Mogensen has supplied two specially-designed vibratory machines for the grading and cleaning of Brussel sprouts to the Tickhill Group, specialists in the design of handling systems for vegetables

Mogensen has recently supplied two specially-designed vibratory machines for the grading and cleaning of Brussels sprouts to the Tickhill Group, specialists in the design and construction of handling systems for vegetables. The graders form part of a new plant for R and K Drysdale Limited, large-scale growers and processors of swedes and sprouts, in Berwickshire. Both machines, including the support frames, are constructed entirely of food-quality stainless steel and are fitted with stepped, removable, longitudinally-slotted grids with 20mm-wide apertures.

The isolation springs are of stainless steel shrouded in white, food-compatible rubber sleeves.

The acceptably sized sprouts bounce gently along the grids, whereas soil, sand, debris, detached leaves and undersize vegetables fall through.

The smaller of the two machines measures 400mm x 1600mm and is powered by a single Invicta 500 W rotary electric vibrator, Type BLz 24-7.5/4.

The larger unit is 600mm x 3500mm and is driven by two side-mounted 500 W Invicta vibrators, Type BLz 25-14/4.

The vibrator frames are made of aluminium with a white, food-quality finish: the end-cans are of stainless steel.

The units are reported to have performed satisfactorily, since the plant was commissioned.