Catch mechanism facilitating loading of vertical grow towers onto grow lines in a vertical farm system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11570958-B2
Application number	US-202017026188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2020
Priority date	Sep 20, 2019
Publication date	Feb 7, 2023
Grant date	Feb 7, 2023

Abstract

A tower catch mechanism that facilitates loading of vertical grow towers in a vertical farming structure having associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, while being exposed to controlled conditions, such as lighting, airflow, humidity and nutritional support. The present disclosure describes a load conveyance mechanism that transfers grow towers to a loading position where grow towers are loaded onto a select grow line. Each grow line may include a grow tower conveyance system that moves vertically-oriented grow towers to select positions along a grow line. The system may include a tower catch mechanism that registers grow towers in position at the loading position for insertion into a select grow line. In some implementations, the tower catch mechanism can be integrated into other structures of the vertical farming system, such as a gutter basin corresponding to a select grow line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vertical grow tower crop production system comprising
a tower catch apparatus for registering a vertical grow tower for loading onto a grow line, the tower catch apparatus comprising
a substantially horizontal mounting surface comprising a central grow tower loading zone located between first and second opposing lateral edges;
a first hinged face plate assembly comprising
a first face plate comprising an inner lateral edge;
a hinge comprising a stop…

Assignees

• Mjnn Llc

Inventors

• Coffin Gage Goodspeed
• Klein Brice Leon

Classifications

• A01G31/065

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• Y02P60/21

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• E04H5/08

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• A01G31/06

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A01G31/04 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic