Sorting system and apparatus

The sorting apparatus of claim [1] 42 in which:

• (a) said [drive] oscillating means comprises:
• a [said] drive member present as an elongate shaft extending along said longitudinal axis from a first terminus in the vicinity of [said] an entrance location to a second terminus;
• bearing means for supporting said shaft at least in the vicinity of said first and second termini for symmetrical rotation about said longitudinal axis;
• means defining a bearing surface situate upon said shaft intermediate said first and second termini, moveable in driven relationship with said shaft and having an axis of rotation eccentric with respect to said longitudinal axis;
• and
• (b) said [means defining an] oscillatory surface comprises a supporting component arranged in driven relationship with said bearing surface and fixed to said oscillatory surface so as to convey an oscillatory motion thereto when said shaft is rotated.

The sorting apparatus of claim [1] 42 in which:

• (a) said [drive] oscillating means comprises:
• a [said] drive member present as an elongate shaft extending along said longitudinal axis from a first terminus in the vicinity of [said] an entrance location [of said zone] to a second terminus in the vicinity of an end of said [zone opposite said entrance location] oscillatory surface ;
• first and second bearing means situate respectively in the vicinity of said first and second termini for supporting said shaft for rotation about said longitudinal axis;
• a first bearing surface situate upon said shaft in the vicinity of said first terminus;
• a second bearing surface situate upon said shaft in the vicinity of said second terminus and having a circular profile the central axis of which is eccentric with respect to said longitudinal axis;
• and
• (b) said [means defining an] oscillatory surface comprises:
• first support means fixed to said oscillatory surface and rotatable upon said first bearing surface;
• second support means fixed to said oscillatory surface and rotatable upon said second bearing surface;
• restraining means associated with said first support means and oscillatory surface for restraining said surface against rotation about said central axis while permitting the oscillation thereof with respect to said longitudinal axis.

The method for sorting a quantity of discrete objects exhibiting classifiable dynamic response to vibrational phenomena comprising the steps of:

• introducing a quantity of said objects to the input of a sorting zone;
• transporting said objects in sequential, single file fashion upon a narrow conveyer surface moving in a given direction through said zone;
• simultaneously with said transporting, promoting a kinetic reaction of said objects by contact thereof with a surface disposed along said zone and oscillating at a predetermined frequency and [at amplitudes] so as to move any point on the oscillatory surface about a circular locus the diameter of which is equivalent to the amplitude of the oscillation, said amplitude increasing uniformly in value along said zone respectively from said input to the output thereof;
• receiving said objects of one class dynamically reacting to said contact by ejective movement transverse to said given direction;
• and
• receiving said objects of another class transported through said zone and exiting from said output thereof.

[24. The method for sorting objects of claim 20 in which the step for promoting a kinetic reaction by contact with said surface is provided by an oscillation thereof wherein any point of the surface moves about a circular locus the diameter of which is equivalent to the said amplitude

• of oscillation.] 25. The method for sorting objects of claim [24] 21 in which said objects are comestibles and said frequency and maximum value of said amplitude are selected for establishing said one and other class with respect to a predetermined value thereof for human
• consumption. 26. The method for sorting tomatoes in accordance with the degree of ripeness thereof comprising the steps of:
• introducing a quantity of said tomatoes of a given cultivar to the input of a sorting zone;
• transporting said tomatoes in sequential, single file fashion upon a narrow conveyer surface moving in a given direction in said zone;
• simultaneously with said transporting, effecting the contact of said tomatoes to promote the kinetic reaction thereof with a surface disposed along said zone and oscillating at the frequency selected with respect to said cultivar within the range of about 0 to 100 Hertz [and] , at an amplitude selected within the range of about 0 to 0.38 inch;
• and so as to move any point on the oscillatory surface about a circular locus the diameter of which is equivalent to the amplitude of the oscillation receiving tomatoes dynamically reacting to said contact by ejective movement transverse to said given direction;
• and
• receiving tomatoes which have passed through said zone. 27. The method for sorting tomatoes of claim 26 in which said step of contacting said tomatoes with an oscillating surface is carried out in a manner wherein said contact is effected at progressively enlarging amplitudes of
• oscillation of said surface. 28. The method for sorting tomatoes of claim 26 in which said contacting of said tomatoes with said oscillating surface is gravitationally effected by the inclination of said conveyer surface toward said oscillating surface.

[29. The method for sorting tomatoes of claim 26 in which said contact of said tomatoes with said oscillating surface is provided by an oscillation of said surface in a manner wherein any point of the surface is moved to define a circular locus of motion the diameter of which is equivalent to the said amplitude of oscillation.]

• . The method for sorting tomatoes of claim 26 including the step of adjusting said frequency of oscillation of said surface to improve the
• accuracy of sorting of said tomatoes. 31. A system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes which may contain classes thereof designated as green, pink, firm ripe, soft ripe, and overripe to effect the segregation of select classes thereof, comprising:
• means for receiving said bulk quantity of tomatoes;
• first vibrational sorting stage means for transporting said tomatoes from said receiving means through a first sorting zone in contacting relationship with a surface oscillating about a curvilinear locus at a frequency selected between about 60 to 100 Hertz and at a maximum amplitude selected within the range of about 0.20 to 0.25 inch to vibrationally eject green designated tomatoes from said first zone for disposal, while transporting pink, overripe, firm ripe and soft ripe designated tomatoes therethrough;
• second vibrational sorting stage means for receiving said tomatoes transported through said first sorting zone and transporting said tomatoes through a second sorting zone in contacting relationship with a surface oscillating about a curvilinear locus at a frequency selected between about 25 to 30 Hertz and at a maximum amplitude selected as about 0.38 inch to vibrationally eject pink, firm ripe and soft ripe designated tomatoes therethrough;
• and
• means for receiving said ejected pink, firm ripe and soft ripe designated
• tomatoes. 32. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 31 wherein at least one said first and second vibrational sorting stage means includes means for selectively adjusting the said frequency of said
• surface oscillation to optimize sorting stage performance. 33. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 31 wherein a said vibrational sorting stage means surface is configured to oscillate such that any point thereof moves about a circular locus the diameter of which
• is equivalent in extent to the said amplitude of oscillation. 34. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 31 in which a said sorting stage means is configured for effecting said surface oscillation at progressively enlarging values of amplitude along an associated said
• sorting zone. 35. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 31 further comprising:
• third vibrational sorting stage means for receiving said tomatoes transported through said second sorting zone and transporting said received tomatoes through a third sorting zone in contacting relationship with a surface oscillating about a curvilinear locus at a frequency selected between about 50 to 60 Hertz and at a maximum amplitude of about 0.20 inch to vibrationally eject pink designated tomatoes from said third zone while transporting firm ripe and soft ripe designated tomatoes therethrough;
• fourth vibrational sorting stage means for receiving said tomatoes transported through said third sorting zone and transporting said received tomatoes through a fourth sorting zone in contacting relationship with a surface oscillating about a curvilinear locus at a frequency selected between about 40 to 50 Hertz and at maximum amplitude of about 0.30 inch to vibrationally eject firm ripe designated tomatoes from said fourth zone while transporting soft ripe designated tomatoes therethrough;
• and
• said receiving means includes first means for receiving said pink and soft ripe designated tomatoes and second means for receiving said firm ripe
• designated tomatoes. 36. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 34 wherein any point of a said vibrational sorting stage means surface is configured for oscillation defining a circular locus the diameter of which is equivalent in extent to the said amplitude of
• oscillation. 37. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 34 wherein at least one said first second vibrational sorting stage means includes means for selectively adjusting the said frequency of said
• surface oscillation to optimize sorting stage performance. 38. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 34 in which a said sorting stage means is configured for effecting said surface oscillation at progressively enlarging values of amplitude along an associated said
• sorting zone. 39. The system for sorting bulk quantities of tomatoes of claim 38 wherein any point of a said vibrational sorting stage means surface is configured for oscillation defining a circular locus the
• diameter of which equals the said amplitude of oscillation. 40. In tomato harvesting apparatus of a variety wherein means are provided for mechanically removing tomato laden vines from their field situs of growth and transported to automatic means for separating substantially all of said tomatoes from said vines and loading means for transporting said separated tomatoes to receiving means, the improvement comprising:
• means for introducing said separated tomatoes to the entrance of a first sorting zone situate upon said harvesting apparatus and extending to a zone exit;
• means defining an oscillatory surface within and extending along said zone;
• transporter means including at least one conveyer surface within said zone extending from said entrance in substantially parallel relationship with and adjacent to said oscillatory surface for sequentially moving said tomatoes within said zone toward said exit in orientations promoting the kinetic reaction thereof with said oscillatory surface;
• drive means including a dynamically balanced rotative drive member actuable to impart oscillation of frequency and amplitude characteristic to said oscillatory surface predetermined for effecting the ejection transversely from said zone of green designated tomatoes;
• means adjacent said sorting zone for effecting disposed of said transversely ejected green designated tomatoes upon said field;
• said loading means being configured for receiving tomatoes transported from
• said sorting zone exit by said transporter means. 41. The improved tomatoe harvesting apparatus of claim 40 further including:
• means for receiving said tomatoes transported from said first sorting zone exit and introducing said thus received tomatoes to the entrance of a second sorting zone situate upon said harvesting apparatus and extending to a second zone exit,
• means defining a second oscillatory surface within and extending along said second zone;
• transporter means including at least one conveyer surface within said second zone extending from said entrance thereof in substantially parallel relationship with and adjacent to said oscillatory surface for sequentially moving tomatoes within said second zone toward said exit thereof in orientations promoting the kinetic reaction thereof with said oscillatory surface;
• drive means including a dynamically balanced rotative drive member actuable to impact oscillation of predetermined frequency and amplitude characteristic to said second oscillatory surface predetermined for effecting the ejection transversely from said second zone of tomatoes having a maturity designation other than overripe;
• means for receiving overripe designated tomatoes transported from said second sorting zone exit by said conveyer surface extending therethrough and effecting the disposal thereof upon said field;
• said loading means being configured for receiving only tomatoes ejected from said second sorting zone.

Apparatus for sorting comestibles, including:

• (a) an elongated oscillatory surface having a longitudinal axis;
• (b) a first drive mechanism for oscillating said oscillatory surface;
• (c) a conveyer surface extending along the oscillatory surface generally parallel to said axis and sloping downward toward the oscillatory surface;
• (d) a second drive mechanism for moving said conveyor surface in a longitudinal path generally parallel to said axis;
• and
• (e) said first drive mechanism including means for moving one end of said oscillatory surface through a motion different than the motion at the other end of said oscillatory surface, thereby imparting oscillations of different amplitudes to said elongated oscillatory surface at locations along said axis.