Continuous automatic feeding apparatus

Continuous automatic feeding apparatus for bulk material is provided. The device has a vibratory feeder for moving the material to be fed, the feeder having a centrally disposed narrow spoon extending therefrom which provides a relatively small rate of material feed. A pair of hoppers are located under the composite feeder, and the material supplied to each controlled by a pair of displaceable deflectors. Each deflector has three positions: a first position in which the deflector prevents any flow into its associated hopper and deflects the flow into the other hopper; a second position in which the flow from the feeder is deflected to the other hopper but the flow from the spoon is permitted to enter its associated hopper; and a third position in which the flow from both the vibratory feeder and the spoon enters the associated hopper. Each hopper has a weigh cell and control apparatus associated therewith to operate the deflectors and empty the hoppers when a predetermined weight has been attained.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to an automatic feeding device for loading 
bulk material into packaging. 
While a variety of bulk material feeding structures are known in the art, 
many such devices require that feeding be stopped after a predetermined 
weight has been reached so that the material-receiving packaging may be 
replaced. When such a stoppage occurs, time is lost and with many bulk 
materials a clumping together of the material results. This clumping leads 
to improperly packaged material, as by the inability to obtain firm weight 
accuracy and discrimination in the packaging. In order to permit a 
continuous flow of material, a number of devices have diverted the 
material fed to a catch hopper during the change in packaging. This 
diversion also may result in clumping, and its associated problems. 
Futhermore, a mechanism is then required to recycle the diverted material 
into the main flow. 
In any such weighing and feeding system there is a direct relationship 
between speed and accuracy. For any given system, the slower the cycle 
time, the greater the accuracy and vice versa. Accordingly, I have found 
it desirable to have a system having more than one rate of feed, a faster 
rate at the beginning of the feeding procedure and a slower rate near the 
end, so that accurate weight monitoring can occur. The instant invention 
provides such a dual rate system. 
Generally speaking in accordance with the invention, a continuous automatic 
feeding system is provided. Bulk material is continually fed without 
stoppage into a pair of alternately filled hoppers. The device has a 
vibratory feeder for moving the bulk material, and which has a narrow 
forwardly extending spoon for feeding the material at a relatively low 
rate. Mounted above each hopper is a deflector having first, second and 
third positions. In the first, fully projecting position of the deflector, 
no material may enter the associated hopper and all material will be 
diverted into the other hopper. In the second position (employed when 
filling is nearly completed), only the material flowing from the spoon 
will enter the associated hopper with the bulk of the material being 
deflected to the other hopper. In the third position, material flowing 
from both the spoon and the feeder is permitted to enter the associated 
hopper. Each hopper has an associated weigh cell which will control the 
operation of the deflectors and automatically discharge the fed material 
when the predetermined weight has been attained. 
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved 
automatic weighing and feeding apparatus. 
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved automatic 
weighing and feeding device providing for continuous flow of bulk 
material. 
Another object of this invention to provide an improved automatic feeding 
device that prevents clumping of the fed material. 
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved automatic 
feeding device that permits a high feeding rate combined with highly 
accurate package weight content. 
Another object of this invention is to provide improved automatic feeding 
apparatus that does not require interrupting the flow of material during a 
change of packaging. 
Still other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading 
of the detailed specification to follow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The drawings illustrate continuous automatic feeding apparatus, generally 
indicated at 20, which includes a per se conventional vibratory feeder 
trough 22 which axially reciprocates between directions C and D, but whose 
movement is faster in direction D so that the bulk material to be fed 
moves generally in direction C and is discharged out over front edge 24 
thereof. Extending beyond edge 24 is a centrally disposed vibratory spoon 
26 through which material will exit at a lesser rate than that of the 
material leaving the larger feeder edge 24. Accordingly, a high rate of 
flow of material exits from edge 24 of feeder 22 and a low flow rate from 
spoon 26. This differential in feed rates is due to the smaller discharge 
size of spoon 26. 
Two deflector and hopper mechanisms employed in the instant apparatus are 
essentially mirror images of each other, and corresponding parts will be 
designated with like reference numerals bearing a subscript a or b. As the 
material to be fed is discharged over edge 24 and the front of the spoon 
26 it will selectively contact deflector 28a or 28b, each of which is 
slideably axially displaceable and resides at any time in one of three 
distinct positions. Deflectors 28a, 28b are axially displaced by actuators 
27a, 27b, e.g., per se conventional compressed air cyclinders, electrical 
or pneumatic motors or the like cooperating with follower arms driven 
thereby (not shown). However, any suitable means may be used to effect 
such displacement. 
In their first (inactive) position, shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, with the 
power to acuators 27a, 27b turned off, each deflector 28a, 28b will be in 
its fully extended position preventing any of the subject material from 
entering the hoppers 30a, 30b. Each deflector 28a, 28b is inclined so that 
in its fully extended closed position, it will deflect the material 
supplied thereto by the adjacent half of the feeder into the other hopper. 
A small fixed deflector 32 in the form of an inverted V prevents any of 
the fed material from falling between hoppers 30a, 30b. 
Each deflector 28a, 28b has an second, intermediate position in which it 
will be so located as to be between discharge edge 24 of feeder 22 and the 
forward edge of spoon 26. Deflector 28a is shown in this second, 
intermediate position in FIG. 4a. In this position, the material exiting 
the approximate left half portion of feeder spoon 26 will be permitted to 
enter hopper 30a but the material exiting the left portion of edge 24 of 
the vibratory feeder 22 will be deflected by deflector 28a into hopper 
30b. Thus, it is seen that in this second, intermediate position the 
respective hopper is fed at the lower feeding rate for corresponding 
operation of deflector 28b, see FIGS. 7a and 7b. 
Deflectors, 28a, 28b also have a third, fully retracted position, as seen 
for deflector 28a in FIG. 2a. In this position, material exiting the 
corresponding part of vibratory feeder 22, together with the material 
exiting the associated portion of spoon 26, will be allowed to fall into 
hopper 30a. Deflector 28b operates in like manner with respect to hopper 
30b--see, for example FIGS. 5a and 5b. 
Each hopper, 30a, 30b includes an enclosure including spaced parallel walls 
34a-35a, and 34b-35b (see FIG. 1b), and a rotating wall unit 36a, 36b. 
Each rotating wall unit 36a, 36b comprises four walls 38a1-38a4, 38b1-38b4 
radially extending from and rotationally mounted about pivots 40a, 40b. 
The then obtaining outermost walls 38a, 38b are engaged by pivots latch 
mechanisms 42a, 42b which are operated by solenoids 44a, 44b, 
respectively. Weigh cells 46a, 46b (per se well known) separately measure 
the weight of material loaded into each hopper unit 30a, 30b and may be 
preset at any desired weight. When the weight is met by the hopper 
contents, solenoids 44a or 44b as appropriate is activated to momentarily 
release the latch 42a or 42b which permits the rotary wall unit 36a or 36b 
to rotate 90.degree. under the torque of the weight of the material 
therein. Upon such rotation, the material accumulated during the fill 
cycle is discharged into funnels 48a, 48b which lead to the packaging to 
be loaded (not shown). After the rotation of wall unit 36a or 36b, the 
latch 42a or 42b engages the next wall 38a or 38b and the filling process 
begins again. 
The deflector actuator 27a, 27b; as well as weigh cells 46a, 46b and 
solenoids 44a, 44b are all interconnected by a sequencing and control unit 
47 of any known type for effecting the operations described herein. Thus, 
for example the controller 47 may comprise a micropressor, ring-cascaded 
trigger circuits, or the like. 
The continuous feeding cycle will now be explained in greater detail. FIGS. 
1a and 1b illustrate the device in its inactive, or "power off" state with 
the deflectors 28a, 28b in their first, fully extended position. To begin 
the feeding cycle, the power is turned on and one deflector, e.g., the 
deflector 28a fully retracted into its third position as shown in FIGS. 2a 
and 2b. Deflector 28b remains fully extended in its first position. 
Vibratory feeder 22 will then be activated, as shown in FIGS. 3a, and 3b 
starting the bulk material 50 moving. Since deflector 28a is fully 
retracted, material exiting left portions of the vibratory feeder 22 and 
spoon 26 falls directly into hopper 30a. Furthermore, the material exiting 
the right side of vibratory feeder 22 and spoon 26 proximate to hopper 30b 
will be deflected by deflector 28b into hopper 30a by virtue of deflector 
28b's fully extended position. 
At a predetermined point near the completion of hopper 30a filling, e.g., 
when 90% of the target weight of material 50 has been registered on weigh 
cell 46a, the operating mechanism of deflector 28a is activated to 
displace the deflector to its second, intermediate point and deflector 28b 
is displaced into its third, fully retracted position as shown in FIGS. 4a 
and 4b. When this occurs, only the material exiting the left portion of 
spoon 26 is received in hopper 30a. All material exiting vibratory feeder 
22 will be deflected by the partially extended deflector 28a cooperating 
with the retracted deflector 28b into hopper 30b. Thus, hopper 30a will be 
fed at a relatively low rate as it approaches its target weight (thus 
permitting firm and accurate weight discrimination), with the main bulk of 
the discharged material 50 beginning to fill hopper 30b. 
When the target weight registered on weight cell 46a is reached, the 
control mechanism moves deflector 28a to its fully extended position shown 
in FIGS. 5a and 5b so that all material 50 exiting vibratory feeder 22 and 
spoon 26 is deflected into hopper 30b. Hopper 30a is then ready for 
discharge, as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, which will occur by activation of 
solenoid 44a permitting rotating wall unit 36a to rotate in direction E by 
virtue of the weight of the material 50 which is discharged into funnel 
48a for delivery to any suitable packaging or recepticals. During the 
discharge of hopper 30a, (and, indeed, during the terminal part of filling 
hopper 30a), vibratory feeder 22 and spoon 26 continue to fill hopper 30b, 
since deflector 28a is fully extended and deflector 28b is fully 
retracted. 
When the predetermined weight, e.g., 90% of the target weight on weigh cell 
46b is reached, deflector 28b extends to its second, intermediate position 
shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b; and deflector 28a is withdrawnn to its third, 
fully opened position. When this occurs, hopper 30b will be fed only by 
the right portion of the spoon 26 discharge, and the bulk of material, 
exiting vibratory feeder 22, will be directed by deflector 28b into hopper 
30a. 
When the target weight registered on scale 46b is reached, deflector 28b is 
extended to its first, fully extended position, and deflector 28a remains 
in its fully retracted position, as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b. This 
positioning will cause all of the discharged material 50 to be directed 
into hopper 30a with none entering hopper 30b. When this occurs, the 
discharge cycle of hopper 30b, as shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b, may begin. 
Solenoid 44b is activated to open latch 42b, releasing rotary wall unit 
36b to permit it to rotate in direction F to discharge the materials into 
funnel 48b. The unit is thus returned to the mode shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b 
and the next feeding cycle of hoppers 30a, 30b will take place as set 
forth above. 
The composite apparatus thus operates continuously, to alternately fill 
hoppers 30a and 30b without interruption. 
Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a 
preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and 
variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope 
of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand.