KR20000022055A - Hand held motor driven applicators - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device is provided for a hand held motor driven applicator for apply liquids particularly weedicides selectively to undesired plants in a field, garden, crop. CONSTITUTION: The hand held motor driven applicators include: a motor (12); a rotor assembly(22) including a rotatable wick support (41) having one or more applicator wicks (45) attached thereto, the rotor assembly (22) being supported for rotation, in use, about a vertical axis (43) by support means (18); drive means (23) operatively connected to the motor (12) and the rotor assembly (22) for transferring rotary drive from the motor (12) to the rotor assembly (22); storage means (26)in liquid communication with one or more applicator wicks (45) for storing a quantity of liquid for supplying one or more wicks (45) with liquid while the rotor assembly (22) is rotating; and an elongate handle (15) operatively connected to the support means (18) by which a user may maintain the rotor assembly (22) proximal to the surface of the field, garden or crop, whereupon the applicator wicks (45) may apply liquid to selected plants upon contact. The drive means includes the drive cable connected to rotor assembly through deceleration means.

Description

Handheld Motorized Sprayers

Mechanical applicator wicks for managing plants grown over large acres of land are described in Steven's International Patent Application PCT / AU85 / 00039 and PCT / AU95 / 00065 of Weidberg Pitiwai Limited. This mechanical form includes a relatively large number of rotor assemblies mounted on a frame for towing each rotor assembly driven by an embedded hydraulic motor behind the tractor. This mechanical form is very effective for managing plants / weeds grown on large acre or roadside sites but is not suitable for use in very hard places such as under fences, ditches and dams, other dikes and hills. Weeds or other plants grown in are managed by the use of a motor driven manual brush cutter or brush hook.

In many cases weed and grass growth is not effectively managed by brush cutters and can be recycled after cutting at a greater rate than plants, requiring regular treatment. On the other hand, selectively removing the weeds by chemical treatment covers the plants by leaving the dried weeds as they are.

Portable equipment for the selective chemical treatment of weeds is sometimes available, but this facility allows the user to flush selected plants with a fixed wick that draws chemicals from the reservoir. However, this facility requires the user to flush the wick for several hours throughout the plant to effectively supply chemicals to kill the plant. In addition, such a facility is required to individually select plants to be killed by workers, and is not suitable for managing weeds scattered widely on plants throughout the area. On the other hand, such equipment is not particularly suitable for selectively managing plants according to their height. One-way rotary spreaders may cause meshing of the spreader with trees or other fixtures in the field, so the user must flush the plant being treated with the wick. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable motor-driven spreader capable of achieving chemical management of plants in a relatively small area by selectively supplying herbicides to weeds. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable motor-driven spreader that is effective for use throughout a field, garden or crop so that a user can supply chemicals to all plants above a predetermined height. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sparger that reliably supplies liquid to the plant to be treated. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be described in detail below.

(Yang of invention)

The invention is broadly applicable to portable motor-driven spreaders for selectively supplying liquid, in particular herbicides, to weeds in fields, garden plants, crops, and the like, comprising a rotatable wick support having a motor, one or more spreader wicks. And a rotor assembly supported by the support means to rotate about a vertical axis, drive means connected to the motor and the rotor assembly to transfer rotational drive from the motor to the rotor assembly, the one when the rotor assembly is rotated. The spreader wick is selected with storage means associated with the one or more spreader wicks for storing herbicides to be supplied to the wick, and a long handle connected to the support means to allow a user to maintain the rotor assembly at the surface base of the field. Supplying herbicides in contact with the field That can be characterized.

In one aspect of the invention, the motor is a high speed internal combustion engine mounted at an end of an elongated handle away from the drive means, the drive means being incorporated in the elongated handle and connected to the rotor assembly via a deceleration means or It includes a cable. However, in another form of the invention, the motor is a battery powered electric motor, mounted at the end of the handle away from the rotor assembly and mounted at the bottom of the long handle adjacent to the rotor assembly, wherein the battery power source is supplied to the sprayer. Mounted at the other end of the elongated handle to provide balance, the battery power source is connected to the motor with a suitable electrical conductor or wire. If a large battery powered motor is required it can also be mounted at the end of the long handle away from the rotor assembly to balance the device and the battery pack can be supported by the operator's belt or pack and connected by suitable wires or the like. It is done. Typically, the wick of the rotor assembly effectively supplies liquid chemicals to the weeds and the grass using an internal combustion engine at a rotational speed of about 300 rpm, and the deceleration means is adapted to maintain the motor size at an appropriate minimum value to facilitate transportation. Required to provide a 12: 1 or greater deceleration rate. Similar studies have been made in electric motors and battery packs with deceleration means provided to keep the motor size to the desired minimum. However, the device according to the present invention has the capacity to operate for longer periods of time than a motorized brush cutter because the wick simply rubs against the plant, requiring a small power source, and the outer layer of the plant stem or leaf completely It is better to cut out than to cut. The spreader wicks increase the rate of death of plant stems or leaves, and herbicides are more effectively supplied to the broken outer husk. Thus, low power requirements require battery-powered spreaders to manage weeds and grasses. Motor-driven brush cutters are optionally available.

Preferably, the rotor assembly includes a concentrically mounted shaft that stands up from the rotatable wick support when in use, the shaft being rotatably supported by an embedded auxiliary bearing or journal, the motor and the rotor A driving force is transmitted to the rotor assembly by an angle driver coupled to the assembly and offset from the concentrically mounted shaft. Suitably, the offset of the angle driver allows the storage means to be connected to the rotor assembly or coupled to the rotatable wick support for rotation about the vertical axis.

Preferably, the support means is a housing containing the rotatable wick support, the rotatable wick support rotatably supported by the housing, the concentric having a central hub having a chamber provided with the storage means The mounted shaft is a large diameter thin wall hollow stub shaft integral with the top wall of the central hub, the stub shaft being journaled in an auxiliary sleeve embedded in the rotor housing. In this form of the invention, the device is provided with a hole formed in the center of the hub where the filler hose can be engaged about the hollow stub shaft or through a ring gear on the rotor assembly on the shaft and through the top hollow opening of the stub shaft. It may be provided across a reservoir or reservoir formed in the hub which may be provided. This arrangement also has the advantage of facilitating the filling of the storage means from above the rotor assembly.

Preferably, the storage means is vented to maintain atmospheric pressure during operation of the spreader. In a preferred form, the vent arrangement comprises a small diameter tube or passageway through which fluid surrounds and expands the storage means adjacent the upper end and communicates with its inner end and opens at its other end to the atmosphere. This arrangement prevents the discharge of liquid from the storage means through the vent if the sparger is operated in an inclined arrangement or stored in this arrangement, for example if the axis of rotation of the rotor assembly is horizontal.

In another aspect of the invention, it is widely applicable to portable motor-driven spreaders for selectively supplying liquids, in particular herbicides, to weeds in fields, garden plants, crops, and the like, rotating with motors, one or more spreader wicks A rotor assembly comprising a possible wick support and supported by the support means to rotate about a vertical axis, the rotor assembly being in communication with the one or more spreader wicks for storing herbicides for feeding the one or more wicks when the rotor assembly is rotated. A long handle connected to the support means to hold the rotor assembly close to the center of the plant so that the sprayer wick contacts the selected plant and supplies herbicide to the surface of the storage means, field, garden or crop from the motor Rotational drive to the rotor assembly. A drive means, a lower portion and an upper portion, connected to the motor and the rotor assembly for reaching, comprising a drive shaft or cable embedded in the elongated handle and operably connected to the rotor assembly via a deceleration means; Is a disc shaped cup-shaped central recess, the upper portion of which is fixed to the lower portion so as to form a chamber between the upper portion and the lower portion, the chamber forming the storage means, and at least one hole is a wall in the recess portion. Wherein the at least one spreader wick extends from the recess toward the periphery of the lower portion, wherein a portion of the at least one spreader wick passes individually through each hole and is held by tapered detents It is done.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the embodiments of the invention described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to a portable motor-driven spreader for herbicide supply for selectively removing weeds in fields, gardens, crops, and the like.

1, 2 and 3 are partial perspective views of a spreader head assembly of a spreader according to the present invention;

4 is a cross-sectional view of a spreader according to the present invention using the spreader head assembly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a chuck used in the spreader of FIG. 6; FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another duster according to the present invention taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 8; FIG. And

7, 8 and 9 are cross-sectional, top and side views showing a molded plastic lead or top of the rotor assembly of the spreader of FIG. 6.

The handheld motorized spreader 10 is spaced from the head assembly at regular intervals and is powered from two small stroke petrol engines 12 which transmit rotational drive through the drive shaft 13 and the angular driver 14. And a duster head assembly 11, the shaft being embedded in a hollow tube 15 whose upper end is fixed to the engine frame and whose lower end is fixed to the housing 17 of the angular actuator. The form of the engine, drive shaft, shaft housing and angular drive is used in portable motorized brush cutters. The angular actuator housing is fixed to the spreader in turn via the housing 18, which can be raised and lowered and the user can tilt it to the desired inclination by holding the spreader by the handles 19 and 21 provided on the engine and the hollow tube 15 respectively. have.

The duster head assembly 11 comprises a rotor assembly 22, a drive train 23 for transmitting rotational drive from the angular drive shaft 24, a reservoir 26 and a top cover 27. The housing 18 covers the disc-shaped rotor cover 29 having a skirt 331 for covering the rotor assembly 22 and the rotor train 23 and the rotor cover for attaching the housing to the tube 15. Driver cover 32 is included. The tube 15 is fixed to the housing by a bracket 33 clamped by the clamp 34 and the skirt 31 and the driver cover are connected by bolts 36. The angular driver shaft 24 extends into the housing through a hole 37 provided in the upper surface of the driver cover portion to engage the drive train described later. A second large hole is provided in the drive train cover to receive the reservoir.

The rotor assembly 22 includes a sparger head 41 screwed to a hollow support shaft 42 mounted in the housing 18 for rotation about a vertical axis 43 when in use. The spreader head includes a rotatable disk 44 having a diameter slightly smaller than the housing diameter inside the skirt 31, from a pair of opposed spreader wicks 45 whose hub extends radially around the disk. It is fixed to the lower surface of the disk 27, and the wick is attached to the disk at their outermost by a strap 45a. The drive wheel 28 is secured through the disk to the hub by four bolts 50 on the upper side of the disk 44, and is adapted to receive rotational drive from the engine as described below.

The shaft 42 is mounted on two spaced bearings, namely the lower bearing 46 and the upper bearing 47, which lower bearing is mounted to the recess provided in the rotor cover portion 29, and the upper bearing moves. If possible, it is mounted in a recess provided in the top wall of the top cover 27. The top cover engages a lip 48 that stands up from the top wall of the driver cover portion of the housing 18. The spaced bearings 46, 47 provide sufficient support for the shaft 42, and the upper housing is supported by the lip 48.

The reservoir 46 is cylindrical in shape with an upper end wall 52 having a central hole 53, 54 aligned with the lower end wall 51, respectively, whereby the reservoir is hollow shaft 42. It is slidably fixed to. A detent rubber seal is provided in the apertures 53, 54 to seal the reservoir with the shaft and transfer rotational drive from the shaft to the reservoir so that the reservoir is rotatable with the rotor assembly 22. Collars 56 and 57 are also secured to the lower and upper ends 51 and 52 respectively to engage the lower and upper bearings 46 and 47, respectively. The reservoir is held in place by an upper nut or cap 58 which is engaged with the two bearings by the upper cover 27 and clamped for some time and screwed to the upper end of the shaft 42. The vented tube is secured to the upper end of the reservoir having a hollow shaft 42 opening outside the cylindrical wall and one end 68 opening into the reservoir near the other end 69, the tube being assembled to the assembly assembly. Makes two fully concentrated coils between their ends about the axis 43 to introduce air into the reservoir while the coil rotates, the direction of the coil being the direction through which the applied coil can send any liquid into the reservoir. . The device described in International Patent Application No. PCT / AU95 / 00065 includes a similar vented arrangement applying an upright clear. The top cover 27 is also vented by a hole 70 provided in the cylindrical wall.

Holes are provided in the cylindrical wall of the hollow shaft 42 in the reservoir just above the bottom wall 51 and similar holes are provided in the reservoir directly adjacent the top wall 52. The hole provides liquid communication between the reservoir and the hollow shaft 45 and in turn communicates with the wick 45 through a radially extending passage provided in the hub 41a. The reservoir may be filled from above by removing the cap 58 and pumping or following liquid that may flow into the reservoir through the holes 61 and 62 into the hollow shaft 42. In this embodiment, the hub 41a has one sprinkler wick extending from one end of one bore to the end of the other bore 90 ° with this end, and two bores 63 extending oppositely at right angles to each other. ) Each end of the spreader is held in the bore by tapered chucks 64 as shown in FIG. 5 and can be secured to the wick with an elastomeric pliers and force into the bore 63 to effectively retain the wick with the taper. Is applied.

The position of the angular driver 14 is offset from the shaft 43 such that the reservoir 26 is positioned in the center of the rotor assembly for rotation with the shaft 42 to facilitate filling from above. The offsetting also allows room for the drive train to be fixed for deceleration, allowing the rotor assembly to be driven at speeds of 100 to 300 rpm even if the engine speed changes to high or low speeds. In the illustrated embodiment, the rotary drive is a large rubber wheel 72 frictionally engaged with a small steel wheel 75 screwed to the angular driver shaft 24 and a small rubber that engages the drive wheel 29. It is transmitted from an angular drive wheel with a wheel 73, the two rubber wheels being fixed to a common shaft 73. The shaft 73 is rotatably mounted in the mounting plate with the wheel 72 on the plate and the wheel 73 under the plate, and the steel wheel 75 is also rotatably mounted in the plate by a ring. maintain. The angular drive shaft 24 holds the plate and attaches the wheel to the desired operating plane so that the plate 74 is angularly driven by a spring (not shown) to force the wheel 73 into engagement with the drive wheel 29. It can be pivoted about the axis 77 of the shaft.

In use, the liquid flows into the reservoir 26 and is ready for use upon removal of the cap 58 (which may be associated by quick coupling of the hose). The engine drives the rotor assembly through the drive train at a speed of about 300 rpm to flow liquid from the reservoir through the hole 53 to the spreader wick 45. The depress 64 suppresses the flow rate of the liquid into the spreader wick by allowing the wick to be tightly compressed.

The portable motorized spreader 110 shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 is very similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, spaced apart from the head assembly, the drive shaft 113 and the bevel gear 114. And a duster head assembly 111 powered by a battery powered motor that transmits rotational drive through the shaft, the shaft being embedded in a hollow tube 115 such that its upper end is fixed to the motor frame and its lower end is housed. It is fixed to the offset lug part 117 of 118.

The spreader head assembly includes a rotor assembly 122 embedded in the housing 118 for rotating about the vertical axis 143. The housing has a circular cover portion 129, a skirt 131 for enclosing the rotor assembly, and a sleeve portion 132 over the cover portion to provide mounting to the rotor assembly. The lug 117 is molded integrally with the cover part 129 and the mounting part 132. The rotor assembly has a bottom 141 and a top 142 that together form a chamber or reservoir 146 for storing liquid chemicals. To this end the lower part is in the form of a cup-shaped central recess 151 and the upper part has a circular base portion 144 which provides an auxiliary lead to the recess with a refilling hole 161. An annular ring 147 is formed in the base portion of the upper portion and is screwed into the inner surface of the recess to secure the two portions of the lower portion and the upper portion together, and the cylindrical wall 148 as described later in the rotor assembly It extends upwards from the base for mounting. The diameter of the disc-shaped lower portion 141 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the housing and is rotatable in the skirt 131. In this embodiment, both parts are molded from polyurethane, but other materials such as aluminum alloys may be used as appropriate. A number of spreader rope wicks 145 extend radially from the reservoir to the periphery of the disc and end at partially extending along its circumference, the wicks being held on the disc at their outermost by straps 145a. The rope wick is introduced into the reservoir through a hole formed in the wall of the recess 151 and is held by the gripping chuck 145b. For this embodiment, the rope wick is woven through a hole provided in the disc instead of being fixed by the strap. In use, the liquid chemical stored in the reservoir keeps the wick wet so that it can flow into the rope wick under centrifugal force due to the rotation of the rotor assembly and apply to the weeds. The cylindrical wall 148 is retained by the ring 149 extending upward from the base portion 144 a journaled hollow stub shaft for rotation in an auxiliary sleeve 132 formed in the cover portion 129 of the housing. The hollow of the shaft is open upward to provide a recess 154 for filling the reservoir as described below. A ring 152 of gear (or ring gear) is formed on top of the rotor assembly with respect to wall 148 to accommodate rotational drive from motor 112 through bevel gear 114. Suitably, the ring of the gear teeth has a large diameter and the gear ratio of the bevel gear to the ring gear is about 12 to 1, so that appropriate deceleration can be obtained without using a cluster of gears.

The bevel gear 114 is a centrally located hole that is offset from the shaft 143 so that the reservoir 146 is positioned in the center of the rotor assembly and can be selectively sealed by an auxiliary screwed plug 162. 161 may be charged from above. In addition, the offsetting allows the ring assembly to extend about the axis of rotation to effectively reduce the speed so that the rotor assembly can be driven at a speed of 100 to 300 rpm.

In addition, a number of fan blades 153 are formed on the radially outer top of the ring gear for injecting air surrounding the rotor assembly. In this embodiment, air is introduced from the air inlet provided in the elongated handle 115 adjacent to the motor 112 (not shown) and exits adjacent to the bevel gear 114 thereby cleaning the gears and other components. And cooling can be maintained. In another embodiment, the motor is mounted in or adjacent to lug 117, and the fan may allow air to flow throughout the motor to maintain clean and cooling of the motor.

Vent tube 150 is secured to an upper surface of base portion 144 having one end opening to the reservoir and the other end opening to the atmosphere, the tube being adapted to pivot shaft 143 as the rotor assembly rotates. In the center, two fully concentrated coils are made between their ends, the direction of the coil being such that some liquid is forced back into the reservoir. The apparatus described in International Patent Application No. PCT / AU95 / 00065 includes a similar vent arrangement.

The reservoir 146 may be charged from above by removing the plug 162 and pumping or pouring through the hole 161. However, the liquid can be more easily delivered to the reservoir if it is permanently fixed on the supply hose of the quick release coupling. The introduction of the liquid will be caused by some air in the reservoir that is forced through the vent tube 150.

After use of the sparger, the residual liquid in the reservoir can be returned to the supply vessel by inserting the suction pump hose through the hole or alternatively the sparger can be inserted to secure the suction pump to the quick release coupling. To support full drainage of the reservoir, the base portion 144 of the rib portion tapers slightly upwards to the refilling hole 161, thus inserting the rotor assembly at the bottom.

The user can operate the spreader according to the invention in a place such as in a trench or dike where it is not suitable for use with a tow spreader on the tractor, and the user guides the spreader to guide the wick 145 with plants. These plants may be contacted to supply herbicides or other chemicals to kill these plants on short grass. In addition, the present invention can be made of a relatively light material because it requires a relatively low speed and low pressure.

The present invention can be variously modified by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.

Claims (12)

In the portable motor-driven spreader for selectively supplying herbicides to weeds in fields, gardens, crops, etc., motor; A rotor assembly comprising a rotatable wick support having one or more spreader wicks, the rotor assembly being supported to rotate about a vertical axis by support means; Drive means connected to the motor and the rotor assembly to transmit rotational drive from the motor to the rotor assembly; Storage means in communication with the one or more spreader wicks for storing herbicides that supply the one or more wicks as the rotor assembly rotates; And A handheld motorized spreader characterized by having a long handle connected to the support means to allow the user to maintain the rotor assembly on the surface base of a field, garden or crop, the spreader wick contacts the selected field to supply herbicides. . The method of claim 1, And the drive means includes a drive shaft or cable embedded in the elongated handle and operatively connected to the rotor assembly via a deceleration means. The method of claim 2, The deceleration means is arranged to drive the rotor assembly at 300 rpm, And said deceleration means comprises angular driving means offset from said vertical axis. The method of claim 2 or 3, The support means includes a housing at least partially covering the rotatable wick support and a shaft extending upwardly from the rotatable wick support and rotatably mounted and centrally mounted to a bearing or journal provided in the housing. Sprayer made. The method of claim 4, wherein The storage means is a cylindrical container fixed to the shaft to rotate between the lower bearing and the upper bearing in the housing, the shaft being hollow and the hollow of the shaft being in communication with the container and the at least one spreader wick. duster. The method of claim 4, wherein The rotatable wick support has a central hub having a recess defining the storage means, the centrally mounted shaft extending from the central hub to rotatably support the rotor assembly and provided in an auxiliary sleeve provided in the housing. And a journaled large diameter open-open hollow subshaft, wherein the opening portion provides access to a hole in the central hub to recharge the storage means. In the portable motor-driven spreader for selectively supplying herbicides to weeds in fields, gardens, crops, etc., motor; A rotor assembly comprising a rotatable wick support having one or more spreader wicks, the rotor assembly being supported to rotate about a vertical axis by support means; Storage means in communication with the one or more spreader wicks for storing herbicide for feeding the one or more wicks as the rotor assembly rotates; An elongated handle connected to the support means to maintain the rotor assembly near the center of the plant such that the spreader wick contacts the selected plant and supplies liquid to the surface base of the field, garden or crop; Drive means connected to the motor and the rotor assembly for transmitting rotational drive from the motor to the rotor assembly, the drive means comprising a drive shaft or cable embedded in the elongated handle and operably connected to the rotor assembly via a deceleration means; ; A lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion is a disc shape having a cup-shaped central recess, the upper portion is fixed to the lower portion to form a chamber between the upper portion and the lower portion, the chamber forming the storage means, One or more holes are provided in the wall in the recess, The at least one spreader wick extends from the recess toward the periphery of the lower portion, wherein a portion of the at least one spreader wick passes individually through each hole and is held by a tapered depressor. Sprayer. The method according to any one of claims 5, 6, and 7, And said storage means is vented such that atmospheric pressure in said storage means is maintained during operation of said spreader. The method of claim 8, The storage means is in communication with the storage means at its inner end extending around the storage means adjacent the upper end thereof, and vented into a small diameter tube or passageway opening into the atmosphere at the other end thereof. duster. The method of claim 7, wherein And a ring (or ring gear) of the gear teeth is formed on the upper portion and is adapted to receive rotational drive from the drive shaft through a bevel gear. The method of claim 10, And a plurality of fan blades are formed on the top radially outward of the ring gear for injecting air surrounding the rotatable wick support. Sprayer, characterized in that described with reference to the drawings.