GB478403A - Improvements in and relating to the forcing of seed plants - Google Patents

Abstract

478,403. Treatment of seeds and growing plants; germinating-appliances. PERIN, G. March 5, 1937, No. 6636. Convention date, March 5, 1936. [Classes 6 (ii) and 58] In a cabinet for the germination of seeds and growth of seedlings comprising a number of groups of trays arranged at different levels and means for intermittently supplying a nutritive liquid to the uppermost group, a float chamber is arranged to receive the liquid after it has passed through a group of trays and, when a particular level is reached in the chamber, to allow the liquid to pass into the next lower group, so that the seeds in the trays are automatically subjected to the action of the liquid for a relatively short time. The cabinet is air tight and insulated. The seeds are spread on screens 19 in the trays 8 and the nutritive liquid is supplied through pipes 18. When the liquid rises in the float chamber 15 the float 20, acting through an adjustable stop, causes a counter-balanced lever 22 to swing back through the vertical position, thus moving a slotted sector 24 and bringing the end of the slot into engagement with a pin on a rod 25 controlling a valve 26. The valve being thus opened the liquid escapes rapidly until its level reaches the upper edge of a small inner chamber 27, when it flows more slowly. It passes through pipes 18a into the next lower group of trays, where the operation is repeated. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 states that carbon dioxide is admitted to the cabinet to increase the carbon dioxide content of the air therein. The air may be passed through the flame of a burner in a compartment in the cabinet, the products of combustion passing into the cabinet with the air. This subject-matter does-not appear in the Specification as accepted.