The process for removing metal objects such as buttons, zippers and the like from fabric material to permit recovery of the fabric. The fabric is cut or chopped into strips and subsequently cut again to provide smaller pieces of fabric that may or may not contain a metal object secured thereto. The pieces of fabric are applied to a conveyor and exposed to a metal detector that triggers a plurality of pneumatic nozzles to direct a stream of high pressured air to the fabric pieces having metal attached thereto and deject those pieces from the conveyer while the fabric pieces without metal exit the conveyor having a different trajectory than the metal pieces and attached fabric material.

An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction.

A system for sorting objects is provided. For instance, the system includes a first sensor, a sorting actuator, a second sensor and a controller. The first sensor observes the objects. The sorting actuator sorts the objects. The second sensor observers the sorted objects. The sorting actuator may be actuated by the controller using sorting rules, historical system data and observations of the objects. The sorting rules may be updated by the controller using observations of the sorted objects. In another aspect, a method is provided. The objects are observed. The objects are sorted using sorting rules, historical system data and observations of the objects. The sorted objects are observed. The sorting rules are updated using the observations of the sorted objects.

Waste, such as municipal solid waste (MSF), is separated into a wet fraction and refuse derived fuel (RDF). For example, the waste may be separated in a press. The wet fraction is treated in an anaerobic digester. The RDF is further separated into a cellulosic fraction and a non-cellulosic fraction. The cellulosic fraction is treated by pyrolysis and produces a pyrolysis liquid. The pyrolysis liquid is added to the anaerobic digester.

A sorter for agricultural items comprising a main frame with a circular horizontal plate having an outer edge cam surface. A circular sub-frame is mounted for rotation about the plate's vertical axis, in parallel relation to the plate. The sub-frame includes plural item cups pivotally mounted on its periphery. The cam surface tilts the cups from a raised loading position, to a horizontal viewing position, to a lowered ejection position. A loading zone includes means for loading an individual item into a respective cup. A viewing zone has camera means for optically viewing individual items as each rolls through the cup, producing an output signal corresponding to reflectivity characteristics. Computer means compares the output signal to predetermined values and produces a corresponding ejection signal. A re-direction zone includes plural ejectors, whereby a selected one of the ejectors ejects the item out its cup in response to an ejection signal.

A nozzle device for sorting objects by ejecting a gaseous media towards said object. The nozzle device nozzle device including: a nozzle unit including at least one nozzle; a nozzle bar including gas supply means for providing a gaseous media to said nozzle unit; and a nozzle fixation bracket adapted for holding said nozzle unit in place; said at least one nozzle including: an inlet for receiving the gaseous media; and having one outlet, having an outlet area, for ejecting the gaseous media towards an object to be sorted; a channel extending between said inlet and said outlet; an outlet portion surrounding at least said outlet, wherein said outlet portion including a flexible material, which deflects upon ejection of the gaseous media, received from said nozzle bar, through said outlet whereby said outlet area increases. Also, a system for sorting objects.

There is provided a component supply device for supplying a component to a component mounter, including: a transporter that transports a carrier tape in which the component is stored and of which an upper surface is sealed with a cover tape, along a transport path; a peeler that is disposed above the transport path and peels off the cover tape from the carrier tape; and an ejector that ejects a gas for capturing the cover tape by the peeler.

An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction.

A method for providing adaptive control of the flow of a plurality of ejector valves arranged in close proximity to each other in a sorting machine is described. The method comprises measuring a temporal response curve for each ejector valve, comparing the measured temporal response curve for each ejector valve to a library set of previously stored temporal response curves, determining from the comparison a predicted flow for each ejector valve, and adapting a drive signal for each ejector valve in dependence on the predicted flow. Temporal response curves may be measured and compared in a calibration (non-sorting) mode, and real-time feedback of the measured temporal responses in a sorting mode may be used to indicate health of a valve and to further adapt the drive signal to provide conformal performance. The number of neighboring ejector valves may also be taken into account.

The disclosure provides systems and methods of use in the analysis, collection, resource allocation, and tracking associated with the sale of commodities. Embodiments include a vibratory-and-optical analysis and collection system that may be incorporated into a collection and storage machine. The analysis and collection system and/or the collection and storage machine may be associated with a consumption-based resource-allocation system that determines a payment price for a batch of commodity sold and then digitally allocates all transaction resources to the relevant stakeholders to the commodity sales transaction occurring at the analysis and collection system and/or the collection and storage machine. A commodity-to-consumer tracking system may be provided to track the batch of commodity sold from the point of harvest and sale through to the end consumer. Other embodiments are disclosed.