US3717953A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for cultivating plants
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-11-10
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Granted: 1973-02-27
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Expires: 1991-11-10
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to apparatus for cultivating plants such as mushrooms. The plants are positioned in receptacles stacked on one another and located in air-conditioned chambers. Each receptacle is individually subjected to preconditioned air having a short distance of travel defined by channels between adjacent receptacles. An elevating means and a horizontally movable processing line are arranged for processing receptacles from a plurality of said chambers which are disposed parallel to one another.
Inventors
- 👤 J Kuhn
- 👤 E Sohm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 20:35
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G18/00; A01G18/60; A01G18/69; A01G18/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
In an apparatus for cultivation of plants comprising an elongated enclosure of channel-shaped configuration having a pair of opposed upright walls which are generally parallel to each other, a stack of receptacles for respectively containing plants which are to be cultivated, said stack being disposed between said upright walls with the receptacles of said stack each having opposed side walls disposed generally parallel to but spaced from said upright walls, each receptacle having legs extending downwardly and resting on the next lower receptacle, each receptacle having a bottom wall spaced by said legs above the next lower receptacle, said opposed side walls of said receptacles defining with said upright walls of said enclosure first and second passages extending longitudinally of said upright walls and said side walls of said receptacles, a supply conduit communicating with said first passage for delivering air thereto, an exhaust conduit communicating with said second passage for withdrawing air therefrom, so that air introduced through said supply conduit will flow upwardly through said first passage and will be withdrawn through spaces beneath said bottom walls of said receptacles to said second passage from which the air is withdrawn by way of said exhaust conduit, so that air will be circulated uniformly through the enclosure with respect to plants in said receptacles with the bottom walls of the receptacles acting as a guide surface for guiding air from said first passage across the receptacles to the second passage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
In an apparatus for cultivation of plants comprising an elongated enclosure of channel-shaped configuration having a pair of opposed upright walls which are generally parallel to each other, a stack of receptacles for respectively containing plants which are to be cultivated, said stack being disposed between said upright walls with the receptacles of said stack each having opposed side walls disposed generally parallel to but spaced from said upright walls, each receptacle having legs extending downwardly and resting on the next lower receptacle, each receptacle having a bottom wall spaced by said legs above the next lower receptacle, said opposed side walls of said receptacles defining with said upright walls of said enclosure first and second passages extending longitudinally of said upright walls and said side walls of said receptacles, a supply conduit communicating with said first passage for delivering air thereto, an exhaust conduit communicating with said second passage for withdrawing air therefrom, so that air introduced through said supply conduit will flow upwardly through said first passage and will be withdrawn through spaces beneath said bottom walls of said receptacles to said second passage from which the air is withdrawn by way of said exhaust conduit, so that air will be circulated uniformly through the enclosure with respect to plants in said receptacles with the bottom walls of the receptacles acting as a guide surface for guiding air from said first passage across the receptacles to the second passage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conduits are located at the same elevation adjacent one end of said stack.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said conduits are beneath the stack.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the stack is supported by a truck in the enclosure, with the truck being disposed above the elevation of said conduits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 4 including a pair of rails in the enclosure extending generally parallel to said upright walls, said truck having wheels riding on said rails.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said rails are inclined so that the truck will roll from one end thereof toward the other under the effect of gravity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a pair of said enclosures disposed one above the other with the upper enclosure spaced from the lower eNclosure to define a work area between the elevations of the enclosures, said upper enclosure having a bottom wall formed with openings adjacent opposite ends thereof and communicating with the work area, said lower enclosure having a top wall formed with openings communicating with the work area adjacent opposite ends of the bottom enclosure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 7 including gripping and elevating means associated with the openings at one end of the enclosures for moving receptacles from said one end of the enclosure to said work area, and a conveyor in said work area for receiving the receptacles and moving them to the opposite end of the enclosures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
In apparatus in accordance with claim 8 including a plurality of parallel upper enclosures, and a plurality of parallel lower enclosures, each enclosure being slightly wider than a whole number multiple of the width of the receptacles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
159 words
Apparatus for cultivating plants comprising a plurality of parallel channel-like chambers on one floor level, a plurality of aligned stacks of receptacles occupying substantially the entirety of each chamber, each stack including discrete receptacles spaced from and supported by the next lower receptacle, means for introducing preconditioned air into the chambers and withdrawing the air after it has moved through the space between adjacent receptacles, means defining an inlet for each chamber spaced from an outlet for each chamber, cycling means for selectively moving receptacles from a chamber outlet and returning the receptacles through said chamber inlet, said cycling means including elevator means and a conveyor, said conveyor being on a different floor level extending generally parallel to the chambers for supporting receptacles as the receptacles are moved from a chamber outlet to a chamber inlet, said elevator means being adapted to move receptacles from the first-mentioned floor level to the floor level of the conveyor and vice versa.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
159 words
Apparatus for cultivating plants comprising a plurality of parallel channel-like chambers on one floor level, a plurality of aligned stacks of receptacles occupying substantially the entirety of each chamber, each stack including discrete receptacles spaced from and supported by the next lower receptacle, means for introducing preconditioned air into the chambers and withdrawing the air after it has moved through the space between adjacent receptacles, means defining an inlet for each chamber spaced from an outlet for each chamber, cycling means for selectively moving receptacles from a chamber outlet and returning the receptacles through said chamber inlet, said cycling means including elevator means and a conveyor, said conveyor being on a different floor level extending generally parallel to the chambers for supporting receptacles as the receptacles are moved from a chamber outlet to a chamber inlet, said elevator means being adapted to move receptacles from the first-mentioned floor level to the floor level of the conveyor and vice versa.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said elevator means includes a gripper means having an extended and a retracted position, said gripper means including elements for embracing and supporting a receptacle as the receptacle is moved in a generally vertical direction by elevator means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein the means for introducing and removing preconditioned air includes at least one inlet conduit and at least one exhaust conduit, said conduits being adjacent one another and adjacent one end of the stacks, said conduits extending parallel to upright walls defining said chambers, said upright walls being spaced from side faces of the stacks by a distance corresponding generally to the distance between adjacent receptacles in a single stack.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein at least some of said chambers include first and second parallel rows of aligned stacks with first and second inlet conduits having the exhaust conduit disposed therebetween, said exhaust conduit being aligned with the space between the rows with the discharge ports on the inlet conduits being adjacent the upright walls defining the chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including an invert mechanism at said different floor level for inverting receptacles which have already been harvested, and a second conveyor for conveying receptacles to said invert mechanism.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for cultivating plants comprising a multi-level building, a plurality of parallel chambers on one floor level of said building, a work area on a different floor level of said building, a conveyor on said different floor level extending generally parallel to said chambers, said conveyor being movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the length of said chambers so as to be vertically aligned with any particular one of said chambers, each chamber having an inlet which communicates with the floor level of the conveyor adjacent one end of the conveyor, each chamber having an outlet communicatiNg with the floor level of the conveyor adjacent an opposite end of the conveyor, and elevating and gripping means for withdrawing receptacles containing plants from the chamber outlet and depositing the same on the conveyor, whereby receptacles may be cycled from a chamber across the conveyor for processing and then returned to the opposite end of the chamber from which they were withdrawn.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for cultivating plants comprising a multi-level building, a plurality of parallel chambers on one floor level of said building, a work area on a different floor level of said building, a conveyor on said different floor level extending generally parallel to said chambers, said conveyor being movable in a direction generally perpendicular to the length of said chambers so as to be vertically aligned with any particular one of said chambers, each chamber having an inlet which communicates with the floor level of the conveyor adjacent one end of the conveyor, each chamber having an outlet communicatiNg with the floor level of the conveyor adjacent an opposite end of the conveyor, and elevating and gripping means for withdrawing receptacles containing plants from the chamber outlet and depositing the same on the conveyor, whereby receptacles may be cycled from a chamber across the conveyor for processing and then returned to the opposite end of the chamber from which they were withdrawn.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 15 including means for supporting and moving receptacles in the chamber in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein the elevator means is movable with the conveyor for selective use in connection with the outlet of a plurality of said chambers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 16 wherein the chamber outlets are in a row and the chamber inlets being in a row, the row of inlets and outlets being parallel to one another.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-27 | 1976-08-28 | 1977-02-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-27 | 1980-08-28 | 1981-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-27 | 1984-08-28 | 1985-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |