Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02363339 2001-11-19
This invention relates to a forestation method and system for improving the
global
environment.
People are increasingly aware of the changes in the global weather pattern
from that of
the past. Pollution of the environment is worsen with the annual ever
increasing demands for more
crude oil and the creation of industrial acid fluid wastes. People in Canada
and other parts of
North America are warned to stay out of the mid day sun in the summer to avoid
being harm by
the high level of UV ray passing through the hole in the ozone layer.
Economists have long
warned that the world economy is on a deteriorating track; nonetheless, in
combating poverty and
in seeking for ai~luence or better health care, changes must be made to
restrict the source of
pollution. This is evident by the diminishing amount of forest world wide.
Some effort has been
spent in re-forestation in which seedlings are earned in bags by people
climbing up a mountain
side to plant them; however, it takes many years for a tree to grow to
maturity from a seedling. A
land that is not protected by trees is subject to soil erosion. The eroded
soil eventually ends in
rivers to cause water blockages which in turn cause flooding; and flooding
causes yet more soil
erosion and more blockages in the river. Often, in flood, water would bypass
hydro dams to seek
for faster routes to flow out to the sea or lake, and it carries with it the
soil and invariably the soil
protective plant and grass, thus the water source is depleted in an even more
faster rate. Thus,
flood occurs more frequently and more seriously world wide. Drought may follow
after a flood,
because the land after the flood would lose its water retaining property due
to leaching by the
flood water. The leached soil is not suitable for plant growth either by
natural means or by manual
planting; and rain water, if any, subsequently falling on such soil would
simply run off quickly to
result in that the water levels in the lakes and rivers are abnormally low
during the drought, or are
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
overflowing by the excessive amount of water flowing into them swiftly during
the flood. River
and stream are the result of the accumulation of droplets of water from rain.
Modern engineering
may provide advanced techniques but it often lacks diligence. It tends to
solve a defect by
correcting the defect per se rather than curing its cause. The present
invention provides the
combination of plastic bags with the soil and sand world wide for preventing
the soil erosion due
to wind or flood. It provides a method of creating a soft or flexible brick
which eliminates the
deficiencies in the common use of steel reinforcement, concrete, rock, clay
brick, and fire baked
brick for such purposes. With the stabilization of the soil and sand that are
not affected by flood
or drought, vegetation planting can be effectively carried out. The vegetation
would, in turn,
improve the soil; and it would flourish with roots growing deeper into the
soil as well as providing
richer foliage to shading the ground so as to improve further its water
retaining property. Due to
the differences in the amount of rainfall, ground and soil formation, and
factors in the working
environment, the following various methods are provided by the present
invention to achieve
these purposes:
(1) Device with dripping water supply: In a windy area, a tent-like protective
plastic shield or
housing is firmly anchored on the ground with sand piles. The housing creates
a rain forest
environment within it while providing the air required for growing a tree in
such a protected
environment. After the tree has grown to maturity and is capable of
withstanding the severe
environment outside of the housing, the tree would inherently break the
latter. The grown tree
would subsequently provide shading and protection to the sand and soil it
grows on.
(2) For dry land in a semi-desert area, seeds and tree seedlings are grown in
deep trenches
provided with necessary lighting. Thus, they are not affected by the wind and
the hot baking sun
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
on the ground surface, and the vegetation grows and flourishes in the humid
and still air
environment deep in the trenches. This method also inherently resolves the
common problem of
the inability to achieve deep root growth of the seedling in a desert area.
(3) Another method is placing healthy tree stocks or seedlings in a bullet or
bomb or bullet head
for planting. A helicopter is used for carrying out such rapid planting even
in areas inaccessible by
land means such as up on steep mountains, and areas inhabited by ferocious
animals or poisonous
creatures. With the present invention of the century of the unique planting
method, forestation
may be carried out in any area throughout the world.
The deterioration of the global weather is largely due to the negative effect
of the ever
increasing demands for advanced living standard by human. The global
greenhouse effect has now
already caused a variety of natural disasters to occur. This is mainly due to
the build up of large
amount of carbon dioxide gas created in the atmosphere, which causes the
adverse changes in the
global weather. Trees to absorb the carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere.
The present
invention provides various forestation methods and systems which may be carned
out to grow
1 S vegetation widely in any land.
The invention begins by studying and solving the most difficult problem in the
forestation of the desert. The most difficult problem with the forestation of
the desert is that there
is no cohesion in the sand particles in the desert; for this reason, they are
easily scattered by wind.
Thus, it is difficult to cultivate vegetation in sand. An attempt has been
made in the Middle East
to spray a thin layer of crude oil on sand to increase its cohesion so as to
facilitate vegetation
cultivation; however, it has not been proven to be feasible. The present
invention utilizes the
abundant sand in the desert and vacuum filling it in bags formed by automation
by continuously
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
sealing two flexible plastic sheets together. The basic filling material
includes a mixture of sand
and soil, yellow soil, red soil, clay soil, and fine gravel etc. The basic
material may be taken from
the desert without requiring further effort in searching for any particular
chemical ingredient, size,
cohesion or retraction. It is not necessary to build a factory at the site or
to use precious natural
S resources such as coal and mine in the process that may create pollution to
the environment All
that is necessary, is a farming cultivating machine or tractor for separating
large size rocks from
the finer sand and soil, a back hoe machine, and the formation of flexible
plastic tubes or bags of
various shapes and filling the bags with the sand mixture. The unique flexible
bricks may be
provided in various shapes and sizes depending on the functions required. For
example, elongated
flexible bricks of different sizes may be used for constructing barrier walls
over a long distance in
a desert. The flexible bricks may be fabricated in a continuous process on
site with the fabricating
machine driving behind the cultivator or tractor which disposes of unsuitable
large size rocks
along the path. The vacuum device on the fabricating machine extracts air from
the flexible bricks
while they are being formed so as to form a vacuum pack. The lifting device in
the fabricating
machine delivers the flexible bricks along the two sides of the path as well
as piling them to a
desired height to form burner or retaining walls at the intended site. With
the fabricating machine
and the cultivator driving in such tandem manner, burner walls such as wind
barrier walls may be
conveniently and quickly built anywhere in the desert. The method may also be
used for installing
dikes along a river such as the Yangsi River in China which is prone to
flooding. The flexibility of
the flexible brick of the present invention, facilitates flexible dikes to be
built, which can migrate
between the high tide and the low tide to maintain their flood prevention
function. A barrier may
also be built with such bricks across a river such as the Yellow River in
China to form dams and
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
lakes for saving water and separating the sediment from the water. No
reinforcing steel or
concrete foundation is required in building the walls and dikes with the
present unique brick since
it is desirable to have the flexibility characteristics. The brick is
conducive for grass root growth
and for use by farmers for growing vegetation, and it has the advantage that
it may be installed
freely and easily at any location, such as along the banks of a river or
stream to prevent water
erosion. Thus, the fabricating machine of the present invention may be used to
build dams, flood
dikes, islands in shallow beaches, or retaining walls along a sea shore.
Leakage of sand and water
from the bag is prevented by a plurality of "/ \" shaped flaps located in a
reverse flow control
venting port in the plastic bag. The flexible brick may be used to grow in it
various types of
vegetation. The sand in the bag is capable of retaining an amount of water
equal to 30% of its
own volume within the bag, accordingly, it is beneficial for the vegetation
growth in such bricks
since the amount of water retained in the bag in one rainfall is equivalent to
flue times the amount
of water retained by the same amount of sand outside of the bag.
Another important method is growing vegetation within a tent-like housing or
shield
having a water supply control. The housing or shield is made of a plastic
sheet painted with a sun
light and heat reflection external coating. A wind operated device is provided
for supplying fresh
air within the housing. The plastic housing has a predetermined height to
protect the vegetation or
tree seedling to grow safely to such height. Eight telescopic support rods are
located around the
base of the plastic housing and are inserted to a desired depth into the sand
to anchor the housing
securely on the sandy ground. A completely sealed housing is thus erected on
the ground and it is
weighed down safely by the weight of the sand located within it. In turn, the
sand within the
housing is protected by the latter. Thus, a green house is provided by the
housing for growing the
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
seedling in a tropical rain forest like environment to a healthy tree. In the
meantime, grass may
also be grown around the tree to hold the sand particles firmly together. A
cutting blade is
located at the top of the housing which would sever the housing when the tree
has grown to such
height particularly when it is also swayed by the outside wind. The bottom of
the housing would
also be eventually destroyed by the roots of the growing tree. An air inlet is
provided for
supplying fresh air into the otherwise completely sealed housing. A
ventilation opening is
provided to save any water content in the moisture within the housing for the
plant growth. A
unique sun light operated water pump is provided to extract water from the
ground through a
tubing to supply the water required for the growing tree. The sand within the
housing retains an
amount of water equal to 30% its volume. A water storage tank is mounted at
the middle of the
outer side wall of the housing for supplying additional water to the interior
of the housing. Leaf
shaped collectors are provided for collecting rain water to the water tank. To
safe guard against
water shortage in a severe dry condition, a plurality of water balloons are
located in the sand
within the housing around the seedling. Each water balloon is provided with an
automatic cutting
1 S blade on its surface. The cutting blade is automatically operated by a
retractable tissue material
such as cow tendon which reduces its size or length as the humidity of its
surrounding decreases.
Thus, the water balloons will be severed under hot dry spells which may occur
up to several
months without rainfall in the desert. Water balloons with cutting blades
having the retractable
tissue material of various lengths are provided such that they will be severed
at different times in
order that water from the different balloons will be used to provide the
required emergency water
supply over a long period in the hot dry spell. A plurality of water
containers are placed on the
closed bottom cover of the housing. The water level in the water containers is
controlled by a
CA 02363339 2001-11-19
floating cantilever arm which is similar to that used in the water tank of a
conventional flush toilet.
A plurality of openings are formed on the sides of the water containers such
that the water may
flow out from these openings into the interior of the housing. Water is
supplied to the water
containers by tubes from the water storage tank and the flow rate of the water
is controlled by the
S floating cantilever arm. A plurality of cutting devices are located at the
bottom cover. These
cutting devices will be pushed by the roots of the tree when it has grown to
maturity in about 10
years to break the bottom cover of the housing when it will no longer be
required. A large plastic
cloth having a diameter much larger the base of the housing is placed on the
ground outside of the
housing at the bottom of a circular trench dug in the sand surrounding the
base of the housing.
The trench is for collecting water from any annual heavy rain may normally
fall in the desert. The
water collected will eventually seep into the ground to feed the tree. This
method may be
employed in the most severe desert condition for growing vegetation.
In a semi-desert region which has a more moderate weather condition and some
vegetation has already been grown in it, vegetation may be grown moderate
weather condition by
using the flexible bricks for preventing the sand from being blown away by
wind. The interior of
the housing is directly open to the outside atmosphere. A plurality of / \-
shaped reverse air flow
control venting ports are provided to control the humidity of the interior of
the cylindrical shape
housing which has a lower portion located in a deep trench formed in the sand.
The seedling
grows in the trench covered by the housing. Optical fibers extending from the
top part of the
housing above the ground to the lower part are provided to conduct sun light
to the latter for the
growing seedling. Water supply and water collection are provided in the manner
as described in
the previous embodiment. Since the housing of this embodiment is open to the
outside
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
atmosphere, it is not necessary to seal the housing or to provide additional
fresh air supply as in
the previous embodiment. A cap is provided at the top of the housing. The cap
is rotatable by the
outside wind to prevent sand from being blown into the housing. The water pump
may be
operated by the heat of the sun light as in the previous embodiment, or
alternatively by a windmill.
Two UV ray reflecting lenses are provided in the tubular housing to lower the
heat caused by the
noon day sun light. These lenses are painted with light reflecting patterns.
The above embodiment is particularly suitable for growing young seedlings
which can
otherwise only grow close to the ground surface. With this method , the
seedling may grow close
to the sand surface inside the trench within the tubular housing, such that by
the time it has grown
to the height of the outside ground surface , it would have a height of about
3 feet. The tubular
housing may be made from water-proof paper or thin metal plate. Such material
will automatically
break down and disintegrate in about 2 to 3 years after being used in the
humid soil environment
which normally exists at the depth of 3 feet under the ground in any desert
area. The cap is made
by rolling a plastic sheet with glue applied at its joint. The plastic and the
glue would also break
down over time to separate from the grown tree, and eventually the trench
would be filled again
by wind blown sand. Therefore, it is not necessary to spend further effect in
re-filling the trench
with sand. Moreover, since the matured tree is deep rooted when grown with the
present method,
it would not be easily uprooted by the strong wind in the desert.
The following method is applicable in a region having annual rainfall more
than the semi-
desert area mentioned in (3) above. the tubular housing may be made with a
cardboard material. A
plurality of leaf shaped plates are mounted on the side of the housing for
collecting rain water or
dew for growing the seedling in the housing. A sand cap is provided at the top
of the housing. A
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
circular opening is formed at the top of the sand cap. The circular opening
has an inwardly and
downwardly folded lip slanting at 45 degrees; and a plurality of thin metal
foils or plates are
provided on the lip by adhesive. Wind blowing at the housing would cause the
sand cap to cover
the housing more tightly. Furthermore, due to their slanted position, the
metal foils or plates
would reflect sun light into the housing to supplement the light provided by
the optical fiber.
Several water balloons are also located in the sand within the housing. A
plurality of wall
openings are formed in the lower portion of the side wall of the tubular
cardboard housing which
is located below ground so that the ground moisture of the surrounding sand
and soil may enter
the housing through these wall openings. The planting of the seedling in the
trench in this
embodiment may be carried out automatically with a cultivating machine.
Bullet planting: In this embodiment, the small seeds of large trees are placed
in an
embryonic sack which is installed in the head of bullets in which the bullet
head is made of a
mixture of hard wood powder, fiber, fertilizer, water base glue and plant base
plastic compacted
together under high pressure. The plant seeds are located in a depression or
cavity formed in the
rear end of the bullet head and it is covered with a mixture of fertilizer and
heat refractory
material. Planting may be carned out by firing such bullets from a helicopter
having a telescopic
view of the planting area shown on a display screen so that the bullets may be
accurately fired at
every square foot of the planting area. The seed may be attached to the bullet
head with an optical
fiber. Therefore, after a deep bullet hole is formed on the ground by the
bullet, the seed would
automatically be dragged into the bullet hole by the optical fiber. The impact
of the bullet on the
ground would cause a small amount of the spout promoting fluid to be released
from the mixture
to enhance the seed growth; also sun light required for the seed growth is
provided by the
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
deployed optical fiber conducting sun light into the bullet hole. In this
manner, the seed would
grow in a favorable humid condition in the hole deep under the ground without
being affected by
the strong wind and hot sun on the ground surface. This method is particularly
applicable in a
more temperate region in which sufficient rainfall would provide the necessary
water for the seed
growth. After firing, the bullet shells or cartridges may be retained in the
helicopter for further
use. Furthermore, this method may be utilized for planting in any area even if
it is inaccessible by
ground means or regardless if it is up in a steep maintain, inhabited by
ferocious animals or
poisonous creatures, or deep in a river valley. The success growth rate of
this method is very
high. Several designs of this embodiment are shown below. They function in the
same principle
but are adapted in various regions having different amounts of rainfall and
different soil
conditions.
A small amount of water required for the initial growth of the seed is
contained within a
separately sealed water balloon which is also packed in the bullet head. The
water balloon will be
broken by the impact when the bullet hits the ground to provide the water
required by the seed
initially. The water balloon, the seed and the optical fiber are located in a
depression or cavity
located at the rear end of the bullet head and are protected by a heat-proof
cover plate. The cover
plate will be removed between the time in which the bullet leaves the gun
barrel and prior to it
hitting the ground, so as to release the optical fiber. An annular steel brush
ring is located at the
muzzle of the gun barrel and it is engageable with a channel formed in the
bullet head for
removing the protective cover plate so as to release the optical fiber from
the bullet head. Several
other methods to achieve the same result will be shown below.
Tree planting ball: this embodiment enables planting to be carned out
inexpensively and
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
automatically. In a dry and hot region, seeds may be planted deeply in
trenches in the land having
the top layer of its soil initially removed so that the seed may grow in a
moist condition deep in
the soil. A cultivating machine equipped with a drill is used both for forming
planting holes in the
soil as well as placing sealed balls containing seeds or pre-dressed seedlings
into the holes. Water
balloons and plant nutrient fluid are also included inside the balls The seed
is located in an
embryonic sack located within each ball. One end of an elongated optical fiber
is connected to this
embryonic sack and the free end of the optical fiber extends outside of the
ball to wind around a
channel formed on the outside surface of the ball. When the ball rolls into
the planting hole, the
rolling motion would cause the optical fiber to unwind from the channel with
its upper end held in
place by a spring clamp such that the ball is hung within the planting hole by
the unwound optical
fiber which subsequently conducts the sun light from above ground to the seed
in the embryonic
sack. The lower end of the optical fiber is also connected to a knife which
would sever the water
balloon. The ball is similar to an egg for incubating the seed gowth. Air is
supplied to the interior
of the ball through a top opening. The optical fiber also extends outside of
the ball through this
top opening. The upper and lower halves of the ball shell are made of a
mixture of fertilizer and a
water soluble substance or glue or gluten and plant fibers compacted together
to form a thin half
shell. After more than ten days, the upper half shell of the ball will
disintegrate and separate from
the lower half shell. Some of the water from the severed water balloons would
remain in the
lower half shell for the seed growth.
Figure 1 is a perspective side elevation view of the flexible brick
fabricating machine
according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is an isolated sectional side elevation view brick fabricating
components of the
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
fabricating machine of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an isolated enlarged elevation view of the rotatable steel mold of
the fabricating
machine.
Figure 4 is an isolated enlarged elevation view of the plastic wrapping belt
and the sand
S wrapping mold forming a composite belt.
Figure 5 shows the use of the soft bricks according to the present invention
for building a
retaining wall or river bank protecting dykes.
Figure SA is a schematic diagram illustrating the two banks of a river with
two curved
lines which varies their positions from low tide to high tide.
Figure SB is an isolated perspective view of the soft bricks according to the
present
invention having water collection holes formed therein such that the bricks
may be used for
growing ground vegetation.
Figure SC is an isolated perspective view of the laying of the soft bricks for
building a
water dam or water canal.
Figure SD is a perspective elevation view of the soft brick for building a
retaining wall on
a river bank.
Figure 6 is a partially cut side elevation view of the housing for growing a
tree in the
desert according to the present invention.
Figures 6A and 6B are enlarged perspective views of the knives located at the
top and at
the base respectively of the housing.
Figure 7 is an isolated enlarged elevation view of the lung of the housing
shown in Figure
6
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
Figure 8 is an isolated enlarged elevation view of the automatic shut ofd
valve for the
housing shown in Figure 6.
Figure 9 is an isolated enlarged partial sectional elevation view of the water
pump located
in the housing of Figure 6.
Figure 10 is an isolated enlarged partial sectional elevation view of an
alternate
embodiment of the water pump.
Figure 11 is an enlarged isolated elevation view of the automatic air vent
control of the
housing of Figure 6.
Figure 12 is an isolated enlarged perspective elevation view of the air
exhaust of the
housing.
Figure 13 is a sectional side elevation view of the embodiment of locating a
protective
housing partially buried in a trench for growing vegetation in the desert
according to the present
invention.
Figure 13A is a sectional side elevation view of the embodiment of a housing
for planting
vegetation in a dry region having a more favorable condition than a desert.
Figure 14 is a sectional side elevation view of another embodiment of the
present
invention for planting seeds by machine.
Figure 15 is an isolated sectional side elevation view of the tree planting
gun bullet for
planting trees.
Figure 15A is a sectional side elevation view of the planting bullet for use
with an air gun
for planting trees.
Figure 16 is a sectional side elevation view of the A-shaped bullet after it
has hit the
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
ground.
Figure 17 is a sectional side elevation view of a B-shaped bullet head.
Figure 18 is a sectional side elevation view of another embodiment of the
bullet head
provided with another heat resistance plate.
Figure 18B is a sectional elevation view along section line H-H in Figure 18.
Figure 19 is a sectional side elevation view of a planting bullet for use with
a planting
water gun.
Figure 19A is a sectional side elevation view of the live saving water balloon
for providing
water to the vegetation in the housing.
Figure 20 is a sectional side elevation view of the embryonic sack for
planting in a ground
hole according to the present invention.
Figure 21 is a side elevation view of the steel wire brush installed adjacent
to the planting
gun muzzle.
Figure 22 is a perspective side elevation view of the fabricating machine for
making the
flexible soft brick according to the present invention.
Figure 23 is a perspective elevation view of the desert improving bag
production vehicle
according to the present invention.
Figure 24 is a sectional side elevation view along section line E-E of Figure
23.
Figure 25 is an enlarged sectional side elevation view of the sand collector.
The flexible brick fabricating machine of the present invention has a
rotatable round tub
provided with a steel mold 2. The mold is rotated with various gear drives
which are rotated by an
electric motor 6 to roll out a round shaped plastic wrapping by simultaneously
drawing two
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
continuous plastic sheets in which one sheet is drawn from a right supply reel
1 and the second
one is drawn from a left supply reel 5, towards the center of the mold 2. The
plastic sheet from
the supply reel 1 has the required form and is adapted to engage within a
steel channel 7 in the
mold. Holes are formed on both side edges 16 and 20 in the plastic sheet to
engage with teeth on
the mold for driving the sheet through the machine. A hopper 4 of the filling
station is located at
the top of the mold 2 for filling the wrapping sheet with sand. The sand is
obtained by a scoop 26
which retrieves the sand from the ground and delivers it to the filling
station by an elevator 3.
After the lower half of the plastic wrapping sheet 1B is filled and packed
with sand, the upper
wrapping sheet SB is placed over it and heat sealed to it to form the bag.
Then air is extracted
from the bag so as to form the flexible soft brick. In this manner, flexible
soft bricks are formed
continuously and then laid subsequently over the desert surface to protect the
sand, or to build a
retaining wall, or for growing vegetation in them, or for building dams for
collecting rain water
etc. The system may also be used to fabricate the flexible soft bricks without
performing the
laying operation at the same time. It may also be set up in a factory for
producing such flexible
soft bricks at a fixed location.
An elevator 3 delivers the sand to the filling station. It consists of a drive
gear 3A for
rotating a rubber drive belt 3C having a plurality of sand buckets mounted on
it for transporting
the sand to the filling station. The rubber drive belt 3C has grooves formed
in its inside surface
adapted to engage with the teeth on the drive gear. The sand buckets are
mounted on its outer
side. The sand filling hopper 4 has a bottom end covering closely over the
steel mold 2. Sand is
delivered to it by the elevator 3.
A steel mold 7 is provided for forming the brick. A plurality of mold
receptacles are
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
formed in the mold for forming and carrying the soft bricks having a plurality
of openings.
A vacuum device 8 operates to extract air from the bricks.
Depressions 9 are formed on the cylindrical drums, which are operative to
engage with
the teeth 16 of the steel mold 2. A drive cylinder 10 operates with the steel
mold 2 for moving the
plastic sheet 1B over the steel mold 2 with the openings formed in the two
side edges of the
plastic sheet 1B. A similar drive cylinder 11 is used for moving the plastic
sheet SB to the steel
mold 2. A heat roller is used for heat sealing the plastic wrapping 1B and top
cover plastic
wrapping SB together. Two heated rings are provided at the two edges of this
roller. The
actuation of these heat rings is controlled by a horizontal rod. The length of
the perimeter of this
roller is equal to the shorter length of the flexible soft brick so that when
it has rotated for one
revolution by the drive cylinder 11, it would have completed the sealing
operation for one flexible
soft brick formed in the steel mold 2. Pressure rollers 13 are provided for
transporting the top
cover plastic wrapping 5B from the supply reel 5 to the steel mold 2.
Associated pressure rollers
14 have construction and function similar to that of the pressure rollers 13.
The supply reel 5 for
the plastic wrapping is mounted on a support 15 which may be removed for
changing this supply
reel. Teeth 16 are formed on the steel mold. They engage with the openings 20
formed on the two
side edges of the plastic wrapping.
The fabricating machine has a chassis 17, and rollers 17A are provided for
transporting the
finished fabricated flexible soft brick 18. A video monitor camera having a
lens 19 is operative for
monitoring the laying operation of the flexible soft bricks. The elevator 3 is
coupled to a
reversible electric motor 21 through a rotary shaft. A drum 22 extracts air to
form vacuum in the
brick as well as for heat sealing the plastic wrappings of the brick..
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
A brake 23 is operative to stop the supply reels 1 and 5 from rolling by
inertia when the machine
is shut offl The machine has a vertical frame 24. A pneumatic cylinder 25 is
used for lowering or
raising the sand scoop 26 for retrieving sand which has been loosened by the
cultivator moving in
front of the fabricating machine and it delivers the sand to the buckets 3B in
the elevator 3.
As shown in Figure 2, a vibrator 27 operates to compact the sand in the brick
during
fabrication. A plurality of rotatable steel knives 28 are provided in the
steel drum 29 for loosening
the sand. A plurality of fins 30 are formed on a rotary shaft 31 for directing
the sand into the mold
7. A plastic coated rotating shaft 32 cleans sand offthe top and bottom
surfaces of the plastic
wrapping sheet prior to the heat seal operation.
As shown in Figure 3 the rotatable steel mold 2 includes a teethed drive wheel
33 for
rotating the cylinders 25 and the various wheels.
As shown in Figure 4 the plastic wrapping sheet 1B and the sand wrapping mold
forming a
composite belt in which the portion "A" shows it in a folded flat condition
and the portion "B"
shows a cut view in its middle section and the portion "C" shows it having
been placed within the
steel mold. A protruded bubble 34 is formed at the base of the composite belt.
The bubble is
variable to supplement the volume of the sand in the soft brick when the brick
is subjected to
pressure when a number of bricks are stacked together. The bag of the brick
has a bottom surface
35.
As shown in Figure 5 the soft bricks may be used for building a retaining
wall, river bank
protecting dykes etc., which can advantageously vary their location or
formation to accommodate
changes for low tide and high tide. Figure SA illustrates the two banks of the
river with two
curved lines due to changes of low tide and high tide. As shown in Figure SB
the soft brick having
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
water collection holes may be laid on the ground in a desert for growing
ground vegetation.
Reverse leakage preventing means having a / \ shape are provided in the holes
to admit rain water
into the brick, so that in addition to the 30% water retaining characteristics
of the sand together
with the rain water collected in the brick through the holes having the
reverse leakage preventing
means 38 ( see Figure SE), the amount of water retained by such construction
in one rainfall is
equal to that of five rainfalls. The bricks are laid on the desert ground to
cover and stabilize the
desert sand, and seeds may be placed in the bricks through the holes to grow
ground vegetation.
Knives 69 are provided at the bottom of the bricks. Figure SC illustrates the
use of the soft bricks
for building a water dam or water canal. As shown in Figure SD the soft brick
may be used to
build a retaining wall on the river bank to prevent soil erosion and to
increase the soil's water
retaining property. Wood chips, short iron wires etc., may be added to the
soil and sand in the bag
to increase its water retaining property. Similarly, a wind barrier 36 may be
erected with the soft
bricks along a windy desert road to reduce the speed of the cross wind.
The soft bricks may be laid on the desert surface 37 to stabilize the sand for
growing
ground vegetation and openings 38 are formed in the brick, which is provided
with a "/ \" shaped
leak preventing means 39 having various large, medium and small sizes to
prevent water loss due
to evaporation from the bag. The thin soft bricks may have a rectangular shape
40 with a plastic
wrapping 42 and water saving opening 43.
A housing 45 for growing a tree in the desert is best shown in Figure 6. The
housing 45 is
formed by a plastic tent-like housing built with a sheet material or a
membrane 67 supported by a
frame 45A. It has breathing means 51 and 45, and a regulator to control the
length and rate of
breathing. It is also provided with heat preventing means 54 which regulates
the interior
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
environment as it is subjected to the outside heat for feeding the tree with
water. A water storage
tank stores rain water for use when the interior requires more humidity. The
supply of water is
automatically controlled by valves 47 and 50. Means 70 and 69 are provided to
separate the tree
from the protective housing after the tree has grown to maturity. Life saving
water balloons 48
and 49 are provided to safeguard the tree's water need in the event of a long
hot dry spell in the
weather. There is no electric control or electronically produced material. A
multitude of trees
may be grown in the desert by this method. Moreover, even better results may
be obtained by
incorporating this method with the formation of trenches in the ground and the
removable top
covering cap as shown in Figure 13 A.
One third of the sand in the housing is buried below the outside ground
surface in order
to anchor the housing firmly against the wind. Eight support rods are inserted
into the ground and
located evenly around the inside of the housing in order to maintain the
housing in an upstanding
erected manner. A water storage tank 46 is mounted to the housing and resting
on the outside
sandy ground surface for storing an amount of water 47. Additionally water-
filled balloons 48 are
located in the housing, which would break open automatically in the event of
an emergency of a
long dry spell to provide the water necessary for feeding the tree. The
breaking of the balloons 48
is provided by a tissue material 49 made of cow tendon connected to a cutting
blade and adhered
on the water balloon. Its length is affected by humidity to operate the
cutting blade to cut open
the water balloon in an emergency dry condition. A small tubing 50 controlled
by a floatation
valve similar to that in a toilet water tank is provided to conduct water from
a water storage
within the housing interior 54. A breathing design 51 for drawing air into the
housing is provided.
It has a clamp 44 made of a hard plate material. The clamp is biassed by a
rubber band such that it
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
would open when it is blown by wind and the rubber band would close it after
the wind has
passed and a sand blocker 52 is provided at the venting port. An automatic
control regulates the
amount of air flowing into the housing. A movable cover 53 is located at the
venting port. A
water filled expandable bag 54A acts as the venting port door. The bag will be
expanded by
water vapour formed inside when its water is heated by the sun thus closing
the venting port to
prevent moisture in the housing from escaping to the outside. An additional
watering means for
the seedling 59 within the housing consists of a magnifying glass having two
outwardly curved
surfaces located at the top end of a plastic capillary tube 56 which is
connected to a vapor
absorption tube 57. A tie 58 is used for mounting the capillary tube in place.
The housing has an
air exhaust with an external filter cap 60. A ball of wire mass 61 is located
within the copper pipe
of the air exhaust, which is operative to condense the water moisture in the
exhaust air. The water
is returned to the sand in the housing through a lower tube. Also, plastic
leaf shaped collectors 62
are mounted on the outside surface of the housing for collecting rain water to
a collecting pool
63. Water flows from the pool to the water storage tank 47 through a small
water tube 64. A
1 S capillary tube 65 is provided for replenishing a water can 66 located in
the sand 71 at the bottom
of the housing. A water valve is provided at its lower end of the capillary
tube 65. Holes are
formed in the water can 66 for releasing water into the sand within the
housing. Supporting rods
67A are provided for maintaining the housing in an upstanding erected
condition; and a door
cover plate 68 is used to cover the doar opening of the housing after the
seedling is planted within
the housing. Mating grooves and ridges are formed in the cover plate and the
housing to hold the
cover plate in place and adhesive may also be used to secure it permanently in
place.
Furthermore, cutting knives 69 are mounted at the base of the housing. These
knives 69 will be
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
pushed by the roots of the tree after it has grown to maturity to sever the
base of the housing. The
knife blade is made of a degradable material. Another cutting knife 70 is
located at the top of the
housing, which has both upper and lower cutting blades. The knife 70 will be
pushed by the tree
when the latter has grown to the height of the housing to automatically cut
open the top of the
housing. The operation is also enhanced by the swaying motion of the housing
when it is blown by
wind. After the housing is cut, it is subject to wind rushing inside as well
as the expanding force
exerted on it from the inside by the supporting rods, thus it would readily
break and disintegrate.
A large plastic sheet 71A may be placed in a trench formed in the ground
around the base of the
housing such that rain water from any heavy rain will be collected in the
trench without draining
away to form an underground water pool. Such heavy rain may occur rarely once
in many years
to provide water for feeding the tree roots. This arrangement allows precious
rain water to be
saved for use in a desert.
Figure 7 shows the detail construction of the breathing design 51 which
functions as the
lung of the housing. There are two lungs provided in the housing. Lung (a)
consists of the
changing air volume in the housing and the operation of the air vent port
which operates in
response to outside strong wind. Lung (b) as shown in this illustration,
operates in response to
light wind outside. This latter lung consists of three components, namely, a
pair of flapping wing
44 which will be spread apart by the wind, and are pulled to close together by
a rubber band 82
when wind is absent. It also includes an expandable rubber bag 72, and a
reverse flow preventing
fresh air inlet port 80. The action of the opening and closing of the flapping
wings causes the
expandable plastic bag 72 to expand and contract correspondingly. A plurality
of fine hair 73 are
positioned in a downward direction in a capillary tube 74. Also an air balloon
75 is mounted to
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
and in communication with the water filled expandable bag 72 and it is located
in the air inlet
valve. It is expanded by the vapour derived from evaporation of the water in
the water filled bag
72 when the water is heated by the sun. The expanded air balloon 75 blocks the
air inlet to
prevent hot air from entering the housing in such hot outside condition. A
water filled bag 76
operates in association with the housing interior 54, the capillary tube74,
the air balloon 75, and
the water 77 in the water filled bag for closing the air inlet when the
outside is under a hot sun
condition. Other fluids which can be evaporated by the sun's heat may also be
used in the water
filled bag 76. An outer cap 78 is provided at the air inlet port. The cap 78
has a plurality of
openings 78A. The inner side wall 79 of the air inlet port has a plurality of
hair 81 positioned in a
"/ \" shaped manner to prevent the reverse flow of air through the air inlet
port. Furthermore, the
hair 81 is located in the shell 89 for automatically cleaning sand off the
outer shell of the air inlet
port. The rubber band 82 operates for returning the wings back to the open
position when wind is
absent. Left and right air bags 83 are connected to the capillary air tubes
for drawing air into the
housing. An air inlet tube 84 is located at the rear of the air bag. An
elongated small air balloon
valve 85 is provided, which expand under the pressure of the incoming air to
allow the air to enter
into the housing. A weight 53A is located at the lower end of the air inlet
tube 84 to maintain the
valve closed normally. Other valve construction may be used to provide the
same function. The
housing has an air inlet valve 86 and an automatic stop valve 52A which is
located in the air valve
86 and operates to regulate the amount of incoming air to prevent a large
amount of air that may
harmfully flow through the air valve into the housing. A steel ball valve 52A
is located within the
air valve. The steel ball would be drawn to the position to block the air
valve in the event a large
amount of air is attempted to flow into the housing due to the sudden change
in the interior air
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
volume in the housing. A weight 53A is located at the end of the air valve.
As shown in the isolated enlarged sectional elevation view Figure 8, the
automatic control
valve includes an automatic shut off valve located in the air inlet valve to
prevent excessive air
from entering the housing when the wind outside is very strong.
The water pump operated by the sun's heat is shown in Figure 9. The pump is in
the form
of a capillary tube 56 having an upper portion heated by the sun such that the
heat differential
creates the pumping pressure to draw water upwards through the tube 56. A
condensation lens 55
enhances the effectiveness of directing the sun's heat on the capillary tube
56. A back flow valve
58A is provide at the lower end of the capillary tube 56, and a V-shaped water
trap 57 is provided
adjacent to the outlet of the pump. A transparent cap 88 covers over the light
condensing lens 55
to avoid dust and sand from settling on the lens.
An alternative embodiment of the water pump is best shown in Figure 10 in
which an
elastic olive-shaped hollow ball 89 having an interior cavity 90, is operated
by wind force to
produce the water pumping action in the capillary tube 56. A tube 91 connects
between the elastic
ball 89 to the capillary tube 56. A V- shaped water trap 57 is provided
adjacent to the outlet of
the pump and a back flow valve is provided also at the lower end of the
capillary tube 56.
Resilient steel wires 92 are located at the pump for mounting and supporting
the elastic hollow
ball 89 to the capillary tube 56 such that the ball may be compressed by wind
to vary its volume
resiliently, expanding and contracting alternatively, to provide the pumping
force.
The automatic air vent control valve 54 is shown in Figure 11. The valve 54 is
operated by
the sun's heat to regulate the amount of air to be drawn into the housing
according to the
humidity in the housing interior. It operates to admit air into the housing in
the morning and night
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
times. It is provided with a top cover 93 over an evaporation dish located in
the control valve.
The air exhaust 98 as shown in Figure 12 includes a water recovering design
for
extracting any water content in the exhaust air. The moisture evaporating from
the surface of the
sand within the housing would cause the lowering of the temperature in the
sand below. A portion
of the exhaust in the form of a copper tubing 94 which is buried in the sand
to utilize the lower
temperature in the sand within the housing to recover the water content in the
exhaust air. A
paper filter 95 is provided at the inlet 99 of the exhaust and a mass of fine
copper shreds 96 or
wires is located in the copper tubing to enhance the cooling and condensation
of the water
content in the exhaust air. The paper filter cap 95 also acts to absorb some
of the water content
in the exhausting air and the moisture is subsequently returned to the housing
by evaporation. An
outlet cap 97 prevents sand from being blown into the exhaust. It also
includes a back flow valve
to prevent the outside air from entering the housing through the exhaust.
The knives 1 O1 and 1 OS located at the top and at the base of the housing
respectively are
shown in Figures 6A and 6B. They will be operated automatically by the tree to
cut open the
housing when the tree has grown to maturity. Each knife 101 is attached to the
plastic membrane
or sheet by a round plate 100 having a plastic mounting base 102. The knife
blade 105 is made of
paper cardboard or similar degradable material. Wire loops 104 are provided on
the knife base of
the bottom knives 1 OS which will be pulled by the tree roots to cut the base
of the housing.
Another embodiment in which a lower portion of the protective housing is
partially buried
in a trench for growing vegetation in the desert is shown in Figure 13. This
method is applicable in
a semi-desert region or in a desert region in which the sandy ground has
already been treated and
stabilized with the laying flexible soft bricks on its surface. Seedlings or
seeds may be planted in
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
the cool and moist environment in a trench. Optical fiber is used to conduct
sun light into the
trench and additional light is also provided by thin reflective metal plates
mounted on a cap
located at the top of the housing. A water pump, operated by a light
condensing lens as shown in
Figure 9 or a wind operated elastic ball as shown in Fig. 10, draws water from
the bottom of the
housing to spray water on the seedling. Air is supplied to the housing through
a partially opened
top cover107. A draft cover made of a soft plastic sheet materia1108 is placed
on top of the top
cover, which is carried by any down draft of wind to cover the housing so as
to prevent wind
carried sand from entering the housing. The draft cover would return to an
upright opened
position when there is no wind. A plastic lens, having flower petal patterns
111 and 110, is
provided to block the UV ray of the sun so as to reduce water evaporation
within the housing.
Reverse pointing ducts 39 are provided to separate the regulation between the
interior and
exterior of the trench. The portion of the housing located below ground, in
the trench, is made of
thin metal plate, which will disintegrate automatically after several years
and will be naturally
absorbed into the soil. The ducts 39 are made by rolling flat pieces of soft
plastic sheets into the
cylindrical shape with adhesive applied at the joint. The adhesive will break
down in time to cause
the disintegration of the ducts, at which time the tree has already grown to
maturity. Life saving
water balloons 48 and 49 as well as water cans 115 are located in the sand to
save water and to
supply water for feeding the plant in a manner similar to that in the
embodiment shown in Figure
6. Only in this embodiment, rain water collected by the leaf shaped collectors
flows directly into
the housing. With the above design, the seedling would grow in the deep moist
soil to a tree of
nearly 3 feet tall having a strong root foundation and extending above the top
of the trench. The
blowing sand would eventually fill the trench back with sand similar to as if
the tree were planted
-26-
CA 02363339 2001-11-19
manually at the location of the trench. The result of using this method is far
better than attempting
to grow the plant on the surface of the dry soil which is readily subject to
erosion. The soft plastic
top cover 107 can vary its shape according to outside wind pressure and it can
recover to its
original erected shape when the pressure is absent. Light is conducted into
the trench from above
ground by optical fiber 109 having a light receiving head 109A which is dust
protected. Water
110 is contained in a cavity in the top cover 107 and vapor is created when
the water 110 is
heated by the sun to provide the moisture for maintaining the flower petal
shaped plastic lens 111
in a spread out condition. In the cool morning and night times the plastic
lens 111 would curl up.
A circular joint ring 112 is formed between the different materials of the
housing and the top cap.
The circular joint ring 112 is buried in the ground and is made of water-proof
cardboard material
which would disintegrate in two to three years. Alternatively it may be made
with a thin metal
plate. The caps at the duct 39, the wind barrier 36, and the plastic lens 111
are made of plastic
sheets similar to plastic sheet 108 rolled into a cylindrical shape with
adhesive applied at the joint.
The adhesive will also break down in time to cause the cap to break into
disintegrated plastic
pieces which are dispersed by wind to spread far away from the tree. The lower
portion 113 of the
housing is made of a metal plate, that is not plated with tin or rust proof,
which can rust and
disintegrate. It may also be made of paper having a plastic coating. The
capillary tube 58 is
mounted in place by a mounting means 114. A water tank 117 which may contain
up to 5 gallons
of water 115 is buried in the ground neighboring to the housing as shown in
Figure 13. A needle
head 116 may be inserted through the rubber plug located at the side of the
water tank to remove
water from the tank. A water inlet opening 120 may be formed in the side wall
of the housing
below ground. The opening 120 drains excessive water, collected in the housing
due to heavy
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
rainfall, into the surround ground and it also normally allows the moisture
from the surrounding
ground to enter into the soil in the housing. A plastic sheet 121 may be
located in the ground
under the tree to form a saucer shaped water shield pool such that water may
be collected in the
pool for long time use. The sheet may have a diameter of several kilometers.
S Another embodiment for planting in a region having better weather condition
than that in
the embodiment shown in Figure 13 above is shown in Figure 13A. It is a
sectional side elevation
view of the embodiment for planting trees in a region having frequent dry
periods. It has metal
foils 109B adhered on a swaying cap for reflecting light above ground into the
trench.
Another embodiment of the present invention for plant seeds by machine is
shown in
Figure 14. The seed is located inside a sack which is shaped like a baseball.
Two upstanding
tracks 124 are formed on the surface of the ball to provide a channel between
them. The tracks
124 are adapted to engage with a groove 134 provided in the planting machine
for guiding the
dropping of a row of such balls 130, one ball at a time, into planting holes
formed in the ground.
The optical fiber 122 is also wound in this groove. One end of the optical
fiber 122 is inserted into
the ball through a slot 135 formed in the channel. The optical fiber 122 has
an umbrella shape
floatable plate located below its head; and the optical fiber is connected to
an embryonic sack
located in the ball. A water balloon is also located within the ball. The
shell 123 of the ball is made
of a mixture of fertilizer, fiber and water soluble glue. The upper and lower
halves of the shell 123
are adhered together along a joint 136 between them. The ball is dropped into
a planting hole
previously formed on the ground by machine such that the ball will lie inside
the hole suspended
by the stretched out optical fiber. Also, the optical fiber is connected to a
knife hook 131 which
will cut open the thin soft plastic sheet side wall 133 of the water balloon
when it is pulled by the
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
stretched out optical fiber. The ball 130 will break into two halves along
their joint 136 after a
predetermined time period and will then begin to disintegrate. The tree seed
125 in the embryonic
sack will also begin to grow in the water remaining on the not yet
disintegrated lower half shell.
The tree seed 125 is supported in a soft wood ring 126 which forms part of an
embryonic sack for
maintaining the seed to float on the water. The ring 126 lies on a piece of
cotton cloth 126A. A
cotton thread 127 is connected to the embryonic sack to prevent the latter
from floating away in
the event that the ground hole is filled with water. A weight 128 is connected
to the other end of
the cotton thread. The nutrient material 129 required for the seed grow is
provided also in the
embryonic sack. Optionally, a metal plated threading groove 137 may be formed
in the housing to
admit more light into the hole, and angular metallic reflecting particles 137A
may also be used to
reflect sun light into the hole.
An "A" shaped tree planting gun bullet is shown in Figure 15. The bullet may
be used for
planting trees in regions in which water is depleting in rivers, dams and
other water sources, or
planting in eroded soil after a flood. It replaces the conventional method of
having to carry the
1 S seedlings with back sacks to plant them one by one manually. This unique
method of planting
trees by bullets is important for improving the deteriorating environment
around the world. The
method is by placing a pre-dressed seedling in an embryonic sack with an
optical fiber connected
to it and it is then installed in a cavity at the rear end of a bullet. The
installation is sealed with a
heat resistance round plate 142. The other end of the optical fiber is
attached to this heat
resistance round plate so that the optical fiber is stretched during the
flight of the bullet and it is
subsequently used to conduct light into the bullet hole formed in the ground.
A steel wire brush is
located at the muzzle of the gun, which operate to pull the optical fiber out
from the bullet as it is
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
leaving the muzzle. The outer shell 138 of the bullet head is made of a
mixture of hard wood
powder, fiber and water soluble adhesive compacted together under high
pressure. It will
disintegrate and dissolve in water. The inner shell 139 is made of a mixture
of fiber and high
strength water soluble glue compacted together, and it is located over the
inner surface of the
outer shell 138. Since the "A" shaped bullet head may pierce too deep into the
loose sand for
growing the seed, it is designed to have a length equal to twice the length if
it impacts with water.
Steel is incorporated at the tip of the bullet head to enhance its piercing
strength. The planting
bullets are fired from a helicopter with a planting gun and the locations for
planting may be
accurately determined by the operator viewing a telescopic image of the ground
displayed on a
video screen. The optical fiber will be pulled out from the bullet head after
the heat resistance
plate has been removed by the steel wire brush. The umbrella like plate will
float in the air like a
flower pollen just above the ground after the planting bullet has entered the
bullet hole so that
light is conducted to the embryonic sack in the hole by the optical fiber. The
water balloon is also
broken by the impact. Due to the dii~erences in soil characteristics and the
amount of rainfall, the
bullet head may have different constructions; however, the use of the
removable heat resistance
plate and the working principle remain the same regardless of whether an air
gun or water gun is
used to fire the bullet. The present system illustrates one example for tree
planting. The present
bullet planting method enables seeds to be planted anywhere and it meets the
hope of those aware
of the necessity to save the earth. The bullet may have a small diameter
extensible inner shell
section 140 which may slide upwards until its lower end latches with the
second inner shell section
so as to extend the length of the bullet head; and another smaller diameter
third inner shell section
141 is slidable to latch with the top of the second inner shell section. It
functions to increase the
-3 0-
CA 02363339 2001-11-19
length of the bullet by three times. "/ \" shaped reverse flow regulating
flaps 39 are provided at its
upper portion. These flaps will operate to prevent water from escaping outward
upwardly after
the water balloon has been broken. A heat resistance plate 142 is provided for
protecting the
optical fiber, the tree seeds, the embryonic sack and the water balloon from
the force and heat of
the explosion in the bullet. Its diameter is equal to the rear end of the
bullet head. Adhesive is
provided in a round groove formed in the plate to attach the head of the
optical fiber to it as well
as attaching it to the bullet head. The heat resistance plate 142 has holes
143 formed around its
side. The bullet cartridge 144 is similar to that of common bullets having gun
powder 145. The
bullet head has a sharp tip 146 with a metal protective head 138A. Figure 16
shows a sectional
side elevation view of the "A" shape bullet after it has hit the ground. Holes
147 are formed in the
side of the cylindrical shell for admitting rain water into the shell or
expelling water therefrom.
Another tree planting bullet embodiment is shown in Figure 17. In this
embodiment, a
different design is employed for removing the heat resistance plate and in
pulling the optical fiber
outwards from the bullet head. As shown, small air holes 145A are formed in
the circular plate.
These holes 145A are inlets of a circular tunnel 1458 formed by matching a
circular groove
formed on the plate and a similar circular groove is formed in the bullet head
151. Compressed air
from the explosion of the gun powder would enter the tunnel to separate the
heat resistance plate
142C from the bullet head. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a steel
wire brush at the
muzzle of the gun to provide the same function. The water balloon 132 has a
annular shape and it
is located within an annular hollow cavity 152 in the bullet head wall. A
sharp pin 149 is located
at the bottom of the annular hollow cavity, which will break the water balloon
when the bullet hits
the ground. When the water balloon is broken, a regulated amount of water will
flow quickly
-31-
CA 02363339 2001-11-19
initially and then slowly through a duct 150 into the inner chamber due to
pressure build up in the
annular hollow cavity. The optical fiber is connected to the surface of the
heat resistance plate
142 by an attachment 153. This construction is essential, such that the
optical fiber will be pulled
loose from the winding reel to conduct sun light subsequently into the bullet
hole. Another
embodiment of the bullet head provided with another heat resistance plate 142
design. A circular
groove 143A is formed on the side wall of the bullet head rear portion. The
air current force
created by air resistance during the flight of the bullet would force the heat
resistance plate to
separate from the bullet head along the joint at which the heat resistance
plate 142 and the bullet
head 151 are adhered together. Thus, the two ends 153 and 109 of the optical
fiber are attached
to the surface of the heat resistance plate and the bullet head so that the
optical fiber is pulled out
when the plate separates from the bullet head. A groove 143A having a slanted
wall is formed in
the bullet head, which is shown in more detail in the sectional view in Figure
18B along the
section line H-H. A sectional side elevation view of the planting bullet for
use with an air gun is
shown in Figure 15A. The above various bullet embodiments with the gun powder
cartridge
removed may be used for this purpose. In operation, the heat resistance plate
142A and the
protruding outer ring serve to accept the compressed air pressure of the air
gun to expel the bullet
from the air gun. Such air gun may be used in low altitude air planting or
incorporated in a ground
planting machine.
A planting bullet for use with a water gun is shown in Figure 19. This type of
bullet is
suitable for use in a large dry area. The water gun is installed on a planting
machine which shoots
the bullet with high pressure water on to the ground which is already loosened
by at three pairs of
plows shaped like elephant tusks. The water gun mounted on the planting
machine can thus
-3 2-
CA 02363339 2001-11-19
automatically plant three 3m wide rows of trees 11 S m apart. A pressure plate
142B is located in
the bullet head in this embodiment, which would be expelled by in interior
water pressure within
the bullet head. The bullet may be ejected from the water gun by a high
pressure water stream
145A. The stream functions like the gun powder in a bullet cartridge to shoot
at the rear end of
the bullet head loaded in the gun barrel. Two holes extending into the central
interior plant
growing chamber are formed in the left and right sides of the bullet head rear
end. A round
cylinder precisely installed in the bullet head to prevent reverse pressure in
two opposite
directions. The high pressure water enters the interior chamber through the
two holes to eject the
pressure plate 142B outwards. The optical fiber 109 having one end attached to
the center of the
pressure plate and the other end attached to the embryonic sack support will
be pulled out by the
ejected pressure plate. The bullet has a round cylinder 158A for preventing
reverse pressure in
the opposite direction. Holes 158C extend into the interior chamber of the
bullet head. A rubber
ring 158B prevents the high pressure water from escaping between the bullet
head and the gun
barrel. The water gun bullet may also be used as an air gun bullet..
A life saving water balloon for the plant growth is shown in Figure 19A. Plant
and animal
are alike, both would face life danger if lack of water. Even a drop of water
may save its life by
extending the chance of survival a little longer. For the same token, the
chance also applies to the
tens of thousands of tree roots in a dry region. The present water balloon can
automatically break
to feed the tree roots with water when every tree root has already reached the
last limit of thirst.
It is an air balloon filled with water. A wheel shape cutting blade 163 is
mounted on a processed
cow tendon 160 provided on a support 161 mounted on a base 162 which is
adhered on the
sealed surface of the water balloon. The length of the cow tendon will
contract when the
-33-
CA 02363339 2001-11-19
environment becomes very dry. Thus the contracting cow tendon is used to
operate the cutting
blade to cut open the water balloon to provide the water for the plant. This
is the principle and
construction of the life saving water balloon.
An embryonic sack for planting a tree seed in a ground hole is shown in Figure
20. The
sack has an attachment 164 connected to one end of the optical fiber. Several
light heads are
provided on the single optical fiber to provide sun light closely around the
plant seed.
Figure 21 is a side elevation view of the short annular steel wire brush 165
installed
adjacent to the gun muzzle 168 by a bracket 167. It shows one of the
embodiment of having the
heat resistance plate 142 mounted at the rear end of the planting bullet,
which will be removed at
the moment the bullet is leaving the gun muzzle to cause the optical fiber to
be pulled out. The
removal of the heat resistance plate occurs when the groove 143 engages with
the short steel wire
of the steel wire brush located at the gun muzzle 168.
The fabricating machine for making the flexible soft brick of the present
invention is
shown in Figure 22. A roll of continuous plastic bags 169 is used. The roll
has an identification
number 173 printed adjacent to the scored line marking the open end of each
bag. The bags may
be separated, one at a time, by tearing along the scored line. The bags 169
are continuously fed
past below the sand filling station 175 at which a number reader is mounted on
a telescopic rod
171 extending across the station for reading the identification number of the
bag passing through
the station. The sand box 175 contains a fixed amount of sand. A flat plate is
located in the upper
half of the sand box for closing the outlet 4 of the sand supply chamber. A
small rubber ring, with
a groove formed in it, is mounted on the telescopic rod 174. The ring presses
on the bag with
pressure. Thus, the rubber ring pulls the bag to open along the scored line. A
simple computer
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
(similar to that used in an automobile engine) senses the completion of the
above operation to
actuate a motor 170 to cause an offset mounted reciprocating rod 172 to open a
chute in the sand
box located at the filling station for dispensing a predetermined amount of
sand by gravity into the
open bag. As soon as the bag is filled, the chute will be shut off by the
reciprocating rod which
closes the outlet 4 of the filling station, and the sand box is replenished
with the same amount of
sand. The computer will then turn on the motor with an offset shaft 176 to
actuate a
pneumatically operated knife carrying rod to pull a heated knife blade 178
through a rotatable
round coupling 177, to press on the bottom side of the filled bag adjacent to
its open end for heat
sealing the bag. The equally spaced rotatable rollers in the conveyor belt 17A
will be actuated by
the computer to pass the finished product out of the machine.
The desert improving bag production vehicle is shown in Figure 23. It is used
simply to
carry a roll of plastic sheet for making a flexible soft brick of one
kilometer in length. The
elongated flexible soft brick may be laid quickly on the desert to cover and
stabilize the sand
around trees more than ten years old. The machine is simple and easy to use
and it can travel for
thousand miles in the desert. It can continuously produce and lay at the same
time, and can travel
from one horizon of the desert to the opposite horizon to lay the brick along
the way
continuously. A single layer plastic sheet 179 has mating zipper edges formed
at its left and right
side edges. The plastic sheet 179 passes through a guide slot 180 formed
between two plates
spaced from one another. A slide fastener 182 is located on the vehicle to
link the zipper edges
together to form a tube with the plastic sheet. Adhesive may also be
additionally applied along the
zipper joint. An wooden boat shaped funnel 181 is located above the slide
fastener. The outlet of
the funnel is a round tube 184 curving towards the ground. The slide fastener
is fixedly mounted
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
above the funnel. The plastic sheet is pulled by the planting machine in the
production. After
passing the long roller 179A, it is laid on a flat platform before being fed
into the funnel mold. The
edges are joined together as it passes through the heated slide fastener 182
to form the round
shape tube. Sand is supplied to the round tube by the plow 189 in the planting
machine which
moves in front of the bag production vehicle to form a furrow on the ground. A
groove 183 is
formed in front of the round dispensing tube of the funnel to facilitate the
flow of sand into the
funnel. The plow 189 piles the sand on the two sides of the furrow for the
sand retrieving plows
187 ( see Fig. 25) located on the left and right sides of the production
vehicle to collect and
deliver to the funnel. A motor 188 provides the power to a lifting device for
operating the plow
187 and the sand collectors 185 and 186. A vehicle 189A is used for tying the
elongated sand bag
into separate sections as well as forming openings ( see Fig. SE ) in the bag
so that these openings
may admit rain water into the bag and seeds may be planted in the bag through
them. The sand
collector has a steel cylinder housing 190. A steel rotary shaft 191 is
located in the housing 190. A
spiral fin of the worm drive 192 is welded on the drive shaft 191 which is
rotated by the motor
185 having electrical connecting terminals 194. An outer housing 193 of a ball
shaped shaft is
attached to the sand scoop. The sand collector has an exit hopper 195 which
extends into the
funnel located above the plastic sheet.
The advantages of the present invention are as follows:
1. The present invention is based on the principle of creating flexible soft
bricks fabricated by
holding basic natural material on earth with plastic bags. For example, as
shown in Figure 23 a
desert improving vehicle can be used to fabricate a mile long flexible soft
brick . It simplifies a
complicated process and provides the unique method for reforestation.
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CA 02363339 2001-11-19
2. Reforestation is a goal in protecting water erosion of the sand and soil as
well as saving water.
Normally, reforestation requires many years of good weather and rainfalls to
achieve. The present
invention eliminates such long time requirement. The method may be carried out
immediately to
provide protection of the soil and to save water. The result is equivalent to
the benefit which can
only be provided by ten-year old matured trees. It also provides protection of
the newly planted
trees and grass from harmfixl natural phenomena so that they may grow safely
to maturity.
3. It provides an industrial mass production process for planting trees in a
large scale. It improves
production while reduces pollution of earth's important resources, and helps
to reduce the
greenhouse effect, and the threat of bad changes in the weather.
4. From now on, fertile lands are no longer cut off by deserts, and it is not
necessary to move
Beijin to the south to avoid the sand storm.
5. In view of the importance of wisdom and education, the inventor is willing
to devote 30% of
the profit derived from the present invention to students of poor families
towards their education,
whose parents are unable to afford such expenses. The whole amount to be used
to supplement
the school expenses and the students' living expenses.
Another 20% is to be devoted to poor seniors.
6. It manufactures building material with low demand natural material that
reduces pollution, and
using the material to solve the earth's problems because of soil erosion and
loss of water resource.
8. It may cooperate with the modern advanced engineering techniques to
formulate the method
for eliminating the cause of flood disasters.
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