Article carrier for a grading apparatus

An article carrier (1) includes a mount (3) for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor. A carrier frame (4) is located over the mount and is movable about a pivot (5) so as to be locatable in a carriage position, in which articles (2) may be supported on the carrier frame (4), and an ejection position, in which articles (2) are ejected from the carrier frame (4). The apparatus further includes a locking member (6); wherein when the carrier frame (4) is located in the carriage position, the locking member (6) is locatable in a first position that prevents movement of the carrier frame (4) about the pivot (5) and is movable into a second position that releases the carrier frame (4), allowing the carrier frame (4) to move about the pivot. When the locking member (6) is located in the first position to prevent movement of the carrier frame, the locking member is not under load. The article carrier (1) may be used as part of a grading apparatus.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase of PCT/NZ2004/000016 filed on 30 Jan. 2004 which claims priority to New Zealand Patent Application No. 523931 filed on 31 Jan. 2003, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to article carriers for use in a grading apparatus and in particular, but not exclusively to carriers used as part of a grading apparatus for articles such as fruit.

BACKGROUND

Article carriers are often used in fruit graders to transport fruit through various measurement stages for grading purposes and to eject fruit at a required location dependent on the result of the grading process. Such article carriers usually include an endless circuit of carriers or cups on a conveyor chain with the cups situated to unload fruit at one of a plurality of stations.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,132 (Maier) describes a carriage for goods that is provided with a tilting device that is fastened to a carriage frame and is equipped with a push rod which is used to tilt a transporting tray disposed on a horizontal shaft. The tray can be tilted in either direction. The carriage includes a large number of components and the push rod necessarily travels with the carriage, increasing the complexity and cost of the carriage.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,807 (Leverett) describes a cup that is freely pivotable at one end about a tow bar. The cup is supported in a horizontal position by a pin that rides on an upper camming surface that includes drop spaces. Bridge struts allow the cup to ride over the drop spaces. The cup can only discharge articles in one direction.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,394 (Blanc) describes a two roller carriage that can tilt in one direction. The carriages include a lug that slide on a cam, causing lateral tilting of the carriage for article discharge.

The article carrier described in international publication no. WO 94/14547 (Horticultural Automation Limited) allows unloading to both sides of a conveyor, allowing increased unloading points for a given length of conveyor over a carrier that ejects to one side only. The contents of the carriers are also substantially shifted sideways rather than being “kicked” or dropped, which may result in improvements in fruit quality.

While carriers of the type described in WO 94/14547 have been successfully used for article carriage and ejection, some inaccuracies have been found to occur, which increase the reject volumes and product recycling. Furthermore, particular fruit sizes and shapes can introduce instability to the carrier. In particular if large misshapen fruit is carried by the carrier in a position that creates an off-centre load, it is possible that the opposite side of the carrier to the centre of gravity of the load may be lifted, resulting in some lateral movement of the carrier in the direction of the off-centre load, which increases the instability and may result in spontaneous tipping of the carrier.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an article carrier that has advantages over article carriers at present, or at least to provide the public with a useful alternative.

Any reference in this specification to the prior art does not constitute an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article carrier including means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor, a carrier frame located over said means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor and freely movable about a pivot so as to be locatable in a carriage position, in which articles may be supported on the carrier frame, and an ejection position, in which articles are ejected from the carrier frame, and a locking member, wherein when the carrier frame is located in the carriage position, the locking member is locatable in a first position that prevents movement of the carrier frame about said pivot and is movable vertically into a second position that releases the carrier frame, allowing the carrier frame to move about the pivot.

Preferably, the carrier frame may be shaped and positioned relative to the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor so as to hold articles located thereon substantially centred vertically of the pivot when the carrier frame is in the carriage position. Preferably, when an article is located on said carrier frame, substantially no weight of the article is borne by the locking member.

Preferably, the locking member may be secured to the carrier frame so as to move with the carrier frame about the pivot and includes a portion that extends to both sides of the pivot, whereby at least after the completion of vertical movement of the locking member from the first position to the second position, motive force applied to the locking member in the direction of the second position acts to cause the carrier frame to move about the pivot.

Preferably, the carrier frame may be movable from the carriage position in either direction about said pivot so as to be operable to eject articles located thereon to either side of the article carrier.

In one embodiment, the carrier frame may be adapted to hold articles thereon so as to be centred in a plane horizontally offset of the pivot when the carrier frame is in the carriage position and wherein the carrier frame can pivot about said pivot in the direction of said article when the locking member is in the second position.

Preferably, the carrier frame may be dissociable from the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor the pivot by disassembling said pivot. The locking member may include a catch to maintain the carrier frame over the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor when the carrier frame is disassociated from the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor. Also, the carrier frame may include at least one support surface allowing the carrier frame to rest on a weigh bridge when it is disassociated from the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor. The carrier frame may further include a roller, whereby the roller can be raised by disassembling the pivot and the carrier frame is shaped and dimensioned so that when the roller is raised to a certain extent, articles can be supported predominantly or solely by the rollers of two adjacent article carriers.

Preferably, the locking member is movable vertically by a direct force applied thereto.

Preferably, the locking member in use may interlock the carrier frame and means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor through at least one projection engaging with at least one stop.

Preferably, the locking member may include at least one downwardly extending projection that engages with a stop provided on the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor and wherein the one or more projections move over the top of said stop when the locking member is moved to the second position.

Preferably, the locking member may be engaged with the carrier frame and move with the carrier frame about said pivot.

Preferably, in use, when the article carrier is in the carriage position, the locking member may tend to move into the first position due to gravity and is movable upwards to enter the second position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article carrier including means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor, a carrier frame located over said mounting means and freely movable about a pivot so as to be locatable in a carriage position, in which articles may be supported on the carrier frame, and an ejection position, in which articles are ejected from the carrier frame, and a movable locking member, wherein when the carrier frame is located in the carriage position, the vertical component of the weight of an article located on the carrier frame is borne by the carrier frame and means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor, to the exclusion of the locking member and the locking member is locatable in a first position, in which movement of the carrier frame about said pivot is prevented and is locatable, by a direct force applied to the locking member, in a second position, in which the carrier frame can move about the pivot.

Preferably, the locking member may include at least one arm extending laterally of the pivot to which the direct linear force is applied to move the locking member from the first position to the second position.

In one embodiment, the carrier frame may be shaped and positioned relative to the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor so as to hold articles located thereon substantially centred vertically of the pivot when the carrier frame is in the carriage position.

In another embodiment, the carrier frame may be adapted to hold articles thereon so as to be centred in a plane horizontally offset of the pivot when the carrier frame is in the carriage position and wherein the carrier frame can pivot about said pivot in the direction of said article when the locking member is in the second position.

Preferably, the pivot may be able to the disassembled, whereby the carrier frame may be disassociated from the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor by removing the protrusion from the slot. The locking member may include a catch to maintain the carrier frame over the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor when the carrier frame is disassociated from the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor. The carrier frame may include at least one support surface allowing the carrier frame to rest on a weigh bridge when it is disassociated from the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor. Also, the carrier frame may include a roller, whereby the roller can be raised by disassembling the pivot and the carrier frame is shaped and dimensioned so that when the roller is raised to a certain extent, articles can be supported solely by the rollers of two adjacent article carriers.

Preferably, in use, when the article carrier is in the carriage position, the locking member may tend to move into the first position due to gravity and is movable upwards to enter the second position.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article carrier including a base portion engaged or engageable with a conveyor, a carrier portion removably pivotally engageable with the base portion, and a latch extending between the base portion and carrier portion that is pivotally and/or slidably engaged at a first end to the carrier portion and operable to interlock the carrier portion and base portion when in a first position and release the carrier portion and base portion when moved away from the first position, wherein in use, the latch includes a catch that, when the carrier portion is not pivotally engaged with the base portion, maintains the carrier portion over the base portion.

Preferably, the latch may be secured to the carrier portion and include one or more downwardly extending projections that engage with a stop provided on said base portion and wherein the one or more projections move over the top of said stop when the latch is moved to the second position.

Preferably, the carrier portion may include at least one support surface, allowing the carrier portion to rest on a weigh bridge when it is not pivotally engaged with the base portion.

Preferably, the carrier portion may include a roller, whereby the roller can be raised by disassembling the pivot and the carrier portion is shaped and dimensioned so that when the roller is raised to a certain extent, articles can be supported solely by the rollers of two adjacent article carriers.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grading apparatus for articles including an endless conveyor having a plurality of article carriers as defined in either claim1or claim16of the accompanying claims, the grading apparatus including a number of stations for receiving articles from said article carriers and including actuators located at each station and/or provided with each carrier and movable with each carrier, wherein each actuator is operable under the control of a controller to move the locking member from said first position to release the carrier frame from the means for mounting the article carrier to a conveyor.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grading apparatus for articles including an endless conveyor having a plurality of article carriers as defined in claim25of the accompanying claims, the grading apparatus including a number of stations for receiving articles from said article carriers and including actuators located at each station and/or provided with each carrier and movable with each carrier, wherein each actuator is operable under the control of a controller to move the latch from said first position to release the carrier portion from the base portion.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grading apparatus for articles including an endless conveyor having a plurality of article carriers as defined in claim4of the accompanying claims, the grading apparatus including a number of stations for receiving articles from said article carriers and including actuators located at each station and/or provided with each carrier and movable with each carrier, wherein each actuator is operable under the control of a controller to move the locking member upwards away from said first position until it abuts a stop, wherein the actuator is operable to provide an upwards motive force to said locking member after it has abutted said stop, thereby perturbing the carrier frame about the pivot.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article carrier substantially as herein described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 5,FIG. 6orFIGS. 7 to 9of accompanying drawings.

Further aspects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description, given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Throughout the following description, unless specifically indicated otherwise, like reference numerals refer to like components.

FIG. 1shows a front view of an article carrier1according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with an article, in this case an item of fruit2, located thereon. Some details of the article carrier1have been omitted fromFIG. 1for purposes of clarity of explanation.

The article carrier1includes a mounting means3for mounting to an endless conveyor (not shown). The mounting means3shown inFIG. 1may be used to mount the article carrier to a chain linkage. However, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that various other mounting means may be used, particularly where the endless conveyor is not a chain linkage. The article carrier1and endless conveyor may be used in an article grading system, similar to that described in the applicant's international publication number WO 94/14547, which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.

The mounting means3, which may be an integral component or assembled from a plurality of discrete components and may optionally be permanently engaged to a conveyor, may include a clip3A for attachment to a chain of the endless conveyor and includes a stop3B that extends upwards from the clip3A. A carrier frame4is mounted to the mounting means3through a pivot5. The carrier frame4can thus move about the pivot5as indicated by arrow A. The carrier frame4includes a support surface4A on which the item of fruit2is supported and a column4E (seeFIG. 2) separating the support surface4A from the pivot5. In this embodiment, the carrier frame4also includes a roller4C, which allows a rotational force to be applied to the item of fruit2(see herein below), which may be required, for example, to rotate the item of fruit2below an optical sensor. Other carrier frame structures that can support an article and move about a pivot provided in the mounting means may be used, with or without a roller.

The length of the column4E is preferably the minimum possible in order to reduce the height at which item of fruit2is carried and therefore reduce any damage to the fruit that may otherwise occur during tipping of the carrier frame4. The minimum length of the column4E may be constrained by the diameter of the roller4C and its location relative to the chain on which the article carrier1is mounted, as clearance is required to allow the carrier frame4to tip.

A latch or locking member6is engaged to the carrier frame4, or more preferably, as described in more detail herein below with reference toFIGS. 3A and 3B, is engaged between the carrier frame4and mounting means3. InFIG. 1the locking member6is in a first position so as to engage the carrier frame4with the stop3B of the mounting means3. The locking member6is moveable away from the first position upon application thereto of an appropriate motive force. The locking member6may thus be pivotally or slidably engaged with rest of the article carrier1to facilitate this movement from the first position.

The locking member6includes one or more projections for engaging with the mounting means3in an interlocking relationship. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, the locking member includes two projections6A, which engage with the sides of the stop3B when the carrier frame4and locking member6are in the first position. However, the locking member may include one or more than two projections, to enable the interlocking engagement. The locking member6is movable upwards away from the first position, as indicated by arrow B, so that the projections6A disengage with the sides of the stop3B, allowing the carrier frame4to move about the pivot5, with the projections6A passing over top of the stop3B. The mounting means3may alternatively have projections that engage with recesses provided in the carrier frame4.

The pivot5is formed by a projection4D that is removably received by a slot3C of the mounting means3. The slot3C may also act to limit the extent to which the carrier frame4can move about the pivot5. Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that movement of the carrier frame about the pivot5may be limited in other ways, in which case the projection4D and slot3C may both be annular.

Further projections6B and4B may be provided on the locking member6and carrier frame4respectively to guide the movement of the locking member6.

FIGS. 2A-Eshow progressively the tipping action of the article carrier1. InFIG. 2A, the article carrier1is in a carry position, which is the same position as shown inFIG. 1. The carrier frame4is preferably shaped so that the centre of gravity of the item of fruit2is located substantially vertically above the pivot5. The centre of the carrier frame4may be located substantially vertically above the pivot5to assist in the location of the item of fruit in a required position. While it is preferred that the carrier frame4is shaped so as to always hold the item of fruit2in substantially the same position, some variation may occur.

Sideways movement of the carrier frame4is resisted by the projections6A resting against the stop3B. The location of the fruit2directly above the pivot point5reduces the frictional force between the projections6A and stop3B, as the location of the centre of gravity of the fruit, indicated by arrow C, directly above the pivot point minimises the turning moment applied about the pivot5. This may reduce the required actuator power to move the locking member6over prior art tipping mechanisms where the locking member or mechanism bears at least some of the weight of the fruit2. If the fruit centre of gravity is off-centre, the projections6A prevent sideways shift of the carrier frame4and therefore the spontaneous tipping of carriers of the prior art may be avoided. The projections6A and stop3B may be located proximate a vertical line extending from the pivot5in order to reduce the frictional engagement of the locking member6with the mounting means3should the load on the carrier frame4be off-centre.

Referring toFIG. 2B, an actuator7may move up as indicated by arrow D so as to contact an arm6C of the locking member6to move the locking member6away from the first position. This lifts the locking member6away from the first position to the position shown inFIG. 2B, also lifting the projections6A above the stop3B. The carrier frame4is then free to move about the pivot5and assuming that the load is centred on the pivot5, the slightest perturbation will cause the carrier frame4to fall to one side. The actuator7may provide this perturbation by continuing to provide a motive force against the locking member6after it has reached the end of its movement away from the first position, abutting the carrier frame4. If there is friction between the locking member6and carrier frame4, the required perturbation may be provided prior to the locking member6completing its movement. However, in the preferred form of this embodiment, the friction will be minimised due to the locking member6not bearing any weight of an article on the carrier frame, due to the central location of the carrier frame4over the pivot5and the central location of the projections6A.

As best illustrated inFIG. 2C, the actuator7also controls the direction of fall towards the opposite side due to acting to the side of the pivot5. Where the load is centred on the side of the actuator7, increased force is required to shift the centre of gravity to the opposite side of the pivot5in order to control the direction of fall. The fall continues through the position shown inFIG. 2Duntil the protrusion4D contacts the edge of the slot3C, ceasing the movement of the carrier frame4in an ejection position shown inFIG. 2E. The item of fruit2will be ejected from the article carrier1into a suitable receptacle (not shown).

Thus, the actuator7does not need to lift the item of fruit2or the carrier frame4and it does not need to move a locking member that is under load, all it needs to do is lift the locking member6and provide a perturbation to the carrier frame4. This may reduce the required actuator power in comparison to carriers in which the actuator must lift the fruit or remove a pin or equivalent that is under the weight of the fruit. Also, improved reliability may result due to the carrier being stable when it is in the position shown inFIG. 2A, but unstable as soon as the locking member is moved away from its engagement position, allowing relatively small forces to result in the tipping action. Furthermore, the article carrier1and actuator7may be robust, relatively cheap to manufacture and relatively easy to install in comparison to many existing article carriers.

When the article carrier1is mounted to an endless conveyor, the carrier frame4will return to its position shown inFIG. 2Awhen the article carrier1is turned upside down. Suitable guides about the endless conveyor may be provided to maintain the carrier frame in this position while the endless conveyor returns the article carrier1to its vertical position, allowing the projections6A to reengage with the stop3B. The locking member4may be slightly biased downwards, although this is not essential.

The actuator7may be located in a position opposite a station where articles are to be ejected from the article carrier1. Thus, the article carriers1may move on an endless conveyor past a series of actuators located on either side of the endless conveyor. A controller (not shown) may cause a particular actuator7to actuate and move into a position so that the locking member6of a selected article carrier1is pushed away from the first position when the article carrier1is next to it to eject the fruit at that station. Actuators7may be provided on both sides of the endless conveyor, allowing ejection of fruit to either side of the endless conveyor. Alternatively, actuators7may be provided on each article carrier1and move with the article carrier, whereby the control means actuates the required actuator when the article carrier1is located opposite a required ejection station. Although actuators may be provided both at fixed locations and on the article carriers1, this would in most circumstances represent an unnecessary duplication.

Referring toFIGS. 3A and 3B, a side view of the article carrier1is shown. For clarity, the locking member6is shown in partial cutaway form to expose its connection to the carrier frame4and mounting means3. The locking member6in this embodiment extends between the carrier frame4and mounting means3and prevents the carrier frame4from tipping backwards off the mounting means3. In an alternative embodiment, the locking member6may be engaged at both ends to the carrier frame4, with protrusions that extend down to engage with the mounting means3to lock the carrier frame4in position.

FIG. 3Ashows the carrier1in a carry position for transporting any article located on the carrier along the endless conveyor to which the carrier1is attached. The carrier frame4is secured to the locking member6through a pivot7and the locking member6has a catch6D that extends partially about a pivot8extending from the mounting means3. The mounting means3includes a channel3D below the pivot8to allow the catch6D to travel past the mounting means3below the pivot8when the carrier frame4is moving about the pivot5when tipping.

In the carry position, the projection4D extends through the slot3C. In addition, the roller4C rests on a support3E. Therefore, the weight of any article on the carrier4is borne by the mounting means3through the roller4C and column4E and pivot point3F (seeFIG. 5), leaving no loading on the locking member6.

FIG. 3Bshows the article carrier1in a weighing position that enables a weighbridge W, the upper surface of which only is shown for clarity, to measure the weight of an article placed on the carrier frame4. As the article carrier travels in the direction indicated by arrow E, it travels past a weighbridge, which extends past the periphery of the carrier frame4just above the locking member6so as to contact the carrier frame4and force it upwards into the position shown inFIG. 3B. The upwards and backwards movement caused by the weighbridge W causes the protrusion4D to move out of the slot3C as indicated by arrow F. When the article carrier1is in this position, the locking member6performs the additional function of keeping the carrier frame4in location over the mounting means3, allowing the carrier frame4to return to the position shown inFIG. 3Aonce the weighbridge W is removed.

The item of fruit2may be rotated using a drive that contacts the lower edge of the roller4C and the roller of a like article carrier immediately in front of the article carrier1and lifts the roller up past the position shown inFIG. 3Buntil the item of fruit is supported only by the roller4C and the roller of the article carrier in front. The drive can then rotate both rollers in the same direction, causing the item of fruit to rotate. Again, the locking member6performs the function of retaining the carrier frame4over the mounting means3.

Therefore, when the carrier frame4is in the position shown inFIG. 3B, apart from the locking member6acting as a pivotal linkage between the carrier frame4and mounting means3, the carrier frame4is disassociated from the mounting means3. This allows an accurate measure of the weight of an article on the carrier frame4to be measured, which would be the recorded weight less the weight of the carrier frame4, which would be known in advance. Once weighing has been completed, the article carrier1continues moving in direction D off the weighbridge W, allowing the carrier frame4to return to the position shown inFIG. 3A, guided into place by the support3E.

Often processing lines include an optical scanner to assist in grading. Having articles rotate beneath the optical scanner allows an increased surface area to be viewed from a single perspective. The article carrier1facilitates this rotation in combination with an adjacent article carrier. A v-belt (not shown) is provided at a level to contact the roller4C and move it upwards. Like during the weighing operation, this causes the protrusion4D to move out of the slot3C. For rotation, the v-belt pushes the roller4C further upwards than shown inFIG. 3Buntil the articles on the carrier frame4are supported only or predominantly only by two adjacent rollers4C. The v-belt imparts a rotation to the rollers4C, which rotate the fruit.

Fruit that is first loaded onto the rollers, particularly misshapen fruit, may be unstable and require additional support. This may be achieved by guiding the fruit past a soft brush material (not shown) that is located so as to maintain the fruit on the rollers. The soft brush material may be located to either side of the conveyor and may be angled downwards and inwards, so as to form a partial “V” shape centred on the conveyor. The brush material may extend along the conveyor in the region where the rollers are raised for a length of approximately 1-2 metres.

FIG. 4Ashows a front perspective view andFIG. 4Bshows a rear perspective view of the article carrier1, including further details. The mounting means3, carrier frame4and locking member6are shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B.

FIG. 5shows an exploded view of the article carrier1. The article carrier1may be supplied in kitset form with the separate components shown inFIG. 4.

In an alternative embodiment, the locking member6fixedly engaged with the mounting means3so that it remains in position when the carrier frame4tips to either side. In this embodiment the actuator may cause the latch to move downwards to disengage the carrier frame4from the mounting means3and allowing the carrier frame4to move about the pivot5. This embodiment may be less preferred, due to requiring a more complex actuator arrangement.

Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the stop3B, carrier frame4and locking member6may have various shapes and configurations that are still operable to cause the locking member to maintain the carrier frame in a fixed position relative to the mounting means when it is in a first position and allow the carrier frame to move about a pivot when the locking member is moved away from the first position. The actuator used with the present invention may also be varied depending on the shape and configuration used for the stop, carrier frame and locking member.

FIGS. 6A and 6Bshow a front view of an article carrier10according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Some details of the article carrier10have been omitted fromFIGS. 6A and 6Bfor purposes of clarity of explanation. The article carrier10actually includes two article carriers10A and10B, which in use operate to eject fruit to opposing sides of the article carrier10.

The article carrier10includes a single mounting means30for mounting to an endless conveyor (not shown), which may be a chain linkage. The mounting means30, which may be an integral component or assembled from a plurality of discrete components, may include a clip31for attachment to a chain of the endless conveyor. For clarity, the following description refers solely to article carrier10A, with article carrier10B being a mirror image of article carrier10A.

A carrier frame40is mounted to the mounting means30through a pivot (obscured). The location of the pivot is indicated by P inFIGS. 6A and 6B. The carrier frame40can thus move about its pivot as indicated by arrow F. Unlike the carrier frame4of the article carrier1shown inFIG. 1, the carrier frame40can only pivot in one direction and therefore only eject fruit to one side of the article carrier10. The carrier frame40includes a support surface40A on which the item of fruit2is supported and a column40E (obscured) separating the support surface4A from the pivot. The carrier frame40also includes a roller40C, forming part of the support surface40A, which allows a rotational force to be applied to the item of fruit2in the same way as roller4C of article carrier1. Other carrier frame structures that can support an article and move about a pivot provided in the mounting means may be used, with or without a roller.

A locking member60is engaged between the carrier frame40and mounting means30. The locking member60includes projections61and62that engage with the stop32to hold the article carrier10A in the position shown inFIG. 6A. The locking member60is moveable upwards upon application thereto of an appropriate motive force, disengaging the projections61,62from the stop32and allowing the carrier frame40to move about its pivot. The locking member60may thus be pivotally or slidably engaged with rest of the article carrier10A to facilitate this upwards movement. Projection61may be omitted if the carrier frame40is prevented from pivoting to the right by another stop.

The article carrier10A positions the fruit outside of the location of the pivot and is therefore inherently instable. Therefore, as soon as the locking member60is raised sufficiently for the projections61and62to clear the stop32, the carrier frame40moves to the position shown inFIG. 6Band the fruit2is ejected. The movement of the carrier frame40may be stopped by the roller40C contacting the mounting means30or by any other suitable method.

An advantage of the article carrier10A over the article carrier1is that largely misshapen fruit will not result in the carrier frame40tending to pivot to the right. Therefore, there is no need to provide a perturbation force in the required ejection direction. However, for the same reason the projection62will always be forced against the stop32, which may increase the actuator power required to lift the locking member60. However, this force is minimised due to the small surface area of contact between the locking member60and carrier frame40. Reducing the force required to lift the locking member60needs to be traded off against the chance of the locking member being inadvertently raised, perhaps due to vibration from the movement of the conveying means.

The article carrier10A may have a pivot and other details the same as or similar to the article carrier1, allowing fruit2to be supported between rollers of adjacent article carriers and allowing weighing of the fruit if required. If optical scanning is required, the article carriers10A and10B may be offset, allowing an optical scanner to view the side of an article on an article carrier10A through the gap between two article carriers10B and vice-versa.

FIG. 7shows a perspective view of a further alternative article carrier100according to the present invention. The article carrier100, like article carrier1can tip in either direction and a carrier frame400, located over a mounting means300, is centred over a pivot500. A locking member600is slidably engaged with the carrier frame400and extends between the carrier frame400and mounting means300to maintain the carrier frame400in its carriage position shown inFIG. 7. This is achieved by vertically extending protrusions and a stop (not shown) provided on the locking member600and mounting means300. To release the carrier frame400from the mounting means300, the locking member600is moved upwards. Unlike the locking member6of article carrier1, the locking member600does not extend backwards to a pivot point located towards the rear of the carrier frame. Instead, the locking member is localised to the front of the article carrier100.

FIG. 8shows a front view of the article carrier100andFIG. 9shows a cross section through line GG inFIG. 8. The locking member600includes a catch601that is in the shape of an inverted “L”, in contrast to the “U” shape catch of locking member6. A cavity301is provided in the mounting means300to provide clearance for the catch601when the carrier frame400is lifted in the same way that article carrier1may be lifted for weighing purposes (seeFIG. 3B) or lifted to allow rotation of the article on the article carrier100.

If weighing and rotation of the article on the article carriers1,10,100is not required, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the carrier frame does not need to become disassociated from the mounting means. Therefore, the pivot between the carrier frame and mounting means does not need to come apart and the locking member does not need to have a catch to hold the carrier frame over the mounting means. However, to provide increased functionality, the preferred embodiment of the article carrier of the present invention allows at least one of weighing and rotation of the articles.

In a further alternative embodiment, the locking member600may be slidably and/or pivotally engaged with the mounting means300, biased upwards, and inverted so that downward movement of the locking member releases the carrier frame400. However, this represents a less preferred embodiment, due to the increased complexity of the carrier resulting from having to bias the locking member and the more complex actuator arrangement required to move a locking member downwards instead of upwards.

The components of the article carriers1,10,100may be constructed using a plastic injection moulding process. The material may, for example, be 30% glass reinforced nylon, although other suitable materials will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts.

FIG. 10is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an article grading apparatus700in which the article carriers1,10,100may be used. The article grading apparatus700includes an endless conveyor710to which the article carriers1,10,100are mounted. The conveyor710runs in the direction indicated by the arrows720. The conveyor710moves the article carriers1,10, and100, and any articles carried thereon, through an article grading means730such as a weighbridge or an optical scanner. The conveyor710then moves the article carriers1,10, and100, and any articles carried thereon, through an ejection station740, where actuators actuate the article carriers to discharge their contents, as hereinabove explained.

Where in the foregoing description, reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.