NZ197904A - Weight grading conveyor:magnetic control of cup dumping - Google Patents

Description

197904 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NO. 197904 DATE: 31st July 1981 COMPLETE AFTER PROVISIONAL A CONTROLLED SUPPORT SYSTEM We, N.B. MACDONALD ENGINEERING LIMITED of Donnelly Street, Havelock North, New Zealand, a New Zealand company, hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 19730.

The present invention relates to apparatus for the controlling of the support provided for a produce carrying cup of weight grading equipment.

The present invention will hereinafter be particularly described with regard to such weight grading equipment wherein produce such as fruit is carried by a plurality of cups wh5ch are caused to release the fruit contained therein depending on its weight at a particular receiving station.

An example of such equipment is described in New Zealand Patent Specification No. 124415 of the FMC Corporation.

In such known equipment each station associated with a particular weight of fruit can have an adjustable scale which will either support or be actuated by a fruit bearing cup passing thereover.

The present invention provides apparatus whereby disadvantages inherent in such previous systems may be overcome. In particular,such previous systems rely on weight sensors having adjustable moving parts which have been found to malfunction due to dust and other foreign material interfering with the free movement of the sensor parts.

It is however to be understood that the present invention could be utilized in numerous other applications and wherever a controllable weight grading apparatus is required 197904 Accordingly an embodiment of the present invention thus provides a weight grading apparatus which includes a plurality of receptacles movable between receiving stations at which said receptacles discharge their contents depending on the weight of contents contained therein, said receptacles being caused to move in a substantially horizontal direction between said stations but adapted to be released to swing vertically about one end thereof when discharge of the contents at a station is required characterised in an electromagnet being provided at each of said stations, each of said receptacles including a magnetically permeable ferro-magnetic wheel freely rotatable about a mounting pin provided on a side of said receptacle, a weight sensing means to detect the weight of the contents in each of said receptacles and to provide magnetizing signals to said electromagnets at the stations along the path of travel of said receptacles to support said receptacles at the stations by magnetic attraction between said wheels and said electro-magnets until the coincidence of the arrival of one of said receptacles at a station and the absence of a signal to the electro-magnet at said station results in the discharge of said contents at that station, and wherein a support pin extends outwardly from said receptacles, said pin engageable on a track supporting said receptacles in a substantially horizontal position V 3 \\ A \\ - > 197904 between said stations, a cut-away portion provided in said track at each of said stations and wherein said electromagnet when energized will support said support pin as it passes over said cut-away portion.

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description given by way of example of one possible embodiment thereof which is shown very diagranuriatically in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention can broadly be said to reside in a controllable magnetic support for an article including a magnetically permeable part or portion. When support for the article is required a signal to magnetize a magnetizible means positioned relative to the article can provide the necessary support by the magnetic attraction between said part or portion and said magnetizible means.

The magnetizible means may suitably comprise an electro magnet which is connected with to receive a magnetizing signal from a control means to provide the support for the article as required.

In one particular use of the present invention the article to be supported may comprise a fruit carrying receptacle which carries the fruit between fruit receiving stations until the fruit is discharged when the receptacle reaches a particular station at which that weight of fruit is received. In this way fruit of a particular range of weights can be packaged together at a particular station.

In weight grading apparatus particularly for fruit a plurality of cup-like receptacles are moved along a substantially horizontal bed between the various receiving stations. 197904 In presently known apparatus of this type a pin extending laterally from each of the receptacles engages with a weight sensor and if the weight of the receptacle and the fruit contained therein is sufficient the sensor operates a latch whereby the receptacle is dropped vertically thus releasing the fruit to that particular station.

Major disadvantages have been found with such previous types of apparatus including that the weight sensing is carried out at the respective station each time a receptacle arrives at that station and the sensing equipment which includes various interacting movable parts is prone to malfunction due to dust and other foreign particles.

In the accompanying drawing one embodiment of the present invention is shown very diagrammatically to illustrate the manner in which the above mentioned disadvantages can be overcome.

A receptacle 1 is shown of a substantially cup-like shape having a hollow interior 2 which can accommodate a desiredtype of fruit. The receptacle 1 would generally be one of many of such receptacles linked by a common rod 3 the free ends of which would generally be connected to a respective chain which moves the receptacles 1 along a substantially horizontal bed of the apparatus in a direction indicated generally by arrow A. The apparatus bed will generally have a plurality of fruit receiving stations one of which is illustrated in part in the drawing.

Each receptacle 1 may be free to pivot in a substantially vertical direction indicated by arrow B about its front end and the rod 3 extending therethrough. This downward pivoting may between the stations be prevented by a pin or the like 4 extending outwardly from one side of the receptacle 1 and 197904 supported by a track 5. The track 5 at each station may be provided with a cut-away portion 6 such that the support for the receptacle 1 is then absent.

However the receptacle 1 is shown including a magnet-- responsive part or portion 7 indicated in the drawing as suitably comprising a ferro-magnetic wheel 8. When the receptacle 1 reaches a station and the pin 4 reaches the cut-away portion 6 the magnet -r responsive means 7 will be positioned adjacent the magnetizible means 9 illustrated diagrammatically as comprising a ferro-magnetic core 10 having a conductor 11 of a desired number of turns wound therearound and about an insulating core support 12 in kncwn manner.

The use of a wheel 8 may, it is believed, reduce the wear of the core bottom 10 and means 7 upon relative movement therebetween. The wheel 8 may be free to rotate about a mounting pin 11 if desired.

The core 10 when magnetized will provide a magnetic force sufficient to hold the wheel 8 and the receptacle 1 and its contents in a substantially horizontal position as the pin 4 passes over the track portion 6 and until the pin 4 regains the track 5.

If however discharge of the contents of the receptacle 1 at a particular station is required then the core 10 will be left unmagnetized and the receptacle 1 will pivot vertically into the position shown in outline at lkthus discharging its contents at that station.

It may be appropriate for the receptacle 1 and its contents to be weighed by a central weighing station which can determine the receiving station at which the contents are to be discharged to ensure that a signal magnetizing the 197904 core 10 at that station is absent when that particular receptacle reaches that station.

This could be achieved by a continuous signa:l being provided to all the electro-magnets 9 along the receptacle path and the signal tp the electro-magnet at one of the stations removed coincident with the arrival of the receptacle at that station. Alternatively of course the electro-magnets may be generally in an inoperative condition and may be turned on as required to support the receptacles 1 passing thereunder unless content discharge is required.

It is to be appreciated that the use of a wheel 8 is given only by way of example and that instead for example a suitable electro-magnet may be positioned on the opposite side of the receptacle 1 so as, when operated, to attract a ferromagnetic pin 4 and thus support the receptacle 1 against pivoting .

The electro-magnet 9 in the example shown is further shown having a support means 13 enabling the electro-magnet 9 to be support in suitable manner in its desired position above the path of travel of the receptacles 1.

It will be appreciated that the present invention will have various applications wherever a controllable magnetic support for an article is required.

Where in the aforegoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by example and with reference to one possible embodiment thereof it is 197904 to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto vithout departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 197904

Claims (2)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS;

1. A weight grading apparatus which includes a plurality of receptacles movable between receiving stations at which said receptacles discharge their contents depending on the weight of contents contained therein, said receptacles being caused to move in a substantially horizontal direction between said stations but adapted to be released to swing vertically about one end thereof when discharge of the contents at a station is required^characfcoriood in'an electromagnet being provided- at each of said stationsj oach of oai-d-rcooptacloG—including a magnetically permeable ferro-magnetic wheel freely rotatable about a mounting pin provided on a side of^said receptaclej a weight sensing means to detect the weight of the contents in each of said receptacles and to provide magnetizing signals to said electromagnets at the stations along the path of travel of said receptacles to support said receptacles at the stations by magnetic attraction between said wheels and said electro-magnets until the coincidence of the arrival of one of said receptacles at a station and the absence of zJ rsg a^signal to the electro-magnet at said station results in the discharge of said contents at that station) -and- InQ eocV-, of wnoiiiin a support pin extend^ outwardly from^said receptacles^ said pin angageablo on a track supporting ^said receptacles in a substantially horizontal position between said stations, a cut-away portion provided in - 9 - v.. ■ •lfl 79 said track at each of said stations,,-a»ek wherein said electro-magnetowhen energized will support said support or- oibo»e_ "Hnk— te*ei pins^as £tv pass««- over said cut-away portions.

2. A weight grading apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. BALDWIN, SON & CAREY c ATTORNEYS FOR THE APPLICANTS - 10 -