Net weigher with built-in checkweigher

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling the weight of product charges fed to a receptacle, such as a weigh bucket associated, for example, with a packaging machine, in order to minimize product giveaway, is disclosed, wherein there is but a single receptacle to which the product is fed, and the product is check-weighed one or more times before being discharged from the receptacle. Flow of product to the receptacle is stopped when a predetermined feed cut-off weight is sensed by weighing means, and the product is then checkweighed. If the weight being sensed is less than the minimum package weight allowed or desired, one or more additional charges of product may be fed to the receptacle, and when the desired weight is reached, which may be equal to or above the minimum package weight, product is discharged. The additional charges of product fed to the receptacle after a checkweighing operation may comprise either a pulsed feed or a continuous feed until minimum package weight is reached. Also embodied as a part of the invention is a servo system for automatically adjusting the feed cut-off setting of the weighing means either up or down, depending upon the number of charges of product within a group of charges which fall above or below the minimum package weight setting.