GB1325957A - Apparatus for grading of articles capable of rolling movement - Google Patents

Abstract

1325957 Endless conveyers C RODA 10 June 1971 [13 June 1970] 19846/71 Heading B8A [Also in Division B2] An apparatus for grading articles, e.g. fruit, having a substantially circular cross-section in at least one direction so as to be capable of rolling, comprises an endless feed conveyer belt 2 having parallel rotatable rollers 1 between which the articles P to be graded are laid, means 103 for positively driving the conveyer belt, means for causing rotation of the rollers so as to cause the articles P to roll, and an inclined shoot 4 by means of which the articles are delivered from the discharge end of the feed conveyer belt on to the inlet end of a supporting endless belt conveyer 111 which passes beneath grading means 16 which are mounted at decreasing heights, a rotary turnstile-like wheel 28 having paddles or arms being provided to control rolling of the articles down the shoot. The means for driving the feed conveyer belt 2 consist of a pair of discs 103 mounted on a drive shaft 3 and having notches 203 which engage projecting pivots of the rollers 1. Rotation of the rollers is caused by friction rims on the ends of the rollers rolling on a fixed track (13), Fig. 3 (not shown), fastened to the conveyer frame. The endless belt conveyer 111 carries spaced pairs of parallel rollers 11, 12 provided at their ends with trunnions 112 for engagement with notched chain driving wheels 8 keyed on a driving shaft 108. The rollers are each provided at one end with a friction rim which cause rotation of the roller when pressed against fixed upper tracks 15. The grading means consist of transverse rows of slats 16 lined at their undersides with friction material and swingably mounted on pivot rods 18. Each slat 16 has a tail portion 116 bent upwardly for abutting, during downward swinging of the slats, against a horizontal abutment bar 19. The rod 18 and bar 19 of each row of slats 16 are fastened to a pair of nuts 20 screwed on threaded spindles 21, which are provided with operating hand wheels 22 and sprocket wheels 23 interconnected by an endless drive chain 24 in order to effect vertical adjustment of the rod 18 and bar 19. Shoots G are provided below and between the rows of slats 16 so that articles P displaced from the rollers 11, 12 by the slats 16 fall down on to transverse conveyers T. A first shoot G1 leads to a transverse conveyer T1 for articles fed in excess which may be returned to the feed conveyer. The movements of the driving means of the feed conveyer 2, supporting conveyer 111 and turnstile wheel 28 are synchronized.