# US 10,499,556 B1 · Processor for rhizomes and the like > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,499,556 B1 - Document ID: US10499556B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/978,474 - Filed: 2018-05-14 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-01 - Assignees: AGgrow Tech, LLC - Applicants: Aggrow Tech, LLC - Inventors: Michael Edward Fulghum; Thomas Logan Fazio - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499556B1 ## CPC - A01C 1/00: Apparatus, or methods of use thereof, for testing or treating seed, roots, or the like, prior to sowing or planting - A01B 79/02: combined with other agricultural processing, e.g. fertilising, planting - B02C 23/08: Separating or sorting of material, associated with crushing or disintegrating (B02C23/18 takes precedence {; beater mills combined with sifting devices B02C13/13, B02C13/14; for tumbling mills B02C17/1835}) - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - B02C: CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN ({household tools and machines for pulverising foodstuffs, e.g. coffee and spice mills A47J42/00; pharmaceutical mortars A61J3/02; mechanical processing of refuse and garbage B03B9/06; dressing mould materials by grinding B22C5/04}; obtaining metallic powder by crushing, grinding or milling B22F9/04; {recovery of plastics by disintegrating B29B17/00; crushing raw materials in starch making C08B30/02; beaters for papermaking D21D1/02; crushing devices specially for transport in mines E21F13/002; slag crushing devices F23J1/00; fuel milling devices in combustion apparatus F23K1/00; household devices for crushing coal F24B15/02; ice disintegrating devices F25C5/02}) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for processing harvested miscanthus or other rhizomes to condition them for replanting to grow miscanthus plants. Quantities of clusters of rhizomes are supplied to a first inclined ramp conveyor, the clusters of rhizomes are caught on a mechanism that pushes the clusters of rhizomes to a location where the clusters of rhizomes encounter obstructers that cooperate with the mechanism to cut and reduce the size of the clusters. The reduced size clusters are vibrated to loosen and separate soil from the reduced size cluster of rhizomes, washed to wash dirt from the clusters, and collected for supply to a planter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing harvested clusters of rhizomes to condition them for replanting to grow miscanthus plants comprising pushing the clusters of rhizomes with a mechanism up an incline to a location where the clusters of rhizomes encounter obstructers that cooperate with the mechanism to cut and reduce the size of the clusters, and using the mechanism to continually push reduced-size clusters to obstructers to reduce the size of the clusters until the clusters are single rhizomes that are 3-6 inches long. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising catching the reduced-size clusters on a second mechanism that pushes the clusters of rhizomes to a location where the clusters of rhizomes encounter obstructers that cooperate with the mechanism to further cut and reduce the size of the reduced-size clusters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising draining liquid from the washed, reduced-size clusters. ### Claim 4 A method of processing harvested clusters of rhizomes to condition them for replanting to grow miscanthus plants comprising pushing the clusters of rhizomes with a mechanism to a location where the clusters of rhizomes encounter obstructers that cooperate with the mechanism to cut and reduce the size of the clusters, and using the mechanism to continually push reduced-size clusters to obstructers to reduce the size of the clusters until the clusters are single rhizomes that are 3-6 inches long further comprising collecting soil falling from the clusters of rhizomes and transporting the collected soil laterally away from the reduced size clusters. ### Claim 5 A method of processing harvested clusters of rhizomes to condition them for replanting to grow miscanthus plants comprising pushing the clusters of rhizomes with a mechanism to a location where the clusters of rhizomes encounter obstructers that cooperate with the mechanism to cut and reduce the size of the clusters, and using the mechanism to continually push reduced-size clusters to obstructers to reduce the size of the clusters until the clusters are single rhizomes that are 3-6 inches long, wherein supplying quantities of clusters of rhizomes includes supplying the clusters from a single quantity to two conveyors to divide the single quantity into two smaller quantities. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein creating the two smaller quantities is accomplished by depositing the single quantity on a divider so that portions of the single quantity fall to one side to form one of the smaller quantity and portions fall to the other side to form the other smaller quantity.