Article-detect signal separating network

In a sorting apparatus having:

• (a) means for generating an electrical characteristic signal representative of light reflected from articles randomly disposed across a viewing zone;
• and
• (b) a comparator for comparing the characteristic signal with a predetermined reference level and for generating an article-detect signal representative of the presence of an article within the viewing zone so long as the magnitude of the characteristic signal exceeds the magnitude of the reference level;
• the improvement comprising:
• means for separating article-detect signals when two articles are next-abutting one with the other such that a comparison of the magnitude of each characteristic signal of each article exceeds the magnitude of the reference level, said separating means comprising:
• a network for sampling and holding a predetermined percentage of the peak magnitude of the characteristic signal for each of the abutting articles;
• a comparator for comparing the magnitude of the instantaneous characteristic signal for each article with the predetermined percentage of the peak magnitude thereof and for generating an enabling signal when the magnitude of the instantaneous signal falls below the predetermined percentage of the peak magnitude;
• and,
• a timing arrangement responsive to the enabling signal for interrupting the article-detect signal for a predetermined time interval after a predetermined time delay.