WO1997036160A1

WO1997036160A1 - Apparatus for collection and expulsion of soil samples and the employment of such an apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1997036160A1
Application number: PCT/DK1997/000129
Authority: WO
Inventors: Torben Pilgård VINTHER; Allan Rosenkrantz Delasson
Original assignee: Vinther Torben Pilgaard; Allan Rosenkrantz Delasson
Priority date: 1996-03-25
Filing date: 1997-03-25
Publication date: 1997-10-02
Also published as: AU2286997A

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for collection and selection of soil samples and an employment of said apparatus. The apparatus includes a first element in the shape of a pipe (1) and a second element in the shape of a piston (2) which is movable relative to the pipe and which runs on the inside of the pipe. When collecting soil samples (7) the pipe is displaced into the ground (4). When selecting the soil samples accumulated in the pipe, the piston is displaced downwards in the pipe. Collection and selection take place quickly, coincident with the selection causing that the entire soil sample is selected.

Description

APPARATUS FOR COLLECTION AND EXPULSION OF SOIL SAMPLES AND THE EMPLOYMENT OF SUCH AN APPARATUS.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting and expulsion of soil sam¬ ples Said apparatus includes a first element for collection of a soil sample

Soil samples of e g. agricultural areas are collected and selected in order to establish, amongst others, the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, copper and other manures in the soil Having obtained the information about the amount of among said substances it is possible to elaborate a manure programme taking a maxi¬ mum of account of the amount of manure consisting of the Λ aπous substances to be added to the soil Furthermore, apparatuses of the above-mentioned type can be used for collecting and selecting soil samples from soil other than farm land, such as mdus- trial and residential sites in order to examine the soil for pollution from e g pesticides

By the collection and selection of soil samples on farm land this is carried out by e g collecting and selecting approx 20 samples every third hectare The samples are col¬ lected until ploughing depth, e g 22 centimetres The succeedmgly selected soil sam- pies are mixed thouroughly to an average sample Said sample is anaivzed and the contents of the aforementioned substances are determined \s an example, collection of the samples can be carried out with a three- wheeled or a four-wheeled motor cycle

Apparatuses for collection of soil are known including a first element in the shape of a twist which is drilled into the ground and. accordingh . taken back up again When the twist has been taken up from the ground, large or less pan of the soil sample will fall from the threads of the twist and be collected

The inconvenience of such apparatuses is that collecting the soil samples by turning the twist into the ground is a slow process and. furthermore, the process of selecting the soil sample from the accumulated soil in the threads of the twist is slow and diffi¬ cult This means that no particular selection of the soil sample takes place thus part of the soil sample will remain between the threads in the twist and not be removed.

During analysis, results are merely based on the selected soil sample which conse- quently only make up part of the collected soil sample. This results in unhomogeneous soil samples.

DE 36 12 406-al discloses an apparatus which does not employ a twist, but employs a pipe to take soil samples. The apparatus is intended for taking soil samples concur- rently with the apparatus being lead forward above the surface of the ground. The ap¬ paratus is fitted with a pipe on a wheel rotating around an axis at right angles to a di¬ rection of feed of the apparatus above the surface of the ground. The pipe is rotated on the wheel in a way that leads the pipe into the ground and up from the ground again concurrently with the apparatus being lead forward.

Said apparatus possesses considerable disadvantages. In the first place, the construc¬ tion necessary for the apparatus to function is very complicated, especially the con¬ struction for taking samples from the pipe. This results in a complicated and expensive apparatus for taking soil samples, which is a simple process in itself. Secondly, the apparatus is dependent on the fact that the soil does not contain stones or other alien substances. This causes malfunction of the apparatus and break-downs arise, if the soil contains such alien substances. Thirdly, the pipe is fitted with a piston which is fitted with a slide that is lead through a groove in the pipe. This involves a risk that alien substances, such as stones, wedge in the groove resulting in the fact that the slide and thereby the piston cannot descend through the groove and the pipe, respectively.

DE 41 07 537 discloses a probe for taking soil samples and for direct in-situ meas¬ urement of various parametres of the soil in question. The probe is fitted with an outer pipe and with covers stretching inside the outer pipe. The probe is intended to be de- scended in the ground and take measurements while a soil sample is ascended into the probe. In order to take extensive measurements of the soil sample, the probe is fitted with an articular mechanism. Said mechanism is intended for manual operation so that j the covers containing the soil sample can be taken out of the outer pipe, manually as well.

Said apparatus possesses other considerable disadvantages. In the first place, it is nec- essary to select a soil sample manually with the concurrent risk that the soil samples are lost during the manual handling. Secondly, the apparatus is furthermore fitted with tabs to secure the soil sample in the probe, after said sample has been lead up through the probe. This is a disadvantage, as there is no certainty that the tabs can hold the soil sample, and also the tabs can be damaged, if the soil sample contains stones and other alien substances. Thirdly, the use of a bevel probe results in difficulty descending the probe through the soil.

The object of the present invention is to obtain an apparatus which does not possess the above-mentioned disadvantages, and which can rapidly and automatically collect the soil samples concurrently with the whole soil sample being taken out accordingly, without the risk of a standstill of operation caused by structural deficiencies.

This is obtained with an apparatus that is characterized in that it includes an apparatus for collection and expulsion of soil samples. Said apparatus including a first element for the collection of a soil sample from a soil, and a second element for expulsion of the soil sample from the first element, said first element consisting of a pipe, said sec¬ ond element consisting of a piston, said pipe being translatorically displaceable along an axis stretching at right angles relative to a surface of the ground, and that said pis¬ ton is displaceable relative to the pipe and runs inside the pipe.

An apparatus with these characteristics can be descended directly into the ground, without difficulties and without having to be turned or in any other way than mere translatoric displacement be descended into the ground. This provides for rapid col¬ lection of soil samples. Subsequently, by means of the piston, a selection of the col- lected soil samples, accumulated inside the pipe, will result in taking out the entire collected soil sample. By providing a pipe with a homogeneous wall thickness throughout the entire extent descended into the ground, and by the concurrent provision of a piston running on the inside of the pipe, a very dependable apparatus is provided. The apparatus will be substantially unaffected by soil containing stones and other alien substances, as there are no grooves, slides, cones, covers, measuring devices, tabs or other exceptional elements to cause technical difficulties and thereby a standstill of operation.

In this way, a possibility of rapid collection of soil samples is achieved together with the satisfaction that the entire soil sample is taken out and thereby securing that all the selected soil samples constitute a representative section of the soil in question. At the same time a risk of a standstill of operation is minimized.

Description of the drawing

The invention will be described in more detail below, with reference to the attached drawing on which:

fig. 1 shows an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention in an initial position, fig. 2 shows the apparatus according to the invention in a collecting position. fig. 3 shows the apparatus according to the invention in an intermediate position, fig. 4 shows the apparatus according to the invention in an expelling position, and fig. 5 shows the apparatus according to the invention in a subsequent new initial position.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention in an initial position. The apparatus includes a pipe 1 and a piston 2. The piston 2 is movable rela¬ tive to the pipe 1 and extends inside the pipe. The pipe 1 and the piston 2 are prefera¬ bly circularly cylindrical. In the initial position the pipe 1 and the piston 2 are situated above the surface of the ground 3. on a soil 4 which is to be collected and from which samples are to be taken. The pipe 1 has a muzzle 5 facing the surface of the ground 3. Fig. 2 shows the apparatus according to the invention in a collecting position. The pipe 1 and the piston 2 are displaced along an axis A downward into the ground 4 at right angles relative to the surface of the ground 3 until a depth d and to a position where an under side 6 of the piston 2 is still located above the surface of the ground 3. By means of lurching the pipe into the ground 4. soil will be lurched through the muzzle 5 and be collected inside the pipe 1 under the piston 2. The pipe 1 will be lurched, mainly by means of a pneumatic pressure.

Fig. 3 shows the apparatus according to the invention in an intermediate position. The pipe 1 is displaced upwards, and soil 7, which accumulated inside the pipe 1 in the collecting position, is stuck on an inner side 8 of the pipe 1. In a preferred embodi¬ ment, the inside 8 of the pipe has a surface which is non-smooth for sufficient securing of the soil 7. A bowl for sampling 9 is displaced from a position away from the pipe 1 into a position under the pipe 1.

Fig. 4 shows the apparatus according to the invention in an expelling position. The piston 2 is displaced downwards relative to the pipe 1 in such a way that the under side 6 of the piston 2 will be situated outside the muzzle of the pipe 1. By displace¬ ment downwards of the piston 2, the soil 7 accumulated inside the pipe will be lead down into the sampling bowl 9. The piston 2 will mainly be displaced by means of a pneumatic pressure. The under side 6 of the piston runs on a perpendicular plane on a longitudinal axis of the pipe. Thereby, the best possible expulsion of the soil 7 is achieved from the pipe.

Fig. 5 shows the apparatus according to the invention in a new initial position corre¬ sponding to the initial position shown in fig. 1. The sampling bowl is displaced from the position under the pipe to the position away from the pipe, and the apparatus is ready for collection of another soil sample.

In the above, the invention is described with reference to a specific embodiment.

However, it will be possible to indicate other embodiments of the invention. In this way, the muzzle of the pipe could be e.g. conical in order to facilitate the displacement 97/36160 PC17DK97/00129

6 downwards through the ground. Also the pipe could be displaced in other directions than those at right angles relative to the surface of the ground.

Claims

1. An apparatus for collection and expulsion of soil samples, said apparatus including a first element for the collection of a soil sample from a soil, and a second element for expulsion of the soil sample from the first element, said first element consisting of a pipe ( 1 ). said second element consisting of a piston (2). said pipe ( 1 ) being translatori¬ cally displaceable along an axis (A) stretching at right angles relative to a surface of the ground (3), and said piston (2) being displaceable relative to the pipe (1) and runs inside the pipe (1). characterized in that the pipe has a wall thickness (t) bet¬ ween an inner side (8) of the pipe and an outer side (9) of the pipe (1) which is inten¬ ded for being lead downwards into the soil (4). and that said piston (2) exclusively stretches inside the inner side (8) of the pipe (1).

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipe (1) and the piston (2) are circularly cylindric.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2. characterized in that the pipe (1) and the piston (2) are translatorically displaceable along an axis (A), and in that the pipe (1 ) and the piston (2) are independently translatorically displaceable.

4. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the apparatus includes a sampling bowl (9) and that the sampling bowl (9) can assume a first position away from the pipe (1), and a second position under the pipe (1).

5. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims characterized in that the piston (2) has a plane terminal surface (6), and that the terminal surface (6) stretches in a level at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the pipe (1).

6. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner side (8) of the pipe ( 1 ) has a non-smooth surface.

7. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipe ( 1 ) and the piston (2) are displaceable by means of a pneumatic pressure.

8. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the apparatus is fitted on a motor cycle, preferably a three-wheeled or a four- wheeled motor cycle.

9. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the apparatus is intended to assume an expelling position, a collecting position, a central position and a selecting position.

10. Employment of an apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims for col¬ lection and selection of soil samples on farm land.