Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
  • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass
  • A01M7/005—Special arrangements or adaptations of the spraying or distributing parts, e.g. adaptations or mounting of the spray booms, mounting of the nozzles, protection shields
  • A01M7/006—Mounting of the nozzles
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
  • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass
  • A01M7/0003—Atomisers or mist blowers
  • A01M7/0014—Field atomisers, e.g. orchard atomisers, self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B7/00—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas
  • B05B7/02—Spray pistols; Apparatus for discharge
  • B05B7/08—Spray pistols; Apparatus for discharge with separate outlet orifices, e.g. to form parallel jets, i.e. the axis of the jets being parallel, to form intersecting jets, i.e. the axis of the jets converging but not necessarily intersecting at a point
  • B05B7/0884—Spray pistols; Apparatus for discharge with separate outlet orifices, e.g. to form parallel jets, i.e. the axis of the jets being parallel, to form intersecting jets, i.e. the axis of the jets converging but not necessarily intersecting at a point the outlet orifices for jets constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid being aligned

Definitions

• the invention relates to crop-spraying apparatus and has particular, but not exclusive, reference to apparatus for spraying ground crops with the assistance of directed air streams.
• Such apparatus may be mounted on a trailer to be towed, mounted directly on the rear of a tractor, or otherwise conveyed over the crops to be sprayed.
• the apparatus may be used for spraying crops with water, fertilizer, insecticide, weedicide, or other agricultural chemicals.
• booms or frames which carry a series of spray outlets.
• the booms or frames are generally only structural members which support separate spray systems, although a conduit for spray fluid may form one element of a cantilevered framework, and an extended boom may itself be the conduit for spray fluid.
• U.S. Patent 3807676 discloses an arrangement for booms mounted on a spray vehicle to act as supports for a separate spray system. Booms extend from either side of a vehicle, being pivotally mounted to a rack on the rear of the vehicle. The boom may be swung forward from the transverse, extended spraying position to a stowed position parallel to the vehicle by means of hydraulic rams.
• a spray line is housed within a channel member forming part of a framework extending either side of a central mounting rack.
• the extended frameworks are universally jointed to the rack to -allow them to
• the frameworks are articulated on horizontal axes to allow their outer sections to pivot upwards for transportation and storage. Loop portions of flexible spray line are included to allow the spray line to bend at these articulations.
• booms which act as conduits of spray fluid extend either side of a trailer and are supported by wheels mounted on their outboard ends.
• the booms are articulated on vertical axes at several points along their lengths and at their join to the trailer.
• the sections of the spray booms are coupled at each articulation by flexible hose to allow the booms to be folded in parallel with the trailer in a compact storage mode.
• British Patents 2110062 and 2149271 both disclose a boom assembly mounted at the rear or a vehicle with extended side sections pivotally connected to a central section directly behind the vehicle.
• the assembly is collapsed or folded by means of double-acting hydraulic rams connected between the side and centre sections pivoting the side sections inwardly and upwardly to a stored position.
• the spray fluid is conducted to each section by a flexible tube.
• the booms are cantilevered latticework girders, made of resin and glass fibre, and articulated as a number of vertical axes.
• the spray fluid is conveyed through a flexible manifold mounted on each boom.
• a field spraying device which has extended members in the form of metal trusses.
• the trusses support liquid lines leading to spaced spray nozzles.
• they are articulated on vertical pivots, allowing the end portions to be folded in.
• the liquid line passes from one portion of the trusses to the next by a length of flexible tubing.
• This patent relates specifically to a pivoting joint which surrounds and supports this flexible length so that it twists when the trusses are folded, but does not buckle, thus reducing wear. It has been found that this form of articulation to allow extended booms to be folded in is unnecessarily complex and limited in application.
• a circular spray pattern means that foliage in the centre of the spray band beneath the nozzle receives considerably more spray fluid than foliage on either side. As a circular spray passes across the ground, it is clear that the amount of spray delivered will fall off according to the transverse distance from the central longitudinal diameter of the circle. The effect of this is that foliage in the centre of each spray band may receive a wasteful excess of spray fluid, whereas foliage on either side may receive deficient amounts. Usage of spray fluid would clearly be optimised by a more even distribution of fluid across each band of spray.
• Another such configuration has large flexible cylindrical air bags filled by a central air impeller and suspended from extended booms on either side of a support vehicle. Beneath the air bags are spray lines with spaced spray nozzles. Air outlets on the underside of the air bags allow a general downwards turbulent flow which carries the spray fluid with it. It has been found that the device is not of sufficiently sturdy construction.
• the air bag system is structurally inadequate and prone to wear, and does not allow for high air pressures. It is only suitable for producing a general downward flow in the form of a curtain of air. It cannot provide a controlled, directed air stream associated with each spray nozzle.
• a crop-spraying apparatus comprising an air impeller, a central air chamber to receive air from the air impeller, a pair of hollow air booms positioned either side of the air chamber and each communicating with the air chamber via a respective hollow joint, a plurality of air outlets along each boom, a spray outlet associated with each air outlet, and means for supplying spray fluid to each spray outlet, whereby air impelled by the impeller into the air chamber passes through the joints, along the booms, and out the air outlets to assist in the delivery of spray fluid from the spray outlets to the crop.
• the hollow joints are adapted to allow the booms to swing between extended positions transverse to, and stored positions parallel to the forward direction of travel of the apparatus, and to allow the booms to be set in intermediate positions between the extended and stored positions.
• Each air outlet is preferably shaped to provide a directed air stream substantially normal to the extended booms, with a downwards and forward component.
• FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a crop-spraying device in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3a is a partial plan view of the device in Figure 1 shown with booms in fully extended position;
• Figure 3b is a partial plan view of the device in Figure 1 shown with booms in intermediate position;
• Figure 4 is a rear view of the device in Figure 1;
• Figure 5 is a rear view of a second crop-spraying device in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the right-hand joint of the first crop-spraying device along the line VI-VI in the direction indicated in Fig 1;
• Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the right-hand joint of the second crop-spraying device, analogous to Fig. 6.
• FIG. 1 shows the general configuration of a first crop-spraying device 10.
• the apparatus is mounted on a trailer 15 to be towed by a tractor in the direction indicated.
• a tank 11 for the spray fluid is connected to a pump 16 driven through a drive shaft 17 by the tractor's power take-off (not shown).
• Flexible reinforced rubber pipes 18 take the spray fluid from the pump 16 to a series of conventional spray nozzles 19.
• a tangential air impeller 12 of radius approximately 50cm and with its downwardly directed outlet 21 directly connected to a central air distribution chamber 22 extending transversely across the width of the trailer 15.
• the centrifugal air impeller 12 is driven by a drive shaft (not shown) passing beneath the tank 11 and connected to the tractor's power take-off.
• the air impeller may be driven by a dedicated petrol motor. It has been found that in this embodiment approximately 50 h.p. is required to produce a desirable air flow at a pressure of approximately 25 inches (water gauge), with the air impeller blade running at approximately 3000 rpm.
• the chamber 22 has three air outlet ports 30, 31 and 32, the central outlet port 31 leading directly to a central air outlet duct 35, and the outlet ports 30 and 32 at either end of the chamber 22 leading to the extended air booms 13 and 14 via pivoting hollow joints 33 and 34.
• the air booms 13 and 14 carry a number of air outlet ducts 35.
• Each air outlet duct 35 has a flattened conical air funnel 36, with a spray nozzle 19 mounted on the upper flat face of each funnel 36.
• the booms 13 and 14 are partially supported by struts 71 and 72 respectively, connected to cylindrical cups 73 and 74 which fit over cylindrical stems 75 and 76 so that the cups may turn freely on the stems, thus allowing the struts 71 and 72 to swing in concert with the booms 13 and 14.
• the booms 13 and 14 are swung on the joints 33 and 34 by means of double-acting hydraulic rams 80 and 81 pivotally connected both to the air chamber 22 and to extended legs 83 and 84 projecting from upper, pivoting portions of the joints 33 and 34.
• the rams 80 and 81 When the rams 80 and 81 are connected to the tractor's hydraulic system (not shown), they can drive the booms 13 and 14 either individually or together to swing on the joints 33 and 34 between the fully extended spraying position shown in Figures 1 and 3a and a trailing, stowed position with the booms projecting rearwardly of the trailer.
• the stowed configuration enables the apparatus to pass through gates and narrow spaces and along public roads, and facilitates storage.
• the tractor operator can also swing the booms in this fashion to avoid obstacles in the path of the extended booms.
• the booms 13 and 14 may be set by the hydraulic rams at intermediate positions, at an acute angle to the fully extended position.
• Fig. 3b shows a typical intermediate setting.
• FIG. 3a A comparison of Figs. 3a and 3b illustrates the use of such an intermediate setting.
• the apparatus is adapted to spray a crop sown in rows the same distance apart as the spacing of spray nozzles and air outlets along the booms (dimension X in Fig. 3a).
• the booms 13 and 14 are set in an intermediate position such as is shown in Fig 3b.
• the effective spacing of the spray nozzles is reduced as the boom is swung inward, according to the cosine of the angle of the boom's deflection from its fully extended position (so that dimension Y in Fig 3b is equal to X multiplied by the cosine of the angle of deflection.) In this way, the operator can set the boom according to the row spacing of the crop to be sprayed.
• the wheelbase of the trailer 15 may be adjustable according to the spacing apart of crop rows.
• the construction of the right-hand joint 34 is shown in detail in Fig.6.
• the left-hand joint 33 is constructed analogously.
• a hollow cylindrical stem 30 leads upwards from the air outlet port 32 in the air distribution chamber 22.
• An annular flange 41 with an upturned edge 42 is fitted to the outside of the stem 30.
• the stem 30 terminates in a projecting rim 48.
• An elbow section 50 leads from the air boom 14 to a cylindrical section 49 which fits tightly around the projecting rim 48 and is provided with an annular flange 43 corresponding with the first flange 41.
• An annular disc 44 fits over the top of the flange 43 and within the upturned edge 42.
• Intermediate packing layers in the form of fibreglass matting 45 and 46 are placed between the disc 44 and flange 43, and between flanges 43 and 41. These packing layers facilitate the movement of the flanges 43 relative to the flange 41 and disc 44.
• Bolts 47 pass through corresponding holes in disc 44 and flange 41 outside the circumference of flange 43, and nuts are screwed onto the bolts to hold the joint assembly 34 together.
• Fig. 2 illustrates the atomising effect of the spray of fluid meeting the forced air stream from an air outlet 35.
• the flattened funnel of the outlet projects downwardly and forwardly in a plane normal to the extended position of the boom.
• the spray nozzle 19 is mounted on the flat upper face of the air funnel.
• a spray nozzle is selected to provide an even fan-shaped spray subtending an angle of 110° .
• a spray nozzle is used which produces a fan spray of 80° .
• a stream of air passing from the air boom leaves the outlet funnel in a directed downward and forward flow with sufficient pressure to agitate the crop's foliage and to penetrate to the base of the crop.
• the introduction of the spray of fluid into the air stream from above maximises the amount of spray carried by the directed air stream to ensure that the spray fluid fully penetrates the crop.
• the combination of the fan-shaped spray of fluid with the air stream created by the outlet funnel 36 provides a broad spray of fluid of even distribution across its width.
• the air outlet funnel 36 can be detached from the air outlet duct 35, and a cylindrical extension member inserted to bring the outlet funnel 36 and its associated spray nozzle 19 closer to the ground.
• This provides for a narrower band of spray fluid, and allows for an economical use of fluid particularly when crops are young, being small in size and close to the ground.
• Extensions may be provided in various lengths to enable a range of spray band widths to be covered by the one spraying apparatus.
• an extension facility is provided by including telescoping segments of the outlet duct 35 which can be set at various extensions by wingnuts or similar fasteners.
• extensions are used to position the tip of the air funnel 36 30cm from the ground when the rockmelons are small, affording a spray bandwidth of 60cm for rows of melons 2m apart, with the greatest width of the outlet funnel 36 approximately 6-7cm.
• the tip of the air outlet is approximately 115cm from the ground, affording a full spray bandwidth of 2m for the mature crop.
• This configuration allows for a robust, simple and trouble free steel construction, and allows for very high internal air pressures in contrast to the prior art constructions, which are only suitable for low working air pressures.
• the atomised mist can be projected further, with more penetrating power and directional stability, when higher air pressures can be used.
• FIG. 5 An alternative crop-spraying device in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figures 5 and 7. This configuration allows for broader boom spans through enhanced support of the extended booms.
• the overall construction of this alternative device is similar to that of the first device described above, essentially with the exception of the boom support means and the hollow joint construction.
• Fig. 5 shows the rear of the trailer 15 on which is mounted a support structure comprising hollow stems 90 and 91 connected by a bracing member 93 supported by struts 94.
• Collars 97 are mounted on the stems 90 and 91 so as to turn freely and are fixed at a suitable height to provide appropriate triangulation points for attachment of support lines 98.
• the support lines 98 run between the collars 97 and the ends of the booms.
• the lines 98 include turnbuckles 99 to adjust their tension and hence the support they provide for the booms.
• the lines 98 are shown attached to lugs at the ends of the booms, the lines 98 may preferably run to supporting points intermediate along the booms, with the tips of the booms being cantilevered from the intermediate supporting points.
• Fig. 7 shows the detailed construction of the right-hand hollow pivoting joint connecting the air chamber 22 to the booms 14 in this second configuration.
• the left-hand joint is constructed analogously.
• a shank 96 fits tightly over the stem 91 so as to turn freely.
• the boom 14 is connected to the shank 96, defining an opening 101 through the wall of the shank 96.
• a corresponding aperture 102 is formed in the wall of the stem 91 so as to form a continuous passage between the interior of the stem 91 and the interior of the boom 14 when the boom 14 is set in its extended or desired intermediate positions.
• the stem 91 may have an annular flange 103 on which rests a corresponding flange 104 on the shank 96.
• An intermediate layer of fibreglass matting 105 sits between the flanges to facilitate their relative turning.
• Similar flanges 106 and 107 are provided respectively on the top edge of the shank and the adjacent portion of the stem to prevent the shank rising up on the stem.
• each boom 13 and 14 may be supported in this configuration by a cantilevered webbed truss, structurally incorporating the collar 97 and the shank 96.
• this configuration is similar to the first configuration described. It is to be understood that the foregoing description is put forward by way of example only and the definition of the invention should not be limited thereby.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Insects & Arthropods (AREA)
• Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=3771793

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (3)

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• 1987
  • 1987-06-24 EP EP19870904217 patent/EP0319531A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1987-06-24 WO PCT/AU1987/000180 patent/WO1988001539A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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