GB2180431A - Agricultural method - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves ploughing furrows in granular soil (e.g.sand) to a depth of at least 30cm using a plurality of plough blades and extruding fluid material into the soil at a depth of at least 30cm through extrusion nozzles towards the trailing edge of each plough blade. The extrusion nozzles are in communication with a source of the fluid material, which is preferably such that it can form a waterproof layer beneath a surface layer of the granular soil.

Description

SPECIFICATION Agricultural method The present invention is concerned with agricultural methods, and apparatustherefor.

Methods of ploughing, and equipmenttherefor, have been knownforavery longtime. I have developed an improved method of ploughing granular soil (such as sand or gravel), which enables a layer of useful material to be injected into the soil.

According to the invention, therefore, there is provided a method of ploughing granularsoil,which comprises ploughing a plurality of furrows to a depth of at least 30cm using a plurality of plough blades and extruding fluid material into said soil at said depth through extrusion nozzles disposed towards the trailing edge of each plough blade, said extrusion nozzles being in communication with a source of said fluid material.

The granular soil is typically of sand and the method according to the invention is particularly useful in ploughing desert sand, as will be explained in more detail below.

The plough blades are preferably sufficiently close togetherthatfluid material extruded from the vicinity ofthe trailing edge of one plough blade spreads (for example, laterally} and merges with fluid material extruded from the vicinity of the trailing edge of each adjacent plough blade so as to form a continuous layer of extruded material beneath the soil.

The fluid material extruded into the soil may be a liquid fertilizer such as agricultural waste (for exam- ple, cow scurry) or liquidised domestic refuse; alternatively, it may be a fluidised solid material (such as fluidised dry material in an airstream).In a particularly preferredembodimentofthe present invention, the fluid material is such that it can form a waterproof layer beneath surface layerofthe granular soil, for example, pulverised fly ash, compounded mortar, alkali puddled clay ora mixture of cement and water (as used in civil engineering grouting operations, for example) When the extrusion nozzles are disposed on the plough blades, there should, of course, be a feed for the fluid material through each plough blade to the respective extrusion nozzle.

The production of a continuous layer of waterproof material in this way enables a high water table to be obtained; the waterproof layer can prevent irrigation water percolating through the soil to a depth which is inaccessible to growing plant matter. This is believed to allow the possibility ofthe profitable use for agricultural or horticultural purposes of sand which would otherwise be unusable; already irrigated land can also be made more productive and profitable.

It is particularly preferred to add sewage and earthwormstothesurface layer of such sand, above thewaterproof layer, wherebythe sand can, in a relatively shorttime, with suitable irrigation, be converted to more satisfactory top soil.

In the method according to the invention, the fluid material is extruded art a depth of at least 30cm; however, few known ploughs can achieve a ploughing depth much in excess of 30cm. It is therefore preferred in the method according to the invention to inject fluid through nozzles disposed towards the leading edge of each plough blade, so thatthegranularsoil isfluidised in the vicinity ofthe leading edge. The fluidisation of the soil in this way acts to lowerthe resistance of the soil to passage ofthe plough blades; consequently, a greater depth offurrows can be achieved than in conventional ploughing methods.

Thisfluidisation is believed to be novel perse According to another aspect of the invention, therefore, there is provided a method of ploughing granular soil which comprises injecting fluid through nozzles disposed towards the leading edge of each plough blade so as to cause fluidisation ofthe soil in the vicinity of each leading edge. The fluid which is injected so as to fluidise the granular soil may be water, ora gas such as air.

Each plough blade used in the method according to the invention is preferably aerodynamically shaped, suchthatfluidisedgranulescan pass with minimal resistance around the respective plough blade.

The present invention has been described in terms of a method of ploughing; the invention further comprises apparatus suitable for use in performing the method according to the invention.

1. A method of ploughing granular soil, which comprises ploughing a plurality offurrows to a depth of at least 30cm using a plurality of plough blades and extruding fluid material into said soil at said depth through extrusion nozzles disposed towards the trailing edge of each plough blade, said extrusion nozzles being in communication with a source of said fluid material.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the granularsoil is of sand.

3. A method according to claim 1 or2, in which the plough blades are sufficiently close togetherthatfluid material extruded from the vicinity ofthe trailing edge of one plough blade spreads and merges with fluid material extruded from the vicinity ofthetrailing edge of each adjacent plough blade so astoform a continuous layerofextruded material beneath the soil.

4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the fluid material comprises fluidised solid material.

5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which thefluid material is such that it can form a waterproof layer beneath a surface layer of the granular soil.

6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the extrusion nozzles are disposed on the plough blades and a feed forfluid material passes through each plough blade.

7. A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, in which fluid is injected through nozzles disposed towards the leading edge of each blade.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.

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

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Agricultural method The present invention is concerned with agricultural methods, and apparatustherefor. Methods of ploughing, and equipmenttherefor, have been knownforavery longtime. I have developed an improved method of ploughing granular soil (such as sand or gravel), which enables a layer of useful material to be injected into the soil. According to the invention, therefore, there is provided a method of ploughing granularsoil,which comprises ploughing a plurality of furrows to a depth of at least 30cm using a plurality of plough blades and extruding fluid material into said soil at said depth through extrusion nozzles disposed towards the trailing edge of each plough blade, said extrusion nozzles being in communication with a source of said fluid material. The granular soil is typically of sand and the method according to the invention is particularly useful in ploughing desert sand, as will be explained in more detail below. The plough blades are preferably sufficiently close togetherthatfluid material extruded from the vicinity ofthe trailing edge of one plough blade spreads (for example, laterally} and merges with fluid material extruded from the vicinity of the trailing edge of each adjacent plough blade so as to form a continuous layer of extruded material beneath the soil. The fluid material extruded into the soil may be a liquid fertilizer such as agricultural waste (for exam- ple, cow scurry) or liquidised domestic refuse; alternatively, it may be a fluidised solid material (such as fluidised dry material in an airstream).In a particularly preferredembodimentofthe present invention, the fluid material is such that it can form a waterproof layer beneath surface layerofthe granular soil, for example, pulverised fly ash, compounded mortar, alkali puddled clay ora mixture of cement and water (as used in civil engineering grouting operations, for example) When the extrusion nozzles are disposed on the plough blades, there should, of course, be a feed for the fluid material through each plough blade to the respective extrusion nozzle. The production of a continuous layer of waterproof material in this way enables a high water table to be obtained; the waterproof layer can prevent irrigation water percolating through the soil to a depth which is inaccessible to growing plant matter. This is believed to allow the possibility ofthe profitable use for agricultural or horticultural purposes of sand which would otherwise be unusable; already irrigated land can also be made more productive and profitable. It is particularly preferred to add sewage and earthwormstothesurface layer of such sand, above thewaterproof layer, wherebythe sand can, in a relatively shorttime, with suitable irrigation, be converted to more satisfactory top soil. In the method according to the invention, the fluid material is extruded art a depth of at least 30cm; however, few known ploughs can achieve a ploughing depth much in excess of 30cm. It is therefore preferred in the method according to the invention to inject fluid through nozzles disposed towards the leading edge of each plough blade, so thatthegranularsoil isfluidised in the vicinity ofthe leading edge. The fluidisation of the soil in this way acts to lowerthe resistance of the soil to passage ofthe plough blades; consequently, a greater depth offurrows can be achieved than in conventional ploughing methods. Thisfluidisation is believed to be novel perse According to another aspect of the invention, therefore, there is provided a method of ploughing granular soil which comprises injecting fluid through nozzles disposed towards the leading edge of each plough blade so as to cause fluidisation ofthe soil in the vicinity of each leading edge. The fluid which is injected so as to fluidise the granular soil may be water, ora gas such as air. Each plough blade used in the method according to the invention is preferably aerodynamically shaped, suchthatfluidisedgranulescan pass with minimal resistance around the respective plough blade. The present invention has been described in terms of a method of ploughing; the invention further comprises apparatus suitable for use in performing the method according to the invention. CLAIMS

1. A method of ploughing granular soil, which comprises ploughing a plurality offurrows to a depth of at least 30cm using a plurality of plough blades and extruding fluid material into said soil at said depth through extrusion nozzles disposed towards the trailing edge of each plough blade, said extrusion nozzles being in communication with a source of said fluid material.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the granularsoil is of sand.

3. A method according to claim 1 or2, in which the plough blades are sufficiently close togetherthatfluid material extruded from the vicinity ofthe trailing edge of one plough blade spreads and merges with fluid material extruded from the vicinity ofthetrailing edge of each adjacent plough blade so astoform a continuous layerofextruded material beneath the soil.

4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the fluid material comprises fluidised solid material.

5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which thefluid material is such that it can form a waterproof layer beneath a surface layer of the granular soil.

6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the extrusion nozzles are disposed on the plough blades and a feed forfluid material passes through each plough blade.

7. A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, in which fluid is injected through nozzles disposed towards the leading edge of each blade.

The claims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patents Rules 1982.