GB473279A - Apparatus for the production of plant sprouts - Google Patents

Abstract

473,279. Treatment of seeds and growing plants; germinating-appliances ; manures. DOBENZIG, C. April 4, 1936, No. 10026. Convention date, Oct. 24, 1935. [Classes 6 (ii), 58, and 111] Seed germinating apparatus which may be used for producing plants for planting in the soil or for cattle feeding and also, if seeds of maize, soya beans, &c. are used, for human food or medicine comprises one or more perforated supports 5, which may be of coarse mesh, on which the seeds are placed, each support 5 being arranged above the bottom of a receptacle 4, one or more sources of artificial light 15 arranged above each support, means operating to illuminate the light sources at periodic intervals and means for producing a flow of liquid to each support and for permitting outflow of the liquid. The circulation of the irrigating liquid may be operated or cut off by time or thermostatic controls. The liquid may be heated by means which is time or thermostatically controlled and the thermostatic control may be adjustable to give the best conditions for a particular seed. Exchangeable heating elements, e.g. electrical resistances of wire or other material, may be employed. As shown, the receptacles 4 are supported on brackets 6 in an open cupboard 1 and are supplied with water from an upper tank 2 through tubing 7 and taps 8. Wafer is withdrawn from the receptacles 4 by siphon tubes 10 connected to tubing 9 which delivers to a lower tank 3. The tubes 10 are bent at approximately the level of the supports 5 so that the seeds will just be covered with water, outflow of the liquid commencing automatically when this level is reached. The tank 3 has heaters 16 and from it the water is returned to tank 1 by a pump 12 driven by an electric motor 13. The operation of lamps 15, motor 13 and heater 16 is controlled by time controlled electric switches. The pump for circulating the liquid may alternatively be operated mechanically or by hand. Specification 439,424 is referred to. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also the treatment of maize, rice, barley, wheat, rye and oat seeds with solutions containing specified amounts of potash, soda, lime, magnesia, silicic acid. phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid. A solution which may be used with all seeds comprises one part of beech wood ashes, 5 parts of horn dust and a little sulphuric acid dissolved in 10 parts of water and then highly diluted, e.g. 1 part in 1000 to 100,000 parts of water. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.