GB1568913A

GB1568913A - Device for the supply of fluid to the root system of a tree a bush or other type of plant

Info

Publication number: GB1568913A
Application number: GB53547/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Holmgrens Armaturfabrik AB
Current assignee: Holmgrens Armaturfabrik AB
Priority date: 1976-12-22
Filing date: 1977-12-22
Publication date: 1980-06-11
Also published as: NO774395L; NO142799B; JPS5398241A; DE2753561A1; SE7614485L; NO142799C; DK553877A; GR66153B; CH618840A5; FI773793A; IT1088798B; NL7714112A; PT67434B; FR2374843A1; BE862185A; SE396269B; PT67434A; ES465349A1; SE403244B; IL53592A0

Abstract

The device comprises an injection tube (1) which is inserted into the ground to distribute the liquid at a given depth. Similar devices are known, which, however, have inter alia the disadvantage that said liquid rises back up along the tube and disperses on the surface of the ground. The illustrated device, however, is designed in such a manner that this does not happen because, once the injection tube (1) has been installed in the ground, the liquid emerges through openings (15, 16, 17, 18, 19) which do not come into contact with the surrounding ground since they are provided on a part (5) of polygonal shape with a radial dimension which is smaller in relation to the circumference (23) of the tube. There thus come to be formed on the injection tube (1) shoulder-type surfaces or flanges (24, 25) which prevent the liquid rising back up along the tube and dispersing on the surface of the ground. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) DEVICE FOR THE SUPPLY OF FLUID TO THE ROOT SYSTEM OF A TREE, A BUSH, OR OTHER TYPE OF PLANT (71) We, AB HOLMGRENS ARMATUR FABRIK, a company incorporated in accordance with Swedish law, of Box 134, S-330 30 Gnosjö, Sweden, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particu larly described in and by the following statement:: The invention relates to a device for the supply of fluid to the root system of a tree, a bush, or other type of plant, the device comprising an injection tube intended to be prodded down into the ground, one end of said tube being provided with a point and the other end being provided with means for the connection of the injection tube to a water conduit, outlet ports for the fluid being provided within an intermediate portion of the tube.

Such devices as are used for the supply of water or a liquid fertilizer to the root system of a tree or a bush are well known, and the embodiments most frequently used comprise an injection tube, which along the whole of its length is of cylindrical shape.

When the injection tube is pressed down into the ground, the earth will directly cover the outlet ports and efficient distribution of water in the surrounding soil cannot be obtained. A common phenomenon involves the fact that the water squeezes aside part of the surrounding soil and then rises along the tube to the surface, on top of which it flows out.

In connection with another type of irrigation system one has tried to avoid the clogging of the outlet ports by mounting a rubber sleeve or similar round them impending earth or sand from penetrating into the tube and clogging the openings. When the water pressure is turned on, the rubber sleeve will expand and the water will flow out. Such devices have proved to be unsatisfactory as the rubber sleeve will form a shield outside of the outlet ports which shield guides the water along the tube in upwards direction, and the above mentioned effect of upwards flowing water will by means of such a device be further accentuated.

The present invention is defined in the appended claims to which reference should now be made.

An embodiment of the invention is described in the following, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig 1 illustrates a device embodying the invention in a side elevational view, and Fig 2 is a view of a cross-section along the line II-II in Fig 1.

In the drawing an injection tube 1 is shown, which is of cylindrical shape and which at its upper end is provided with a valve 2 for regulation of the supply of water or other liquid to the interior of the injection tube 1. The fluid is here supplied via a hose connection 3. The lower end of the injection tube 1 is shaped as a point 4 in order to facilitate the prodding of the tube into the ground. Close to its lower end and intermediate its ends the injection tube exhibits a non-cylindrical portion 5, which in the embodiment in question comprises a tube 6 of square cross-section (Fig 2). The upper end 7 of the square tube is soldered or welded to the adjoining cylindrical portion 8, and the lower end 9 of the square tube is soldered or welded to the cylindrical portion 10 joined to the point. The entire injecion tube can be made of steel, copper or another metal.In the embodiment shown the non-cylindrical portion 5 is of a completely square cross-section, and thus, the square tube comprises four substantially plane and rectangular lateral surfaces 11, 12, 13 and 14. Each such lateral surface is provided along its centre line, which is parallel to the axis of the injection tube 1, with several outlet ports, for example the outlet ports 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. The longitudinal edges of the discharge portion 5, i.e. the edges 20, 21, 22 and 29, are at a distance inwardly from the circumference 23 of the cylindrical portion, and thus, an upper surface or flange 24 and a corresponding lower surface or flange 25 are formed round the portion 5. Both these surfaces 24 and 25 are preferably completely plane and extend at a right angle to the axis of the tube 1 forming a respective shoulder in the tube.

When the tube 1 is pressed down into the ground, the pointed portion 4, which terminates with the cylindrical portion 10, will take up a cylindrical hole, thereby to some extent packing the earth, and the fluid discharge section 5 which is of smaller crosssection than the point will be in a free or at least substantially free space in the soil.

When the valve 2 is opened by means of the wheel 26, water will flow through the hose connection 3 into the interior of the injection tube 1 and continue its flow out through the outlet openings in the free space outside the discharge portion 5. The outflowing water fills the space and then penetrates out into the surrounding soil. Thus, the free space in the ground, which is shaped between the flanges 24 and 25 and the lateral surfaces 11, 12, 13 and 14 is filled with water, but the risk of this water rising along the cylindrical tube portion is in an efficient manner eliminated by the flange 24, the circumference of which is surrounded by earth. The same goes for the flange 25.

The square portion 5 illustrated has only been chosen as an example, and thus the cross-sectional area can by way of example be triangular, or the cross-sectional area can be a polygon with by way of example five sides. The only essential requirement is the condition that the edges of the polygon shall not reach out as far as unto the cylindrical circumference 23 thereby making the unobstructed space between the soil and the discharge portion 5 too small.

In order to facilitate the prodding down of the illustrated embodiment of the device, it can by way of example be provided with a handle.

The non-cylindrical portion 5 in the described example of embodiment has been assumed to comprise a separate part, which is welded in position between the cylindrical portions, but a cylindrical tube can be deformed by means of a pressing tool into by way of example a square shape. Hereby the flange surfaces will as a rule be slightly conical.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A device for supplying fluid to the root system of a plant, the device comprising an injection tube having one end provided with a point and the other end provided with means for connecting the tube to a water conduit, and an intermediate portion of the tube between its ends being provided with outlet ports and having a cross-section which is smaller than those of the immediately adjacent portions of the tube and such that shoulder-like encircling transitions are formed between the ends of the said intermediate portion and the said immediately adjacent portions.

2. A device for the supply of fluid to the root system of a tree, a bush, or other type of plant, the device comprising an injection tube intended to be prodded down into flie ground, one end of said tube being provided with a point and the other end being provided with means for the connection of the injection tube to a water conduit, outlet ports for the fluid being provided within a portion of the tube near to its point, said portion exhibiting a cross-sectional area in the form of a polygon, in the lateral surfaces of which outlet ports are made between longitudinal edges which extend in the direction of the injection tube, the lonsi- tudinal edges being located inside the circumference of the tube portion adjacent the polygonal portion, and the transition between the respective end of said polygonal portion and the adjoining portion of the injection tube being a flanged surface forming a shoulder-like transition between said portion and the adjoining portion of the injection tube.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which the outlet ports are located substantially mid-way between the longitudinal edges of the lateral surfaces.

4. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the portion which is provided with ports exhibits plane lateral sides.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which the plane lateral sides are of rectangular shape.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the transitions are at surfaces which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the injection tube.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the portion which is protion which is provided with ports has a substantially square cross-section.

8. A device according to any of claims 1 to 6, in which the portion which is provided with ports has a substantially triangular cross-section.

9. A device for supplying fluid to the root system of a plant, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompany ing drawings.

mg arawmgs.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. with several outlet ports, for example the outlet ports 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. The longitudinal edges of the discharge portion 5, i.e. the edges 20, 21, 22 and 29, are at a distance inwardly from the circumference 23 of the cylindrical portion, and thus, an upper surface or flange 24 and a corresponding lower surface or flange 25 are formed round the portion 5. Both these surfaces 24 and 25 are preferably completely plane and extend at a right angle to the axis of the tube 1 forming a respective shoulder in the tube. When the tube 1 is pressed down into the ground, the pointed portion 4, which terminates with the cylindrical portion 10, will take up a cylindrical hole, thereby to some extent packing the earth, and the fluid discharge section 5 which is of smaller crosssection than the point will be in a free or at least substantially free space in the soil. When the valve 2 is opened by means of the wheel 26, water will flow through the hose connection 3 into the interior of the injection tube 1 and continue its flow out through the outlet openings in the free space outside the discharge portion 5. The outflowing water fills the space and then penetrates out into the surrounding soil. Thus, the free space in the ground, which is shaped between the flanges 24 and 25 and the lateral surfaces 11, 12, 13 and 14 is filled with water, but the risk of this water rising along the cylindrical tube portion is in an efficient manner eliminated by the flange 24, the circumference of which is surrounded by earth. The same goes for the flange 25. The square portion 5 illustrated has only been chosen as an example, and thus the cross-sectional area can by way of example be triangular, or the cross-sectional area can be a polygon with by way of example five sides. The only essential requirement is the condition that the edges of the polygon shall not reach out as far as unto the cylindrical circumference 23 thereby making the unobstructed space between the soil and the discharge portion 5 too small. In order to facilitate the prodding down of the illustrated embodiment of the device, it can by way of example be provided with a handle. The non-cylindrical portion 5 in the described example of embodiment has been assumed to comprise a separate part, which is welded in position between the cylindrical portions, but a cylindrical tube can be deformed by means of a pressing tool into by way of example a square shape. Hereby the flange surfaces will as a rule be slightly conical. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A device for supplying fluid to the root system of a plant, the device comprising an injection tube having one end provided with a point and the other end provided with means for connecting the tube to a water conduit, and an intermediate portion of the tube between its ends being provided with outlet ports and having a cross-section which is smaller than those of the immediately adjacent portions of the tube and such that shoulder-like encircling transitions are formed between the ends of the said intermediate portion and the said immediately adjacent portions.

mg arawmgs.