Ram Center, Inc.

Donald James Hammer

Karl J Fritze

Bruce Hamilton Koerner

Kirby Juhl Kuhlemeier

Scott Mitchell Harrison

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing articles into a container or basket and for controlling the dispensing mechanism to more accurately, efficiently, and intelligently dispense the desired articles with less damages to the articles. The dispenser includes a primary storage location which can take the form of a bulk storage hopper, an accumulator storage location into which the dispensed articles are transferred during the dispensing of the articles. A reversing drum and a flexible, resilient diverter are configured and arranged to reduce article breakage and/or to transfer different types of articles. The diverter apparatus is detachably mounted on an inside wall of the hopper body. The drum is also designed to provide a self-alignment between the drum and a motor shaft when the drum is mounted onto the drum motor shaft. A load/weight sensing/measuring assembly accurately and intelligently weighs the articles in the accumulator by an adaptive weighing method. The load/weight sensing/measuring assembly includes a spring to convert force to displacement and a solid-state sensor/magnet mechanism to replace the expensive load cell assembly.

Dispenser for frangible frozen food articles

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing articles into a container or basket and for controlling the dispensing mechanism to more accurately, efficiently, and intelligently dispense the desired articles with less damages to the articles. The dispenser includes a primary storage location which can take the form of a bulk storage hopper, an accumulator storage location into which the dispensed articles are transferred during the dispensing of the articles. A reversing drum and a flexible, resilient diverter are configured and arranged to reduce article breakage and/or to transfer different types of articles. The drum is also designed to provide a self-alignment between the drum and a motor shaft when the drum is mounted onto the drum motor shaft. A load/weight sensing/measuring assembly accurately and intelligently weighs the articles in the accumulator by an adaptive weighing method. The load/weight sensing/measuring assembly includes a spring to convert force to displacement and a solid-state sensor/magnet mechanism to replace the expensive load cell assembly.

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St. Paul Park, MN, United States of America

Donald James Hammer