Bulk weight servo control for packaging machines

Claim 2

In a weighing system for accurately weighing product fed to a receptacle, wherein said system is provided with bulk and dribble feeds for the product, and wherein said dribble feed has a predetermined desired time period or weight with tolerances, a bulk weight setting, a final weight setting, and means for stopping bulk feed to the receptacle and starting dribble feed at a predetermined bulk weight setting, apparatus for controlling the weight of product fed by the bulk feed to the receptacle during operation of the system, comprising detecting means for detecting a bulk weight setting which causes the dribble time or weight to fall outside of said tolerances, and a servo mechanism operable to impart automatically a corrective adjustment to the bulk weight setting in response to said detecting means when detecting a bulk weight setting which causes dribble time or weight to fall outside of said tolerances.

Claim 3

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes timing means operable in response to the bulk weight of product reaching the bulk weight setting, and other means, operable in response to termination of the dribble feed during a predetermined time period, to actuate said servo mechanism.

Claim 4

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes timing means operable for a plurality of time periods beginning with tHe start of the dribble feed, and other means operable in response to termination of the dribble feed during a first time period to actuate said servo mechanism to decrease the bulk weight setting.

Claim 5

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein the corrective adjustment to the bulk weight setting is proportional to the amount of the dribble time or weight which is outside of said tolerances.

Claim 6

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes timing means operable for a plurality of time periods beginning with the start of the dribble feed, and other means operable in response to continuation of the dribble feed beyond a predetermined time period subsequent to the first time period to actuate said servo mechanism to increase the bulk weight setting.

Claim 7

The combination of elements defined in claim 4, wherein said time periods are successive.

Claim 8

In a weighing system for accurately weighing product fed to a receptacle, wherein said system is provided with bulk and dribble feeds for the product, a bulk weight setting and means for stopping bulk feed to the receptacle and starting dribble feed at a predetermined bulk weight setting, a final weight setting with a predetermined time period with tolerances for the dribble feed to be performed, apparatus for controlling the weight of product fed by the bulk feed to the receptacle during operation of the system, comprising a first timer operable for a first time period in response to bulk weight reaching the bulk weight setting, a second timer operable for a second time period, a servo mechanism operable automatically to impart a corrective adjustment to increase or decrease the bulk weight setting when such setting is in error causing the dribble feed period to fall outside the tolerances, and means to initiate operation of said servo mechanism to decrease the bulk weight setting when the dribble feed stops during the first time period.

Claim 9

In a weighing system for accurately weighing product fed to a receptacle, wherein said system is provided with bulk and dribble feeds for the product, a bulk weight setting and means for stopping bulk feed to the receptacle and starting dribble feed at a predetermined bulk weight setting, a final weight setting with a predetermined time period with tolerances for the dribble feed to be performed, apparatus for controlling the weight of product fed by the bulk feed to the receptacle during operation of the system, comprising a first timer operable for a first time period in response to bulk weight reaching the bulk weight setting, a second timer operable for a second time period, a servo mechanism operable automatically to impart a corrective adjustment to increase or decrease the bulk weight setting when such setting is in error causing the dribble feed period to fall outside the tolerances, and means to initiate operation of said servo mechanism to decrease the bulk weight setting when the dribble feed stops during the first time period.

Claim 10

The combination of elements defined in claim 7, wherein operation of said second timer is initiated in response to termination of said first time period.

Claim 11

The combination of elements defined in claim 7, wherein said last named means continues to operate said servo mechanism until termination of said first time period, whereby the magnitude of said corrective adjustment will be proportional to the error of the bulk weight setting.

Claim 12

The combination of elements defined in claim 7, wherein said last named means operates said servo mechanism for a predetermined time period, whereby the magnitude of said corrective adjustment will be a predetermined set increment.

Claim 13

The combination of elements defined in claim 7, including a second-means to initiate operation of said servo mechanism to increase the bulk weight setting when the dribble feed continues after termination of said second time period.

Claim 14

The combination of elements defined in claim 8, wherein said second means continues to operate said servo mechanism until final weight is attained, whereby the magnitude of said corrective adjustment will be proportional to the error of the bulk weight setting.

Claim 15

In a weighing system for accurately weighing product fed to a receptacle, wherein said system is provided with bulk and dribble feeds, a bulk weight setting, a final weight setting, and means for stopping bulk feed to the receptacle and starting dribble feed at a predetermined bulk weight setting, a fixed time period with tolerances for the dribble to reach final weight setting, apparatus for controlling the weight of product fed by the bulk feed during each cycle of operation of the system, comprising, a servo mechanism operable to increase or decrease said bulk weight setting in response to an error in bulk weight setting causing the dribble feed period to fall outside the tolerances, means for transmitting a signal to said servo mechanism during a cycle when the bulk weight setting is too low, for actuating said servo mechanism to increase the bulk weight settinG, and means for transmitting a signal to said servo mechanism during a cycle when the bulk weight setting is too high, for actuating said servo mechanism to decrease the bulk weight setting.

Claim 16

In a weighing system for accurately weighing product fed to a receptacle, wherein said system is provided with bulk and dribble feeds, a bulk weight setting, a final weight setting, and means for stopping bulk feed to the receptacle and starting dribble feed at a predetermined bulk weight setting, a fixed time period with tolerances for the dribble to reach final weight setting, apparatus for controlling the weight of product fed by the bulk feed during each cycle of operation of the system, comprising, a servo mechanism operable to increase or decrease said bulk weight setting in response to an error in bulk weight setting causing the dribble feed period to fall outside the tolerances, means for transmitting a signal to said servo mechanism during a cycle when the bulk weight setting is too low, for actuating said servo mechanism to increase the bulk weight settinG, and means for transmitting a signal to said servo mechanism during a cycle when the bulk weight setting is too high, for actuating said servo mechanism to decrease the bulk weight setting.

Claim 17

The combination of elements defined in claim 13, wherein said servo mechanism is activated in response to dribble feed time, and wherein said first named signal is a ''''dribble too long'''' signal and said second named signal is a ''''dribble too short'''' signal.

Claim 18

The combination of elements defined in claim 14, combined with means to convert a ''''dribble too short'''' signal into a ''''dribble too lone'''' signal whenever it occurs in a cycle immediately following one in which a ''''dribble too long'''' signal occurred.

Claim 19

The combination of elements defined in claim 15, wherein said means to convert comprises a memory which remembers a ''''dribble too long'''' signal, and switching means controlled by said memory to divert a ''''dribble too short'''' signal to the servo mechanism which increases the bulk weight setting.