Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for counting objects, which includes a light emitting system intended to form an emission zone, a light receiving system forming a plurality of substantially aligned reception points, a passage between the emission zone and the reception points to allow the conveying of objects to be counted substantially perpendicularly to the alignment of reception points, and a counting system provided to determine the number of conveyed objects as a function of the variations of light received at the reception points, which variations are due to the interpositioning of objects between the emission zone and the reception points.

Abstract: The automatic sorter ovoscope of the invention is characterized in that it comprises a light box (6) arranged under a candling head (1) which is provided with at least one suction cup (9) intended to take by suction eggs, one by one, and which is provided with vacuum means and with light sensitive means, while a device for controlling the vacuum means allows to apply by suction each suction cup to an egg to be candled and to appreciate its transparency as a function of the light intensity coming from the light box (6) and reaching the light sensitive means, the control device being servo-controlled by the signal from said light sensitive means so that the suction cup may retain by suction the egg when the signal from the light sensitive means indicates that a predetermined transparency of the egg is exceeded.