Simon A Scholtens

US Patent:

39498611, Apr 13, 1976

Filed:

Sep 18, 1974

Appl. No.:

5/506979

Inventors:

Simon A. Scholtens - Grant MI
Albert Scholtens - Grant MI

Assignee:

Nu-Way Marketing and Packaging Co., Inc. - Grant MI

International Classification:

B65G 6900

US Classification:

198 39

Abstract:

An apparatus for feeding substantially equally weighted groups of articles to a packaging apparatus in a timed continuous sequence. The articles are initially fed individually to a plurality of hoppers, each of which has means to weigh the articles therein. Further feeding of articles to any given hopper is blocked or discontinued when a predetermined weight of the articles has been reached in the particular hopper. A conveyor having a plurality of containers passes beneath the hoppers to receive the articles therefrom as they are dumped from the hoppers. The dumping of the articles from the hopper is controlled with the movement of the containers beneath the hoppers so that each hopper dumps the articles only in empty containers. The control means prevents more than one group of articles from being dumped into any given container on the conveyor and ensures that each container on the conveyor is filled so that the packaging operation has a continuous supply of the groups of articles. Means are provided to prevent dumping of a hopper in the event that the hopper fills after the conveyor has stopped for the dumping cycle.