Sorting machine for potatoes and the like

Claim 1

A SORTING MACHINE FOR SEPARATING VARIOUS ARTICLES OF PRODUCE ACCORDING TO SIZE COMPRISING: AN INFEED COVEYOR; A PAIR OF HOPPERS POSITIONED SIDE BY SIDE BENEATH THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID CONVEYOR FOR RECEIVING THE ARTICLES OF PRODUCE, SAID HOPPERS HAVING CONVEYOR BOTTOMS; ELEVATING CONVEYORS RECEIVING ARTICLES FROM THE CONVEYOR BOTTOMS OF SAID HOPPERS, SAID ELEVATING CONVEYOR EMBODYING SPACED ELEVATING FINGERS OPERABLE TO LIFT THE ARTICLES AND LEAVE BEHIND DIRT, ETC., LOOSENED FROM THE ARTICLES AND DISCHARGE SPOUT; A SPACING AND ALIGNING CONE ASSEMBLY FOR EACH SPOUT POSITIONED TO RECEIVE ARTICLES THEREFROM AND EMBODYING A ROTATING CONE AND BARRIER MEANS OVER THE CONE OPERABLE TO KEEP ARTICLE FROM ROLLING OFF THE CONE; SAID BARRIER MEANS BEING ECCENTRIC TO THE CONE WITH ITS POINT OF CLOSEST APPROACH TO THE CONE APEX BEING ACROSS THE CONE FROM THE POINT OF DEPOSIT OF ARTICLES FROM THE SPOUT UPON THE CONE A SORTING CONVEYOR FOR EACH CONE ASSEMBLY POSITIONED TO RECEIVE ARTICLES FROM THAT CONE ASSEMBLY AT A POINT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED FROM SAID POING OF CLOSEST APPROACH OF THE BARRIER MEANS; EACH SORTING CONVEYOR EMBODYING MEANS AT STATIONS SPACED ALONG THE CONVEYOR OPERABLE TO REMOVE ARTICLES PROGRESSIVELY THEREFROM ACCORDING TO SIDE OF THE ARTICLES; AND COVEYOR MEANS AT EACH STATION FOR CARRYING THE REMOVED ARTICLES AWAY.