METHOD FOR PROVIDING A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF CONTIGUOUS STORED ELEMENTS FORMING A LINE, DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD, AND A COMBINATION WEIGHING MACHINE COMPRISING SAID DEVICE

摘要

A method for providing a predetermined number of contiguous stored elements (A,B,C,D,E,F,G), that is which are touching each other, and in a line (2) in a supply chute (3) along which the line (2) may advance, these elements being essentially spheroidal, such as fruit, wherein initially the first element (A) in the line (2) is retained by retention means (4), comprising the operation of counting, by means of the emission and detection of a steady beam (6) of light, the signal variations produced in said detection by the line (2) advancing, specifically by the passage of the spaces between two consecutive elements in the line (2) through the detection beam (6), aiming the beam (6) at the gaps (7) that necessarily will be formed in the line (2) between two consecutive elements even if they are contiguous, due to the effect of said elements (A,B,C,D,E,F,G) being spheroidal.

主权项

1. A method for providing a predetermined number of contiguous stored elements, that is which are touching each other, and in a line in a supply chute along which the line may advance, these elements being essentially spheroidal, such as fruit, and wherein initially the first element in the line is retained by retention means that prevent the line from sliding and advancing, which method comprises the operations of:
a) actuating the retention means to stop retaining the first element in the line, allowing the line to advance along the chute, b) counting by means of the emission and detection of a steady beam of light the signal variations produced in said detection by the advance of the line, specifically by the passage of the spaces between two consecutive elements in the line through the detection beam, aiming the beam at the gaps that necessarily will be formed in the line between two consecutive elements even if they are contiguous, due to the effect of said elements being spheroidal, and c) when the signal variations reach a number equal to the predetermined number of elements that is wished to provide, actuating again the retention means to retain the new first element in the line.