Patent ID: 8866029

Claim:
A link apparatus comprising: plural hopper groups each including n (n: plural number) hoppers for holding objects to be weighed which are supplied to the hoppers and discharging the objects to be weighed; and plural conveyor means which are provided to respectively correspond to the hopper groups and are respectively configured to convey the corresponding hopper groups such that the hoppers belonging to each hopper group are arranged in one line in a direction along a revolving path including a first area where the objects to be weighed are supplied to the n hoppers belonging to the hopper group and a second area under which package bags arranged in one line in the direction along the revolving path are conveyed successively, the first area being a part of the revolving path and the second area being another part of the revolving path; wherein the conveyor means are respectively configured to convey the hopper groups such that the hopper groups are repeatedly conveyed from the first area to the second area in a predetermined order; the conveyor means are respectively configured to convey associated hopper groups such that the n hoppers in each of the hopper groups sequentially conveyed to the second area are respectively located above n package bags, the n package bags sequentially conveyed to a region under the second area; and the conveyor means are respectively configured to convey the hopper groups such that the n hoppers in each of the hopper groups are respectively located above the n package bags in the second area; the conveyor means are respectively configured to stop the hopper groups in the first area or convey the hopper groups in the first area at a speed lower than a speed in the second area; and wherein the hopper groups are each configured to discharge the objects to be weighed from the n hoppers to the n package bags respectively located below the n hoppers, when the hopper groups are conveyed in the second area.