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US 4,299,054 AGranted
Hydroponic assembly and wafer for use therein
OwnerR. Louis Wareinventor
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OwnerR. Louis Wareinventor
Estimating the term…
A hydroponic assembly in the form of a tray having spaced through-openings serving as growing stations, the tray being supported by a trough containing a body of nutrient solution. At each growing station there is a wafer of dry growing medium having a seed-receiving surface on its top side and having a wick communicating with its underside and extending downwardly into the nutrient solution, the growing medium being of the type capable of expanding three-dimensionally into a porous root-supporting block as the solution is fed via the wick by capillary action. The land surface surrounding each opening is formed into a well or receptacle for maintaining the porous block seated and generally aligned with the opening. A transparent cover of hollow inverted shape defines an enclosed space developing high humidity for sprouting of the seeds and growth of the resulting seedlings, the cover, tray and trough being interfitted. The wick is preferably secured to the underside of the wafer by being tacked in place with a metal staple.
A hydroponic assembly comprising a tray of planar material having a plurality of growing stations spaced one from another to permit circulation of air thereabout, the respective growing stations each having through-openings surrounded by a land surface and a vertical surface rising therefrom to at least the height of the tray surface, a trough for supporting the tray and for containing a body of nutrient solution disposed beneath the growing stations, a wafer of dry compressed growing medium supported on the land surface at each growing station, a seed-receiving surface disposed on a top side of said wafer, a wick communicating with the wafer and extending downwardly into the nutrient solution, the wafer upon receiving nutrient solution through the wick by capillary action being capable of expanding three-dimensionally into a porous block having a height substantially greater than said vertical surface of said growing station and having a homogeneous composition that permits outward spreading of root structure, the height of the block being effective to provide vertically extending lateral area so that the contained root structure will receive constant aeration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.