Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Testing Eggs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1899-Accepted, 2nd June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Testing Eggs.
We, JAMES LYONS, ALFRED LYONS, and GEORGE LYONS, trading as Lyons
Brothers, of 18 and 20, Oak Street, Shudehill, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Provision Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
-
This invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for testing
eggs which may be used by itself or in connection with an egg sorting machine,
for instance such as described and shown in Letters Patent No. 11945 of 1896
granted to us, the object being to render such operation more rapid, reliable and
thus less expensive than heretofore has been the case..
To this end, we construct a frame one end of which is formed into a chamber
open at the top and adapted to receive a light. Between the said frame we
employ an endless apron, composed of rollers arranged in close proximity to each
other and their peripheries formed with annular grooves in such a manner that
two adjacent grooves form an opening or bottom-less receptacle in which the eggs
to be tested are placed by hand or otherwise.
These rollers are connected together at their ends by links in which they can
rotate freely and are supported at each end of the said frame by discs secured upon
shafts suitably mounted, the periphery of the said discs being formed with recesses
adapted to receive the shaft ends of the said rollers. One of the said shafts is
adapted to be rotated by hand or motive power for the purpose of causing the
said apron supplied with eggs to slowly travel over the said chamber.
The shafts of the rollers at one or both sides of the said apron are furnished
with small pinions or friction wheels, which as the rollers pass over the said chamber
come into gear or frictional contact with a stationary rail, which causes the said
rollers to revolve and thus turn the eggs round whilst passing over the said
chamber and being thereby thoroughly exposed to the rays of the light the bad
eggs can be readily detected and picked out.
To facilitate the delivery and packing of the tested or good eggs, we hinge
to the delivery end of the said frame a table, which is formed longitudinally with
grooves corresponding in position and numbers with the longitudinal rows of
eggs carried by the rollers.
The said table may be set at different inclines and at each side is formed with
recesses adapted to receive a rail whereby the eggs may be stopped rolling off the
table at any convenient point.
Underneath the said table is arranged a tray also formed longitudinally with
grooves and adapted to be slid out and receive the tested or good eggs as they fall
row by row from the end of the said table and whereby they are readily placed
into the egg box. In doing so the first row is rolled against a rail placed into the
box and having projections which cause the eggs to adjust themselves and be
packed in the proper manner.
The whole or only a portion of the said egg testing apparatus may be covered

page_text: by a hood or be placed inside a chamber and when using a lamp as light, we
furnish same with an inverted reflector, which effectually projects the rays of
light against the underside of the said apron and thus against the thereon.
Dated this 30th day of June 1898.
eggs
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Testing Eggs,
We, JAMES LYONS, ALFRED LYONS, and GEORGE LYONS, trading as Lyons
Brothers, of 18 and 20, Oak Street, Shudehill, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Provision Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention.
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for testing eggs
which may be used by itself or in connection with an egg sorting machine, for
instance such as described and shown in our English Patent No. 11945 of 1896.
the object being to render such operation of testing more rapid, reliable and thus
less expensive than heretofore has been the case..
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood we have caused
to be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a plan and Figs. 3 & 4. are details of
our invention shown separately from an egg sorting machine. Fig. 5 is a side
view showing our invention as used in connection with an egg sorting machine.
In carrying out our invention and referring to the figures generally; we con-
struct a frame a, one end of which is formed into a chamber b open at the top and
adapted to receive a light, say a lamp c. Between the said frame we employ an
endless apron d, composed of rollers c arranged in close proximity to each other and
their peripheries formed with annular grooves in such a manner, that two adjacent
grooves form an opening or bottom-less receptacle f, in which the eggs g to
be tested are placed by hand, or otherwise, see Figs. 1 & 2.
These rollers are connected together at their ends by links h, see Fig. 3, in which
they can rotate freely and are supported at each end of the said frame by two
discs i secured upon the shafts k, k, suitably mounted on the frame a, the peri-
phery of the said discs being formed with recesses adapted to receive the
ends of the roller shafts 7. One of the said disc shafts, in the present instance k,
is adapted to be rotated by hand, say by means of a hand wheel m and suitable
intermediate gearing, or by motive power, for the purpose of causing the said
apron supplied with eggs to slowly travel over the chamber b illuminated by the
lamp c. At the delivery end, the apron d is caused to descend vertically by being
carried over two other recessed discs n employed near the bottom of the apparatus.
Each roller shaft / has secured at one or both ends a toothed (or friction) pinion o,
see Fig. 3, arranged to gear (or be in frictional contact) with a rail p secured to the
top of the frame a, so that when the apron d is moved the rollers e begin to
revolve and turn round the eggs placed thereon and when passing over the illu-
minated chamber b, they are thoroughly exposed to, the rays of the light and the bad
eggs are easily detected and can be readily picked out.
The said rail may extend along the illuminated chamber b only, or along the
whole length of the frame a, as shown in the drawing, so that the eggs are turned
round immediately after they have been placed on the apron and thereby are freed
from straw and caused to assume their proper position between the rollers e.

page_text: In order to prevent breakages and to ensure the eggs being turned regularly,
we may cover the grooved part of the rollers e with felt e¹ or other soft material
giving grip.
In order to confine the rays of light as much as possible below the apron d, we
may cover the respective part by a hood g, see also Fig. 5, formed large enough to
hold the attendant who moves the apron d and picks out the bad eggs.
When using a lamp to illuminate the said chamber, we furnish it with an
inverted reflector c' which projects the rays of light effectually against the under-
side of the apron and thus against the eggs thereon.
In lieu of placing the eggs directly upon the apron d, a corrugated shoot or
inclined table may be employed at its feeding end, adapted to receive and permit
the eggs to slide against the respective end of the apron d which picks same up
row by row, whereby the necessity of placing the eggs between the rollers a by
hand is obviated and thus a great deal of time and labour saved.
Below the feeding end of the apron d, a net s or the like is employed to catch
very small eggs which the apron cannot hold and drop between the rollers e.
At the delivery end of the apron d, a table t is employed which may be in the
form of a rotating endless belt, as shown in the drawing and which serves to
receive the tested or fresh eggs as they roll from the apron d when the same
descends.
To ensure small eggs, which lay in the apron d lower than large eggs, rolling
from the same onto the table t, a row of springs u is employed, which as each
row of eggs pass, press against and push the eggs out of the apron d.
In lieu of the springs u, a series of wheels may be secured upon the disc
shaft k, as shown in Fig. 4, the teeth of which enter between the rollers e and lift
out the eggs.
Referring to Fig. 5, when combining the egg testing apparatus described, with
an egg sorting machine », for instance such as described in patent hereinbefore
referred to, the egg sorting machine forms a continuation of the table t of the egg
testing apparatus and the eggs deposited by the apron d onto the tablet are allowed
to roll or are carried thereby onto the table of the egg sorting machine v.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st. In and connected with apparatus for testing eggs, an illuminated chamber b
in combination with an endless travelling apron d composed of rollers e having
annular grooves opposite each other, forming openings or bottom-less receptacles f
adapted to receive and carry the eggs to be tested over the said illuminated chamber,
all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In and connected with apparatus for testing eggs, the apron d composed
of rollers e in combination with means for rotating the said rollers whilst the apron
is travelling, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 18th day of February 1899
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester,
Agents to Applicants.