Patent ID: 8061527

Claim:
A grain classifying device for classifying a plurality of grains that are each needle-shaped based on the length of each grain, the grain classifying device comprising: a means for dispersing the plurality of grains; a means for orienting the dispersed grains, wherein the means for orienting includes a flow passage for passage of the dispersed grains, the flow passage orienting each of the dispersed grains in a longitudinal direction of each grain while spacing the grains apart from one another in the longitudinal direction; a means for measuring the length of each of the grains oriented in the longitudinal direction; a means for separating the grains having a predetermined length from the dispersed grains based on data related to the lengths of the measured grains; a transfer pipe that connects the flow passage to the means for separating, wherein the means for measuring measures the length of each grain when the grains pass through the transfer pipe; and a means for supplying grains other than the grains that have the predetermined length and are separated by the means for separating from the means for separating to the means for dispersing.