CA2154047A1 - Method for controlling weeds and undergrowth using hot water spray and foam - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for controlling weeds and undergrowth and for treating plants in agricultural settings is disclosed. The method is characterized by first applying spray of hot water to the plant, and then applying a foam blanket to the sprayed plants, whereby heat from the hot water spray is held against the plants.

Description

-- 21540~7 BACKGROUN~ OF THE IN~/ENTION

Fi~ld of the Inven~on.
The present invention relates to both a method for controlling ~eeds and undergrowth in agricultural and industrial settings. The invention utilizes a spray of heated water fof controlling the undesirable sllbstar~ces, and is particularly characteri~e~ by its application ~f a foam blanket downstream of the hot vvater spray, which serves to insulate the h~ted spray from annbient conditions, thereby increasing the efficacy of the spray in controllin~ undesirable weecls and undergrowth.
A first boorn with nozzle openings, or a multitude of noz~les or openin~s, sprays hot water. Behin~ this first boorn is a second boom that sprays a fo~m made ~p of various materials such as foam surfactant, polymers or oil emulsions so that the grass or weeds or vegetation th~t rec~ived the heated water does not cool off rapiclly after being spraye~l.
The foam, consisting of micro an~ ma¢ro bubbles, gives transient ins~lation characteristics similar to a flexibl~ or stiff insulating canopy, as taught in U. S.
Patent No. 5,2g1,730.
This foam can be applied on weeds on the ground and also on standing row crops such as cotton for defoliation using hot water, or grape vines or other vines post pruning to heat kill dry fungus, bacteria or virus attached to the bark of these vines or living on the ~ark or stems of such vin~s.

Desc~on of the Pnor Art.

2ls4n~7 -Within the agricultural industry, various methods are known and recc~gni2ed as being effective for contro~ling the growth of ~veeds and other undesirable substances. Many such rnethocls in~olve the application of aqu~ous solutions of treatment ~hen~icals onto the undesirable substances. Over the past years, as we have become more aw~re of our environment ancl the delicate balances that must be maintaine~ in order to preserve a healthy environment, rnuch care and concern have arisen over the utilization of toxic ~hemicals for weed and undergrowth control as we~l as for insect control. One merely has ~o read the labels of nurnerous colnn~ercially-availabl~ in~ecticides and herbicides to appreciate the caution ~hich must be exer~ised in th~ir proper use.
Utilization of herbicides and ;nsecticides not only subjects the user to personal danger, but also may damage desirable crops if the treatrnent materials are not applied properly. Furthermore, accumulations of treatment materials in the soii and in water sources are now recognized as further dangers to the env;ronmen-tal balance.
In recognition of the dangers attendant to the use of herbicides an~
pesticides, manufacturers of such products mainta'n elaborate and expensive testing facilities. Both local and natiional governments also expend large s~lms of money and resources for the purpose of determining and monitoring safe and effective dose rates for such chernicals. In fa~t, most efforts for makin~ the use of herbicicles and insecticides safer to our environment in~olve efforts to formulate asafer~ chemicals.
Nevertheless, prior patent literature does disclose at least ~ne apparatus for eliminatin~ undesirable vegetation growth which is relatively safe to the environ-`- 21S40~7 ment. U. S. Pater~t No. 213,255 to Simpson discloses an ~pparatus vvhich uses steam and/or hot w~t~r to k;ll veyetation on railroa~ beds. Accordin~ to the disclosure of that patent, t~ e application of steam and/or hot vvater provided by the steam locornotive en~ine is efficaciou~ for killing vegetation which might seek to ~row along the tracks and railvvay beds.
Other prior art devices sUch as, for example, lJ. S. Paten~ No. 3,242,098, to Andrews, are also known in the prior art. However, the Andrews patent discloses an apparatus for generating a vapor or fog for purposes of concealment, fof controllin~ atmospheric ten~perature, for disseminating insecticide or other mate~ials into the outside atmosphere or into conf~ned spaces, etc. A vehicle-mounted spray apparat~ls is disclosecl in U. S. Patent No. 4,817,870, to Dalton.
I lowever, the clevice of the Dalton patent is primari1y concerned with spraying m~terials onto a road or hi~hway. U. S. Patent No. 3,986,670, to Syveson discloses a hand helcl therrnal electric fog~ing device for dispensing a fog, or ciou~, of insecticide. Other sirnilar devices are also known in the art, and virtually a~l such devices that involve heating the material before spraying apply suffiçient heat and pressure so that the material is dispensed as a fog. It is clear that the use of such vapors or fogs would be quite inefficient in that they wo~lld clearly be subiect to drift onto plants which should not b~ treated and to significant dis,~ersion into the atmosphe~e because of the gas-like nature of the fog. Fufthermore, i~ activs ingredient chemicals are ;nclu~ed in such fogged sprays, h~zardous condi~ions for both the operator and tl~e surrounding environment may be created beeause of ~he w;de dispersion of the fo~ged material.

- ' 2ls4n47 It is, therefore, clear that ther~ is a great need in the art for a new apparatus and method for controllin~ unclesirab1e vegetation growth and insect infestation in a manner which would not result in the addition of new and increased levels of chemical poisons to our environment.

SUIYIMARY O~ THE INVENTION
The present invention ix an irnprovement over our earlier inventions for controlling weeds and undergrowth, as disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 5,2g7,~30 and No. 5,366,154.
In tllis improvement, we are using a foaming material to provide insulation to the weeds, plants or vines to keep the heat that was appliecl by a hot water spr~y to the plants from dissipatin~ too rapidiy. In other words, this foan- becomes a supplement and/or substitute for a mechanical insulation nlethod as provided by our earlier invention of Patent No. 5,297,730.
In addition, the foam insulator makes holding ~he heat to the plant easier in particular situations like cotton plants or grape vines ~/vh~re a mechanical canopy is virtualiy i",yossible.
The invention accor~ingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to ea¢h of the others thereof, which will be exemplified in the method hereinafter disclosed, and the scope of the invent;on wiil be indicated in the claims.

- 21~40~7 ~RIEf I~ESCRIP~ION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference shoul~ be had to the followtng ~etailed description taicen in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of the spray boom portion of an apparatus suitable for practieing the method of this invention.
FIGURE ~ Is a top, plan view of the apparatus shown in Fi~. 1.
FIGURE 3 is a top, plan view of the spray boom portion of an alternative apparatus for practicing the method of this invention.
F~GURE 4 is a sectional elevation of th~ second apparatus shown in Fig. 3.
Similar referel~ce characters refer to similar parts throughout the sev~ral views of the drawings.

21S~0~7 DETAII~D DESCRlFrlON
Even though this invention is best ~escribed and claimed as a ~ethod for controlling weeds and under~rowth, inasmuch as Tt comprises a method including the steps of applyin~ a spray of he~ted water to the plant ancl then applying a fo~m blanket thereover to se~ve as a heat~retaininy insulation barrier, we believe that the invention ~an best be understood by reference to a pair of alternate embodimentsfor apparatus to apply the hot water spray and the foan~ blanket. Accordingly, our description of the method of this invention will be given with regard to such a~ternative embodiments as illustrated in the drawing figures. It is also ~o be understood that the apparatus shown rather schernatically in the dravving figures is intended to be used in combination with a source of hot water ~nd a source offoaming ag~nt. Such a device ~ould be, for exampl~, generally as ;llustratecl in U.
S. Patent No. 5,297,730.
Referrin~ to ~he views of Fi~s. 1 and 2, a first embocliment of ehe spray boom is generally indicated as 10. Spray boom 10 comprises a cover 12 which is transportable over the surface 14 of the ground 16. As shown in ~ig. 1, the direction of travel is indicated by ~rrow A.
A forward flange 18 extends downwardly from the leadin~ edqe of cover 12 and curves rearwardly to engage surface 14. Accordingly, forwarcJ flange 18 is preferably formed from a resilient material. Depending from th~ trailing edge ofcover 12 is a rear flange 20, whieh also serves to spread foam 2~ as more fully described he~einafter.

- 2ls4n~7 l~ot water spray means 24 is disposed on the bottom of co~er 12 between forw~rd flange 18 an~ rear flange 20. Hot water spray means 24 may comprise a plurality of spray tips whereby hot u~ater 26 is sprayed onto surf~ce 14, and, thus, into intimate contact with plants 28.
Foam spray means 30 is also mounted on the bottom of cover 12 intermediate hot water spray means 24 and rear flange 20. Foam spray n~eans 30 n~ay comprise a plurality of spray apertures vvhereby foam 22 is depositecl on top of plants ~8 which have just received a spray of hot watèr 26.
As cl~vice 10 trave~ses surface 14 in the direction of arrow A, rear flange ~0 serves to spread, or distribute, foam 22 across plants 28, thefeby retaining the heat from hot wa~er 26 in intimate contact with the surfaces of plants 28.
Refe~ring to the top view of Fig. 2, it is to b~ seen and unde~stood that this first embodiment of spray boom 10 is attached to and moved by a transport vehicle ~not shown) as by first attaching arm 32. I~ot water 26 is provided ~o the hot water spray means 24 as by water conduit 34. Finally, foamin~ agent is prov;ded to foam spray means 30 through foam conduit 36. It is also to be understood thatfoam ~2 may be de~iv~d utilizing well known p~ocedures and apparatus from various materials such as, for example, foaming surfactants, polymers, oil emulsions, and mixtures thereof.
Turning nov~ to the view of Fig. 3, a second ernbodiment of the spray boom is generally inclicated as 40. Second embodiment 40 is particularly useful when defoliating plants, such as cotton plants, before harvestin~ the cotton, or as vrhen trea~ing grape vines ~fter pruning to heat kill dry fungus, bacte~ia, or virus a~tached to the bark of those vines or liviny on the bark or sten~s of such vines. Accord-_ 21S~0~7 ingly, while the rnethod is virtl-ally identical, second embodifn~nt 40 permits the application of ho~ water 26 around all sides of the second plant 42, and, like~vise, a su~stantially surrounding blanket of foam 22 following the spray application of hot wa~er 26.
Second embodiment of spray boom 40 is operatively connected to a means for rnoving tl~e devi~e across s~rface 14 of ground 16 in the direction of arrow B, ~ncl to a source of both water and foam material. As already described ~bove, such means for moving and sources for water and foam material may be provided by, for example, the tractor/trailer cornbination shown in U. S. Patent No.
5,297,730, or any other suitab~e means.
Consiclerin~ both Figs. 3 and 4, second embodiment 40 comprises a second cover 44, a pair of forward flan~es 46 extending forwar~ly therefrom, an~ a pairof rear flanges 48 extending rearwardly ther~ro~n. Operatively mounted beneath second co~/er 44 are a pair of second hot water sp~ay means 50 for depositing a spray of hot water 26 on second plants 42. Second hot water spray means 5~ are mounted on opposit~ sides of second cover 44 rea~wardly of corresponding forward flanges 46. Also disposed b~nea~h second cover 44 are a pair of second foam spray means 30, which are behin~ second hot vvater spray means 50, but in front of re~r flanges 48. The device of second embodiment 40 is attached to the me~ns for transporting (not shown) as by second attaching arm ~4. Hot water Z6 is supplied to each of the secon~ hot water spray means 50 by second water conduit 56, and foam material is supplied to each of the second foam spraymeans 5~ as b`~ second foam conduit ~8.

21540~7 By virtue of this construction, it can be seen that a spray of hot water 26 is applied in substantially surrounding relation to vi~tually all surfacesofsecond plant 42. Then,innnnediately ther~after, aninsulatin~ foam blanketis applied throu~h secon~ foam spray means 52. Itis also to be noted that rearflan0es 48 se~ve effectively to compr~ss the foam 22 in surrounding relation to ea¢h of the second plants 4 2. As s~ch, rear flanges 48 are preferably formed f~om a resilient material.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the prec~ding description, are effici~ntly attained and, since certain chan~es may be rnade in carryin~ out the above method without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter cont~ined in the above description or shown in the sccompanying drawln~s shall be interlJreted as illustrative and not in a limitin~ sen~e.
It is atso to be understood that the followlng claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein d~scribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be sai~ to fall therebetween.
Now that the invention has been described,

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling weeds and undergrowth and for treating plants, said method comprising the steps of;
a. applying a spray of heated water to the plant; and b. applying a foam blanket to the sprayed plants, whereby heat from said spray is held against the plants.