GB2181031A

GB2181031A - Overhead spraying system for greenhouses

Info

Publication number: GB2181031A
Application number: GB08524383A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Witter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-10-03
Filing date: 1985-10-03
Publication date: 1987-04-15
Also published as: GB8524383D0

Abstract

A spraying system comprising a pair of suspended wires 1, 2, a spray head 8 supported on a carriage free to run along the wires, and a hose 10 connected to the spray head. The hose is played out between rows of a crop to be sprayed so that only the hose end is lifted off the ground where it extends up to the carriage. The hose is then pulled in by a rotating drum at a continuous rate as fluid is supplied through the hose at a continuous rate. The operator then knows precisely the amount of fluid dispensed per unit area. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Spraying System The present invention relates to a spraying system, and in particular to a spraying system which may be used to spray crops in green houses.

Many crops such as lettuce are now grown in large green houses. To meet the required quality standards such crops must not only receive carefully controlled quantities of water and nutrient but most also be protected against damage due to fungal growth or insect attack. Despite the best efforts of the green house operator it is not unusual for a crop of lettuce to require spraying five oc six times over the course of the development of a crop.

Spraying sometimes has to be very carefully controlled as to its direction so that both surfaces of a lettuce leaf arse thoroughly soaked by for example a fungicide. It is difficult to achieve the necessary accuracy in terms of the amount of spray delivered to a given area of crop and in terms of the direction of delivery of the spray.

It is conventional practice to apply fungicides and the like to a green house crop using a spraying unit comprising a fungicide container which is carried on an operatives back and a pump which pressurises the content of the container and forces it from an appropriate spray head mounted at the end of a lance. As mentioned above it is difficult to ensure that the spray is delivered in the required direction and in the required quantities and addition it is a labour intensive operation in which the operatives are exposed to the fluid being sprayed unless they take considerable care and wear protective clothing.

With a view to reducing the amount of labour required it has been proposed to deliver spray to green house crops using a hose system. The operative moves along a row of the crop in question dragging the hose behind him hopefully between two adjacent rows of the crop. It can prove difficult to drag a relatively heavy hose through the crop without causing damage and this arrangement does not solve the problem of ensuring that the crops receive an even dosage of spray in a predetermined direction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spray system which obviates or mitigates the above problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a spraying system comprising at least one suspended wire, a spray head supported on a carriage free to run along said at least one wire, a hose connected to the spray head, and means for connecting the hose to a supply of fluid under pressure, whereby fluid can be dispensed from a supply of pressurised fluid to the area beneath the said at least one wire by pulling the hose so as to pull the carriage along the said at least one wire.

Preferably a pair of parallel suspended wires are provided with a gantry supported at its opposite ends on respective wires.

The force that has to be exerted to pull a gantry supporting for example a spray bar along a suspended wire track is relatively small. A hose can be played out between rows of a crop to be sprayed so that only its end is lifted off the ground where it extends up to the gantry. The hose can then be pulled in by a rotating drum at a continuous rate as fluid is supplied through the hose at a continuous rate. The operator then knows precisely the amount of fluid dispensed per unit area and also the direction in which the fluid is dispensed.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a carriage supported on a pair of wires in a system in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a support bracket for a wire of a system in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 3 illustrates a hose reel support and drive mechanism for a system in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the illustrated arrangement is shown without any support for the wires of the system. In practice the wires will generally be strung from the roof of a green house. Most commercial green houses now have spans of either 10' 6" for 21' and accordingly provide convenient supports for suspended brackets at regular spacings.

Accordingly suspended brackets can be used to easily suspend a pair of parallel wires from the ceiling structure of the green house.

In Fig. 1, two wires 1, 2 are shown which will be supported from the green house roof so as to extend parallel to rows 3 of crops such as lettuce.

The wires support a carriage comprising four wheels 4 supported at the end of frame members 5.

Each frame member 5 supports a depending legs 6 connected by a cross member 7. A spray bar 8 is suspended from the bottom ends of the leg 6. The spray. bar will have typically eight spray nozzles spaced apartat420 mm intervals.

The spray bar 8 supports a tubular inlet 9 to which a hosepipe 10 is connected. Only the weight of the very end of the hose 10 is supported by the spray bar 8 as most of the hose 10 simply lies on the earth between two rows of the crop.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the illustrated bracket is suitable for supporting the wires 1,2 of Fig. 1. The bracket is secured by bolts (not shown) to the underside of the green house structure. The bracket comprises a flange 11 which is bolted to the green house structure, a downwardly extending leg 12 and a wire support defining a V-shaped slot 13. The wire is simply placed in the V-shaped slot 13 and retained therein by its own weight. Thus the carriage can pass the supporting bracket without being impeded.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the illustrated arrangement is suitable for connection to the other end of the hose 10 (Fig. 1). An end plate 14 is drilled to enable a conventional hose reel (not shown) to be bolted thereto. The hose supported on the hose reel is connected to a tube 15 which extends through an aperture 16 in a tubular member 17 and communicates with a swivel joint 18. Pressurized fluid is delivered to the end 19 of the swivel joint, the other end 20 of the swivel joint rotating with the tube 15 and the end plate 14. The assembly is supported on rollers 21.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the system is used by manually pulling the carriage along the wires to the end of the row of crop remote from the assembly of Fig. 3. Fluid is then supplied through tube 15 to the hose 10 and the end plate 14 is rotated at a steady speed so that the hose 10 is pulled along the ground and drags behind it the carriage of Fig. 1. By maintaining a continuous supply of pressurised fluid to the hose and then pulling in the hose at a steady rate a predetermined amount of fluid can be delivered to each unit area of the crop. Appropriate design and adjustment to the spray bar enables the fluid to be delivered to the crop in the desired direction.

It will be appreciated that the assembly of Fig. 3 can be driven by a suitable power supply so as to maintain a continuous pulling rateforthe hose 10.

Claims

1. A spraying system comprising at least one suspended wire, a spray head supported on a carriage free to run along said at least one wire, a hose connected to the spray head, and means for connecting the hose to a supply of fluid under pressure, whereby fluid can be dispersed from a supply of pressurised fluid to the area beneath the said at least one wire by pulling the hose so as to pull the carriage along the said at least one wire.

2. A spraying system according to claim 1, wherein a pair of parallel suspended wires are provided, the carriage comprising a gantry supported at its opposite ends on respective wires.

3. A spraying system according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a rotating drum for pulling in the hose at a continuous rate and means for supplying fluid to the hose at a continuous rate.

4. A spraying system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.