FR2565776A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A SEEDED TABLECLOTH FOR GROWING GRASS OR COMPARABLE PLANTS - Google Patents

Abstract

A SEEDED TABLECLOTH COMPRISING TWO LIKE TABLECLOTH LAYERS OVERLAY, EACH OF WHICH IS COTTON AND HAS A FLAKE-SIDED SIDE. A SOWING MACHINE 4 SOWS THE HOPPER SEEDS 29 ONTO THE FLAKE SURFACE OF ONE OF THE LAYERS AND A WATER RETENTION AGENT AND PEAT ARE ALSO APPLIED FROM HOPPERS 29, 29 RESPECTIVELY. AN ADHESIVE IS APPLIED TO THE SURFACE SEED BY A SPRAYER 5 BEFORE THE SECOND LAYER HAS BEEN SUPERIMPOSED AND ADHESIVE TO THE LAYERED LAYER LAYER TO FORM THE RETAINING AND PROTECTING THE SEMEN LAYER BETWEEN THE TWO LAYERS.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing

  a tablecloth seeded for growing grass, the tablecloth being intended to rest on the ground or on another surface prepared to establish a lawn or a grassy area. Typical applications of such a tablecloth include golf courses, playgrounds, gardens, embankments and the like which must be covered with turf or parts of which must be renewed,

  It is already known to establish a seeded element

  taking a strip or tablecloth composed of two layers of cotton between which the seeds which are carried by the element are sown, the upper layer of cotton having a surface to which an adhesive is applied to fix the two layers

of cotton to each other.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a

  process and apparatus for producing a perfected element

  tioned seeded sheet which positively retains the seed of the sowing to avoid any tendency of the seed to

  move in a unilateral direction when it is trans-

  carried through the apparatus and after this passage.

  Another object of the invention is to propose a method and an apparatus for producing an improved element

  sown in which the seed is protected against dete

  improvement during the manufacture of the element and after this manufacture. A further object of the invention is to propose a method and an apparatus for producing an improved seeded sheet element which contains a fertilizer and / or a water-retaining medium to improve germination and

seed growth.

  Other objects and advantages of the invention will be

mentioned below.

  According to the first aspect of the invention, a method is proposed for producing a seeded sheet element for the growth of comparable grass or plants, this method comprising the establishment of a layer of sheet having on one side a flaky surface. and applying at least one adhesive to the other side and then drying the ply layer, seeding on the flaky surface of said ply layer and applying at least one adhesive to the flaky surface seeded and for the establishment of a second layer of similar ply having a padded surface, said second layer being superimposed on the first layer of ply mentioned for bonding the two layers to each other, the flaky surfaces being

  adjacent and the seeds being retained between these layers.

  By this process, it is possible to use a reserve of inexpensive material such as recovered cotton to produce the layers of tablecloth whose flaky surface comprises fibrous balls which form pockets or housings in which the seeds are housed and retained against a

  relative movement while being protected.

  Other characteristics of the process according to the invention

  will be indicated in the rest of the presentation.

  According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus is proposed for implementing the method of the invention, this apparatus comprising a combing machine for forming a layer of ply with a flaky surface on one side, a means for advancing the tablecloth layer next to a sprayer to apply either an adhesive or an adhesive and a fertilizer to the other face of the tablecloth layer, a drying device traversed by the layer, a sowing machine for sowing the seeds on the flaky surface of the web layer, a sprayer for applying an adhesive to the seeded flaky surface and means for superimposing a second similar layer of web on the

  layer of seeded tablecloth mentioned first, the surface

  these flaky being adJacentes and the seeds being

retained between them.

  By this apparatus, the sheet material can be produced continuously and, if necessary, different products can be applied to the sheet to promote

  germination and seed growth.

  Other features and advantages of the device-

  The invented age will be described later in the presentation.

  The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

  Figure 1 is a side view of a form of execution

  typical of the apparatus to produce the water table

  mencée according to the present invention, this figure representing the first half of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a side view similar to Figure 1 but showing the second half of the apparatus; and FIG. 3 is a plan view of part of the seeded sheet having water retaining means, the sheet

  being produced according to the present invention.

  Referring to the appended drawing, the apparatus generally comprises: a combing machine 1 for forming a layer of finished cotton tablecloth having flakes (flakes of fiber or flaked fiber) on one of its faces; a sprayer 2 to apply either an adhesive or an adhesive and a fertilizer to the other side of the layer of

  tablecloth a; a dryer 3 to dry the adhesive and any fertilizer

  additional health; a sowing machine 4 for sowing seeds and a water-retaining agent as well as peat

  on the flaky surface of the sheet a; a second spray

  sater 5 for applying an adhesive and other products to the sown seeds; and a machine 6 for superimposing on the layer of seeded tablecloth a layer of similar non-seeded tablecloth a in order to establish a tablecloth "composed of

  two layers a and a 'holding the seed between them.

  The combing machine 1 comprises a hopper 7 for discharging the raw material, such as recovered cotton, under

  a controlled flow on the feed rollers 8 and 8 '.

  The cotton mass is entrained by a roller 9 to a breaker roller 10 and transported by a conveyor roller 11 To a carding roller 14 and a combing roller 15. To the breaker roller 10 and to the rollers 14, 15 of carding and combing respectively are associated with stripping elements 12 and pressing 13, The combing machine progressively refines the cotton raw material and by choosing a relatively large spacing or interval between the carding roller 14 and the combing roller 15, the web cotton finished has a multitude of flakes on its

  surface for obtaining the flaky surface.

  A deflection roller 16 is provided for turning over and

  pass the finished cotton tablecloth to the pei

  gner I to a conveyor 17 so that the underside of the initial ply is brought up while the flaky surface is placed below. The ply has passed from the conveyor 17 to other successive belt conveyors 18 and 19. Above the belt conveyor 19 is disposed a sprayer 2 having nozzle lines 20 and 21 spaced in the direction of advance of the tablecloth a. The first nozzles 20 apply a liquid fertilizer to the tablecloth and the second nozzles 21 apply to the tablecloth

has an adhesive.

  The sheet a to which the fertilizer has been applied and the adhesive then advances through the dryer 3 while being driven by the conveyor 19o At the outlet of the dryer 3,

  the tablecloth passes under a series of nozzles 22 of another spray

  riser 23 which continuously ejects a drying type

  rapid synthetic resin on the surface of the web-a.

  Following the sprayer 23 are the feed rollers

  drag 24 and 24 'and a winding drum 25 with which guide rollers 26 and the cotton layer are associated

  finished a 'is received on the drum 25 which, after filling

  wise, is removed for loading in the second part

  of the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

  The drum 25 carrying the sheet a 'is mounted for the unwinding of the sheet a' on a belt conveyor 27 with its flaky side up. Rollers

  28 and 28 'drive the web towards the machine

  ne to sow 4 which includes a line of seed hoppers 29.

  Following the seed hoppers 29, a hopper 29 'is provided to contain a powder of solid particles of a water-retaining agent such as a sodium polyacrylate and a hopper 29 "to contain peat used as bed

  of water retention, all the hoppers being arranged

  above the conveyor belt 27 and transversely by

report to this carrier.

  At the base of each of the hoppers 29, 29 'and 29 "is provided a flow control element 30 which is adjusted by a transmission belt means 31 driven by a motor 32 so as to allow the control of the distribution of the seeds , water-retaining agent and peat on the flaky surface of the web a '. A vibrator 33 on the lower face of the conveyor 27 is provided to vibrate the web a' in order to ensure that seed and other products are distributed in the intervals

  or housings between the fiber flakes of the flake surface

  neuse. The sprayer 5 is provided with a series of nozzles 34 and 35 respectively capable of applying a liquid fertilizer and an adhesive to the seeded flaky surface.

of the tablecloth a '.

  The machine 6 receives a drum filled with the unseeded sheet a 'and the sheet of this drum is unwound and applied to the seeded sheet a' by the rollers 37 and 37 ', the flaky faces of the two sheets being' applied one against the other and fixed or glued together by

  the adhesive applied to the seeded layer of ply.

  A winding drum 38-is provided for the winding-

  ment of the seeded composite ply and this drum is driven as well as the conveyor 27 by a motor 39 via a belt transmission 41, this same motor driving the machine 6 by another belt 40 and a roller 36. D in a known manner, a guide roller 42

  is provided for the winding drum 38.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the seeded sheet a "consists of two layers of sheet superimposed on 'having their flaky faces one against the other to form pockets in which the seeds are retained without risk of displacement or deterioration The composite tablecloth a "comprises against the peat seed and a water retaining agent while at least one of the layers of the tablecloth is impregnated with fertilizer. Thus the seeded layer constitutes a soilless bed for the germination and growth of the

  seed when the sown tablecloth is put into service.

  As the above description shows, the apparatus

  reillage and the process according to the present invention allow the production of a complete seeded sheet without soil with a germination bed in such a way that an inexpensive raw material such as regenerated cotton can be used,

(recovered waste).

  Although a preferred embodiment has been described above with reference to a process in which a layer of ply is formed into a winding which is then recharged on a second part of the apparatus, it will be understood that it could be consider modifications so that the first part of the apparatus is followed in alignment by the second part with suitable means for turning over the lower layer established by the first part in order to

  its transport to a seeding station without interruption.

  Other modifications falling within the framework of ltin-

  vention include the use of other fibers used

  or not mixed with cotton provided that the surface flakes

  neuse desired can be formed in the grinding process,

carding and combing.

  In addition, as will be understood, the amount and types of materials applied to the web as fertilizers, water-retaining agents and peat material may vary to suit particular seeds. In addition, the selection of seeds for the cultivation of special herbs or other horticultural plantations can be used in the aquifer.

seeded as desired.

Claims (6)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N So   1. Process for producing a seeded sheet (a ")   for the growth of grass or comparable plants,   taking the constitution of a layer of groundwater (a2) with over-   flaky side on one of its faces, applying at least one adhesive on the other side, then drying the layer of ply, seeding the flaky surface of said layer, applying at least an adhesive on the seeded flaky surface, the establishment in a second   similar layer (a ') with a flaky surface, the super   position of said second layer on said first layer   and fixing the two layers together, the fleece faces-   born being one against the other and the seeds. both retained between them.   2. The method of claim 1, wherein a fertilizer is applied to said first mentioned layer before drying the layer.   The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a water-retaining agent and peat are applied to the flaky surface on which the seed is sown.   4. Method according to any one of the claims   previous, in which each layer of groundwater (ae) is   consisting of a tablecloth of reclaimed combed cotton.   5. Apparatus for applying the method according to claim 1, comprising a combing machine for advancing the layer of ply (a) opposite a sprayer (2) intended to apply either an adhesive or an adhesive and a fertilizer to said other side of the tablecloth layer a dryer (3) through which the tablecloth passes, a   sowing (4) for sowing the seed on the snowflake surface   layer of the ply layer (a), a sprayer (5) to apply an adhesive to the seeded flaky surface and   a means for superimposing a second layer of blanket   ble on the tablecloth layer first9 the surfaces   these flaky being facing and retaining the seeds between them.   6. Inoculated tablecloth produced according to the method of claim 1o