Patent GB-1477222-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for grading articles by weight
IPC: A01K43/08
Filed: 1974-09-16
Abstract: 1477222 Grading by weight; measuring weight electrically SEYMOUR FOODS INC 16 Sept 1974 [19 Sept 1973 28 Aug 1974] 40206/74 Headings G1N and G1W [Also in Divisions B8 and G3] An apparatus for grading articles by weight comprises means for supplying spaced rows of articles to a weighing means 12 including a plurality of weighing machines, an endless conveyer 14 having article accommodating pockets, means for transferring a row of articles from the weighing means to the conveyer, and means for discharging each article at an appropriate discharge point according to its weight. In the egg grading apparatus shown, eggs are sorted into categories P.W., S, M, L, XL and J, and all but the P.W. category are passed directly to packaging machines PS, PM, PL, PXL, and PJ. Eggs are delivered in rows of six by a conveyer WC from a washing machine W and a candling booth C to the weighing means 12. The weighing means 12, Figs. 3, 4 comprises a row of six weighing machines each comprising a cantilever 62 carrying a pair of strain gauges 75, 75' and an egg support 63, and connected to a pair of dashpots 67, 67'. The signal from the strain gauges is used to set an egg weight memory device 18, see below. Each egg passes from conveyer WC to the egg support 63 via a ramp 55 and its passage is controlled by an arm 78 mounted on an axle 77 driven in synchronism with conveyer WC by sprocket wheels 82, 83, Fig. 3. Arm 78 also transfers a weighed egg to an egg pocket 43 on the conveyer 14 via a ramp 81. The movement of the egg from the ramp 81 to the pocket 43 is retarded by an arm 87 arranged to be reciprocated by links 91, 93, the latter of which is oscillated by a cam 95 on axle 77. After each transfer of six weighed eggs to conveyer 14, conveyer 14 is indexed forward six places to bring six empty pockets into alignment with the weighing means. As the eggs move along conveyer 14, they are discharged at the appropriate discharge station PW, J, XL, L, Mor S, each discharge station comprising a set of six air nozzles 98, Figs. 6, 15, for discharging the eggs. At the PW station 1, Fig. 6, the eggs are blown on to a pan 178 via rubber retarding plates 182. At each of the other discharge stations, Figs. 1, 15, the eggs are transferred to a rod conveyer 105 via a ramp 104, a paddle wheel 157 serving to retard and separate the transferred eggs. The rod conveyer 105 extends along the five discharge stations J to S, and includes conveying sections at each discharge station. Each conveying section comprises a series of rods (113) extending between a pair of endless chains 114 carried by sprockets 115, 116 mounted on common shafts 106, 107, the latter of which is driven. The eggs are carried by the rod conveyer 105 to a pair of wire mesh accumulator belts 165, 166 driven in opposite directions which feed the eggs to packers. The memory device, Fig. 7 comprises a conveyer driven in synchronism with the conveyer 14. The memory conveyer comprises a pair of chains 185, 185' mounted on sprockets 186, 186', 187, 187' and carrying a plurality of cross rods 191. Each cross rod carries 36 pins 192 mounted slidably in bores in the rod 191, each pin 192 corresponding to a respective combination of a particular weighing device and a particular egg grade. A series of pin actuating devices 197 are mounted on a crossmember 200 and each has a solenoid operated striker arm adapted to move a pin 192 to a projecting position. A series of cross rods 202 carries switches 204, each switch when actuated causing a respective air nozzle 98 to discharge an egg from conveyer 14. In use, the output from the strain gauges of the weighing machines causes the appropriate actuating device 197 to operate to cause a pin 192 to project, and each projecting pin 192 operates a switch 204 to cause an air nozzle to discharge an egg at the appropriate discharge station. In the apparatus illustrated, the spacing of the discharge stations is such that ten cycles of movement of conveyer 14 are required to move a set of six eggs from the weighing means 12 to the discharge station S, and ten switch carrying rods 202 are required, the total number of switches 204 being thirty-six. The conveyers 14 and 105 and the memory device conveyer are driven from a common driveshaft (125) driven by a motor via a variable diameter pulley arrangement, Figs. 12, 14 (not shown). Shaft 125 drives the conveyer 14 via a right angled gear box (161), Fig. 2B (not shown) and a chain drive, and drives the memory device via a chain drive 195, Figs. 6, 7. The driven shaft 107 of rod conveyer 105 is driven from a stub shaft (121) by a chain drive, the stub shaft being driven from shaft 125 by a gear drive (126, 127), Figs. 10, 11 (not shown). The electro-mechanical memory device 18 may be replaced by an electronic device Fig. 19. The output of the strain gauges 75, 75' is compared with reference voltages in the comparators 214, each of which produces a low level logical output and a visual indication via L.E.D. 215 if its reference voltage is less than or equal to the signal from the strain gauges. The outputs of the comparators is passed to an inhibit circuit 220, Fig. 20, (not shown) which produces a single high level output corresponding to the egg grade. The high level output is used to trigger the appropriate air nozzle 98 at the appropriate time by means of a series of delay circuits 222, optical isolators 223 and triacs 225, a micro-switch 218 operated in synchronism with conveyer 14 providing timing pulses to operate the delay lines.