Abstract: A system to measure geometric and electromagnetic characteristics of objects. Wave energy of a single frequency (or very narrow band of frequencies) is directed upon an object which reflects (or otherwise interacts with) the wave energy. The reflected wave energy is sensed by many spatially spaced sensors to provide electric signals whose amplitude and phase components are combined to give a quantity from which geometric and/or electromagnetic characteristics of the object can be ascertained.

Abstract: In an infeed housing for a harvesting and threshing machine there is provided an improved infeed housing design that redirects the flow of crop material along its predetermined path of travel at a selectively creatable discontinuity in the floor of the infeed housing to ensure the ejection of stones and other non-frangible objects subsequent to their detection and prior to their reaching the threshing and separating apparatus of the combine.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuated agricultural product sorting apparatus employing a hopper introducing products into a fluid flow which carries them into two counter-rotating spirals mounted side by side which align and merge the products and then moves them in line into a singulator which uniformly spaces them prior to their movement through an inspection station which inspects them and signals a gating means for sorting the products according to the signals received from the inspection station.

Abstract: A container inspection system is disclosed in which an ultrasonic wave pulse is impinged on an object such as a container to be detected or inspected, the ultrasonic wave pulse modulated with the inherent vibration of the object is received, the modulated ultrasonic wave pulse is converted into a corresponding electrical signal, and the electrical signal is compared with a reference signal for discriminating whether the container is good or not. This system further includes a device for segregating bad and good objects in response to the inspection result thereof.

Abstract: Comingled particles, such as nut meats and shell fragments, are segregated by directing the particles one after the other onto a sounding plate, from which they deflect into a rebound trajectory. Each particle upon striking the plate imparts ultrasonic vibrations to the plate, and these vibrations are converted by a transducer into an electrical input signal that oscillates at the frequency of the vibrations and undergoes corresponding changes in amplitude. After amplifying the input signal and filtering low frequency signals from it, a comparator converts those original oscillations which exceed a predetermined threshold amplitude into voltage pulses that are counted in a counter. If the count exceeds a minimum set into the counter, the counter produces a signal itself. This signal initiates an output signal of predetermined duration, which after undergoing a delay, operates an air valve that is connected with an air nozzle located along the rebound trajectory.

Abstract: A method of determining foreign material such as metal and bone particles in food products, the method using ultrasonic sound frequencies from a plurality of transducers disposed in a rotatable cylinder having a liquid copulant. The cylinder having a surrounding flexible wall which is compressed on top of the surface of the food products. The sound frequencies are transmitted through the food products and received back by a receiver in the transducers for monitoring any variance in the frequency indicating foreign material in the food products.

Abstract: A contaminant sorting device for sorting contaminant material such as metal and rocks from process materials such as wood chips which are intended to be subsequently processed, comprises a material receiving surface upon which a layer of material is deposited which material contains both contaminant and process material, an impact sensing device for sensing vibrations of the material receiving surface upon impact of the material thereon, an electronic circuit for distinguishing between signals generated by impact of contaminant material from signals generated by impact of process material and for providing an output signal in response to receipt of a contaminant material signal, a flow diverting plate downstream from the material receiving surface which is activated by the signal produced in response to impact of the contaminant material so that the normal flow path of the layer of material is interrupted so as to divert that portion of material containing contaminant material to a separate receptacle, and ti