Abstract: In an aspect, a process for removing a tail end of Brussels sprouts comprises separating a Brussels sprout from a stack and transferring it to a longitudinal transport track. On the track, the Brussels sprout is manipulated to position a longest dimension of the Brussels sprout perpendicular to a direction of travel of the transport track. Near an end of the track, a position and an orientation of each Brussels sprout is defined by photographic detection. Each Brussels sprout is removed from the transport track by a gripper. A position and an orientation of the gripper are defined using the detected position and orientation of the Brussels sprout to be removed. The gripper is re-oriented and moved along a knife to remove the tail end of the Brussels sprout. The Brussels sprout is removed from the gripper and collected.

Abstract: In an aspect, a process for removing a tail end of Brussels sprouts comprises separating a Brussels sprout from a stack and transferring it to a longitudinal transport track. On the track, the Brussels sprout is manipulated to position a longest dimension of the Brussels sprout perpendicular to a direction of travel of the transport track. Near an end of the track, a position and an orientation of each Brussels sprout is defined by photographic detection. Each Brussels sprout is removed from the transport track by a gripper. A position and an orientation of the gripper are defined using the detected position and orientation of the Brussels sprout to be removed. The gripper is re-oriented and moved along a knife to remove the tail end of the Brussels sprout. The Brussels sprout is removed from the gripper and collected.

Abstract: Cyclicdicarboximido-substituted phosphonothioates corresponding to the formula ##EQU1## WHEREIN R represents phthalimido, monomethyl substituted phthalimido, 4-cyclohexene-1,2-dicarboximido or monomethyl substituted 4-cyclohexene-1,2,-dicarboximido are prepared by a method which comprises reacting an appropriate O,O-diloweralkyl phosphorochloridothioate with an appropriate N-alkali metal cyclicdicarboximide reactant in the presence of a catalytic amount of a 1-(loweralkyl)imidazole and an inert tertiary alcohol as a reaction medium.