Abstract: A method of determining the rate of flow of a flowable material, particulate or liquid, through a flowable material passageway, comprising causing the material passing through the passageway to move downwardly by gravity slowing the downward movement of material as compared to free falling gravitational movement measuring the weight of material passing slowly downwardly with respect to the passageway; causing an electronic signal to be generated in response to the magnitude of the weight measuring; and connecting the electronic signal to a read out display to reflect the flow rate of material with respect to units of weight with respect to units of time.

Abstract: A method of determining the rate of flow of a flowable material, particulate or liquid, through a flowable material passageway, comprising causing the material passing through the passageway to move downwardly by gravity slowing the downward movement of material as compared to free falling gravitational movement measuring the weight of material passing slowly downwardly with respect to the passageway; causing an electronic signal to be generated in response to the magnitude of the weight measuring; and connecting the electronic signal to a read out display to reflect the flow rate of material with respect to units of weight with respect to units of time.

Abstract: A method of determining the rate of flow of a flowable material, particulate or liquid, through a flowable material passageway, comprising causing the material passing through the passageway to move downwardly by gravity slowing the downward movement of material as compared to free falling gravitational movement measuring the weight of material passing slowly downwardly with respect to the passageway; causing an electronic signal to be generated in response to the magnitude of the weight measuring; and connecting the electronic signal to a read out display to reflect the flow rate of material with respect to units of weight with respect to units of time.

Abstract: A flexible system for determining the quality of pharmaceutical products based on characteristics such as, for example, mass, shape, hardness, size, color and surface texture is disclosed herein. The quality determination apparatus includes a feeder assembly for sequentially dropping individual product samples upon an impact transducer arrangement. The impact transducer generates transducer signals indicative of the physical characteristics of each product sample. In addition, an imaging device operates to synthesize a digital image representation of each product sample. The transducer signal and digital image representation corresponding to each product are analyzed so as to determine the appropriate degree of quality to be associated therewith.

Abstract: A flexible system for determining the quality of agricultural products based on characteristics such as, for example, mass, shape, hardness, size, color and surface texture is disclosed herein. The quality determination apparatus includes a feeder assembly for sequentially dropping individual product samples upon an impact transducer arrangement. The impact transducer generates transducer signals indicative of the physical characteristics of each product sample. In addition, an imaging device operates to synthesize a digital image representation of each product sample. The transducer signal and digital image representation corresponding to each product are analyzed so as to determine the appropriate degree of quality to be associated therewith.

Abstract: A system for gravity table separation including a gravity table for separating materials and a detector operatively associated with the gravity table for detecting the movement of control particles with respect to the gravity table during its operation. The control particles are of a known characteristic. By calibrating the desired movement of the control particles through the table, any misalignment or deviance of that movement during operation is detected, and adjustments can be made to the operation of the table to bring the control particles back to the desired movement. The separation process can then be controlled to bring about optimum efficiency. Also, the detector can be interfaced with a control component which can automatically adjust the operation of the table in response to whether the control particles are following the desired movement through the table.

Abstract: A cleaning system is provided for separating desired material from undesirable material in a mixture of particulate materials. The system includes an inlet for receiving the mixture of materials and an outlet for discharging the desired materials. At least one screen is provided for separating undersized material from oversized material within the mixture, and at least one vacuum air-lift is provided for separating the lighter material from the heavier material within the mixture. A first sensor is mounted below the discharge end of the screen for sensing the quantity of undersized material separated by the screen and a second sensor is mounted in the air-lift for sensing the quantity of lighter materials separated by the air-lift. The signals generated by the sensors can be received by a processing unit which adjusts the extent of separation by the screen and by the air-lift to achieve the desired efficiency of the cleaning system.