Abstract: A mechanical rejection mechanism for an automatic sorting machine has an inclined surface along which the objects to be sorted move by gravity. A separate section of the surface is movable outwardly by an operating mechanism responsive to an upstream sensor to push rejected objects off the surface toward a reject collecting station.

Abstract: A produce grading system that detects the light reflectances from an object in four color bands. Two bands are in the visible range and two are in the invisible range. By means of comparing various color combinations the system looks for the presence of a desired color, an undesired color, and determines if the object is vegetable or nonvegetable matter.

Abstract: A produce grading system that detects the light reflectance from an object in four color bands. Two bands are in the visible range and two are in the invisible range. By comparing various color combinations the system looks for the presence of a desired color, an undesired color, and determines if the object is vegetable or nonvegetable matter.

Abstract: A sorting machine for sorting ground nuts affected by a mould which produces aflatoxin comprises detectors for detecting infra-red (or red) and green light respectively reflected from a ground nut being viewed. The infra-red detector produces a first signal indicative of the amount of mould carried by the ground nut. The green detector produces a signal indicative of the extent to which the ground nut is mechanically damaged, and also produces a gating signal. A comparison signal is derived from these first and second signals and is passed by way of a gate and a level detector to an ejector. The gating signal controls the operation of the gate in dependence upon the extent to which the ground nut being viewed is mechanically damaged, so that the ejector is actuated by comparison signals of a predetermined level only when the extent to which the ground nut is mechanically damaged does not exceed a predetermined value.