Patent ID: 7398634
Filing Date: 2008-07-15
Classification: A01F,E02B

Abstract:
1. A wattle manufacturing system comprising: a hopper having an inlet and an outlet; a loosening mechanism disposed at least partially in the hopper and positioned and structured to be effective in loosening straw placed in or near the hopper inlet, the loosening mechanism including a first finger element positioned at one side of the hopper and a second finger element positioned at a side opposite to the one side of the hopper, the first finger element being movable relative to the second finger element each of the first and second finger elements having one end disposed in the hopper for loosening straw and an opposing end disposed outside of the hopper, both of the opposing ends being connected to a finger drive mechanism; a compaction chamber positioned to receive loosened straw directly from the hopper outlet and including a compactor mechanism positioned and structured to be effective in compacting the loosened straw; a discharge conduit in communication with the compaction chamber and including a discharge end adapted to hold a containment material effective to contain compacted straw discharged through the discharge end; and the compactor mechanism positioned and structured to be effective in moving compacted straw from the compaction chamber toward the discharge end of the discharge conduit and into the containment material to form a compacted, straw-filled product.