Method and apparatus for processing articles
AssigneeRadix System Limited
InventorMilan Fuchs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus is described for processing articles. It has a hollow drum having permeable walls. At one end there is an inlet for receiving articles onto an inside surface of the permeable walls. At the other end is an outlet for discharging articles from the drum. The drum is rotated about an axis having at least a horizontal component at such speed that centrifugal force acting on the articles is sufficient to overcome the gravity acting on the articles. A first jet of fluid is applied to the articles through the permeable wall, to displace the articles from the inside surface and in a direction away from the inlet, towards the outlet. In one application, the process is used to dry the articles. In another application the process is used to inspect the articles.
Claims9
Apparatus for processing articles, comprising a hollow drum having permeable walls, at one end an inlet for receiving articles onto an inside surface of the permeable walls;
- at the other end an outlet for discharging articles from the drum;
- means for rotating the drum about an axis having at least a horizontal component at such speed that centrifugal force acting on the articles is sufficient to overcome the gravity acting on the articles, and progressing means for applying a first jet of fluid to the articles through the permeable wall, to displace the articles from the inside surface and in a direction away from the inlet towards the outlet, the apparatus further including rejection means for selectively applying a second jet of fluid to project rejected articles into means for removing rejected articles from the drum;
- inspection means directed at a surface of the permeable wall, and control means responsive to output from said inspection means to reject articles according to predetermined criteria and to operate said rejection means to apply said second jet of fluid selectively to remove the rejected articles.
A method for processing articles, comprising:
- conveying the articles through an inlet and onto an inside surface of permeable walls of a hollow drum;
- rotating the drum about an axis having at least a horizontal component at such speed that centrifugal force acting on the articles is sufficient to overcome the gravity acting on the articles;
- applying a first jet of fluid to the articles through the permeable wall, to displace the articles from the inside surface and in a direction away from the inlet, including selectively applying a second jet of fluid to project rejected articles into means for removing rejected articles from the drum;
- inspecting articles and rejecting articles according to predetermined criteria, and applying said second jet of fluid selectively to remove the rejected articles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.