| CPC A01G 31/06 (2013.01) [A01G 31/045 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A crop production system for controlled environment agriculture, comprising:
a controlled growth environment substantially encapsulating a plurality of grow lines, each of the grow lines comprising
a grow conveyance mechanism; and
a plurality of grow towers, each of the plurality of grow towers vertically attached to, and moveable along, a respective one of the one or more grow lines;
wherein each of the one or more grow lines comprises a first path section, a second path section; wherein the grow conveyance mechanism conveys grow towers along the first path section in a first direction, and along the second path section in a second direction opposite the first direction;
a return mechanism operative to transfer grow towers from the first path section of a grow line of the one or more grow lines to the second path section of the grow line;
wherein the controlled growth environment further comprises one or more grow tower interfaces along a first side of the controlled growth environment;
a transfer conveyor comprising a plurality of carriages disposed on a track and a control system, wherein the track extends into the controlled growth environment at the one or more grow tower interfaces; wherein each of the plurality of carriages is configured to releasably attach to a grow tower; and wherein the control system is configured to convey a carriage including a grow tower to an injection point of a select grow line and convey an empty carriage from an ejection point of a select grow line; and
an onloading mechanism comprising a powered and free conveyer and one or more carriages; wherein the one or more carriages are configured to releasably engage grow towers; and wherein the powered and free conveyer is configured to insert a grow towers on a selected grow line of the plurality grow lines.
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