Patent ID: 8671617
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: A01G,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A growing system comprising: a channel having a continuous closed inner side wall, a continuous closed outer side wall, and a continuous moving floor, the channel defining a continuous closed loop dividable into a planting zone, a growing zone, a harvesting zone, and a decomposing zone, the continuous moving floor traveling around the closed loop, wherein the continuous moving floor is formed of a continuous linked series of mating rotatable floor segments that rotatably translate relative to one another such that the moving floor can traverse a curve in the continuous loop, and wherein each rotatable floor segment is adjacent to and mates with two neighboring floor segments; wherein the inner side wall and outer side wall are connected at lower ends to each of the rotatable floor segments and move along with the continuous moving floor around the closed loop; a support structure for supporting the channel, the support structure defining a track along which the moving floor moves around the continuous loop; a growing medium contained in the channel and moving along with the channel floor; at least one plant located in the growing medium and being transported therewith; at least one light fixed above the channel for supplying light to the plant as it moves through the growing zone; and at least one chopper fixed above the channel for chopping up the plant as it moves through the decomposing zone.