Patent ID: 7975853

Claim:
A method to measure and selectively divert near-spherical items from a single stream into two streams on the basis of softness of the items, the method comprising the steps of: using a controlled trajectory to project each of the items, from a single stream of items, onto a center of a ricochet energy signature analytic surface; evaluating a softness condition of each near-spherical item by determining a measurement of the softness of each near-spherical item by analysis of a corresponding ricochet energy signature of each item, said ricochet energy signature arising from a glancing impact of each item travelling via the controlled trajectory against the ricochet energy signature analytic surface, said ricochet energy signature analytic surface being inclined, and said ricochet energy signature analytic surface being resiliently mounted; selectively pneumatically diverting the near-spherical items into one stream of two streams on the basis of the determined softness of the items; and maintaining targeting accuracy of the items by selectively adjusting the controlled trajectory of the near-spherical items onto the center the ricochet energy signature analytic surface on the basis of the determined measurement of the softness of the items.