Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the optical sorting of bulk material in a colour-sorting machine while it is conveyed over a transport belt and moves past an observation head with a light source and a product signal receiver arranged in the vicinity of the light source, whereby the reflected light of the image points of the examination material is broken down into several spectral ranges by various colour filters of detection elements lying next to one another of a line of the receiver and the examination material is sorted on the basis of the colour values (measured value of the intensity in the colour in question).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for the determination of the filling capacity of tobacco and the hardness of cigarettes includes a container containing tobacco compressed by a test plunger driven in a pre-set manner by a motor, such that the force exerted on the tobacco is measured and passed to a computer. The length of the tobacco column is also measured. After the compression movement of the test plunger and while it rests in its end position for a relaxation period, the force acting on the tobacco is measured at pre-set time intervals and signals indicative thereof are passed on to the computer. The temperature and the moisture of the tobacco are determined, enabling the measured values to be adjusted to reflect standard conditions. The apparatus for determining the hardness of cigarettes differs from the apparatus for the determination of the filling capacity of tobacco only in the construction of the test plunger and the sample holder.

Abstract: To determine the filling capacity of tobacco, a predetermined quantity of tobacco is filled into a volume of known cross-section forming part of a press, closed on one side by a movable plunger, and the length of the tobacco column and the force acting on the tobacco during compression of the tobacco by the plunger are measured as a function of time. The output data are processed by at least one computer while the tobacco is being packed into packaging containers by means of the press. The length of the tobacco column is determined from the measured distance covered by the movable plunger of the press which compresses the tobacco and in doing so moves it into the packaging container. The force acting on the tobacco is measured from the pressure required to drive the plunger, or from the supporting force required to hold the packaging container, or from the force occurring at the plunger or its drive elements.