Inspection system for multi-station inspection apparatus

Claim 1

AN ELECTRONIC INSPECTION SYSTEM FOR ARTICLES SUCCESSIVELY TRANSFERRED TO A PLURALITY OF INSPECTION STATIONS, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING: FIRST DEFECT SENSING MEANS FOR SENSING ARTICLE DEFECTS AT A FIRST INSPECTION STATION AND PRODUCING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL INDICATIVE OF ARTICLE DEFECT; AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL DEFECT SENSING MEANS FOR SENSING ARTICLE DEFECTS AT AT LEAST ONE SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION STATION AND PRODUCING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL INDICATIVE OF ARTICLE DEFECT; AND ELECTRONIC SIGNAL PROCESSING MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CASCADED ELECTRONIC BISTABLE MEANS, POSITION SENSING MEANS FOR SENSING ARTICLE TRANSFER BETWEEN INSPECTION STATIONS AND PROVIDING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL INDICATIVE THEREOF, AND TIMING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID OUTPUT SIGNAL FROM SAID POSITION SENSING MEANS FOR CAUSING EACH SAID OUTPUT SIGNAL FROM SAID DEFECT SENSING MEANS TO BE SHIFTED TO THE SUCEEDING BISTABLE MEANS WHENEVER ARTICLE TRANSFER OCCURS, SAID TIMING MEANS CAUSING TRANSFER IN A MANNER SUCH THAT DEFECT INFORMATION IS ACCUMULATED SEPARATELY FOR EACH ARTICLE INSPECTED SO THAT SAID ELECTRONIC SIGNAL PROCESSING MEANS PRODUCES A DEFECT INDICATING OUTPUT SIGNAL TO REJECT AN ARTICLE IF THAT ARTICLE IS SENSED TO BE DEFECTIVE BY ANY OF SAID DEFECT SENSING MEANS.