WO1997003755A1

WO1997003755A1 - Spray systems

Info

Publication number: WO1997003755A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001655
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerald Vincent Hinsley
Original assignee: Xpelair Limited
Priority date: 1995-07-15
Filing date: 1996-07-12
Publication date: 1997-02-06
Also published as: GB2303318A; GB2303318B; AU6463696A; GB9514534D0

Abstract

A spray system comprises a spray head (1) mounted on a stationary part of a horizontal ceiling sweep fan (3) and may to fed e.g. from a tube (19) which extends to a reservoir (20) for the spray head via the supporting tube (10) for the fan. The reservoir is programmed to supply spray at predetermined intervals and for predetermined lengths of time during the operation of the fan e.g. to control infectious diseases. The invention is not limited to such uses or to horizontal ceiling sweep fans.

Description

SPRAY SYSTEMS

This invention relates to spray systems.

The invention is particularly concerned with spray systems which are only operated at widely spaced intervals of time e.g. a manually operated spray system arranged to be carried by an operative who would manually spray an area when desired.

For example, in the case of chicken production, it is at present necessary for an operative to enter the building in which production takes place at particular intervals of time and manually spray various areas for the purpose of preventing or reducing infection. This can be a time consuming procedure because the chemicals which are sprayed can cause irritation or be toxic, and careful preparations must be taken by the operative in order to protect himself from those chemicals.

The invention provides a spray system comprising a rotatable fan located behind a spray head.

The invention also provides a spray system comprising a fan having blades arranged to perform a horizontal sweep and a spray head connected to a stationary part of the fan.

Liquid delivered to the spray head is sprayed over a wider area than hitherto due to the air movement created by the fan blades. Because of the extended area of coverage, the invention makes it possible to provide for automatic spraying in place of manual spraying, using an automatically controlled spray head, thus avoiding the risks of contamination previously encountered when the spraying task was carried out manually.

The stationary part of the fan may be secured to a supporting tube, and the spray head may communicate with a feed tube which extends through the supporting tube. In the case where the stationary part of the fan includes a stator which carries the windings of the fan motor, the stator may have a central aperture, extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the fan blades, through which are passed electrical connections for the windings ofthe stator. The feed tube may extend through the aperture, and a connecting tube may be secured to the lower end of that aperture, for mounting the spray head and for containing the part of the feed tube which communicates with the spray head. The connecting tube may be externally threaded, and may extend beyond the housing at the lower surface of the fan, and a mounting for the spray head may be threaded onto this connecting tube. The spray head may then be secured to the mounting, conveniently outside the housing of the fan, for ease of maintenance. An aperture may be made in the connecting tube to allow the electrical connections to pass to the terminal block for the windings.

A spray system constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the spray system; and

Figure 2 is an axial cross section through the fan housing.

A spray system comprises a spray head 1 connected to a stationary part, namely, the stator 2 of a ceiling sweep fan indicated generally by the reference numeral 3.

The fan has three blades (only two of which, 4, 5 are visible), which perform a sweep in a horizontal plane. The blades are carried via pegs 4a, 5a and bolts 4b, 5b on a rotatable part 6 of the fan casing which is rotatably mounted on the stator 2 by means of bearings 7. The lower part 8 ofthe fan housing is connected to the upper part 6 of the fan housing by bolts 8a, 8b.

The stator 2 is a metal casing which has axially extending gaps 2a, 2b, 2c etc on its disc- like periphery, and has windings shown schematically as 9 to create a moving electromagnetic field around the periphery of the stator 2 in order to pull the rotatable part ofthe casing 6 around. The fan is mounted by means of a supporting tube 10 which is secured at its upper end at a suitable mounting in the ceiling, and which is apertured at its lower end. A bolt (not shown) passes through the aperture 10a at its lower end, and a corresponding aperture is formed in a tube 11 which is secured in a central axial f aperture of the stator 2. A clamp 12 additionally holds the two parts together and, to protect against the ingress of moisture, covers 13, 14 are provided respectively, for the upper mounting at the ceiling and the lower mounting at the fan.

In the usual way, electrical connections are fed down the supporting tube 10 and through the tube 11, and are connected to a terminal block 15 on the lower side ofthe stator, from where connections to the windings are made.

' In accordance with the invention, a connection tube 16 is secured e.g. by an adhesive to the lower surface of the stator, and the spray head 1 is supported by this connecting tube. It will be apparent that the connecting tube 16 remains stationary whereas the adjacent part 8 of the fan housing rotates relative to it. The connecting tube is of a sufficient length to extend below the lower surface of the lower part of the housing 8, and is externally threaded. A nylon mounting disc 17 is threaded onto the connecting tube so that it is spaced by a small distance from the lower surface of the housing 8 and adaptor 18 is secured both to this disc 17 and to the spray head 1, and carrier on its upper surface a pipe connection to which a feed tube 19 is secured. An aperture 16a in the connection tube allows the electricity supply wires, which enter from the top of the supporting tube 10, to be connected to terminal block 15.

It will be apparent that the spray head connects to the stationary part of the fan, and yet is directed downwardly from its lower surface. The other end of the feed tube 19 is connected to a supply system 20 shown schematically. Appropriate liquids are contained in the supply system, and sprayed out via the spray head 1 at predetermined intervals and sf for predetermined lengths of time. The fan will usually be operated on a different cycle, and may in fact be left running continuously. i

When the liquids are sprayed from the head, they are carried over a wide area. The spray system described is suitable for being mounted in a building in which chickens are housed, in order that appropriate chemicals may be sprayed into the enclosure at appropriate times without human intervention.

Because of the naπow gap between the nylon disc 17 and the lower part 8 of the fan housing, water cannot penetrate into the fan housing from the lower side, and the covers 13, 14 prevent moisture ingress at the upper side of the fan. This is important because it is necessary to clean the fans periodically with high pressure hoses.

Of course the invention is not restricted to the embodiment described above, and variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the spray system described has applications apart from the particular application described for use in buildings in which chickens are bred. Such a system could be applicable for other animal rearing, or for factory production of goods. It would be possible to operate the spray system on an intermittent or permanent basis by spraying aromatic substances e.g. to improve the environment of office or factory workers. Further, the invention is not limited to ceiling sweep fans in which the blades rotate in a horizontal direction, but extends to fans mounted on vertical surfaces etc.

Claims

1. A spray system comprising a fan having blades arranged to perform a horizontal sweep and a spray head connected to a stationary part of the fan.

2. A spray system as claimed in claim 1, including a supporting tube aπanged to be secured to the stationary part of the fan, and a feed tube which communicates with the spray head and which extends through the supporting tube.

3. A spray system as claimed in claim 2, in which the supporting tube extends through an aperture in the lower part of the fan housing.

4. A spray system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. A building for the rearing of poultry having a spray system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.