US3796349A - Weighing dispenser - Google Patents

Weighing dispenser Download PDF

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Publication number
US3796349A
US3796349A US00254618A US3796349DA US3796349A US 3796349 A US3796349 A US 3796349A US 00254618 A US00254618 A US 00254618A US 3796349D A US3796349D A US 3796349DA US 3796349 A US3796349 A US 3796349A
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Prior art keywords
pan
movement
outlet
valve member
elements
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US00254618A
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English (en)
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R Weber
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Individual
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D90/00—Component parts, details or accessories for large containers
    • B65D90/54—Gates or closures
    • B65D90/58—Gates or closures having closure members sliding in the plane of the opening
    • B65D90/582—Gates or closures having closure members sliding in the plane of the opening having a rotational motion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D90/00—Component parts, details or accessories for large containers
    • B65D90/54—Gates or closures
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01G—WEIGHING
    • G01G13/00—Weighing apparatus with automatic feed or discharge for weighing-out batches of material
    • G01G13/16—Means for automatically discharging weigh receptacles under control of the weighing mechanism
    • G01G13/22—Means for automatically discharging weigh receptacles under control of the weighing mechanism by tilting or rotating the weigh receptacle
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S177/00—Weighing scales
    • Y10S177/05—Magnets

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of granular or other fiowable material including a hopper having a discharge outlet controlled by a valve member biased to outlet closing position, a pivoted latch for holding the valve member in outlet-opening position but biased to release the valve member, and a tiltable pan for receiving material discharged through the hopper outlet.
  • a pair of mutually attracting magnetic elements respectively carried by the latch and by the pan in spaced relation to each other exert a force that both opposes tilting of the pan and holds the latch in engagement with the valve member after the valve member is moved to outlet-opening position.
  • the weight of material that will tilt the pan may be selected by adjusting the relative spacing of the magnetic elements in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the element carried by the pan moves when the pan tilts.
  • This invention relates to apparatus for metering and dispensing predetermined quantities of flowable materials.
  • flowable materials as employed herein, is intended to embrace granular, pulverulent, powdered, and other divided or particulate solid materials as well as liquids, slurries, and the like, i.e., materials in general, whether solid or liquid, characterized by an ability to advance in bulk by gravity feed in a substantially continuous and free-flowing manner.
  • coffee i.e., coffee in divided, granular, particulate, or other flowable solid form, such as (by way of example) coffee beans, ground coffee, or powdered coffee.
  • coffee beans i.e., coffee beans, ground coffee, or powdered coffee.
  • Each of these quantities should conform closely to a preselected weight value, but from time to time it may be desired to adjust that value so as to meter out larger or smaller quantities of coffee.
  • coffee-dispensing apparatus While high repeatability of operation is desired in coffee-dispensing apparatus (i.e., close conformity of each of successive quantities to the predetermined value), coffee dispensing operations are frequently performed by relatively untrained personnel, and it is therefore necessary to provide a dispensing apparatus that can be readily operated by persons having little skill or experience.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for weighing and dispensing successive quantities of flowable material, characterized by advantageous ease and high accuracy or repeatability of operation.
  • a further object is to provide such apparatus in which the quantity to be metered can readily be adjusted in a sensitive, accurate manner with minimal danger of disrupted operation owing to misadjustment of the apparatus.
  • the present invention broadly contemplates the provision of flowable material metering and dispensing apparatus of the type including a pan for receiving flowable material to be dis-' bannedd, means for supporting the pan for movement to and from a material-receiving position in response to absence or presence of weight on the pan, means for retaining the pan in such position with a force that is overcome (releasing the pan for movement) by a preselected weight of material on the pan, and means for dispensing flowable material onto the pan when the pan is in such position, including control means for starting and stopping the discharge of material.
  • control means includes a movable control member for stopping discharge, normally urged to a discharge-stopping position but movable to permit discharge
  • retaining means includes first and second mutually attracting magnetic elements respectively carried by the pan and by the control member and cooperating to exert a force that opposes movement of the pan away from its materialreceiving position while simultaneously holding the control member away from its discharge-stopping position.
  • the two magnetic elements are spaced apart by a 7 distance which is at a minimum when the pan is in its material-receiving position and which increases as the pan (carrying one of those elements) moves from such position.
  • the term mutually attracting magnetic elements is employed herein to designate a pair of elements of such character and disposition that there exists a net attractive force between them.
  • at least one of the pair of elements is either a permanent magnet or a continuously energized electromagnet;
  • the other element is preferably an armature, but may alternatively be a permanent magnet (or electromagnet) so oriented that opposite poles of the two elements face each other.
  • the control means operated to permit discharge of material onto the pan, and the control member held by magnetic force away from its discharge-stopping position, the flowable material to be metered and dispensed is discharged continuously onto the pan.
  • the magnetic force that opposes movement of the pan is overcome, and the pan moves away from its initial position under the weight of material, e.g. tilting to dispense the material through a subjaccnt'funnel or passage.
  • the control member is released for movement to discharge-stopping position, and the discharge of material is arrested.
  • counterweight means or the like may be provided for restoring the pan to its initial material-receiving position for the next cycle of operation.
  • the discharge means includes a downwardly opening hopper for containing a bulk supply of flowable material
  • the control means includes a valve member biased toward a position closing the hopper outlet but movable to open that outlet.
  • the control means further includes, as the aforementioned control member, a pivoted latch positionable to engage the valve member when the valve is in outlet-opening position, but biased to release the valve for movement to outlet-closing position.
  • the pan and a counterweight are carried on a balance beam which is pivotally mounted to move about a horizontal axis intermediate the counterweight and pan.
  • the counterweight opposes downward tipping of the pan from a horizontal position beneath the hopper outlet, but the weight of accumulating material discharged through the outlet onto the pan tends to pivot the beam downwardly, tilting the pan to dispense the material.
  • the magnetic elements are respectively carried by the latch and pan so as to be in facing, more or less closely spaced relation when the pan is horizontally disposed.
  • One of these elements is mounted for adjustment toward and away from the other. The force exerted between the magnetic elements opposes tilting of the pan either upwardly or downwardly, and also holds the latch in engagement with the valve member for restraining the valve member in the outlet-opening position.
  • valve member When the valve member is moved to open position (e.g. by means of a handle), material descends from the hopper by gravity onto the pan. The weight of material that will cause the pan to tilt is determined by the force exerted by the magnetic elements. Once this predetermined weight is reached, the pan tilts, the latch is released, the valve member closes the hopper outlet to terminate discharge, and the metered quantity of material is dispensed from the tilted pan. The counterweight then causes the pan to swing back upwardly to its initial, horizontal position where it is held by the magnetic elements for the next cycle. Suitable damping means may be associated with the balance beam for preventing oscillation of the pan especially in its return motion.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevational sectional view of apparatus for dispensing ground coffee or the like, embodying the present invention in a particular form;
  • FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. I, illustrating a first stage in the metering and dispensing operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a subsequent stage in the same cycle of operation
  • FIG. 4 is an external side elevational view of the FIG. 1 apparatus, taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4
  • FIG. 5a is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of certain elements shown in FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 5b is a further enlarged perspective view of an end of the actuating rod shown in FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 9 is a side elevational sectional view of a modified form of apparatus, embodying the present invention, for dispensing ground coffee or the like;
  • FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 9, showing an intermediate stage in the metering operation of the apparatus;
  • FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view taken along the line llll of FIG. 10;
  • FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view taken along the line l2-12 of FIG. 10;
  • FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view taken along the line l3-l3 of FIG. 10; 9
  • FIG. 14 is a fragmentary detailed view taken along the line 14-14 of FIG. 10;
  • FIG. 15 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 1515 of FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing a further modification of the apparatus to provide demand rather than metered operation.
  • FIG. 17 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 9, showing another modification in the apparatus of FIG. 9.
  • the present invention is shown in these figures as embodies in apparatus for metering and dispensing successive equal quantities of coffee or like granular or particulate material, in response to successive or repeated displacements of an actuating rod 2.
  • FIGS. 1 8 The apparatus of FIGS. 1 8 is enclosed within a rigid housing 10 divided into upper and lower chambers (respectively designated 11 and 12) by a downwardly tapering frustoconical wall 14. At its lower end, the wall 14 defines a circular discharge opening or outlet 15.
  • the chamber 11, enclosed by wall 14 and the upper portions of the housing 10, thus constitutes a hopper for containing a bulk supply 16 of flowable solid material such as coffee.
  • the top of the hopper may be closed by a removable lid 17.
  • the outlet 15 is normally closed by a manually operable valve comprising a guillotine member 20 disposed below the wall I4 for movement in a curved path about a horizontal axis, into and out of engagement with the downwardly projecting circular lip 15a of the outlet 15.
  • a manually operable valve comprising a guillotine member 20 disposed below the wall I4 for movement in a curved path about a horizontal axis, into and out of engagement with the downwardly projecting circular lip 15a of the outlet 15.
  • the guillotine member is a rigid plate, curved on the same radius as its path of movement, and dimensioned to close the outlet 15 completely when in its lower position.
  • the lip 15a, engaging the upper surface of member 20, may be formed with a knife edge to prevent clogging.
  • the guillotine member 20 includes a pair of laterally and upwardly projecting arms 22 which are pivotally secured to side wall portions of the housing 10 (externally of wall 14) so as to support the guillotine for movement along the aforementioned curved path.
  • One of the arms 22 is connected to a resiliently flexible lever such as a trip wire 23 that projects outside the housing for angular movement in a plane generally parallel to the adjacent housing wall, between lower and upper limiting positions respectively defined by stop pins 23a and 23b (FIGS. 5 and 5a) mounted in the housing wall to engage and arrest the trip wire.
  • this trip wire 23 is movable by the actuating rod 2 (from lower to upper position) to effect movement of the guillotine 20 from closed to open position.
  • the guillotine As seen in outlet-closing position (FIGS. 1 and 3), the guillotine extends beneath the outlet and further includes an elongated portion 24 extending upwardly therefrom along the same curved path, beneath the wall 14. In such closed position, the leading edge of the guillotine member abuts a small resilient bumper 26 fixedly mounted on a short wall portion 27 of the housing structure adjacent the outlet 15. When the guillotine is swung upwardly (by means of trip wire 23) to the open position shown in FIG. 2, its trailing edge may abut a similar bumper 28 mounted at the junction of wall 14 with housing 10. As thus displaced to open position, the guillotine 20 clears the outlet 15, permitting the material 16 to flow freely through the outlet from the hopper 11, under the force of gravity.
  • the extension 24 of the guillotine member together with the illustrated disposition of the pivotal mounting for the guillotine member, causes the member to be gravity-biased toward its closed position; i.e., if the member 20 is moved to the open position shown in FIG. 2 and released, it returns immediately by gravity to the closed position of FIGS. 1 and 3.
  • the weight of extension 24 is selected, in relation to the nature of the material being dispensed, to insure that return movement of the guillotine member to outlet-closing position will be effected sufficiently forcefully to overcome the resistance of the material flowing downwardly through outlet 15.
  • a sear or latch member 30 is pivotally secured to fixed wall portions 31 of the housing structure by a pivot shaft 32 (FIG. 7) for angular displacement about a horizontal axis, below the curved path of the guillotine member.
  • pivot shaft 32 (FIG. 7)
  • pivot and pivotally are used herein to refer to angular displacement about a fixed axis, and to designate mountings (of apparatus elements) permitting such motion, whether the mountings are pivots in a conventional sense or are other structures such as rotatable shafts or fixed shafts on which elements are journalled for such motion.
  • a balance beam 40 disposed in downwardly spaced relation to the hopper wall 14, is mounted for movement about a horizontal axis by means of a pivot shaft 41 journalled in inwardly projecting portions 42 of the housing wall structure.
  • the beam includes a scale arm 40a carrying a shallow tray or pan 44 and a counterweight arm 40b respectively disposed on opposite sides of shaft 41 so that when the beam is in the horizontal position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pan 44 is located directly beneath and aligned with the hopper outlet 15 for receiving material discharged through the outlet.
  • the counterweight arm 40b overbalances the arm 40a and the empty pan 44 slightly so as to restore the beam toward the horizontal after an angular displacement of the beam clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 1. Magnetic elements 57 and 58 are then effective to hold the beam 40 horizontal, as explained more fully below.
  • This lower housing portion may, as shown, be formed to constitute a downwardly tapering funnel 46 for dispensing the falling material through a passage 47 at the lower extremity of the apparatus.
  • the counterweight arm 40b is shown as wedgeshaped with a curved or arcuate outer periphery 49 (of uniform radius) concentric with pivot 41, and carries an arcuate retaining member 50 having a major extent conforming in curvature with but spaced outwardly from the periphery 49.
  • the arm 40b is of relatively light material, e.g. plastic, and the retaining member 50 is of relatively heavy material, e.g. steel, so that the member 50 constitutes the principal counterweight.
  • the member 50 has its ends bent in the form of spring fingers 500, which engage recesses in the arm 40b, so that the member 50 may be readily removed and replaced by a lighter or heavier member, as required by the quantity to be dispensed by the apparatus.
  • Periphery 49 and retaining member 50 cooperatively define a curved track (having closed ends) within which may be disposed a roller 52, joumalled (for rotation about a horizontal axis) at the end of the crank arm on a crankshaft 53 (FIG. 6) that is pivotally mounted on the housing structure, and frictionally engaging the periphery 49 of arm 40b so that the roller rotates aobut a horizontal axis.
  • a pair of governor blades 54 are connected to the roller 52 for rotation therewith.
  • the roller 52 and blades 54 rotate as the beam is restored to horizontal position by the action of counterweight air resistance to rotation of the blades, transmitted to the beam by the frictional engagement of the roller 52 therewith, serves a damping function that prevents undesired overtravel and oscillation of the beam such as might otherwise occur during its return to horizontal position.
  • the pan 44 has a downwardly tapering conical shape with side walls sloping at an angle of between about 3 and about 10 to the horizontal when the beam 40 is in its horizontal position.
  • This slope of the pan surface is advantageous for optimum dumping of accumulated material from the pan when the pan is tilted downwardly, and for optimum piling of the material, without spillage, when the pan is filling.
  • the force exerted by magnet 57 on armature 58 when the beam 4% is in its horizontal position shown in FIG. ll, holds the beam horizontal.
  • the counterweight arm 40b and counterweight 50 overbalance the scale arm 40a slightly, and this overbalance is counteracted by the magnetic elements 57 and 58.
  • the balance beam becomes overbalanced in the opposite direction, and the magnetic elements 57 and 58 are then effective to hold the beam horizontal until the weight of material on the pan exceeds a predetermined value, dependnet on the strength of the magnetic elements 57 and 58 and the length of the air gap between them.
  • the upper most position 2e of rod end 2e is, as indicated in FIG. 5a, slightly above the position at which the trip wire 23 comes into engagement with the upper stop pin 23b. As shown in FIG. 5b, rod end 2e is cut away to provide a half-round configuration with a flat side facing the trip wire 23. This shape of end 2e permits the free end of the trip wire to be released from engagement with rod end 2e as the rod end continues to move upwardly (to position 2e) after the trip wire has engaged pin 231;.
  • the arm 2 drops, with sufficient force so that (again owing to the resiliency of trip wire 23, and the cutaway configuration of the rod end 2e), the end 2e descends past the free end of the trip wire to its initial position beneath the trip wire.
  • Means for retarding upward movement of rod 2 are also provided in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 8, to prevent metering errors that might otherwise result if a cup K were moved rapidly upwardly and downwardly, moving the guillotine to outlet-opening position and then releasing it before the latch 34) could move to hold the guillotine in that open position.
  • This retarding means is illustrated in FIG.
  • a dashpot 65 including a downwardly opening, axially vertical cylinder 66 formed in the lower portion of the housing an upwardly opening cup-shaped piston 67 disposed for axial movement in cylinder an and connected to rod arm 2a by a lug 67a; and a vaned valve member 68, loosely contained within piston 67 and seating in an aperture 68a in the bottom of the piston.
  • cup K is raised, moving rod 2 (and hence trip wire 23) upwardly to swing the guillotine to open position.
  • the force exerted by magnet 57 on armature 58 pivots the latch clockwise so that the tooth 30b is received in the detent opening 34, holding the guillotine member in its outletopening position, and allowing magnet 57 to swing slightly closer to armature 58.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the extreme downward limit of tilting movement of the pan; ordinarily the pan does not travel so far, but instead the accumulated material falls from the pan when the pan has moved thorugh a somewhat lesser angle from the horizontal, i.e., when the pan is at a position displaced counterclockwise from that shown in FIG. 3.
  • the beam is restored to its initial horizontal position by the counterweight ann 40b and magnetic elements 57 and 58; i.e., the counterweight causes the beam to swing in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIGS. 1 3), and the attractive force between elements 57 and 58 arrests this counterclockwise movement as the pan reaches its initial, horizontal position.
  • the attraction between elements 57 and 58 swings the latch back into a position for engaging detent opening 34 of guillotine 20 when the guillotine valve is re-opened.
  • a further metered quantity of the material 16 can be dispensed by the apparatus in the same manner as described above.
  • the magnet-armature spacing may be adjusted by turning the threaded mounting of magnet 57 in latch arm 30c. Once that spacing is adjusted, the apparatus will dispense metered quantities of material having a new (larger or smaller) value as desired.
  • the outer end of post 60 may be slotted, and may be accessible (for turning, as by means of a screwdriver) through an opening 64 in the adjacent wall of the housing Ml When the loaded pan begins to tilt, the outlet is not instantly closed, but instead remains open (with continuing discharge of material therethrough) during the short interval required for the guillotine to fall back to outlet-closing position.
  • the total weight of material in each metered quantity dispensed by the apparatus is thus the sum of the weight that is deposited on the pan before the pan begins to tilt, and the weight of the increment of material discharged through the outlet 15 between the time when the pan begins to tilt and the time when the guillotine fully closes the outlet.
  • the weight of material required to tilt the pan is determined by the attractive force between elements 57 and 58.
  • the rate of closing of the guillotine depends on the size of the granules or particles flowing through the outlet, being slower when the particles are large than when they are small; it is found that for a given particle size range and density, the weight of the increment of material discharged through the outlet during the guillotine-closing period is substantially constant, and hence does not adversely affect the metering accuracy or weight-selecting adjustability of the apparatus.
  • the spacing between the magnet and armature is at a minimum, and these elements are then spaced along a horizontal line, i.e., a line perpendicular to the (vertically downward) direction of initial movement of the armature when the pan begins to tilt; the armature follows an arcuate path, but the instantaneous direction of its motion from the horizontal is, of course, tangent to that path.
  • the adjustment of the air gap 62 is effected by movement of the magnet 57 along this horizontal line, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the direction of armature motion. Owing to this relative orientation of the direction of magnet adjustment and the direction of armature motion, the adjusting mechanism can readily be constructed so as to prevent adjustment of the magnet into a position at which the magnet contacts the armature, which would be highly undesirable.
  • FIGS. 9 115 This embodiment includes a housing 70 having an upper portion shaped to constitute a hopper 72 for bulk solid flowable material, with a hinged lid '73 for the hopper.
  • the metered material is dicharged from the hopper by gravity through a downwardly opening outlet 74 onto a. shallow pan 75 which may have the same surface configuration as the pan 44 of the FIG. 1 apparatus.
  • the counterweight structure 80 includes a pair of arms 80a on which are threaded weights 80b, and is arranged to maintain the pan in a horizontal position directly beneath and aligned with hopper outlet 74, and to restore the pan to such position when the pan is tilted downwardly by weight of material delivered thereto from the hopper.
  • a spring element 81 fixedly mounted in relation to the beam, has free lower end portions 81a positioned to engage the counterweight assembly 80 in the event of counterclockwise overtravel of the beam, for inhibiting oscillation of the beam as the pan is restored to horizontal position.
  • a valve member 82 which comprises a horizontal slide, i.e., a flat rigid plate supported between upper and lower rollers 84 for horizontal movement between a position (shown in FIG. 9) at which the slide completely closes outlet 74, and a position (shown in FIG. 10) at which an aperture 86 in slide 82 is in register with outlet 74.
  • a pair of biasing springs 88 under tension between the slide and a wall portion of the housing, urge the slide toward its outlet-closing position (the left-hand limit of its path of travel, as seen in FIG. 9).
  • the slide is moved to the outlet-opening position, at which aperture 86 is in register with outlet 74 so that material from the hopper can fall freely through the outlet and aperture, the slide is at the righthand limit of its path of travel as seen in FIG. 10.
  • a latch 90 mounted on portions of the housing structure by a pivot shaft 91 for pivotal motion about a horizontal axis, is provided for holding the slide 82 in open position against the biasing force of spring 88.
  • Latch carries, on a short transverse arm 90a, an upwardly projecting tooth 90b arranged for insertion within a detent opening 94 of slide 82, i.e., when the slide is in open position.
  • the latch 90 which is generally similar in structure and function to the latch 30 of the FIG. 1 apparatus, also includes a downwardly extending arm 99c.
  • the latch arm 90c and the adjacent extremity of beam 77 respectively bear two mutually attracting magnetic elements 97 and 98.
  • One of these elements e.g. element 97
  • the other e.g. element 98
  • both elements 97 and 98 are permanent magnets, oriented so that their respective facing poles are of unlike polarity.
  • the dispostion of the two magnetic elements is such that when the pan 75 is in the horizontal, materialreceiving position shown in FIG. 9, elements 97 and 98 are disposed in horizontally spaced, facing relation with a small air gap 99 between them. The attractive force then exerted between magnets 97 and 98 opposes movement of the pan away from horizontal position.
  • latch 90 is so balanced on its pivotal mounting that it is normally urged by gravity in a counterclockwise direction that carries the tooth 90b downwardly out of engagement with slide 82.
  • counterclockwise movement of the latch is limited by a stop screw 90d adjustably secured to a portion of the housing structure.
  • the magnitude of the force exerted between magnets 97 and 98 is determined by the size of the air gap 99.
  • one or both magnets 97 and 98 are threadedly mounted so as to be horizontally adjustably in position.
  • the left-hand end portion of slide 82 (as seen in FIG. 9) is bent downwardly and then upwardly to form a stop flange 100 that abuts an internal wall portion 101 of the housing structure to limit the leftward travel of slide 82.
  • I-Iingedly mounted on the under side of the left-hand end portion of slide 82 is a cam follower frame 103 lightly biased by a spring 104 into engagement with the under side of the stop flange portion 100 of the slide. In that position, the frame 103 slopes leftwardly and downwardly from the horizontal path of slide 82, but the hinged connection betweenframe 103 and slide 82 permits downward (counterclockwise) pivotal movement of the frame e.g. to the position indicated by dotted lines at 103 in FIG. 9.
  • the frame 103 bears a cam follower roller 105 adapted to ride on and cooperate with a cam portion 107 of a vertically extending actuator rod 108 supported for vertical displacement in the left-hand side of the housing structure 70 as seen in FIG. 9.
  • Rod 108 terminates at its lower extremity in a horizontal arm 110 positioned to be engaged and lifted by the lip of a receptacle such as a coffee cup (not shown).
  • the rod 108 In its initial position, the rod 108 has the position shown in FIG. 9, with the knee-shaped cam portion 107 disposed beneath cam follower 105.
  • the slide 82 is then at its leftward limit of travel.
  • Whem arm 110 is manually lifted, however, earn follower 105 rides on the cam portion 107 of the actuator rod 108, over the peak of portion 107, forcing the slide 82 horizontally to the right against the springs 88, until the actuator rod 108 reaches an upper limiting position as shown in FIG. 10.
  • the slide 82 has now moved to the outlet-opening position of FIG. 10, where it is held by the insertion of latch tooth 90b in the detent opening 94; and the projection of actuator cam portion 107 has passed above cam follower 105.
  • the cam portion 107 does not interfere with leftward, outletclosing movement of the slide, since the cam follower 105 rides along the downwardly and leftwardly sloping lower reach of cam portion 107, pivoting counterclockwise (relative to the slide) if necessary. Subsequent descent of rod 108 to its initial, lower position is similarly accommodated by counterclockwise pivotal movement of the cam follower 105, without disturbing the outletclosing position of the slide.
  • the metering opera tion of the apparatus is performed independently of the position of rod 108, once that operation has been initiated by upward movement of the rod.
  • the upward motion of the actuator rod 108 may also operate a tamping or agitating element 114 located within the hopper and bearing horizontal discs 115 for promoting uniform downward flow of material from the hopper through outlet 74.
  • a tamping or agitating element 114 located within the hopper and bearing horizontal discs 115 for promoting uniform downward flow of material from the hopper through outlet 74.
  • the upper end of the actuator rod 108 may engage a pivoted arm 110 (as rod 108 moves to the top of its path of travel), the tamping device being secured to and moved by arm 116.
  • the metered quantity of material i.e., the weight that causes the pan to tilt plus the weight of the increment of material discharged between the time the pan starts tilting and the time outlet 74 closes
  • Passage 122 projects downwardly from the housing and is dimensioned to be received within a coffee cup or the like, while the arm 110 of actuator rod 108 extends through a vertical slot 122a in the wall of this passage, so that positioning of a cup in material-receiving relation to the passage lifts the arm 110 to initiate the metering and dispensing operation of the apparatus as described above.
  • the predetermined weight of each metered quantity of material is related to the spacing between the magnetic elements 97 and 98 and may be varied by adjustment of that spacing, or by changing the size of the counterweights 80b.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a modification that may be made in the apparatus of FIGS. 9 15 to provide demand rather than metered dispensing. That is to say, with the structure of FIG. 16, the amount or" material dispensed in each cycle is controlled manually by the operator rather than being predetermined.
  • an actuator rod 108' having a cam portion 107' which juts out further to the right (as seen in the figure) than does the cam portion 107.
  • the cam portion 107' still engages the cam follower in such manner that the slide 82 is positively held in outlet-opening position regardless of the position of latch 90.
  • discharge of material continues as long as the rod 108' is supported manually in an upper position, i.e., until the. rod is released for downward movement.
  • the apparatus is generally similar to that of H08. 9 15 except that the centrally pivoted arm M6 that holds agitating element 114 is replaced by an arm H6 pivoted at its end in the wall of the housing opposite rod 108, so that the agitating element is carried by rod 116' between its pivotal mounting and rod 108..
  • 1. .ln dispensing apparatus the combination of a. a pan for receiving material to be dispensed;
  • e. means, mounting at least one of said elements for positional adjustment toward and away from the other along said line, for varying the distance between said elements, thereby to vary the magnitude of said last-mentioned force.
  • means for discharging flowable material onto said pan when said pan is in said position including control means for starting and stopping discharge of material;
  • said retaining means including first and second mutually attracting magnetic elements respectively carried by said pan and by said control member, said elements being spaced apart by a distance which is at a finite minimum value when said pan is in said material-receiving position and said elements then exerting on each other a predetermined attractive force simultaneously opposing movement of said pan and holding said control member away from said discharge-stopping position, said predetermined force being overcome by said predetermined weight of material on said pan such that said pan moves from said material-receiving position, increasing the distance between said elements and thereby decreasing the attractive force between said elements so as to release said control member for movement to said discharge-stopping position.
  • a pivoted latch for engaging and holding said valve member in outlet-opening position, biased away from engagement with said valve member
  • said retaining means including first and second mutually attracting magnetic elements respectively carried by said pan and by said latch, said elements being spaced apart by a distance which is at a finite minimum value when said pan is in said material-receiving position and said elements then exerting on each other a predetermined attractive force simultaneously opposing movement of said pan and holding said latch in position for engaging said valve member, said predetermined force being overcome by said predetermined weight of material on said pan such that said pan moves from said material-receiving position, increasing the distance between said elements and thereby decreasing the attractive force between said elements so as to release said latch for movement away from engagement with said valve memher.
  • a counterweight carried by said beam for opposing downward movement of said pan away from said material receiving position.
  • Apparatus as defined in claim for dispensing flowable solid material, wherein the inner surface of said pan is of conical configuration sloping downwardly at an angle of between about 3 and about to the horizontal when said pan is in material-receiving position, said pan tilting downwardly, for dumping material received therein, when moved from material-receiving position by weight on said pan.
  • said beam includes a portion, on the side of said axis opposite to said pan, having an outer periphery of arcuate configuration concentric with the axis of beam movement, and further including i. a roller frictionally engaging said arcuate periphery for rotation in response to pivotal movement of said beam, and
  • roller-mounting means comprises a crankshaft pivotally movable about a horizontal axis and supporting said roller for rotation about a horizontal axis spaced from said crankshaft axis, said crankshaft axis and said beam axis being spaced apart in a common plane at a distance greater than the radius of said arcuate periphery but less than the sum of said radius and the distance between said crankshaft axis and said roller axis, said roller axis lying above said common plane.
  • said damping means comprises at least one blade carried by said roller for rotation therewith and so shaped that air resistance to rotation of said blade exerts a damping force on said roller.
  • cam means including a manually operable handle for engaging said cam follower, upon movement of said handle, to move said valve member to outletopening position.
  • said element-mounting means comprises means for threadedly mounting one of said magnetic elements on said latch.
  • a beam mounted forpivotal movement on a horizontal axis and carrying said pan for pivotal movement upwardly to and downwardly from a horizontal material-receiving position in response to absence and presence of material on said pan;
  • said beam including a portion having an arcuate periphery concentric with said beam axis, disposed on the side of said beam axis opposite to said pan;
  • g. means for exerting a damping force on said roller to oppose oscillation of said beam incident to pivotal movement of said beam.
  • said member including a portion having an arcuate periphery of given radius concentric with said first axis;
  • crankshaft mounted for pivotal movement about a second axis parallel to said first axis and supporting said roller for rotation about a third axis parallel to and spaced from said second axis, said first and second axes lying in a common plane and being spaced apart by a distance greater than said radius but less than the sum of said radius and the distance between said second and third axes, for causing said roller to bear against said arcuate periphery with greater force when said member moves in one of said directions than when said member moves in the other of said directions;
  • said damping means comprises at least one blade carried by said roller for rotation therewith and so shaped that air resistance to rotation of said blade exerts a damping force on said roller.
  • Manually controllable apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of flowable material comprising:
  • valve member for opening and closing the outlet, biased toward outlet-closing position but movable to a position at which the outlet is open;
  • releasing means for releasing said releasable means, to permit said valve member to close said outlet, in response to discharge of a predetermined quantity of the material through said outlet following movement of the valve member to outlet-opening position, said releasing means including a pivotally mounted pan for receiving material discharged through said outlet and tippable to dump material received on the pan;
  • a manually controllable valve opening member separate from and movable independently of said pan and said releasable means, biased to a first position and movable therefrom to a second position
  • said arm having a portion displaceable in relation to said valve member for permitting return movement of said valve-opening member from said second position to said first position in said path without displacement of said valve member and regardless of the position of said valve member, so that each movement of said manually controllable member from its first position to its second position, beginning when said valve member is in its outlet-closing position, causes a single operation of said releasing means to discharge said predetermined quantity of material.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Weight Measurement For Supplying Or Discharging Of Specified Amounts Of Material (AREA)
  • Discharge Of Articles From Conveyors (AREA)
  • Filling Or Emptying Of Bunkers, Hoppers, And Tanks (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Making Beverages (AREA)
US00254618A 1972-05-18 1972-05-18 Weighing dispenser Expired - Lifetime US3796349A (en)

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US25461872A 1972-05-18 1972-05-18

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US (1) US3796349A (cs)
JP (1) JPS5610571B2 (cs)
AU (1) AU5584173A (cs)
BE (1) BE799762A (cs)
BR (1) BR7303596D0 (cs)
DE (1) DE2325305A1 (cs)
FR (1) FR2184915B3 (cs)
GB (1) GB1397190A (cs)
IL (1) IL42290A0 (cs)
IT (1) IT987690B (cs)
NL (1) NL7307020A (cs)
ZA (1) ZA733347B (cs)

Cited By (21)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3903838A (en) * 1973-06-28 1975-09-09 Carborundum Co Powder dispersion apparatus
US4363291A (en) * 1979-11-19 1982-12-14 Brinkmann & Niemeyer N.V. Automatic cattle feeding device
US4789106A (en) * 1987-09-18 1988-12-06 Grindmaster Corporation Combined coffee bean weigher and grinder with selectable measured quantities
US20050274414A1 (en) * 2004-06-10 2005-12-15 Po-Sung Kuo Drain device for high negative pressure exhaust system
US20060174969A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2006-08-10 Ice House America Llc Automated ice bagging apparatus and methods
US20060244474A1 (en) * 2005-04-29 2006-11-02 Hlotyak Stephen J Site-aware objects
US20070267086A1 (en) * 2006-04-27 2007-11-22 Dunn Danny L Automated ice delivery apparatus and methods
US20080058771A1 (en) * 2004-06-23 2008-03-06 Ecolab Inc. Method for Multiple Dosage of Liquid Products, Dosing Apparatus and Dosing System
US20110082595A1 (en) * 2009-10-06 2011-04-07 Ecolab Inc. Automatic calibration of chemical product dispense systems
US20110165034A1 (en) * 2010-01-07 2011-07-07 Ecolab USA Impact load protection for mass-based product dispensers
CN103407798A (zh) * 2013-08-23 2013-11-27 南昌光明化验设备有限公司 一种具有称重及自动下料功能的装置
WO2015031515A1 (en) * 2013-08-27 2015-03-05 Feola Anthony V Frozen confection machine
US9102509B2 (en) 2009-09-25 2015-08-11 Ecolab Inc. Make-up dispense in a mass based dispensing system
US20160107834A1 (en) * 2014-10-17 2016-04-21 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Forklift bin
CN109230029A (zh) * 2018-08-02 2019-01-18 重庆牧尚机械制造有限责任公司 一种料线自动选料斗
US10301159B2 (en) 2013-08-27 2019-05-28 Anthony V. Feola Beverage dispensing machine
US10529219B2 (en) 2017-11-10 2020-01-07 Ecolab Usa Inc. Hand hygiene compliance monitoring
USRE48951E1 (en) 2015-08-05 2022-03-01 Ecolab Usa Inc. Hand hygiene compliance monitoring
US11272815B2 (en) 2017-03-07 2022-03-15 Ecolab Usa Inc. Monitoring modules for hand hygiene dispensers
US11284333B2 (en) 2018-12-20 2022-03-22 Ecolab Usa Inc. Adaptive route, bi-directional network communication
US20220132799A1 (en) * 2020-10-30 2022-05-05 Vivotek Inc. Automatic feeding device

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL8002414A (nl) * 1980-04-25 1981-11-16 Alfra Weegwerktuigen Verrijdbare weegbunker.
JP3528119B2 (ja) * 1997-10-27 2004-05-17 Ｙｋｋ株式会社 粉粒体の計量方法

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US2538413A (en) * 1948-05-21 1951-01-16 Chard Lew Automatic poultry feeder
US2615567A (en) * 1948-05-29 1952-10-28 Gen Electric Sorting apparatus
US3642080A (en) * 1968-06-19 1972-02-15 Driver Southall Weighing apparatus

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US2538413A (en) * 1948-05-21 1951-01-16 Chard Lew Automatic poultry feeder
US2615567A (en) * 1948-05-29 1952-10-28 Gen Electric Sorting apparatus
US3642080A (en) * 1968-06-19 1972-02-15 Driver Southall Weighing apparatus

Cited By (45)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3903838A (en) * 1973-06-28 1975-09-09 Carborundum Co Powder dispersion apparatus
US4363291A (en) * 1979-11-19 1982-12-14 Brinkmann & Niemeyer N.V. Automatic cattle feeding device
US4789106A (en) * 1987-09-18 1988-12-06 Grindmaster Corporation Combined coffee bean weigher and grinder with selectable measured quantities
US20080196788A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2008-08-21 Ice House America Llc Automated Ice Bagging Apparatus and Methods
US7806152B2 (en) 2003-11-19 2010-10-05 Ice House America Llc Automated ice bagging apparatus and methods
US20100319806A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2010-12-23 Ice House America Llc Automated ice bagging apparatus and methods
US20060174969A1 (en) * 2003-11-19 2006-08-10 Ice House America Llc Automated ice bagging apparatus and methods
US8561655B2 (en) 2003-11-19 2013-10-22 Ice House America Llc Automated ice bagging apparatus and methods
US7426945B2 (en) 2003-11-19 2008-09-23 Ice House America, Llc Automated ice bagging apparatus and methods
US20050274414A1 (en) * 2004-06-10 2005-12-15 Po-Sung Kuo Drain device for high negative pressure exhaust system
US20080058771A1 (en) * 2004-06-23 2008-03-06 Ecolab Inc. Method for Multiple Dosage of Liquid Products, Dosing Apparatus and Dosing System
US8905266B2 (en) 2004-06-23 2014-12-09 Ecolab Inc. Method for multiple dosage of liquid products, dosing apparatus and dosing system
US20060244474A1 (en) * 2005-04-29 2006-11-02 Hlotyak Stephen J Site-aware objects
US20100206899A1 (en) * 2006-04-27 2010-08-19 Ice House America Llc Automated ice delivery apparatus and methods
US7735527B2 (en) 2006-04-27 2010-06-15 Ice House America Llc Automated ice delivery apparatus and methods
US20070267086A1 (en) * 2006-04-27 2007-11-22 Dunn Danny L Automated ice delivery apparatus and methods
US8245488B2 (en) 2006-04-27 2012-08-21 Ice House America Llc Automated ice delivery apparatus and methods
US9102509B2 (en) 2009-09-25 2015-08-11 Ecolab Inc. Make-up dispense in a mass based dispensing system
US9051163B2 (en) 2009-10-06 2015-06-09 Ecolab Inc. Automatic calibration of chemical product dispense systems
US20110082595A1 (en) * 2009-10-06 2011-04-07 Ecolab Inc. Automatic calibration of chemical product dispense systems
US8511512B2 (en) * 2010-01-07 2013-08-20 Ecolab Usa Inc. Impact load protection for mass-based product dispensers
US20110165034A1 (en) * 2010-01-07 2011-07-07 Ecolab USA Impact load protection for mass-based product dispensers
CN103407798B (zh) * 2013-08-23 2016-04-20 南昌光明化验设备有限公司 一种具有称重及自动下料功能的装置
CN103407798A (zh) * 2013-08-23 2013-11-27 南昌光明化验设备有限公司 一种具有称重及自动下料功能的装置
US10299494B2 (en) * 2013-08-27 2019-05-28 Anthony V. Feola Frozen confection machine
US11246326B2 (en) 2013-08-27 2022-02-15 Anthony V. Feola System for dispensing or injecting flowable edible product
US20160198736A1 (en) * 2013-08-27 2016-07-14 Anthony V. Feola Frozen confection machine
US9930903B2 (en) * 2013-08-27 2018-04-03 Anthony V. Feola Frozen confection machine
US11974588B2 (en) 2013-08-27 2024-05-07 Anthony V. Feola System for beverage and/or flowable edible product dispensing
US11571007B2 (en) 2013-08-27 2023-02-07 Anthony V. Feola System for dispensing or injecting flowable edible product
US10301159B2 (en) 2013-08-27 2019-05-28 Anthony V. Feola Beverage dispensing machine
WO2015031515A1 (en) * 2013-08-27 2015-03-05 Feola Anthony V Frozen confection machine
US10524486B2 (en) 2013-08-27 2020-01-07 Anthony V. Feola Automated flowable edible base flavor dispensing and/or injecting system
US10543981B2 (en) * 2014-10-17 2020-01-28 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Forklift bin
US20160107834A1 (en) * 2014-10-17 2016-04-21 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Forklift bin
USRE48951E1 (en) 2015-08-05 2022-03-01 Ecolab Usa Inc. Hand hygiene compliance monitoring
US11272815B2 (en) 2017-03-07 2022-03-15 Ecolab Usa Inc. Monitoring modules for hand hygiene dispensers
US12390056B2 (en) 2017-03-07 2025-08-19 Ecolab Usa Inc. Monitoring modules for hand hygiene dispensers
US11903537B2 (en) 2017-03-07 2024-02-20 Ecolab Usa Inc. Monitoring modules for hand hygiene dispensers
US10529219B2 (en) 2017-11-10 2020-01-07 Ecolab Usa Inc. Hand hygiene compliance monitoring
CN109230029A (zh) * 2018-08-02 2019-01-18 重庆牧尚机械制造有限责任公司 一种料线自动选料斗
US11711745B2 (en) 2018-12-20 2023-07-25 Ecolab Usa Inc. Adaptive route, bi-directional network communication
US11284333B2 (en) 2018-12-20 2022-03-22 Ecolab Usa Inc. Adaptive route, bi-directional network communication
US11730139B2 (en) * 2020-10-30 2023-08-22 Vivotek Inc. Automatic feeding device
US20220132799A1 (en) * 2020-10-30 2022-05-05 Vivotek Inc. Automatic feeding device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL7307020A (cs) 1973-11-20
AU5584173A (en) 1974-11-21
BE799762A (fr) 1973-11-19
IL42290A0 (en) 1973-07-30
FR2184915B3 (cs) 1976-04-30
JPS5610571B2 (cs) 1981-03-09
GB1397190A (en) 1975-06-11
JPS4949371A (cs) 1974-05-13
FR2184915A1 (cs) 1973-12-28
IT987690B (it) 1975-03-20
ZA733347B (en) 1974-05-29
BR7303596D0 (pt) 1974-07-11
DE2325305A1 (de) 1973-11-29

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