Plant husbandry – Plant surface contact material applicator
Patent
1985-11-04
1988-01-19
Feyrer, James R.
Plant husbandry
Plant surface contact material applicator
A01M 2100
Patent
active
047197196
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to applicators and more particularly to wick style applicators to apply liquids such as weedicides to plant bodies.
Weeding is a process regularly undertaken in a variety of agricultural pursuits and most often is required to be done selectively in association with a cultivated crop which should not be affected by whatever chemical is employed against unwanted growth. A selective chemical effective against a broad range of weed growths whilst still safe to use in conjunction with the desired plant variety being cultivated, is a tall order making simple spraying of the weedicide material impossible and controlled applications are the usual mode of application. Various forms of controlled applicators are known. Reducing the amounts of materials to be deployed is possible where potent chemicals requiring only application in small quantities are used. Wipe on applicators active to wipe a smear of chemical over an unwanted plant are known. One form of this type of applicator simply involves a wick drawing liquid from a reservoir to be wetted thereby and apply liquid to anything it touches. In agricultural applications, banks of wicks are suspended off elongate booms to give effective ground coverage and the assembly is moved over a crop to be weeded on the back of a tractor or other motive vehicle.
A drawback of the present forms of wick applicators is that they are designed to wipe one way only over a plant and unless a multiple number of passes are made, application can be uneven and the effect of the applied chemical may not be effective in totally eradicating the weed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an applicator capable of applying liquids with a better coverage than has hitherto been possible with liquid applicators. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an applicator which may be applied in orchards around the base of trees with no damage thereto. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an applicator with an assisted flow characteristic to improve operation of the applicator. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will hereinafter become apparent.
According to the present invention there is provided an applicator for applying liquids selectively to plants growing about a cultivated crop comprising at least one applicator wick, a rotating support means being rotatable about an axis to support said wick in a manner providing a radially extending segment of said wick across a surface of said support, the inner end of said wick extending into a supply of the liquid to be applied.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of an applicator according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an applicator according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a detail of a rim structure which may be employed on an applicator in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a vertical section through an applicator according to the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view through the applicator of FIG. 4 at a perpendicular to the axis of the applicator.
FIG. 1 shows an applicator provided with a number of wicks 10 disposed across the underneath surface of an applicator wheel comprised of a spoked structure run off a hub 14. Spokes 13 may support peripheral clamps 12 which serve to clamp the ends of wicks 10 which communicate fluids drawn from reservoir 11 along their length so as to wet whatever they touch. The applicator can be driven on a shaft 15 supported at a suitable rotary bearing means 20 by a motor 19 operating through suitable transmission means such as pulleys 18 and 16 and belt 17. Obviously sprockets and a chain may also be employed or a direct connection of a suitable motor and shaft 15 utilised.
In FIG. 1, with the reservoir 11 at a central location and the wicks oriented generally radially, the liqu
REFERENCES:
patent: 1672058 (1928-06-01), Cole
patent: 3198396 (1965-08-01), Bailey
patent: 3212216 (1965-10-01), Ludwig
patent: 4187638 (1980-02-01), Hardy et al.
patent: 4199896 (1980-04-01), Lehman
patent: 4464862 (1984-08-01), Peterson et al.
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