US3035370A

US3035370A - Automatic tree injecting device

Info

Publication number: US3035370A
Application number: US75706A
Authority: US
Inventors: Douglas A Carson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-12-14
Filing date: 1960-12-14
Publication date: 1962-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-22

Description

May 22, 1962 D A. CARSON AUTOMATIC TREE INJECTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 14, 1960 Douglas A. Carson INVENTOR.

By g 3% United States Patent Ofilice 3,635,370 Patented May 22, 1962 Filed Dec. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 75,706 17 Claims. (Cl. 47--57.5)

This invention relates to an improved manually usable automatically valved fluid injector for injecting a selected fluid into trees and the like and through the medium of which the tree may be killed or, alternatively, cultivated and caused to grow in a now well known manner.

Tree injectors are old and well known. Generally speaking, prior art adaptations are characterized by a fluid containing barrel which is lifted and forcibly thrust toward the base or" the target-tree. A suitably constructed bark penetrating and cleaving blade on the leading end of the barrel is. rammed against the selected spot on the tree. The blade is made to allow the intended chemical fluid to be shot into the cambium layer of the tree.

The Calhoun Patent 2,687,598 discloses an injector characterized by an elongated barrel or casing having a penetrating blade on the lower or leading end, a valve in the casing positioning between the fluid storage cham her and the blade, with a plug threaded in the lower end of the barrel and a spring-loaded ball valve having a stem extending upwardly through an opening in the plug and surrounded by an adjustable coil spring.

The instant invention is characterized, broadly speaking, by a similar arrangement of component parts.

It is an object of the instant invention to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon the device of the Calhoun patent.

An important feature of this invention resides in the provision of a practical and highly efficient thrust-responsive valve means carried by and removably mounted on the upper portion of a blade and comprising a well embodying a cup having an opening at its bottom, a sleeve adjustably connected to the rim of the cup, a plug screwed into the upper end of the sleeve and having a valve seat, an open ended tube having a lower end slidingly mounted in and projecting below said opening, said tube providing a fluid trapping and measuring cylinder and having an intake port between upper and lower ends, a ball valve interposed between the upper end of the tube and said valve seat, and a thrust-responsive coil spring encircling said tube and spring-tensioning the upper end and said ball against said seat.

It should also be noted that the tube which defines the fluid receiving and storing and measuring cylinder has its upper end flanged that is, provided with a flange which flares outwardly and defines a bell mouth or seat. The lower half portion of the ball valve is seated in this bell mouth and the flange itself provides a stop for the upper convolution of the coil spring surrounding the tube or cylinder.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein l ke numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation on a small scale showing an automatic tree injector constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view with parts in section and elevation taken on the vertical line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the unique valve means or assembly; and

FIG. 4 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

The vertically elongated barrel or casing is denoted by the numeral 6 and comprises a piece of pipe of suitable cross-section and length the upper end of which is screw threaded at 8 to accommodate a readily applicable and removable closing cap 10. This arrangement facilitates filling the chamber of the barrel with the desired fluid (for either killing or cultivating the tree). The lower screw threaded end 12 screws into the internal threads at the upper part of a reducer coupling 14. The internal screw threads 16 at the bottom of the coupling accommodate screw threads 18 on the upper neck of the penetrating and cleaving blade 20. This blade is dished transversely and is of a general rectangular form in front elevation. The enlarged passage 22 merges at 24 into a restricted discharge port 26 centrally located in relation to the dished surface 28 just above the arcuate axe-like cutting edge 30. The neck is also internally screw threaded as at 32 to permit the insertable and removable valve assembly to be adjustably mounted in the neck. Thus the blade is a direct mount for the valve assembly. This valve assembly is characterized primarily by an upper component part or sleeve 34 and a lower component part or cup 36. The sleeve has a smooth body portion 38 and is internally screw threaded at 40 to accommodate the screw threads 42 on the nut-like plug 44. This plug has a central passage 46 and a beveled funnel-like mouth 48. The bottom of the plug is recessed to accommodate a washer (FIG. 2) and this washer 50 provides a seat for a ball check valve 52. The external screw threads 54 on the lower end of the sleeve are screwed into the threads 32 of the neck. Internal screw threads are provided at the bottom of the sleeve to accommodate screw threads 56 at the exterior top portion of the cup. The bottom of the cup has a flange 58 to accommodate a washer 60 as seen in FIG. 2. The cup portion depends into the passage 22. The upper half portion of the valve assembly is confined in the chamber portion of the coupling 14. An open-ended tube denoted by the numeral 62 provides a fluid trapping and measuring cylinder. The tube is provided intermediate its ends on one side with a fluid intake port 64 and the upper end is flanged and is flared to provide a bell mouth 66 for the ball 52. An expansion type coil spring 63 encircles the tube or cylinder and the lower end is supported by the cup '36 and the upper end bears against the bell mouth permitting the bell mouth to serve as a stop shoulder for the spring.

The barrel is smooth exteriorly and is free from handles, levers or other projections. This makes it possible to use this implement in thick brush where projections on the handle would interfere with proper manipulation thereof.

With respect to the valve means it will be evident that the sensitivity of the spring may be adjusted and controlled by reason of the fact that the cup 36 and sleeve 34 may be telescoped that is adjusted lengthwise to, in this manner adjust the spring tension.

Experience has shown that this injector can be used for an indefinite period of time without leaking or splashing and without ermitting the fluid to splash back on the user. The amount of liquid to be dispensed is controlled by adjusting the valve means as already described. The amount of liquid which is trapped in the cylinder 62 is dis charged when the cutting edge of the blade is thrust against the base of a tree. Since the valve means is responsive by its inertia to this thrust action it will be evident that at the same time the measured amount of fluid is ejected, the check valve 52 is momentarily unseated and consequently the receptacle portion of the well (parts 34 and 36) is charged with fluid. The charge of fluid in the measuring cylinder 62 is maintained by vacuum until the next and succeeding thrust of the implement is made. Thus the valve action is automatic.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in injecting fluid into a tree or the like; a manually actuatable tree injector comprising an elongated hollow barrel providing a fluid container and also a handle, a penetrating and cleaving blade disposed in fixed relation to and projecting from the lower end of said barrel, said blade having a cutting edge and a fluid delivery passage with an emitting port positioned for discharging fluid to said cutting edge, a coupling sleeve directly and fixedly connected to the upper end of the blade and to the lower end of said barrel, and thrust-responsive valve means directly mounted upon and carried by the upper end of the blade and partially housed within the confines of said coupling sleeve.

2. For use in injecting fluid into a tree or the like; a manually actuatable tree injector comprising an elongated hollow barrel providing a fluid container and also a handle, a penetrating and cleaving blade in axial alinement with the lower end of said barrel, said blade having a cutting edge and a fluid delivery passage with an emitting port adjacent said cutting edge, the lower end of said barrel being screw threaded, the upper portion of said blade having a screw threaded neck, a coupling sleeve having an upper screw threaded end engaged with the threads on said barrel and a screw threaded lower end engaged with said neck, said neck being also internally screw threaded, and a valve assembly engaged with and supported solely by the internal screw threads of said neck.

3. For use in injecting fluid into a tree or the like; a manually actuatable tree injector comprising an elongated barrel providing a fluid container and also a handle, a penetrating and cleaving blade in axial alinement with the lower leading end of said barrel, said blade having a cutting edge and a fluid delivery passage with an emitting port adjacent said cutting edge, the lower end of said barrel being screw threaded, the upper portion of said blade having an externally screw threaded neck, a coupling having an upper screw threaded end screwed on the threads provided therefor on said barrel and a screw threaded lower end screwed on the threads provided therefor on said neck, said neck being also internally screw threaded, and a valve assembly having a screw threaded part screwed into the internal screw threads provided therefor in said neck, said valve assembly including a fluid trapping and measuring well, a valve seat, a spring biased cylinder slidingly mounted in said well, and a ball check valve interposed between the seat and an adjacent upper end of said cylinder.

4. For use in injecting fluid into a tree or the like; a manually actuatable tree injector comprising an elongated barrel providing a fluid container and also a handle, a penetrating and cleaving blade in axial alinement with the lower leading end of said barrel, said blade having a cutting edge and a fluid delivery passage with an emitting port adjacent said cutting edge, the lower end of said barrel being screw threaded, the upper portion of said blade having an externally screw threaded neck, a coupling having an upper screw threaded end screwed on the threads provided therefor on said barrel and a screw threaded lower end screwed on the threads provided therefor on said neck, said neck being also internally screw threaded, and a valve assembly having a screw threaded part screwed into the internal screw threads provided therefor in said neck, said valve assembly including a fluid trapping and measuring well, a valve seat, a spring biased cylinder slidingly mounted in said Well,

and a ball check valve interposed between the seat and an adjacent upper end of said cylinder, said cylinder comprising an open-ended tube having an intake holc intermediate the ends of the tube and a bell mouth at the upper end providing a supporting seat and retainer for the ball valve.

5. The structure defined in claim 4, and wherein said valve seat is adjustably mounted and said well comprises telescoping adjustably connected upper and lower component parts.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, and wherein said lower part comprises a cup having a bottom opening through and beyond which the lower end of said tube extends.

7. For use in injecting fluid into a tree or the like; a manually actuatable tree injector comprising an elongated barrel providing a fluid container and also a handle, a penetrating and cleaving blade in axial alinement with the lower leading end of said barrel, said blade having a cutting edge and a fluid delivery passage with an emitting port adjacent said cutting edge, a coupling connecting the upper end of the blade directly to the leading end of said barrel, and thrust responsive valve means carried by and removably mounted on the. upper portion of said blade and comprising a well embodying a cup having an open ing at its bottom, a sleeve adjustably connected to the rim of the cup, a plug screwed into the upper end of the sleeve and having a valve seat, an open-ended tube having a lower end slidingly mounted in and projecting below said opening, said tube providing a fluid trapping and measuring cylinder and having an intake port between upper and lower ends, a ball valve interposed between the upper end of the tube and said valve seat, and a thrust-responsive coil spring encircling said tube and spring-tensioning the upper end and said ball against said seat.

8. The structure defined in claim 7, and wherein said upper end is flared outwardly to define a bell mouth, the lower portion of said ball being seated in said bell mouth.

9. A manual tree injector comprising a vertically elongated barrel constituting a handle and having a fluid chamber therein, said chamber opening at the lower end of said barrel, a hollow body fixedly secured to and depending from the lower end of said barrel and communieating with said chamber, a hollow member fixedly secure-d to and depending from the lower end of said body, said member having a blade at its lower end with a tree penetrating edge, passage means in said member establishing continuous communication with said blade adjacent said penetrating edge for delivering fluid to the latter from said hollow member, an inertia operated valve assembly mounted upon and supported solely by said member and extending into said hollow body and controlling flow of fluid from said chamber to said penetrating edge.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said valve assembly includes a casing defining a fluid well therein, fluid inlet means in the upper end of said casing, a downwardly opening valve seat in said casing and in said fluid inlet means, an upwardly closing valve in said casing cooperating with said valve seat, a spring yieldingly urging said valve upwardly upon said seat, said casing having discharge means for delivering fluid passing said valve into said hollow member.

11. The combination of claim 10 including a tube slidably received in said casing and extending downwardly through the lower end of the latter and constituting part of said discharge means, said tube having a port opening into said well and having an open lower end.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said tube engages and supports said ball valve.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said spring surrounds and engages said tube and yieldingly urges the latter upwardly.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said casing comprises a central body carried by said hollow body together with upper and lower elements secured thereto, said inlet means extending through said upper element and said discharge means extending through said lower element.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said elements are adjustable upon said central body whereby to vary the volume of the latter.

16. The combination of claim 9 wherein said valve assembly includes a casing defining a fluid well therein, fluid inlet means in the upper end of said casing, a downwardly opening valve seat in said casing and in said fluid inlet means, an upwardly closing valve in said casing cooperating with said valve seat, a spring yieldingly urging said valve upwardly upon said seat, said casing hav- 6 ing discharge means for delivering fluid passing said valve into said hollow member, said casing comprising a central body carried by said hollow body together with upper and lower elements secured thereto, said inlet means extending through said upper element and said discharge means extending through said lower element.

'17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said elements are adjustable upon said central body whereby to vary the volume of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,687,598 Calhoun Aug. 31, 1954 2,795,899 Little June 18, 1957 2,870,576 Parker Jan. 27, 1959