AU644922B2 - Fertiliser dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

44922

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0 0* Name of Applicant: PETER ANTHONY BASSETT Actual Inventor: PETER ANTHONY BASSETT Address for Service: R K MADDERN ASSOCIATES, 345 King William Street, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Invention title: 'FERTILISER DISPENSER' Details of Associated Provisional Application No PK 3928 dated 17th December 1990 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.

This invention relates to a dispenser unit which is connected into a hose or irrigation line. Although the primary use of the dispenser is to distribute water-soluble fertiliser, it will of course be appreciated that it can be used to dispense other material such as soil treatment, plant growth and insect repellent additives.

Commonly used soil treatment/plant growth distribution systems require careful and laborious attention to application during initial soil preparation and during cultivation at repeated intervals using either manual or mechanically operated spray application procedures. Naturally occurring additives are usually dry, bulk mixed with water as a liquifier, and dump spray applied, dry dump spread or hand spread, depending on the area of soil to be treated. These methods are not always practical, wasteful of material and most importantly, not energy efficient.

Whilst the applicant is also aware of numerous 40. fertiliser dispensers which are arranged to be attached in •o.00. line with a hose or irrigation line, a major disadvantage associated with such units is their inability to regulate or control the rate at which the water-soluble fertiliser is discharged therefrom. In most instances, the fertiliser dissolves so long as water flows through the unit, until the charge of fertiliser is consumed. This occurs at a relatively fast rate and it is therefore necessary for such fertiliser units to be continually replenished with a fertiliser charge.

It is the main object of the present invention to at •ee* least ameliorate thb abovementioned disadvantage, by providing a dispenser unit which will discharge dissolved additive containing water into the hose or irrigation line during an initial start-up period only, whereafter water may continue to flow through the dispenser to the i or irrigation line but essentially without additive material.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved fertiliser dispenser unit which is of -lavery simple design, inexpensive tc manufacture, easy to install, and contains essentially no moving working parts.

According to one form of this invention the:cefore, an improved dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or plant treatment material in particulate or pellet form into a liquid flow line, comprises an elongate housing having an open upper end, an inlet at its lower end and an outlet adjacent or near its upper end, the inlet beinc connectable to a pressure water supply line, the outlet being connectable to a watering hose or irrigation water flow line, a removable container or cartridge for storing said treatment material, loosely supported within said housing and having a tubular side wall spaced from the inner wall of the housing so as to form a water flow path therebetween, said water flow path communicating respectively with said inlet and said outlet, said side wall having a plurality of small sized apertures at or near its lower end which fluidly interconnect the interior of the container or cartridge and said water flow path, said container or cartridge having a closed lower end spaced above the inlet and an open upper end spaced above the level of the outlet, removable closure means for sealingly closing the open upper end of said housing, and means for closing the open upper end of said container or cartridge when pressure water is flowing through the housing whereby, during a watering cycle water flowing upwardly along the water flow path cannot flow into the container through said open upper end, arranged an constructed so that when a watering cycle is commenced and pressure water flows through the housing, the charge of water within the container which contains stored treatment material exits through said apertures, and mixes with water flowing along said water flow path, and subsequently discharges from the dispenser for an initial timed period only, whilst upon cessation of pressure water flow through said housing water re-enters the container to provide a further charge of water ready for dispensing during the next watering cycle.

-2- Preferably said container or cartridge has its lower or bottom end spaced above the lower or bottom end of the housing to thereby form a chamber into which water enters from said inlet.

Preferably the dispenser is provided with a sight indicator conduit having its upper end in water flow communication with said water flow path near said outlet and its lower end in flow communication with said chamber, said i0 sight indicator conduit enabling an operator to observe the flow of the dissolved additive/water mix (which is of turbid appearance) being discharged from the dispenser during said timed period.

In a preferred arrangement, said inlet is co-axial with *c said housing, said outlet is located in the side wall of the housing near its upper open end, and said sight indicator conduit is located on the same side of said housing as the outlet.

e* Preferably said closure means comprises a threaded cap which threadably engages with the open upper end of said housing, the cap being provided with a sealing ring 6066.: located in an annular groove formed in the inner surface of its upper or top wall, said sealing ring being arranged to sealingly engage the upper end circular edge of the housing.

By having the container loosely supported within the housing, upon commencement of tne watering cycle, pressure 1 water urges the open upper end of the container against the underside face of the closure cap and remains in abutting engagement therewith due to the effect of suction.

In another preferred arrangement, said container or cartridge is provided with a large diameter upper end portion which approximates to the inner diameter of the housing, and which is supported by an annular shoulder or ledge formed on the inner surface of said housing.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, said closure cap is provided with a relief valve which communicates with the interior of said container or cartridge.

With this invention therefore, the container or cartridge can be removed from the housing and filled (or nearly so) with a water-soluble additive material in particulate or pellet form, e.g. fertiliser, the container then being replaced in the housing which is then closed by screwing on the closure cap over its open upper end. The water supply tap is then turned on and pressure water passes through the inlet to the housing and enters the chamber at its bottom end, from where it flows upwardly along the water flow path past the discharge openings in the side wall of the container to thereby create a venturi effect which results in a concentrate solution being drawn from the interior of the container and entrained into the water flowing along the 00** water flow path, the concentrate solution/water mix continuing to flow up through the housing to discharge from the outlet into the hose or irrigation line. The discharge of the concentrate solution -rom the container or cartridge occurs for only an initial small timed period at the commencement of the watering cycle. At the end of the timed a period, water continues to flow through the dispenser but does not entrain with it any of the fertiliser material (or very little if any). The upper end of the cartridge, due to a partial vacuum condition existing in the cartridge, is held firmly against the cap inner face and is thus closed off.

When the pressure water is shut off, water may flow into the container or cartridge through the apertures and its open upper end until it reaches the level of the outlet (vacuum conditions having been lost). A charge of dissolved additive is thus stored within the container or cartridge ready to be discharged during the next watering cycle. In this manner, the rate of consumption of the additive material is slow in comparison with known dispensers which continually require the container or cartridge to be recharged with material.

With this invention, the container or cartridge can be designed to operate for anything up to six monthly intervals without refilling, for a typical domestic drip system.

In order to more fully explain the present invention, an embodiment is described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig, 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the dispenser unit; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines A-A of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a watering system showing the dispenser unit connected in line.

In this embodiment, a watering system comprises a vertically mounted fertiliser dispenser 10 which has an inlet 11 at its lower end connectable to a supply hose 12 which in turn connects to a pressure water supply tap 13. The dispenser 10 is also provided with an outlet 14 which connects to a hose or irrigation line 15 through which water flows to subsequently discharge from dripper or sprayer units 16.

The dispenser 10 comprises an elongate housing 17 having a tubular side wall 18 and an open top end which is arranged e.

to be closed by means of a threaded closure cap 19.

S An elongate removable tubular container or cartridge loosely locates inside of thG housing 17 to be co-axially aligned therewith, the container or cartridge 20 having a closed bottom wall 2 1 and an open top end 22, the bottom wall 21 being spaced above the bottom end of the housing 17 so as to form an inlet chamber 24. The diameter of the container is smaller than the diameter of the housing 17 so as to form an annular water flow path 25 extending upwardly from the chamber 21 to communicate with the outlet 14. The side wall 28 of the container 20 is provided with a plurality of small sized openings or apertures 29 adjacent to or near its closed bottom wall 21, and through which water containing dissolved treatment material stored within the container during its quiescent period can exit, upon commencement of the watering cycle, and be entrained in water flowing upwardly along the water flow path 25 prior to its discharge through the outlet 14.

The upper end of the container 20 is provided with a large diameter tubular portion 30 which joins to a frustoconical portion 31 which is arranged to rest on an internal shoulder or ledge 32 formed on the inner surface of the bore of the housing 17, to thereby allow the container 20 to be supported within the housing 17 with its upper open end approximately horizontally aligned with the opken upper end of the housing 17, there being a small gap e.g. Zi mm between the .o upper end surface of the container 20 and the underside of i the cap 19 (when the cap 19 is in its tightened condition).

The closure cap 19 is provided with a sealing ring which, when the cap 19 is fully tightened, makes sealing co tact with the upper circular edge of the side wall 18 of the container 20. Preferably a pressure relief valve 36 is provided in the upper wall of the cap 19, g* The housing 17 is also provided with a sight indicator conduit 37 located to one side thereof and having its upper end communicating with the flow path 25 near the outlet 14,

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and its lower end communicating with the chamber 24.

The container 20 contains a charge of water-soluble fertiliser material, a portion of which dissolves each time water enters the container 20, so as to form a head of concentrate solution.

When a watering cycle is to be commenced, the tap 13 is turned on and pressure water flows through the hose 12, through the inlet 11 into the housing 17 where it flows -6through the chamber 24 and upwardly along the water flow path past the openings 29 in the side wall of the container As a result of a venturi effect created by fast flowing water flowing past the openings 29, concentrate solution is drawn from the container 20 into the water flowing along the water flow path 25. Vacuum or partial vacuum conditions are established within the container 20, which ensures that the upper end of the container 20 is firmly held against the underside of the cap 19. ThuM, water cannot re-enter the container 20 via its normally open upper end. After the charge of concent 'ate solution has been discharged from the dispenser 10, which occurs for a short timed period only, water essentially free of dissolved fertiliser material flows from the dispenser. It is only during the initial start-up period that dissolved material is dispensed one to two S' minutes).

6 When the water is switched off, the water level within the container 20 will rise until it reaches the level of the ".tCS outlet 14, whilst the level in the housing 17 drops to the level of the outlet 14. A reservoir or charge of concentrate solution is thus stored in the container 20 ready to be discharged during the next watering cycle. It will of course be appreciated that the vacuum is lost. hy leakage back "rif through the system over a period of time (or by simply opening the relief valve 36), whereupon the container resumes its original position supported by ledge 32.

Of course, during the quiescent period, dissolved material will diffuse into the water within the chamber 24.

Preferably the housing 17 is attachable to a mounting bracket 40 by clamps 41, the bracket 40 being designed to attach to a vertical support surface, e.g. a wall to thereby mount the dispenser 10 in its vertical position.

A brief consideration of the abovedescribed embodiment "will indicate that the invention provides for a vastly improved fertiliser dispenser which effectively controls the -7rate of consumption of the water-soluble fertiliser material contained within the cartridge and which avoids the need for the cartridge to be refilled after each or only a few watering cycles.

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Claims (5)

1. A dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or plant treatment material in particulate or pellet fn= into a liquid flow line, comprising an elongate housing having an open upper end, an inlet at its lower end and an outlet adjacent or near its upper end, the inlet being connectable to a pressure water supply line, the outlet being connectable to a watering hose or irrigation water flow line, a removable container or cartridge for storing said treatment material, loojely supported within said housing and having a tubular side wall spaced fromx the inner wall of the housing so as to form a water flow path therebetween, said water flow path communicating respectively with said inlet and said outlet, said side wall having a plurality of small sized apertures at or near its lower end which fluidly interconnect the interior of the container or cartridge and said water flow path, said container or cartridge having a closed lower end spaced above the inlet and an open upper end spaced above the level of the outlet, removable closure means for sealingly closing the open upper end of said housing, and means for closing the open upper end of said container or cartridge when pressure water is flowing through the housing whereby, during a watering cycle water flowing 9999upwardly along the water flow path cannot flow into the container through said open upper end, the dispenser being arranged and constructed so that when a watering cycle is commenced and pressure water flows *93A through the housing, the charge of water within the container 9 which contains stored treatment material exits through said "t 99 *00 0 apertures, and mixes with water flowing along said water :9::flow path, and subsequently discharges from the dispenser for an initial timed period only, whilst upon cessation of pressure water flow through said housing, water re-enters the 6:000: container to provide a further charge of water ready for dispensing during the next watering cycle. -9-

2. A dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or plant treatment material according to claim 1 wherein said closure means comprises a threaded cap which threadably engages the open upper end of said housing, and said closing means for the open upper end of said container or cartridge comprises an underside surface portion of said cap and the upper end surface of said container which abuttingly engages against said underside surface of the cap.

3. A dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or plant treatment material according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said container or cartridge has a large diameter upper end portion, the diameter of which is slightly less than the inner diameter of said housing, said large diameter upper end portion being supported by an annular shoulder or ledge formed on the inner surface of said housing, said annular shoulder or ledge being located above the level of said outlet.

4. A dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or plant treatment material according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a sight indicator conduit having its upper end in water flow communication with said water flow path near said outlet and its lower end in flow

25. communication with the lower end of said container or cartridge, said sight indicator conduit enabling an operator ooze: to observe the flow of the water treatment material/water mix being discharged from the dispenser during said timed period. 5. A dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or 0 plant treatment material according to claim 4 wherein said inlet is co-axial with said housing, said outlet is located in the side wall of the housing near its upper open end, and said sight indicator conduit is located on the same side of said housing as said outlet. *000 6. A dispenser for dispensing water soluble sil or plant treatment material according to any one of claims 2 to wherein said threaded cap is provided with a relief valve which communicates with interior of said container or cartridge. 7. A dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or plant treatment material substantially as hereinbefore described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 19th day of October 1993 PETER ANTHONY BASSETT By his Patent Attorneys, R K MADDERN ASSOCIATES 00 0 a so 000 *000 0* e 0*0R*0 0 Q -11- ABSTRACT The invention relates to an improved dispenser for dispensing water soluble soil or plant treatment material into a liquid flow line, comprising a vertically mounted housing 17 having a inlet 11 at its lower end connectable to a pressure water supply line and an outlet 14 remote from the inlet connectable to a liquid flow line, a removable cartridge for storing said material supported within the housing 17, closure means 19 for sealably closing the open upper end of the opening wherein the open upper end of the cartridge 20 is arranged to be closed when pressure water is flowing through the housing 17, arranged so that during a watering cycle 1.5 stored treatment material mixes with water flowing through the housing 17 and discharges from the dispenser for an initial timed period only. So OS S S *@o