Process and equipment for treating seeds and product thereof
OwnerOscar Sam Grayinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Seeds are subjected to microwave energy and a coolant gas, then subjected to a partial vacuum to stimulate growth and stabilize such stimulation. Seeds so treated have superior growth characteristics and are more resistant to disease and weather hazards. Apparatus for effecting this process is also disclosed.
Claims6
Apparatus for treating seeds comprising, in combination,
- a source of microwave energy,
- means to concentrate the energy propagated by such source,
- means to absorb random energy propagated by such source,
- means for passing such seeds through the field of such energy for a limited time interval,
- means to counteract the heat rise from the application of microwave energy by refrigerating and circulating within a chamber containing the apparatus gas at a controlled temperature, and
- means subjecting the seeds after the microwave treatment to a partial vacuum for a limited time interval.
That process for stimulating growth and productive yield of seeds and maintaining such stimulus over a protracted time interval which comprises, first, subjecting the seeds to concentrated microwave energy in a range of from 890 to 18,000 megahertz, with the amperage ranging from 180-740 milliamps, for from 1 to 25 seconds in a temperature controlled atmosphere of from 40.degree. to 70.degree.F., then subjecting said seeds to a partial vacuum of from 15 to 25 inches of mercury, absolute, for from 3 to 10 minutes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.