Apparatus for measuring irregular areas and thicknesses

Apparatus for measuring the surface area and thickness of an irregular article, comprising a conveyor for the article, said conveyor having a substantially non-reflective surface, a series of photo-electric cells extending across and above said conveyor and spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, means for moving said conveyor at a predetermined speed relative to said photo-electric cells and in a direction normal to the line on which said series of cells are arranged, light means for illuminating an article on the conveyor from above and by reflection from the article engerizing as the article is moved under the series of photo-electric cells such of said cells as register with the article, means for sampling the output from said cells at predetermined intervals of time, electronic means for computing from the corresponding increments of movement of the article between successive samplings and the corresponding sum of the distances between photo-electric cells energized the area of the article, and means for measuring variations in the thickness of the article comprising at least one mechanical to electrical transducer positioned so as to bear against the article and be adjusted by the varying thickness thereof, point detection means for detecting a predetermined position relative to the leading edge of the pelt and measurement indicating means connected to said transducer responsive to the electrical output therefrom and to the point detection means and arranged to as to indicate the thickness at the predetermined position.