摘要:
A method and apparatus are provided for detecting and removing foreign material which may-be found in a stream of particulate matter, such as tobacco. The tobacco (11) is allowed to fall in a cascade past an optical detector (16). The turbulence of the falling motion brings a large proportion of the particles in the cascade into the field of view of the detector. When foreign material is detected, a signal is generated by control means (40) to activate a fluid blast (A) directed at the portion of the cascade in which the foreign material is located.