Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Separating means
Patent
1993-05-10
1995-02-28
Lithgow, Thomas M.
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Separating means
209156, 209208, 209209, B03B 500, B03B 562
Patent
active
053929292
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for sorting articles by size in liquid.
There is a need in the fruit industry for a sorter of simple construction which will reliably sort apples according to size without causing excessive damage. In USSR patent No. 776593 there is disclosed a sorter in which articles to be sorted are dropped into a moving body of water. The water at different depths moves in laminar flows at different speeds, the speeds of the flows increasing with depth.
Articles of greater density descend to greater depths and are swept further along before returning to the surface. Barriers lying in the surface trap the articles as they return to the surface, and separate them according to their density. Satisfactory sorting depends on the ability to provide laminar flows of water travelling at accurately defined speeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of sorting articles by size in liquid, characterised in that floating articles are sorted according to the depths to which they penetrate below the surface of the liquid.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided sorting apparatus including a container for liquid, means for causing articles to travel through the container, and at least one barrier disposed within the container, characterised in that the or each barrier has an upper surface portion positioned so as to lie at a predetermined depth beneath the surface of liquid in the container so as to make contact with articles floating in the liquid and penetrating at least to that depth.
When apples are to be sorted it will be convenient to use water as the liquid. It may, however, be preferable to sort some other types of fruit in brine, while other liquids may be used for other articles.
Preferably the apparatus includes a number of barriers, each including a horizontally extending moving belt for diverting articles from a main channel into a respective branch channel. Alternatively, there may be a single barrier, which may take the form of a wide band travelling in the direction transversely of the main channel. The upper surface of the upper run of the band decreases in depth in the downstream direction so that articles come to rest upon it in positions determined by their size.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings,
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred apparatus, in which the end of the apparatus nearer to the observer is the upstream end and that furthest from the observer the downstream end,
FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the main channel, showing the entrance to one branch channel and the exit elevator conveyor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, a sorter particularly for apples includes a container 1 for water. The container may be in the form of a metal bath having parallel side walls 2 and 3, a downstream end wall 4 and an upstream oblique wall 5, shown partially broken away. The wall 5 is at an angle of about 150.degree. to wall 3. A narrow entry section is formed between an end portion of side wall 2, a wall 6 adjoining wall 5, and an upstream end wall 7. Disposed within the container is a series of spaced apart elongate casings 8 which extend parallel to-the wall 5.
The casings may be formed by pressing up the bottom of the bath or may be separate components fixed in place. The casings 8 terminate at their ends nearer to the wall 2 in walls 9. In line with the walls 9, and spaced from the casing depicted furthest from the observer is a wall 14. The walls 9 and walls 6 and 14 define with the wall 2 a main channel A. The walls 9 define with one another and with the wall 6 and wall 14 six outlets 11 from the main channel. The outlets 11 are less deep than the channel A, being provided with thresholds 12 extending to the base of channel A. Interposed between the walls 3 and 14, and extending parallel thereto are five walls 13, each of which at its upstream end forms that end wall of a respective casing remote
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Hall James D.
Lithgow Thomas M.
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