US3868979A

US3868979A - Dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3868979A
Application number: US275323A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lyndon R Leining
Original assignee: Geo A Hormel and Co
Current assignee: Hormel Foods Corp
Priority date: 1972-07-26
Filing date: 1972-07-26
Publication date: 1975-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-04

Abstract

A dispensing apparatus comprises a hopper having a valve therein which is shiftable between open and closed positions to permit controlled volummetric dispensing of a flowable material into a container. The volummetric control vlave may be adjusted during operation of the apparatus by external adjustment means. A sensing control mechanism is operable to engage containers, such as unsymmetrical ham cans, conveyed by a conveyor to the dispensing apparatus to operate the valve when the container is in position to receive material from the hopper.

Description

[ Mar.4, 1975 United States Patent 1191 Leining 54] DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 730,271 l/1956 222/365 x 3,220,445 11/1965 Tarse 141/159 1 inventor: Lyndon 3,415,294 12/1968 141/156 x [73] Assignee: Geo. A. Hormel & C0., Austin,

Primary Examiner-J-louston S. Bell Minn.

Assistant Examiner-Charles Gorenstein Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Williamson, Bains & Moore Appl. No.: 275,323

[57] ABSTRACT A dispensing apparatus comprises a hopper having a valve therein which is shiftable between open and closed positions to permit controlled volummetric dispensing of a flowable material into a container. The volummetric control vlave may be adjusted during operation of the apparatus by external adjustment means. A sensing control mechanism is operable to engage containers, such as unsymmetrical ham cans, conveyed by a conveyor to the dispensing apparatus to operate the valve when the container is in position to receive material from the hopper.

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DISPENSING APPARATUS BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In many types of dispensing operations, material is dispensed into containers which are moved by conveyors into a position to receive the material being dispensed. In some dispensing systems, the position of the moving container may be sensed by a mechanical switch arm which operates the dispensing valve and permits the material to be dispensed into the moving container. However, these conventional type operating and sensing mechanisms for dispensers are ineffective for use with unsymmetrical containers such as ham cans. In these conventional dispensing systems, the dispensing valve may be adjusted to variously adjust the volume of material to be dispensed. However, in order to adjust the volummetric dispensing valve, the operation of the dispensing apparatus must be interrupted.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a novel dispensing apparatus which includes an adjustable volummetric dispensing valve for accurately dispensing a flowable material into a container. More specifically, the dispensing apparatus includes a spooltype dispensing valve which has a expandable and contractable annular portion which can be adjusted during operation of the apparatus to adjust the volume of material to be dispensed.

The dispensing apparatus also includes movable sensors which engage opposite sides of a container to operate the dispensing valve in response to movement of the sensors by the container when the latter is moved into a material receiving position by conveyor. This arrangement assures dispensing of the material into the container even though the container is of unsymmetrical configuration, such as a ham can.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the novel dispensing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagramatic view of the dispensing hopper illustrating the dispensing valve in an upper or closed position.

FIG. 3 is a diagramatic view of the dispensing operation similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the dispensing valve in the lower or dispensing position.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the valve.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating the modified valve in an adjusted position.

FIG. 6 is a diagramatic view illustrating the sensing mechanism and the valve operating pneumatic circuit with the dispensing valve illustrated in the down or dispense and rest cycle.

FIG. 7 is a diagramatic view similar to FIG. 6 and illustrating the dispensing valve in the raised or predispensing position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 1, it will be seen that one embodiment of the novel dispensing apparatus, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, as thereshown. This dispensing apparatus includes a support frame 11 comprised of a vertical support member 12 to which is secured a horizontal support member 13. The horizontal support member 13 has a hopper or receptacle 14 secured kll thereto and this hopper is positioned above an endless conveyor 15. The endless conveyor 15 is operated to move containers, such as the ham can, C toward the hopper 14 and below the discharge opening therein.

The hopper 14 is vertically oriented and has an opening 16 in the upper wall thereof. An annular plate 17 is mounted in the opening and this plate has a pair of apertures 18 therein that communicate with the hopper chamber as best seen in FIG. 2. Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the interior or chamber of the hopper is defined by vertically extending, preferably cylindrical, upper wall portions 19 and downwardly and inwardly sloping tapered wall portions 20 which terminate in a vertical cylindrical discharge throat 21. The cylindrical throat 21 has an annular upper end edge 22 and an annular lower end edge 23, the lower end of the throat opening exteriorly and constituting the discharge opening for the hopper.

The hopper 14 has a vertically shiftable volummetric spool valve 24 positioned therein which is shiftable between an upper or closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and a lower or a dispensing position, as illustrated in FIG. 3. This spool valve 24 includes an upper cylindrical portion 25 and a lower cylindrical portion 26. An intermediate downwardly extending tapered portion 27 extends downwardly from the upper

cylindrical portion

25 and 21 intermediate upwardly extending tapered portion 28 extends upwardly from the lower cylindrical portion 26 and defines with the tapered portion 27 and annular waist 29. An upper tapered portion 30 extends upwardly from the upper cylindrical portion 25 and terminates in an upper cylindrical end 31. The lower end of a piston rod 32 is connected to the upper cylindrical end 31 and the piston rod is connected to the piston 32a of a double acting pneumatic cylinder 33. The double acting pneumatic cylinder 33 is mounted on the plate 17 as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be noted that when the piston rod 32 is retracted, the spool valve 24 will be moved to the upper or closed position, and when the piston rod is extended, the spool valve will be moved to the lower or dispensing position. In this regard, it will be noted that the cylindrical portion 25 of the valve is positioned above the upper edge 22 of the cylindrical throat 21 and that the lower cylindrical portion 26 is positioned below the lower edge 23 of the throat. It will also be noted that when the spool valve is in the upper or closed position, the lower edge 23 of the throat 21 is engaged by the cylindrical portion 26 to close the lower end of the throat. When this occurs, the upper cylindrical portion 25 is spaced above the upper edge 22 of the throat whereby a predetermined amount of material will flow by action of gravity into the space between the inner surface of the throat and the exterior surface of the spool valve. Thereafter, when the spool valve 24 is moved downwardly, the cylindrical portion 25 engages and closes the upper end of the throat 21 while the lower cylindrical portion 26 is moved out of engagement with the lower edge of the throat. This allows a predetermined amount of flowable material to be dispensed from the hopper. It will therefore be seen that the valve 24 permits a predetermined amount of flowable material to be dispensed from the hopper.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein a modified form of the volummetric spool valve, designated generally by the reference numeral 240, is thereshown. The valve is similar in construction and operation to the valve 24 and includes an upper cylindrical portion 25a and a lower cylindrical portion 26a interconnected by intermediate tapering portions 270 and 280. An upper tapering portion 30a extends from the upper cylindrical portion 25a and terminates in an upper cylindrical end 31a which is connected to the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder for shifting the valve 240 between upper and lower positions.

The tapered portion 27a has a downwardly facing annular slot 27b therein and the tapered portion 28a has an upwardly facing annular slot 28b therein. A substantially cylindrical or annular sleeve 34 has opposite end portions thereof positioned in the slots and surrounds the mid portion of the valve 24a. This sleeve 34 is made of a yieldable resilient material, such as rubber or the like, and encloses an annular chamber 35 located between the tapered portions 27a and 28a. The annular chamber 35 communicates with a vertical passage 36 which is connected in communicating relation to one end of a elongate conduit 37.

The conduit 37 is connected in communicating relation to one end of a hydraulic fluid displacer unit 38 which has a cylindrical chamber 39 therein. An externally threaded elongate displacer piston 40 threadedly engages an internally threaded end portion of the chamber 39, and this displacer piston has an actuator head 41 located exteriorly of the displacer chamber. The hydraulic circuit including the annular chamber 35, the passage 36, the conduit 37 and the chamber 39 has a predetermined amount of hydraulic liquid therein to thereby permit the annular member 34 to be expanded and contracted by adjusting the displacer piston 40 axially of the chamber 39.

In FIG. 4, the annular member 34 is illustrated in a relatively collapsed or non-distended condition, and in FIG. 5, the annular member is illustrated in a distended or expanded condition. Since the space located between the exterior of the spool valve 24 and the interior of the throat determines the volume of the material to be dispensed, it will be seen that by expanding or contracting the annular member 34, the volume may be variously adjusted. It is also pointed out that this adjustment may be made when the dispensing apparatus is in operation and thereby obviates the need to interrupt operation of the apparatus to adjust the volume of material to be dispensed.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, it will be seen that means are provided for operating the spool valve when a container, such as the ham can C, is properly positioned below the throat 21 of the hopper. This means includes a vertical frame member 42 which is rigidly affixed to and projects upwardly from the horizontal support member 13. An elongate horizontally oriented transverse frame member 43 is rigidly connected to the upper end of the vertical frame member 42 and projects outwardly therefrom. One end of an elongated support rod 44 is rigidly affixed to the vertical frame member 42 and has its outer arcuately. end bent and connected to the outer end of the transverse frame member 43, as best seen in FIG. 1. This transverse support rod 44 actually constitutes a pivot support for a sensor mechanism 45.

The sensor mechanism 45 includes a U-shaped mounting member 46 which is mounted on the support rod 44 for swinging movement relative thereto. An elongate annular sensing arm 47 is rigidly connected to the U-shaped mounting member 46 and project outwardly and downwardly therefrom. A generally horizontally oriented disc-shaped sensing element 48 is revolably mounted on the lower end of the sensing arm The sensor mechanism 45 also includes a rectangular mounting member 49 which has an aperture therethrough and which is pivotally mounted on the rod 44 and between legs of the U-shaped support member 46. An elongate annular sensing arm 50 is rigidly connected to the mounting member 49 and projects outwardly and downwardly thereform. A horizontally oriented disc-shaped sensing element 51 is revolvably mounted on the lower end of the sensing arm 50. With this arrangement, the sensing

arms

47 and 50 are mounted on the support rod 44 for vertical swinging movement about a substantial horizontal axis.

A valve 52 is mounted on the mounting member 49 by means of an attachment bracket 52a. The valve 52 has a discharge opening 53 therein and is connected by a conduit 54 to a control valve 55. The control valve 55 is secured to a frame member 43a which is fixedly connected to frame member 43. The control valve 55 is connected in communicating relation with the cylinder 33 by means of a conduit 56 and a conduit 57. One end of a conduit 58 is connected to the control valve 55 and the other end thereof is connected to the main supply line or conduit 62. The main supply line or conduit 62, which is connected to a source of air under pressure, is also connected in communicating relation to the valve 52. A closure element 60 is mounted on the mounting member 46 via member 64 and serves to close the discharge opening 53 for the valve 52 when the sensing arms are allowed to hang freely by action of gravity. A spring 61 is positioned interiorly of the control valve 55 and serves to urge the valve element when the latter is shifted by fluid pressure within the control valve.

During operation of the dispensing apparatus, containers, such as ham cans C, will be supported by the conveyor 15 and will be moved sucessively below the hopper 14. These ham cans C are of generally triangular configuration and will not necessarily be uniformly oriented upon the conveyor. Thus the conventional switch arm type operating device is ineffective in positively assuring the container will be positioned below the hopper before the spool valve is actuated to dispense material from the hopper. However, the sensor mechanism 45 is effective in operating the valve only when the container is properly positioned below the discharge opening of the hopper. In this regard, the container C will pass between the

sensing elements

48 and 51 so that the sensing elements engage opposite surfaces of the container. As the container is moved progressively between the sensing elements, the diverging sides of the container will cause the sensing elements to spread apart and move the valve closure element 60 out of closing relation with respect to the discharge outlet 53 of the valve 52. 4

In this respect, the sensing arms are normally urged towards each other by action of gravity so that the closure element 60 closes the outlet 53 of the valve 52 and the sensing arms remain in this condition until moved away from each other by a container passing between the

sensing elements

48 and 51. When the valve 52 is in a closed condition air under pressure is supplied through the conduit 54 to the control valve 55 which results in the valve element 550 being held in the shifted position, conduit 58 communicating with the conduit 57.

However, when a container C is moved between the sensing elements, the sensing arms will be moved apart thereby opening valve 52 and permitting air to discharge from the control valve 55 through the conduit 54. When this occurs, the reduced air pressure in the control valve will permit spring 61 to extend thereby shifting the valve element 55a to intercommunicate conduit 58 with conduit 56. Conduit 57 is intercommunicated with the bleed port 59 and the valve 24 is then shifted downwardly to the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

A downwardly shifting movement of spool 24 occurs when the container C passes beyond the sensing arms, the arms will then swing toward each other by action of gravity thereby charging the valve 55 with air through conduit 54, and causing the valve elements 5511 to shift and compress the spring 61. As the valve element 55a is moved, conduit 58 is again intercommunicated with the conduit 57 thereby shifting the piston upwardly, while conduit 57 is intercommunicated with the bleed port 59 to permit exhausting of the air through the bleed port. This results in the spool valve being moved downwardly to the closed position.

It will therefore be seen that the dispensing valve is shifted only in response to correct positioning of the container with respect to hopper discharge outlet. In this type of operation, a flowable material such as dry particulate gelatin is dispensed from the hopper. The tapered surface of the spool valve prevent any accumulation of the particulate material on the valve itself. It will further be noted that the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 permits adjustment of the spool valve so that the volume of the material to be dispensed may be variously adjusted. This adjustment can be made without interruption of the operation of the apparatus.

From the foregoing discription, it will be seen that l have provided a novel dispensing apparatus which is operable for volummetric dispensing flowable material, such as particulate materials, liquids and the like, in a controlled manner into a container. The dispensing device is especially adapted for use in dispensing dry particulate gelatin into unsymmetrical containers, such as ham cans, since the sensor mechanism assures proper positioning of the container before material may be dispensed from the hopper. It will further be seen that my novel dispensing apparatus includes a novel volummetric dispensing valve which is readily adjustable during operation of the apparatus without requiring interruption of the operation.

Thus it will be seen that l have provided a novel dispensing apparatus which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction, but one that functions in a more efficient manner than any heretofore known comparable system.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing device for dispensing flowable material into successively moving containers comprising:

a hopper adapted to contain a flowable material and having a discharge throat,

a shiftable volumetric valve in said hopper and being operable to dispense a predetermined volume of flowable material from said hopper,

a fluid pressure piston and cylinder unit connected with said volumetric valve and being operable for shifting the same,

means for conveying containers in a predetermined path of travel below the throat of the hopper,

a control mechanism including a controlling valve connected in flow controlling relation with said piston and cylinder unit and operating the same,

a pair oflaterally spaced apart, elongate vertically extending sensor arms, each mounted adjacent said hopper for vertical swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis,

operating means supported jointly by said sensor arms and operatively interrelated with said control valve, said sensor arms being shiftable in response to engagement with a moving container to actuate said operating means and to thereby operate said control valve for shifting the piston and cylinder unit and volumetric valve from a closed position to a dispensing position and to thereby permit a predetermined volume of material to be discharged through said throat into a container as each container is moved along the predetermined path of travel.

2. The dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said operating means comprises an operating valve mounted on one of said sensor arms and being operable in response to relative shifting movement between said arms.

3. The dispensing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said sensor arms are pivotal about an axis extending in the direction of the path of travel of the containers.

4. The dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said sensor arms has a disc-shaped sensor element mounted on the lower end thereof, said elements adapted to engage opposite sides of the receptacle as the latter is moved by the conveyor towards the hopper to cause swinging movement of said arms and operation of saidoperating means.

5. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 and wherein said discharge throat in said hopper, cylindrical in shape and extends vertical and opens exteriorly at its lower end,

said volummetric dispensing valve extending through said throat and being vertically shiftable between upper and lower positions, said valve including spaced apart upper and lower portions each having a cross-sectional size slightly larger than the diameter of said throat, said valve tapering downwardly from said upper portion to a reduced waist and tapering upwardly from said lower portion to said waist, said upper portion being spaced above the upper end of said throat and said lower portion engaging and closing the lower unit of the throat when the valve is in the upper position thereby permitting a predetermined amount of flowable material to flow into said throat and around the tapered portions of the valve, said upper portion engaging and closing the upper end of said throat and said lower portion being spaced from said lower end of the throat when the valve is in the lower position thereby permitting the predetermined amount of material to be dispensed from the hopper.

6. The device as defined in claim 5 wherein said waist portion of the volumetric dispensing valve is adjustable to permit adjustment of the predetermined amount of material dispensed from the hopper.

7. A dispensing device for dispensing flowable material therefrom comprising a hopper adapted to contain a flowable material and having a vertical, cylindrical, reduced discharge throat opening exteriorly at its lower end, a volummetric dispensing valve extending through said throat and being vertically shiftable between upper and lower positions, said valve including spaced apart upper and lower portions and a reduced annular flexible intermediate portion, said upper and lower portions each having a cross sectional size slightly larger than the diameter of said throat, and said intermediate portion being spaced inwardly from the interior surface of said throat,

means for vertically shifting said valve between upper and lower positions, said upper portion being spaced above the upper end of said throat and said lower portion engaging and closing the lower end of said throat when the valve is in the upper position to thereby permit a predetermined volume of material to be introduced into said throat, said upper portion engaging and closing the upper end of said throat and said lower portion being spaced below the open lower end of said throat when said valve is in the lower position to thereby permit dispensing'of the predetermined volume of material from the hopper,

means defining a fluid pressure chamber interiorly of said flexible intermediate portion of the valve and being connected to a source of fluid pressure to permit expansion and contraction of said intermediate portion and adjustment of the predetermined volume of material in the throat, and

actuator means located exteriorly of said receptacle and being operable to variously adjust the fluid pressure in said chamber whereby the flexible intermediate portion of the valve may be adjusted during shifting movement of the valve.

8. The dispensing device as defined in claim 7 wherein said upper and lower valve portions are of cylindrical configuration, and a pair of intermediate tapered portions each tapering from one of said cylindrical portions toward said interemediate flexible portion.

9. The dispensing device as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for shifting said valve comprises a fluid pressure cylinder and piston unit.

10. The dispensing device as defined in claim 7 wherein said flexible intermediate portion comprises a substantially cylindrical flexible sleeve, said actuator means comprising a cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder, and a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid in said cylinder and fluid pressure chamber whereby movement of the piston permits expansion and contraction of said sleeve.

Claims

1. A dispensing device for dispensing flowable material into successively moving containers comprising: a hopper adapted to contain a flowable material and having a discharge throat, a shiftable volumetric valve in said hopper and being operable to dispense a predetermined volume of flowable material from said hopper, a fluid pressure piston and cylinder unit connected with said volumetric valve and being operable for shifting the same, means for conveying containers in a predetermined path of travel below the throat of the hopper, a control mechanism including a controlling valve connected in flow controlling relation with said piston and cylinder unit and operating the same, a pair of laterally spaced apart, elongate vertically extending sensor arms, each mounted adjacent said hopper for vertical swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis, operating means supported jointly by said sensor arms and operatively interrelated with said control valve, said sensor arms being shiftable in response to engagement with a moving container to actuate said operating means and to thereby operate said control valve for shifting the piston and cylinder unit and volumetric valve from a closed position to a dispensing position and to thereby permit a predetermined volume of material to be discharged through said throat into a container as each container is moved along the predetermined path of travel.

4. The dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said sensor arms has a disc-shaped sensor element mounted on the lower end thereof, said elements adapted to engage opposite sides of the receptacle as the latter is moved by the conveyor towards the hopper to cause swinging movement of said arms and operation of said operating means.

5. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 and wherein said discharge throat in said hopper, cylindrical in shape and extends vertical and opens exteriorly at its lower end, said volummetric dispensing valve extending through said throat and being vertically shiftable between upper and lower positions, said valve including spaced apart upper and lower portions each having a cross-sectional size slightly larger than the diameter of said throat, said valve tapering downwardly from said upper portion to a reduced waist and tapering upwardly from said lower portion to said waist, said upper portion being spaced above the upper end of said throat and said lower portion engaging and closing the lower unit of the throat when the valve is in the upper position thereby permitting a predetermined amount of flowable material to flow into said throat and around the tapered portions of the valve, said upper portion engaging and closing the upper end of said throat and said lower portion being spaced from said lower end of the throat when the valve is in the lower position thereby permitting the predetermined amount of material to be dispensed from the hopper.

7. A dispensing device for dispensing flowable material therefrom comprising a hopper adapted to contain a flowable material and having a vertical, cylindrical, reduced discharge throat opening exteriorly at its lower end, a volummetric dispensing valve extending through said throat and being vertically shiftable between upper and lower positions, said valve including spaced apart upper and lower portions and a reduced annular flexible intermediate portion, said upper and lower portions each having a cross sectional size slightly larger than the diameter of said throat, and said intermediate portion being spaced inwardly from the interior surface of said throat, means for vertically shifting said valve between upper and lower positions, said upper portion being spaced above the upper end of said throat and said lower portion engaging and closing the lower end of said throat when the valve is in the upper position to thereby permit a predetermined volume of material to be introduced into said throat, said upper portion engaging and closing the upper end of said throat and said lower portion being spaced below the open lower end of said throat when said valve is in the lower position to thereby permit dispensing of the predetermined volume of material from the hopper, means defining a fluid pressure chamber interiorly of said flexible intermediate portion of the valve and being connected to a source of fluid pressure to permit expansion and contraction of said intermediate portion and adjustment of the predetermined volume of material in the throat, and actuator means located exteriorly of said receptacle and being operable to variously adjust the fluid pressure in said chamber whereby the flexible intermediate portion of the valve may be adjusted during shifting movement of the valve.