Apparatus for sorting gemstones
AssigneeDe Beers UK Ltd
InventorJames Gordon Charters SMITH
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Abstract
An apparatus for sorting gemstones from a batch of gemstones comprises one or more measurement locations, a conveyor comprising a plurality of discrete compartments for containing the gemstones, a delivery device configured to deliver individual gemstones from the batch of gemstones to individual compartments of the conveyor and a controller configured to synchronise a speed of the conveyor with an operation of the one or more measurement locations such that the measurements of the gemstones can be correlated with a location of the gemstones in their associated compartments. A method of sorting gemstones from a batch of gemstones is also disclosed.
Claims34
An apparatus for sorting gemstones from a batch of gemstones, comprising:
- one or more measurement locations, each comprising at least one sensor configured to measure one or more properties of a gemstone;
- a conveyor comprising a plurality of discrete compartments for containing the gemstones, the conveyor being driven by a motor so as to transport the gemstones in the compartments to the one or more measurement locations;
- a delivery device configured to deliver individual gemstones from the batch of gemstones to individual compartments of the conveyor;
- and
- a controller configured to synchronise a speed of the conveyor with an operation of the one or more measurement locations such that the measurements of the gemstones can be correlated with a location of the gemstones in their associated compartments.
A method of sorting gemstones from a batch of gemstones, the method comprising:
- delivering individual gemstones from the batch of gemstones to individual discrete compartments of a conveyor;
- transporting the gemstones in the compartments to one or more measurement locations;
- measuring, at the one or more measurement locations, one or more properties of a gemstone;
- and
- synchronising a speed of the conveyor with an operation of the one or more measurement locations such that the measurements of the gemstones can be correlated with a location of the gemstones in their associated compartments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.