Title: Field transplant systems and methods and components thereof

Abstract: A field transplant system including a machine for sequentially forming groups of polymerized soil plugs having seed receiving recesses in one end thereof and supported on a carrier, and in certain cases interconnected by strips, the carrier being used to transport the soil plugs through a seeding station and then to a germination station and then to a growing station either in the flat or on a plant turning machine in a greenhouse to grow the germinated seeds to transplant size, and then using the carrier to transport the soil plugs with the transplants growing therein to the field for transplanting by an automatic transplanter; several forms of soil plugs are disclosed, and several methods for supplying seeds to the soil plugs are disclosed, as well as an improved method of mounting a mat of soil plugs on the cylinder of a plant turning machine.

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Inventors: Dedolph, Richard R. (Naperville, IL, US)

Application Number: 928902
Filing Date: 1978-07-28
Publication_date: 1980-08-05
Assignee: Gravi-Mechanics Co. (Naperville, IL)
Primary Class(es): 47/56 47/74, 71/64.13, 111/100, 111/105, 111/919, 264/DIG37
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

1486431	Mar, 1924	Harvey	47/74.
3172234	Mar, 1965	Eavis	47/56.
3373009	Mar, 1968	Pruitt et al.	71/64.
3608238	Sep, 1971	Reuter	47/64.
3739522	Jun, 1973	Greenbaum	53/562.
3739997	Jun, 1973	Edwards	47/56.
3812618	May, 1974	Wood et al.	47/56.
3834072	Sep, 1974	Rack	47/56.
3842537	Oct, 1974	Bishop	47/74.
3961445	Jun, 1976	Rack	47/74.
4034508	Jul, 1977	Dedolph	47/67.
4130072	Dec, 1978	Dedolph	47/56.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Eickholt, E. H.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Vogel, Dithmar, Stotland, Stratman & Levy