Abstract: An embodiment of a plant manipulator is disclosed, which may have a flexible cylindrical member that is bent to hold a plant in a particular configuration to train the plant. The plant manipulator may include a first end and a second end, a long edge of the flexible cylindrical member, a length of the long edge of the flexible cylindrical member, and a slit along the length of the longest edge of the flexible cylindrical member. The plant manipulator may also have a malleable rigid member with a first and second end, a long edge of the flexible cylindrical member, and a length of the long edge of the malleable rigid member. The length of the long edge of the flexible cylindrical member may be coupled along the length of the long edge of the flexible cylindrical member.

Abstract: A chick feeding station having an elongate trough for holding poultry feed, a conveyor which is placed in the trough and moves feed in the longitudinal direction of the trough, and deflectors and supports that provide chick safety. The conveyor is a chain conveyor with flights. The deflectors are mounted on the chick feeding station such that they extend from just above the conveyor flights and obliquely upward in the direction of travel of the conveyor, to move a chick to an upper level of the trough. A support for each deflector is also provided in the trough, the supports extending above the flights in the longitudinal direction of the trough, all the way to and through the deflectors.

Abstract: An advancement system for an in ovo injection apparatus is provided. Such an advancement system is configured to advance an egg carrier carrying a plurality of avian eggs to an injection assembly. The advancement system includes a guide assembly configured to receive the egg carrier and provide support thereto during advancement of the egg carrier. A manual advancement device slidingly engages the guide assembly such that the manual advancement device is movable along the guide assembly. The manual advancement device is capable of interacting with a trailing end of the egg carrier to advance the egg carrier to an injection position. At least one stop is positioned to interact with the manual advancement device during advancement of the egg carrier so as to prevent progression of the manual advancement device beneath the injection assembly, thereby locating the egg carrier at the injection position. An associated method is also provided.

Abstract: A hydroponic cultivation apparatus with detachable cultivation tray is provided in that each cultivation tray is magnetically mounted to an expansion socket of a main aqueduct so that a replaceable cultivation room may be independently provided. Each cultivation tray is equipped with a light source plate at the bottom. The light source plate is provided with power via a wireless receiver connected with a wireless transmitter at the socket. Multiple drain slots are aligning along a direction perpendicular to a horizontal level on each cultivation tray with some of them plugged with insulation pieces so that each cultivation tray may have the water level controlled independently.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method are described. In one embodiment, the system generates ions for use in treating vegetation to optimize growth of the vegetation. The system includes an ion generation region having a pair of dissimilar metal plates. The ion generation chamber receives a liquid and routes the liquid past the dissimilar metal plates to capture ion transfer between the dissimilar metal plates. The ions form a charged solution. The system also includes a collection region having a collection bed for storing the charged solution, and a fertigation region for dispersing the liquid. Other embodiments of the system are also described.

Abstract: A pet fountain assembly that includes a cover with a drinking bowl formed therein that straddles a sidewall of a basin that can be user-provided enclosing a pump within a pumping chamber defined therebetween. The cover has a downwardly extending sidewall divided by openings that can be generally U-shaped or V-shaped into a plurality of supports on which the cover. In a preferred embodiment, one of the supports is disposed outboard the basin sidewall resting on the ground and another one of the supports is disposed inboard the basin sidewall resting on a bottom of the basin providing a water passage enabling water from the basin to reach the pump. The inboard support can provide an overflow spillway as well as define a shroud disposed between the pump and water in a lower drinking bowl of the basin. The basin can include an outwardly offset seat that locates the pump.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved attachment devices fort support lines in plant growth support systems (e.g., trellis systems) and methods of using the same, and offers significant improvements in efficiency with regard to assembling, adjusting, and disassembling the support systems for plant and crop growth. The attachment devices may be advantageously used for various vine and low-lying plants (e.g., grapes, tomatoes, etc.) that can be grown in a trellis system or other vertical growth support system. The anchoring devices may include a wire loop for slipping over an end support bar and a wire strainer bracket attached to the wire loop.

Abstract: A pet leash is provided. The pet leash includes a housing with a handle formed thereon, a turntable rotationally disposed in the housing, and a hauling rope coiled on the turntable. The housing is provided with a rope hole for leading out the hauling rope, and the handle is provided with a button exposed out of the housing. A user can quickly restrain a pet from running away simply by pressing the button on the leash. The pet would therefore be kept within a controllable range from the user to avoid an accident. Moreover, the user can lock the leash in that state by moving a push button disposed inside the button, and then release the leash from the locked state by moving the push button in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A feed bin with a lateral discharging auger chute is used for the deliver of a bulk particulate feed, the bin including a hopper in which feed is held defining a lower taper floor forming a lower opening which directs the contents by a horizontal auger positioned within the lower opening into a horizontal chute where the particulate feed is dispensed. The feed bin with an auger is a component part of an overall system for the deliver and exchange of bulk feed through storage and exchange bins for the convenience and used by ranchers and bulk feed distributors.

Abstract: A method for growing grapevines in a root inhibiting vessel permanently planted in previously existing solid waste landfill mounds is disclosed. The vessel or container is a porous polymeric bag or fabric sleeve liner closely received in the container. A fabric disc is positioned in the bottom of an excavated hole in the cover layer of a landfill. The fabric liner is needle-punched to create a rough surface capable of trapping the roots of the growing grapevine and direct the roots into the side of the container such that the apical dominance of the root is stopped to restrict growth and promote root branching on the inside of the container to create a fibrous root system within the container.

Abstract: A portable loading and transporting apparatus includes a containment pen having a floor, a pair of side panels extending upwardly therefrom, and a front panel extending between the side panels. Centering plates are mounted to the opposed side panels, respective centering plates being pivotally coupled to ends of loading arms such that the containment pen is operatively moved between a loaded configuration atop the bed of a truck and an unloaded configuration on the ground rearwardly proximate the bed of the truck when the loading arms are actuated. A stabilizer bar includes a first end selectively coupled to a first position on the containment pen and a second end selectively coupled to a first position on the bed of the truck, the stabilizer bar configured to maintain the containment pen in a level configuration when the containment pen is moved between the loaded and the unloaded configurations.

Abstract: An indoor livestock confinement system includes a plurality of hollow plastic panels. One of the hollow plastic panels defines a U-shaped door frame. The door frame is open at the top and includes an attachment for a door at one edge. The door frame includes a reinforcement inside the panel that extends across a bottom threshold and sides of the door frame.

Abstract: A self-contained hydroponic plant system which can be easily packaged as a kit containing a plurality of plant seeds, at least one plant cube for holding seedlings within, a germination tray to allow the plant cubes having seeds within to germinate, a vertically collapsible reservoir for holding water and nutrients therein having an open top end and a sealed bottom end, a solar powered aerator for circulating oxygen to the water in the reservoir through a flexible hose, and a net pot supported by the top end of the reservoir having a slotted bottom wall for supporting the plant cups with germinated seedlings within, whereby the plant's roots grow and access the plant nutrients within the aerated water-filled reservoir. The kit further includes a media to support/stabilize the plant cup within the net pot, a frame assembly sized to hold the reservoir, and support hangers to suspend the frame assembly and reservoir.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved attachment devices fort support lines in plant growth support systems (e.g., trellis systems) and methods of using the same, and offers significant improvements efficiency with regard to assembling and disassembling the support systems for plant and crop growth. The attachment devices may be advantageously used for various vine and low-lying plants (e.g., grapes, tomatoes, etc.) that can be grown in a trellis system or other vertical growth support system. The anchoring devices may include a wire loop for slipping over an end post and a wire strainer bracket attached to the wire loop.

Abstract: A container for stacking with an alike container for use in hydroponics, the container includes a base and a side wall extending from the base and defining an opening, the side wall having an inner profile and an outer profile, the inner profile interfits with the outer profile when the container is in a stacked relationship with an alike container, and wherein the inner profile includes at least one formation located at a height from the base of the container, and the outer profile includes at least one abutment for engaging the formation of an alike container when stacked therein, and when in use, the container can be stacked with an alike container in a nesting relationship such that one container forms a receiver and the other forms a nester that is positioned in a lowered operative position within a receiver, and the relative positions of the containers can be adjusted by locating the at least one abutment of the outer profile of the nester on the at least one formation of the receiver and thereby suppor

Abstract: A planter system has a base and an insert. The base is to be placed in the ground and includes a top, outwardly extending lip to limit the depth that the planter may be inserted into the ground. The base includes water drainage apertures and an upper channel to direct water into the interior of the base. The insert includes water drainage apertures and preferably at least one vertical channel to direct water from the upper channel along the exterior of the insert and into the base.

Abstract: A plant graft production line for automatically grafting a rootstock and a scion si disclosed. The aforesaid plant graft production line comprises (a) a closed-loop conveyor; (b) at least one grafting assembly arranged for transporting along said conveyor; the assembly further comprises a rootstock holder for holding the rootstock and a scion holder for holding the scion; the holders arranged for at least partially superimposing said rootstock and scion; (c) stationary cutting mechanism for cutting exposed rootstock surface; (d) a stationary cutting mechanism for cutting a exposed scion surface to be; (e) stationary clipping mechanism for clipping the superimposed rootstock and scion together. It is a core feature of the invention to provide the rootstock holder arranged so as to provide a curvilinear plane along which said rootstock is conformed thereby presenting a curved cutting target for the cutting mechanism.

Abstract: An odor-removing trap system for removal of noxious gases emanating from cat litter boxes. The present invention provides an apparatus including an enclosure for capturing, filtering and removing noxious gases associated with cat waste products. Such gases rise upwardly within the enclosure wherein the gases are trapped and drawn from the enclosure. In one embodiment the gases are urged into an exhaust conduit disposed in fluid (i.e. air) transfer communication with the enclosure and flow to the exterior of the building by convection, air pressure or by vacuum created by a brushless fan motor. Such fan motor is powered by a battery pack or, alternatively, is electrically connected to an AC power source and can be actuated automatically by a motion detector whenever a cat enters the enclosure. In alternative embodiments the noxious gases are drawn through an air filter assembly including an activated charcoal filter element and absorbed therein.

Abstract: System and method directed to the art of pet kennels, more particularly collapsible pet kennels, are provided. A collapsible pet kennel having a first framework and a second framework both rotatably attached to a base framework, a first swing arm pivotably attached to the first framework and removably engageable with the second framework, a second swing arm pivotably attached to the second framework and removably engageable with the first framework, and a covering which encloses the pet kennel. The pet kennel is capable of being collapsed without removing the covering.

Abstract: An animal feeder comprises a vertical portion having a front side, a back side, a left side, and a right side. A first groove extends continuously through each of the left side, the front side, and the right side. At least a part of the back side is generally concave to facilitate the securement of the feeder to a tree. An angular portion of the feeder extends from the vertical portion at an angle. The angular portion has a mouth with a stop. The vertical portion and the angular portion collectively define a cavity configured for retaining animal feed. The cavity is accessible at least at the mouth. The back side comprises a channel, a first bracket, and a second bracket, each of which are collectively configured for securement of a T-post.