Abstract: The invention is concerned with a method for identifying different, elongated metallic objects according to position and/or shape and/or type. In this method, by means of a conveyor, an object lying singly in a predetermined or a random position on conveyor is guided in terms of its conveyor direction evenly and at a constant speed over at least one inductive scanner, the induction voltage which varies temporally while object is passed over inductive scanner, is measured.

Abstract: A combined ion source capable of operating either in an electron-impact-ionization mode or in a chemical ionization mode and being quickly shiftable from one mode to the other, consists of a cavity into which either a sample gas can be introduced to be ionized alone or together with a reaction gas introduced into the cavity, the cavity having at least one opening for the introduction of ionizing particles, or radiation, into the cavity and another opening for the discharge of ions, with a flexible band covering the exterior surface of the cavity between the openings, the band having suitable patterns of openings, each of which patterns cooperates with the various openings to provide a specific combination of openings and at the same time adjusting the width of each opening used in each combination.