US Patent Issued to TERRA NOVA RESEARCH on July 1 for "Modular ultra low drag sub-surface membrane installation apparatus, machine, and methods with various automated and semi-automated sub-systems including sub-surface drip tape installation" (Michigan Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 3 -- United States Patent no. 12,342,763, issued on July 1, was assigned to TERRA NOVA RESEARCH INC. (Saline, Mich.).

"Modular ultra low drag sub-surface membrane installation apparatus, machine, and methods with various automated and semi-automated sub-systems including sub-surface drip tape installation" was invented by James K. Franz (Saline, Mich.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A sub-surface membrane deposition device including a movable frame, at least one chisel attached to the frame, hydraulics to raise and lower the at least one chisel from the frame, and a membrane deployable to a sub-surface level by the at least one chisel as the movable frame is moved. Also p...