CA1131449A - Fibrous web for planting seeds, method of using same, apparatus for producing same - Google Patents
Fibrous web for planting seeds, method of using same, apparatus for producing sameInfo
- Publication number
- CA1131449A CA1131449A CA334,529A CA334529A CA1131449A CA 1131449 A CA1131449 A CA 1131449A CA 334529 A CA334529 A CA 334529A CA 1131449 A CA1131449 A CA 1131449A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- straw
- adhesive
- fibers
- straws
- fertilizer
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Pretreatment Of Seeds And Plants (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure A fibrous web for planting seeds consists essentially of a mat of randomly oriented, unmodified, natural straw-like cellulosic fibers, viable seeds, water soluble adhesive and fertilizer. A method of sowing an area of soil with seeds comprising laying the aforementioned web over the area. Apparatus for producing the aforementioned web comprises a conveyor belt, means for driving the conveyor belt, means for depositing onto the conveyor belt while it is driven fluffed randomly oriented, unmodified, natural cellulosic fibers to form a layer thereof on the conveyor belt, means for leveling the fluffed layer to form a mat, means for spraying an aqueous solution of water soluble adhesive onto the mat, means for depositing seed and fertilizer onto the wet adhesive bearing mat and means for drying the wet mat containing adhesive, seed and fertilizer.
Description
FIBROUS WEB FOR PLANTIilG SEEDS, METHOD OF
IJSI~G S~ME, APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SAME
This invention relates ~o a ~ibrous web for planting seeds, the method of sowing an area of soil with seeds by using the fibrous web and an apparatus for producin~ the fibrous web.
The conventional planting of grass, flower and other seeds frequently is inefficient. Particularly in connection with the establishing of new lawns, the lo conventional sowing of seeds results in a substantial waste of seed and, moreover, is time-consuming and tedious.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fibrous web for planting seeds the use of ~hicll is easier and less wasteful of seeds than the conven~ional sowing of seeds.
It is a further object of the invention to pro~ide a method of sowing an area of soil with seeds comprising using the aforementioned web.
It is also an object of the invention to pro-vide an apparatus for producing the aforementioned web.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description of -the invention hereinbelow.
Before the invention is described, a review of prior art in the general field of the invention will be given.
~ In U.S. Patent ~o. 2,909,003, seeds are dis-tributed over an adhesive-free open lofty web of textile fibers and in the interstices thereof.
'~ `
9L`*~
U.S. Patent No. 3,863,388 relates to a form of turf in which seeds are germinated in a rooting medium, namely soil or peat or exfolia-ted minerals or interconnect-ing open cell decomposable cellular resin ~oam materials supported on a mesh overlying a sheet or other solid structure.
U.S. Patent No. 3,914,901 relates to a mat for starting a lawn or other vegetation comprising a web sheet having viable seeds embedded therein, the lo sheet comprising sphagnum peat moss and a binder such as sodium silicate.
U.S. Patent No. 2,826,865 relates to a seed carrier having a laminated structure~ each layer being composed of heterogeneously arranged natural cellulosic or synthetic ~ibers, the layers being sewn together with loosely twisted thread.
U.S. Patent No. 3,160,986 relates to a seed carrier in the form of a plastic film onto which the seed is held by means of a water-soluhle adhesive.
U. S. Patent No. 3,583,099 relates to rigid tiles containing seeds. The tiles are made of clay and binder.
U.S. Patent No. 3,516,196 relates to a seed mat comprised of a biodegradable sheet coated with an .. .
asphalt adhesive binding seeds to the upper surface of the biodegradable sheet.
U.S. Patent No. 1,971,504 relates to a seed carrier comprising a cotton netting or paper backing supporting a layer of water soluble fertilizer, a flexible plastic layer and flexible adhesive adhering the seeds to the plastic layer.
U.S. Patent No. 3,303,609 relates to a mixture incl~tding t~in-~alled hydrophilic regenerated cellulose i~ors, wood fibers, fertilizer and grass seed.
U.S. Patent No. 3,292,307 relates to a mixture including fiberglass, cellulose fiber, seeds and ferti-liz~r.
U.S. Patent No. 3~557,491 relates to ap~xme~ble ~abric or film treated on one side with a caxxler containing seeds~ the fabric being coated with a~phal~ on the other side or being at least partially ~tuxated with asphalt.
U.S. Patent No. 3,888,041 relates to a knitted ~b~ mulcll into which may be incorporated seed tapes.
U.S. Patent No. 3,889,417 relates to a plastic ~oam carrying seeds.
~0 U.S. Patent No. 2,605,589 relates to a sod unit in which seeds are carried on humus or peat moss covered with sand and overlying a plastic mesh.
Canadian Patent No. 811,081 relates to com-pras~d pea~ containing seeds.
, .
Summary of the Invention According to the invention, there is provided a fibrous web for planting seeds, consis-ting essentially of a mat of randomly oriented, unmodified~ natural straw-like cellulosic ~ibers, viable seeds, water soluble adhesive and fertilizer.
The terminology "unmodified, natural" is in-tended to exclude fibers which initially were natural but are presently not in a natural state, such as re-generated cellulosic fibers. The term "straw-like" is intended to include straw and similar materials which are readily recognizable as being straw-like, such as corn husks and other wastes from the harvesting of crop lands. These are characterized by being of relatively long fiber length and relatively rigid and, therefore, forming webs with a considerable degree of permeability without the necessity of puncturing or similarly pro-cessing the webs.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of sowing an area of soil with seeds comprising laying over the area the afore-mentioned web. The soil generally re~uires no prepara-tion at all or, at most~ a moderate surface breaking.
The seeds selected are viable so that they will germinate after the product of the invention has been laid onto the soil.
.
4i~5~
Typical water soluble adhesives which may be used accordin~ to the present invention are pro-tein and protein derivative adhesives including those made from casein, zein, soybean proteins, and other proteins and the types of glues made f.rom hides, bones, and so ~orth, fish glues rom ~ish offal, and those made ~rom blood albumen, adhesives made ~rom materials such as starch and vegetable gums, comprising adhesives made from starch and processed starch, the de~trins, and t .lO the water soluble gums such as gum arabic, ghatti, tragacanth, Indian gum and the like. Cellulose adhe-sives which are principally cellulose derivatives such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.
Common water soluble fertilizers may be used in thq present invention. Typical of these are ammonium sulfate, calcium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, urea, monocalcium and ammonium phosphates, single super-phosphate, wet-process orthophosphoric acid, triple 20 superphosphate, ammonium phosphates, nitrophosphates, nonorthophosphates and so forth and various mixtures of the foregoing.
The seeds themselves may be any grass, flower or other seeds which it is desired to sow. Generally speaking, it is anticipated that the present invention will ~ind its greatest utility in the establishment o la~lsand flower beds~ but it certainly is not limited to these particular applications.
The invention will now be further described by reference to a specific, preferred embodiment there-of, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Brief Description of the Drawing The drawing is an isometric view, in partially schematic form, of an apparatus for producing a fibrous web in accordance with the invention.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 includes a bin 1 for holding chopped mulch such as straw which ultimately forms the base for the product of the inven-tion. A conduit 2 including conventional elevator and transport means conveys the straw from the bin 1 to a conventional feed hopper 3 which evenly distributes the straw in a fluffy condition onto the top surface of a conveyor belt 4 which is driven by a variable speed motor 13 in the direction away from the bin lo The distributed straw on the conveyor belt 4 passes beneath a pair of opposed augers 5 that firm and level the straw to form a mat of substantially uniform thickness. A variable speed motor 14 drives the augers. Another motor 15 can raise the lower the augers thereby to adjust the thickness of the mat being formed.
Downstream from the augers 5, a spray head 6 applied by means of a pump 7 from a reservoir 12 a hot *~
aqueous solution of water soluble glue. Thereafter, granular fertilizer and grass seed are gravity fed from respective hoppers 8 and 9 into spot contact with the adhesive on the straw. The thus prepared product according to the invention, still wet from the adhesive, is fed into a drying tunnel 10 surrounding a portion of the upper run of the conveyor belt 4. A conventional heating oven 11 provides hot air for the drying tunnel 10. Hot air is fed to the tunnel 10 through ducts 18 and air is recirculated from near the downstream end of the tunnel 10 to the oven 11 through return duct 17.
Downstream from the tunnel 10, a conventional cutter 16 cuts the finished mat product of the invention into pieces of desired length.
With little or no surface breaking of the soil~
a lawn is readily established simply by laying out the mats according to the invention on the soil. The seeds and fertilizer are retained essentially on one side of the mat by the adhesive. Since the adhesive is water soluble, when it rains or the mat is artificially watered the adhesive dissolves and the seeds and fertilizer are released and find their way into soil. The straw prevents the seeds from being blown away and inhibits the growth of weeds. Since the straw is biodegradableg it even-tually becomes part of the soil.
While the invention has been described by reference to a specific, preferred embodiment thereofg it is to be understood that the scope of the invention, ~l3~
as deined by the appended claims, is also intended to include all modifications and variations which 3 would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art,
IJSI~G S~ME, APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SAME
This invention relates ~o a ~ibrous web for planting seeds, the method of sowing an area of soil with seeds by using the fibrous web and an apparatus for producin~ the fibrous web.
The conventional planting of grass, flower and other seeds frequently is inefficient. Particularly in connection with the establishing of new lawns, the lo conventional sowing of seeds results in a substantial waste of seed and, moreover, is time-consuming and tedious.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fibrous web for planting seeds the use of ~hicll is easier and less wasteful of seeds than the conven~ional sowing of seeds.
It is a further object of the invention to pro~ide a method of sowing an area of soil with seeds comprising using the aforementioned web.
It is also an object of the invention to pro-vide an apparatus for producing the aforementioned web.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description of -the invention hereinbelow.
Before the invention is described, a review of prior art in the general field of the invention will be given.
~ In U.S. Patent ~o. 2,909,003, seeds are dis-tributed over an adhesive-free open lofty web of textile fibers and in the interstices thereof.
'~ `
9L`*~
U.S. Patent No. 3,863,388 relates to a form of turf in which seeds are germinated in a rooting medium, namely soil or peat or exfolia-ted minerals or interconnect-ing open cell decomposable cellular resin ~oam materials supported on a mesh overlying a sheet or other solid structure.
U.S. Patent No. 3,914,901 relates to a mat for starting a lawn or other vegetation comprising a web sheet having viable seeds embedded therein, the lo sheet comprising sphagnum peat moss and a binder such as sodium silicate.
U.S. Patent No. 2,826,865 relates to a seed carrier having a laminated structure~ each layer being composed of heterogeneously arranged natural cellulosic or synthetic ~ibers, the layers being sewn together with loosely twisted thread.
U.S. Patent No. 3,160,986 relates to a seed carrier in the form of a plastic film onto which the seed is held by means of a water-soluhle adhesive.
U. S. Patent No. 3,583,099 relates to rigid tiles containing seeds. The tiles are made of clay and binder.
U.S. Patent No. 3,516,196 relates to a seed mat comprised of a biodegradable sheet coated with an .. .
asphalt adhesive binding seeds to the upper surface of the biodegradable sheet.
U.S. Patent No. 1,971,504 relates to a seed carrier comprising a cotton netting or paper backing supporting a layer of water soluble fertilizer, a flexible plastic layer and flexible adhesive adhering the seeds to the plastic layer.
U.S. Patent No. 3,303,609 relates to a mixture incl~tding t~in-~alled hydrophilic regenerated cellulose i~ors, wood fibers, fertilizer and grass seed.
U.S. Patent No. 3,292,307 relates to a mixture including fiberglass, cellulose fiber, seeds and ferti-liz~r.
U.S. Patent No. 3~557,491 relates to ap~xme~ble ~abric or film treated on one side with a caxxler containing seeds~ the fabric being coated with a~phal~ on the other side or being at least partially ~tuxated with asphalt.
U.S. Patent No. 3,888,041 relates to a knitted ~b~ mulcll into which may be incorporated seed tapes.
U.S. Patent No. 3,889,417 relates to a plastic ~oam carrying seeds.
~0 U.S. Patent No. 2,605,589 relates to a sod unit in which seeds are carried on humus or peat moss covered with sand and overlying a plastic mesh.
Canadian Patent No. 811,081 relates to com-pras~d pea~ containing seeds.
, .
Summary of the Invention According to the invention, there is provided a fibrous web for planting seeds, consis-ting essentially of a mat of randomly oriented, unmodified~ natural straw-like cellulosic ~ibers, viable seeds, water soluble adhesive and fertilizer.
The terminology "unmodified, natural" is in-tended to exclude fibers which initially were natural but are presently not in a natural state, such as re-generated cellulosic fibers. The term "straw-like" is intended to include straw and similar materials which are readily recognizable as being straw-like, such as corn husks and other wastes from the harvesting of crop lands. These are characterized by being of relatively long fiber length and relatively rigid and, therefore, forming webs with a considerable degree of permeability without the necessity of puncturing or similarly pro-cessing the webs.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of sowing an area of soil with seeds comprising laying over the area the afore-mentioned web. The soil generally re~uires no prepara-tion at all or, at most~ a moderate surface breaking.
The seeds selected are viable so that they will germinate after the product of the invention has been laid onto the soil.
.
4i~5~
Typical water soluble adhesives which may be used accordin~ to the present invention are pro-tein and protein derivative adhesives including those made from casein, zein, soybean proteins, and other proteins and the types of glues made f.rom hides, bones, and so ~orth, fish glues rom ~ish offal, and those made ~rom blood albumen, adhesives made ~rom materials such as starch and vegetable gums, comprising adhesives made from starch and processed starch, the de~trins, and t .lO the water soluble gums such as gum arabic, ghatti, tragacanth, Indian gum and the like. Cellulose adhe-sives which are principally cellulose derivatives such as methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.
Common water soluble fertilizers may be used in thq present invention. Typical of these are ammonium sulfate, calcium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, urea, monocalcium and ammonium phosphates, single super-phosphate, wet-process orthophosphoric acid, triple 20 superphosphate, ammonium phosphates, nitrophosphates, nonorthophosphates and so forth and various mixtures of the foregoing.
The seeds themselves may be any grass, flower or other seeds which it is desired to sow. Generally speaking, it is anticipated that the present invention will ~ind its greatest utility in the establishment o la~lsand flower beds~ but it certainly is not limited to these particular applications.
The invention will now be further described by reference to a specific, preferred embodiment there-of, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Brief Description of the Drawing The drawing is an isometric view, in partially schematic form, of an apparatus for producing a fibrous web in accordance with the invention.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 includes a bin 1 for holding chopped mulch such as straw which ultimately forms the base for the product of the inven-tion. A conduit 2 including conventional elevator and transport means conveys the straw from the bin 1 to a conventional feed hopper 3 which evenly distributes the straw in a fluffy condition onto the top surface of a conveyor belt 4 which is driven by a variable speed motor 13 in the direction away from the bin lo The distributed straw on the conveyor belt 4 passes beneath a pair of opposed augers 5 that firm and level the straw to form a mat of substantially uniform thickness. A variable speed motor 14 drives the augers. Another motor 15 can raise the lower the augers thereby to adjust the thickness of the mat being formed.
Downstream from the augers 5, a spray head 6 applied by means of a pump 7 from a reservoir 12 a hot *~
aqueous solution of water soluble glue. Thereafter, granular fertilizer and grass seed are gravity fed from respective hoppers 8 and 9 into spot contact with the adhesive on the straw. The thus prepared product according to the invention, still wet from the adhesive, is fed into a drying tunnel 10 surrounding a portion of the upper run of the conveyor belt 4. A conventional heating oven 11 provides hot air for the drying tunnel 10. Hot air is fed to the tunnel 10 through ducts 18 and air is recirculated from near the downstream end of the tunnel 10 to the oven 11 through return duct 17.
Downstream from the tunnel 10, a conventional cutter 16 cuts the finished mat product of the invention into pieces of desired length.
With little or no surface breaking of the soil~
a lawn is readily established simply by laying out the mats according to the invention on the soil. The seeds and fertilizer are retained essentially on one side of the mat by the adhesive. Since the adhesive is water soluble, when it rains or the mat is artificially watered the adhesive dissolves and the seeds and fertilizer are released and find their way into soil. The straw prevents the seeds from being blown away and inhibits the growth of weeds. Since the straw is biodegradableg it even-tually becomes part of the soil.
While the invention has been described by reference to a specific, preferred embodiment thereofg it is to be understood that the scope of the invention, ~l3~
as deined by the appended claims, is also intended to include all modifications and variations which 3 would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art,
Claims (4)
1. The method of forming a fluffy uncompressed rolled seeded or unseeded straw-like mulch mat capable of being unrolled, which derives its entire structural strength and unity from randomly oriented, unmodified, natural, elongated, straw-like cellulosic fibers, bonded together by a water soluble adhesive providing spot contact bonding between contiguous fibers, including the steps of, distri-buting onto a conveyor loose fluffy, randomly, oriented, unmodified, natural, elongated and dry straw-like cellulosic fibers; spraying water soluble adhesive onto said straw-like cellulosic fibers, spreading onto the adhesive a predetermined amount of granular material from the class comprising seed and fertilizer; drying the adhesive and thereby bonding the straw-like fibers together and securing the granular material to the straw-like fibers by the adhesive on the straw-like fibers providing spot contact bonding only be-tween the fibers and with the granular material; and rolling the mat into a roll for storage and unrolling at the location of use.
2. The method of forming a fluffy uncom-pressed rolled seeded straw mulch mat capable of being unrolled, which derives its entire structural strength and unity from randomly oriented, unmodified, natural, elongated, straws, bonded together by a water soluble adhesive providing spot contact bonding between contiguous straws, including the steps of, distributing onto a con-veyor loose, fluffy, randomly, oriented, unmodified, natural, elongated and dry straws; spraying water soluble adhesive onto said straws, spreading onto the adhesive a predetermined amount of granular seed and fertilizer; drying the adhesive and thereby bonding the straws together and securing the granular material to the straws by the adhe-sive on the straws providing spot contact bonding only be-tween the straws and with the granular seed and fertilizer.
3. A rolled seeded and fertilizer straw mulch mat which derives its entire structural strength and unity from randomly oriented, unmodified, natural, elongated, straws bonded together by water soluble adhesive providing spot contact bonding only between contiguous straws without the application of compression and including on one side of said mat only, seed and fertilizer distributed uniform-ly thereover, and secured to said straws by said adhesive on said straws making spot contact only with said seed and fertilizer.
4. The method of forming a fluffy uncompressed rolled seeded or unseeded straw-like mulch mat capable of being unrolled, which derives its entire structural strength and unity from randomly oriented, unmodified, natural, elongated, straw-like cellulosic fibers, bonded together by a water soluble adhesive providing spot contact bonding between contiguous fibers, including the steps of, distributing onto a conveyor loose fluffy, randomly, oriented, unmodified, natural, elongated and dry straw-like cellu-losic fibers; spraying water soluble adhesive onto said straw-like cellulosic fibers; spreading onto the adhesive a predetermined amount of granular material from the class comprising seed and fertilizer; and drying the adhesive and thereby bonding the straw-like fibers together and secur-ing the granular material to the straw-like fibers by the adhesive on the straw-like fibers providing spot contact bonding only between the fibers and with the granular material.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US97160378A | 1978-12-20 | 1978-12-20 | |
| US971,603 | 1978-12-20 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1131449A true CA1131449A (en) | 1982-09-14 |
Family
ID=25518594
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA334,529A Expired CA1131449A (en) | 1978-12-20 | 1979-08-24 | Fibrous web for planting seeds, method of using same, apparatus for producing same |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1131449A (en) |
-
1979
- 1979-08-24 CA CA334,529A patent/CA1131449A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |