Abstract: There is provided a device for individually conveying and rotating pieces within individual cavities for each piece. The device includes a continuous conveyor equipped with a repetitive series of axially mounted brushes matingly cavitatied so as to receive the individual pieces. Rotation of the conveying brushes is effectuated by a mobile or stationary aprons which causes the brushes to rotate. Numerous materials (e.g. labels, etc.) and treating agents (e.g. cleaning, rinsing, waxing, polishing agents, etc.) may be applied to the rotating pieces which permits many diverse processing steps to be conducted upon the conveying and rotating pieces.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique mechanical method and device for sorting pieces (e.g. vegetables and fruits) of any desired size from unsorted and irregularly sized pieces. The device includes a pair of elongated cylindrical brushes, one of which is equipped with a spiraled furrow for propelling the unsorted pieces and another brush being a smooth surfaced bristled brush (an expelling brush) laterally positioned to the propelling brush so as to form a trough between the two brushes for longitudinally moving the pieces. The brushes are rotated in a common rotational direction. A contacting member, such as a pivotally mounted lever, traversing the trough and the smooth surfaced brush and laterally positioned above the trough at a predetermined distance will tangentially contact a piece of a desired sizing and guide the contacted piece along its interfacing surface.