Patent ID: 7364051

Claim:
An apparatus for counting a plurality of balls, comprising: a shaft rotatably driven by an electrical motor; a helical rib radially extending from the shaft and adapted to support the balls, wherein the balls are dropped from the helical rib when the balls reach the bottom of the helical rib; a plurality of target mounts spaced circumferentially around the shaft; a selected number of targets, each of the targets releasably affixed to one of the target mounts on the shaft; a sensor adjacent to and apart from the shaft, and positioned in close proximity to the targets, wherein the sensor senses each target as each target rotates past the sensor, and wherein the number of targets sensed per revolution of the shaft is equal to the number of balls dropped from the helical rib per revolution of the helical rib; and a counter in data communication with the sensor, wherein the counter counts the number of targets sensed.