Electric EYE Tests Eggs for FRESHNESS (Jul, 1932)
Electric EYE Tests Eggs for FRESHNESS
EVEN an unborn chick can have no secrets from the all-seeing eye of the photoelectric cell. Now an egg may be placed in front of one of these electric eyes, and an electrical meter, calculated in “chicken life” units, will indicate just how far the embryo chick has grown and how long it will be before the youngster will pick his way to the light.
In the test, the egg is placed between the light source and the photo cell, which registers the degree of light transmitted by the egg. This quantity of light, which depends upon the freshness of the egg, is registered on a supplementary meter, so that the poultryman can see at a glance how his hatch is coming along. The machine also tests eggs for freshness, rejecting the bad ones.
This reminds me of the egg tester in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
It even has the registration dial like that one.
Tim: Kinda
Makes me think of an old Looney Tunes where Porky (as a farmer) is using one of these. The tester alternately reveals the silhouette of a woman in a negligee and an indignant chick who shout “Turn out that light!” and rolls down a blind.
I recall that they once made a children’s video game of this exciting assembly-line work.
Sean, yes Porky sold those eggs under the name “Hammond Eggs”