NZ712122B2 - Irrigator forward motion monitoring, liquid flow shut off device employing electronic wheel speed detection to control mechanism function. - Google Patents

Abstract

The disposal of liquid effluent waste, derived from of areas of high animal congregation such as stock housing, feed pads, or milking facilities, requires to be carried out in a controlled and managed way, in order to have a positive effect on the environment. One method is to apply liquid effluent to pastures using a self propelled travelling effluent spreader. Ideally such a spreader will maintain a ground speed that allows the effluent to be dispensed correctly at an application rate that is beneficial to soil and pastures. At too low a ground speed, excess effluent can over saturate the soil, furthermore, and if the spreader were to cease moving forward entirely, ie. due to mechanical failure, “ponding” of effluent could occur, ruining pastures or directly running into water courses or catchments. The same situation, when irrigating with water, could result in soil over-saturation and thus, water wastage. There are existing monitoring devices that attach to or are towed behind a travelling irrigator, which detect irrigator travel speed and position, and issue a txt alarm warning message or switch off the irrigator supply pump, if the irrigator stops forward motion or moves at an incorrect speed. These devices may utilise GPS to detect position and speed, or a ground contact wheel to detect motion, and use aspects of cell phone or radio-wave information transmission to send messages that alert an operator of a problem or switch off a supply pump automatically. The Irrigator Forward Motion Monitoring Liquid Flow Shutoff Device (to be termed IFMM henceforth) uses electronic, mechanical and fluid principles, when (a) incorporated into a wheeled trailer unit towed behind an irrigator, or when (b) integrated into a travelling irrigator’s construction, to monitor travelling irrigator operation. In both cases; (a) and (b), the IFMM uses a wheel in contact with the ground, to monitor wheel rotation and react appropriately if rotational speed is less or greater than a predetermined rate. Wheel rotation is used to register ground speed. If the irrigator stops moving forward, or moves forward too quickly, the wheel speed of the IFMM is sensed to be either too slow or too rapid and because of this a valve in the IFMM unit closes down, halting the flow of liquid piped from the effluent or water supply source to the towed trailer unit (a) or irrigator (b). The halted fluid flow is detected by a flow sensor, situated at the effluent or water supply source, and the supply pump, or supply source valve , is then shut down automatically. to pastures using a self propelled travelling effluent spreader. Ideally such a spreader will maintain a ground speed that allows the effluent to be dispensed correctly at an application rate that is beneficial to soil and pastures. At too low a ground speed, excess effluent can over saturate the soil, furthermore, and if the spreader were to cease moving forward entirely, ie. due to mechanical failure, “ponding” of effluent could occur, ruining pastures or directly running into water courses or catchments. The same situation, when irrigating with water, could result in soil over-saturation and thus, water wastage. There are existing monitoring devices that attach to or are towed behind a travelling irrigator, which detect irrigator travel speed and position, and issue a txt alarm warning message or switch off the irrigator supply pump, if the irrigator stops forward motion or moves at an incorrect speed. These devices may utilise GPS to detect position and speed, or a ground contact wheel to detect motion, and use aspects of cell phone or radio-wave information transmission to send messages that alert an operator of a problem or switch off a supply pump automatically. The Irrigator Forward Motion Monitoring Liquid Flow Shutoff Device (to be termed IFMM henceforth) uses electronic, mechanical and fluid principles, when (a) incorporated into a wheeled trailer unit towed behind an irrigator, or when (b) integrated into a travelling irrigator’s construction, to monitor travelling irrigator operation. In both cases; (a) and (b), the IFMM uses a wheel in contact with the ground, to monitor wheel rotation and react appropriately if rotational speed is less or greater than a predetermined rate. Wheel rotation is used to register ground speed. If the irrigator stops moving forward, or moves forward too quickly, the wheel speed of the IFMM is sensed to be either too slow or too rapid and because of this a valve in the IFMM unit closes down, halting the flow of liquid piped from the effluent or water supply source to the towed trailer unit (a) or irrigator (b). The halted fluid flow is detected by a flow sensor, situated at the effluent or water supply source, and the supply pump, or supply source valve , is then shut down automatically.

Description

(12) Granted patent specificaon (19) NZ (11) 712122 (13) B2 (47) Publicaon date: 2021.12.24 (54) Irrigator forward moon monitoring, liquid flow shut off device employing electronic wheel speed detecon to control mechanism funcon. (51) Internaonal Patent Classificaon(s): G01P 3/44 A01G 25/09 (22) Filing date: (73) Owner(s): 2014.09.15 Kevin John Smith (23) Complete specificaon filing date: (74) Contact: 2015.09.09 Kevin John Smith (72) Inventor(s): Kevin John Smith (57) Abstract: The disposal of liquid effluent waste, derived from of areas of high animal congregaon such as stock housing, feed pads, or milking facilies, requires to be carried out in a controlled and managed way, in order to have a posive effect on the environment. One method is to apply liquid effluent to pastures using a self propelled travelling effluent spreader. Ideally such a spreader will maintain a ground speed that allows the effluent to be dispensed correctly at an applicaon rate that is beneficial to soil and pastures. At too low a ground speed, excess effluent can over saturate the soil, furthermore, and if the spreader were to cease moving forward enrely, ie. due to mechanical failure, “ponding” of effluent could occur, ruining pastures or directly running into water courses or catchments. The same situaon, when irrigang with water, could result in soil over-saturaon and thus, water wastage. There are exisng monitoring devices that aach to or are towed behind a travelling irrigator, which detect irrigator travel speed and posion, and issue a txt alarm warning message or switch off the irrigator supply pump, if the irrigator stops forward moon or moves at an incorrect speed. These devices may ulise GPS to detect posion and speed, or a ground contact wheel to detect moon, and use aspects of cell phone or radio- wave informaon transmission to send messages that alert an operator of a problem or switch off a supply pump automacally. The Irrigator Forward Moon Monitoring Liquid Flow Shutoff Device (to be termed IFMM henceforth) uses electronic, mechanical and fluid principles, when (a) incorporated into a wheeled trailer unit towed behind an irrigator, or when (b) integrated into a travelling irrigator’s construcon, to monitor travelling irrigator operaon. In both cases; (a) and (b), the IFMM uses a wheel in contact with the ground, to monitor wheel rotaon and react NZ 712122 B2 appropriately if rotaonal speed is less or greater than a predetermined rate. Wheel rotaon is used to register ground speed. If the irrigator stops moving forward, or moves forward too quickly, the wheel speed of the IFMM is sensed to be either too slow or too rapid and because of this a valve in the IFMM unit closes down, halng the flow of liquid piped from the effluent or water supply source to the towed trailer unit (a) or irrigator (b). The halted fluid flow is detected by a flow sensor, situated at the effluent or water supply source, and the supply pump, or supply source valve , is then shut down automacally.

Page 1 of 4 Irrigator forward motion monitoring, liquid flow shut off device employing electronic wheel speed detection to control mechanism function.

Technical field The disposal of liquid effluent waste, derived from of areas of high animal congregation such as stock housing, feed pads, or milking facilities, requires to be carried out in a controlled and managed way, in order to have a positive effect on the environment. One method is to apply liquid effluent to pastures using a self propelled travelling effluent spreader. Ideally such a spreader will maintain a ground speed that allows the effluent to be dispensed correctly at an application rate that is beneficial to soil and pastures. At too low a ground speed, excess effluent can over saturate the soil, furthermore, if the spreader were to cease moving forward entirely, ie. due to mechanical failure, “ponding” of effluent could occur, ruining pastures or directly running into water courses or catchments. The same situation, when irrigating with water, could result in soil over-saturation and thus, water wastage.

There are existing monitoring devices that attach to or are towed behind a travelling irrigator, which detect irrigator travel speed and position, and issue a txt alarm warning message or switch off the irrigator supply pump, if the irrigator stops forward motion. These devices may utilise GPS to detect position and speed, or a ground contact wheel to detect motion, and use aspects of cell phone or radio-wave information transmission to send messages that alert an operator of a problem or switch off a supply pump automatically.The Irrigator Forward Motion Monitoring Liquid Flow Shutoff Device (to be termed IFMM henceforth) uses electronic, mechanical and fluid principles, when (a) incorporated into a wheeled trailer unit towed behind an irrigator, or when (b) integrated into a travelling irrigator’s construction, to monitor travelling irrigator operation. In both cases; (a) and (b), the IFMM uses a wheel in contact with the ground, to monitor wheel rotation and react appropriately if wheel rotation ceases. The ceasation of wheel rotation is detected by the IFMM and because of this a valve in the IFMM unit closes, halting the flow of liquid piped from the effluent or water supply source to the towed trailer unit (a) or irrigator (b). The halted fluid flow is detected by a flow sensor, situated at the effluent or water supply source, and the supply pump, or supply source valve, is then shut down automatically.

Page 2 of 4 Description A non-limiting embodiment of the Irrigator Forward Motion Monitoring, Liquid Flow Shutoff Device Employing Electronic Wheel speed Detection to Control Mechanism Function (IFMM) is shown in figure 1. This illustration is of a wheeled IFMM trailer unit that is towed behind a travelling irrigator. Pressurised liquid effluent, or irrigation water, passes through coupling (A) and flows through valve (B) to outlet coupling (D). Valve (B) is manually set to full open position by manipulating the rotary handle of mechanism (C). This is performed by an operator prior to the irrigation pipeline supply pump being switched on. Incorporated into outlet gallery (H) is a pressure switch that detects the pressure of irrigation liquid going to the irrigator, and when triggered allows controller (G) to be electrically energised. Controller (G) energises a solenoid actuator within mechanism (C) that closes valve (B), if the ground contact wheel (F) fails to rotate within the correct speed range. Sensor (E) monitors the motion of ground contact wheel (F) and is linked to controller (G).

Pressurised liquid effluent or water flows on through valve (B) to coupling (D) which is connected to a travelling irrigator. The irrigator receives the pressurised liquid to dispense and, depending on irrigator type, to power it forward. This liquid pressure, built up within outlet gallery (G) is detected by an incorporated pressure sensor switch which then allows controller (G) to be electrically energised. If the irrigator moves forward, ground wheel (F) rotates and proximity sensor (E) sends electrical signals to controller (G). As the irrigator and trailer unit continue to move forward valve (B) remains fully open as wheel (F) rotates within a preset speed range. Failure of the irrigator to move forward, or to move forward too slowly or too quickly, is determined by controller (G) by timing the frequency of electrical signals sent by sensor (E). After a preset time of having not received timed electrical signals, or having recieved too many signals from sensor (E), controller (G) electrically energises a solenoid actuator within mechanism (C) which shuts down valve (B). When valve (B) closes, irrigation liquid within the supply pipeline stops flowing. This condition is monitored at the pump end of the irrigation liquid pipeline by a flow sensor, and in the event of a significantly lowered, or nil, flow rate the supply pump is shutdown by the sensor.

A battery in combination with a solar panel, or other power source, or combination of both, provides the energy for the sensing, control and actuation of the IFMM system described in the previous text.

Page 3 of 4

Claims (1)

I claim:
1. Claim 1 A machine integrated into an irrigator’s construction, or towed behind an irrigator as a wheeled trailer unit, that employs electronic sensing and control, to determine when relative ground motion is in either of two states: nil motion Vs motion, so that when nil motion is detected an interconnected electronic/mechanical mechanism closes a valve, incorporated into the machine's structure, once or repeatedly, to halt the flow of irrigation liquid being reticulated from supply source to irrigator through the machine's galleries and pipe work, so as to use that liquid as a means of binary communication, in this case; full flow vs no flow, from supply source to irrigator.