GB1149437A - Sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,149,437. Sorting agricultural and horticultural products. J. A. de GREEF. 18 July, 1967 [21 July, 1966], No. 32862/67. Heading B2H. An apparatus for sorting 'agricultural or horticultural products according to size comprises a pair of endless belts 8, 9 driven by chains 6, 7 over stationary guides 1, 2 and defining between them a sorting slot 3 which diverges in the direction of travel of the belts, at least one of the guides being made of resilient material, at least on its side adjacent the slot 3. In the fruit-sorting apparatus of Fig. 1, the guides have inclined walls 4, 5, the bevel of which decreases from the feed end to the other end thereby providing the diverging slot 3. The walls 4, 5 are covered with a layer of resilient material, e.g. rubber or foamed rubber. Each belt is secured to its respective chain and hangs down freely from the lower edge of the corresponding bevelled wall and may be made of a thin layer of plastics, or preferably, of linen rubberised on both sides. In Fig. 2, the walls 4, 5 are divided into a number of hinged sections inclined at different angles to provide the diverging slot. In Fig. 3, the wall 5 is laterally adjustable; alternatively, both walls may be adjustable. The distance between the walls is adjusted to provide the diverging slot.