Abstract: In a system for dispensing weighed or counted articles, articles are fed from a supply hopper by a vibratory conveyor to maintain a controlled level of articles in a bowl-shaped feeder hopper. In a weigher embodiment, articles are initially discharged from the feeder hopper through two discharge openings into an accumulator bucket. A weighing unit monitors the weight of articles in the bucket and signals a door to close one of the discharge openings as the weight of articles in the bucket begins to approach a predetermined weight. The weighing unit subsequently signals the feeder hopper drive to slow its feeding action as the weight of articles in the bucket more closely approaches the predetermined weight. The feeder hopper discharge openings are arranged near each other at locations where the door-controlled opening will provide a rapid, bulk feed of articles, while the other opening will provide a single-file trickle feed.

Abstract: A semi-automatic bag filling and weighing machine is disclosed including a rotatable indexing table supporting a bag at four spaced locations around the table, a conveyor device for supplying articles to be weighed and filled into the bags, a weighing and filling station to which the bags are moved by the indexing table, a weighing and sensing device for actuating power cylinders operating in conjunction with the filling station, the indexing table and other control devices to move the indexing table so as to replace a filled bag with an empty bag at the filling station. Quick release bag clamping devices are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus incorporating a microprocessor control is provided for automatically loading nuclear fuel pellets into fuel rods commonly used in nuclear reactor cores. The apparatus comprises a split "V" trough for assembling segments of fuel pellets in rows and a shuttle to receive the fuel pellets from the split "V" trough when the two sides of the split "V" trough are opened. The pellets are weighed while in the shuttle, and the shuttle then moves the pellets into alignment with a fuel rod. A guide bushing is provided to assist the transfer of the pellets into the fuel rod. A rod carousel which holds a plurality of fuel rods presents the proper rod to the guide bushing at the appropriate stage in the loading sequence. The bushing advances to engage the fuel rod, and the shuttle advances to engage the guide bushing. The pellets are then loaded into the fuel rod by a motor operated push rod.

Abstract: A cartoner for elongated articles including a source of a series of unshaped bundles thereof, a first conveyor having first article buckets thereon with a first reach adjacent to the source of articles so that each first article bucket receives an unshaped bundle of articles therein, a second conveyor having a set of second article buckets each having at least one wall shiftable between receiving and shaping positions with a first reach of the second conveyor adjacent to the first reach of the first conveyor so that each of the second article buckets receive an unshaped bundle of articles from one of the first article buckets, a leveling plate for leveling the contents of the second article bucket with the wall in the shaping position thereof, a set of filler members on the second conveyor for pushing the elongated articles from the second article bucket into a carton on an adjacent carton conveyor, and suitable control mechanism for causing the proper interaction of the various conveyors and parts thereof.

Abstract: An article packing system includes a first conveyor for advancing a series of flat articles; at least two stack-forming devices for consecutively forming stacks of variable length from the articles received from the first conveyor; a second conveyor extending from the stack-forming devices for carrying away the stacks; a packing machine for packaging the article stacks received from the second conveyor and a scale for weighing the stacks of articles. The scale is in the conveying path of the second conveyor and is located downstream of the stack-forming devices and upstream of the packing machine as viewed in the direction of article advance on the second conveyor. The latter includes a mechanism for successively advancing the article stacks from the stack-forming devices towards the scale in a direction parallel to the plane of the flat articles. Further, the mechanism sequentially introduces the article stacks into the scale and subsequently advances them from the scale to the packing machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bagging bruisable discrete articles, such as apples. The apples are fed single file to a weighing device, and the feed of articles is terminated just before the desired predetermined weight of apples to be bagged. The weighing device is allowed to reach equilibrium, and then the weight of the apples is compared to the desired predetermined weight. If the weight is less than the desired amount, the apples are fed one by one to the weighing device until the predetermined weight is reached or exceeded, at which time the apples in the weighing device are dumped onto a pair of spiral brushes which convey the apples to a bagging station. At the bagging station, a bag is clamped and blown open, and is filled with apples being fed one at a time. The bag full condition is automatically sensed, at which point one of the clamps is released, and an arm supporting the other clamp is pivoted to swing the bag into operative association with an automatic tying machine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for pressing and binding voluminous material into bales, in which material in the form of several layers is supplied through a closable opening into a pressing chamber where compression takes place of each supplied layer. Final pressing is carried out at high pressure after a desired number of layers have been supplied into the pressing chamber, whereafter the pressing effect is lowered to a substantially lower pressure, so that the material compressed into a bale is permitted to expand, and the bale thereafter is discharged from said pressing chamber through a closable opening and bound while said substantially lower pressure is being maintained.

Abstract: A continuous column of articles, which are individually non-uniform in weight, is divided into a series of column segments each of which has a uniform predetermined weight. The articles in the continuous column are fed by an infeed conveyor onto an intermediate conveyor one at a time. The belt of the intermediate conveyor is carried by the platform of a scale so that the cumulative weight of the articles on the intermediate conveyor is monitored. When the weight reaches a predetermined value, a pusher is activated to push the group onto an outflow conveyor which is parallel to the intermediate conveyor and is driven in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A bag filling and weighing machine including an endless conveyor with bag holding means carried thereby and releasably suspending pliant bags in open condition. The machine includes an intermittently actuated endless conveyor for stopping the bag holding means at a main feed station and dribble feed station for two-stage filling and weighing. Weighing means are located adjacent to, at one side of, and at the approximate level of the endless conveyor means. One side of each bag-holding means is connected to the endless conveyor means and rotatable disc means concentric with conveyor sprocket means are provided for supporting bag-holder means as the bag holder changes direction around the end of the endless conveyor means. A novel driving and mounting connection for a bag holder to a single drive chain.

Abstract: An improved method for automatically producing a selected weight draft of sliced product from a workpiece in substantially uniform weight slices and in an integral number of slices.

Abstract: A package making machine of the vertical form, fill and seal type has an improved electrical control system operable on demand irrespective of the intervals of time between a train of cycle start signals and operable independently of the mechanical power source for the machine and/or its associated product feeder. The machine has a tube feeder operable during a portion of each bag making cycle and an end sealer operable during another portion of each cycle. Side sealing is accomplished during feeding by a hot belt sealer and secondary operations include a jammed product dislodging plunger, an air blast, a code dater, and a bag cut-off knife. All of the foregoing are operable by the control system in timed relationship and the system is also capable of controlling a product dump device in the product feeder. The tube feeder is controlled by an adjustable timer or by a photoregistration circuit which reads marks printed along the length of the web from which the package tube is made.

Abstract: Apparatus for filling containers with refuse which has been compacted by pressing comprises a weighing device for weighing refuse collecting vehicles, a plurality of holders each capable of holding and discharging a batch of refuse from one vehicle, a refuse press including a filling shaft and two conveyor belts, which are preferably arranged one on each of two opposite sides of the filling shaft, for conveying batches of refuse discharged from the holders, which are arranged in a row, to the filling shaft of the press. The apparatus enables batches of refuse of different weights from each other to be selected from a larger number of batches to provide optimum filling of the container with the weight of the contents of the container closely approximating a predetermined weight.

Abstract: A web of flat polyethelene stock is drawn from a supply roll by a web feed mechanism, to be fed thereby up over a tube former then down, in tubular configuration, about a material fill pipe and then to and through pouch forming and weighing stations. A first spring biased nip roller, of the web feed mechanism, urges the flat polyethelene stock into engagement with one side of an appropriately powered drive roller, of the web feed mechanism, to effect the unreeling of the stock from the supply roll and to direct same up towards the tube former; while a second spring biased nip roller, of the web feed mechanism, urges the tubular stock into engagement with the other side of said drive roller to draw the stock down through said tube former and to and through said pouch forming and weighing stations.