Method of grading items and an apparatus materializing same

Apparatus for grading items comprising:

• a conveyor,
• means for supplying a succession of items one after the other in a single layer on said conveyor, said conveyor having a direction of travel and including a plurality of successive transverse conveyor elements supported for pivotal movement about an axis extending in the direction of travel of the conveyor,
• means for measuring grading characteristics of said items as said items pass a measuring station during conveyance of the items on said conveyor,
• actuator means for pivotally moving said conveyor elements to displace the items from said conveyor when said items reach addressing stations corresponding to the measured grading characteristics of the respective items,
• said conveyor including means cooperating with said transverse conveyor elements to define a U-shaped channel for receiving said items therein,
• said means for measuring grading characteristics of said items including means for determining, for each item, the transverse conveyor elements onto which an orthogonal projection of said item falls, and
• means for controlling said actuator means to pivotally move, all together, the transverse conveyor elements onto which the orthogonal projection of the associated item has fallen to remove said associated item from the conveyor at the respective addressing station.

Apparatus for grading items comprising:

• a conveyor,
• means for supplying a succession of items one after the other in a single layer on said conveyor, said conveyor having a direction of travel and including a plurality of successive transverse conveyor elements supported for pivotal movement about an axis extending in the direction of travel of the conveyor,
• means for measuring grading characteristics of said items a said items pass a measuring station during conveyance of the items on said conveyor,
• actuator means for pivotally moving said conveyor elements to displace the items from said conveyor when said items reach addressing stations corresponding to the measured grading characteristics of the respective items,
• said conveyor including means cooperating with said transverse conveyor elements to define a U-shaped channel for receiving said items therein,
• said means for measuring grading characteristics of said items including means for determining, for each item, the transverse conveyor elements onto which an orthogonal projection of said item falls,
• means for controlling said actuator means to pivotally move, all together, the transverse conveyor elements onto which the orthogonal projection of the associated item has fallen to remove said associated item from the conveyor at the respective addressing station,
• each conveyor element including an item-supporting portion comprising a sleeve mounted for free rotation about an axis of said sleeve, and
• the sleeves of adjacent conveyor elements having oppositely directed threads thereon.