Abstract: A weight-based, multiple filler filling machine has a simplified wiring arrangement. The filling machine fills a plurality of bottles with a predetermined amount in weight of an article through associated ones of a plurality of valves. The weight of the article placed in each of the bottles is measured by a load cell. An arithmetic unit is mounted on the surface of or inside each load cell for determining the weight level of the article as measured by that load cell and controlling the associated valve in accordance with the determined weight level.

Abstract: A weight-based, multiple filler filling machine has a simplified wiring arrangement. The filling machine fills a plurality of bottles with a predetermined amount in weight of an article through associated ones of a plurality of valves. The weight of the article placed in each of the bottles is measured by a load cell. An arithmetic unit is mounted on the surface of or inside each load cell for determining the weight level of the article as measured by that load cell and controlling the associated valve in accordance with the determined weight level.

Abstract: An article classifying system includes a conveyor 9 for conveying mail pieces 1, a weighing conveyor 18, and a sorting conveyor 26. A length measuring unit 5 measures the length of the mail pieces while they are being conveyed by the conveyor 9. Also, the width and the thickness of the mail pieces are measured by a width measuring unit 4 and a thickness measuring unit 3. The weight of the mail pieces is measured by a weighing unit 6 while the mail pieces are being conveyed on the weighing conveyor 18. Then, a control unit classifies the mail pieces into categories according to their length, width, thickness and weight.

Abstract: An article classifying system includes a conveyor 9 for conveying mail pieces 1, a weighing conveyor 18, and a sorting conveyor 26. A length measuring unit 5 measures the length of the mail pieces while they are being conveyed by the conveyor 9. Also, the width and the thickness of the mail pieces are measured by a width measuring unit 4 and a thickness measuring unit 3. The weight of the mail pieces is measured by a weighing unit 6 while the mail pieces are being conveyed on the weighing conveyor 18. Then, a control unit classifies the mail pieces into categories according to their length, width, thickness and weight.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus includes first and second groups of fins which are spaced along the conveying direction to provide spaces sufficient to hold packs therein. The fins in each group are divided into first and second sets. The first and second fin groups are mounted to first and second conveyor chain pairs, respectively, and moved through pack loading and unloading stations. Stepping motors drive the first and second chain pairs independently. A controller causes a fin set after being loaded or unloaded to be forwarded to the unloading or loading station at a speed higher than the speed at which the fin sets move through the loading station.

Abstract: An article classifying system includes a conveyor 9 for conveying mail pieces 1, a weighing conveyor 18, and a sorting conveyor 26. A length measuring unit 5 measures the length of the mail pieces while they are being conveyed by the conveyor 9. Also, the width and the thickness of the mail pieces are measured by a width measuring unit 4 and a thickness measuring unit 3. The weight of the mail pieces is measured by a weighing unit 6 while the mail pieces are being conveyed on the weighing conveyor 18. Then, a control unit classifies the mail pieces into categories according to their length, width, thickness and weight.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus includes first and second groups of fins which are spaced along the conveying direction to provide spaces sufficient to hold packs therein. The fins in each group are divided into first and second sets. The first and second fin groups are mounted to first and second conveyor chain pairs, respectively, and moved through pack loading and unloading stations. Stepping motors drive the first and second chain pairs independently. A controller causes a fin set after being loaded or unloaded to be forwarded to the unloading or loading station at a speed higher than the speed at which the fin sets move through the loading station.

Abstract: An apparatus for weighing a softened solid rapidly and precisely, wherein no excessive force is exerted on, and no shock is given to, the load cell. The apparatus has a simplified structure including 1/4 cylindrical weighing containers so that the apparatus is easy to disassemble and clean.The inventive apparatus comprises a load cell for transmitting signals; a pair of weighing containers each having a cross-section of approximately 1/4 of a cylinder, arranged closely, and installed on the load cell rotatably around center axis of rotation; a scraping member installed closely to the inner surface of the weighing containers; and a driving unit, which is not connected to said load cell, for opening and closing the weighing containers by reversely rotating them around their axes. This apparatus for weighing a softened solid discharges the weighed substance as it is scraped from the sides of the containers by the scraping member.

Abstract: In a dynamic weighing device including a weight signal treating filter for measuring the weight of an article while the article is conveyed by a weighing conveyer, a device and a method of automatically determining an optimum time point for reading the weight signal and/or an optimum characteristic of the filter to be used, wherein the weight signal is read and stored plural times between two predetermined time points with and/or without variation of the filter characteristic, this operation is repeated about the same article or a plurality of articles which are substantially same in weight and, thereafter, the reading time point and filter characteristic corresponding to one of the groups of weight measurements of the respective times which gives a minimum dispersion of the weight measurements are selected as the optimum conditions.

Abstract: A device used in an apparatus, such as weigher, pressure gauge or the like, for essentially measuring a force, which utilizes a flexural member of elastic material for detecting the force by converting its deflection or strain caused by application of the force into an electric signal, and adapted to compensate for measurement error caused by a time-dependent change in the detection output as a result of creep and/or stress reluxation of the flexural member by removing error components by an electric circuit constructed in accordance with a principle of digital filter.

Abstract: A digital filter for filtering a weight indicative signal provided by a weighing device to remove undesirable oscillatory components caused by mechanical vibration of the weighing device. The filter has a plurality of notch frequencies in its transfer characteristic within and/or near the frequency range including such undesirable oscillatory components. The filter utilizes a transfer function of multiplex progressing averages of a series of sample values extracted from the weight signal.

Abstract: A product feeding device for use in a combination weigher which includes a plurality of conveyor troughs arranged radially for feeding product to corresponding weighing units and a central product feeder for distributively feeding product to the respective conveyer troughs. The device comprises a product detecting device which revolves around the central feeder for sequentially detecting the amount of product carried by each conveyer trough in order to control the amount of product fed to each conveyer trough.

Abstract: A zero-point calibration system in a combination weighing apparatus which has buckets storing masses subject to selection in combination processing and including only weighing buckets, only auxiliary buckets or both of them, the system comprising: means for detecting a timing at which a number of buckets subject to selection in the next cycle becomes definite; another means calculating the number of buckets from which the masses are discharged in the next cycle, by computing possible combinations of selected buckets, based on the timing detected by the detecting means; a further means effecting a predictive calculation of a number of buckets from which the masses have been discharged at the latest cycle and which are subsequently subject to selection in the cycle after the next cycle, based on the number of buckets calculated by the combination calculating means; and a still further means changing states of buckets from their inactive states for blank weighing in zero-point calibration into their operative st

Abstract: An electronic weighing scale is adapted to determine the weight of an object. A weight signal is generated having a direct current component indicative of the weight of the object and a superposed periodic oscillatory component. The period T.sub.1 of the periodic oscillatory component of the weight signal is determined. The weight signal is sampled at sampling intervals T.sub.2, having a relationship to period T.sub.1 defined by:nT.sub.1 =NT.sub.2 ; andN.gtoreq.2nwhere n and N are positive integers, n being the number of cycles of the periodic oscillatory component during which the samples takes place, and N being the number of samples taken. The samples of the weight signal are averaged and the weight of the object is determined based on the averaged samples.

Abstract: A feed control device and method of reducing variations in the amount of product fed to receiving units from a dispersion feeding device of the type comprising a dispensing mechanism for dispersively dispensing product fed thereto radially toward the periphery thereof, and a feeding mechanism for feeding the product to a product feeding position on the dispensing mechanism. The control device includes apparatus for determining the displacement of the center of gravity of the dispensing mechanism due to the product being carried thereon, and apparatus for moving the feeding mechanism relative to the dispensing mechanism in response thereto. The control method comprises the steps of determining the displacement of the center of gravity of the dispensing mechanism due to the product being carried thereon, and moving the feeding device relative to the dispensing mechanism in response thereto.

Abstract: A combination weighing apparatus having weighing buckets to weigh masses of material and subsequently transfer them to auxiliary buckets for temporary storage, the masses in the weighing buckets and/or auxiliary buckets being selected in combination processing and then discharged to forming a batch of predetermined weight, the apparatus comprising: a first detecting means detecting a timing to open outlet gates of the weighing bucket to transfer the mass to the auxiliary buckets; a timer means sequentially measuring, based on the timing, such an additional time length needed to completely transfer the mass remaining in the weighing bucket into the auxiliary bucket; a second detecting means detecting a further timing to open outlet gates of the auxiliary buckets to discharge the mass selected in the combination processing; and a setting means setting, based on the further timing, duration of said outlet gate's opened state of the auxiliary bucket, the duration being given by adding the additional time length t

Abstract: A foreign matter detector includes an oscillator for generating an oscillating signal, a phase shifter connected to the oscillator and adapted to provide a phase shifted oscillating signal, and an electromagnetic transducer. The transducer includes an excitation coil connected to the oscillator and two interconnected detection coils magnetically coupled to the excitation coil and adapted to produce a differential signal therebetween when an object is passed through the transducer. The detector also includes a first detector adapted to produce a first detected analog signal corresponding to the component of the differential signal in phase with the oscillating signal and a second detector adapted to produce a second detected analog signal corresponding to the component of the differential signal in phase with the phase shifted oscillating signal.

Abstract: One kind of combination weigher, used for selecting a predetermined number of articles having substantially same weights from a group of articles having substantial variance or inequality in their weights, which is provided with a plurality of independent weigh units and adapted to weigh an article by each unit at the same time, process the resultant weight signals by a computer to select a combination of a predetermined number of weight signals whose variance or inequality satisfies a predetermined condition from various combinations of the weight signals, and indicate those weight units attributable to the selected combination by pilot lamps, for example.

Abstract: A foreign matter detector includes an oscillator for generating an oscillating signal, a phase shifter connected to the oscillator and adapted to provide a phase shifted oscillating signal, and an electromagnetic transducer. The transducer includes an excitation coil connected to the oscillator and two interconnected detection coils magnetically coupled to the excitation coil and adapted to produce a differential signal therebetween when an object is passed through the transducer. The detector also includes a first detector adapted to produce a first detected analog signal corresponding to the component of the differential signal in phase with the oscillating signal and a second detector adapted to produce a second detected analog signal corresponding to the component of the differential signal in phase with the phase shifted oscillating signal.

Abstract: A three mass, two trough feeder transfers articles on first and second troughs by vibrating the troughs. First and second leaf springs support the troughs on a base with the troughs in line with each other and with one trough overlapping the other. The ratio of the spring constant of the first leaf springs to the first trough mass equals the ratio of the spring constant of the second leaf spring to the second trough mass. An electromagnetic driver between one of the troughs and the base is excited with a signal having a frequency with an angular velocity equal to the square root of the ratio. A plurality of feeders may be positioned radially outwardly about the periphery of a conical head for distributing articles.