AU629441B2

AU629441B2 - Apparatus for conveying a treatment product onto trees or shrubs

Info

Publication number: AU629441B2
Application number: AU68441/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jean-Marie Patrick Ballu
Original assignee: Nicolas Pulverisateurs
Current assignee: Nicolas Pulverisateurs
Priority date: 1989-12-28
Filing date: 1990-12-27
Publication date: 1992-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 2010-12-27
Also published as: EP0435759A1; ES2034845T3; FR2656499A1; DE69000201D1; EP0435759B1; AU6844190A; DE69000201T2

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: *1400: 00.: Applicant(s): o e0 o 0 0 Nicolas Pulverisateurs Z.I. Laville, 47240 Bon Encontre, FRANCE Address for Service is: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys o°° o 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA S Complete Specification for the inventijn entitled: cl 4, APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING A TREATMENT PRODUCT ONTO TREES OR SHRUBS Our Ref 201620 POF Code: 1149/111950 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): 1 6006 *940 o 0 444 44** *444 o 4* 4 4 .4 *4*4 4 0 *40.

0400 4 94 *0 *4 0 4* 0* 008 II 4 *4 0 ;g~ 4 lA Apparatus f or conveying a treatment product onto trees or shrubs The present invention relates to an apparatus f or conveying a treatment product onto trees or shrubs, particularly trees or shrubs cultivated in a row.

A large- variety of devices of the type indicated is known and currently used. They frequently comprise a chassis provided with means for coupling to the rear of a tractor, this chassis generally being equipped with two wheels, a tank for product mounted on the chassis, a turbine capable of creating a flow of air, this turbine being carried by the chassis, means for guiding the flow of air capable of directing the flow of air emerging from the turbine to-wards the plants which it is desired to 15 treat, and means for conveying the product in spray form into the flow of air emerging from these gruide means.

Various arrangements are proposed: for example, it is possible to make provision for the turbine, with the means for guiding the flow of air, to be located at the rear of the device with its axis of rotation being horizontal, usually longitudinal, rarely transverse.

In other arrangements, the turbine, with longitudinal horizontal axis, is placed at -che front of the device, that is to say in the vicinity of the coupling 25 system, the air outlets being placed either at the front of the chassis or at the rear, and then being connected to the turbine by ducts passing under the tank or through the latter.

These known arrangements all have the drawback that the transmission, from the power take-off of the tractor, is ill suited to very tight turns, such as those which the tractor/trailer assembly has to make at the end of a row of plants, where it is necessary to turn through 1800 almost on -the spot.

In GB-A-844,868 and GB-A-914,011, it has also been proposed to place the blower on an intermediate component mounted on the tractor by a three-joint coupling, which makes it possible to adjust its height, 2 and the trailer is coupled to this intermediate component by means of an articulation with a vertical axis.

This arrangement solves the problem of the transmission between the power take-off of the tractor and the blower in that the reli .Lve position of the blower with respect to the tractor does not vary during turns. On the other hand, the point of articulation of the trailer is displaced considerably rearwards with respect to the tractor and it undergoes considerable vertical movements in response to the irregularities of the terrain. This can lead to this point of articulation impacting on the ground. Moreover, the orientation of the blower with respect to the plane transverse to the advance constantly varies as a function of the movements 15 of the tractor alone, whence irregularities in conveying the treatment product.

drawbacks and a obtain an arrangement which ensures greater safety and better distribution of the treatment product.

In order to achieve this result, the invention provides an apparatus for conveying a treatment product onto trees or sILrubs, comprising a blower capable of creating a current of ar directed onto the trees or shrubs, means for spraying the treatment product into the said current of air, thee means comprising nozzles placed in the path of the cur ent of air, a pump, a tank for the treatment product and ucts connecting the pump to the tank and to the nozzles, the apparatus also comprising a two-wheel trailer which carries the hank and can be coupled to a tractor by mea s of an intermediate component which is connected to the tractor by means of an articulation with a horizontal axis\transverse to the direction of advance of the tractor, w rch is connected to the trailer by means of an artic lation with a vertical axis, and which carries the blow r, and means for driving the blower and the pump from a ,ower source which can be a power take-off of the tractor, /nbAV 4 4 .artied in that- the aid i ediate The present invention aims to remedy or at least alleviate one or more of these drawbacks.

In order to achieve this result, the invention provides an apparatus for conveying a treatment product onto trees or shrubs, comprising a blower capable of creating a current of air directed onto the trees or shrubs, means for spraying the treatment product into the said current of air, these means comprising nozzles placed in the path of the current of air, a pump, a tank for the treatment product and ducts connecting the pump to the tank and to the nozzles, the apparatus also comprising a two-wheel trailer which carries the tank and can be coupled to a tractor by means of an intermediate component which is connected to the tractor by means of an articulation with a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of advance of the tractor, which is connected to the trailer by means of an articulation with a vertical axis and a longitudinal articulation, and which carries the blower, and means for driving the blower and the pump 20 from a power source which can be a power take-off of the tractor, wherein the said intermediate o Os 0 2a 3 o o 0o Q 0 0 0 0 a0 000 B 0 0 00 0 0 00 S00 o o O 0 0 P 0 a component can oscillate freely about the said articulation with a horizontal axis during the advance of the tractor.

Thus, during a turn, the position of the blower with respect to the tractor does not vary, since the trailer pivots with respect to a vertical axis placed between the intermediate component an. the trailer.

Suppose that the rear wheels of the tractor descend, for example, when passing over a ditch: it is then the articulation with a horizontal axis which will pivot. As this articulation is in the vicinity of the rear wheels of the tractor, the risk of contact with the ground is practically eliminated. Moreover, the intermediate component will be integral with the trailer during pivoting about the horizontal axis, and this pivoting will be of smaller ampli'tude due to the relatively large distance existing between this horizontal axis and the axle of the trailer. The distribution of the treatment product will thus be improved relative to the prior art cited above.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the blower comprises a fan of axial flow type, with an axis parallel to the direction of advance and with an intake turned towards the front, and the blower comprises a 25 deflector which deflects the current of air delivered by the fan and charged with the treatment product onto the sides n the direction of the trees or shrubs to be treated.

&o oo o oo Advantageously, then, the deflector and the front 30 portion of the tank have rounded forms adaptEd so that there is a small space remaining between the deflector and the said front portion when the trailer pivots with co r\ oe r\V respect to the intermediate- I.P.t.

Advantageously, also, the intermediate component carries a cowling located in front of the blower and which causes the air taken laterally or at the rear of the blower to reach the intake of the fan.

The advantage of the cowling in front of the ce blower is to filter the air (leaves, etc.) and, possibly,

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4 to take the driver of the tractor away from the current of air produced by the intake and, above all, away from the noise which can be developed by the latter. Provision can also be made for the cowling to be sound-proofed. The adapted forms of the deflector and of the tank make it possible to make the best use of the space and thus to reduce the length of the apparatus. Moreover, they make it possible to move more of the weight of the tank over the intermediate component and, therefore, over the drive wheels of the tractor.

According to a further embodiment, the blower comprises a fan of axial flow type, with an axis parallel to the direction of advance, and with an intake directed 4,0,40 o towards the rear, and the intermediate component carries 15 a deflector located in front of the fan and directing the 0 current of air towards the sides and/or upwards.

9940 O0 In this case, the intermediate component 404 oadvantageously carries a cowling disposed in order to guide the intake air which flows between the rear face of the cowling and the front surface of the vessel.

According to yet a further embodiment, the blower ,.co0 comprises a fan of centrifugal type and the current of 00o4 air produced is directed by air sleeves towards diffusers t located in the vicinity of the plants to be treated.

25 The invention will now be presented in more detail with the aid of practical examples illustrated by the drawings, among which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus according to the invention, it being assumed that the vessel, the 30 blower and the pump have been removed.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation and partial section of the same device according to the line II-II in Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a plan view in partial section of the same device according to the line III-III in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation, it being assumed that the tractor has been removed.

Figures 5 and 6 are partial vertical sections illustrating alternative embodiments of Figures 1 to 4.

j 1*tr 5 The figures show a two-wheel trailer 1 capable of being coupled to a tractor 2. The chassis of the trailer comprises an assembly 3 which carries, at the rear, the axes of the wheels of the trailer and, at the front, a pivot 4 with a vertical axis. An intermediate component in the form of a three-point star, is articulated on the pivot 4, one of the points being directed towards the rear carrying the means for joining with the articulation 4 with a vertical axis, and the two points directed towards the front carrying the means for joining with two articulations 6 with a hori-7ntal axis, which are connected to the horizontal arms 7 or to two different holes in the joining bar of the two lower arms of a three-point "o:n coupling of conventional type carried by the tractor. The 0*40 two joins 6, or the joining bar of the lower arms, consequently form an articulation with a horizontal axis, Oo. transverse to the advance. The articulation 4 with a 0 0vertical axis is preferably located virtually equidistant poet from the axes of the axle of the wheels of the trailer and the axle of the rear wheels 8 of the tractor.

Finally, in order to enable the rear axle of the tractor and that of the trailer to adapt to irregular terrains whilst moving in different planes without the risk of overturning when turning, the rear point of the intermediate component 5 comprises a longitudinal articulation 4A with limited clearance, less than approximately *2.30 0

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The chassis 3, of the trailer carries a vessel 9 for a liquid treatment product.

The intermediate component 5 carries a blower which, in the example described in Figures 1 to 4, comprises a fan 11 of axial flow type with a horizontal axis parallel to the directio= of advance, disposed in order to blow air from the front towards the rear. The fan 11 is driven by the rear power take-off of the tractor 12, by means of a telescopic transmission 13 which, in convgntional manner, comprises a universal joint and a telescopic shaft, and a step-up gear 14 with gears or belts.

1~ YLI 6 0 0000 004* Ge', o 0 o 95 00 C 0000 The fan is optionally surrounded by a cowling of which the form is clearly visible in Figures 3 and 4.

This cowling surrounds the fan 11 in all directions, except towards the rear. It is provided with airadmission louvres or grilles 16 disposed on the sides or towards the front and which enable the air to penetrate inside the cowling. A layer of sound-proofing material 17 is provided on the internal walls of the cowling Inside the latter is a deflector 18, disposed in order to direct the air entering via the air-admission louvres 16 towards the front, then to direct the air sucked in by the fan 11 towards the rear, according to a path which widens on the delivery side of the fan 11. A second deflector 19, or rear deflector, directs the flow of air 15 delivered by the fan so as to give it the form of a layer which is oblique relative to the direction of advance, directed towards the plants, horizontally or upwards. The rear face 20 of the second deflector 19 preferably has a rounded form which corresponds on the whole to that of a cylinder with a vertical axis coaxial with the articulation 4, this surface 20 being, in its upper part, in the form of a fraction of a sphere also centred on the articulation 4. The front face 21 of the vessel 9 preferably has a substantially identical form and, if possible, is located a short distance away from this s'L':ace The result of this, during turns, is that the two surfaces remain at a very short distance from one another, without touching, and when irregularities of the terrain cause relative movements corresponding to the 30 inevitable play of the articulation 4, this no longer gives rise to any contact between the vessel and the deflector 19.

The form of the deflectors 18 and 19 gives rise to flows of air which are oblique relative to the direction of advance, which has the advantage of moving the leaves and gives rise to a better penetration and thus efficacy of the treatment.

In the vicinity of the outlet of the passage of air between the deflectors 18 and 19, delivery tubes 22 'i)e Q *0 I

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1 7 intended to spray the treatment product extracted from the vessel 9 are disposed in a known manner. To this end, a partially flexible suction pipe 23 is immersed in the vessel and is connected to a pump 24. This is driven by the power take-off 12 of the tractor by means of a reducing return mechanism 25. The dGlivery of the pump 24 reaches the delivery tubes 22 by means of fixed pipes 2E.

In an alternative embodiment, the pump is carried by the tractor.

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus in Figure i. The fan 30, still of the axial flow type, placed with its axis parallel to the direction of advance on the intermediate component 5, is disposed 0 so as to blow from the rear towards the front. The S 15 cowling 31 is disposed in order to guide the intake air which flows via the gap 32 between the rear portion of oO this cowling and the front surface 21 of the vessel 9.

o Q *e The cowling 31, via its front face which carries a layer *too of sound-insulation material 33, is disposed in order to project the current of air produced by the fan towards the side and upwards by virtue of suitably directed orifices 34.

Figure 6 shows a further alternative embodiment of the device. The fan 40 is this time of the centrifugal type, its axis is still directed parallel to the direction of advance. It pressurises a current of air which is then guided via air sleeves towards diffusers located in the vicinity of the plants to be treated. Its intake may be via the front and/or via the rerr. The centrifugal fan may also be disposed with its axis vertical, or horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of advance, its intake then being via the top, or the bottom, or from the side.

In the above examples, the intermediate component 5 has the form of a three-point star with two points directed towards the front starting from means for joiaing with two articulations 6 with a horizontal axis.

This form is not obligatory. For example, it is possible to form the intermediate component with a central arm ;,ii -8directed towards the front and articulated on the centre of the joining bar of the two lower arms of a three-point coupling carried by the tractor, or, alternatively, on the coupling peg of the tractor itself, provided that, moreover, at least one rigid bar is provided to connect the intermediate component to a point of the joining bar or of the tractor located on the same transverse horizontal line as the point of articulation of the intermediate component. Provision may also be made for two flexible ties, such as chains, connecting the intermediate component to two points of the joining bar or of the tractor located on the same transverse horizontal line as the point of articulation of the intermediate 0o component and on either side of this point. Clearly, this 15 forms an articulation with a transverse horizontal axis between the tractor and the intermediate component. The o:O use of the coupling peg, in particular, is advantageous o0 because this coupling peg is noj.nially located a very short distance to the rear of the rear axle of the tractor, which reduces the overhang due to the load ratio on the tractor.

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Claims

2. Apparatus according to Claim i, in which the blower comprises a fan of axial flow type, with an axis parallel to the direction of advance and with an intake turned towards the front, whersin the blower comprises a deflector which deflects the current of air delivered by the fan and charged with the treatment product onto the side- in the .rection of the trees or shrubs to be trea\ i.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the deflector and the front portion of the tank have rounded forms adapted so that there is a small space remaining between the deflector and the said front portion when the trailer pivo's with respect to the intermediate component.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the A V -9 SO 9- intermediate component carries a cowling located in front of the blower and which causes the air taken laterally or at the rear of the blower to reach the intake of the fan.
5. Apparatus according to Claim i, wherein the blower comprises a fan of axial flow type, with an axis parallel to the direction of advance, and with an intake directed towards the rear, and in that the intermediate component carries a deflector located in front of the fan and directing the current of air towards the sides and/or upwards.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the intermediate -omponent carries a cowling disposed in order to guide the intake air which flows between the rear face of this cowling and the front surface of the vessel.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which the fan is centrifugal, wherein the current of air produced is 20 directed by air sleeves towards diffusers located in the vicinity of the plants to be treated. .V0 ooo: 8. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 or 6, wherein a layer of sound-proofing material is provided on 25 the internal walls of the cowlings. *00 9. Apparatus for conveying a treatment product onto trees or shrubs, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. DATED: 30 July 1992 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: NICOLAS PULVERISATEURS 0 10 N K i vI