White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-09-10
| Machines That Are
Almost Human
Bean Growers Eve
By e. C. TAYLOR

ND you ever sort dried navy Deans
- or soy beans? Pick out the best,
grade them all and throw away those
unfit for the baked bean pot?
Fatiguing, wasn't It? Sorting and
grading even pound or two grows
tiresome, even if it is done in the
kitchen in preparation for supper.
The scores Of workers in the large
food establishments where hundreds
| Of thousands of died beans are graded
after each crop, became positively
weary. and their employers found by
experience that the sorting OF the
beans suffered as a result. Toward
the end Of each day, beans Of inferior
grade were left in the package OF
higher grade beans, and the food pack
ing concerns cast about for some new
method of sorting and grading beans.
Science came to their rescue. The
bean growers eye" was produced. It
really cannot think, of course, but 1t
performs its task much more accurate
ly and swiftly than human beings, and
completely does away with the care
lessness of human sorters.
The "eye" is fastened above car
rier along which the beans are trans
ported, and it is an infallible detector
of inferiority. AS the beans pass I'M
der 1t, the inferior beans are auto
matically cast aside, and those re-
naming are separated according to
their grades.
The device is simply photo electric
cell, simple electric bulb. with
coating inside Of certain elements.
The sensitized mirror surface of the
bulb causes it to give off electrons
that are sensitive to long light waves
or short light waves, whichever Is de-
sired, and the REFLECTION or non-reflec-
ton of the inferior bean attracts the
attention of the photo electric cell.
The cell communicates with bat
terry attachment and the battery
throws out current of electricity.
The current, becoming greatly magni-
fed, gives forth enough energy to con-
troll mechanical device which re-
moves the inferior bean.
Simple, isn't it? One such device
does the work Of many human hands
and eyes, and never becomes fatigued
Or careless.
The "eye" is one Of the marvels Of
modern science, developed and adapt
ed to the necessities of modern indus
try. Although conceived and produced
primarily for bean growers, it's use
has been extended to many other In
dustries, until now it plays an impor-
tant part in the sorting and grading
Of many other foods and products.
1t plays it's part in the orange
groves Of California and Florida, where
| it sorts oranges This little device can
look at thousands of oranges passing
it in the packing houses of the citrus
districts, and unerringly pick and sep
arate the green, partly green and ripe
fruit.
The ''eye" is becoming more and
more useful, too, in the tobacco-grow-
ing areas Of the country. 1t is rap
idly abolishing the tedious job of sort
ing leaf tobacco. The eye" looks over
the tobacco as it comes from the cur
ing houses, and automatically grades
and sorts the leaves, and it does so
much more accurately than the hui
man hand and eye could do it.
That old prerogative Of the woman
shopper colors-is being
abolished by the electric eye" A SINH
lar device to that used for grading
beans for baking has been developed
that looks at two pieces of silk, wool
or cotton, and unerringly matches
Them.
Since no two pieces Of cloth are
Of exactly the same shade the build
ers of this modern robot deliberately
made it Slightly inaccurate. Instead
Of demanding that colors match per-
fectly, the "eye" declares them
matched when they are only few
thousandths Of degree OF shade apart
in color.
The woman shopper, no matter how
good her eyesight, cannot tell the diff
ference between two pieces of cloth
that are whole shades apart. The
eye could match colOrS perfectly,
but they won't let it.
When-and if-this device Is univer-
sally adopted, what boon it will be
to women shoppers. No more running
from store to store to match a piece
OF goods for Sally's new dress, or to
match stockings for that new evening
gown. All woman will have to do
will be to take a sample q the color
she wants to the store, and let the
eye" do the work. She will know
that the colors match absolutely, so
perfectly that no human eye ever
could tell any difference.
GO. 1881. Western Newspaper Union.)
Surnrise for Aunf;e