Abstract: Advertisements are provided on precise areas of the outer surfaces of eggs. Dispensing apparatus such as an ink jet is spaced from the eggs and transfers advertisement material to the eggs. Egg handling structure is adapted to lift eggs and move them generally parallel with the long axes thereof and rotate the eggs about said axes to accurately position the eggs relative to the dispensing apparatus. The dispensing apparatus may be used at various locations on a conventional egg grading machine and structure is provided to support the eggs in uniform position relative to dispensing apparatus to precisely apply advertisements. Sorting apparatus sorts the eggs according to their vertical position on such a machine and employs adjustable guide structure having tiltable tips to prevent damage.

Abstract: A weighing device having an endless track to which balances are connected, the track having a region for loading the balances with objects, and a region for letting the movement of the balances during weighing of the objects dampen out so that the balances reach an end position. A position detector disposed at a fixed location along the track detects the end position of the balance and provides an indication of the end position in digital form so that the weight of the objects can be determined therefrom. The detector can take a number of forms including the combination of an optical contrast and a camera and, in addition, can, for example, utilize reed switches, Hall generators, Weigand effect detectors or magnetostrictive detectors in measuring the end positions of the balances.

Abstract: Device for grading or sorting objects such as eggs, provided with weighing devices which are located in at least two mutually parallel endless tracks and are adapted to be moved one after the other by conveying members along said tracks, each of said weighing devices being provided with a dischargeable gripper. Along said tracks devices being mounted for feeding objects to said grippers, each of said tracks having a part (A) in which said weighing devices are free to reach an equilibrium position and further separate discharge stations being provided near each of said tracks, each of said stations being allotted to a predetermined weight class of the objects.