Apparatus for the treatment of horticultural products and method for controlling such apparatus

An apparatus for the treatment of horticultural products, comprising in series at least:

• a first station, configured for supplying a handling and processing line with an indiscriminate and heterogenous mass of horticultural products at a supply rate that corresponds to a predefined weight measurement unit of products in a unit time and/or to a predefined number of containers emptied onto said handling and processing line in the unit time such that said products are supplied at said first station with a variable and non-constant number of said products in said unit time;
• a second station, arranged along said handling and processing line downstream of said first station and configured for the acquisition of information related to at least one parameter of interest of each horticultural product in transit and for the transmission of said information to an electronic control and management unit;
• a third station, arranged along said handling and processing line downstream of said second station and configured for the selective conveyance of each horticultural product in transit toward one of at least two distinct collection stations, on the basis of commands sent by said electronic control and management unit as a function of the information acquired at least by said second station;
• and
• further comprising an electronic vision device, arranged along a chosen point of said handling and processing line that is comprised downstream of said first station up to and including said second station, and is configured to count a number of horticultural products in transit, said electronic control and management unit, functionally associated with said electronic vision device, being provided with instructions for an automatic variation of said supply rate of said handling and processing line, on the part of at least said first station, as a function of the counting performed by said electronic vision device.