The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 07, 1981
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1977
James F Lockett, Houston, TX (US);
Geosource Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A sorting apparatus for sorting articles randomly disposed in an article stream includes a viewer for viewing a predetermined area through which the article stream is passed and for generating an electrical characteristic signal functionally related to the presence of a physical characteristic of the article passing within the viewed area. The electrical characteristic signal is compared to a range of signal values representative of a foreign object. The amount of time during which the characteristic signal falls within the range of signal values during a reference time interval is measured and compared with a time reference standard. An article reject signal is generated if the characteristic signal falls within the predetermined range of signal values for an amount of time exceeding the predetermined time reference standard. The reference time interval is measured from the occurrence of an article-detect signal generated by an article-detect signal generator which signal is representative of the presence of an article within the viewed area. The invention may be implemented in digital or analog format and in a multiplexed or non-multiplexed environment.