Abstract: Apparatus for assessing the condition of fruit or vegetables comprises a transducer (22) which is brought into contact with the surface of fruit or vegetable (12) in a tapping motion. The transducer (22), where it contacts the fruit or vegetable's surface is generally curved in shape to ensure accuracy of measurement over a relatively wide range of angles of impact with the fruit or vegetable (12). The transducer (22) can be delivered to and away from the fruit or vegetable surface by an air controlled bellows arrangement.

Abstract: A labeling apparatus is provided. The labeling apparatus includes a detachable label cassette which presents labels to be attached to fruit and/or vegetables and a label applicator which receives the label and applies it to the fruit and/or vegetables. Label strip is pulled off the label cassette by a label drive mechanism and the movement of the applicator is driven by an applicator drive mechanism both of which include stepper motor drives. A control arrangement controls both the label drive mechanism and the applicator drive mechanism and the control arrangement includes a memory device which stores parameters relating to different labels. The use of stepper motors in the drives and the use of a memory in the control arrangement makes it possible to provide for automatic set up on initiation or label change.

Abstract: An assembly for measuring the condition of fruit and vegetable is disclosed which comprises an expandable resilient bellows arrangement (10) having a passive sensor (22) mounted therein. In use, the bellows (10) can be expanded so as to bring the passive sensor (22) into contact with, or adjacent to, and item of fruit or vegetable whereby the sensor can react to a property of the fruit or vegetable and produces a signal related to that property. The bellows (10) can the be contracted away from the fruit or vegetable. The sensor (22) can detect the properties of, for example, surface gas detection, chlorophyll fluorescence, visible and Near Infra Red spectrometry and change transfer. An arrangement is also disclosed in which a plurality of bellows (10) are mounted on a rotatable mounting (510) whereby by rotation of the mounting (510), the bellows (10) can be brought sequentially into a position in contact with, or adjacent to, a respective fruit or vegetable.

Abstract: A label strip comprising a longitudinally divided strip of release paper and a plurality of labels disposed at intervals along the strip and spanning the division in the release paper. Imperfectly printed labels are also divided preferably in the same location as the release paper, so that upon separation of the parts of the release paper, the imperfectly printed labels are also separated and remain adhered to the release paper.

Abstract: A machine particularly for applying labels to non-uniform items such as fruit and vegetables, the labels being provided along a carrier strip and the carrier strip having profiled edges, said machine including means for separating the labels from the carrier, a profiled means, such as a profiled roller, engageable with the edges of the carrier to advance the carrier strip from a storage means to the separating means.