A trolley conveyor. The trolley conveyor includes: a tubular rail track having a slotted opening at the top. A trolley chain installed to move in the rail track. A hanger is provided for suspending therebelow objects to be transported. The hanger includes a connector at the upper end thereof which extends downward to toward the center of the trolley chain. The trolley chain includes vertical and horizontal rollers in chain units, with vertical rollers in one chain unit and horizontal rollers in an adjacent chain unit. The chain units are pivotally connected for up and down and side to side motion within the track. While the trolley chain moves, the connector avoids contact with the ends of the slot in the track. Thus, the trolley conveyor prevents the generation of noise and foreign substances. Also, the trolley conveyor prevents transfer of dirt, oil, and debris to an object being transported.

A system for growing plants includes an elevated track circuit comprising two straight track sections and two arcuate track sections, with the straight track sections each including a cavity. A plurality of wheeled trolleys that each include a wheel configured to roll within the cavities and each include a shaft extending downwardly form the wheel. A drive system is configured to move the wheeled trolleys along the track circuit with the wheeled trolleys connected together by a cable, and with the shafts of the trolleys configured to support plants coupled thereto to selectively move the plants along the track circuit. Uses of the system include for growing produce of vine plants in a lean-and-lower manner, or transporting hanging plants through an irrigation device of the system.

An apparatus is provided. There is a substantially rectangular frame having a plurality of corners with a light panel that is secured to the frame. Brackets a first opening are secured to each corner. Mounting members are secured to the brackets. The mounting members have: a first body; a second and third aligned openings formed in the first body; a fourth opening formed in the first body; and a plurality of second bodies, where each second body extends from the bottom face of the first body. Also, each second body includes a front and a rear, wherein the front of each second body is at least partially set back from the front face of the first body, and wherein the rear of each second body is substantially aligned with the rear face of the first body.

Three-dimensional vegetation growing systems provide an enclosed hydroponic environment for growing plants. The system serves to uniformly expose the plants to nutrients, liquids, and light from multiple directions while the plant rotates. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional vegetation growing systems may include a system housing configured to form an enclosed hydroponic growing environment; at least one light source in the system housing, the at least one light source configured to emit light; a distribution portion in the system housing, the distribution portion configured to discharge a vegetation growth sustaining liquid; and at least one conveyor device in the system housing, the at least one conveyor device disposed in proximity to the distribution portion, the at least one conveyor device configured to support vegetation and rotate the vegetation in the system housing as the vegetation receives the vegetation growth sustaining liquid from the distribution portion and the light from the at least one light source. Other embodiments of the three-dimensional vegetation growing systems are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a self-contained growth system that functions as a stand-alone growth system or combined with a hydroponic or aeroponic growth system for the controlled growth of plants. A Spiral Tower having an entry port for seedling or seeds embedded onto trays floating on a downward spiraling water flow provides a closed environment with optimum nutrient and growth conditions for each plant type. The Spiral

Tower is capable of germinating seedlings in a closed environment for subsequent maturation in an aeroponic or other system. As a stand-alone growth system, the Spiral Tower is capable of the continued growth of certain early life plants. Other applications as a seed to harvest system used in harvesting wheatgrass and similar plants. The system is designed for cost-effective use in restricted space and in regions not conducive for commercial plant production.

A tower assembly for use with an overhead conveyor of a hydroponic vertical farm system. The tower assembly includes a tower frame, a face plate, and a connector. The tower frame has a top portion opposite a bottom portion. The face plate is configured to be removably attached to the tower frame. When the face plate is attached to the tower frame, the face plate is configured to support at least one plant as the at least one plant grows. The connector is attached to the top portion of the tower frame. The connector is configured to be removably attached to the overhead conveyor.

An aeroponic crop growing system may include a plurality of vertical walls configured to grow plants extending through the walls. Drains may allow for drainage of excess water, with the drains providing the excess water to gutters. In some embodiments the gutters are positioned below a floor under the walls, with the floor including gaps for passage of the water from the drains of the walls to the gutters. In some embodiments the gaps in the floor, gutters, and walls may be repositionable. In some embodiments the floor may be of modular components, which may allow for drainage of excess liquid for a variety of different grow wall configurations.

Automated pickup and laydown systems for an automated crop production system for controlled environment agriculture that includes vertical grow towers. Some implementations of the invention can be used to create a horizontal-to-vertical interface between a vertical grow structure that includes vertical grow towers and associated conveyance mechanisms for moving the vertical grow towers through a controlled environment, and a central processing system that processes (for example, harvests, cleans, transplants, etc.) the grow towers.

A conveyor system (4, 5) moves vertical poles (2) in an agricultural facility between a growing area (20) and a workstation (W). Each pole carries plant growing containers (3) at multiple levels (H1-H9). An irrigation reservoir (30) may be mounted atop each pole. Irrigation lines (31-33) from the reservoir may be individually metered (35) at each level to compensate for differing water pressure with height. Sensors (40) in the reservoir and at each level of the poles may provide a controller (36) with data input. The controller may impose different growing conditions in different areas of the facility, including vertically different grow areas (20A, 20B), and controls pole movements and locations selectively to provide a sequence of poles at the workstation ready to harvest on a demand schedule. The workstation may have multiple heights (W1, W2, W3) for tall poles that increase plant density per facility footprint.

An apparatus is provided. There is a substantially rectangular frame having a plurality of corners with a light panel that is secured to the frame. Brackets a first opening are secured to each corner. Mounting members are secured to the brackets. The mounting members have: a first body; a second and third aligned openings formed in the first body; a fourth opening formed in the first body; and a plurality of second bodies, where each second body extends from the bottom face of the first body. Also, each second body includes a front and a rear, wherein the front of each second body is at least partially set back from the front face of the first body, and wherein the rear of each second body is substantially aligned with the rear face of the first body.