GB2094268A

GB2094268A - Apparatus for dispensing granular material

Info

Publication number: GB2094268A
Application number: GB8202649A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Schering AG
Current assignee: Bayer Pharma AG
Priority date: 1981-01-30
Filing date: 1982-01-29
Publication date: 1982-09-15
Also published as: BE891933A; GB2094268B; FR2498877A1; NL8105855A; DE3103686A1; DE3103686C2; IT1149497B; FR2498877B1; IT8219333A0

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing metered quantities of granular material, especially fertilisers, has a supply container (1), a discharge funnel (7), and a metering device comprising a rotatable metering drum (3) fed from the supply container and at least one metering tube (6) rotating with it. Each metering tube has an inlet opening which accepts granular material during rotation of the drum, and has a closure (4) which releases the granular material upon further rotation of the tube into dispensing position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for dispensing granular material This invention relates to an apparatus for the metered automatic dispensing of granular material, especially fertilising agents.

The metered treatment of plants with granular fertilising agents is often unsatisfactory.For example, the forms of apparatus designed for the treatment of large areas are not suitable for many operations for reasons of space or, to the extent that small areas of soil are to be treated, are too expensive.

On the other hand, the metering scoops frequently used for small areas have the disadvantage that this type of dispensing is extraordinarily time-consuming since the agent has to be scooped and metered for each plant and, moreover, contact with the agent is unavoidable. A further considerable disadvantage is that plants exhibiting a dense and moist environment and having dense foliage can either not be treated at all using such previously proposed devices, or can be treated only via the leaves.

Apparatus has also been proposed in which the metered dispensing of the fertiliser is carried out from a tipping cylinder which is provided with a plastics hose having a metering element at its end. That element is opened manually by operating a pull-cord whereupon the desired quantity of fertilising agent is released.The operation of such appa ratus is therefore very awkward and energyconsuming for the user, and does not allow automatic dispensing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus capable of automatic operation and which renders possible an energysaving metered dispensing of granular material, especially fertilising agents, which can be used for fertilising plants at any stage of development without the fertilisers coming into contact with the user.

The present invention provides apparatus for dispensing granular material, which comprises a supply container for granular material, a rotatable metering drum, a conduit for feeding granular material from the supply container to the metering drum, and a metering device for dispensing metered quantities of granular material from the metering drum, wherein the metering device comprises one or more metering tubes, each of which is arranged within the metering drum so as to rotate therewith and has an inlet opening at or towards one end and an outlet opening at or towards its other end, the inlet opening being arranged to accept granular material during rotation of the metering drum and the outlet opening having a closure which is arranged to be opened upon further rotation of the metering tube into a dispensing position.

Advantageously, the closure is arranged to open by co-operation between a shaped portion on the closure and a corresponding fixed abutment on the apparatus. The fixed abutment may then comprise a projecting crossbar.

Advantageously, the closure is arranged to open against the action of a restoring force, preferably provided by a spring.

Preferably, the closure comprises a movable (more especially pivotable) flap. The flap may be in the form of a plate larger than the outlet opening of the metering tube, preferably to as to extend beyond the periphery of the metering tube. In operation, such a closure is conveniently arranged to open as a result of engagement of the flap extension, during rotation, against a fixed abutment. Preferably, the abutment is mounted on a discharge funnel of the apparatus.

Other features which may advantageously be incorporated in apparatus according to the invention are as follows: (i) The or each metering metering tube is mounted exchangeably within the metering drum. This feature enables tubes of different size to be used (especially different inlet diameter).

(ii) The or each metering tube is provided with an exchangeable metering beaker. In operation, granular material entering the inlet opening of a metering tube will in general fill the metering beaker, and the size of the beaker therefore regulates the amount of granular material dispensed from the metering tube.

(iii) The or each metering tube is provided with a control ring which is adjustably displaceable to cover a part of the inlet opening of the tube. The control ring may be locked in position as desired.

(iv) Provision of drive means for rotating the metering drum, preferably with a gearing device between the drive means and a drive shaft attached to the drum.

(v) A discharge funnel for granular material dispensed from the metering tube.

(vi) A flexible hose-piece having a telescopic tube and a distributor is associated with the funnel-shaped discharge vessel.

One form of apparatus according to the invention for dispensing granular material comprises a container, a metering drum, a metering device, a discharge device, a drive motor and the customary attachments, characterised in that the container is connected via a charging tube to the rotatably arranged metering drum in which one or more metering tubes are arranged which at their one head end have an opening arranged in the direction of rotation, and the opening of which at the other head end is provided with a moveable flap which, while the drum rotates, is opened on contact with a cross-bar which is attached at right-angles to the direction of movement of the metering tube in a funnel-shaped dis charge vessel.

Apparatus according to the invention makes possible, in an advantageous manner, an automatically metered dispensing of granular material, more especially granulated fertilising agents, which can thereby be applied to relatively small areas of soil in a technically simple manner. The apparatus is therefore especially useful in the so-called container businesses such as for example, tree nurseries and greenhouses, and is especially suitable for the after-fertilising of plants. The apparatus of the invention accordingly has commercial advantages that are not achieved by previously proposed devices.

Further advantages include a saving of granulate of up to 500% depending on the distance between plants, in avoiding contact with the granulate to be dispensed and in the possiblity of being able to treat plants even at their most difficult stage of development.

Furthermore, the relatively low weight of the apparatus, the uncomplicated manner of operation and the extraordinarily exact accuracy of metering should be emphasised.

Apparatus according to the invention can also be readily coupled to conventional automatic potting machines, the desired quantity of granulate simultaneously being added during each potting operation. It is also possible to combine the device with a second metering drum and to use a common discharge system.

In this case, synchronous working can be achieved by a control chain of the driven drum. In that manner, the possibility is offered of dispensing granulated fertilising agents together with other agents that can be granulated, for example plane-protection agents, without previously mixing them.

It will be appreciated that a ready-made mixture of granular materials can also be dispensed with advantage by means of apparatus according to the invention.

The apparatus of the invention is suitable, in general, for the metered dispensing of all agents that can be granulated, both for fine granulates and also for coarse granulates.

Preferably, however, the granulate diameter should not exceed 5 mm at the most.

A suitable metering drum is preferably a cylindrical container, advantageously made of inert plastics material, for example a polyvinyl chloride polymer. The content of the drum can be set as desired but in general should not, however, exceed an optimal filling quanitity of 250 g of granulate.

The drum is arranged rotatably and may for instance run on ball-bearings in a protective housing. Preferably, a drive shaft of the drum is connected via a conventional gearing device to a drive motor, for example a 6 V batterypowered electric motor. The motor is advantageously provided with a speed regulator and a multi-step switch, which has the advantage that the speed of operation can be adjusted to the desired rates.

Furthermore, the drum is advantageously provided with a closing device, preferably a screw cap in which advantageously also an inspection window is fitted.

On the wall of the drum there may be screw-threaded openings to receive the metering tubes.

The drum is preferably arranged for attachment to a carrying frame, for example consisting of aluminium tubing, and is then carried on the back by means of shoulder straps.

The metering tubes likewise consist advantageously of polyvinyl chloride polymer and are attached to the drum in such a manner that they can be changed, for example by means of a thread.

The metering tubes are generally tubular and are of any desired size, subject of course to matching the size of the drum. The first opening arranged at one end of the metering tube in the direction of rotation takes up granulate during the rotation operation, the second opening at the other end serves to dispense the granulate taken up. This dispensing takes place after the tube closure has been opened. In the case of a flap closure, the flap is advantageously operated by contact of a protruding plate portion of the flap with a cross-bar on the discharge funnel. Preferably, the closure is arranged to close again automatically after the dispensing has finished.

The desired quantity of granulate to be released can conveniently be adjusted by suitable selection of the diameter of the inlet opening of the metering tube. The appropriate diameters can be ascertained in suitable manner by pilot tests.

By appropriate changing of the metering tubes and different sizes of the opening, it is possible to change the metering range in a very short space of time.

Furthermore, a special advantage of the apparatus of the invention is that it can be made so as to be adjustable as desired to the dispensing of fine and coarse granulates having different grain sizes. A displaceable control ring attached (as hereinbefore described) to the metering tube at the level of the inlet opening and can partially cover that opening and therefore reduce it, serves this purpose, which is important for dispensing fine granulates.

It is likewise possible to regulate the speed of metering by an infinitely variable adjustment of the motor speed within the range of from, for example 20 to 40 metering operations per minute.

The granulate container, which is connected to the metering drum via a feed tube may have any desired size, but advantageously should be set only for a quantity of granulate of up to 8 kg in order not to overburden the user.

A funnel-shaped discharge vessel attached underneath the metering device is advantageously connected via a flexible hose-piece to a telescopic tube having a distributor, whereby the metered granulate can be applied in a controlled manner to the plants to be treated.

Finally, owing to its light-weight, construction, the apparatus is extraordinarily easy to operate and to transport, which offers special commercial advantages.

One form of dispensing apparatus according to the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, which are described below.

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a front view of the apparatus. In the Figure: (1) denotes the granulate container, (3) denotes the metering drum, (5) denotes a cross-bar for opening a closure flap (4) of the metering tube, (6) denotes the metering tube, and (7) denotes a discharge funnel.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the apparatus. In the Figure: (1) denotes the granulate container, (2) denotes the feed tube, (3) denotes the metering drum, (6) denotes the metering tubes, and (7) denotes the discharge funnel.

Figure 3 shows a side view of a metering tube (6). In The Figure: (4) denotes a spring-loaded closure, (8) denotes an exchangeable metering beaker, and (9) denotes a displaceable control ring.

("X") denotes the section that can be seen in Fig. 4.

Figure 4 shows the front view of the opening of the metering tube arranged in the direction of rotation (= section "X" of Fig. 3) In the Figure.

(9) denotes the displaceable ring, and (10) denotes the opening for scooping granulate, The apparatus shown in the drawings operates in the manner already described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing granular material, which comprises a supply container for granular material a rotatable metering drum, a conduit for feeding granular material from the supply container to the metering drum, and a metering device for dispensing metered quantities of granular material from the metering drum, wherein the metering device comprises one or more metering tubes, each of which is arranged within the metering drum so as to rotate therewith and has an inlet opening at or towards one end and an outlet opening at or towards its other end, the inlet opening being arranged to accept granular material during rotation of the metering drum and the outlet opening having a closure which is arranged to be opened upon further rotation of the metering tube into a dispensing position.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

wherein the closure is arranged to open by cooperation between a shaped portion on the closure and a corresponding fixed abutment on the apparatus.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fixed abutment comprises a projecting cross-bar.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the closure comprises a movable flap.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flap is larger than the outlet opening of the metering tube.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the closure flap is mounted pivotally on the metering tube.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the closure is arranged to open against the action of a restoring force.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the restoring force is provided by a spring.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the or each metering tube is mounted exchangeably within the metering drum.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the or each metering tube is provided with an exchangeable metering beaker.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1 0, in which the or each metering tube is provided with a control ring which is adjustably displaceable to cover a part of the inlet opening of the tube.

1 2. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, which includes drive means for rotating the metering drum.

1 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, which includes a gearing device between the drive means and a drive shaft attached to the metering drum.

1 4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, which includes a discharge funnel for granular material dispensed from the metering tube.

1 5. Apparatus as claimed in claims 2 and 14, wherein the abutment is mounted on the discharge funnel.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15, wherein a flexible hose-piece having a telescopic tube and a distributor is associated with the funnel-shaped discharge vessel.

1 7. Apparatus for dispensing granular material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

1 8. Apparatus for dispensing granular material which comprises a container, a metering drum, a metering device, a discharge device, a drive motor and the customary attachments, characterised in that the container is connected via a charging tube to the rotatably arranged metering drum in which one or more metering tubes are arranged which at their one head end have an opening arranged in the direction of rotation, and the opening of which at the other head end is provided with a moveable flap which, while the drum rotates, is opened on contact with a cross-bar which is attached at right-angles to the direction of movement of the metering tube in a funnel-shaped discharge vessel.

1 9. A method of dispensing granular fertiliser using apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18.