Method and apparatus for transferring a predetermined portion of product to a container

The disclosure relates to apparatus for delivering a predetermined portion of product to a plurality of containers. The apparatus includes a driven endless conveyor having a plurality "of" horizontal flat plates pivotally connected to one another. Fences extend along the length of each of the opposite sides of the endless conveyor adjacent the upper surface portion of each plate to confine product upon the upper surfaces of the plates as the conveyor is driven. Each of the plates has an opening extending therethrough. A cup having an open top portion, an open bottom portion, and a predetermined volume therein is disposed in the opening of each of the plates with the open top portion of the cup in register with the opening in the plate. Means are provided for closing the bottom portion of the cups. Means are provided along the path of travel of the endless conveyor for delivering product to the upper surfaces of the plates and thereby to the cups. Empty containers are advanced beneath the path of travel of the bottom portion of each of the plurality of cups to receive the predetermined portions of product from the cups. Operating the closure for the bottom portion of each the plurality of cups releases the predetermined portion of product to each of the plurality of containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a filling machine for delivering a predetermined 
amount of product such as food product to empty containers while the 
containers are moving through the machine. The machine has a plurality of 
cavities which receive the food product. The volume of each of the 
cavities determines the predetermined portion of product which is to be 
delivered to each empty container as the container travels through the 
machine. The volume of each cavity can be adjusted in order to set the 
quantity of the predetermined portion of product to be delivered to each 
container. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Machines which are adapted to transfer a predetermined portion of the 
product to containers are often referred to as volumetric fillers. 
Prior art machines are often constructed as rotary style machines having a 
large cylindrical-shaped hopper or round tub which has cavities arranged 
in a circular array on the bottom portion of the hopper. The cavities are 
typically cylindrical in shape and means are provided for closing off the 
bottom face of each cavity in order the cavity may be filled with the 
predetermined portion of product. The cavities are commonly referred to as 
"product cups". Most volumetric fillers have product cups formed by two 
telescoping cylinders which enable the volume of the cup to be adjusted, 
thereby determining the quantity of product which can be held within the 
cup. The product to be filled is introduced into a rotating hopper where 
it is carried by the hopper bottom in a horizontal circular path. Fixed 
wiper devices along the circular path direct the product into the product 
cup cavities. The wipers also direct food product away from the cavities, 
thereby wiping excess product from the top portion of each of the 
cavities. The food product within the product cup is then transferred into 
an empty container which is travelling below the product cup. The contents 
of the product cup is retained during filling by either a horizontal 
sliding gate or a fixed plate disposed along the path of the cups. The 
fixed plate contains an open section to enable the contents of the cup to 
be delivered to the container. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the invention, there is provided apparatus for 
delivering a predetermined quantity of product to a plurality of 
containers. The apparatus includes an endless conveyor having a plurality 
of flat plates mounted adjacent to one another with the upper surface of 
each plate disposed in a substantially horizontal plane. Each of the 
plurality of plates to the plates pivotally connected adjacent thereto. 
The conveyor is driven to move in the substantially horizontal plane. 
Fences extending along the length of each of the opposite sides of the 
endless conveyor to the plates adjacent the upper surface portion of each 
plate confine product upon the upper surfaces of the plates as the 
conveyor is driven. Each of being has an opening extending therethrough 
from the top surface of each plate to the bottom portion thereof. A 
plurality of cups are provided having an open top portion, an open bottom 
portion, and a predetermined volume therein. Each of the cups is disposed 
in the opening of each different one of the plates with the open top 
portion of the cup in register with the opening in the plate. Means are 
provided for closing the bottom portion of each the plurality of cups. 
Means are provided at a predetermined location along the path of travel of 
the endless conveyor for delivering product to the upper surfaces of the 
plates of the endless conveyor. Means are disposed beneath the path of 
travel of the bottom portion of each of the plurality of cups and 
extending along a portion of the length of the path of travel of the 
plurality of containers to receive the predetermined portions of product. 
Means are also provided for enabling the closing means for the bottom 
portion of each the plurality of cups to release the predetermined portion 
of product to each of the plurality of containers. The endless conveyor is 
driven in the substantially horizontal plane and receives the product on 
the upper surfaces of the plates of the conveyor, thereby enabling the 
product to be received into the plurality of cups which determine the 
predetermined portion of product to be delivered to each of the 
containers. By opening the bottom portion of each the plurality of cups, 
the predetermined portion of product within each cup can be delivered to 
each empty container being advanced through the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
As shown in FIG. 1, apparatus 30 of the invention includes endless conveyor 
31 having a plurality of flat plates 32 with the upper surface 32a and the 
bottom surface 32b of each plate being disposed in substantially 
horizontal planes. As shown in FIG. 2, means are provided for pivotally 
connecting each of the plurality of plates 32 to the plates adjacent 
thereto including link 33 having an end 33a connected to plate 32 and an 
end 33b. Pivot 34 is pivotally connected to each of the adjacent ends 33a 
and 33b of links 33. Rollers 35 are pivotally mounted on each of pins 34. 
As shown in FIG. 1, each of plates 32 has a leading convex edge portion 32c 
and trailing concave edge portion 32d. Edge portions 32c and 32d are 
portions of a circle which enables the edge portions to slide with respect 
to one another as the plates advance around the semicircular end portions 
31a and 31b of endless conveyor 31. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the means for driving the endless conveyor 31 in a 
substantially horizontal plane comprises a sprocket having a plurality 
indentations 36a disposed in the periphery of the sprocket for engagement 
with rollers 35 of the endless conveyor 31 for driving the endless 
conveyor. Hub 36b of the sprocket is connected to a drive or power source 
(not shown). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, plates 32 pivot with respect to 
one another in the semicircular end portions of endless conveyor by virtue 
of the attachment of each plate to end 33a of a link 33 and the attachment 
of each of the links 33 to links adjacent thereto. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, means 37 are provided which extend along the 
path of travel of each of the opposite sides of the endless conveyor 31 
and adjacent the upper surface 32a of each of the flat plates 32 for 
confining product such as food product which is delivered to the endless 
conveyor 31 by a delivering means such as chute or belt 38. Means 37 for 
confining product upon the plates 32 as the conveyor 31 is driven car 
comprise fence 37 and fence 39 which extend along the entire path of 
travel of the conveyor 31 adjacent the opposite straight edge portions 32e 
and 32f of each plates 32. 
As shown in FIG. 1 each of plates 32 has opening 40 extending therethrough 
from the top portion 32a of each plate to the bottom portion of 32b 
thereof. The openings are adapted to receive products delivered to plates 
32 by chute or belt 38 and to enable the products to pass through the 
openings. 
As shown in FIG. 1 the product on plates 32 approaching wiper 41 from the 
left as viewed in FIG. 1 is deflected toward fence 39. Wiper 42 as shown 
in FIG. 1 receives product on the left surface of the wiper as viewed in 
FIG. 1 and directs the product across the plates 32 toward openings 40 
therein. As shown in FIG. 4 a plurality of cups 43 having open top portion 
43a and open bottom portion 43b are mounted on the lower surface 32b of 
each plates 32 in alignment with opening 40 in the plates. As shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 4, means are disposed beneath the path of travel of the 
plurality of cups 43 attached to plates 32 of endless conveyor 31 for 
advancing a plurality of empty containers 44 to receive the predetermined 
portion of product to be delivered to each container by cups 43. The means 
for advancing the plurality of containers includes conveyor 45 which is 
driven in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 by apparatus (not shown) 
beneath a portion of endless conveyor 31. The timing of conveyor 45 
delivers containers 44 to be aligned with cups 43 extending beneath plates 
32 of endless conveyor 31. As a result, each of the containers 44 is made 
available to receive a predetermined portion of product from each of cups 
43. 
An embodiment of cup 43 is shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. As shown in FIGS. 5 
and 6, each cup 43 includes outer shell 46 extending downwardly from the 
lower surface 32b of plate 32 and inner shell 47 extending downwardly from 
opening 40 in each of plates 32. Ring 48 supports the upper ends of shells 
46 and 47 with respect to one another and the bottom surface of plate 32. 
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the means for closing the bottom portion of the 
plurality cups 43 can comprise deadplate 49 which extends beneath the path 
of travel of the cups throughout the extent of the endless conveyor 31. 
Flanges 50 and 51 of each cup 43 engaged and align the cups with respect 
to deadplate 49. The deadplate 49 is interrupted in the delivery zone 52 
shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, thereby uncovering the bottom portion 43b of each 
of the cups 43 and enabling the portion of product to descend into the 
empty containers 44 below. The interruption to deadplate 49 extends along 
the path of travel of cups 43 to the extent identified as item 52 in FIGS. 
1 and 4. 
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, cups 43 are each provided with spacer 53 
slidable mounted within outer shell 46 and with respect to inner shell 47. 
Spacer 53 is provided with projection 53a extending from the upper portion 
of the spacer. Projection 53a is engaged with groove 54a of track 54. As 
shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, track 54 extends about the entire periphery of 
endless conveyor 31 and accordingly engages the projections of the cups 43 
throughout their travel by way of the endless conveyor 31. Means (not 
shown) in FIGS. 5 and 6 adjustable determines the vertical or elevational 
position of track 54 and thereby the position of spacer 53. 
In the position of track 54 as shown in FIG. 5, spacer 53 is at its 
bottommost position with respect to outer shell 46 and inner shell 47. 
Accordingly there is a minimum volume beneath cone-shaped surfaces 53a of 
spacer 53 and thereby the minimum predetermined volume for product within 
the cup. In FIG. 6, track 54 elevates spacer 53 to its uppermost position 
with respect to outer shell 46 and inner shell 47 and, as a result, a 
maximum predetermined volume is formed beneath the cone-shaped surfaces 
53a of spacer 53. It can be seen that the positioning of track 54 and the 
engagement of groove 54a with projection 53a serves to elevate the spacer 
to its uppermost position. 
As shown in FIG. 1, wiper 56 is positioned with respect to fence 37 and 
adjacent to upper surface 32a of plates 32 to direct product 55 from chute 
38 toward fence 39 in order that the product is accumulated adjacent fence 
39. Wiper 56 thereafter deflects the product toward fence 37 at the outer 
periphery of the path of travel of plates 32 in order to insure that the 
product continues to enter into openings 40 in the plates and thereby 
subsequently into cups 43 below the openings. 
As the plates approach the region of conveyor 45 for containers 44 as shown 
in FIG. 1, wiper 57 extending along the length of the path of travel of 
the plates captures the remaining product which has not entered openings 
40 and deflects the product toward fence 39. In this way the product which 
has entered openings 40 and thereby cups 43 is free to be released to the 
containers 44 as they pass through region 52 shown in FIG. 1. Beyond 
region 52, wiper 57 extends to the mid-point of the semicircular end 
portion 31b of the endless conveyor. Adjacent the end portion 57b of wiper 
57, there is disposed wiper 58 extending outwardly from fence 39 and 
across the path of travel of plates 32. Wiper 58 urges the remaining 
product on plates 32 to move outwardly toward openings 40 and fence 37. 
Thereafter wiper 41 extending inwardly with respect to fence 37 deflects 
the remaining product toward fence 39 prior to the arrival of fresh 
product from chute 38. 
In FIGS. 7 and 8 there is shown another embodiment of the means for closing 
the bottom portion of each of the plurality of cups, i.e. gate 59 disposed 
in cup 60 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Cup 60 at the open upper portion 
thereof 60a is disposed in registry with opening 40 in plate 32 of the 
endless conveyor 31. Gate 59 is pivotally supported by shaft 61 mounted in 
cup 60. Shaft 61 is connected by arm 62 to pivot 63 upon which roller 64 
is mounted. Roller 64 travels along track 65 which extends about the outer 
periphery of endless conveyor 31. In FIG. 7, track 65 is positioned at a 
level which positions gate 59 at its upper most position, thereby 
establishing the minimum volume of the cup for receiving product. The 
weight of arm 62 and roller 64 are sufficient to bias gate 59 into the 
position shown in FIG. 7. By elevating track 65, the rest position of gate 
59 can be lowered with respect to curved surface 60c to establish an 
increase in volume within cup 60 to receive a portion of product 55. In 
FIG. 8 the track 65 is in an elevated position at which gate 59 
establishes the maximum volume of product to be received by cup 60. 
Elevation of track 65 above the position shown in FIG. 8 causes gate 59 to 
leave curved surface 60c and thereby release the portion of product to 
pass through openings 60b of the cup and thereafter into a container being 
advanced beneath the cup. 
The upper surface track 65a of track 65 upon which roller 64 travels can be 
grained or corrugated to cause vibration of the roller 64 as it travels 
over the upper surface of the track. The resulting vibration of roller 64 
by the corrugated surface 65a is transmitted by arm 62 to shaft 61 
attached to gate 59 and thereby vibrates the gate and induces vibration 
through the product within the cup. Such vibration produces a more uniform 
density of product within the cup resulting in a more accurate portion of 
product in each cup for delivering to a container. In FIG. 9 endless 
conveyor 66 having plates 67 pivotally connected to one another contains 
openings 68 centrally located in each of the plates. Apparatus 66 shown in 
FIG. 9 includes a pair of means for delivering product to the upper 
surfaces of the plates of the endless conveyor, i.e. chutes or belts 70 
and 71. By way of example, the product delivered by each of chutes 70 and 
71 can be different materials, such as, for example, different food 
products which would be introduced into a single container 70.