Machine for size grading fruit and vegetables etc. - between jaws which open progressively as they advance along horizontal conveyor

摘要

Machine is for continuously size-grading small items, partic. fruit and vegetables. The machine comprises a horizontal conveyor with twin side chains joined by parallel, transverse, partition jaws. A feeder spreads prod. to be size-graded on to the receiving end of the conveyor. The gap between each adjacent pair of jaws is progressively increased as the jaws advance along the top run of the conveyor, thus dropping progressively bigger items of prod. Under the full area of this grading run, collecting bins are provided to receive prods. sorted into different size ranges. The jaws are pref. pivoted on cross bars fixed at regular pitch between the side chains. Adjacent jaws are pref. towards open or closed position and positively displaced in the opposite direction by a cam follower lever. The cam follower rides in a track channel alongside one of the conveyor chains. Prod. not directly entering inter-jaw caps from the feeder is pref. brushed backwards against conveyor travel by a rotary spreading drum. Used for size grading small items esp. fruit and vegetables for processing and preserving. Compared with rotary drum size grader the new machine is:- 1. More compact in offering a very extensive grading area. 2. Less likely to damage delicate prod. because the prod. is not continually re-tumbled. 3. Less subject to wear and maintenance.