Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for grading and batching of articles is proposed. The apparatus consists of an in-feed station for grading of the articles into multiple “quality classes”. The articles of each of the classes are weighted by one of multiple weighing means provided. The ability to attach multiple electronic tags or labels to each of the articles makes it possible to keep track of each of the articles and allocate them according to class and weight tags into the correct batching buffer. A vertically oriented carousel conveyor transfers the articles from the weighing means using plurality of transport buckets which are suspended from the carousel support means using pivoting mechanism such that the transport buckets maintain substantially the same position as they are transported by the carousel to batching buffers located inside the carousel. When there is a complete batch in the batching buffer the batch is transported to a collection buffer via batch transport buffer formed by a group of adjacent transport buckets on the carousel conveyor as they travel towards the in-feed station. Thus the transport buckets are used twice: First, to transport individual articles to the batching buffers and the second time, to transport an entire batch to the collecting buffer. A computer system is used to control: the conveying means, the transport buckets, the batching buffer, the batch transfer buffer, the collecting buffer, and to keep track of the different electronic tags.

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First Claim