IE930725A1 - Apparatus for injecting slurry into the ground - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an apparatus for injecting slurry such as animal manure slurry, liquid blood and the like slurries/liquids of waste products, into the ground.

Apparatus for injecting slurry into the ground is not new and different constructions of apparatus have been on the market for a number of years. These basically comprise a chassis which in use is operatively associated with a tractor and slurry tank and is usually mounted on the rear of the slurry tank when such tank is towed by or mounted on the rear of the tractor. The chassis has mounted thereon a plurality of injectors which are adapted in use to both penetrate the ground and deliver slurry into the penetrated ground. Slurry is delivered to the injectors from the slurry tank through a pipe connected between the tank and a macerator mounted on the chassis and then through a plurality of flexible hose pipes connected between a plurality of outlets from the macerator and the injectors. Each injector has associated with it a cutting disc rotatably mounted on the chassis and adapted in use to cut into the ground to form a slot in the ground into which the injector may penetrate and into which the slurry may be injected. Closing wheels, also mounted on the chassis rearward of the injectors, may be provided to close the formed slot following the delivery of slurry into the slot. Each disc may be fitted with a pair of adjustable L93 0 7 2 5 slides which are mounted on the chassis and which can be set relative to the disc to limit the depth into the ground of the formed slot.

It will be appreciated that when an injector is in the ground, the injector feed pipe which is a flexible hose pipe, must be open to allow slurry be delivered to the injector and into the ground. Further, when the injector is out of the ground the feed pipe must be closed to avoid unwanted spreading of slurry. In the known machines this is usually achieved by having a feed pipe closing means which comprises a hydraulically activated clamp mechanism which consists of two parallel clamp members which embrace the feed pipe one each side thereof.

Movement of the clamp members under the influence of a hydraulic ram towards each other acts to pinch the flexible feed pipe sufficiently to close the said pipe. A reverse movement of the clamp members away from each other, under the influence of a spring when the hydraulic ram is deactivated opens the feed pipe. The hydraulic rams used are normally controlled from the tractor and this usually requires the provision of additional hydraulic services to those hydraulic services normally available on a tractor since the number of hydraulic rams to be controlled is now substantially higher than usual. The hydraulic rams used are generally of a small size and in practice it has been found that due to the normal high pressure in the hydraulic system when in use, the small sized hydraulic rams are subject to leakage. In some instances if the leakage is not observed in time substantial drainage of the hydraulic system can occur with potentially dangerous consequences.

L»3 0 7 2 5 An apparatus usually has twelve injectors provided by having six injector units each having two injectors. The units are mounted in equally spaced apart locations along the rearward side of the chassis. Each unit incorporates a spring which has the function of spring loading the unit for the protection of the discs and injectors. The spring, which is usually a coil spring although flat springs have been used, allows each unit to ride over an obstacle such as a stone, without damage to the unit and without effecting the other units. In most apparatus already on the market the mounting of the coil spring in the unit is at an angle to the vertical. There are two adverse consequences, first, one does not achieve maximum downward pressure through the spring and, second, the spring has a marked tendency to distort with the result that the spring does not perform efficiently.

The present invention is directed towards providing an apparatus which overcomes some of the known disadvantages of the known apparatus by providing an apparatus for injecting slurry into the ground, comprising an injection unit having an injector head which is fed by a slurry feed pipe and is biased downwardly by a coil spring, the injection unit being mounted for bringing into contact with the ground for penetration of the ground by the injector head and raising out of contact with the ground, the apparatus further including closure means for the feed pipe which automatically opens the feed pipe when the injector head is in the ground and the coil spring is under compression and closes the feed pipe when the injector head is out of the ground and the coil spring compression is relaxed.

The invention will be understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: SO725' Fig 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of the present invention shown connected for towing at the rear of a slurry tank mounted on the rear of a tractor; Fig. 2 is a front view of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the macerator used with the apparatus; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of the present embodiment with the feed pipe to the injector in a closed position; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of an injector unit of the present embodiment with the feed pipe to an injector in an open position; and Fig. 6 is a front view of an apparatus according to the present embodiment in which the feed to the macerator is through the top of the macerator.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings the apparatus shown is adapted for mounting at the rear of a slurry tanker which in use is towed behind or mounted on the rear of a tractor. The apparatus consists of a chassis having a cross member 10 with two convergent inclined struts 11 and 12 connected at their lower end to the cross member 10 and supporting at their respective upper ends 13 and 14 to a framework 15 which locates and supports a macerator 16. The cross member 17 of the framework 15 has secured thereto a centrally located bracket 18. A conventional towing framework consisting of horizontal bars on which are mounted converging vertical struts 20 and a bracket 21 is provided. The bars 19 are pivotally connected between the rear towing brackets 22 of a wheeled mounted slurry tank 23 and brackets 10a on the cross member 10, while the bracket 21 is pivotally connected by an adjustable link bar 24 to the bracket 18. The slurry tank 23 has a bracket 26 upon which is mounted a hydraulic ram 25,the free end of the piston rod 25a being connected to the bracket 18. The hydraulic ram 25 in use acts to lift and lower the apparatus on the towing framework out of and into contact with the ground.

The slurry tank 23 supplies slurry through a flexible connector pipe 28 (see figure 2), a stone trap 29 and a feed pipe 27 to a base inlet 53 of the macerator 16. The feed pipe 29 is mounted on the cross member 10 for support.

Forward of the cross member 10 there is securely mounted on the cross member 10 injection unit support bars 35. Egually spaced apart across the cross member 10 the support bars 35 locate and hold in position six injection units. Each injection unit comprises a pair of support brackets 36 to the free ends 36a of which are secured link bars 37 which carry at the free ends thereof injector heads 33. Intermediate the ends of the link bars 37 and directly in front of the injector heads 33 are cutting discs 38 rotatably mounted on shaft 38a mounted in bearings on the link bars 37.

On each side of each disc 38 are slide bars 39 pivotally and adjustably mounted on the link bars 37 at 40 to provide a depth control means to limit the depth of slot formed in the ground by the cutting discs 38. Each injection unit, which carries two injector heads 33 and two associated cutting discs 38, is spring loaded by means of a coil spring ►930725 41. Each link bar 37 is biased downwardly by the coil spring 41 acting on the link bars 37 and a lug 41a on the bracket 36, so that when the injection unit is brought into contact with the ground the injector heads 33 penetrate the ground in the slots left by the cutting discs 38.

Each injection unit may swivel on the frame 10 about a vertical axis. A vertical pin (not shown) upon which the injection unit may so swivel locates in aligned holes in the frame 10, the bracket 36 and the support bars 35. This swivel action of each injection unit is necessary to allow each injection unit to accommodate for example stones in the ground and/or turning of corners by the apparatus.

The mounting of each unit on support bars 35 in front of the cross member 10 ensures that the discs and injector heads are as close as possible to the rear of the tank 23.

In practice when the hydraulic ram 25 is activated to lower the injection units into contact with the ground one is applying maximum available downward pressure to the injection units. This orientation of the injection units also allows for a substantially vertical orientation of the axis of the coil spring 41 in each injection unit when the latter is in contact with the ground. This is shown clearly in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. This vertical mounting of the coil spring 41 avoids distortion of the coil spring 41 under pressure and allows one to achieve efficient spring performance.

Mounted at the injector head end of the link bars 37 in each injection unit is a feed pipe closure means 42, figures 4 and 5. This consists of a plate bracket 45 upon which are slidably mounted two clamp bars 43 and 44 disposed one on each side of the feed pipe 32, a spring 46 being mounted on said plate bracket 45 between the clamp bars 43 and 44 to bias them apart.

A cable 47 is adjustably connected to the top end of the bracket 36 by a clip 48. The cable extends down over a guide bar 49 through an aperture in the plate bracket 45 and is connected to the clamp bar 44. When the injector head 33 is engaged in the ground the coil spring 41 is in compression and the cable 47 is slack and exerting no influence on the clamp bars 43 and 44. The spring 46 therefore exerts pressure on the clamp bars 43 and 44 to force them apart and allow the feed pipe 32 revert to an open position to deliver slurry to the injector head 33. However, when the coil spring 41 is in an extended or more relaxed position with the injector head 33 clear of the ground as shown in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings the cable 47 is drawn taut and the clamp bars 43 and 44 are drawn together to pinch the feed pipe 32 and to close the pipe.

The feed pipe closure means is therefore such as to operate automatically as the injector head penetrates the ground and as the injector is removed from the ground to open and close respectively the feed pipe to the injector head.

It is the action of the coil spring and the associated downward and upward movement of the link bar 37 which relaxes and extends respectively the cable 47 to move the clamp bars 43, 44 to feedpipe opening and a feedpipe closing position respectively. No control from the tractor cab is involved and no additional hydraulic services are required.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings the masceration 16 is of a similar construction to the mascerator as described and illustrated in my British Patent Specification GB 2 251 166 A which describes and claims my invention relating to a slurry tank mounted band spreader.

The mascerator comprises a cylindrical casing 50 with a base 51 and a cover 52. The base has a centrally located inlet 53 and a plurality of spaced apart discharge outlets 54 arranged in a circle in the peripheral area of the base 51. A - 8 »30725 removable base plate 55 having a complimentary number of apertures 56 to the discharge outlets 54 in the base 51 is also provided. A slurry distribution member 57 is also provided, the distribution member 57 being rotatably mounted on a substantially vertical axis in the casing 50 and having a peripheral edge 58 in a slidable engagement with the base plate 55. The edge 58 has two opposite apertures 58a which, as the member 57 is rotated, come into register successively with opposite pairs of the apertures 56 in the base plate 55 and the discharge outlets 54 in the base 51. The distribution member 57 is driven by a hydraulic motor 59 mounted on the cover 52.

Slurry from the slurry tank 23 is delivered to the mascerator 16 by pipes 27, 28 and the stone trap 29 and fed to the distribution member 57 through the inlet 53 in the base 51 of the mascerator 16. The distribution member 57 is driven by the hydraulic motor 59 at a constant speed and delivers the slurry to the discharge outlets 54. The rotation of the distribution member 57 in conjunction with the provision of shaped cutters at the opening 58a in each edge portion 58, which combine with the base plate 55, serves to chop and cut any solid or fibrous material in the slurry into small pieces before the slurry passes to the discharge outlets 54. Since the distribution member 57 which delivers the slurry through the discharge outlets 54 only feeds two outlets 54 at any given time a pulsating effect is created which assists in eliminating any blockages in the discharge outlets 54.

A flexible plastics hose 31 is connected to each mascerator discharge outlet 54 and delivers slurry from each outlet 54 to a flexible feed hose 32 connected to an injector head 33.

Referring to Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a second embodiment of the apparatus. In this embodiment a mascerator of a construction as described in German Patent Specification No. DE 8910777.2 is used. In this case the pipe(s) connection ( 27, 28, 29) from the slurry tank 23 feeds the slurry into the mascerator 16 through the cover 52. The distribution member 54 is driven by a hydraulic motor 61 mounted on the base plate 51. The operation of the apparatus is otherwise exactly the same as described hereinbefore in relation to the first embodiment.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus for injecting slurry into the ground, 5 comprising an injection unit having an injector head which is fed by a slurry feed pipe and is biased downwardly by a coil spring, the injection unit being mounted for bringing into contact with the ground for penetration of the ground by the injector head and raising out of contact with the ground, the 10 apparatus further including closure means for the feed pipe which automatically opens the feed pipe when the injector head is in the ground and the coil spring is under compression and closes the feed pipe when the injector head is out of the ground and the coil spring compression is 15 relaxed.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure means comprises a pair of members disposed one on each side of the feed pipe which move relatively towards one another to 20 pinch and close the pipe when the injection unit is raised out of contact with the ground and which move relatively away from one another to open the pipe when the injection unit is brought into contact with the ground. 25

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein movement of the members is controlled by linkage of which one end is connected to one of the members and the other is connected to a part of the injection unit relative to which the injector head moves under the bias of the coil spring.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the linkage comprises a cable or the like.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein 35 when the injection unit is in contact with the ground the axis of the coil spring is at least approximately vertical. ί Μ

6. Apparatus for injecting slurry into the ground, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.