Process and apparatus for growing bean sprouts

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR GROWING BEAN SPROUTS COMPRISING: (A) A RECEPTACLE HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, (B) A FIRST VERTICAL SERIES OF PERFORATED TRAYS INCLINED DOWNWARDLY FROM ONE SIDE WALL TO TERMINATE SHORT OF THE OTHER SIDE WALL, (C) SAID FIRST SERIES OF TRAYS BEING IN CLOSE ABUTMENT TO AND REMOVABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID ONE SIDE WALL AND UNSUPPORTED BY SAID OTHER SIDE WALL AND FORMUNG A SUBSTANTIAL GAP BETWEEN SAID OTHER SIDE WALL SO AS TO DEFINE A FIRST SERIES OF PASSAGES FOR WATER AND HUSKS CARRIED BY SAID WATER, (D) A SECOND VERTICAL SERIES OF PERFORATED TRAYS IN STAGGERED RELATION WITH SAID FIRST SERIES OF TRAYS INCLINED DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID OTHER SIDE WALL TO TERMINATE SHORT OF SAID ONE SIDE WALL, (E) SAID SECOND SERIES OF TRAYS BEING IN CLOSE ABUTMENT TO AND REMOVABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID OTHER SIDE WALL AND SUPPORTED BY SAID ONE SIDE WALL AND FORMING A SUBSTANTIAL GAP WITH SAID ONE SIDE WALL SO AS TO DEFINE A SECOND SERIES OF PASSAGES FOR WATER AND HUSKS CARRIED BY SAID WATER, (F) SAID FIRST AND SECOND SERIES OF PASSAGES DEFINING A SINUOUS PATH FOR WATER INTRODUCED AT THE TOP OF SAID RECEPTACLE, (G) SAID PERFORATIONS IN SAID TRAYS BEING OF A SIZE TO ALLOW THE ROOTS OF BEAN SPROUTS ON THE TRAYS TO GROW THERETHROUGH SO AS TO BE READILY SEVERABLE AT THE END OF A GROWING CYCLE. (H) INLET MEANS FOR INTRODUCING WARM WATER INTO THE RECEPTACLE AND INTO CONTACT WITH BEANS ON SAID TRAYS, (I) OUTLET MEANS FOR ALLOWING THE WARM WATER TO LEAVE THE RECEPTACLE AFTER CONTACTING THE BEANS, (J) MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE WATER ENTERS THE RECEPTACLE, AND (K) MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE LENGTH OF TIME DURING WHICH AND THE FREQUENCY AT WHICH WARM WATER IS SUPPLIED TO SAID INLET MEANS.