An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation includes a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and having a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and the exit. Each conveying panel is inclined to horizontal and has a variable effective conveying width. The apparatus further includes arcuate turn-arounds disposed between respective conveying panels to facilitate transferring the nuts from one conveying panel to the next lower conveying panel. The variable effective conveying width is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.

An on-demand glasswasher comprises a drive motor; a rotary conveyor connected to the drive motor; an ultrasonic sensor assembly positioned adjacent to the rotary conveyor; a microprocessor connected to the drive motor and the ultrasonic sensor assembly; and a memory device coupled to the microprocessor, the memory device storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to receive, from the ultrasonic sensor assembly, ultrasonic signals; analyze the ultrasonic signals to detect the presence of one or more objects on the rotary conveyor; and responsive to detecting the presence of one or more objects on the rotary conveyor, perform operations to stop operation of the on-demand glasswasher.

An on-demand glasswasher comprises a drive motor; a rotary conveyor connected to the drive motor; an ultrasonic sensor assembly positioned adjacent to the rotary conveyor; a microprocessor connected to the drive motor and the ultrasonic sensor assembly; and a memory device coupled to the microprocessor, the memory device storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to receive, from the ultrasonic sensor assembly, ultrasonic signals; analyze the ultrasonic signals to detect the presence of one or more objects on the rotary conveyor; and responsive to detecting the presence of one or more objects on the rotary conveyor, perform operations to stop operation of the on-demand glasswasher.