GB953033A - Machine for sorting and grading articles, particularly fruit - Google Patents

Abstract

953,033. Fruit grading apparatus. R. L. BARBET. May 14, 1962 [May 15, 1961 ; May 2, 1962], No. 18499/62. Heading B2H. A machine for grading fruit or vegetables according to size comprises at least one bottomless basket P, Fig. 1, the walls of which are constituted by members Pi hinged to a supporting ring near their upper edges, and adapted to be moved to vary the size of the lower aperture of the basket, which aperture is formed by the lower edges of the members Pi, the members being adapted to engage one another whereby movement of one causes the others to move in the same sense and through the same angle. The baskets are driven by an endless chain E and the lower aperture of each basket is modified automatically as it passes along the machine by means of a member C in contact with a fixed ramp R. Each basket P is carried by a movable frame B running on rollers Bi, E 1 on tracks T, L respectively. The chain E also has rollers running on the track T. The V-shaped wire members Pi may be coated with a synthetic plastics material. The member C is slidable in the frame B, engages at one end with the fixed ramp R, and at the other end is secured to one of the V-shaped members Pi. The gap M between the track T and the ramp R increases along the machine so that the size of the lower aperture of each basket P increases allowing a fruit in the basket to drop through at an appropriate point into a compartment below. The baskets may move in a circular or oval path. In the alternative embodiment shown in Figs. 4, 8 and 9, the elements forming each basket are in the form of plates 1, 2a, 2b pivotably suspended from a ring 3. The plates narrow towards their lower ends to enable them to move inwardly and decrease the size of the lower aperture of the baskets. The plates 1, 2a, 2b have projecting side flanges 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d engaging with the adjacent plate and the plate 1 has a knob 11 to engage with a ramp 8 secured to a slidable rod 10 so that on movement of the knob 11 by the ramp 8 the lower ends of the plates 1, 2a, 2b all move towards the centre of the aperture. A number of baskets may be mounted below apertures 5a in a table 5, Fig. 8. The table is mounted on a tube 13 and a rod 16 in turn mounted on parallel chains 28a, 28b to move the table along the machine. The rod 16 in this case carries the ramps 8 and is slidable transverse to the chains in sleeves 17, 19. A cross-member 37 joining the tube 13 and the sleeve 17 carries a wheel 23 engaging with a fixed guide 24. A crossmember 21 joining the rod 16 and a rod 22 sliding in the tube 13 carries a further wheel 25 engaging with a fixed ramp 26 and held in engagement therewith by a spring 27. A series of tables 5 may be mounted parallel on the chains 28a, 28b, Fig. 9, and the ramp 26 is disposed at progressively smaller distances from the chains along the length of the machine, the sizes of the lower apertures of the baskets progressively increasing due to the action of the rod 16 and the ramps 8.