US4174957A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Synthetic growing medium and method of preparing it
Assignee: Hydrosoil Corp
•
Filing: 1978-03-06
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Granted: 1979-11-20
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Expires: 1998-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A synthetic growing medium comprising a thorough mixture of urea formaldehyde foam granules, powdered humus, and a wetting agent. The medium also includes plant nutrients, trace elements, and pH adjusting material. The growing medium is prepared by grinding urea formaldehyde foam into granules having an average diameter of between 0.1 and 1.0 centimeter. Separately, humus, such as peat, is ground to a powder. A liquid wetting agent is sprayed onto the humus and thereafter the wetting agent-carrying humus powder is mixed with the foam granules. The proportion of foam to humus is within the range of 250 parts foam to one part humus to one part foam to five parts humus. At any appropriate time, nutrients, trace elements, and pH adjusting materials are added to the mixture.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack Webb
- 👤 Stanley L. Schwartz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 18:16
CPC Classifications
C; C05; C05C; C05C9/00; C05C9/02; A; A01; A01G; A01G24/00; A01G24/20; A01G24/28; A01G24/30; A01G24/40; A01G24/48; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S71/00; Y10S71/904
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A synthetic growing medium for plants comprising water-insoluble urea formaldehyde foam granules, powdered peat-like humus, and a wetting agent, the wetting agent being carried by the powdered humus particles, the powdered humus completely coating each foam granule, and the foam granules being unbonded to each other so that the entire mass of coated foam granules is loose and free flowing and can be intimately mixed with or used in placed of natural soil.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
A synthetic growing medium for plants comprising water-insoluble urea formaldehyde foam granules, powdered peat-like humus, and a wetting agent, the wetting agent being carried by the powdered humus particles, the powdered humus completely coating each foam granule, and the foam granules being unbonded to each other so that the entire mass of coated foam granules is loose and free flowing and can be intimately mixed with or used in placed of natural soil.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A synthetic growing medium as defined in claim 1 including nutrients needed by growing plants.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A synthetic growing medium as defined in claim 1 including trace elements needed by growing plants.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A synthetic growing medium as defined in claim 1 including a pH adjusting material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A synthetic growing medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the average diameter of each of said foam granules falls within the range of 0.1 to 1.0 centimeter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A synthetic growing medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the proportion of foam to humus falls with the range of 250 parts foam to one part humus to one part foam to five parts humus, all proportions being by volume.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of preparing a synthetic growing medium comprising the steps of providing granulated water-insoluble urea formaldehyde foam, providing peat-like humus, spraying the humus with a wetting agent and grinding the humus into a powder, and thereafter thoroughly mixing the wetting agent-carrying humus powder with the foam granules so as to completely coat each foam granule with the powdered humus and to result in a mass of unbonded loose and free flowing coated foam granules which can be intimately mixed with or used in place of natural soil.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of preparing a synthetic growing medium comprising the steps of providing granulated water-insoluble urea formaldehyde foam, providing peat-like humus, spraying the humus with a wetting agent and grinding the humus into a powder, and thereafter thoroughly mixing the wetting agent-carrying humus powder with the foam granules so as to completely coat each foam granule with the powdered humus and to result in a mass of unbonded loose and free flowing coated foam granules which can be intimately mixed with or used in place of natural soil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined in claim 7 including the step of mixing with the foam and humus, material selected from the group comprising nutrients, trace elements, and pH adjusting material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-11-19 | 1983-05-21 | 1983-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-11-19 | 1987-05-21 | 1987-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-11-19 | 1991-05-21 | 1991-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |