Abstract:
Apparatus and method for automatically evaluating articles, particularly citrus fruits, on the basis of the uniformity and non-uniformity of their transparency to X-rays and selectively separating them into different grades according to such evaluations, the fruit being oriented and carried by a conveyor in a path between an X-ray source and X-ray detectors positioned to straddle the fruit core portion, the signals from the detectors being carried in an internal quality computer controlled by timing sensors responsive to fruit movement through the X-rays, wherein the percentage of internal damage is computed for each fruit, after which the fruits are successively separated into different predetermined grades according to their respective damage evaluations.