US3712469A - High speed sorting - Google Patents

High speed sorting Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3712469A
US3712469A US00193255A US3712469DA US3712469A US 3712469 A US3712469 A US 3712469A US 00193255 A US00193255 A US 00193255A US 3712469D A US3712469D A US 3712469DA US 3712469 A US3712469 A US 3712469A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
bodies
valuable
stream
locations
value
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00193255A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
F Dwyer
R Thompson
E Wulff
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd filed Critical Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3712469A publication Critical patent/US3712469A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/04—Sorting according to size
    • B07C5/10—Sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/36—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • B07C5/363—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution by means of air
    • B07C5/365—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution by means of air using a single separation means
    • B07C5/366—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution by means of air using a single separation means during free fall of the articles

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Apparatus for rapidly and reliably sorting valuable bodies from non-valuable bodies on the basis of a detectable parameter thereof.
  • the apparatus comprises means for inferring the profile/locations and paths with respect to time of actually individual bodies when moving as a closely packed stream at a known rate; for obtaining value/location signals with respect to time diagnostic of value sources within the stream; for relating the time base value/location signals to actually individual bodies having corresponding time base profile/locations; for assigning valuable or non-valuable nominations to appropriate such bodies; and for precisely deflecting say the nominated valuable bodies from the stream.
  • the invention is particularly applicable to the high speed sorting of size-classified rocks, such as pieces of ore, and provides a technique of logically distinguishing between the component rocks of a clustered association moving as a spurious unit in the stream.
  • size-classified rocks such as pieces of ore
  • the invention provides a technique of logically distinguishing between the component rocks of a clustered association moving as a spurious unit in the stream.
  • ME-- TIME-"- men SPEED soarmc This invention relates to an apparatus for effecting the sorting of bodies generally on the basis of a detectable parameter thereof.
  • the invention has been devised for the purpose inter alia of facilitating the high speed sorting of valuable rocks from non-valuable rocks on the basis of a parameter of radiation, and is described herein principally with respect to such bodies and parameters.
  • a rock is a mined piece of ore which hopefully contains, but which may or may not contain, a desired mineral.
  • the criterion of value may be selected on the basis of size and/or shape, whole nuts of a certain size being valuable and nut fragments or whole nuts of an inferior size being non-valuable.
  • the criterion of value in some circumstances may be selected on the basis of mineral concentration, in which case a rock containing a given quantity of mineral may be considered valuable only when the rock does not exceed a predetermined size.
  • the criterion of value may be selected on the basis of absolute mineral content, in which case a rock containing a given concentration of mineral may be considered valuable only when the absolute mineral content of the rock exceeds a predetermined level.
  • the criterion of value may take into account both the overall concentration and'the absolute content of mineral in a rock.
  • the mineral concentration" and absolute mineral content of a rock are to be understood as interpretations based on a parameter of radiation of the rock, and consequently they are usually relevant only to the mineral present in those surfaces of in localized regions and is in overall low concentration.
  • Typical ones of this type to which the invention can be applied with great success are those containing the asbestos minerals crocidolite and chrysotile.
  • the commercial importance of these minerals is such that the criterion of value is here often selected on the basis of the absolute mineral content of the rocks, but the fact that this mineral content occurs in localized regions and in overall low concentration has hitherto militated against the application of automatic sorting techniques to rocks of this type.
  • The'detectable parameters-which are relied on for sorting by the apparatus according to the invention can be of different kinds without limitation. They include not only radiation, but also by way of .example In the case of radiation, theinvention can be used for I sorting bodies on the basis of a parameter of the radiaplained in our prior Australian Pat. No. 286675) of the differential infra-red radiation emitted from the rocks when submitted briefly to a heat flux. 2
  • v I i. feeding means, for forming the size-classified rocks substantially into a monolayer moving as a stream longitudinally at a knownrate; said feeding means for example comprising means for aligning the size-classified rocks substantially in asingle row longitudinally (the case of a transversely narrow monolayer) and forming a gravitationally falling stream thereof;
  • v 1 a value monitoring zone, having detector means for monitoringthe value of the rocks viewed from an aspect transversely of the moving stream at a known time; said monitoring being on the basis of a parameter of radiation of the rocks; said radiation for example being in response to'radiation incident thereon;
  • iii. -a.deflection zone having air blast deflection means, associated with the value monitoring means, for deflecting say nominated valuable rocks fromthe moving stream, whereby to separate such rocks from nominated non-valuable rocks in the stream.
  • rocks which are to be deflected from the stream (which may be valuable'or non-valuable, depending on the criterion adopted) are all referred to asvaluable.
  • the sorting apparatus according to the present invention is akin to the apparatus of this general type comprising the four mentioned means.
  • Apparatus of said general type in hereinafter called the known apparatus.
  • the value monitoring means comprises a light source for directing incident light on to the rocks and photo-elec tric means for detecting the light reflected thereby.
  • the dimension/location monitoring means also comprises a light source and photo-electric detector means, and these can be the same as, or different from, the light source and photoelectric detector means of the value monitoring means. It will be appreciated that, correspondingly, the two monitoring zones can be coincident with one another or separated from one another.
  • the air blast deflection means of the known apparatus comprises a source of compressed air coupled to nozzles through high speed valves, the arrangement being such that when the valves are operated a blast of compressed air is caused to issue from the nozzles.
  • the rocks pass through the deflection zone in a gravitationally falling stream, and their trajectories can then easily be affected'by the airblast.
  • the air blast deflection means as above explained in co-ordinated responseto signals from the value monitoring means and the dimension/location monitoring means, the trajectories of nominated valuable rocks can be affected by the air blast so that they fall into a collection area different from that of the other rocks, and a separation is thereby achieved.
  • the feeding means comprises aligning means
  • the phenomenon of cluster formation is attributable to unavoidable irregularities in the formation of an aligned row and in the discharge thereof from the aligning means. While such irregularities are particularly prone to occur when the rate of feeding is high, it is found that they cannot be entirely avoided by simply reducing this rate.
  • Suitable feeding apparatus has recently become available which is capable firstly of providing a rapid alignment of rocks substantially in contact with one another in a substantially single row longitudinally, and secondly, of discharging the aligned row in agravit'ationally falling stream having a substantially predictable trajectory.
  • Such apparatus comprises a pair of inclined,'closely spaced, rotatable rollers which are frusto-spheroidally shaped at their lower (discharge) ends (this apparatus .is explained in for example our Australian Pat. No. 415239). Furthermore, a suitable high speed valve has also become available which is capable of turning the air blast deflection means on and off at a speed suitable for deflecting nominated valuable rocks as required from a rapidly moving gravitationally falling stream of even substantially contacting rocks (this valve is explained in our Australian Pat. No. 41 3228). 1
  • Part of the problem associated with meeting criterion (a) is a problem of pattern recognition'which, it is not appreciated, can be solved by-reference to known data concerning typical and atypical rock shapes.
  • the silhouette of a single rock is statistically likely to have no holes within'its boundary, and the boundary is likely to be substantially convex throughout its extent.
  • their "cornbined silhouette viewed transversely is statistically likely to conform to one or other of a comparatively small number of shapes, the most common shape being that substantially of a dumb-bell.
  • dumb-bell shaped rocks are atypical, it follows that a silhouette conforming to a dumb-bell can be logically separated into two bodies on either side longitudinally of the transversely viewed opposing concavities of the dumb-bell.
  • Another statistically likely shape for the combined silhouette of two longitudinally contacting rocks is a shape comprising a diagonal cleft. Since rocks having clefts are atypical, a silhouette conforming to a shape having such a cleft can be separated logically into independent rocks or either side. longitudinally of the diagonal cleft.
  • the mentioned system comprises a dimen sion/location monitoring zone having a source of transversely extensive light and an associated transversely extensive rectilinear array of photocell detectors for exposure to the light, the arrangement being such that members of the moving stream of rocks occult the light according to profile when passing therethrough.
  • the arrangement of photocell detectors and the associated logic means should be selected in such a way asto enable a profile/location to be inferred for any rock material of predetermined size classification occulting the light, this profile/location being sufficiently detailed to enable even contacting rocks (with rare exceptions) to be separated from each other logically as independent bodies.
  • Rock material ischaracterized generally by various irregularities in its surface topography (for example, small protrusions above a general body of rock). Moreover, it has a tendency to suffer fragmentation during mechanical handling, as in a sorting operation, and numerous of the fragments are typically of a size less than the minimum of the desired size classification. It is particularly desirable in a process of high speed sorting to ignore all such surface irregularities and undersized fragments; and the apparatus according to the invention can easily be adapted for' this purpose by providing suitable logic means associated with the dimension/locations monitoring means whereby rock material is ignored unless it is of a size for example to occult the light illuminating at least two adjacent photocell detectors. The provision of such associated logic means has the further desirable result that stray interference can also be ignored. This stray interference can be of the type previously mentioned, but also includes for example small scale malfunctioning of the photocell detector system.
  • the invention provides an apparatus for sorting valuable bodies from non-valuable bodies in a mixture thereof on the basis of a detectable parameter thereof, said apparatus comprising in com-. bination:
  • feeding means for forming the bodies substantially into a monolayer moving as a stream longitudinally at a known rate, the paths transversely of the stream of individual bodies being within predetermined limits;
  • the invention provides an apparatus for sorting valuable bodies from non-valuable bodies on the basis of a detectable parameter thereof, said bodies being in a size-classified mixture, said apparatus comprising in combination:
  • A. feeding means for forming the size-classified bodies substantially into a monolayer moving as a stream longitudinally at a known rate, the paths transversely of the stream of individual bodies being within predetermined limits;
  • a dimension/location monitoring zone having means for continuously monitoring the instantaneous dimensions transversely andlocations transversely of apparently individual bodies viewed from a first aspect transversely of the stream, said monitoring being with respect to a time base; said dimension/location monitoring means comprising (i). a transversely extensive radiation source and (ii) a co-operating transversely extensive detector system for exposure to the radiation, the bodies occulting the radiation according to profile when passing therethrough; the transverse extents of both the radiation source and the. detector system being selected with respect both to the known size classification of the bodies and to. the said predeterminedlimits of the paths transversely so that the output signals from the detector system in combination are diagnostic of said instantaneous dimensions and locations;
  • first memory means for recording profile-making signals of said instantaneous dimensions and locations with respect to said time base, said profilemaking signals comprisingdigital signal aggregations derived from the instantaneous dimensions transversely of the bodies;
  • first logic means associated with said first memory means for (i) continuously comparing said digital signal aggregations of apparently individual bodies with a predetermined repertoire of probable said digital signal aggregations for hypothetical individual bodies of a said mixture when thus formed substantially into a monolayer and monitored; for
  • second memory means for recording said inferred time-base profile/locations and said inferred paths of actually individual bodies
  • a value/location monitoring zone having means (a) of a type known per se for continuously obtaining signals diagnostic of the value of a body based on a said detectable parameter thereof, and means (b) of a further type known per se for continuously monitoring the instantaneous locations transversely of the sources of said value signals in the stream of bodies, said value/location monitoring being with respect to said time-base, and said sources being viewed from a second aspect transversely of said moving stream, said second aspect being substantially equivalent for said monitoring to said first aspect;
  • G third memory means for recording said value signals and said instantaneous source locations with respect to said time base
  • comparator means associated with said second logic means for comparing said recorded value signals with a predetermined criterion of value for a said valuable body and for assigning valuable or non-valuable nominations as appropriate to actually individual bodies having said inferred timebase profile/locations;
  • J. a deflection zone having means associated with said comparator means, for deflecting say nominated valuable bodies from the moving stream whereby to separate such bodies from nominated non-valuable bodies in the stream; delay means and third logic means being provided, said third logic means being associated with said second memory means, for causing the deflection means to operate at a time coincident with the predicted arrival of a nominated valuable body, said arrival being predicted on the basis of the inferred path thereof, and the intensity of the deflection being appropriate for the inferred profile/location thereof.
  • the apparatus preferably also comprises auxiliary logic means, associated with the dimension/location monitoring means, for suppressing any unwanted signals from the detector system.
  • auxiliary logic means associated with the dimension/location monitoring means, for suppressing any unwanted signals from the detector system.
  • the first logic means of the apparatus provides access for comparative purposes to a predetermined repertoire of digital signal aggregations for hypothetical bodies of a mixture when formed substantially into a monolayer and monitored in the dimension/location monitoring zone.
  • the comparisons to be made by the first logic means can be correspondingly abridged. It will be appreciated that this is particularly advantageous when a high speed sorting operation is in question andit is required to achieve a logical separation of the actually individual bodies of a stream in a period of time of the order of milliseconds.
  • a dimension location monitoring zone comprising (i) a transversely extensive horizontal light beam illuminating (ii) a transversely extensive rectilinear array of seven photocell detectors, identified as a,b,c,d,e,f,g respectively in a pattern considered from left to right;
  • transverse extent of the rectilinear array of photocell detectors is sufficient for all the bodies of the stream to occult the light according to profile;
  • the monitored profile of any rock material whether an actually individual rock or a spurious unit thereof comprises a p lurality of edge elements, those occulting the light first and last being leading edge and trailing edge elements respectively;
  • output signals from the photocell detectors expressed digitally as the information bits 1 or 0, are diagnostic respectively of rock or no-rock occulting the light.
  • the content requirement of the reference repertoire desirably includes data deflecting the axioms and statistically likely postulates given hereunder. It will be appreciated that this summary is in no way exhaustive and that in practice other axioms and postulates may be included additionally in the reference repertoire
  • the output" signals in sequence from any single photocell detector of the array can be of the types (i) 00, (ii) 01, (iii) 11, and (iv)'10. These sequences are diagnostic of the passage through the light illuminating that photocell detector of respectively (i) no-rock, (ii) a leading edge element, (iii) rock, and (iv) a trailing edge element. It is an axiom that the signal sequence 01 must be followed in train by the signal sequence 10; and it is at least statistically likely that actually individual rocks are involved when the signal sequence 01 is followed in train by' the signal sequence 10.
  • the output signals from the entire array of photocell detectors, 1: to g are diagnostic only of a transverse aggregation of no-rock or rock then occulting the light to those detectors.
  • any instantaneous aggregation of output signals from the detectors respectively such as 0110011 is diagnostic of no-rock occulting photocell detectors a,d,e and of rock occulting photocell detectors lg,c,f,g.
  • the instantaneous pairs of signals from detectors a,b, and ef are both diagnostic of left edge rock elements, while the instantaneous pair of signals from detectors c,d is diagnostic of a right edge rock element.
  • the output signals in sequence from any single photocell detector can be of four types, so also the aggregations of output signals in sequence from the array of detectors must be subject of the same possibilities.
  • the result is that the sequence of aggregations in time comprises a developing matrix of rock/no-rock signals.
  • a developing matrix of rock/no-rock signals can be of the type:
  • the apparatus of the invention is particularly applicable for sorting valuable rocks from non-valuable rocks on the basis of a parameter of radiation,-and in the preferred embodiment described below it is applied to the sorting of rocks of crocidolite ore on the basis of the intensity of radiation emitted therefrom at a given infra-red wave length.
  • they are first rendered differentially infra-red emissive (as explained in our Australian Pat. No. 286675) by being exposed to a heat flux for an appropriately brief period of time.
  • FIG. 1 is an essentially schematic drawing of the overall apparatus.
  • FIG 2 shows the silhouettes of a section of the rock stream as monitored by the dimension/location monitoring means.
  • FIG. 3 shows the silhouettes of the same section of the rock stream as recorded in the first memory means after suppression of undersized silhouettes by the auxiliary logic means.
  • FIG. 4 shows the inferred silhouettes of actually individual rocks as recorded in the second memory means after an operation by the first logic means on the silhouettes recorded by the first memory means.
  • FIG. 5 shows the value/locations monitored for a portion of the same section of the rock stream by the value/location monitoring means and as recorded by the third memory means.
  • FIG. 6 shows the same value/locations superimposed on the appropriate portion of the rock silhouette drawing of FIG. 4, Le. the result of an operation by the second logic means on the information recorded by the second and third memory means.
  • FIG. 1 is an essentially schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention as applied to the sorting of a size-classified mixture of crocidolite-containing rocks.
  • the rocks have minimum and maximum dimensions in the ranges respectively 2% to 3 inches and 6 to 7 inches, and it will be understood that the proportions of the apparatus overall are selected appropriately in relation to this size classification.
  • the apparatus includes feeding means for receiving the rocks from a suitable source (for example, a discharging hopper) and forming them substantially into a monolayer.
  • the feeding means comprises means (1), for aligning the rocks substantially in a single row longitudinally (2 and forming a gravitationally falling stream thereof.
  • the aligning means is provided by a pair of inclined, closely spaced, rotatable rollers (3) having frusto-spheroidal ends (4), and it will be understood that suitable means (not shown) are provided for causing the rollers to rotate whereby to facilitate the alig- I ning operation.
  • aligning means of this type is explained .in our Australian Pat. No. 415239.
  • a "dimension/location monitoring zone (5) for the rocks is provided at a position appropriately below, and in advance of, the aligning rollers.
  • the radiation source in this zone is provided by a high intensity incandescent lamp (6) for directing seven parallel light beam; into respective members of a rectilinear array of seven photocell detectors (7).
  • the orientation of inter alia the rectilinear array is selected appropriately so that the seven light beams inside in a plane perpendicular to the direction of move ment of the stream.
  • the dimensions and arrangement of both the light beams and the detectors are also selected so that all rocks of the stream having the mentioned size classification occult the light according to profile when passing through the zone.
  • the beams of light collectively have a width transversely of 6% inches; the photocell detectors are each inch in diameter and are spaced apart by 1% inch.
  • the digital signal is passed to the auxiliary'logic means (8), comprising an exclusive OR gate linked to appropriate adder and shift register means. It is the function of the auxiliary logic means to suppressunwanted output signals from the photocell detectors arising from, inter alia any undersized rock fragments, and in the present context this is achieved by suppressing all instantaneous aggregations of output signals from any three adjacent photocell detectors consisting of 010.
  • this memory means is provided by two standard 8-bit registers (9), capable of recording both the current and the immediately preceding aggregations of such instantaneous digital signals.
  • the instantaneous dimension/locations of rock material occulting the light beams are reflected by the instantaneous pattern of bits in the two registers.
  • the time at which any instantaneous bit pattern is recorded in the first memory means is recorded simultaneously by associated counter means (10), the overall time base being referred to a clock ll
  • an appropriate signal is transmitted to the first logic means.(l2).
  • the latter comprises means for comparing the changing bit patterns with a'suitable reference repertoire of data of the type previously described. This repertoire is realized in the first logic means as a programme sequence in a first part of the memory of a digital computer. By operation of this means, rock material occulting the light beams is separatedlogically as required into actually individual rocks having intrinsically defined time base profile/locations.
  • This information is now recorded in the second memory means (13), conveniently provided by a second part of the memory of the digital computer.
  • rocks of crocidolite ore are prepared for sorting as explained in Australian Pat. No. 286675 by being exposed briefly to a heat flux.
  • Means for providing this heat flux conveniently comprise two high intensity fuel oil burners (14) on opposing sides of the gravitationally falling rock stream. It will be appreciated that, while such means have been illustrated schematically in the drawings, they form no part of the present invention.
  • the value/location monitoring zone (15) is therefore provided immediately below, and in advance of, the burners.
  • the value/location monitoring means comprises two opposing scanning systems (16) of infra-red sensitive cells linked to the clock and to another counter (17). By operation thereof, the infra-red radiation emitted from the rocks is detected and the locations of the detected radiation values with respect to the time base are identified.
  • the time base value/location signals are recorded in the third memory means (18), which is conveniently provided by a third part of the memory of the mentioned digital computer.
  • Second logic means (19) is provided within the same digital computer for now relating the time base value/location information in the third memory means to the time base profile/location information in the second memory means.
  • Comparator means (20) is associated with the second logic means for comparing say the sum of the values per unit area of rock source with a predetermined criterion of value, and third logic means (21) is provided for assigning valuable' nominations as appropriate to individual rocks having corresponding time base profile/locations as recorded in the second memory means.
  • Suitable delay means-(24,25) are included in the circuitry for appropriately timing the activation of the second logic means, the comparator means, the third logic means, and the deflection means as required to achieve the appropriate deflection of the nominated valuable rocks. It will be appreciated that the actual delays involved must take into account the trajectories of the rocks and the separations between the various zones of the apparatus.
  • Rocks identified as R R-,, R are undersized. The remaining rocks are grouped in two spurious units, comprising respectively rocks identified as R R and as R R R R The logically separated component rocks are shown for the section comprising the rock identified as R, are
  • HO. 6 distinguishes between the value/locations falling within the corresponding rock profile/locations and those spurious values at locations falling outside such profile/locations (dotted line values).
  • this center of gravity can be inferred as a point within the inferred profile of the rock substantially equidistant from the edges thereof, for example the point at the asterisk in R in FIG. 6.
  • One of the virtues of confining the area of air blast impingement in this way is that the energy thereof can be expended to best advantage, for example to cause the translational (rather than merely rotational) movement of the rock.
  • the invention has particular relevance to the sorting of rocks at high throughput rates, and an indication of the success of the invention is provided by the fact that the apparatus described in relation to FIG. 1 can be used to achieve the reliable sorting of the mentioned crocidolite rocks at a throughput rate of as high as 120 tons per hour.
  • the invention has a niche not only in the particular field of high speed sorting but in the field of sorting generally, i.e. irrespective of the throughput rate that-may be desired.
  • the invention has been described above particularly in relation to the sorting of bodies which have been formed into a substantially single row alignment and then into a' gravitationally falling stream. Further, the dimension/location monitoring means. has been described particularly as involving a combination of a light for occulting by the bodies and an associated array of photocell detectors; the value monitoring has been described particularly in relation to a parameter of radiation of the bodies; and the deflection means has been described particularly as means for producing an air blast.
  • the invention provides a technique generally for inferring -the profile/locations and paths of moving bodies; for assigning value nominations to respective such bodies on the basis of any detectable parameter thereof; and for sorting correctly such bodies according to value nominations.
  • the apparatus according to the invention always enables transversely extensive monitoring, it is a matter of indifference whether the feeding means selected for use therein is one that forms a transversely narrow single row monolayer of bodies or one thatforms a transversely extensive monolayer thereof.
  • the invention is generally applicable to the sorting of bodies which have been formed substantially into a monolayer moving as a stream longitudinally along a predictable path at a known rate (the case for example of a transversely extensive monolayer of bodies moving horizontally on a conveyor belt).
  • the dimension/location monitoring zone can comprise generally any transversely extensive radiation source and a co-operating transversely extensive detector system for exposure thereto.
  • the monitoring zone in an alternative embodiment can comprise a transversely extensive rectilinear array of ultrasonic transducers and an associated array of ultrasonic detectors.
  • the function of the transversely extensive detector system is provided by a single detector and suitable scanning means (such as a scanning wheel) for transversely extending it.
  • suitable deflection means can comprise generally any means 'fordeflecting appropriately those bodies which have been nominated for deflection from the stream including for example mechanical finger deflectors.
  • memory means, logic means, value/location monitoring means and comparator means can all be of any suitable type generally available.
  • the memory means, logic means and comparator means are all preferably provided by a digital computer.
  • the relationship between the dimension/location monitoring zone and the value/location monitoring zone, as described in relation to the preferred embodiment, is such that the rocks pass through these zones in the sequence given.
  • this is not an essential requirement, and provided suitable memory circuits are included in the apparatus it is possible alternatively for this sequence of monitoring to be reversed.
  • the invention has also been described only in relation to the sorting of bodies in terms of a binary selection, i.e. valuable as against non-valuable. It will be appreciated however, that the invention is particularly well adapted for sorting if required in terms of a multiple selection. For example, the invention is applicable to the sorting of apples'in terms of a combination of parameters, such as size (say, two grades) and color (say, two grades). For this purpose, it will be understood that the deflection means must be designed correspondingly to cope with the required separation into multiple categories.
  • An apparatus for sorting valuable bodiesfrom non-valuable bodies in a mixture thereof on the basis of a detectable parameter thereof comprising in combination:
  • feeding means for forming the bodies substantially into a monolayer moving as a stream longitudinally at a known rate, .the paths transversely of the stream of individual bodies being within predetermined limits;
  • An apparatus for sorting valuable bodies from non-valuable bodies on thebasis of a detectable parameter thereof, said bodies being in a size-classified dimension/location monitoring means comprisingv (i) a transversely extensive radiation source and (ii) a co-operating transversely extensive detector system for exposure to the radiation, the bodies occulting the radiation according to profile when passing therethrough; the transverse extents of both theradiation source and the detector system being selected with respect both to the known size classification of the bodies and to the said predeterminedlimits of the paths transversely so that the output signals from the detector system in combination are diagnostic of said instantaneous dimensions and locations;
  • first memory means for recording profile-making signals of said instantaneous dimensions and locations with respect to said time base, said profilemaking signals comprising digital signal aggregations derived from the instantaneous dimensions transversely of the bodies;
  • D. first logicmeans associated with said first memory means for (i) continuously comparing said digital signal aggregations of apparently individual bodies with a predetermined repertoire of probable said digital signal aggregations for hypothetical individual bodies of a said mixture when thus formed substantially into a monolayer and monitored; for (ii) inferring from said continuous comparisons the profile/locations with respect to time ofactually individual bodies thus formed substantially into said monolayer and monitored; and for (iii) inferring from said inferred time-base profile/locations the paths of actually individual bodies; second memory means for recording said inferred time-base profile/locations and said inferred paths of actually individual bodies; avalue/location monitoring zone, having means (a) of a type known per se for continuously obtaining signals diagnostic of the value of a body based on a said detectable parameter thereof
  • G third memory means for recording said value signals and said instantaneous source locations with respect to said time base;
  • comparator means associated with said second logicmeans for comparing said recorded value signals with a predetermined criterion of value for i a said valuablebody and for assigning valuable or non-valuable nominations as appropriate to actually individual bodieshaving said inferred timebase profile/locations;
  • J. a deflection zone, having means associated with said comparator means, for deflecting say nominated valuable bodies from the moving fstream whereby to separate such bodies from nominated non-valuable bodies in the stream;
  • delay means and third logic means being provided
  • said third logic means being associated with second memory means, for causing the deflection means to operate at a time coincident with the predicted arrival-of a nominated valuable body, said arrival being predicted on the basis of the inferred path thereof, and the intensityfof the deflection being appropriate for the inferred profile/location thereof.
  • said feeding means comprises a pair of inclined, closely spaced, rotatable rollers for aligning the size-classified bodies substantially in a single row longitudinally and.
  • I rollers being frusto-spheroidally shaped at the lower ends thereof.
  • auxiliary logic means' is associated with said dimension/location monitoring means for suppressing any unwanted said output signals from the detector system.
  • Apparatus according to claim' 2 wherein the-first logic means is adapted to infer said profile/locations with respect to time on the basis only of comparisons involving digital signal aggregations derived from said instantaneous dimensions transversely of the bodiesat the leading and trailing edges longitudinally thereof.
  • the deflection zone comprises air blast deflection means, the delay means and the third logic means being adapted whereby to confine the area of air blast impingement on a nominated say valuable body to a small'region thereof comprising an inferred center of gravity.

Landscapes

  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)
US00193255A 1970-11-05 1971-10-28 High speed sorting Expired - Lifetime US3712469A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPA310670 1970-11-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3712469A true US3712469A (en) 1973-01-23

Family

ID=3764717

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00193255A Expired - Lifetime US3712469A (en) 1970-11-05 1971-10-28 High speed sorting

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3712469A (OSRAM)
CA (1) CA944845A (OSRAM)
FR (1) FR2113635A1 (OSRAM)
GB (1) GB1365107A (OSRAM)
ZA (1) ZA717186B (OSRAM)

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2471225A1 (fr) * 1979-12-04 1981-06-19 Gen Mining Union Corp Procede de triage de particules de minerai et de compensation de l'erreur due au decalage d'une particule par rapport a une ligne de reference
US4307390A (en) * 1979-11-07 1981-12-22 Dickey-John Corporation Corn and soybean sensor
FR2487564A1 (fr) * 1980-07-22 1982-01-29 Westinghouse Electric Corp Appareil et procede pour inspecter des boulettes combustibles destinees a un reacteur nucleaire
FR2497952A1 (fr) * 1981-01-14 1982-07-16 France Etat Appareil et procede d'ombroscopie
US4445615A (en) * 1979-12-04 1984-05-01 General Mining Union Corporation Limited Sorting system calibration
US4645922A (en) * 1984-10-05 1987-02-24 Spandrel Establishment Integrating sphere arrangement for producing size-corrected color signals
US4686031A (en) * 1985-12-27 1987-08-11 Internorth, Inc. Beneficiation of gallium in fly ash
US4697709A (en) * 1985-09-03 1987-10-06 Delta Technology Corporation Sorter for agricultural products
US4894201A (en) * 1988-05-27 1990-01-16 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear fuel pellet surface defect inspection apparatus
RU2131781C1 (ru) * 1997-10-16 1999-06-20 Открытое акционерное общество Научно-производственное предприятие "Буревестник" Сепаратор для обогащения минерального сырья
US5979240A (en) * 1995-12-01 1999-11-09 System Planning Corporation Method and apparatus for detecting recyclable items concealed within solid waste
US6100487A (en) * 1997-02-24 2000-08-08 Aluminum Company Of America Chemical treatment of aluminum alloys to enable alloy separation
RU2197329C2 (ru) * 2000-07-11 2003-01-27 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "ЭГОНТ" Способ сортировки классифицированного минерального сырья и устройство для его осуществления
RU2206405C2 (ru) * 2001-05-28 2003-06-20 Открытое Акционерное Общество "Научно-Производственное Предприятие "Буревестник" Способ контроля работы сепаратора минералов
RU2243821C1 (ru) * 2003-08-07 2005-01-10 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "Техника и Технология Дезинтеграции" Люминесцентный сепаратор для обогащения минерального сырья
WO2016007984A1 (en) * 2014-07-17 2016-01-21 Newton Laboratories Pty Ltd A process for evaluating a set of articles and means for carrying out same

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1571889A (en) * 1976-03-11 1980-07-23 Gec Medical Equipment Ltd Separating apparatus
AU7097887A (en) * 1986-04-03 1987-10-08 De Beers Industrial Diamond Division (Proprietary) Limited Sorting ore particles

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3011643A (en) * 1959-03-23 1961-12-05 Alvin C Mccoy Sand filter apparatus for swimming pools
US3545610A (en) * 1968-02-02 1970-12-08 Sphere Invest Photometric sorting apparatus

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3011643A (en) * 1959-03-23 1961-12-05 Alvin C Mccoy Sand filter apparatus for swimming pools
US3545610A (en) * 1968-02-02 1970-12-08 Sphere Invest Photometric sorting apparatus

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4307390A (en) * 1979-11-07 1981-12-22 Dickey-John Corporation Corn and soybean sensor
US4394907A (en) * 1979-12-04 1983-07-26 General Mining Union Corporation, Limited Displacement error correction in sorting systems
US4445615A (en) * 1979-12-04 1984-05-01 General Mining Union Corporation Limited Sorting system calibration
FR2471225A1 (fr) * 1979-12-04 1981-06-19 Gen Mining Union Corp Procede de triage de particules de minerai et de compensation de l'erreur due au decalage d'une particule par rapport a une ligne de reference
FR2487564A1 (fr) * 1980-07-22 1982-01-29 Westinghouse Electric Corp Appareil et procede pour inspecter des boulettes combustibles destinees a un reacteur nucleaire
FR2497952A1 (fr) * 1981-01-14 1982-07-16 France Etat Appareil et procede d'ombroscopie
US4497576A (en) * 1981-01-14 1985-02-05 L'etat Francais Article analyzer apparatus by silhouette projection
US4645922A (en) * 1984-10-05 1987-02-24 Spandrel Establishment Integrating sphere arrangement for producing size-corrected color signals
US4697709A (en) * 1985-09-03 1987-10-06 Delta Technology Corporation Sorter for agricultural products
US4686031A (en) * 1985-12-27 1987-08-11 Internorth, Inc. Beneficiation of gallium in fly ash
US4894201A (en) * 1988-05-27 1990-01-16 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear fuel pellet surface defect inspection apparatus
US5979240A (en) * 1995-12-01 1999-11-09 System Planning Corporation Method and apparatus for detecting recyclable items concealed within solid waste
US6100487A (en) * 1997-02-24 2000-08-08 Aluminum Company Of America Chemical treatment of aluminum alloys to enable alloy separation
RU2131781C1 (ru) * 1997-10-16 1999-06-20 Открытое акционерное общество Научно-производственное предприятие "Буревестник" Сепаратор для обогащения минерального сырья
RU2197329C2 (ru) * 2000-07-11 2003-01-27 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "ЭГОНТ" Способ сортировки классифицированного минерального сырья и устройство для его осуществления
RU2206405C2 (ru) * 2001-05-28 2003-06-20 Открытое Акционерное Общество "Научно-Производственное Предприятие "Буревестник" Способ контроля работы сепаратора минералов
RU2243821C1 (ru) * 2003-08-07 2005-01-10 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "Техника и Технология Дезинтеграции" Люминесцентный сепаратор для обогащения минерального сырья
WO2005014174A1 (fr) * 2003-08-07 2005-02-17 Vladimir Georgievich Kochnev Separateur luminescent destine a l'enrichissement des matieres premieres minerales
WO2016007984A1 (en) * 2014-07-17 2016-01-21 Newton Laboratories Pty Ltd A process for evaluating a set of articles and means for carrying out same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA717186B (en) 1972-08-30
CA944845A (en) 1974-04-02
FR2113635A1 (OSRAM) 1972-06-23
GB1365107A (en) 1974-08-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3712469A (en) High speed sorting
CA1242260A (en) Multisorting method and apparatus
US5520290A (en) Scrap sorting system
US9114433B2 (en) Multi-fractional coal sorter and method of use thereof
AU2009327102B2 (en) Method for separating mineral impurities from calcium carbonate-containing rocks by X-ray sorting
EP0130715B1 (en) Sorting machine
US11123772B2 (en) Concentrating rare earth elements from coal waste
AU2011245066B2 (en) Sorting mined material
GB1345810A (en) Method and apparatus for sorting glass particles from a particulate mass
US3011634A (en) Method and apparatus for sorting materials
CN103920648B (zh) 选矿用多级光电分选机
AU2009291513B2 (en) Sorting mined material
US20140260801A1 (en) Sorting mined material
CN111617987A (zh) 一种用于煤炭的智能自动分选系统
JP2012000575A (ja) 色彩選別機
US20250144672A1 (en) Method and system for conducting ore presorting based on hierarchical arrayed intelligent sorting
CA2806887A1 (en) Sorting mined material
US2532644A (en) Sorting apparatus
US4096949A (en) Apparatus for performing a three-way sort
US4122952A (en) Photometric sorters
CN213409470U (zh) 智能矿物分选设备
CA1104236A (en) Method and apparatus for inspecting food products
US20140260802A1 (en) Processing mined material
US3750881A (en) Color sorter
Nielsen et al. Sensor-based ore sorting to maximise profit in a gold operation