Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds

Claim 2

Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprising: a magnet for producing a magnetic field; conduit means secured to the magnet and extending through the magnetic field thereof for conducting seeds through the magnetic field; and means in said conduit for causing seeds moving through the magnetic field in said conduit to roll and tumble while in the magnetic field to vary the orientation of each seed with respect to the magnetic field as it passes through the magnetic field to induce magnetism in the seeds.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit comprises a tube.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for causing seeds to roll and tumble in the magnetic field comprises a conveyor assembly supported in said tube and operable to move seeds in a continuous stream through the magnetic field.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said conveyor assembly includes an auger.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said auger includes a shaft extending along the axis of said tube and a helical flight on said shaft, said tube being formed with end wall members at opposite ends thereof, said shaft being rotatably supported in said end wall members.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said magnet comprises an electro-magnet mounted on said tube such that the tube extends coaxially through said magnet.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said tube is formed with an inlet opening spaced from said magnet, and a discharge opening spaced from said magnet on the opposite side thereof from said inlet opening.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including support means mounted on said tube for supporting said tube in an inclined position with the discharge opening elevated with respect to the inlet opening.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the portion of the shaft of said auger that is coextensive with said magnet is reduced in cross-section to provide an abruptly increased volume at said magnet for seeds moving through the tube to increase the rolling and tumbling motion of the seeds in the magnetic field.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein bristles are mounted on said helical flight and project toward the inner surface of said tube with the ends of said bristles defining the periphery of said helical flight.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said tube has an inlet opening spaced from said magnet, and further including heating means mounted on said tube between said inlet opening and said magnet operable to heat seeds in said tube as they move from the inlet opening to the magnetic field.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said heating means comprises an infra-red heating element mounted on the wall of said tube, and further including a transparent shield mounted in the wall of said tube to protect the infra-red heating element without interfering with the heating action thereof on seeds moving through the tube.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the portion of the shaft of said auger that is located within the magnetic field is reduced in cross-section to provide an abruptly increased volume for the seeds in the magnetic field to increase the rolling and tumbling motion of the seeds in the magnetic field.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 including support means mounted on said tube for supporting said tube in an inclined position with the discharge opening elevated with respect to the inlet opening.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 including a feed hopper for feeding seeds into said inlet opening, and means for regulating the flow of seeds from said feed hopper into said inlet opening.

Claim 17

Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said last named means comprises a perforated baffle plate in said feed hopper overlying the inlet opening.

Claim 18

Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said last named means comprises a slide valve on said tube for selectively adjusting the size of said inlet opening.

Claim 19

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein bristles are mounted on said helical flight and project toward the inner surface of said tube with the ends of said bristles defining the periphery of said helical flight.

Claim 20

Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein bristles are mounted on said helical flight and project toward the inner surface of said tube with the ends of said bristles defining the periphery of said helical flight.

Claim 21

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the portion of the shaft of said auger that is located within the magnetic field is reduced in cross-section to provide an abruptly increased volume for the seeds in the magnetic field to increase the rolling and tumbling motion of the seeds in the magnetic field.

Claim 22

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein bristles are mounted on said helical flight and project toward the inner surface of said tube with the ends of said bristles defining the periphery of said helical flight.

Claim 23

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for causing seeds to roll and tumble in the magnetic field comprises a plurality of deflecting elements mounted in said tube in the path of movement of seeds passing throUgh the magnetic field.

Claim 24

Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein said deflecting elements each comprises a rod of non-ferrous material having its ends mounted in the wall of said tube.

Claim 25

Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein each of said rods extends diametrically across said tube transversely of the axis of said tube.

Claim 26

Apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein said rods are successively axially spaced along the length of the tube within the area of the magnetic field provided by said magnet, and each of said rods is disposed angularly about the axis of said tube with respect to the adjacent rod.

Claim 27

Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 including a feed hopper having an outlet coaxially disposed with respect to said tube for feeding seeds through the magnetic field.

Claim 28

Apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein said hopper includes a funnel-shaped wall converging toward one end of said tube, and further including means for regulating the flow of seeds from said feed hopper into said one end of said tube.

Claim 29

Apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein said last named means comprises a downwardly and outwardly flared distributor selectively movable axially relative to said one end of said tube to vary the rate of flow of seeds into the tube and through the magnetic field.

Claim 30

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit has an inlet opening spaced from said magnet, and further including heating means mounted on said tube between said inlet opening and said magnet operable to heat seeds in said tube as they move from the inlet opening to the magnetic field.

Claim 31

Apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein said heating means comprises an infra-red heating element mounted on the wall of said tube, and further including a transparent shield mounted in the wall of said tube to protect the infra-red heating element without interfering with the heating action thereof on seeds moving through the tube.

Claim 32

Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprising: a tubular conduit; an electromagnet mounted on said tubular conduit between the ends thereof for providing a magnetic field within said conduit, said electromagnet comprising a coil winding wrapped around said conduit, said coil winding extending along a portion of the axial length of said conduit; a cover of non-magnetic material mounted on said conduit and enclosing said coil winding; means defining an inlet for said conduit for receiving seeds from a supply hopper, said inlet being spaced from said electromagnet, means defining an outlet for said conduit spaced from the electromagnet on the opposite side thereof from said inlet; said tube being adapted to be supported in an inclined position with said outlet elevated with respect to said inlet opening; an auger received in said conduit for rotation with respect thereto, said auger having a shaft coaxial with said conduit and a helical flight for moving seeds from the inlet to the outlet of said conduit upon rotation of said auger; support means at the opposite ends of said tube, said shaft having its opposite ends rotatably supported by said support means; and a motor drivingly engaged with said auger and operable to drive said auger to move seeds through the conduit from the inlet to the outlet and cause the seeds to roll and tumble as they move through the conduit so that each seed is oriented in a multiplicity of positions with respect to the field of said electromagnet as it passes through the magnetic field.

Claim 33

Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprising: a tubular conduit; an electromagnet mounted on said tubular conduit between the ends thereof for providing a magnetic field within said conduit, said electromagnet comprising a coil winding wrapped around said conduit, said coil winding extending along a portion of the axial length of said conduit; a cover of non-magnetic material mounted on said conduit and enclosing said coil winding; means defining an inlet for said conduit for receiving seeds from a supply hopper, said inlet being spaced from said electromagnet, means defining an outlet for said conduit spaced from the electromagnet on the opposite side thereof from said inlet; said tube being adapted to be supported in an inclined position with said outlet elevated with respect to said inlet opening; an auger received in said conduit for rotation with respect thereto, said auger having a shaft coaxial with said conduit and a helical flight for moving seeds from the inlet to the outlet of said conduit upon rotation of said auger; support means at the opposite ends of said tube, said shaft having its opposite ends rotatably supported by said support means; and a motor drivingly engaged with said auger and operable to drive said auger to move seeds through the conduit from the inlet to the outlet and cause the seeds to roll and tumble as they move through the conduit so that each seed is oriented in a multiplicity of positions with respect to the field of said electromagnet as it passes through the magnetic field.

Claim 34

Apparatus as claimed in claim 31 wherein the shaft of said auger is reduced in cross-section along the axial length of said electromagnet.

Claim 35

Apparatus as claimed in claim 32 further including bristles mounted on said helical flight and forming the outer periphery thereof.

Claim 36

Apparatus as claimed in claim 33 further including heating means mounted on said conduit for heating seeds between the inlet and said electromagnet.

Claim 37

Apparatus as claimed in claim 34 wherein said heating means comprises an infra-red heating element mounted in the wall of said conduit between the inlet and the electromagnet.

Claim 38

Apparatus as claimed in claim 35 further including a shield mounted in the wall of said conduit between the interior of said conduit and said infra-red heating element, said shield being of material that passes infra-red radiation.

Claim 39

Apparatus as claimed in claim 31 further including bristles mounted on said helical flight and forming the outer periphery thereof.

Claim 40

Apparatus as claimed in claim 31 further including heating means mounted on said conduit for heating seeds between the inlet and said electromagnet.

Claim 41

Apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein said heating means comprises an infra-red heating element mounted in the wall of said conduit between the inlet and the electromagnet.

Claim 42

Apparatus as claimed in claim 39 further including a shield mounted in the wall of said conduit between the interior of said conduit and said infra-red heating element, said shield being of material that passes infra-red radiation.

Claim 43

Apparatus as claimed in claim 40 further including bristles mounted on said helical flight and forming the outer periphery thereof.

Claim 44

Apparatus as claimed in claim 31 wherein said inlet is defined by an opening in the side wall of said conduit, said opening having axially spaced end edges joined by a pair of side edges.

Claim 45

Apparatus as claimed in claim 42 further including a hopper mounted on said conduit; said hopper having a central trough portion receiving said conduit, a pair of bottom wall panels projecting outwardly from the respective upper edges of said trough portion and lying in a plane generally parallel to the axis of said conduit; a rear wall projecting from the rear edges of said bottom wall panels adjacent the rear edge of said inlet opening in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of said conduit such that said inlet opening extends forwardly from the rear wall and rear edges of said bottom wall panels, and a pair of side walls extending between the forward edges of said bottom wall panels and said rear wall.

Claim 46

Apparatus as claimed in claim 43 further including a perforated plate overlying said inlet opening and extending between the bottom wall panels and side and rear walls.

Claim 47

Apparatus as claimed in claim 44 wherein said conduit includes a portion projecting beyond the rear wall of said hopper on the opposite side thereof from said inlet opening, and further including a rear support member mounted on the end of said portion for supporting said end of said conduit.

Claim 48

Apparatus as claimed in claim 45 wherein said rear support member comprises a plate having a lower edge projecting beneath the trough portion of said hopper, and a supporting flange projecting rearwardly from said lower edge.

Claim 49

Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 further including a front support member mounted on said conduit on the opposite side of said electromagnet from said rear support member, said front support member projecting from said conduit a greater distance than said rear support member so that said conduit is supported in an inclined position with the outlet raised with respect to the inlet.

Claim 50

Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 further including a bearing assembly mounted on said rear support plate, one end of said auger shaft being rotatably supported in said bearing assembly.

Claim 51

Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprising: a tube of non-magnetic material defining a conduit for seeds; an electromagnet mounted on said tube for producing a magnetic field within said tube and comprising a coil winding wrapped around said tube and capable of generating a magnetic flux field having an intensity of approximately 110 gauss at the inner surface of said tube, approximately 75 gauss at the center of said tube, and approximately 100 gauss at from one-half to two-thirds of the radial distance from the center to the inner surface of said tube; and means in said tube for causing seeds moving through the magneTic field to assume a multiplicity of positions while moving through the magnetic field so that the orientation of each seed is varied as it passes through the magnetic field.

Claim 52

Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprising: a tube of non-magnetic material defining a conduit for seeds; an electromagnet mounted on said tube for producing a magnetic field within said tube and comprising a coil winding wrapped around said tube and capable of generating a magnetic flux field having an intensity of approximately 110 gauss at the inner surface of said tube, approximately 75 gauss at the center of said tube, and approximately 100 gauss at from one-half to two-thirds of the radial distance from the center to the inner surface of said tube; and means in said tube for causing seeds moving through the magneTic field to assume a multiplicity of positions while moving through the magnetic field so that the orientation of each seed is varied as it passes through the magnetic field.

Claim 53

Apparatus as claimed in claim 49 wherein said last named means comprises an auger extending coaxially through said tube, said auger having a shaft coaxial with the axis of said tube and a helical flight operable upon rotation of said auger to move seeds through said tube and hence through the flux field of said magnet; and a motor operable to drive said auger at a speed of at least 400 revolutions per minute.

Claim 54

Apparatus as claimed in claim 50 wherein said tube is of polyvinyl chloride and has an outer diameter of approximately four inches and a wall thickness of approximately 0.15 inches, and wherein the shaft of said auger has a diameter of approximately 1 5/8 inches, and the pitch of said helical flight is approximately 3 3/4 inches, and said electromagnet extends approximately five inches along the length of said tube.

Claim 55

Apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein the shaft of said auger is reduced in cross-section to approximately one-half inch along the length of said electromagnet.

Claim 56

Apparatus as claimed in claim 52 further including nylon bristles mounted on said helical flight and forming the outer periphery thereof.

Claim 57

Apparatus as claimed in claim 53 wherein the helical flight is unconnected with the auger shaft along the length of said reduced portion only.

Claim 58

Apparatus as claimed in claim 51 further including nylon bristles mounted on said helical flight and forming the outer periphery thereof.

Claim 59

Apparatus as claimed in claim 49 wherein said last named means comprises a plurality of deflecting elements mounted in said tube in the path of movement of seeds passing through the field of said electromagnet.

Claim 60

Apparatus as claimed in claim 56 wherein said deflecting elements each comprises a rod having its ends mounted in the wall of said tube and extending diametrically across said tube substantially transversely of the axis of said tube.

Claim 61

Apparatus as claimed in claim 57 wherein said rods are successively axially spaced along the length of the tube within the area of the magnetic field provided by said magnet, and each of said rods is disposed angularly about the axis of said tube with respect to the adjacent rod.

Claim 62

Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 wherein said tube and said rods are of plastic material, and said tube has an outer diameter of approximately four inches and a wall thickness of approximately 0.15 inches.

Claim 63

Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprising: a tubular conduit; an electromagnet mounted on said tubular conduit for providing a magnetic field within said tubular conduit; a plurality of deflecting elements mounted in said tubular conduit within the field of said magnet; and a feed hopper having a hollow, cylindrical mounting portion telescopically mounted on one end of said tubular conduit and defining a feed opening, said hopper having a wall portion extending outwardly from said mounting portion.

Claim 64

Apparatus for magnetically treating seeds comprising: a tubular conduit; an electromagnet mounted on said tubular conduit for providing a magnetic field within said tubular conduit; a plurality of deflecting elements mounted in said tubular conduit within the field of said magnet; and a feed hopper having a hollow, cylindrical mounting portion telescopically mounted on one end of said tubular conduit and defining a feed opening, said hopper having a wall portion extending outwardly from said mounting portion.

Claim 65

Apparatus as claimed in claim 60 further including a metering member carried by said hopper and adjustably movable toward and away from said feed opening to vary the size of the opening through which the seeds can pass.

Claim 66

Apparatus as claimed in claim 60 further including an outer cylindrical casing concentric with said tubular conduit and enclosing said magnet, one end of said casing projecting axially beyond said one end of said tubular conduit for engagement with the outer surface of the outwardly extending wall portion of said hopper.

Claim 67

Apparatus as claimed in claim 62 wherein said one end of said outer casing is outwardly flared.

Claim 68

Apparatus as claimed in claim 63 including an annular end cover overlying the end of said magnet adjacent said one end of said tubular conduit and extending between said outer casing and said tubular conduit and defining a support for tHe end of the mounting portion of said hopper.