Patent ID: 7164750

Claim:
An apparatus for non-destructively inspecting materials housed in a container having a crown with an inwardly sloping surface on a bottom wall thereof, said apparatus comprising: a conveyor for conveying said container along a conveying path in a conveying direction; an first X-ray apparatus having a first X-ray beam emitter mounted at a first position adjacent said conveying path for emitting at least two X-ray beams passing through said container as said container is conveyed along said conveying path; a second X-ray apparatus having a second X-ray beam emitter mounted at a second position adjacent said conveying path for emitting at least two X-ray beams, wherein the second X-ray beam emitter is substantially opposite the first X-ray beam emitter; at least two detectors mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said first X-ray beam emitter for receiving a portion of the X-ray beams that has passed through said container and generating therefrom at least two image signals representative of the portion; at least two detectors mounted adjacent said conveying path on a side of said conveying path opposite that of said second X-ray beam emitter for receiving a portion of the X-ray beams that has passed through said container and generating therefrom at least two image signals representative of the portion; wherein said first and second X-ray beam emitters are positioned to direct a portion of the X-ray beams along a path that substantially parallels the sloping surface of the crown.