Patent ID: 6533125
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: G01G,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of controlling operation of a weighing-out apparatus of the grader type having a weighing-in station, a sorting-out path, at least one row of receiver stations with associated diverter means for enabling selective transfer of items to said receiver stations, a conveyor for moving articles serially through said weighing-in station and along a sorting-out path, at least one row of receiver stations arranged along said sorting-out path, a control unit connected with the weighing-in station, comprising the steps of:serially conveying articles through said weighing-in station, weighing the articles and conveying the articles weighed along said sorting-out path, using said control unit to operate said diverter means in a manner effecting an accumulative and weight determined build-up of desired groups of items in respective receiver stations, using at least two of the receiver stations as a single combined station, using the control unit to allocate items to the each of the least two receiver stations of the combined station to define a final batch having an associated target weight wherein allocation of an item to one of the at least two receiver stations of the combined station is controlled in order to compensate for the weight of other of the at least two receiver stations in order to provide a final batch weight within a predetermined tolerance; and merging of items allocated to the at least two receiver stations of the combined station.