GB950584A - Machine for grading articles by weight - Google Patents

Abstract

950,584. Sorting by weighing. WOOL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH ASSOCIATION. May 27, 1960 [April 23, 1959], No. 13807/59. Heading G1W. [Also in Division G4] Articles are sorted according to their weight by being brought one at a time to a weighing apparatus from which they are automatically discharged to the appropriate one of a series of compartments or openings in dependence upon their weight. The weigher is of the optical projection type with the window covered by a mask 15 provided with a set of transparent slits of which the number illuminated indicates the weight. The slits are traversed by a photo-electric cell 16 carried by an arm 17 once for each weighing so that the cell provides a series of current pulses which are used to set an electronic counting device L by which solenoids, controlling the flaps 12<SP>1</SP> to 12<SP>5</SP> of an inverted-V-shaped distribution shoot 11, are operated. Each article dealt with is placed either manually or mechanically on the weigher and the subsequent operations of the system follow in a manually initiated automatic sequence controlled by a motor energized on the closing of a switch. The control motor drives a cam which, after a delay sufficient to allow the weigher to come to rest and during which the count circuit L is reset to zero, acts on a pivoted lever 21, Fig. 3 (not shown) which drives the arm 17. The pulses received by the cell 16 are"shaped" by the trigger circuit K which operates the count circuit L. To prevent false indications, trigger circuit K is paralysed except during the traverse of the cell across the slits. The count circuit operates, either directly or through amplifiers 1 to 6, selector relays A to F by which the appropriate solenoids controlling the flaps 12 are operated. The scale pan, operated by a lever controlled by a further cam associated with the control motor, is then automatically tilted to discharge its contents on to the shoot 11 and the arm 17 is returned to its initial position.