PARTICULATE PRODUCT FOLLOWING SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

A container following system for use with a particulate product measuring and dispensing machine (10) having a discharge opening (30) for allowing measured quantities of particulate product to drop therefrom into a moving container (32). The container following system comprises a following pocket (44) disposed below the discharge opening. The following pocket (44) comprises a reciprocating body having a generally vertical aperture (65) through which particulate product drops from the discharge opening (30). The following pocket reciprocates in a direction generally parallel to the direction of motion of the container while product is dropping through the aperture, such that the product is caused to move in the direction of the moving container while dropping from the discharge opening to allow more accurate placement of the product in the container, and to allow higher line speeds for a given product and container combination. A method of filling containers with particulate product using the apparatus as described.