Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically measuring the volume of a succession of individual, generally spherical fruit, each located in a separate receptacle of a conveyor. A pair of linear, coplanar arrays of phototransducers are arranged to view a narrow examining region from orthogonal directions as the conveyor moves the fruit through it, and each array is read at regular intervals of time to produce a plurality of pairs of orthogonal width measurements for each fruit, each pair of measurements corresponding to a separate narrow cross section of the fruit. A microprocessor multiplies together each measurement pair and sums together the successive products to produce a measure of the fruit's volume. In addition, the microprocessor compares the maximum width measurement for each fruit with a count of the number of cross sections for the fruit, to ensure that the volume measurement is based on just a single item of fruit.

Abstract: A solid essential oil flavor composition having a high essential oil content and a process for preparing the product are disclosed, the process involving preparation of a heated or cooked aqueous mixture of a sugar and starch hydrolysate together with an emulsifier. A selected essential oil or other oil-soluble flavor is combined and blended with a mixture in a closed vessel under controlled pressure conditions to form a homogeneous melt, the melt being extruded into a relatively cool solvent, dried and combined with a selected anticaking agent to produce the stable, relatively non-hygroscopic particulate flavor composition of the invention. The selected quantity of essential oil flavor blended into the homogeneous melt being sufficient to yield about 12 to 35% by weight of essential oil in the encapsulated solid particulate composition. During the process, encapsulation efficiency is maintained preferably at or above about 60%, more preferably above about 70% and most preferably above about 75 to 80%.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for high-speed processing of fruit or the like wherein the fruit is initially accumulated and aligned at a pick-up point for capture in spaced-apart pockets of a singulation conveyor at the pick-up point to maintain the fruit in predetermined linear spacing and to accelerate the fruit to a predetermined processing speed, a processing conveyor being operated at a synchronized speed relative to the singulation conveyor for receiving the individual units of fruit, the fruit being carried in trays past a sensor station after which the fruit is discharged from the trays into one of a plurality of discharge passages according to the individual characteristics of the fruit units. A preferred construction for accumulating and aligning the fruit at the pick-up point comprises multiple interconnecting ramps of different inclinations to further assure a continuous supply of fruit at the pick-up point.

Abstract: Apparatus for picking up and transferring layers of round food articles and the like is disclosed including movable pickup heads mounted on a carriage, each pickup head comprising a vacuum manifold or plenum forming multiple openings on a lower surface and adapted for developing low vacuum, high flow rate conditions variant, a vacuum cup mounted in each of the openings and having a bellows-like construction for permitting expansion and contraction along its axis, a flexible base portion of the vacuum cup forming a seal surface for engagement with one of the round food articles, the vacuum cup also forming a relatively large orifice for permitting relatively unrestricted communication between the vacuum cup and the plenum upon engagement of the vacuum cup with a food article in order to very rapidly produce a vacuum within the cup for causing adherence of the food article. The vacuum cup is also particularly adapted for assuring that the food article is retained upon the vacuum cup until released.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for illuminating a surface to provide a desired light intensity. The light intensity at discrete points along the illuminated surface is measured through a light transparent material, and opaque materials are applied to the transparent material to block out some of the light and thereby produce a light filter such that the desired intensity at each of the discrete points along the surface is obtained. An oscilliscope, or alternatively, a computer display to indicate light intensity are used.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for making a relatively stable non-hygroscopic solid juice composition as well as a product of the process. The process comprises the steps of clarifying and concentrating a selected aqueous juice to a minimum concentration of about 85.degree. BRIX, separately mixing together a sugar and a starch hydrolysate having a maximum dextrose equivalent of about 20, heating the mixture to about its boiling point and blending the mixture and the aqueous juice in relative amounts to form a homogeneous melt. The melt is then extruded into a relatively cool liquid solvent, such as isopropanol, to convert the melt into an extruded solid. The extruded solids are then ground into particles, separated from excess solvent, combined with a selected anti-caking agent and dried to form the aqueous juice composition into a relatively stable particulate solid of superior amorphous quality.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for grading articles, particularly lemons, according to their surface color. The apparatus measures each lemon's reflectance in infrared, red and green wavelength bands, and computes the ratio of the red and infrared measurements and the ratio of the red and green measurements. If the red/infrared ratio is less than a prescribed crossover threshold, the apparatus compares the red/infrared ratio to a first set of thresholds, to grade the lemon into either a very dark green, dark green or light green color grade. Conversely, if the red/infrared color ratio is greater than the crossover threshold, the apparatus compares the red/green ratio to a second set of thresholds, to grade the lemon into either a silver, tree-ripe or bronzy color grade.

Abstract: Apparatus for packing layers of objects into a box, wherein a pickup head equipped with multiple vacuum cups picks up a layer of the objects and descends into the box. The box is initially positioned in a packing station in an approximately correct position relative to the path of descent of the pickup head and as the pickup head approaches the top of the box, a chute structure is provided in which four guide panels snap into engagement with the four inner walls, respectively, of the box for four purposes: (1) to position the box precisely correctly relative to the path of descent of the pickup head; (2) to crowd the layer of objects on the pickup head together to conform to the dimensions of the box; (3) to guide the pickup head into the box; and (4) to serve as guards to prevent damage to the descending objects by the rim of the box.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing ink indicia on objects such as fruit and the like, which includes a conveyor to successively deliver the objects to a printing station where the indicia are applied to the respective objects by inked printing dies carried by a printing roller, the objects then being preferably discharged by the conveyor onto an appropriate receiver for collection or for moving them to a further processing station. In order to permit a rapid selection and interchange of inks having different characteristics, a plurality of inking rolls respectively charged with the different inks are carried by a turret assembly which is rotatable to engage a selected inking roll with the printing roller. The inking rolls are arranged to be axially reciprocated relative to the die roll, and are also adjustable to vary the engagement pressure between each of the inking rolls and the die roll.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grading and sorting articles, particularly fruit, according to size, surface blemish and surface color. Fruit is passed sequentially through a camera array which scans the surface of each fruit and measures the intensity of light reflected from successive discrete surface segments. Significant differences between such measured intensities are detected and a measurement of surface blemish is generated in accordance therewith. Size measurements are derived by counting the total number of segments in the surface of each fruit. Color measurements are derived by averaging the ratio of red light intensity to infrared light intensity reflected from each of a plurality of surface areas of each fruit. The fruit are separated and delivered to separate receivers by a mechanism responsive to the size, blemish and color measurements of the respective fruit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grading and sorting articles, particularly fruit, according to size, surface blemish and surface color. Fruit is passed sequentially through a camera array which scans the surface of each fruit and measures the intensity of light reflected from successive discrete surface segments. Significant differences between such measured intensities are detected and a measurement of surface blemish is generated in accordance therewith. Size measurements are derived by counting the total number of segments in the surface of each fruit. Color measurements are derived by averaging the ratio of red light intensity to infrared light intensity reflected from each of a plurality of surface areas of each fruit. The fruit are separated and delivered to separate receivers by a mechanism responsive to the size, blemish and color measurements of the respective fruit.

Abstract: An improvement is described for beverage dispensers of the type having a housing, a valve spout for dispensing the liquid beverage, a pump for delivering the beverage to the valve spout and a tank replaceably disposed in the housing for containing the liquid beverage, the improvement consisting of a receptacle element being fixedly mounted upon the housing in order to locate a receiver for sliding engagement and disengagement with an outlet on the tank as the tank is disposed in the housing or removed therefrom. The receptacle element also includes an actuator for opening a check valve in the tank outlet and permitting communication of liquid beverage from the tank to the pump when the tank outlet is in engagement with the receiver of the receptacle element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for grading and sorting articles, particularly fruit, according to size, surface blemish and surface color. Fruit is passed sequentially through a camera array which scans the surface of each fruit and measures the intensity of light reflected from successive discrete surface segments. Significant differences between such measured intensities are detected and a measurement of surface blemish is generated in accordance therewith. Size measurements are derived by counting the total number of segments in the surface of each fruit. Color measurements are derived by averaging the ratio of red light intensity to infrared light intensity reflected from each of a plurality of surface areas of each fruit. The fruit are separated and delivered to separate receivers by a mechanism responsive to the size, blemish and color measurements of the respective fruit.

Abstract: Method for labeling objects including fruits supplied to a labeling station by an endless conveyor. Labels on a carrier tape are moved from a supply reel by a knurled roller which impresses a surface weakening pattern on each label so it will readily conform to a non-planar surface of the object. The tape is formed into a feed storage loop by an oscillatable tension regulating arm which controls actuation and deactuation of the knurled roller. An indexing tape segment passes through an indexing block in a transfer station, where each entering label is sensed by a detector. Indexing movement of the tape is initiated by an object detector on the conveyor. Indexing moves the tape around a sharp bend to strip the detected label from the tape and position it in a label holding frame.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing an indicium on objects, fruits and the like with an ink which may or may not be water soluble, but which is preferably of a type which may be readily consumed by humans without damaging effect, the fruit being successively pre-oriented and delivered by a conveyor to a printing station where inked printing dies carried by a printing roller are utilized to apply the indicia, after which the fruit is then discharged from the conveyor in a free-fall trajectory path onto a receiver, an air-brush type nozzle being utilized to jet-spray the indicium with a quick drying sealant coating as the fruit is moved through the trajectory path. The spray nozzle is directed towards a collecting opening having a connection with a suction source. Also, a selector valve is provided to permit disconnection of the coating material supply to the nozzle, and connection of the nozzle to a supply of cleaning solvent.

Abstract: A flow control or flow diverging gate assembly for a conveyor having a sidewall interrupted by an opening along its length, a flow diverting gate or shear being pivotably mounted in the opening and extendable and retractable in length, the unpivoted end of the gate being guided by track means including a first guide portion parallel with the sidewall and second guide portion traversing the conveyor, movement of the gate along the first guide portion providing a variable opening in the side wall to relieve overflow on the belt, movement of the gate along the second guide portion intercepting a portion of the flow path along the conveyor to selectively reduce the flow of articles therealong.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for the counting of objects and in particular fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and the like, which are randomly continuously presented by a conveyor or other means to a counting area in which the objects are illuminated. An image of the counting area and illuminated objects is optically reproduced on a self-scanning photodiode array which generates a series of output analog video signals corresponding to the light intensity on each of the photodiodes. These analog signals are amplified and compared with a voltage that is approximately 60% of the peak voltage value from the array, to provide an output binary signal pulse having a digital logic value of "1", when the video signal is above the 60% value, and a value of "O" when below the 60% value.

Abstract: Apparatus for labeling objects including fruits supplied to a labeling station by an endless conveyor. Labels on a carrier tape are moved from a supply reel by a knurled roller which impresses a surface weakening pattern on each label so it will readily conform to a non-planar surface of the object. The tape is formed into a feed storage loop by an oscillatable tension regulating arm which controls actuation and deactuation of the knurled roller. An indexing tape segment passes through an indexing block in a transfer station, where each entering label is sensed by a detector. Indexing movement of the tape is initiated by an object detector on the conveyor. Indexing moves the tape around a sharp bend to strip the detected label from the tape and position it in a label holding frame.