Patent ID: 8215491

Claim:
Apparatus for determining and recording characteristics of particulate material in a batch of such material comprising: a separator chamber having an inlet through which a batch of particulate material is supplied to the separator chamber; means for reading an identifier on the batch of particulate material supplied to the inlet and providing the identifier as a digital output; means for causing a flow of gas in the separator chamber to flow only across a substantially vertical line of passage of particulate material supplied to the separator chamber such that particles are borne to a lesser or greater degree from the vertical line of passage and wherein the flow of gas separates the particulate material into a first fraction consisting essentially of particulate material having desired characteristics and a second fraction consisting essentially of particulate material not having the desired characteristics; first counting means for counting the particles in the first fraction and providing the result as a digital output; second counting means for counting particles of the particulate material in the batch or for counting particles of particulate material in the second fraction and providing the result as a digital output; means for weighing the first fraction and providing the result as digital output; and means for integrating the digital outputs and for transferring them to a computer programmed to store data in prescribed format in a database from which it may be manipulated to afford comparison of characteristics of batches of particulate material.