Agricultural sizer with item stabilizer belt

An apparatus for determining the size of items, comprising:

• a. a sizing apparatus having an input end and an output end, said input end being adapted for receiving items delivered sequentially in a line;
• b. a rigid V-shaped belt trough extending through said sizing apparatus from said input end to said output end;
• c. a flexible lower conveyor belt, said lower conveyor belt having a segment lying within and being formed by said belt trough, said segment being V-shaped in cross-section having a lower portion and upwardly diverging sidewall portions, said lower conveyor belt thereby being configured to receive the items delivered at said input end and to transport them sequentially in a line until outputted from said output end;
• d. sizing means for determining a size for each item passing through said sizing apparatus, said sizing means being located between said input end and said output end;
• and,
• e. an upper stabilizer belt, said upper stabilizer belt being arranged above and generally in alignment with said lower conveyor belt, said upper stabilizer belt further being flexible and suspended so as to engage each item incoming at said input end and to maintain loose contact with it until its size has been determined by said sizing means.

An apparatus for determining the size of items, comprising:

• a. a sizing apparatus having an input end, and output end, and a sampling window therebetween, said sizing apparatus including sizing means for determining a size for each item passing through said sampling window;
• b. an item singulator including a plurality of rotatably driven rods defining each side of an inclined trough, said plurality of rods on each side having their axes arranged in parallel relation and inclined downwardly and converging with respect to the rods comprising the other side, said singulator being effective for arranging items in a line and delivering them sequentially at said input end of said sizing apparatus;
• c. a rigid V-shaped belt trough extending through said sizing apparatus from said input end to said output end;
• d. a flexible lower conveyor belt, said lower conveyor belt having a segment lying within and being formed by said belt trough, said segment being V-shaped in cross-section having a lower portion and upwardly diverging sidewall portions, said lower conveyor belt being translated at a speed sufficient to receive and transport the items delivered by said item singulator in sequential fashion;
• and,
• e. upper stabilizing means, said upper stabilizing means being arranged above and generally in alignment with said lower conveyor belt, said upper stabilizing means being suspended so as to engage each item incoming from said item singulator and to maintain loose contact with it until each item has passed through said sampling window.