The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 06, 1987
Filed:
Aug. 21, 1986
Floyd E Bouldin, McMinnville, TN (US);
Lloyd Bouldin, McMinnville, TN (US);
Dwight Bouldin, McMinnville, TN (US);
Jerry W Pack, McMinnville, TN (US);
Bouldin & Lawson, Inc., McMinnville, TN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for continuously filling and preparing pots for receiving plants including an endless conveyor chain supporting a plurality of pot receiver elements and for continuously carrying pots from a pot loading station through a filling station for filling the pots with potting soil, and through a pot drilling station for drilling holes in the soil for receiving plants and a pot ejector station. The pots are loaded, filled, drilled, and ejected while the pots move continuously through the various stations. The pot drilling mechanism includes a rotary turret supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced rotating drills which are adapted to reciprocate vertically as they revolve about the rotary axis of the turret, so that each drill will be lowered into a pot for drilling a hole in the soil while moving at the same speed and direction as the pot. Rotary pot loading and ejecting mechanisms are incorporated to move in synchronism with the conveyor chain for loading the pots individually upon the apparatus and for individually ejecting the pots after they are filled and drilled.