| 摘要 |
<p>A system and method for sorting articles in accordance with a measured physical characteristic wherein a conveyor is provided which transports the articles from a point (42, 43) where the characteristic is measured to one of a plurality of points (87) downstream on the conveyor each of which corresponds to a predetermined measured value or range of measured values for the physical characteristic. The manner in which the articles are directed to the particular discharge point (87) involves the use of a memory segment which is assigned to each one of the discharge points. Each memory segment has a predetermined number of memory locations therein wherein the number of such locations is dependent upon the distance along the conveyor from the measuring point to the corresponding discharge point. The memory locations operate to receive and store digital data which is indicative of the measured physical characteristics. Each memory segment is associated with means for indexing each of the memory locations in sequence and means for testing the data at each indexed memory location for the presence of stored data indicative of the measured physical characteristic. Further means (74, 76, 77) is provided for synchronizing the means for indexing with the movement of the transporting conveyor. The circuit also includes means (78, 111, 116) for outputting the stored data to the discharge point corresponding to the memory segment containing the indexed location when digital data indicative of the measured physical characteristic is found stored therein. In this fashion articles having predetermined physical characteristics are discharged from the conveyor at predetermined discharge stations. </p> |
