Method of and Means or Apparatus for Grading or Sorting Eggs.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Method of and Means or Apparatus for Grading or Sorting Eggs.
We, EDWARD OSBORNE ROBINSON, Merchant, of Bon Accord Villa, Stockton
Road, and JOHN REED FOTHERGILL, Consulting Engineer, of Bathgate Terrace,
both of West Hartlepool, in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention eggs are graded or sorted by delivering them onto
two endless travelling belts or ropes (hereinafter called bands) that are arranged
to gradually diverge from one another as they travel onward and whereby cach
egg is carried forward until the space between them is such as to allow of the
egg falling between them onto a suitable conveyor by which it is conducted away.
The bands may be made of various sections and of various materials but we
prefer to use bands of circular section and made of india-rubber. The eggs to
be graded or sorted may be delivered onto the two diverging bands by an auto-
matic feeding device and the sorted eggs may be conveyed away by an automati
delivery device.
Apparatus for carrying the invention into practice can be constructed in
various forms.
According to one arrangement the apparatus comprises two horizontal shafts
arranged parallel to one another and provided with two sets of pulleys around
which the two endless bands are arranged to travel, one of the shafts being
provided with a driving pulley or equivalent means whereby it and the pulleys
thereon can be rotated, the two shafts being at such a distance apart as will
admit of the required length of bands being used for grading or sorting pur-
poses, and also of sufficient tension being imparted to the bands to keep them
tight.
The distance apart of the two pulleys on one shaft is greater than the distance
apart of the two pulleys of the other shaft so that the bands will travel in
vertical planes that diverge from one another.
The divergence of the bands is or may be maintained by a suitable frame
or support arranged between the pulleys and formed with suitable grooves or
channels at its inner edges for the bands to travel in. The upper surface of the
frame or support may incline from each side towards the diverging bands so as
to prevent any tendency of the eggs to fall off such bands.
At one side of the apparatus and arranged transversely to the endless bands
and frame or support, is an egg feeding device such as an endless travelling
belt that passes around vertical pulleys and is adapted to feed the eggs to be
sorted, over one end of the frame or support and onto the two diverging bands
at the place where they are nearest together. Below the two upper diverging
lengths of bands and above the two lower converging lengths thereof and
travelling in a direction transverse to such bands, is an endless conveyor or
delivery device that may consist of a single broad endless band, or of a number
of narrow bands arranged side by side, extending nearly across the whole width
of the space between the two pairs of pulleys carrying the diverging bands, the
arrangement being such that the eggs carried forward by the diverging bands

page_text: will, upon falling between such bands, be caught by the lower conveyor band
or bands and be carried thereby to the delivery side of the apparatus. In con-
nexion with the lower conveyor band or bands there are or may be provided
suitable movable divisions for examples laths, to alter or vary the grading and
to prevent the eggs of different sizes delivered on to the band or bands from
again becoming mixed. The sorted eggs are or may be fed into separate boxes,
trays, or other suitable receptacles, either automatically or by hand.
The egg feeding, sorting and delivery bands may be driven by any suitable
means.
Method of and Means or Apparatus for Grading or Sorting Eggs.
We, EDWARD OSBORNE ROBINSON, Merchant, of Bon Accord Villa, Stockton
Road, and JOIN REED FOTHERGILL, Consulting Engineer, of Bathgate Terrace,
both of West Hartlepool, in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to this invention eggs are graded or sorted by delivering them onto
two endless travelling belts or ropes (hereinafter called bands) that are arranged
to diverge from one another as they travel onward and whereby each egg is
carried forward until the space between the bands is such as to allow of the
egg falling between them onto a suitable conveyor by which it is conducted away.
The bands may be made of various sections and of various materials but we
prefer to use bands of circular section and made of india-rubber. The eggs to
be graded or sorted may be delivered onto the two diverging bands by an auto.
matic feeding device and the sorted eggs may be conveyed away by an automatic
delivery device.
Apparatus for carrying the invention into practice can be constructed in
various forms.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one arrangement
of apparatus according to this invention.
Figs. 1 and 2 are front and end elevations respectively.
Fig. 3 is a plan drawn to a smaller scale than Figs. 1 and 2, parts being broken
for the sake of clearness.
away
Fig. 4 is a partial transverse section, and
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic detail view
a, b are two horizontal shafts arranged parallel to one another, carried in
brackets c fixed to the end frames of the apparatus and provided with two
sets of grooved pulleys f around which the two endless bands g are arranged to
travel. The shaft may conveniently be rotated from an electric motor h,
carried by the framing of the apparatus, through gear comprising a worm k
fixed on the motor shaft, worm wheel m, shaft n, sprocket wheel o, chain p
and a sprocket wheel g fixed on the pulley shaft b. The shafts a and b are
at such a distance apart as will admit of the required length of bands g being
used for grading or sorting purposes, and also of sufficient tension being imparted
to the bands to keep them tight, the bearing Blocks of the shaft a work in
longitudinal slots, s formed in its corresponding brackets c, adjusting screws t

page_text: being provided whereby the tension can be increased or lessened, as may be
desired.
will
The distance apart of the two pulleys f on the shaft is greater than the
distance apart of the two pulleys f on the other shaft b so that the bands
travel in vertical planes that diverge from one another.
Washers may be
arranged between and outside the pulleys, and the distance apart of each pair
of pulleys may be regulated by the thickness of the washers employed.
The divergence of the bands 9 whilst revolving may, as shown in the example,
be maintained by a suitable frame or support comprising longitudinal wood sup-
ports carried by angle iron runners fixed to the framing of the apparatus,
arranged between the pulleys f and formed with suitable grooves or channels w
at their inner edges for the bands g to travel in. The upper surfaces of the sup-
ports may, as shown, incline towards the diverging bands g so as to prevent
any tendency of the eggs to fall off such bands.
At one end of the apparatus and arranged transversely to the endless bands g.
is an egg feeding device comprising an endless travelling belt 1 that passes
around two pulleys or rollers 2 and is adapted to feed the eggs to be sorted,
over one end of one of the supports and onto the two diverging bands gat
the place where they are nearest together. The feeding belt 1 is arranged to be
driven from a driving shaft 3, (see Fig. 5) which itself is rotated from 'the
motor driven shaft by skewed tooth wheels 4 and 5, by a gear wheel G on the
shaft 3, which gears with a gear wheel 7 fixed on the front feed belt pulley or
roller. Below the two upper diverging lengths of bands and above the two
lower converging lengths thereof and travelling in a direction transverse to
such bands, is an endless conveyor or delivery device that may consist of a
single broad endless band 10, or of a number of narrow bands arranged side by
side, extending nearly across the whole width of the space between the two
pairs of pulleys f carrying the diverging bands y, the arrangement being such
that the eggs carried forward by the diverging bands will, upon falling between
such bands, be caught by the conveyor band or bands 10 and be carried thereby
to the delivery side of the apparatus.
One of the rollers 11 is driven from the driving shaft 3 by means of gear
wheels 12 and 13 fixed respectively on the said shaft and on the shaft of one
of the rollers 11.
To ensure regularity of motion and prevent stretching of the feed belt 1 and
the conveyor band 10 the rollers 2 and the rollers 10 are provided at each end
with sprocket wheels 2", and 10ª geared by chains 2b, 10 respectively and to
prevent the feed and take off belts 1 and 10 creeping or working along their
respective rollers, the edges of the belts may be fastened to their corresponding
chains 2b, 10; or the belts may have fastened to their undersides strips which
work in grooves formed in the rollers. In connexion with the conveyor band
or bands 10 there are or may be provided suitable movable divisions, for example
laths 16 to alter or vary the grading and to prevent the eggs of different sizes
delivered on to the band or bands 10 from again becoming mixed. The sorted
eggs are or may be fed into separate boxes, trays, or other suitable receptacles,
either automatically or by hand.
In the example the eggs are fed by the band 10 onto a shelf 17 which extends
across the front of the machine and is fixed to the end frames d, the laths 16
being extended across the said shelf so as to divide it into a series of trays,
which can be adjusted according to the grading desired, the laths 16 being
detachably fixed to the shelf 17 and to one of the angle iron runners v. At the
front of this shelf and between the laths 16 are other laths 17ª which fit into
grooves formed in the laths 16 by removing the laths 17 the sorted or graded
eggs can be easily removed from the several trays.
To keep those portions of the feed-belt and the delivery belt on which the eggs
rest level and flat and prevent sagging, they may be supported by shelves. In
the example, only the delivery belt is shown (see Fig. 4) provided with such a

page_text: shelf; it is not continued under the diverging bands so as to leave the belt free
to give at that point and thus prevent damage to the eggs, which should fall
upon something soft and pliable.
For occasional hand work the driving shaft may be provided with a
handle 19 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the driving chain p being dis-
connected from the wheel g when it required to work by hand.
To cause the eggs to lie lengthwise between the bands g, each support u is
fitted, near the feeding end of the machine with a flexible or elastic straightening
device, which may consist of a curved metal strip 21; one of the strips is arranged
slightly ahead of the other as seen in Fig. 3 and the arrangement is such that
the end portion of an egg lving crosswise of the bands will come in contact
with the first strip 21 and the egg thus turned lengthwise of the band g; if
however, the first strip 21 should turn it a little too much then contact with the
second strip will cause it to assume the desired position.
The action of the apparatus is as follows: The machine being set in motion,
eggs to be graded or sorted are fed from trays by hand or in any other convenient
manner on to the belt 1 which delivers them on to the bands near the shaft b;
the eggs are then carried lengthwise of the machine on the diverging bands y
until they arrive at a point, depending on the size of the egg, where the space
between the bands is sufficient to allow the egg to pass between them on to the
conveyor belt 10 which delivers them on to the shelf 17, whence they may be
removed into boxes as desired.
Egg sorting machines according to this invention may be variously modified,
for example, the diverging bands, instead of being round in section, as in the
example illustrated, may be flat, and the machine may be belt driven instead of
being provided with its own motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. Grading or sorting eggs according to size by feeding them over an aperture
or slot of increasing width in the direction of its length, which aperture may be
formed by and between diverging travelling bands, in such wise that each egg
will pass through said aperture when it has travelled longitudinally thereof a
distance depending upon the size of the egg, only eggs of less than a given size
being able to pass through said aperture at any given part of its length.
2. For grading or sorting eggs apparatus comprising travelling bands arranged
at a suitable distance apart and so as to diverge from one another as they travel
onward, the arrangement being such that if eggs be fed on to said bands at or
near the point where they diverge each egg will be carried forward a distance
depending on its size to a point at which the space between the bands is such
as to allow it to fall between them substantially as described.
3. Apparatus for grading or sorting eggs comprising a travelling feed belt,
two diverging belts onto which the eggs are delivered by said feed belt and a
belt or belts travelling below or under the egg supporting portions of said
diverging bands and being adapted to receive and remove the graded or sorted
eggs as they pass between the diverging belts, substantially as described.
4. Apparatus for grading or sorting eggs constructed, arranged and operating
substantially as described with reference to and shown in the accompanying
illustrative drawings.
Untad this 15th dow of V 1000