Method and means for internal inspection and sorting of produce

Apparatus for grading objects according to changes in a common internal characteristic thereof, comprising:

• a. an inspection station;
• b. a sorting station including a plurality of sorting positions corresponding to various possible classification grades of the objects according to said internal characteristics thereof;
• c. conveyor means for continuously moving said objects in sequence through said inspection station to said sorting station;
• d. light-ray means at said inspection station for successively evaluating changes in said internal characteristic of each object and determining its grade classification;
• and
• e. means at each sorting position energizable for removing from said conveyor each object with a determined grade classification corresponding to that of the sorting position.

Apparatus for grading objects according to a common internal characteristic thereof, comprising:

• a. an inspection station;
• b. a sorting station including a plurality of sorting positions corresponding to various possible classifications of the objects according to said internal characteristics thereof;
• c. conveyor means for continuously moving said objects in sequence through said inspection station to said sorting station;
• d. light-ray means at said inspection station for successively evaluating said internal characteristic of each object and determining its classification, including two spaced apart sensors for simultaneously evaluating adjacent paths through said object;
• and
• e. means at each sorting position energizable for removing from said conveyor each object with a determined classification corresponding to that of the sorting position.

Apparatus for automatically selecting between a plurality of generally spherical objects based on the optical transparency characteristics thereof, which comprises:

• a. a source of light-rays;
• b. means for translating successive changes in transparency between different parts on opposite sides of the center of each object subjected to said light-rays into an integrated electrical signal;
• and
• c. means for selecting between the objects on the basis of this electrical signal.

Apparatus for automatically inspecting and sorting citrus fruits into different grades according to the extent of their internal nondamage and damage, comprising:

• a. a source of light rays;
• b. conveyor means for successively moving citrus fruit in a path passing through said light rays;
• c. sensing means for translating successive changes for each fruit of its optical transparency along said path into electric singals;
• d. electronic computer means for converting said electric signals for each fruit into an electric output characteristic of its internal damage in relation to one of said grades;
• e. fruit discharge positions traversed by said conveyor corresponding to the respective grades of said fruit;
• and
• f. control means synchronized with the movements of said fruits for selectively discharging each fruit from said conveyor when it reaches its grade discharge position.

Apparatus for automatically inspecting and sorting citrus fruits into different grades according to the extent of their internal nondamage and damage, comprising:

• a. a source of light rays;
• b. conveyor means for successively moving citrus fruit in a path passing through said light rays;
• c. sensing means for translating each fruit optical transparency into electric signals, comprising a pair of damage sensor units spaced to traverse scanning paths on opposite sides of the core of a preoriented fruit, each of said units including a photomultiplier tube responding to variations in the optical transparency along the path scanned by said unit and providing output electric signals in accordance with said variations;
• d. electronic computer means for converting said electric signals for each fruit into an electric output characteristic of its internal damage in relation to one of said grades;
• e. fruit discharge positions traversed by said conveyor corresponding to the respective grades of said fruit;
• and
• f. control means synchronized with the movements of said fruits for selectively discharging each fruit from said conveyor when it reaches its grade discharge position.