GB2149457A - Dispenser for gel-entrained seeds - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for extruding gel entrained seeds is in the form of a syringe in which the outlet is a nozzle (16) in the form of an elongate tube (26) which has at least an inspection window provided lengthwise thereof but is preferably of transparent material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispenser for extruding gel entrained seeds This invention relates to a dispenserfor extruding gel having seeds entrained therein forthe purpose of sowing the seeds in the ground.

It is now a well-known method ortechnique in sowing seeds to first mix them in a gel solution, and then extrude, in ribbon form, the gel with seeds entrained therein into a prepared hollow in the ground and covering overwith a growing medium. This has improved seed-sowing techniques whereby to more readily have control over the number of seeds sown and spacingstherebetween in the hollow and afterthe seeds are grown to a seedling stage to reduce the necessity of "thinning-out" the seedings.Extruders or dispensers ofthe squeezable bag or bottle type for this purpose have been proposed heretofore, however these have suffered from the disadvantage in use that, with the random positioning in the gel of the seeds, there is no method of anticipating and altering priorto extrusion,the spacing between each seed and while the method and apparatus in use are more beneficial than by sowing seeds manually or mechanically, if the above disadvantage was overcome, the method would be correspondingly enhanced.

The object of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantage.

In accordance with the present invention, a dispen ser comprises a tubular barrel at opposite ends of which a cap having an outlet nozzle and a cap having a piston rod journalled therein are respectively attached, the piston rod carrying a piston head at one end thereof for movement lengthwise of the barrel's interior, and at the other end thereof being fashioned as a handle for manual reciprocatory movement of said rod and piston head relative to the barrel, one or otheror both caps being removableto allowfora quantity of gel entrained seeds to be located in the barrel in front of the piston head andthe nozzle being elongate and having at least an inspection window provided along its length.

Preferably, the nozzle is formed of a stub outlet to which a length of a translucent tu be is secured.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of a dispenser according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, a dispenser in the form of a syringe comprises a tubular barrel 10formed by a length of pipe. Both ends of the barrel are closed off by two caps 12, 14, one 14 of which has an outlet nozzle 16 axiallyjournalled therein. The caps 12,14 are attached to the barrel 10 at opposite ends thereof with one or other or both removable therefrom to allowfor the barrel lOto befully or partially filled with a quantityof gel entrained seeds. The piston rod 18 carries a piston head 20 at its inner end thereof for movement lengthwise of the barrel's interior and is fashioned attheouterend asa handle 22for manual reciprocatory movement.Two diametrically-opposed finger grips 24 are provided on the outside ofthe cap 12 as shown, one on each side ofthe rod 18 forthe purpose in assisting in an injection-type movement by the hand of the piston to allow for gradual extrusion of gel from the dispenser. The finger grips 24 can alternatively be provided (as shown in broken line) on the outside of the barrel adjacentto the cap. Also, only onefingergripcan be provided if required.

The nozzle 16 is formed of a stub outletto which a length of a transparenttube 26 is secured. The tube 26 may be rigid and in a straight or curved attitude, or it may be offlexible material.

The transparencyof the tube of the nozzle allows seeds to be visible as they are moved down the nozzle during a gradual extrusion movementofthe piston wherebyto allowthegardenerluserto be ableto space the seeds in a hollow for same in the ground.

The components of the dispenser are preferably of plastics material, and the barrel and stub outlet be also be oftransparent material.

Caps 14each having a differentdiametered outlet and corresponding diametered tube are provided for use, one at a time, depending on the size of seeds to be extruded.

In a modification, the tube can be opaque having a translucent window lengthwise thereof. Also, the outlet end ofthe barrel may have an end portion with an outlet (axial or axially offset of the barrel) to which the outlet cap is secured.

1. Adispensercomprisesatubularbarrel at opposite ends ofwhich a cap having an outlet nozzle and a cap having a piston rod journalled therein are respectively attached, the piston rod carrying a piston head at one end thereof for movement lengthwise of the barrel's interior and atthe other end thereof being fashioned as a handle for manual reciprocatory movement of said rod and piston head relative to the barrel, one or other or both caps being removable to allowforaquantityofgel entrained seeds to be located in the barrel, in front of the piston head and the nozzle being elongate and having at last an inspection window provided along its length.

2. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the nozzle is formed of a stub outletto which a length of a translucent tube is secured.

3. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1 or2wherein one ortwo diametrically-opposed finger grips are provided on the outside of the cap having the piston rod journalled therein or on the outside ofthe barrel adjacenttotheseat of said cap.

4. A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Dispenser for extruding gel entrained seeds This invention relates to a dispenserfor extruding gel having seeds entrained therein forthe purpose of sowing the seeds in the ground. It is now a well-known method ortechnique in sowing seeds to first mix them in a gel solution, and then extrude, in ribbon form, the gel with seeds entrained therein into a prepared hollow in the ground and covering overwith a growing medium. This has improved seed-sowing techniques whereby to more readily have control over the number of seeds sown and spacingstherebetween in the hollow and afterthe seeds are grown to a seedling stage to reduce the necessity of "thinning-out" the seedings.Extruders or dispensers ofthe squeezable bag or bottle type for this purpose have been proposed heretofore, however these have suffered from the disadvantage in use that, with the random positioning in the gel of the seeds, there is no method of anticipating and altering priorto extrusion,the spacing between each seed and while the method and apparatus in use are more beneficial than by sowing seeds manually or mechanically, if the above disadvantage was overcome, the method would be correspondingly enhanced. The object of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantage. In accordance with the present invention, a dispen ser comprises a tubular barrel at opposite ends of which a cap having an outlet nozzle and a cap having a piston rod journalled therein are respectively attached, the piston rod carrying a piston head at one end thereof for movement lengthwise of the barrel's interior, and at the other end thereof being fashioned as a handle for manual reciprocatory movement of said rod and piston head relative to the barrel, one or otheror both caps being removableto allowfora quantity of gel entrained seeds to be located in the barrel in front of the piston head andthe nozzle being elongate and having at least an inspection window provided along its length. Preferably, the nozzle is formed of a stub outlet to which a length of a translucent tu be is secured. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of a dispenser according to the present invention. Referring to the drawing, a dispenser in the form of a syringe comprises a tubular barrel 10formed by a length of pipe. Both ends of the barrel are closed off by two caps 12, 14, one 14 of which has an outlet nozzle 16 axiallyjournalled therein. The caps 12,14 are attached to the barrel 10 at opposite ends thereof with one or other or both removable therefrom to allowfor the barrel lOto befully or partially filled with a quantityof gel entrained seeds. The piston rod 18 carries a piston head 20 at its inner end thereof for movement lengthwise of the barrel's interior and is fashioned attheouterend asa handle 22for manual reciprocatory movement.Two diametrically-opposed finger grips 24 are provided on the outside ofthe cap 12 as shown, one on each side ofthe rod 18 forthe purpose in assisting in an injection-type movement by the hand of the piston to allow for gradual extrusion of gel from the dispenser. The finger grips 24 can alternatively be provided (as shown in broken line) on the outside of the barrel adjacentto the cap. Also, only onefingergripcan be provided if required. The nozzle 16 is formed of a stub outletto which a length of a transparenttube 26 is secured. The tube 26 may be rigid and in a straight or curved attitude, or it may be offlexible material. The transparencyof the tube of the nozzle allows seeds to be visible as they are moved down the nozzle during a gradual extrusion movementofthe piston wherebyto allowthegardenerluserto be ableto space the seeds in a hollow for same in the ground. The components of the dispenser are preferably of plastics material, and the barrel and stub outlet be also be oftransparent material. Caps 14each having a differentdiametered outlet and corresponding diametered tube are provided for use, one at a time, depending on the size of seeds to be extruded. In a modification, the tube can be opaque having a translucent window lengthwise thereof. Also, the outlet end ofthe barrel may have an end portion with an outlet (axial or axially offset of the barrel) to which the outlet cap is secured. CLAIMS

1. Adispensercomprisesatubularbarrel at opposite ends ofwhich a cap having an outlet nozzle and a cap having a piston rod journalled therein are respectively attached, the piston rod carrying a piston head at one end thereof for movement lengthwise of the barrel's interior and atthe other end thereof being fashioned as a handle for manual reciprocatory movement of said rod and piston head relative to the barrel, one or other or both caps being removable to allowforaquantityofgel entrained seeds to be located in the barrel, in front of the piston head and the nozzle being elongate and having at last an inspection window provided along its length.

2. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the nozzle is formed of a stub outletto which a length of a translucent tube is secured.

3. A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1 or2wherein one ortwo diametrically-opposed finger grips are provided on the outside of the cap having the piston rod journalled therein or on the outside ofthe barrel adjacenttotheseat of said cap.

4. A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.