DK9700165U3 - Machine for dispensing pesticides or the like for plant growth - Google Patents

Description

DK 97 00165 U3

This arrangement relates to a machine for dispensing sprays or the like for plant growth, wherein the sprayer is applied to the plants at a certain adjustable height above the ground, the machine having one or more transverse booms carrying mushrooms, wicks, mats or the like. These fungi or the like are connected to a container system for the spraying agent by means of hoses and are soaked with the spraying agent which, in contact with plant growth, is transferred to these.

Such machines are used to remove unwanted growth in a field. For example, weeds may be weeds, such as mercury, in a field where there is a crop. The booms are set so that the crop is not affected by the fungi, but only the undesirable growth that protrudes above the crop. Machines of this kind can also be used to remove germinated waste grains in a post-harvest field, but are preferably for use in all types of seed pastures.

Such machines are known, for example, from US Patent 4,550,526 and 4,546,570.

However, these known machines suffer from several disadvantages. Thus, for the former, this is a lightweight construction that will not immediately provide an effective working width. As for the machine described in the latter patent, it is a machine which is suspended on a tractor and can be folded into a transport mode, but in the working state there is no guarantee that the booms are kept in a constant height above ground, with no working wheels fitted to secure this height above ground.

It is important that the booms can be adjusted as close to the crop as possible without the danger of the crop being touched. At the same time, it is desirable that the machines have a large effective working width while being easily transportable from field to field.

With the machine according to the invention this is achieved by the fact that it consists of a central part with a boom for application of spraying agents and one or more additional sections with associated fungi or the like, which increase the effective width of the machine. These additional sections can be folded into the central portion in a transport mode.

2 GB 97 00165 U3 - the central part of the machine has a set of removable transport wheels.

- that the central part is provided with a set of working wheels of a light construction (eg sulky wheels).

This ensures that the machine can easily be brought from a transport mode where it has a small width to a working state, with the additional sections being unfolded, the removable transport wheels easily removed and the working wheels ensuring that the booms are always at the desired height above the earth. Because the transport wheels are removable, these can be dimensioned so that they can easily carry the weight of the transport without the transport wheels having to load the machine in working condition. In this way, the working wheels can be dimensioned so that they need to carry the work weight alone.

A further advantage of the removable transport wheels is that the machine frame in the working condition, as stated in claim 2, has a high ground clearance, so that the machine does not destroy a high crop.

The machine will be described in the following with reference to the figures, where

Figure 1 shows a photo of the machine viewed from behind in a state where all the sections are mounted but where the transport wheels are not completely removed.

Figure 2 shows a front view of the machine in a state in which all the sections are folded into the central part of the machine.

Figure 3 is a top view of the frame of the central part of the machine.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the central part of the machine's main frame elements (but without booms).

Figure 5 shows a sketch of a section for mounting at the rear of the central part or for mounting from the side of the central part, as seen from the side.

Figure 6 shows a photo of the rear transport wheel suspension, viewed from below.

Figure 7 shows a photo of the front transport wheel suspension, viewed from the side upwards.

Figure 8 shows a photo of the sections with the parallelogram guide of the suspension holding the mushroom booms as well as the mushrooms.

3 DK 97 00165 U3

The machine for dispensing sprays or the like for plant growth (also called "Weed Wiper"), in the embodiment described hereinafter, consists essentially of a central portion provided with a front towbar, a boom at the rear with a spray dispensing system and a set of transport wheels, as well as four additional sections, each having spray dispensing systems, which can be mounted laterally on the central portion. The central part is equipped with two working wheels at the rear, which are used when the machine is used in the field. These wheels are of relatively light construction, such as sulky wheels, so that crops during work are destroyed as little as possible.

Each of the additional sections each has a working wheel of the same type mounted on the portion of each section which is seated in the extreme state of operation.

This can be seen in the photo Figure 1, where the machine is fitted with all the additional sections, whereby in this embodiment a working width of approx. 12 m.

In the photo Figure 2, the machine is shown in a state in which all the additional sections are folded into the central part and held to it so that the machine can be easily transported on the roads.

In Figure 3, the frame of the central portion is outlined from above. The elongate frame member 1 is formed of square tubes and has at the front part a pulling arrangement 2, which can also be seen in Figure 4. At the rear end, the frame has a section 3 carrying the spray dispensing system. Furthermore, the frame at the front end on each side has a protruding part 4. These parts serve to carry the additional sections when they are folded into the central part of the transport situation, as can be seen for example in Figure 2. Finally it should be mentioned that the frame on its underside has a front suspension 5 (not illustrated in Figure 3) and a rear suspension 6 (not illustrated in Figure 3) for the transport wheels.

In Figure 4, showing the frame from the side, the suspension of the transport wheels is outlined on the frame. The transport wheels 7 are mounted on a shaft 8. This is connected at both ends at arms 9 to a transverse part 10, which at each end has pins that go into the rear suspension 6. The rear suspension 6 is in the form of forks which are open 4 so that the part 10 with the pins can be pushed into these forks from the front. This can also be seen in, for example, the photo Figure 6. The shaft 8 is further connected to a part 11 with a knee joint 12. This part is moved upwards and forwards to the front suspension 5. The arms are connected near their upper part to the knee joint 12 by means of a screw spindle 13 (of the type used, for example, as a top bar at a tractor's three-point suspension).

When the transport wheels are to be removed, the screw spindle 13 is loosened, whereby the part 11 collapses in the knee joint 12. When the screw spindle is sufficiently loosened, the transport wheels will have lifted so much in relation to the frame that the working wheels (described in more detail in Figure 5, but as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2) will support the machine. The connection between the front suspension 5 and the part 11 can now be removed, for example a bolt connection with a fuse split, as shown in the photo Figure 7. The transport wheels and associated parts can now be pulled forward, whereby the part 10 slides out of the forks 6. The transport wheels can then be removed from the machine. When mounting the transport wheels, the process is done in reverse order. As can be seen in Figure 4 and the photo Figure 6, an arm 14. is provided on the part 10, which, when the screw spindle is tightened or loosened, will move up or down and when the screw spindle is fully unscrewed (whereby the transport wheels and machine are in this arm can be secured or locked to the frame part 1 so that the transport wheels are secured.

Furthermore, Figure 4 shows the pulling arrangement 2 and the placement of a support wheel 15.

Figure 5 shows the construction of a section 3. At its front side, it is provided with working wheels 16. These serve to support the machine when used for field work and are of a relatively light construction, so that crop damage is minimized. For example, these may be sulky wheels, and the wheels may be either rotatable about the axis 17 or fixedly mounted.

At the rear of the section, a tubular sponge 18 is suspended in a boom extending the entire length of the section. To the sponge there are hoses (which can be seen, for example, in Figures 1, 2 and 8) from a container system and associated valve system, which is located at the front part of the central part (as can be seen f. for example, in Figure 1) and containing the spraying agent. The fungus is soaked in by the spraying agent, so that when plants come into contact with the fungus, spraying agent is transferred to the plant parts affected. This sponge is suspended in a parallelogram guide with a lower arm 19 and an upper arm 20, both pivotally connected to a front arm 21 and a rear arm 22. The height at which the sponge is above the ground can thus be adjusted. Diagonally in the parallelogram guide is arranged an adjustment arm 23 having a slot in a portion of its length. A screw connection 24 passes through the upper arm 20 at a location between its end points and through the slot in the adjusting arm 23. Thus, the screw connection allows the height adjustment to be locked, and it is very easy to adjust the height if, for example, the screw connection is provided with a grip or a wing nut. If, for example, a scale is placed at the top or side of the adjusting arm, for example, specifying the height above the ground, the height can be adjusted without the need for a metering scale or measuring tape.

Each section is provided with two or more parallelogram guides to retain the suspension of the sponges, as seen, for example, in the photo Figure 8. When viewed from above, the transverse sponges will be offset relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the machine, thus as seen, for example, in Figures 1 and 8. As each sponge is longer than the respective section, there will thus be a small overlap to ensure that the entire working width is effectively covered.

The sponges can be surrounded by protective canvas and can be further provided with a net cover to reduce the wear further, for example when driving on stump fields. Instead of mushrooms, other materials that can absorb liquid, such as wicks, mats or the like, can be used.

The container system in the illustrated embodiment is located on the central part of the machine, but the system can also be designed so that each boom is provided with its own container, which will result in less waste during folding and a more even dosage.

6 DK 97 00165 U3 When using the machine, the height of the mushrooms is adjusted so that they are above the height of the crop that grows in that field, but so that the mushrooms come into contact with the undesirable growths that are on the field, and which protrudes above the crop. The adjustment is made with the parallelogram guide adjusting arms. However, the machine can also be fitted with a tow bar to the tractor's lift arms, so that while adjusting in the field, minor adjustments in height (up to about 20 cm) can be made.

Since the machine is divided into sections, each with their own working wheels, the working height above the ground will be very constant. The individual sections are connected to each other at two points of attachment which are such that the sections can move slightly relative to one another in the vertical plane, but not in the horizontal plane. Furthermore, the two sections connected to the central part of the machine can be supported relative to it by a pair of oblique struts, as can be seen, for example, in the photo Figure 8. The embodiment shown is shown with a total of five sections, but it is clear that the machine can be used with only one or three sections (or even 2 or 4).

When the machine in the illustrated embodiment is to be brought into the transport position, the two outer sections are removed and placed upside down on the central part of the machine. The two other sections, after the connection to the central part can be loosened, can be rotated towards it and held thereon, as shown in Figure 2. In another embodiment not shown, the two outer sections are connected to the two other sections at one type of hinge joint so that the two outer sections can be tilted over the other two, after which all four sections are turned in towards the central part.

The drawbar for the machine is designed to fit both towbar on a car and to a tractor. The machine, which has a total weight of approx. 650 kg., Is designed so that it can be seen and registered, which is why a "loose" trailer for road transport can be missed, which is otherwise normal for many agricultural implements.

Claims (14)

A machine island for dispensing sprays or the like for plant growth, wherein the sprayer is applied to the plants at a certain adjustable height above the ground, the machine having one or more transverse booms carrying mushrooms, wicks, mats or the like. These fungi or the like are connected to a container system for the pesticide by means of hoses and are soaked with the pesticide, thereby transferring contact with plant growth to them. The machine is new in that - it consists of a central part with a boom for application of sprays and one or more additional sections with associated sponges or the like that increase the effective width of the machine. These additional sections can be folded into the central part in a transport state, that - the central part of the machine has a set of removable transport wheels and that - the central part is provided with a set of working wheels of a light construction (eg sulky wheels) Machine according to claim 2, which is new in that the frame of the central part of the working state is at a higher height in relation to a desired plant growth, preferably approx. 90 cm above the ground. Machine according to claim 2, new in that the additional section (s) is each provided with a working wheel located near the end of the additional section (s) which faces away from the central part as it or the additional sections are folded out from the central portion of a working state, which working wheels cause the additional section (s) to be at the same height above the ground. Machine according to claim 3, which is new in that the additional section (s) in the unfolded working state are connected to the central part - or to a further section which is itself connected to the central part - at at least two points in the machine's part. longitudinally so that the connection is rigid in the horizontal plane, but so that the additional section or sections can rotate slightly around the connection points in the vertical plane. DK 97 00165 U3 Machine according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, which is new in that the machine has two additional sections which can be folded into the central part by the additional sections being rotatable with their outer parts towards the central part. so that the additional sections in the transport state extend parallel to the frame of the central part and that the frame of the central part has a length substantially equal to the length of each of the additional sections. Machine according to claim 5, which is new in that the machine has a total of four additional sections. Machine according to claim 6, which is new in that the two outermost of the four additional sections can be removed and placed on top of the central part frame in the transport state. Machine according to claim 6, which is new in that the two outermost of the four further sections are connected to the outermost part of the other two further sections by a hinge joint, so that the two outermost sections can be tilted over and placed on top the other two additional sections. Machine according to one or more of claims 1 - 8, which is new in that the container system of the machine with associated valve system is located on the central part. Machine according to one or more of claims 1 - 8, which is new in that each section has its own container system with associated valve system. Machine according to one or more of the claims 1-10, which is new in that the removable transport wheels are mounted in a front and rear suspension on the frame of the central part, with a set of arms extending up to the rear suspension from the shaft of the transport wheels. and the shaft is connected to the front suspension by a knee joint connection. The rear suspension is in the form of forks that are open at the front, where pins located on the upper end of the arms from the shaft can be mounted. From the knee joint connection of the knee joint to a point on the arms from the shaft to the rear suspension near the upper end of the arms there is a connection of adjustable length. DK 97 00165 U3 Machine according to claim 11, which is new in that the connection of adjustable length from the knee joint to the arms is a screw spindle. Machine according to claims 11 or 12, which is new in that the knee joint connection is connected to the front suspension by a bolt connection secured by a fuse split. Machine according to claims 11, 12 or 13, which is new in that a locking arm is connected to the upper end of the arms extending to the rear suspension, which, when the transport wheels are in the transport state, are in proximity to part of the central section frame and locking the bearing in the rear suspension.