GB2157009A - Filling and weighing containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Material is supplied to chute 24 to be guided through outlet 12 and spout 20 of outlet extension 16 into a container (not shown) such as a sack on platform 32 which is counterweighted by weights 86, 88, 90 which are adjustable along slides 80, 82, 84 to give a predetermined weight at which the platform 32 will sink, thereby to cause lifting of connecting rod 58 which causes turning of beam 60 until weight 72 passes top centre whereafter the weight 72 completes the swing of the beam 60 and also ensures that chute 24 is swung, by turning pivot shaft 26 by means of lateral rod 76, to direct the material through the other outlet 14 and a container provided on the other platform 32. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for filling predetermined quantities of materials into containers This invention concerns apparatus for filling predetermined quantities of material into containers, of the kind (hereinafter referred to as "of the kind described") comprising a guide structure having a pair of alternative outlets for guiding the material into respective containers supported by respective holders or cradles, the guide structure including a displacement chute swingable upon the material filled into one of the containers through the corresponding outlet, reaching a predetermined weight, to direct following material to the other outlet and its container, and vice versa.

Such apparatus is used, for example, for filling quantities of material in the form of crops, such as potatoes, into container such as sacks. Each time a sack fed by one of the outlets is filled and the chute is consequentially swung to direct the material into an empty container on the other outlet, the filled sack can be removed manually and replaced by a fresh empty sack, so that the sack filling operations progress substantially continuously.

As hitherto propounded, for instance in prior United Kingdom Patent No. 1370044 of which we are at present the proprietors, it is normal for each holder or cradle to be provided at one end of a respective see-saw like device, the other end of which is so adapted (e.g. by being in the form of a pan or platform) that a weight, correlated to the weight required to be filled into each container may be placed thereon. However, such an arrangement is not always particularly convenient or accurate, under certain circumstances, especially where the apparatus is used extensively for the bagging of different substances or products.One of the principal factors here is the so-called "in-flight" material which is still falling from the chute into the filled container, whilst the chute is being swung from its position directing the material to the one outlet to its position directing the material to the other outlet. It will readily be understood that the amounts of in- flight material passing to the one of the other of the outlets will vary considerably with materials of considerably different natures, for example grains of small particle sizes and crops such as potatoes of large particle size.

It is also known, for example from the Specification of U.K Patent Application No. 8224362 (published under No. 2105479) to provide, in a machine of the kind with which the present invention is concerned, see-saw like arrangements each comprising a pivoted scale beam of which one end is connected to a platform for receiving containers to be filled and the other end of which is fitted with a basic weight slidable towards and away from the beam's pivot, thereby to provide for selection of the weights of material filled into each container to be achieved in a relatively simple manner. However, this arrangement still does not afford a simple or convenient way of compensating for differences which arise in the amounts of in-flight material when the material being bagged or sacked is changed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a form of apparatus of the type described wherein the above-discussed difficulties and/or disadvantages are minimised, the arrangement enabling the apparatus to be set up rapidly and very simpiy for varying the nett weight of the material being supplied into each container, and being so constructed that provision can be made for compensation for different amounts of "in-flight" material as above discussed, with different materials being weighed out, if desired, in a particularly simple, convenient and reliable manner not involving movement of the basic weight along the scale beam once it has been initially set to a desired weight.

With this object in view, the present invention provides apparatus of the kind described characterised in that each holder or cradle is provided as an arm of a respective pivoted scale beam arrangement and projecting at one side of the pivot, said scale beam arrangement comprising, projecting at the other side of the pivot, a main slide for a main weight as well as a secondary slide for a secondary smaller weight whereby the weights of the materials fed into the containers may be set rapidly and easily.

With such an arrangement, where relatively small amounts are being filled into successive containers, the main weight may be employed to set, basically, the amounts to be weighed out, and the secondary weight may be adjusted to compensate for in-flight material.

For weighing out relatively large quantities of materials, for example twenty-five kilogram sacks of large articles such as root crops, pulverulent materials such as grain, and so on, the main weight and secondary weight may be used jointly to determine the basic weight to be filled into each container, in which case the scale beam arrangement may further comprise a tertiary slide with a respective weight for adjustment therealong to compensate for in-flight material.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment, it being understood that the following description is illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention with part of the right hand side thereof omitted and/or cut away to enable part of the mechanism to be seen; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, again with part thereof cut away to enable the interior mechanism to be seen; and Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing more detail of the mechanism of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2.

The illustrated preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, which is for filling predetermined quantities of materials such as pulverulent, granular, lumpy or other materials, (not shown) into successive containers (also not shown) such as sacks, comprises basically a guide structure, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, in the form of a rectangular open-topped sheet metal casing, the bottom of which is shaped to provide a spaced-apart pair of outlets 12, 14 each opening downwards to a respective tundishlike extension 16, 18 providing respective outlet spouts 20, 22 appropriately disposed so that respective container (such as a sack or bag) may be positioned therebeneath.This guide structure 10 will, in use of the apparatus, be disposed beneath appropriate supply means, such as a supply duct (not shown) by which material, such as crops, to be bagged can be fed thereto.

Accommodated so that its lower part is within the guide structure 10 is a chute 24 carried by a pivot shaft 26 journalled in a bearing 28 in the bottom of the casing 10 between the outlets 12, 14 so that its axis is substantially vertical. The chute 24 is swingable, by turning of the shaft 26 between two alternative positions in one of which (shown in Fig.

1) material from the supply duct is directed by the chute 24 to the outlet 12 and its spout 20 and in the other of which the material is directed to the other outlets 14 and its spout 22.

Associated with each outlet 12, 14 is a respective scale beam arrangement 30, these being substantially identical so that only one needs to be described in detail.

Each such scale beam arrangement 30 comprises an approximately horizontal platform 32 fixed by angled brackets 34 at each side thereof between a pair of uprights 36 to the top ends of which are secured forwardly extending rests 38 upon which the respective outlet extension 16 or 18 is supported so that the spouts 20, 22 will rise and fall with the respective platform 32. At their bottom ends, the pairs of uprights 36 are connected by respective crosspieces 40.

The uprights 36 are pivotally connected to the outer ends of respective lever pairs 42, 43 of the weigh beam arrangement, the two levers 42, 43 of each pair being fixed secured to a respective spindle 44 journalled in respective beamings 46 secured to bearing posts 48 disposed behind a front panel 50 of the apparatus and upstanding from base structure 52. As will be seen, particularly from Figs. 2 and 3, the one lever 43 has an extension 54 having fixed to its free end a pusher 56 which cooperates with a fixed collar 57 provided upon a rod-like connecting link 58 the upper end of which is pivotally connected to a respective end of a pivoted beam 60 the throw of which is limited by adjustable stops 62, 64 which face the respective ends of the beam 60.The beam 60 is carried on spindle 66 which turns in fixed bearings 68 and to which is secured an actuator arm 70 the upper end of which carries an over centre weight 72 which ensures, upon swinging of the beam 60 from one limit position until the weight 72 passes over its centre position, that the beam 60 will swing to its other limit position.

At its other end, the actuator arm 70 is bifurcated to provide a slot 74 into which engages a lateral rod 76 extending radially from the pivot shaft 26 and through an opening 78 in the front panel 50 of the apparatus. Fixedly secured to each spindle 44 is a respective upwardly-extending carrier plate 79 and projecting from each such carrier plate 79, substantially horizontally therefrom, so as to be at the side of the spindle 44 opposite to the respective platform 32, are three weight slides, these being respectively a main weight slide 80, a secondary weight slide 82 and a tertiary weight slide 84, each of which is in the form of a rod and each of which has a respective weight 86, 88, 90 slidable therealong so that its effective distance from the pivot axis provided by the respective spindle 44 can be varied.

The main weight slide 80 is graduated (See Fig.

3), for instance, in five kilogram divisions up to 50 kilograms with its weight 86 being of corresponding size; the secondary weight slide 82 is graduated, for instance, in half kilogram divisions up to five kilograms with its weight 88 being of corresponding size; and the tertiary weight 90 is a relatively small weight. Naturaily, it will be understood that these are only examples and the graduations and the graduations and weights may be selected as may be desired according to the user's particular requirements.

The main weight 86 and the secondary weight 88 are each penetrated radially with a respective threaded bore accommodating a respective locking screw with a respective knob 92, 94 thereon whereby each such weight 86, 88 may be fixed in a desired adjusted position along its respective slide 80, 82. The tertiary weight 90 may, if desired, be correspondingly formed. However, as shown, the arrangement is preferably such that the slide 84 is screw threaded, and adjustment of the tertiary weight 90 therealong is achieved by turning such weight relative to the slide 84. This enables a particularly fine adjustment of the weight 90 to be achieved.

The manner of use of the apparatus will readily be understood from the foregoing description. Material (not shown) being weighed is guided by the chute 24 into a container (not shown) supported on one of the platforms 32, with its top or mouth presented to the respective outlet spout 20 or 22, whilst an appropriate fresh container (also not shown) is being positioned on the other platform 32. So soon as the weight of material filled into the first-mentioned container is sufficient to cause its platform 32 to descend against the combined counteracting action of the respective main, secondary and tertiary weights 86, 88 and 90 which, by acting through the respective spindle 44 and uprights 36, tend to maintain the platform 32 is a raised disposition. When the said platform 32 descends, the corresponding lever extension 54 is swung upwards, thereby causing swinging of the pivoted beam 60 to carry its weight 72 past the top centre position with simultaneous swinging of the actuator arm 70 which, by co-operation with the lateral rod 76, swings the chute 24 to its alternative position in which it directs the material to the other outlet and the fresh container. Obviously, the filled container can now be removed and a new con tainer placed in its position ready to receive the material when the chute 24 next changes back to feed material to yet another fresh container which will, in the interim, have been substituted onto the first discussed platform 32.

The apparatus of the invention has the advantage over the known constructions, of course, that the three weights 86, 88 and 90 of the scale beam arrangement 30 facilitate the obtention of accurate quantities in each container. For example, the main weight 86 will be set to the exact number of kgms.

required, and the secondary weight 88 is correspondingly set to any small increment required over that settable by means of the main weight 86.

Thereupon the tertiary weight 90 is adjusted, during, say, two or three initial test weighings to compensate for any inaccuracies which may be inherent in the first and second weight adjustments and which may arise from the presence of "in flight material during the change-over movement of the chute 24.

It will be understood, of course, that with the construction of the apparatus as described the two outlet extensions 16 and 18 are effectively coupled together with their respective platforms 32 to rise and fall with the latter. Accordingly the weight of any material present within the extensions 16, 18 and sliding or trickling into the container is taken into account, with the "in- flight" material effectively being minimised to that which has left the chute 24 before it has turned and which has not reached the extension 16 or 18. In practice, this ensures that there is virtually no significant variation in the amounts filled into successive containers (e.g. sacks) using the apparatus.

Naturally the invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example, and variations may be made thereto. Thus, for instance, when relatively small amounts are to be weighed it may be sufficient to have only a main slide and weight and a secondary slide and weight, the latter serving to enable fine adjustments to be achieved after setting of the main weight. Of course the arrangements may be such that the weights are displaceable along their slides or rods by screw threading; moreover, the manner in which the platforms (which may be constructed as containerholders or cradles) are coupled with the chute for swining the latter between the two outlets, and the manner in which the chute is mounted may be varied as desired

Claims (11)

1. Apparatus for filling predetermined quantities of material into containers comprising a guide structure having a pair of alternative outlets for guiding the material into respective containers supported by respective holders or cradles, the guide structure including a displaceable chute swingable upon the material, filled into one of the containers through the corresponding outlet, reaching a predetermined weight, to direct following material to the other outlet and its container, and vice versa, characterised in that each holder or cradle is provided as a part of a respective pivoted scale beam arrangement so as to be at one side of the pivot, the scale beam arrangement comprising, projecting at the other side of the pivot, a main slide for a main weight as well as a secondary slide for a secondary smaller weight whereby the weights act in opposition to the weight of the holder or cradle and any container supported thereby, and the predetermined weights of the materials to be fed into the containers may be set rapidly and easily.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the main slide and the secondary slide are each calibrated for their respective weights.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the main weight and the secondary weight are each provided with a respective manually tightenable clamping screw to enable it to be clamped in a respective adjusted position on its slide.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 further including a tertiary slide along which a relatively smaller tertiary weight is adjustable.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the teritary slide is a threaded rod, the tertiary weight being threadedly engaged thereon so that it can be adjusted by turning.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each outlet has a respective extension coupled with the respective holder or cradle to rise and fall with the latter.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein each said extension is of trundish-like configuration providing a respective outlet spout.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein each said extension is carried by a respective pair of uprights between which the respective holder or cradle is carried.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the uprights are pivotally connected to respective arms projecting from a pivot spindle of the respective scale beam arrangement.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the slides project from a respective carrier plate secured to the respective pivot spindle.

11. Apparatus for filling predetermined quantities of material into containers substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.