New or Improved Process for Promoting the Growth and Hastening the Ripening of Plants and Parts of Plants, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Process for Promoting the Growth and Hastening
the Ripening of Plants and Parts of Plants, and Apparatus
therefor.
I, ADOLPH SCHRÖDER, of 1 Petrosilien Strasse Göttingen, in the German Empire,
Chemist,, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for promoting the growth and
hastening the ripening process of plants and parts of plants. The process consists in
furnishing to the plants or parts of plants a regulated supply of a mixture of carbonic
acid and air, and in the simultaneous illumination of the same either by natural or
artificial means.
As the assimilation of carbonic acid by the organs of plants increases with the
illumination the quantity of the mixture of carbonic acid and air conducted to the
plants, in the process forming the subject of this invention, is regulated in proportion
to the natural or artificial illumination prevailing at any moment in order to secure
economy in the use of the carbonic acid.
As the chemical effect of the rays of light on the assimilation of the carbonic acid is
nearly proportional to the heat of the same the supply of carbonic acid and air should
correspond to the temperature of the rays of light. Care must, however, be taken
that in ascertaining the heat of the rays of light all foreign thermal influences
are excluded.
Furthermore as the relation between chemical and thermal energy varies according
as the source of light is natural or artificial the quantity of mixture of carbonic acid
and air supplied must be regulated according to the thermal effect of the source
of light.
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates an apparatus for the automatic
regulation of the supply of carbonic acid and air in accordance with this invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, Figure 2 a back view, and Figure 3
a section taken on line x-x of Figure 1.
b is a box the sides and bottom of which are made of or lined with insulating
material, and the top or cover of which is transparent. t is a drum carrying a metallic
spiral or helix m, one end, m³, of which is held fast by the locking pin h fixed to the
spring and taking into one of the holes o in the spiral or helix, the other end, m²,
being fixed permanently to the drum t. This spiral or helix is extended by the light
falling upon it through the transparent cover of the box and this extension causes a
corresponding rotation of the druin t, which rotation is transmitted by a toothed wheel
and toothed segments to the valve v which regulates the supply of the mixture of
carbonic acid and air to the plants or parts of plants as the case may be.
To enable the apparatus to be used in conjunction with various sources of light, the
chemical and thermal energies of which are not in the same proportions, the drum t,
and therewith the metallic spiral or helix m can be turned round by means of the crank
handle k. from outside the case so that the locking pin h is caused to slip out of one
hole o and to spring into another. The positions of the holes o are so chosen that each
hole corresponds to one of the various sources of light that may come into operation,.
such as daylight with a clear or cloudy sky or an electric arc light and so forth..

page_text: It is only necessary therefore to turn the crank handle k until the locking pin h springs
into the hole o corresponding to the particular source of light prevailing at the time.
The process, and the above described apparatus may be employed either for plants
rooted in the ground, growing in water or vegetating freely, such as orchids, water
plants and so forth, or for parts of plants such as seeds, fruits, and so forth, in order to
hasten the growth and ripening process, to make them quickly ready for use by after
ripening or maturing and at same time to increase their value, as for example in the
case of fruits of fine flavour, sweetness or aroma, and also to intensify their colour.
The carbonic acid can be used so greatly diluted with atmospheric air that it has no
injurious effect upon animal organisms, and can be breathed by man without danger.
The quantity of carbonic acid in the mixture can be regulated or tested by means of
the well known air tester.
The mixture can be supplied to the plants, according to circumstances, either above
or, below ground in a dry state or impregnated with steam, and continuously or
intermittently. For closed large spaces application above-ground is preferable, but
for open, freely exposed cultivated places application underground is to be preferred.
In all cases, however, care should be taken that the carbonic acid and air are well
mixed. For living plants rooted in the ground the carbonic acid should always be
used in a moist condition. It can also be distributed in closed large spaces, such as
palm-houses, green-houses and so forth by the raining, sprinkling or other suitable
apparatuses generally arranged in such places for supplying water or steam to the
plants. For parts separated from the plants such as seeds and fruits for example, dry
carbonic acid must generally be employed.
Any clean carbonic acid derived from any suitable source may be used for the
process, for example that produced by the action of sulphuric acid or muriatic acid
upon a carbonate, such as lime-stone, dolomite, or magnesite for example; or liquefied
carbonic acid, or the natural carbonic acid often found issuing in considerable
quantities from the ground may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I. declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The new or improved process for promoting the growth and hastening the
ripening process of plants and parts of plants which consists in the supply to the plants
or parts of plants of a regulated quantity of a mixture of carbonic acid and air and
the simultaneous application thereto of artificial or natural light, substantially as
described.
:
Second. In the process forming the subject-matter of the first claiming clause hereof,
the regulation of the quantity of mixture of carbonic acid and air supplied to the
plants or parts of plants so that such quantity is proportional to the natural or
artificial light used, substantially as described.
Third. Apparatus for the automatic regulation of the supply of carbonic acid and
air, in accordance with the second claiming clause hereof, in which the extension and
contraction, produced by the action of a source of light, of a body m insulated from
other thermal influences, are transmitted to the valve regulating the supply of
carbonic acid and air mixture, substantially as described.
Fourth. In apparatus of the kind forming the subject-matter of the third claiming
clause hereof, the regulating device which consists of a metallic spiral or helix m
protected from thermal influences other than those of the rays of light, and arranged on
a drum t, the end m¹ of the said spiral or helix being fixed, whilst the movement of
the other end m², produced by the rays of light falling upon the spiral or helix is
transmitted to the valve regulating the supply of carbonic acid and air, by means of
the drum t and intermediate mechanisms, substantially as described.
Fifth. In apparatus of the kind forming the subject matter of the third and fourth
claiming clauses hereof, apparatus for altering the position of the spiral or helix and
consequently of the regulating valve to suit the chemical and thermal energies of
various kinds of light, substantially as described.

page_text: Sixth. In apparatus of the kind forming the subject matter of the fifth claiming
clause hereof the use of a spring urged locking pin which engages in holes in the
metallic spiral or helix m, corresponding to the kind of light prevailing, substantially
as described.
ICOT IRD 10 TO Inn DIOS SU DOWN
A. SCHRÖDER,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent..