| 摘要 |
1,160,318. Packaging seeds. WALDO ROHNERT CO. 30 Oct., 1967 [28 Dec., 1966], No. 49213/67. Heading B8C. [Also in Division D1] In manufacturing a seed tape from a tape of water soluble material the tape is initially moistened along at least one edge margin on one side of the tape to make it slightly tacky, seeds are deposited on to the tape at spaced intervals, the tape is closed on itself and adhered to itself by its own tackiness to encapsulate the seeds therein. The tape may be moistened over its whole surface so that each seed adheres to it. In the arrangement shown tape 10 of polyethylene oxide is drawn from reel 11 over a roller 26 and passes through a moistening device 27 and thence through a trough shaped cupping member 35 which folds the tape into a V formation. The tape in V form then passes beneath a dispensing station 40 which drops seeds at spaced intervals on to the tape. The tape then passes through another shaping member 41 which is more U-shaped than V-shaped and then between discs 12, 13 which seal the edges of the tape together. Discs 12, 13 also serve as means for pulling the tape through the apparatus and a counter 47a may be associated with one of the discs for measuring the length of completed tape. From the discs 12 and 13 the finished tape 14 is taken-up on a core 48. The dispensing means 40 consists of a rotating head 50 from which project a number of arms 51 each having at its end a nozzle 52 which is changeable. The arms are connected to suction means as they pass over and dip into a hopper 53 containing seeds so that each nozzle 52 picks up a seed and carries it around until it is over the tape 40. At this position the arm 51 is connected to atmosphere so that the seed is released on to the web. Between the seed dropping position and the seed picking-up position, the arm 51 is connected to a pressure source to clear the nozzle. The hopper 53 is vibrated to prevent formation of furrows in the seeds therein. |
