetermined station comprising:
first selection means operable for establishing the total number of a batch of the articles from which the random selection is to be taken;
second selection means operable for establishing the total number of samples of the articles to be taken from the batch;
a number generator providing a very long sequence of numbers;
reset means operable to externally interrupt said number generator to establish a starting point in the sequence of numbers provided by said number generator;
developing means responsive to operation of said reset means for developing a series of random numbers within the magnitude of the batch size as established by said first selection means, each random number representing an incremental advancement of the series of articles;
random access memory means for storing in memory the series of numbers developed by said developing means;
sensor means for sensing the presence of each of the articles as it passes a predetermined station; and selection means operable for removing from the advancing series of articles those articles which relate in the sequence to each randomly generated number stored within said random access memory means.
2 . Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including first display means responsive to operation of said first selection means for displaying the total number established for the batch of the articles from which the random selection is to be taken.
3 . Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including second display means responsive to operation of said second selection means for displaying the total number established for samples of the articles to be taken from the batch.
4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said developing means is operable to arrange the random numbers in a sequential fashion.
5 . Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including third display means responsive to operation of said sensor means and said selection means for displaying the number of articles still to pass the predetermined station immediately prior to the next sample scheduled for removal from the advancing series thereof.
6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said selection means includes a counter responsive to operation of said sensor means for counting the number of articles which has been removed from the advancing series thereof since the beginning of the batch; and display means responsive to said counter for displaying such information.
7. Apparatus for randomly removing sample quantities from an advancing flow of fungible material as such fungible material passes a predetermined station comprising:
first selection means operable for establishing the total magnitude as a batch of the fungible material from which the random selection is to be taken;
second selection mean operable for establishing the total number of samples of the fungible material to be taken from the batch;
a number generator providing a very long sequence of numbers;
reset means operable to externally interrupt said number generator to establish a starting point in the sequence of numbers provided by said number generator;
developing means responsive to operation of said reset means for developing a series of random numbers within the magnitude of the batch size as established by said first selection means, each random number representing an incremental advancement of the fungible material;
random access memory means for storing in memory the series of numbers developed by said developing means;
sensor means for determining the extent of the advancement of the fungible material past the predetermined station; and selection means operable for removing at predetermined intervals from the advancing flow of fungible material sample quantities which relate in the sequence to each randomly generated number stored within said random access memory means.
8. A process of randomly selecting articles for removal from an advancing series thereof comprising the steps of (a1) establishing the total number of a batch of the articles from which the random selection is to be taken;
(b1) establishing the total number of samples of the articles to be taken from the batch;
(c1) externally interrupting a number generator providing a very long sequence of numbers to establish the starting point in a sequence of random numbers;
(d1) developing from the sequence of numbers beginning with the starting point as obtained in step (c1), a series of random numbers within the magnitude of the batch equal to the total number of samples as established in step (b1), each random number representing an incremental advancement of the series of articles;
(e1) storing in memory the series of random numbers developed in step (d1);
(f1) sensing the presence of each of the articles as it passes a predetermined station; and (g1) selecting for removal from the advancing series of articles those articles which relate in the sequence to each randomly generated number stored in memory in step (e1).
9. A process as set forth in claim 8 wherein the step (e1) of storing in memory the series of random numbers generated in the previous step (d1) is performed in a sequential fashion.
10. A process as set forth in claim 8 wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d1) is a function of the number of articles which have passed the predetermined station since the occurrence of step (g1) for the immediately preceding sample article.
11. A process as set forth in claim 8 wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d1) is a function of the number of articles which have passed the predetermined station in step (f1) since the beginning of the batch from which the random selection is to be taken.
12. A process as set forth in claim 8 comprising the additional steps of:
(h1) displaying the number of the batch according to the number established in step (a1); and (i1) displaying the total number of samples to be taken from the batch according to the numbers established in step (b1).
13. A process as set forth in claim 8 comprising the additional steps of:
(j1) displaying a number which identifies the next sample to be taken in the process; and (k1) changing the number displayed to reflect the current situation as each sample is removed from the advancing series thereof.
14. A process as set forth in claim 8 comprising the additional step of:
(l1) removing from the advancing series of articles each sample article sequentially selected for removal therefrom.
15. A process of randomly removing sample quantities from an advancing flow of fungible material comprising the steps of:
(a2) establishing the total magnitude as a batch of the fungible material from which the random selection is to be taken;
(b2) establishing the total number of samples of the fungible material to be taken from the batch;
(c2) externally interrupting a number generator providing a very long sequence of numbers to establish the starting point in a sequence of random numbers;
(d2) developing from the sequence of numbers beginning with the starting point as obtained in step (c2), a series of random numbers within the magnitude of the batch equal to the total number of sample quantities as established in step (b2), each random number representing an incremental advancement of the fungible material;
(e2) storing in memory the series of random numbers generated in step (d2);
(f2) sensing the advancement of the fungible material at a predetermined station; and (g2) selecting for removal at predetermined intervals from the advancing flow of fungible material sample quantities which relate in the sequence to each randomly generated number stored in memory in step (e2).
16. A process as set forth in claim 15 wherein the step (e2) of storing in memory the series of random numbers generated in the previous step (d2) is performed in a sequential fashion.
17. A process as set forth in claim 15 wherein the total quantity recited in step (a2) is a function of time and wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d2) is a function of time lapse since the beginning of movement of the batch from which the random selection is to be taken.
18. A process set forth in claim 15 wherein the total quantity recited in step (a2) is a function of time and wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d2) is a function of time lapse since the occurrence of step (g2) for the immediately preceding sample quantity.
19. A process as set forth in claim 15 wherein the total quantity recited in step (a2) is a function of weight of the fungible material and wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d2) is a function of cumulative weight of the fungible material moved since the beginning of movement of the batch from which the random selection is to be taken.
20. A process as set forth in claim 17 wherein the total quantity recited in step (a2) is a function of weight of the fungible material and wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d2) is a function of weight of the fungible material moved since the occurrence of step (g2) for the immediately preceding sample quantity.
21. A process as set forth in claim 15 wherein the total quantity recited in step (a2) is a function of distance of movement of the fungible material and wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d2) is a function of cumulative distance moved by the fungible material since the beginning of movement of the batch from which the random selection is to be taken.
22. A process as set forth in claim 19 wherein the total quantity recited in step (a2) is a function of distance of movement of the fungible material and wherein the incremental advancement recited in step (d2) is a function of distance moved by the fungible material since the occurrence of step (g2) for the immediately preceding sample quantity.
CA000478523A 1984-04-06 1985-04-04 Random sampling system Expired CA1232156A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/597,364 1984-04-06
US06/597,364 US4580226A (en) 1984-04-06 1984-04-06 Random sampling system

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CA1232156A true CA1232156A (en) 1988-02-02

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN110987531A (en) * 2019-12-25 2020-04-10 山东鲁花集团有限公司 Random sampling system for granular materials

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN110987531A (en) * 2019-12-25 2020-04-10 山东鲁花集团有限公司 Random sampling system for granular materials

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