GB1576775A

GB1576775A - Apparatus for dispensing slurries

Info

Publication number: GB1576775A
Application number: GB1402877A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: WEEKS TRAILERS Ltd
Current assignee: WEEKS TRAILERS Ltd
Priority date: 1978-03-29
Filing date: 1978-03-29
Publication date: 1980-10-15

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SLURRIES (71) We, WEEKS TRAILERS LIMITED, a British Company, of Ferry Road, Hessle, North Humberside, 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. particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing slurries and has particular application to the dispensing of a slurry onto the ground for agricultural purposes.

It is well known in the art to dispense a slurry, such as a chemical in suspension or a liquid manure, onto the ground from a slurry reservoir, conveniently a tanker, traversing over the ground to make a number of spaced apart passes over the target area.

In one well known method for dispensing the slurry is discharged from the tanker as a high velocity jet and directed onto a deflector plate which breaks up the jet to produce a spray pattern which may extend up to 30 feet on each side of the tanker.

This method is relatively cheap and can afford good distribution in calm, dry conditions but, because of the relatively long mean residence time of the droplets in the spray, the spray pattern can be seriously disrupted in adverse weather conditions and, even in relatively light wind conditions, a large percentage of the slurry droplets can be carried out of the target area.

A second prior art method is to spray the slurry through a series of nozzles spaced apart transverse to the direction of travel, but most agricultural slurries, particularly liquid manure, contain solid bodies of irregular shape and size which can whollv or partially block the nozzles to the detriment of the process. Nozzle cleaning is, in practice, a frequent and time-taking as well as unpleasant task.

Tn more recent years it has been proposed that an agricultural apparatus, capable of forming grooves or furrows in the ground, be towed behind the tanker and the slurry discharged into the grooves. This method has the disadvantages that additional apparatus must be used, the agricultural apparatus must be towed by the tanker vehicle, imparting an increased power de mand on the towing vehicle with corres- ponding increase in fuel consumption, and the distribution of the slurry into grooves results in uneven distribution of the slurry over the ground surface.

The present invention seeks to provide apparatus for dispensing a slurry and whereby a relatively uniform distribution of slurry over the ground surface can be effected.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for dispensing a slurry comprising a reservoir intended to be traversed over the ground, and an elongate discharge outlet from said reservoir defined by two substantially parallel spaced apart edges extending substantially horizontally and transversely to the direction of travel of the apparatus, one said edge being movable towards and away from the other said edge.

Preferably the reservoir comprises an elongate manifold with an inlet opening through which the manifold can be charged with slurry. When the slurry is to be dispensed by a travelling tanker the manifold is conveniently supported by the tanker and includes, at a location at or near its mid-region, a coupling by which the manifold is connected to the discharge pipe from the tanker.

Preferably the manifold includes internal baffles for distributing slurry therein to maintain a substantially uniform hydraulic head along the length of the discharge outlet.

In one embodiment in accordance with the invention a plurality of discharge outlets are arranged with their longitudinal axes lying in a common plane but preferably the manifold has a single discharge outlet extending substantially along the whole of its length.

In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention the manifold includes a movable wall, extending along the length direction of the discharge outlet, and conveniently an edge of said movable wall defines the movable edge for the discharge outlet. Preferably the movable edge is biased towards the other edge, conveniently by an arrangement of the movable wall, and thus, when the movable wall is pivotally movable relative to the fixed parts of the manifold the movable wall may be so arranged that gravity urges rotation of the movable wall in the direction to urge the movable edge towards the fixed edge. In an alternative arrangement the movable wall may have a special shape to contain slurry and the slurry contained in the movable wall may urge the movable wall towards a narrow condition for the discharge outlet. Other means which can be used for urging the movable edge of the outlet towards the other edge comprises springs or balance weights.

In one embodiment in accordance with the invention the discharge outlet for the reservoir comprises a flexible nozzle conveniently defined by two spaced apart flexible panels and whereby the slurry is discharged from the reservoir between the flexible panels for release between the edges of the flexible panels remote from the reservoir. The two flexible panels are preferablv secured one to each side edge of a discharge outlet for the reservoir and the flexible panels may be connected together at their adjacent side edges to prevent the discharge of slurry outside the width dimensions of the panels.

Tn a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention the reservoir comprises a manifold with a slot outlet, defined by one fixed edge and a movable edge conveniently formed on a movable wall of the manifold with a flexible panel secured to the fixed part of the manifold, adjacent the fixed edge to the discharge outlet, and a second flexible panel secured to the movable wall, adjacent that edge of the movable wall defining the movable edge for the discharge outlet of the reservoir. The manifold is adapted to be supported at the rear of a slurry tanker, to lie substantially horizontal but longitudinally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tanker, and the manifold includes an inlet, connectable to the discharge outlet from the tanker, and internal baffle means for distributing slurry uniformally along the length of the manifold.

In operation, and with the tanker traversing over the ground and discharging slurry into the manifold the slurry flows out through the discharge outlet for the manifold and between the flexible panels, which effectively contain the slurry. The slurry is released between the lowermost edges of the two panels and is thereby in close proximity to the ground whereby, as the discharge is in the form of a stream and not a spray, the discharge is little affected even by the most adverse weather conditions.

Further, in the event that a small part of that length of the discharge outlet becomes blocked by solid matter the discharge will continue on each side of the blockage and, in flowing between the flexible panels, a redistribution of the slurry in the transverse direction will occur, so that a substantially uniform distribution of slurry to the ground is obtained. In the event that the blockage at the discharge outlet increases to a degree whereby the volumetric flow through the discharge outlet is reduced, the reduction of flow through the discharge outlet results in an increase in the pressure in the slurry in the manifold adjacent the discharge outlet, this increase in pressure causes the movable wall to be displaced in the direction to move the movable edge of the outlet away from the fixed edge, the increase in the width opening of the discharge outlet allows the blockaging material to discharge through the outlet, and, when the blockage has been cleared sufficient to allow a pressure drop in the slurry in the manifold, the movable wall will return the movable edge towards its preset position. The sudden increase in volume flow through the outlet nozzle caused by the movable wall displacing away from the fixed wall will be substantially absorbed by the flow between the flexible panels and, once again, a substantially uniform distribution of the slurry is maintained.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification in which: Fig. 1 shows, diagrammatically, a perspective view of a slurry dispensing means in accordance with the invention mounted on a tanker, and Fig. 2 shows a vertical cross-section through the slurry dispensing means on the axis of the slurry inlet to the dispensing means.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 a tanker, generally identified by reference numeral 11, comprises a chassis 12 with a wheeled axle 13 and a slurry tank 14 mounted on the chassis 12. The chassis 12 may be rigid with a prime mover arrangement affording steering wheels at the front end or the tanker may include a tow-bar by which it can be attached to a traction vehicle, such as a tractor.

The tank 14 is provided with a pipe 15 with a conventional quick-release coupling 16 on its free end and a valve 17 adjacent the coupling 16. An air pipe 18 connects the interior of tank 14 with a pump 19 mounted on chassis 12 and powered by the traction arrangement.

In operation, the tank 14 is charged by connecting an inlet pipe via coupling 16 to the pipe 15, the remote end of the inlet pipe being immersed in a slurry reservoir, opening valve 17 and driving pump 19 to extract air from tank 14 via pipe 18 whereupon slurry is sucked into the tank 14.

When the tank has received the desired charge of slurry the valve 17 is closed, the pump 19 is stopped, and the tank is disconnected from the inlet pipe by releasing the coupling 16. The tank may be discharged by gravity, by simply connecting the interior of tank 14 to atmosphere and opening the valve 17 or the slurry can be pumped from the tank 14 under pressure by running pump 19 in the reverse direction to pump pressure air through pipe 18 into tank 14.

The above type of tanker is well known in the art, as also is its method of operation, and the tanker is recited merely as one example of a tanker arrangement to which the present invention can be applied.

The slurry dispensing apparatus in accordance with the invention and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an elongate reservoir or manifold 20, of substantially uniform rectangular cross-section, including a backplate 21 supported in fixed relationship to the chassis 12 by rigid members 22 and 23. Backplate 21 presents, at its mid point, a tubular section 24 with a coupling 25 at its free end engageable with the coupling 16 of the discharge pipe 15 for the tank 14.

The manifold 20 further includes a movable section comprising a top plate 26, pivotally attached to backplate 21 by hinge connections 27, a rear side wall plate 28 integral with plate 26, a bottom plate 29 integral with plate 28, and end plates 30 and 31 which close the ends of the manifold 20. The forward edges of end plates 30 and 31 are arranged to abut the backplate 21 when the movable section is in its closest proximity to plate 21 and, in this position, the forward edge 29a of plate 29 is spaced from the backplate 21 and defines, in combination with the lower edge regions 21a of backplate 21 a slot-like discharge outlet "A" extending along the length of the manifold 20 between end plates 30 and 31.

A rectangular Danel 32 of flexible material has one edge secured to plate 21 parallel to edge region 21a and a second panel 33 of flexible material has one edge secured to bottom plate 29 narallel to edge 29a. The panels 32 and 33 extend along the length of outlet "A" and hang, under gravity, to terminate at, but preferably short of, the ground. The panels 32 and 33 may conveniently comprise a plastics coated woven material.

The backplate 21 also supports within the movable section, an open ended channel shaped baffle 34 and the tubular section 24 includes a flow restrictor 35.

The apparatus described above operates as follows.

With the manifold 20 attached to a tanker 11, charged with slurry in the manner described above, discharge of slurry is effected by simply opening valve 17 and connecting the interior of tank 14 to atmosphere, to allow gravity discharge, or pumping pressure air into tank 17 by way of pump 19 and pipe 18.

With valve 17 open slurry flows from pipe 15 to tubular section 24, through the restrictor 35 and into the baffle 34 from which the slurry releases into the manifold 20. With low pressure flow the movable section remains in its illustrated position with end plates 30 and 31 contacting backplate 21 and the slurry flows through the discharge outlet "A" defined between edge region 21a and edge 29a and down between the panels 32 and 33 for release from the lower regions thereof.

In the event that a blockage occurs at the discharge outlet "A" the flow of slurry through the outlet "A" is reduced and the pressure of the slurry in the manifold 20 increases, the increase in pressure acting on the movable part causes the movable part to be displaced about hinge connections 27 anti-clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, and whereby the edge 29a is displaced away from the edge region 21a and outlet "A" increases in width to allow the solids material blocking the outlet "A" to discharge therethrough. When the blockage is cleared the increased flow of slurry pressure acting on the movable section and this section is allowed to return, clockwise, under gravity, to its original position. Thus.

a self cleaning of the discharge outlet "A" is affected.

In practice, the manifold 20 can pass therethrough, with necessary displacement of the movable section, any solid body ca able of passing through the restrictor 35 and in the event that resistor 35 is blocked by a solid body, the blockage can be readilv cleared by closing valve 17 and breaking the couPling 16/25 to permit access to the blockage. In the unlikely event that an accumulation of solid matter within the manifold 20 cannot be cleared by the slurry pressure acting on the movable section, the movable section may be manually rotated anti-clockwise using, for example, handles 36 secured to plate 29.

Fluctuations in the rate of release of slurry through the outlet "A" will, to a degree, be removed, or reduced, by the flow of slurry down between the panels 32 and 33.

In the illustrated embodiment the end plates 30 and 31 form part of the movable section and, by abutment with backplate 21, define a minimum but positive width for the outlet "A". In other embodiments the side plates 30 and 31 may be secured to the backplate so that the movable section is displaceable therebetween or the plates 30 and 31 may form part of the movable section and the backplate 21 may fit be- tween the plates 30 and 31 so that said plates can pass the ends of plate 21. When a positive minimum width is essential for the discharge of outlet "A" the lower edge 29a of the movable section may be positively held in space relationship from the lower edge region 21a by means other that the plates 30 and 31, such as a studor the like projection from edge portion 21a or edge 29a but in many cases a positive minimum width for outlet "A" may not be necessary or desirable and the invention envisages a construction wherein the edge 29a contacts edge region 21a when the slurry pressure in the manfold 20 is below a predetermined value.

It will be seen that with the arrangement described above a substantially uniform flow of slurry from the lower regions of the panels 32 and 33 can be obtained and, because the slurry is released from panels 32 and 33 in close proximity to the ground, the slurry is not affected by adverse weather conditions.

Whilst the present invention has been described by way of example with reference to a specific example it will be obvious that many modifications and variations will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-- 1. Apparatus for dispensing a slurry comprising a reservoir intended to be traversed over the ground, and an elongate discharge outlet from said reservoir defined by two substantially parallel, spaced apart edges extending substantially horizontally and transversely to the direction of travel of the apparatus, one said edge being movable towards and away from the other said edge.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the reservoir comprises a manifold including a first wall defining one edge of the discharge outlet and another wall, displaceable relative, to said first wall, defining the movable edge for said discharge outlet.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the movable wall is pivotally connected to said first wall.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3 in which said manifold comprises an elongate box-like structure, the first wall comprises a first substantially vertical side wall of the structure, and a top wall, a second substantially vertical side wall and a bottom wall in combination define an assembly pivotally attached to an upper region of the first wall, and that edge of the bottom wall adjacent the first wall comprises the movable edge.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including a slurry inlet to said reservoir.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including baffles for distributing slurry supplied to the reservoir by said inlet in the length direction of the discharge outlet to maintain a relatively even hydraulic head in the slurry along the length of the discharge outlet.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 including end walls for closing the ends of the manifold.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said end walls are fixed to said first wall and said wall movable relative to said first wall lies between said end walls.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said end walls are fixed the said wall movable relative to said first wall and the first wall lies between said end walls.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which said discharge outlet discharges into a flexible nozzle extending downwardly from said discharge outlet to, or adjacent, the ground.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11 in which the flexible nozzle extends along the whole of the length of the discharge outlet.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11 in which said flexible nozzle comprises flexible members attached to the edges defining the discharge outlet whereby the slurry discharges between said flexible members and, adjacent the discharge outlet, that flexible member secured to or adjacent the movable edge is displaceable with said edge.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in which each flexible member comprises a rectangular sheet of plastics coated woven material.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with a vehicle including a slurry tank and including means for connecting a discharge from the tank to said reservoir, the discharge outlet from the reservoir being located transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 including a flow restrictor between the reservoir and said tank.

16. Apparatus for dispensing slurry sub

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Fluctuations in the rate of release of slurry through the outlet "A" will, to a degree, be removed, or reduced, by the flow of slurry down between the panels 32 and 33. In the illustrated embodiment the end plates 30 and 31 form part of the movable section and, by abutment with backplate 21, define a minimum but positive width for the outlet "A". In other embodiments the side plates 30 and 31 may be secured to the backplate so that the movable section is displaceable therebetween or the plates 30 and 31 may form part of the movable section and the backplate 21 may fit be- tween the plates 30 and 31 so that said plates can pass the ends of plate 21. When a positive minimum width is essential for the discharge of outlet "A" the lower edge 29a of the movable section may be positively held in space relationship from the lower edge region 21a by means other that the plates 30 and 31, such as a studor the like projection from edge portion 21a or edge 29a but in many cases a positive minimum width for outlet "A" may not be necessary or desirable and the invention envisages a construction wherein the edge 29a contacts edge region 21a when the slurry pressure in the manfold 20 is below a predetermined value. It will be seen that with the arrangement described above a substantially uniform flow of slurry from the lower regions of the panels 32 and 33 can be obtained and, because the slurry is released from panels 32 and 33 in close proximity to the ground, the slurry is not affected by adverse weather conditions. Whilst the present invention has been described by way of example with reference to a specific example it will be obvious that many modifications and variations will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:--

1. Apparatus for dispensing a slurry comprising a reservoir intended to be traversed over the ground, and an elongate discharge outlet from said reservoir defined by two substantially parallel, spaced apart edges extending substantially horizontally and transversely to the direction of travel of the apparatus, one said edge being movable towards and away from the other said edge.

16. Apparatus for dispensing slurry sub

stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

17. Apparatus for dispensing slurry in combination with a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.