Inspection and sorting of containers

A system for inspecting and sorting containers comprising:

• first conveyor means for transporting containers in sequence along a predetermined path,
• means for inspecting containers traveling in said path, identifying containers to be sorted from said path and providing an electrical signal indicative thereof,
• a starwheel turret having circumferentially spaced pockets sized to receive the containers, means for rotating said turret about a fixed axis adjacent to said path downstream of said inspecting means, a vacuum body rotatable conjointly and coaxially with said starwheel turret, a plurality of resilient vacuum cups mounted in a circumferential array on said vacuum body within said pockets, a plurality of passage means in said vacuum body individually operatively coupled to said cups and opening at one end of said vacuum body, vacuum means coupled to said vacuum body for applying a vacuum to all of said passage means, a plurality of valve spools each disposed in an associated one of said passage means, each of said valve spools having a first enlargement within said passage means for sealingly engaging said passage means and a second enlargement disposed outside of said passage means, and a plurality of stop means carried by said vacuum body each externally adjacent to the open end of an associated one of said passage means between said first and second enlargements on said spools and cooperating with said first and second enlargements to define a vacuum-blocking position of said valve spool when said first enlargement is in abutment with the associated said stop means for blocking application of vacuum to the associated cup and a vacuum-enabling position of said valve spool when said second enlargement is in abutment with said stop means for applying a vacuum to the associated cup and thereby holding a container within the associated starwheel pocket,
• means disposed adjacent to said turret and responsive to an electronic control signal for engaging a valve spool and moving such spool from said vacuum-blocking position to said vacuum-enabling position, and
• timing means responsive to said electrical signal from said inspecting means for applying said electronic control signal to said signal-responsive means after a time delay coordinated within distance and velocity of travel of containers along said path between said inspecting means and said turret.