GB1231704A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,231,704. Sorting potatoes photo-electrically. WEIMAR KOMBINAT VEB. March 10, 1969, No.12469/69. Heading G1A. Potatoes are sorted by conveying them from a feed conveyer 8 on the suction arms 1 of a wheel 2 to a photo-electric measurement zone 9 where internal and surface defects are detected by absorption of light passing through the potatoes from a source 5 mounted within the wheel, and then to a sorting station 12 where potatoes are separated in accordance with the measurement carried out at 9. The measuring zone can take a number of forms. It can comprise simply a number of detectors arranged around the position each potato takes up at the measuring zone, Fig. 2 (not shown). After natively, Fig. 3, each suction arm has mounted at its end part 13 of an ulbricht sphere, surrounding the potato. At the measuring zone is located the other part 14 of the sphere, fitted with shaded detectors 10 which can thus measure the integrated transmitted light. In a further alternative Fig. 4 (not shown) a group of spaced detectors is used and the suction arm is mounted for rotation in ball bearings by a friction wheel drive. The light source 5 is fitted with a reflector and has a filter 6 to select the wavelength of light used and collimating lenses 7. A sliding shutter 3 associated with each suction arm is controlled by control device 4 on evaluation of the detector output by circuit 11 so as to cause the required sorting operation at station 12. The suction arm ends are bevelled.