Abstract: A system for washing a stream of eggs which are uniformly distributed on m feed rows of a transport device and assume well-defined positions thereon, comprising—a feeding section, having, at least at the location of the washing of the eggs, m feed rows with the eggs on diabolos which are attached to cross axes whose ends are connected to endless chains, a washing device through which the eggs on the feed rows are passed and washed,—a dirt detection device for testing the washed eggs for residues of dirt, whereby, according to a well-determined procedure carried out by, for instance, a computer, each egg is assigned a dirt grade, while the washed eggs are passed on the feed rows along the detection device, a discharge device to which are allocated, in accordance with and following said procedure, those eggs whose dirt grade has exceeded a predetermined limit, and which discharges them as dirty eggs from the feed rows, while the other eggs proceed as clean eggs on a follow-on conveyor virtually from the dischar

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first conveyor and a second conveyor, the first and the second conveyor being arranged in line with each other, having the same conveying direction and, in use, having substantially the same conveying speed, while between the first and the second conveyor a pattern former is arranged which is adapted to pick up products supplied by the first conveyor and, while maintaining the forward conveying speed, to place the products on the second conveyor, the pattern former being provided with steering means to displace each product in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, and optionally reorient it, between the pickup and placement of the product.

Abstract: A system for washing a stream of eggs which are uniformly distributed on m feed rows of a transport device and assume well-defined positions thereon, comprising—a feeding section, having, at least at the location of the washing of the eggs, m feed rows with the eggs on diabolos which are attached to cross axes whose ends are connected to endless chains, a washing device through which the eggs on the feed rows are passed and washed,—a dirt detection device for testing the washed eggs for residues of dirt, whereby, according to a well-determined procedure carried out by, for instance, a computer, each egg is assigned a dirt grade, while the washed eggs are passed on the feed rows along the detection device, a discharge device to which are allocated, in accordance with and following said procedure, those eggs whose dirt grade has exceeded a predetermined limit, and which discharges them as dirty eggs from the feed rows, while the other eggs proceed as clean eggs on a follow-on conveyor virtually from the dischar

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for determining vibration characteristics of vibrated, supported, generally round, substantially ellipsoid articles, such as eggs, comprising: an elastic hammer with handle and head, for tapping and thereby acoustically vibrating such article, a handle drive element for reciprocating the hammer generally in a plane around an axis in the handle, a microphone arranged immediately adjacent to and directed to the article, for picking up acoustic vibrations generated by the article, and a signal processing means for processing the signals picked up by the microphone for determining vibration characteristics of the article, characterized in that the handle adjacent the axis consists of an arm portion to be driven which is connected, through a hinge element, with a handle end having at the extremity thereof a mount having therein a ball as a head, while at least the hinge element and the handle end form a hammer rod in one piece.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first conveyor and a second conveyor, the first and the second conveyor being arranged in line with each other, having the same conveying direction and, in use, having substantially the same conveying speed, while between the first and the second conveyor a pattern former is arranged which is adapted to pick up products supplied by the first conveyor and, while maintaining the forward conveying speed, to place the products on the second conveyor, the pattern former being provided with steering means to displace each product in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, and optionally reorient it, between the pickup and placement of the product.

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: This invention relates to a device for determining vibration characteristics of vibrated, supported, generally round, substantially ellipsoid articles, such as eggs, comprising: