GB1576301A - Equipment for counting components by weight - Google Patents

Description

(54) EQUIPMENT FOR COUNTING COMPONENTS BY WEIGHT (71) We, W. & T. AVERY LIMITED, of Smethwick, Warley, West Midlands B66 2LP, a British Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to equipment for counting components by weight wherein the number of components in a batch is derived by computing the quotient of the batch weight, as divided, and the weight of one sample component, or the corresponding fraction of a known number of samples, as divisor.

The principle of counting by weighing a batch of components and a sample component and dividing one by the other is, of course, well known. A major disadvantage lies in the difficulty of using this kind of system. In many cases, counting machines can only be operated by trained operators and this is an inconvenience even though the level of training may not be very high.

The object of the present invention is to provide equipment for counting components by weight which is arranged to provide the operator with a series of instructions to guide him/her through an operational counting cycle.

According to the present invention we provide counting apparatus comprising at least one force receiver for receiving a sample weight and a batch weight whereby the number of articles forming the batch can be determined from the batch and sample weights, said apparatus including a visual display for providing a sequence of legends providing the operative with instructions for carrying out successive steps in a counting operation, the display means being arranged to present a legend representing the next step in the operation upon the successful completion of the previous step.

Preferably the display means is operable to display a warning legend or signal in the event that the correct procedure is not followed or the batch or sample applied to the force-receiver(s) is over or under weight, said warning legend conveniently including instructions enabling the operative to restore the equipment to its proper working sequence.

The sample weight may be made of a number of articles for example ten, and when this number constitutes an overweight condition, the display means may be operable to present a legend instructing the operative to remove a preselected number of articles from the sample set. Where the sample weight comprises ten articles, then conveniently under over weight or over-range conditions, the legend will instruct the operative to remove nine articles, i.e. so as to leave one.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, there are two weighing platforms or pans, one for receiving the sample and the other for receiving the batch, both pans being arranged to act on a common electrical transducer through the agency of a beam.

In some cases, it may be desirable to provide an indication of the accuracy of a particular count computation and in this event, the display will conveniently include a section for displaying the accuracy as computed by the circuitry of the equipment.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of the equipment; Figure 2 is a front view of the display panel of the equipment; Figures 3 and 4 are side and top plan views in section of the display panel; Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of the electrical circuitry of the equipment; and Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the lever system of the equipment.

Referring firstly to Figures 1-4, the equipment illustrated comprises a - housing 10 enclosing the lever system and electrical circuitry. The equipment includes two pans, namely the " sample " pan 12 and the " batch " pan 14 and displacement of both pans, when under load, is transmitted to an electrical force transducer 16 by the lever system shown in Figure 6, which will be described in more detail below. Adjacent each pan 12, 14 there is an indicator panel 18, 20 which bears an arrow pointing below to indicate which pan is to be used at a particular stage during an operational cycle.

The housing incorporates a display unit 22 comprising a numerical read-out 24 and a legend display section comprising panels 26, 28 and 30. Adjacent the legend display section, there is a push-button 32 which can be illuminated to indicate when it is to be pressed during the operational cycle. The display section provides nine different legends, numbered 34-42, in Figure 2, and each of these legends can be illuminated individually as explained below to guide the operative through an operational cycle.

Referring now to Figure 5, the circuitry includes a micro-processor system 14 which receives various inputs and processes them to provide appropriate outputs for controlling the operational sequence according to whether the correct procedure is followed or not. The electrical weight representation provided by the transducer 16 is in analogue form and before being applied to the microprocessor 44, it is converted into digital form by A/D converted 46 which, in addition to providing a digital representation of weight, also provides a "digitizer sone " signal for indicating when a new reading is available from the converter. A "digitiser overload or underload" signal is provided by the microprocessor to indicate whether the load applied to either pan is within a desired range.The touch button 32 is also connected to the microprocessor to indicate completion of each successive step in an operational cycle. The microprocessor 44 receives weight information from both pans 12, 14 and is operable to compute the quotient of the batch weight (as dividend) and the sample weight (as divisor) to determine the number of components present on the batch pan and the result of this computation is applied to the numerical display 24 via a "count" store 48 and a decoder/driver stage 49. Usually the batch of components will be weighed in a container weight during the computation.

The microprocessor is also programmed to effect display of the legends 34-39 in a certain sequence in response to each actuation of the touch button 32 provided that the correct procedure is followed and, if not, to display one of the legends 40-42 to indicate an incorrect procedure. This information is provided via "legend" store 60 and driver/decoder 62.

The operational cycle of the equipment will now be described. When the machine is switched on it is automatically put into the state: A) START EMPTY BOTH PANS THEN TOUCH BUTTON In other words, the microprocessor causes illumination of legends 34 and 38.

After the button 32 (which is also illuminated) has been touched the output (zero reading) of the converter 46 is stored by the microprocessor when it has become steady. The legends are then changed by the microprocessor to: - B) PUT 10 ITEMS ON SMALL PAN THEN TOUCH BUTTON The microprocessor also causes illumination of indicator 18. After ten items have been placed on the sample pan 12, and the button 32 has been touched the converter output (sample+zero) is stored when it is steady. If the sample is within the required limits illumination of the indicator 18 is cancelled and the legends are changed to: - C) REMOVE ALL ITEMS THEN TOUCH BUTTON In other words, the components forming the sample are removed from the pan 12 and the button is pressed. If the sample had been too light the legends would have been changed to: D) UNDER-RANGE THEN TOUCH BUTTON or if too heavy to: - E) OVERLOAD THEN TOUCH BUTTON When the button 32 has been touched after step D or E the machine returns to state A.

Assuming that the sample weight is within the desired limits, then when the button has been touched after C, the legends are changed to: F) PUT EMPTY CONTAINER ON LARGE PAN THEN TOUCH BUTTON At this stage, the microprocessor causes illumination of the indicator 20.

After the container to be filled by the batch of components has been placed on the pan 14 and the button 32 has been touched the converter output (tare+zero) is stored when it is steady.

The legends are then changed to: - G) READ QUANTITY IN FILLED CONTAINER(S) FOR ITEM/CONTAINER CHANGE: TOUCH BUTTON In response to this legend, the operative fills the container with the components forming the batch. The value of the count is then indicated and is updated each time a new converter reading is produced, the converter being cyclically operable to repeatedly produce digital outputs corresponding to the load applied to the transducer 16. If the converter reading is out of range either the UNDER-RANGE or OVERLOAD warning legend 40-41 is switched on until an in range reading occurs. The OVERLOAD legend would also be switched on if the count value exceeds the capacity of the display. If the button is touched the machine will return to state A.

The legend: - AFTER ANY OPERATIONAL ERROR REPEATEDLY TOUCH BUTTON TO REACH START is switched on all the time.

Therefore the normal sequence of legends is A, B, C, F, G.

To increase the component weight range of the machine another legend may be inserted after B. This legend will only occur when an overload is produced when the sample is being stored. Then instead of the machine going into state E the following legends would occur: H) REMOVE 9 ITEMS THEN TOUCH BUTTON Thus instead of comparing the weight of the batch components against ten sample components, the comparison is made with component. If overload still occurs the machine will then go into state E. For normal weight items the sequence will remain as A, B, C, F, G, but for heavier items the sequence will be A, B, H, C, F, G.

A feature of the equipment illustrated is that the sample and batch weights are applied to the electrical force transducer 16 via the same beam 50 by means of the lever system shown. When the batch pan 14 is connected to the beam 50 via connecting rod 52, the weighing cycle is to be carried out with the sample and batch weights applied separately, i.e. the sample weight its to be removed before the batch weight is applied to the pan 14. However, if it is desired to leave the sample weight on the pan 12 during weighing of the batch, the connecting rod 52 can be repositioned to position 'B' on the other side of the fulcrum 54.

Although in the illustrated embodiment, two pans are shown it will be understood that, by appropriate modification, the operational cycle could be carried out using only a singIe pan, i.e. the sample and batch both being applied to the same pan.

In another alternative there may be more than one batch pan for weighing batches formed by components of substantially differing weights.

The illustrated equipment is capable of being used with a wide variety of components. Thus, for medium-weight components, the equipment can be operated as explained above; for heavy-weight components, the "REMOVE NINE" facility can be employed; and for light components, both the sample and batch weights may be applied to the pan 12, with appropriate modification of the microprocessor and legend display.

The visual display may take the form of any of the wide variety of electricallyenergised displays available, e.g. plasma panel displays, liquid crystal displays, and light-emitting diode displays.

As an optional facility, the equipment may provide a display of the accuracy of any given weighing cycle. In general, the accuracy will depend on the number of components forming the batch and sample weights and can be improved for example by increasing the number of batch components. Thus, for example, when a desired degree of accuracy is required, the operative can fill the batch components with as many components as needed to achieve the required accuracy.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. Counting apparatus comprising at least one force receiver for receiving a sample weight and a batch weight whereby the number of articles forming the batch can be determined from the batch and sample weights, said apparatus including a visual display for providing a sequence of legends providing the operative with instructions for carrying out successive steps in a counting operation, the display means being arranged to present a legend representing the next step in the operation upon the successful completion of the previous step.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the display means is operable to display a warning legend or signal in the event that the correct procedure is not

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The legends are then changed to: - G) READ QUANTITY IN FILLED CONTAINER(S) FOR ITEM/CONTAINER CHANGE: TOUCH BUTTON In response to this legend, the operative fills the container with the components forming the batch. The value of the count is then indicated and is updated each time a new converter reading is produced, the converter being cyclically operable to repeatedly produce digital outputs corresponding to the load applied to the transducer 16. If the converter reading is out of range either the UNDER-RANGE or OVERLOAD warning legend 40-41 is switched on until an in range reading occurs. The OVERLOAD legend would also be switched on if the count value exceeds the capacity of the display. If the button is touched the machine will return to state A. The legend: - AFTER ANY OPERATIONAL ERROR REPEATEDLY TOUCH BUTTON TO REACH START is switched on all the time. Therefore the normal sequence of legends is A, B, C, F, G. To increase the component weight range of the machine another legend may be inserted after B. This legend will only occur when an overload is produced when the sample is being stored. Then instead of the machine going into state E the following legends would occur: H) REMOVE 9 ITEMS THEN TOUCH BUTTON Thus instead of comparing the weight of the batch components against ten sample components, the comparison is made with component. If overload still occurs the machine will then go into state E. For normal weight items the sequence will remain as A, B, C, F, G, but for heavier items the sequence will be A, B, H, C, F, G. A feature of the equipment illustrated is that the sample and batch weights are applied to the electrical force transducer 16 via the same beam 50 by means of the lever system shown. When the batch pan 14 is connected to the beam 50 via connecting rod 52, the weighing cycle is to be carried out with the sample and batch weights applied separately, i.e. the sample weight its to be removed before the batch weight is applied to the pan 14. However, if it is desired to leave the sample weight on the pan 12 during weighing of the batch, the connecting rod 52 can be repositioned to position 'B' on the other side of the fulcrum 54. Although in the illustrated embodiment, two pans are shown it will be understood that, by appropriate modification, the operational cycle could be carried out using only a singIe pan, i.e. the sample and batch both being applied to the same pan. In another alternative there may be more than one batch pan for weighing batches formed by components of substantially differing weights. The illustrated equipment is capable of being used with a wide variety of components. Thus, for medium-weight components, the equipment can be operated as explained above; for heavy-weight components, the "REMOVE NINE" facility can be employed; and for light components, both the sample and batch weights may be applied to the pan 12, with appropriate modification of the microprocessor and legend display. The visual display may take the form of any of the wide variety of electricallyenergised displays available, e.g. plasma panel displays, liquid crystal displays, and light-emitting diode displays. As an optional facility, the equipment may provide a display of the accuracy of any given weighing cycle. In general, the accuracy will depend on the number of components forming the batch and sample weights and can be improved for example by increasing the number of batch components. Thus, for example, when a desired degree of accuracy is required, the operative can fill the batch components with as many components as needed to achieve the required accuracy. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. Counting apparatus comprising at least one force receiver for receiving a sample weight and a batch weight whereby the number of articles forming the batch can be determined from the batch and sample weights, said apparatus including a visual display for providing a sequence of legends providing the operative with instructions for carrying out successive steps in a counting operation, the display means being arranged to present a legend representing the next step in the operation upon the successful completion of the previous step.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the display means is operable to display a warning legend or signal in the event that the correct procedure is not

followed or the batch or sample applied to the force-receiver(s) is over or under weight.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which there are two weighing platforms or pans, one for receiving the sample and the other for receiving the batch, both pans being arranged to act on a common electrical transducer through the agency of a beam.

4. Counting apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.