Abstract: In a method for determining the hardness of a product, for instance fruit, during a measuring cycle, comprising: supporting the product, tapping the product with a tapping device at least one position of the product, as a result of which the product as a whole is set in its natural vibration and produces vibration signals, sensing the vibration signals with a signal sensor, and processing the vibration signals with a signal processing device, in which the hardness FRi of the product is determined, and further comprising: sensing the signals produced by the tapping device with a second signal sensor, processing the vibration signals with a second signal processing device, the elastic properties of the product being determined in a volume range around the above at least one position, determining the hardness FIi of the product, comparing FIi and FRi and checking the comparison with a pre-adjusted value, the tapping and sensing with the second signal sensor being repeated when the comparison does not satisfy the

Abstract: Described is a method for determining whether a brown egg contains undesired matter such as blood. In two wavelength ranges the transmission of the egg is examined, one of those wavelength ranges corresponding to an absorption peak of blood. The transmission signal of the other wavelength range is corrected with a fixed fraction &ggr; to correct for the egg being brown.

Abstract: A lifting device comprising: a substantially horizontally extending support forming a support surface, comprising at least two support elements, such as, for instance, two prongs of a fork, for supporting a stack, a lifting member, movably connected to the support elements and displaceable in a vertical plane, a connecting device for movably connecting the support elements to the lifting member. The connecting device comprises: first members for, during picking up or putting down of the stack, moving a support element freely relative to the lifting member through an at least small distance relative to the lifting member in substantially vertical, upward direction; second members for freely rotating a support element through an at least small angle about an axis perpendicular to the vertical plane, the second members allowing free rotation only when, during picking up or putting down of the stack, the support element has been moved upwardly.

Abstract: An endless conveyor for conveying substantially rotationally-symmetrical products, comprising at least one endless conveying element and a number of transverse elements extending substantially perpendicularly to a conveying direction. At least one hourglass-shaped roller is mounted on each transverse element. The mutual distance between the successive transverse elements in a first path part is smaller than in a second path part. A first control device is provided for effecting an increase of distance between the transverse elements at a first transition from the first to the second path part. A second control device is provided for effecting a decrease of distance between the transverse elements at a second transition from the second to the first path part. A rotationally-symmetrical support element is movable, in a portion of the second path, between each pair of successive hourglass-shaped rollers for supporting the products to be conveyed.

Abstract: A weighing apparatus comprising a number of grippers each designed for receiving therein an object to be weighed, each gripper being mounted on a conveyor via a hingeless connection, so that the grippers are arranged for movement along a gripper path, each gripper comprising a first guide element which, over at least a part of the gripper path, moves over a weighing surface of at least one weighing element, the weight of the gripper and the object located therein being transferred vis the first guide element to the at least one weighing element, the hingeless connection between each gripper and the conveyor comprising at least one assembly of flexible members each having a particularly low spring constant in a direction perpendicular to the at least one weighing sruface.

Abstract: In a sorting apparatus for, for instance, eggs, an apparatus for turning eggs is arranged. The eggs are located on rollers which are mounted on axes of a roller conveyor. Further provided is a detection device for scanning the direction of orientation of each egg during transport on the roller conveyor, while turning elements are mounted on an endless chain, which turning elements during transport on the roller conveyor pick up the eggs from the roller conveyor, if necessary turn the eggs with the point in a pre-set direction, and subsequently deposit the eggs on a next transporting apparatus. The detection device consists of a device for effecting images of the eggs passing and for electronically processing the images, whereby an orientation signal is formed and a turning signal is delivered to the turning apparatus for turning the eggs in the desired direction.

Abstract: Method and device for detecting dirt on eggs is provided which comprises exposing the eggs to ultraviolet light, capturing images of the exposed eggs resulting in images formed of pixels, and determining within the images, surface areas of dirt by correlating data of contrast and data of position of the pixels. Such a method enables selecting and subsequently removing eggs which contain dirt surface areas of a predetermined size. Further, such a method and device may be applied advantageously for both white and brown eggs in egg sorting machines.

Abstract: A lifting method and device. A first lifting device lifts a multi-layer stack of articles from a lower position upwardly to a raised position at which the uppermost layer is at a desired level for removal of articles. The first lifting device continues to move the stack upwardly in increments for subsequent removal of articles in subsequent layers at the desired level. A second lifting device engages the bottom of the stack at locations different from the areas engaged by the first lifting device for continuing upward movement of the stack for positioning the remaining layers at the desired level for the removal of articles therefrom. The first lifting device is then movable downwardly to receive a new stack and the second lifting means is foldable to a retracted position and movable to a position below the new stack.

Abstract: Apparatus for drying substantially ellipsoid products, such as, for instance, eggs, which are conveyed over a conveying path by a conveyor. The apparatus includes a number of nozzles which are connected to a compressor. The nozzles are designed and arranged relative to the conveying path, such that the drying air blown out by these nozzles has a main flow direction which is both directed substantially perpendicularly to the surface of a passing product and blows directly onto at least the areas adjacent the points of a passing product.

Abstract: A dosing apparatus for eggs or like substantially round or ellipsoid articles, comprising at least one endless conveyor having a conveying face above which guiding elements are disposed intended for ordering an unordered flow of articles into a number of ordered flows each having the width of one article, wherein a main surface of each of the guiding elements includes, with the conveying face part extending between the opposite guiding elements, an angle greater than 90.degree., enabling the articles to be gradually pushed upwards along the guiding elements, wherein at the inlet of the dosing apparatus, said dosing apparatus comprises one conveying channel and wherein, viewed in the conveying direction, the number of conveying channels doubles each time, so that at a discharge end of the dosing apparatus the width of the conveying channels at that location is such that, viewed in conveying direction, the articles can only travel therein in file.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring separate products, such as eggs and fruit, from a feed conveyor to a packaging apparatus includes a feed conveyor provided with at least one row of product holders, a receiving conveyor provided with brushes for receiving the products discharged from the feed conveyor and a feed-through conveyor connecting to the receiving conveyor for further conveying the products to a packaging apparatus. The apparatus is provided with electrically operable discharge members disposed above the feed conveyor. The fall trajectory of the articles discharged from the feed conveyor is such that the articles end up at substantially the same landing location on the receiving conveyor, independently of the speed of travel of the feed conveyor at the moment of discharge.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring substantially round, fragile articles, such as for instance eggs, from a first conveyor to a second conveyor or vice versa, characterized in that the transfer takes place by means of a swivel lever according to a flowing path of movement, wherein in the starting point or end point respectively of the path of movement, the velocity and direction of movement of the article to be transferred correspond to the velocity and direction of movement of the first conveyor and wherein the velocity and direction of movement of the article in a transfer track correspond to those of the second conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading and/or unloading a container with stacks of packages, such as for instance egg boxes or egg trays, which container comprises a number of shelves which are arranged one above the other. The apparatus includes a collecting table, a sliding device for sliding the stacks of packages on the container shelf, and a transfer device for the transfer of the stacks of packages between the collecting table and one end of a further conveyor. The collecting table includes an endless collecting table conveyor and the transfer device includes an endless conveyor assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring eggs from a first roller conveyor (1) to a second conveyor (2), with an orienting operation taking place during the transfer, so that the eggs on the second conveyor (2) are all oriented with their points to one side, the rollers (3) of the first roller conveyor being substantially hourglass-shaped and comprising a roller center part (3a) which is substantially cylindrical, the apparatus comprising pre-orienting devices (4) for bringing the eggs on the first roller conveyor (1) into a pre-oriented position (A), the apparatus being provided with a transfer conveyor (5) having grippers (6) which are each adapted to pick up an egg from the pre-oriented position (A), the grippers (6) being adapted to bring the eggs into an aligned position (C) and to transfer the eggs from the aligned position (C) to the second conveyor (2).

Abstract: A probe for an egg-testing device includes a probe tube with an annular magnet disposed at a bottom end thereof. In the probe tube, a spherical excitation member is magnetically retained by the annular magnet. The probe is axially movable in a metal tube around which a bobbin is wound. In a rest position, the probe is retained by the magnetic attractive force between the metal tube and the annular magnet. The probe is brought into an operating position by an excitation pulse supplied to the bobbin, which pulse is provided by a control unit, taking into account the diameter of an egg to be tested and the conveying speed of a conveyor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an endless conveyor following a convex contour for use in cooperation with a discharge/feed conveyor. The endless conveyor comprises a number of article holders, such as grippers, for receiving therein discrete articles, such as fruit or eggs. The endless conveyor includes a first conveyor part, which moves continuously in operation, and a second conveyor part, which moves intermittently in operation. The first conveyor part, at a first conveyor part end thereof, is bounded by a return wheel having a stationary rotary shaft. The return wheel is also rotatably drivable for driving the endless conveyor. The first conveyor is positioned to move substantially tangential to the direction of movement of the discharge conveyor, which is also continuously movable, such that the difference in speed between the discharge/feed conveyor and the first conveyor part is substantially zero.

Abstract: An apparatus for candling eggs travelling along a path for the presence of blood, comprising a lightproof drum which is drivable for rotation around a fixed shaft and wherein detection means are accommodated, the drum having a number of light transmission openings which each have a bellows, the drum in operation having a rotational speed so that the ends of the bellows remote from the drum have a speed corresponding to the speed of travel of the eggs, the drum with the bellows being positioned relative to the path of travel so that in operation, each time during a part of the path of travel of the eggs, the bellows connect to an egg to be inspected, while the detection means are positioned in the drum so that they only receive light that falls into the drum via the egg which is to be inspected and to which the bellows connects, and via the light transmission opening associated with that bellows.

Abstract: An automatic egg shelling machine has a plurality of operative lines that are arranged to be side-by-side and driven by a common drive motor. Each of the operative lines extends in a substantially vertical plane. The operative lines receive eggs from an egg feeding station, and are moved in conveyor fashion along a closed loop. A number of hinged compact groups are distributed along each one of the lines for receiving the eggs from the egg feeding station and breaking the shells of the eggs. The compact groups collect the yolk and the albumen thereof separately.

Abstract: An apparatus for breaking and opening eggs and for removing and catching the yolks and whites thereof. A first conveyor is adapted to travel in a first direction of travel. Supply belts supply eggs to the first conveyor. Egg carriers are operably connected to the first conveyor for carrying eggs supplied from the supply belts. Egg receiving members are operably connected to each egg carrier for receiving eggs carried by each carrier. An egg opening element is operably associated with each egg carrier for breaking and opening eggs received by the egg receiving members. A second conveyor is adapted to travel underneath and in alignment with at least a portion of travel of the first conveyor. Egg holders are operably connected to the second conveyor. Cup members are operably connected to each egg holder for catching the yolk and white of the eggs openable by the opening element.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving or transferring, vertically transporting and delivering articles such as eggs. The apparatus provides a feed conveyor (2) for presenting successive articles (5) in oriented position and an endless, continuously movable and substantially vertically arranged carrier conveyor (9) for receiving the articles successively presented by the feed conveyor. The carrier conveyor (9) is equipped for retaining and supporting the articles (5) during the vertical transport by way of a fixed guideway (11), extending in the direction of transport, over which the article (5) can move in sliding fashion and which supports the article on one side, as well as a support member (10) pivotally mounted on the carrier conveyor (9), which member supports the article (5) on the opposite side and keeps it pressed against the guideway (11).