GB719961A - Method of and apparatus for manufacturing casts or blocks from soil, vegetable mould or like material - Google Patents

Abstract

719,961. Moulding seed casts. VRIJ, A. DE. May 16, 1952, No. 12412/52. Class 87 (2) A method of manufacturing casts or blocks from soil, vegetable mould or like material comprises feeding such material into an extruder comprising a casing with a worm conveyer wherein it is homogenized and from which it is driven out between the casing and a central core as a centrally perforated string which is subjected to periodical cutting parallel to the delivery end of the casing. The vegetable mould, to which fertilizer may be added, is placed in a hopper 5 and is homogenized as it is impelled by the worm 2 towards the open end of the casing 1. To produce seed casts which have bottoms the worm extension 6 stops short of the casing opening and the means for periodically cutting the extruded material comprises plates 10 which cover the opening during part of the rotation of a ring 7 in which they are mounted. Material is then forced between the end of the extension 6 and a plate 10, while other material surrounds the extension 6 which then acts as a core. As the plate moves away the material is forced through the opening, taking as its outside diameter the internal diameter of the casing, and is cut by the cutting edge 11 of the next plate 10 in the revolving ring 7. For bottomless seed casts the plates 10 may be dispensed with and radial cutting wires, mounted in the ring 7, may be used. For providing holes of different diameters in the seed casts the extensions 6 may be detachable and interchangeable. The part of the casing 1 beyond the worm 2 may also be detachable, allowing the use of extension pieces of different internal diameters and crosssections.