US 4,356,664 AGranted

Plant for the continuous production of green forage

OwnerOthmar Ruthnerinventor

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Abstract

In a plant for the continuous production of green forage from germinable seeds, the latter are mashed and then carried on trays into a germinating chamber, in which the seeds are treated to form a rootlet mat. This is then carried on revolving endless belts through successive air-conditioned chambers to form green forage. At least one germinating chamber for promoting the formation of a rootlet mat and at least one air-conditioned chamber for promoting the production of green forage or for promoting the formation of stems from the rootlet mat in masses of green forage are connected to a circulating duct for conducting gaseous reactants from one chamber to the other. The trays carrying the seeds in the germinating chamber for the formation of a rootlet mat comprise a frame and one or more carrying grids, which are welded in said frame or loosely held therein and supported to resist sagging.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A plant for the continuous production of green forage from germinable seeds, comprising means for mashing said seeds, a closed hopper for holding and for steeping mashed seeds, means for charging the mashed seeds onto trays, at least one germinating chamber for promoting the formation of a rootlet mat from the mashed seeds, and at least one air-conditioned chamber for promoting the formation of green leaves and lateral shoots out of the rootlet mat to thereby form a mass of green forage, means for introducing said trays into said at least one germinating chamber in which the rootlet mat is formed from the seeds, a mass of green forage being formed from said rootlet mat as the same is carried on at least one revolving endless belt through said at least one air-conditioned chamber, a first duct for connecting an inlet of said closed hopper and an inlet of said at least one germinating chamber with an outlet of said at least one air-conditioned chamber for conducting reactant gases from said at least one air-conditioned chamber into said closed hopper and said at least one germinating chamber, and a second duct for connecting outlets of said closed hopper and said at least one germinating chamber with an inlet of said at least one air-conditioned chamber for conducting gases from said closed hopper and said at least one germinating chamber to said at least one air-conditioned chamber.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.