GB2159244A

GB2159244A - Fertilizer container for irrigation implements or systems

Info

Publication number: GB2159244A
Application number: GB08511655A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gianfranco Roman; Oliviano Spadotto
Original assignee: Claber SpA
Current assignee: Claber SpA
Priority date: 1984-05-17
Filing date: 1985-05-08
Publication date: 1985-11-27
Also published as: AU578693B2; GB2159244B; AU4246585A; FR2564277B3; ES286797U; GB8511655D0; IT8421833V0; ZA853480B; DE8514693U1; FR2564277A3; ES286797Y

Abstract

The fertilizer container consists of a bottle-shaped receptacle (1) having inlet and outlet openings (3, 2). The inlet opening (3) is provided with an automatic non-return valve (8) comprising a valve element (10) formed by a fixed external ring (15) and by a movable internal disc (17) connected to the external ring (15) by two diametrally opposite flexible tabs (18), which allow the momentary deformation of the movable disc (17) when the inlet opening (3) is fed with a water flow coming from the water supply system, while preventing any opposite flow. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fertilizer container for irrigation implements or systems The present invention relates to a container for fertilizer in solid, powdered or tablet form for irrigation implements or systems for example for gardens.

The need to provide irrigation for gardens, mixing fertilizing substances with the ordinary irrigation water is known.

For this purpose, several types of mixing devices have appeared on the market recently.

Such devices provide, on the one hand, a housing for the fertilizing substance and, on the other hand, require the water to pass through said holder to lick against and thus mix itself with said substance.

In particular, there are fertilizer containers in the form of a usually transparent bottle which by means of threaded end openings can be inserted in an irrigation water supply line such as a flexible hose to allow the fertilizing substance contained therein to undergo the effect of removal and entrainment due to the flow of water passing freely in the line.

An evident necessity of said fertilizer containers is obviously to not obstruct the normal flow of water generated by the supply system but at the same time to absolutely prevent reverse flow of the fertilizer toward the water system.

To fulfill this need, a container for bottled fertilizer which is the object of a previous patent application of the same applicant includes an automatic non-return valve which is associated with the inlet opening turned toward the water supply system and consisting basically of a fixed anular washer and a parallel valve element for opening and closing the internal hole of the washer, said valve element being formed of a fixed external ring abutted on said washer and by a movable internal disc which has a diameter larger than that of the internal hole of the washer and is bound to said external washer by a single flexible radial tab which allows it to accomplish an opening and closing movement depending on whether there is water flow from the water supply system or a reflux toward the water supply system.

Said bottle container has met with clear acceptance by customers mainly due to its convenience of use in any irrigation system and at any point thereof.

The object of the present invention is now to further improve said container, preserving its general features but equipping it with a perfected automatic non-return valve which makes even surer the stopping of any reflux tendency of the water and fertilizer.

According to the invention said object is achieved by a fertilizer container consisting of a bottle-shaped receptacle having an inlet opening connectable to a water supply and an outlet opening connectable to a water delivery device, said inlet opening being fitted with an automatic non-return valve designed to allow flow of water from said water supply to said receptacle but not vice versa, said non-return valve including a fixed anular washer with an axial internal hole and a parallel valve element formed by a fixed external ring and a movable internal disc for opening and closing of the internal hole of said washer, characterized in that said disc is made of flexible material and is bound to said external ring by two diametrically opposite flexible tabs which hold said internal disc together but allow its momentary deformation under the pressure of a flow of water coming from the water supply system.

Compared with the abovementioned previous model, the fertilizer container according to the invention is distinguished essentially by the flexible material used for the movable internal disc of the valve element and by its being fastened to the more rigid fixed external ring by two flexible tabs rather than one.

As a result the movable disc is always normally and surely in closed position except in the presence of strong water pressure from the water supply system. This means absolute certainty of preventing any reflux of water and fertilizer toward the water supply system.

An example of a practical embodiment of the fertilizer container according to the invention is illustrated for greater clarity in the annexed drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows an axial section of the container; Figures 2 and 3 show plan views of the two elements comprising the automatic non-return valve included in the container of Fig. 1.

The container shown in the drawings consists of a receptacle in the shape of a transparent plastic truncated cone bottle providing at one end a narrow outlet opening 2 with external threads 6 for coupling by means of an appropriate union of known type to a flexible hose, to an irrigator or to any other water delivery device.

The other end of the receptacle 1 provides a large inlet opening 3 through which can be introduced the desired fertilizer in solid, powdered or tablet form. To said inlet opening 3 is screwed a cap 4 which is in turn fitted with a narrow inlet fitting 5 provided with internal threading 7 for direct or indirect coupling to a water supply system.

Inside said inlet fitting 5 is inserted an automatic non-return valve 8 made up of parallel flattened elements 9 and 10 mounted together. The element 9 consists of an anular washer 11 as shown in Fig. 2 pierced by an axial hole 1 2 and having radial denticles 1 3 for holding it in place by interference with an internal anular ribbing 14 of the inlet fitting 5.The element 10, which comprises the actual valve element, is formed as shown in Fig. 3 by a fixed substantially rigid rubber external ring 1 5 held between said ribbing 14 and a shoulder 1 6 of the inlet fitting 5 and by a flexible rubber internal disc 1 7 having a diameter greater than that of the internal axial hole of the washer 11 and bound to said external ring 1 5 by two diametrically opposite flexible tabs 18. Said tabs normally hold the disc 1 7 in a position closing the axial hole 1 2 at the same time allowing momentary deformation of same toward the interior of the receptacle 1 by the opening of said hole 1 2 when so stressed.

By the effect of said non-return valve a normal flow of irrigating water coming from the water supply system in the direction indicated by arrow A of Fig. 1 can enter the receptacle 1, causing the disc 1 7 to bend momentarily under its pressure, to lick the fertilizing substance contained therein and then flow out in the form of a mixture through the outlet opening 2 indicated by arrow B in Fig. 1.

Any hazardous reflux of water and fertilizer toward the water supply is prevented with certainty by said disc 1 7 which when the pressure from the water supply system ceases is returned automatically to the closed position shown in Fig. 1 where it rests firmly against the anular washer 11, sealing the passage 12.

Claims

1. Fertilizer container for irrigation implements or systems comprising a bottle-shaped receptacle having an inlet opening connectable to a water supply and an outlet opening connectable to a water delivery device, said inlet opening being fitted with an automatic non-return valve designed to allow water flow from said water supply system to said receptacle but not vice versa, said non-return valve including a fixed anular washer with an axial internal hole and a parallel valve element formed by a fixed external ring and by a movable internal disc for opening and closing the internal hole of said washer, characterized in that said internal disc is made of flexible material and is bound to said external ring by two diametrically opposite flexible tabs which hold together said internal disk but allow its momentary deformation under the pressure of a flow of water coming from the water supply system.

2. Fertilizer container according to claim 1, characterized in that said external ring and said internal disc of said valve element are made respectively of relatively rigid rubber and relatively flexible rubber.

3. Fertilizer container according to claim 1 characterized in that said inlet opening is provided with a removable external cap located to close an inlet opening of said receptacle and through which a fertilizing substance may be loaded.

4. Fertilizer container according to claim characterized in that said inlet and outlet openings have threads for coupling to the water supply system and to the delivery device.

5. Fertilizer container according to claim characterized in that said receptacle is made of transparent plastic material.

6. A fertilizer container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.