WO1989011216A1

WO1989011216A1 - A method and apparatus for sprouting seeds

Info

Publication number: WO1989011216A1
Application number: PCT/AU1989/000222
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Frederick Thorby
Original assignee: Donald Frederick Thorby
Priority date: 1988-05-19
Filing date: 1989-05-19
Publication date: 1989-11-30

Abstract

Apparatus for sprouting seeds. The apparatus (1) comprises a base frame (2) having four legs (3) and a table (4). At the lateral edges of the table (4) is a pair of support beams (5) and a pair of edge beams (6). A continuous belting membrane (9) is placed around a pair of rollers (8) located at the longitudinal edges of the table (4). The continuous belting (9) travels both above and below the table (4). The continuous belting (9) floats on a hydroponic solution contained in between the edge beams (6) and seeds which are placed on the belting (9) are sprouted to form a stock feed. The sprouted seeds are removed when they reach the end of the belting (9) as it travels between the rollers (8).

Description

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SPROUTING SEEDS The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sprouting sees, and 1n particular, to a method and apparatus for sprouting seeds which is used as feed for livestock. BACKGROUND ART

Many studies Into the feeding of livestock have confirmed that when handfeeding livestock cereal seeds it is preferable to sprout the seeds as the nutritional value of sprouted seeds 1s much greater than that of unsprouted seeds. It has been known to sprout seeds in a room using artificial light twenty four hours a day. The seeds are sprouted in trays having hydroponic solution and the trays are removed whe the seeds have sprouted to a desired length. The tray is then replaced by a new tray ready for sprouting. The hydroponic solutions must also be topped up as required. Up to now there has not been a satisfactory method of sprouting seeds whereby a continuous supply of sprouted seeds has been available for the livestock.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for sprouting seeds so that the sprouted seeds are continuously and readily available for use as handfeed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed apparatus for sprouting seeds, said apparatus comprising a belting which substantially floats on water, wherein said seeds are placed on said belting and allowed to sprout and grow before being removed. A method for sprouting seeds is also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINTS One embodiment of the present Invention will now be described with reference to the drawings 1n which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of apparatus for sprouting seeds of a preferred embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of II-II of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 1s a detailed transverse cross-section of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of a plurality of apparatus of Fig. 1 bei ng used .

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The apparatus 1 as Illustrated in the drawings comprises a base frame 2. The frame 2 has four legs 3 and a table 4. At the lateral edges of the tabel 4 is a pair of support beams 5 and a pair of edge beams 6.

Located at both ends 7 of the apparatus 1 is a pair of rollers 8 onto which a continuous belting or membrane 9 is placed. As seen 1n the drawings, the continuous belting 9 travels both above and below the table 4 in a contlnous path. The continuous belting 9 is made of a impermeable material which floats on wather 10 which is located within the trough 11 between the two edge beams 6 and table 4. A water spray bar 18 is used to maintain moisture on top of the belting 9. As seen in Fig. 3, the continuous belting 9 has a floatation device 12 sewn into the edge of the belting 9. The floatation device 12 is maintained adjacent the edge beams 6 by a guide beam 14 which is connected to the edge beam 6 by an overhead bracket 13. The floatation device 12 ensures that the belting 9 remains substantially flat on the surface of the water 10 and also ensures that the belting 9 covers the width of the table 4. In operation, the apparatus 1 is used in such a manner that seeds 16 are placed on the floating belting 9 at one end 7. During the growth cycle which may last up to seven days the belting 9 is moved along the length of the frame 2 until when the sprouted seeds 17 have reached the other end 7 and are ready for harvesting or packaging to feed livestock. The movement of the belting 9 can either be by a mechanical means or by manual means. The direction of travel A of the belt ensures that there is a continuous supply of fully sprouted seeds to be used as feed.

The water can be heated and can also have nutrients in solution to help the growth of the sprouted seeds 17. The apparatus 1 can be located indoors or outdoors depending on the requirements of its particular use.

As seen in Fig. 4, one method of using a plurality of apparatus 1 1s such that a gravitational feed silo 15 can be used to feed measured amounts of seeds 16 to each of the apparatus 1 which are radially connected to the outlet line 18 of the silo 15.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled In the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present Invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY It is envisaged that the apparatus of the present invention will be used to supply a regular supply of sprouted seeds to be used as feed to stock.

Claims

1. Apparatus for sprouting seeds, said apparatus including a belting membrane which substantially floats on a solution, wherein said seeds are applied to said belting membrane and allowed to sprout and grow before being removed.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said belting membrane is formed of continuous belting which is placed around at least one pair of opposed holder means and is able to travel in a continuous path.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pair of holder means is a pair of rollers on which the continuous belting is placed.

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3 wherein said belting membrane is a Impermeable material and is able to float on said solution.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said apparatus comprises a base frame having supports, said base frame having edging supports so as to form an open container to hold said solution.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said belting membrane includes an edging means located at lateral edges which interact with a corresponding bracket means on said edging supports to ensure membrane substantially covers said base frame.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said edging means comprises a floatation device located adjacent the lateral edges of said belting membrane.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a water spray device is used to maintain moisture on top of said belting membrane.

9. A method of sprouting seeds including the steps of applying said seeds to one end of an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1-8, and then during the growth cycle the continuous belting is moved until the sprouted seeds have reached the other end and then harvested.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein a gravitational feed silo is used to feed measured amounts of seeds to each of a plurality of apparatus.