Method and apparatus for producing single flows of grains

A method of diverting from a supply of grains a plurality of parallel intermittent single flows of grains, comprising the steps of:

• moving the grains of the supply in a definite direction on a plane support by utilizing vibration feed, dividing the resulting wide grain flow into a plurality of parallel single-row flows by guiding said wide grain flow into a corresponding number of grain paths connected to said plane, each grain path being designed so as to be able to convey only a single row of grains, adjusting the vibration feed to cause the grains on said paths to turn by mutual action to a uniform orientation, transferring the grains from said grain paths one by one to means rotating about an axle and discharging the grains at predetermined time intervals from said rotating means in accurately determined positions, wherein said rotating means is a rotary cylinder, and further including the steps of:
• feeding per time unit more grains into said paths than are removed by said rotary cylinder for forming in each path a string of grains abutting each other and the envelope surface of the cylinder, permitting excess grains to be pressed out of said paths and collected and later on returned to the grain supply.