Flower sorter

Abstract

An apparatus for sorting flowers, having in a horizontal plane a conveyor with an endless conveyor chain having attached thereto, at predetermined intermediate distances, forks movable between at least two positions, being a transport position and a hang-in position, having at least a single detection station for determining at least a single corresponding characteristic of each flower, and having a computer for recording the characteristic, and, in accordance therewith, delivering each flower at discharge stations arranged for that purpose, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least a single hang-in buffer conveyor with an endless buffer transport element having buffer forks attached thereto, from which the flowers hanging therein are taken over by the forks, while the passing speed of the forks, Nv, and that of the buffer forks, Nb, meet Nv>Nb. More particularly, the conveyor chain and the buffer transport element are driven, mutually coupled, with a control element. Advantageously, with this apparatus, flowers can be sorted fast in large quantities. In particular, even with manual hanging-in, a high filling capacity with a correspondingly high filling degree is obtained. In addition, such a buffer affords the possibility of hanging-in flowers from the site of cultivation, such as a glasshouse.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.