APPARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING WORMS FROM HABITAT Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: agriculture, in particular, vermiculite culture. SUBSTANCE: apparatus has hermetically sealed trench and worm withdrawal mechanism. Trench has drain pipe system. Worm withdrawal mechanism is formed as conveyor with belt made from high-strength fabric and provided with windows and inclined pivoting trays, whose ends are connected with tension drums suspended on fixed immovable support formed as pendulum. Shafts of tension drum are connected with winch through flexible tie-rod. Drums formed as ponges or brushes are arranged at end line of conveyor and containers are positioned below drums. Apparatus is further provided with actuating mechanism having flexible wires extending transverse to trench within layers of biological humus mass at different levels. Wires are directed through branch pipes and tubes and are periodically connected with ultrasound source and winches. Tubes and branch pipes are made spiral and provided with slit. Doors are pivotally attached to concrete walls of trench. Lower end of conveyor belt laid on biological humus mass is provided with plates having vertical openings for passage of worms. Vertical openings are connected with deformed casings positioned at one side direction. Wires may be directed through openings in concrete walls of horn-shaped trench or through tubes with longitudinal slit. Tubes may be provided with rollers and housings. EFFECT: increased efficiency, simplified construction and enhanced reliability in operation. 4 cl, 6 dwg