Patent ID: 7259338

Claim:
A measuring device comprising: a first measuring hopper configured to measure objects in the first measuring hopper; a first supply portion fixedly arranged above the first measuring hopper and configured to supply objects to the first measuring hopper; a second measuring hopper configured to measure objects in the second measuring hopper; a second supply portion fixedly arranged above the second measuring hopper, and configured to supply objects to the second measuring hopper; a plurality of accommodating hoppers circumferentially arranged below the first and second measuring hoppers, the plurality of accommodating hoppers equally spaced from each other, the plurality of accommodating hoppers being configured to be intermittently circulated such that each of the accommodating hoppers successively receives objects from the first measuring hopper at a large amount supply position, and receives objects from the second measuring hopper at a minute amount supply position, at least one accommodating hopper being arranged between the accommodating hopper at the large amount supply position and the accommodating hopper at the minute amount supply position; and a control portion operatively coupled to the first and second measuring hoppers, the first and the second supply portions, and the plurality of accommodating hoppers and configured to control the supply from the second supply portion and the plurality of accommodating hoppers such that an accommodating hopper discharges objects only if the total weight of the objects in the accommodating hopper that are discharged from the first and second measuring hoppers is substantially and no smaller than a predetermined weight; wherein the control portion causes the first measuring portion to supply objects at the large amount supply position having a weight that is greater than half of but less than the predetermined weight, and causes the second measuring portion to supply objects at the minute amount supply position having a weight that is substantially equal to the difference between the weight of the objects received at the large amount supply position and the predetermined weight.