Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Direct application of fluid pressure differential to... – Producing multilayer work or article
Patent
1993-05-14
1995-01-17
Theisen, Mary Lynn
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Direct application of fluid pressure differential to...
Producing multilayer work or article
264512, 264516, 264517, 264518, 425 801, 425 811, 425 831, B29C 6700
Patent
active
053824032
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a method of producing substrate blocks, primarily small blocks of sphagnum for the growing af cuttings and seed plants, and of the type consisting of a cylindrical block having an envelope of paper or a similar material and and an associated filling of sphagnum or a corresponding substrate material. Such blocks can be produced by extrusion of a substrate string that is introduced into a casing tube and cut into pieces of suitable length, and it is common practice that the cylindrical blocks thus produced are mounted in an e.g. vacuum shaped cutting tray of thin plastic, arranged with pockets for receiving the blocks, normally with the blocks somewhat upstanding from the top side of the tray. When the young plants have grown to a certain extent the substrate blocks are transferred to plant pots having a larger substrate volume, and the casing material is gradually decomposed, such that the plant can then freely grow its roots out in the plant pot.
It is already known that for the production of the substrate blocks it is possible to use machines operating roughly in the same manner as cigarette machines, but also being correspondingly very expensive, whereby they are entirely out of reach for even very large gardening enterprises or for only average sized special factories for the production of such blocks. There is an expressed need for cheaper machines for use in average sized enterprises, and here it has been customary to use a machinery operating by axially pressing the substrate material into the casing tube by means of either a conveying worm or a compaction piston.
Basically this is a simple technique, which can be applied with relatively very simple means, but for one thing the machinery is rather expensive anyway, and for another thing it is well known to the skilled people that there are noticeable operational difficulties with these machines, because a pressing forward and compaction of a loose sphagnum like material gives rise to big problems due to the coarse fibrous character of the material. With the use of both a piston and a worm there are frequent operational disturbances and stops, and the cheaper, yet still quite expensive machines in this group are thus largely problematic due to the coarse and sometimes even vary coarse structure of the substrate.
In connection with the present invention it has been realized that it is possible to effect an operationally much safer stowing together of the substrate material in the casing tube with the use of highly simple means, viz. by using suction in stead of pressing. The casing tube may well be made of air permeable material, this even applying to a here well usable material which has in fact already been used as a casing material, without, however, the said property of the material having been paid particular attention or utilized in connection with the filling in of the substrate. The casing tube can be advanced through a vacuum zone, in which air is sucked in or rather out with such a capacity that the suction can be brought to propagate axially through a feeder conduit in a manner such that the material may be supplied by suction in from a storage of loose substrate material, while in the suction chamber it will be packed together with a force depending of the applied vacuum. This provides for operational conditions quite different from those associated with pressing means, as there will be no risk of any jamming. The compaction of the material will take place successively from the suction end of the suction zone, and it has been found that the operational safety can hereby be extremely high.
Once the block material has been built up in the suction zone the filled paper tube may be further advanced by mechanical means, whereby blocks of a suitable length can be currently cut from the advanced material string, and these blocks may then be transferred for automatic mounting in receiver units such as cutting trays.
The invention, which is further defined in the appended claims and also comprises a system for carryi
REFERENCES:
patent: 2571334 (1951-10-01), Browne
patent: 3147165 (1964-09-01), Slayter
patent: 3341890 (1967-09-01), Oja
patent: 3819435 (1974-06-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 4674966 (1987-06-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 4676871 (1987-06-01), Cadieux et al.
patent: 5120380 (1992-06-01), Strachan
LandOfFree
Method and a system for producing block bodies from loose materi does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and a system for producing block bodies from loose materi, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and a system for producing block bodies from loose materi will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-745917