The present application claims the benefit of and priority from United Kingdom Application numbers 1319119.2, 1319121.8, 1319125.9, and 1319131.7, all filed Oct. 30, 2013, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to agricultural sprayer booms, or boom sections, which extend in a transverse direction with respect to a normal forward direction of travel. The invention is particularly applicable to, although not limited to, the booms or boom sections of agricultural sprayers.
Agricultural sprayers are used by farmers and contractors to apply pesticides and other nutrient-containing solutions to crop fields. Sprayers can be mounted to, or towed by, a tractor or other suitable vehicle or may be self propelled with an integrated means of propulsion and a driver's cab. The sprayer machine typically includes a storage tank for the liquid to be applied, the tank being filled as required by the operator. Alternatively, in systems which offer lower ground pressure, the sprayer machine may be semi-permanently connected by a pipe to a local (field-based) browser wherein the applied liquid is supplied via a pipe from the browser to the sprayer continuously as the latter is repeatedly moved across the crop field.
The liquid is applied to the field by a number of liquid application devises, typically spray nozzles, which are mounted in a spaced relationship along the length of a boom which, itself, is mounted to the sprayer vehicle. The nozzles are each connected to the storage tank by liquid delivery means comprising various pipes, valves, pumps and other plumbing. The liquid is atomized by the nozzles and applied to the crop in a jet of mist for example.
The valves are controlled to switch the flow of pesticide, for example, on and off as required. Due to imperfections in the associated seals, plumbing and the presence of residue fluid on the output side of the valves, dripping of the pesticide from the nozzles and pipework after switching off is often unavoidable. Spillage or unintended application of pesticide is at best undesirable, corrosive and wasteful, and at worst prohibited under local or regional environmental legislation.
Unwanted spillage of pesticide can be reduced by improving or renewing the valves, nozzles and plumbing, but even then prevention of dripping onto the ground below cannot be guaranteed.
Attempts have been made to at least prevent nozzle leakage drips from reaching the ground by providing a drip tray underneath a folded multi-section boom. However, this preventative measure is only effective when the boom is folded for transport.
With respect to the boom itself, the length of the boom determines the operating width of the sprayer. Driven by economies of scale, there is a growing demand for sprayer manufacturers to produce machines with longer spray booms. However, increasing the boom length significantly increases the risk of structural failure due to the increased stress placed upon the hinges and joints caused by natural vibrations and oscillations which pass from the spray vehicle along the boom. Today, boom lengths of conventional truss-style construction are approaching their physical limits with any further increase in length requiring significant strengthening of the joints, mountings and hinges between sections and along the boom.
Therefore, there is a continuing drive to investigate alternative boom constructions which can meet the demands of customers for longer booms.
In addition to seeking improvements in structural integrity of the boom, sprayer manufacturers continuously strive to reduce production costs at the same time as meeting customer demand for a wide range of different sprayer lengths. There is thus a desire to improve modularity in boom construction to reduce inventory on stock without affecting the range of products available.
It is an object of the invention to provide a boom for an agricultural sprayer which reduces or eliminates unintended pesticide application caused by drips from the plumbing or nozzles.
It is another object of the invention to provide means to prevent spillage of pesticide onto the ground below even when the boom is in an operating configuration.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an alternative construction for an agricultural sprayer boom.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved boom construction which can meet the aforementioned demands for longer multi-section sprayer booms.
It is yet another object of the invention, to provide a boom construction which presents better opportunities for modular construction of a wide range of different boom lengths.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a boom which is quicker and simpler to assemble on the assembly line.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a boom for mounting to an agricultural sprayer, the boom comprising an elongate frame supporting a plurality of liquid application devices, liquid delivery means connected to the application devices, and an elongate tray attached to, and extending along, the boom and being movable between a first position in which the tray extends substantially horizontally beneath one or more of the application devices and forms a liquid-retaining receptacle to prevent said material from leaking onto the ground below, and a second position in which the tray is located clear of delivery paths of the liquid application devices.
It should be understood that the term “boom” applies also to individual boom sections of a multi-section boom of an agricultural sprayer.
The first aspect of the invention provides a drip tray which is attached to the boom itself and is, therefore, effective even when the boom is in an unfolded (operating) configuration. When closed, the drip tray collects fluid leakage thus preventing unwanted spillage onto the ground below. The drip tray is movable into an open position in which it resides clear of the applied spray path thus allowing the boom to function during operation. As soon as the spraying operation is complete, the drip tray may be closed to intercept drips from nozzles above.
The tray may comprise a lip or ridge around its periphery to retain liquid incident upon the tray when in the first position.
The tray is preferably pivotally mounted to the frame for movement around a pivot axis parallel to the elongate axis of the frame between the first position and the second position. This provides a convenient mechanism to move the drip tray between the closed and open positions.
The frame may comprises a first longitudinal member relative to the elongate axis of the frame, the tray being pivotally mounted to the first longitudinal member. The tray may be mounted to the first longitudinal member by a plurality of mutually spaced hinges.
The tray may comprise a first longitudinal edge proximate said pivot axis and a second longitudinal edge opposite the first edge, the boom further comprising latch means to secure the second edge to the frame when the tray is in the second position.
In one embodiment at least one of the application devices may be mounted to the tray.
The pivot axis is preferably disposed below the application devices.
The boom may further comprise an actuator arranged between the frame and the tray to pivot the plate between the first and second positions.
In a preferred embodiment a first tray is pivotally mounted to a front edge of the frame, and a second tray is pivotally mounted to a rear edge of the frame, each of the first and second trays being pivotally movable between a first position in which the trays extends substantially horizontally beneath one or more of the application devices, and a second position in which the trays are located clear of delivery paths of the liquid application devices.
The first and second trays may overlap when both are in their respective first positions so as to provide a better seal and prevent pesticide from leaking onto the ground. Alternatively, respective longitudinal edges of the first and second trays meet to along a sealed seam below the one or more application devices when both trays are in their respective first positions.
The tray or trays may form part of an elongate member having an elongate flexible section which flexes to allow the tray to move between the first and second positions.
The tray may comprise a double-skin structure. In this case, the tray may comprise at least one inlet and at least one vent, the inlet being in communication with a source of pressurised air when the tray is in the second position. The double skin structure preferably defines a passage for a pressurised airstream between the inlet and the vent.
In an alternative embodiment, the tray may be slideably mounted to the frame for fore and aft translation movement between the first position and the second positions.
The tray is preferably substantially rectangular in shape.
The tray preferably comprises a concave profile for collecting liquid. Advantageously, the concave profile guides the collected fluid in a small area which assists in cleaning or draining as and when required.
The tray is preferably formed from a plastic material which is cheaper to produce and lighter.
The boom preferably comprises a frame member of hollow structural section (HSS) extending the length of the boom, wherein the application devices and liquid delivery means are mounted to the underside of the HSS. Advantageously, the structural strength of the boom, or boom section, is therefore provided by a length of HSS which extends the length of the boom. In the case of a multi-section boom, the length of HSS extends along the axis of the boom from one end of a boom section to the opposite end of the boom section.
The HSS frame member is preferable formed from an extrusion process which is significantly simpler, cheaper and quicker than manufacturing boom frames from multiple components welded, bolted or otherwise secured together.
When in the open position the tray preferably extends forwardly of the frame, with respect to the normal direction of travel. Furthermore, when in the open position the tray extends downwardly away from the frame to impact upon an airflow incident thereon as the sprayer moves across a field. Advantageously, the drip tray provides an auxiliary function when in the open position, namely the shielding of the sprayed liquid from ambient wind thus reducing drift.
The boom may further comprise means to generate, from movement of the sprayer, an airflow for accelerating the sprayed liquid downwardly. In this case, the boom further comprises first baffle means located behind and above one or more of the nozzles with respect to a forward direction of travel, and second baffle means extending forwardly of the frame and configured to funnel an airflow created by movement of the sprayer into an open section provided in a front side of the boom, the airflow being deflected downwardly by the first baffle means. The second baffle means preferably comprises the tray.
The second baffle means may further comprise an upper baffle plate extending along the front side of the boom and being mounted along one edge to the frame above said open section and extending upwardly and forwardly, to guide a further portion of said airflow into the front side of the frame. The upper baffle plate may be pivotally mounted to the frame for movement around an axis parallel to the elongate axis of the frame between a first position in which the upper baffle plate extends forwardly from the frame and a second position in which the upper baffle plate is stowed for transport against the frame.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a multi-section spray boom for mounting to an agricultural sprayer, the boom comprising an inner boom section for hingeably mounting to the sprayer, and at least one outer boom section hingeably connected to the inner boom section, wherein the inner boom section comprises a unitary frame member extending the length of the inner boom section and, when in use, the frame member bears the majority of bending forces exerted upon the inner boom section, the frame member having an extruded or pultruded profile.
The structural strength of the inner boom section is provided by a unitary extruded or pultruded frame member. By exploiting extrusion or pultrusion technology, single frame members can be formed which can withstand the horizontal and bending forces subjected to the boom without the need for strengthening truss members. By dispensing with the truss members, the weight of the boom is reduced thus reducing the stressed further still.
The term ‘extrusion’ used hereinafter should be understood to include ‘pultrusion’.
Boom sections, especially inner boom sections which are mounted to the sprayer and support further boom sections, must withstand large vertical and horizontal bending forces. In known truss-based boom structures these forces are born by a plurality of lengthwise members connected by a host of struts and ties. Stress profiling and failure history shows that bending-induced stresses are focused on the nodes of truss-based structures and it is at these nodes that failures most commonly occur.
By providing a unitary extruded frame member along the length of the inner boom section, stresses caused by bending forces are instead smoothly spread along the length of the boom. Advantageously, a more robust boom construction is provided and the structural limits of truss-based boom frames are overcome allowing longer boom configurations.
To further reduce the weight and/or provide access to the inside of the frame member, holes may be cut into the sides after extrusion.
The liquid application devices and liquid delivery means are preferably mounted to the underside of the frame member. Advantageously, fitting of nozzles and associated plumbing to the underside of the frame member is more straightforward when compared to fitting inside truss-based boom structures because access to brackets and clips on the underside of the frame member, for example, is significantly better. Assembly is, therefore, much simpler and quicker. Alternatively, the liquid application devices and liquid delivery means may be mounted inside the frame member with access holes cut into the underside as required.
Furthermore, an extruded profile can be employed for boom sections of different lengths on the same assembly line. Advantageously, this facilitates improved modularity and reduces the number of components required to meet the demand of a wide range of different boom lengths.
Regarding strength and robustness, booms having an extruded frame member have been found to demonstrate a superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to known truss-based constructions.
The process of extrusion is significantly simpler, cheaper and quicker than manufacturing boom frames from multiple components welded, bolted or otherwise secured together.
The frame member is preferably formed from aluminum giving a high strength to weight ratio. Alternatively, a composite material may be used such as glass fibre, carbon fibre or Kevlar which also offer a high strength to weight ratio and are especially suited to forming by pultrusion.
The extruded profile may be substantially trapezium-shaped having a relatively wide bottom and tapering inwardly towards the top side. Strengthening tubes or plates may be extruded into the profile to increase rigidity.
The angles of the trapezium-shaped profile may be dictated by the desired folding angle between adjacent boom sections. In other words, the geometry of the extruded profile may affect the relative angle at which adjacent boom sections hinge with respect to one another. Alternatively, square or rectangular extruded profiles may be employed.
The boom preferably comprises a plurality of brackets secured to the underside of the frame member in a spaced relationship. These brackets preferably adopted an upside down U-shaped profile and may be formed from a pair of identical interlocking portions that interlock by means of a sliding interlock connection such as a dovetail or T-shaped interlocking connection. The bracket portions may, for example, slideably engage with one another in a direction parallel to the elongate axis of the boom. Advantageously, this allows one portion to be secured to the underside of the frame member before sliding the second portion into place.
The brackets are preferably formed from a plastics material to minimize cost and weight. However, it is envisaged that alternative materials such as steel may be utilized instead.
In accordance with preferred embodiments of the second aspect of the invention the brackets serve to mount a multitude of different components to the frame member in an easily accessible manner on the assembly line. By way of example, pipework which forms part of the liquid delivery means may be secured to the plurality of brackets by clamping or snap fitting. In one preferred arrangement each bracket presents a semi-circular shaped indentation which aligns with identical indentations provided in adjacent brackets and which work together to receive and hold linear pipework extending along the boom. Clamps may be used in conjunction with the brackets to hold the pipework in place in the indentations.
In another example one or more guard members for protecting the liquid application devices from impact with external objects may be provided and secured to the frame by the plurality of brackets. The guard member (or members) preferably comprises an elongate member that extends in a direction parallel to the elongate axis of the boom and may, for example, be formed from a simple rigid rod that resides at a similar level to the liquid application devices. In a similar manner to the pipework described above, the guard member or members may be secured to each of the plurality of brackets by a respective snap fitting or other suitable attachment means.
In a further example use of the brackets, a front and/or a rear windshield extending along the boom may be secured to the plurality of brackets, the windshield serving to reduce the effect of ambient airflow on the sprayed liquid thus minimizing drift. The windshield may alternatively be extruded into the profile of the frame member thus saving on components and cost.
Further advantages will become apparent from reading the following description of specific embodiments with reference to the appended drawings in which:
With reference to
A transversely-extending multi-section boom 20 is formed from five separate boom sections 20a to 20e which are connected by hinge means and aligned with one another in the operating configuration shown. In this configuration the boom 20 extends substantially at right angles to the forward direction of travel, represented by arrow F in
A central boom section 20c is fixed to the rear of the sprayer 10 by a suitable linkage represented at 22. As in known sprayer machines, the linkage 22 may permit raising and lowering of the boom to adapt to different crops and conditions.
The boom 20 further comprises a left-hand boom assembly and a right-hand boom assembly each hingeably mounted to respective ends of the central boom section 20c for pivoting movement around a substantially vertical axis. Left-hand boom assembly comprises an inner boom section 20b mounted to the central boom section 20c and an outer boom section 20a hingeably connected to the inner boom section 20b. Right-hand boom assembly comprises an inner boom section 20d mounted to the central boom section 20c and an outer boom section 20e hingeably connected to the inner boom section 20d.
The pivoting connections between the respective boom sections 20a-e allow the multi-section boom 20 to be folded into a transport configuration represented schematically by dashed 20′. It should be recognized that the folding mechanism and construction of the boom 20 is shown in highly schematic form and is not particularly relevant to the invention. Moreover, it should be noted that the central boom section 20c may be lighted in construction because it does not encounter the large bending forces experienced by the other boom sections 20a, 20b, 20d, 20e.
The various embodiments of the invention to be described below relate to the construction of a boom (or boom section) for mounting to an agricultural sprayer such as that shown in
The following description makes reference to “booms” but it should be understood that the constructions described can be applied to a single boom section of a multi-section boom, and the term “boom” shall encompass “boom section” also.
The boom constructions described hereinafter embody one or more inventive aspects which will be described in turn for clarity and highlighted, where possible, with sub-headings.
HSS Boom Construction
With reference to
The frame member 101 is formed from an extrusion process which is a well known technique in producing HSS members. Alternatively the frame member 101 may be formed from a pultrusion process.
The frame member 101 is preferably formed from aluminum. Alternatively, a composite material may be used.
The unitary frame member 101 provides the structural strength of the boom and withstands the bending moment subjected thereon. Being hollow, the frame 101 is lighter than conventional truss-based booms thus reducing the stresses on the hinges between adjacent boom sections. Moreover, the bending-induced stresses are spread along the length of the extruded member rather than being focused at peak points as in known truss-based constructions. The overall boom construction is therefore more capable of tolerating the stresses associated with being driven over rough ground. The lighter construction facilitates greater design freedom in producing longer booms whilst keeping within stress tolerances.
The use of extrusion to produce the boom frame delivers a significant cost saving over conventional truss-based booms available on the market today. Lengths of HSS can be stockpiled by manufacturers and simply cut to the desired length when required. Advantageously, this allows a ‘just-in-time’ approach to supplying parts to the assembly line without having to stock several different parts and still allowing a wide range of boom lengths to be assembled on the same line.
Turning back to
The nozzles 107 serve to apply the pesticide or nutrient solution to the crop from above in the form of a jet or mist in a known manner.
Liquid delivery means connected to the nozzles 107 are also mounted to the underside of the HSS frame member 101.
The term liquid delivery means is intended to encompass the plumbing required to convey liquid from the storage tank 18 to the nozzles 107. The plumbing may comprise return lines used for flushing the pipe work after completion of the spraying operation. In the embodiment shown in
A plurality of U-shaped brackets 111 are secured to the underside of the frame member 101 in a spaced relationship. The example shown in
The brackets 111 and attached functional components are described in more detail hereinafter with reference to
To provide increased modularity each bracket 111 is formed from two identical portions 116, 116′ that interlock with one another and shown in separated form in
The pipework 108, 109, 110 is secured to each bracket 111 by means of a two-part clamp having an upper part 121 attached to the bracket 111 and a lower part 122 secured to the upper part 121. Interlocking means are provided to facilitate simple mounting of the pipework to the frame. Firstly, the upper part 121 is mounted to the bracket 111. Best seen in
The pipes 108, 109, 110 are then located into position in recesses 125, 126, 127 formed in the top clamp portion 121. The lower clamp portion 122 is then placed into position and secured to the top portion 121 by means of screws inserted through holes 128 provided in both portions and the bracket 111. (It should be understood that the pipes 108, 109, 110 are omitted from
The clamping portions 121, 122, when secured in place, exert a clamping force on the pipes 108, 109, 110 to prevent movement of the pipework relative to the frame 101. Alternatively, the clamps may simply serve to retain the pipes and permit a degree of linear movement so as to accommodate flexing of the boom without detrimental effects to the plumbing joints associated therewith.
As briefly mentioned above each bracket 111 holds in place a front tubular guard member 129 and a rear tubular guard member 130, each serving to provide protection to the nozzles 107, plumbing and pipework from impacts with external objects. It shall be understood from
Some boom constructions demanded by customers may require only one of a front or rear guard member. By forming the brackets 111 from two portions 116, 116′, the manufacturer has the option to fit only one portion thus providing modularity in assembly. For example, if a customer requires only a front guard member 129 the rear portion 116 of each bracket 111 can be simply omitted, thereby saving cost. Furthermore, since the two portions of bracket 111 are identical, savings can be made through economies of scale and the number of different required components on the assembly line is reduced.
In addition to guard members 129, 130, front and rear windshields 136, 137 may be provided to shield the sprayed liquid from ambient air flow thus reducing spray drift. Each windshield 136, 137 comprises a plate shaped to conform substantially to the curved profile of brackets 111 and bent to include a cylindrical sleeve 138 (
The modularity offered by the construction allows any combination of front and/or rear windshields to be included. The construction of the front windshields 136 is preferably identical to that of the rear windshields 137 so as to reduce the components present on the assembly line and reduce costs further.
It should be understood that
The brackets 111 are preferably moulded from a plastics material. Alternatively aluminum or a composite material may be used. The commonality between the brackets 111 applied to a multitude of boom sections in the same machine provides cost saving through economies of scale.
Moveable Drip Tray
A boom 200 according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in
The tray 242 is pivotally mounted along an axis defined by the front tubular guard member 129 which itself is supported by the bracket 111. Various means of hinging the tray 242 along said axis are envisaged but may, for example, include a plurality of spaced sleeves integrated within the double skin and through which the front guard member 129 is inserted.
In an operating configuration (
In a second, transport, configuration (
The provision of a drip tray on the boom itself offers significant advantages over the current state of the art. There is growing pressure from sprayer manufacturers to provide means to prevent potentially harmful pesticide from dripping on to the ground when not in operation for environmental reasons. The bulky nature of a drip tray has been found to hinder the folding functionality of a multi-section boom and has thus so far only been provided as an item that is fixed to the spray vehicle below the folded boom.
A drip tray that is pivotally mounted on the boom can also serve as a baffle plate which reduces drift as described above. Actuator means (not shown) such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders may be employed to move the drip tray 242 between the open and closed positions to avoid the need for the operator to leave his cab. For example, a simple hydraulic cylinder may be connected between a fixed position on the boom 200 and the drip tray 242 to pivot the latter as required. However, it is envisage that the drip tray 242 may be moved manually between the open and closed positions and, in addition, latch means may be provided to secure the drip tray 242 in one or both positions.
The design of the upside down U-shaped brackets 111 is particularly attractive when used in conjunction with a pivotable drip tray as shown in
Although shown as mounted to a boom having a hollow structural section frame 101, it is envisaged that a pivotable drip tray in accordance with the invention may be fitted to alternative boom constructions. For example,
The functional attachment structure 300′ (that is excluding the frame member) of a boom according to a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
Although shown so far as pivoting around an axis that is disposed along a lower edge of the boom, it is envisaged that the axis may reside higher up provided the drip tray is shaped accordingly and/or has a suitable linkage to allow the tray to reside under the nozzles when in the closed position.
In an alternative construction shown in
The effect of providing both a front and rear baffle plate delivers superior protection against drift when compared to the embodiments described above which include a single baffle plate.
In the closed configuration the baffle plates 542, 546 are pivoted into a closed position one at a time to provide a drip tray having similar functionality to that described above. The like concave profiles of the front and rear plates 542, 546 allows the two plates to nest together when in the closed position thereby providing a better seal and which prevents leakage of the collected drips. The configuration shown in
Maintaining the concept of a drip tray which is moveable to a position clear of the nozzle delivery paths,
In yet an alternative construction shown in
Self-Generating Airflow Acceleration
The boom 400 illustrated in
By omitting the front windshield 136 an elongate opening, designated generally by 450, is provided along the length of the boom 400 having a top edge defined by a lower edge of the front plate 104 and a lower edge coinciding with the front guard member 129.
The forwardly extending orientation of drip tray 242 serves to guide the airflow incident thereon toward and through the opening 450. As the sprayer moves across the field therefore, air is funnelled in through the opening 450.
The underside 103 of HSS frame member 101 and the rear windshields 137 together serve as baffle means which deflect the funnelled airflow downwardly in the direction of the spray delivery paths. Advantageously, the airflow in the vicinity of the applied liquid is accelerated downwardly towards the crop having two effects. Firstly, the applied liquid is, itself, accelerated thus reducing drift. Secondly, the downward airflow, which can be considered as a pressurised air curtain, serves to open up the crop canopy thus improving the penetration of the applied liquid into the standing crop.
The concept of providing a pressurised airflow in a downward direction along a boom is not new. However, existing solutions require a source of pressurised air which may include pumps, fans and reservoirs and which are expensive and cumbersome to accommodate on the machine. By providing means to funnel and deflect an airflow created by movement of the sprayer, a downward accelerating pneumatic force is provided in a simple and cheap manner using existing components.
The boom 1100 illustrated in
An upper baffle plate 1152 is secured to the frame 1101 above the open section 1150 and is angled upwardly and forwardly away from the frame 1101 so as to funnel the airflow X downwardly into the open section 1150. Although shown as having a similar construction to the lower baffle plate/drip tray 1142, the upper baffle plate 1152 may take any suitable form and may, for example, comprise a curved profile to accentuate the funnelling effect.
In a similar manner to the boom 400 described above a rear windshield 137 acts together with a ‘ceiling’ baffle plate 1153 to serve as internal baffle means which guides the funnelled airflow X downwardly past the nozzles 107 in the direction of the sprayed liquid. The downwardly-exiting airflow is represented by arrows Y in
For completeness,
Turning back to boom 500 illustrated in
In yet another alternative boom construction that embodies the self-generated accelerated airflow, the HSS frame member 1001 of a boom 1000 is exploited to direct a funnelled airflow downwardly producing a similar effect similar to that described above. With reference to
Cut into the front plate 1004 are a plurality of holes 1055 each having a tapered cone 1056 configured to funnel an incident airflow in through the hole 1055. With the provision of end plates (not shown) the hollow structural section frame member 1001 thereby forms a chamber that is pressurised as the sprayer moves forwardly across the field. A front set of vents 1057 provided in the base plate 1003 vent the funnelled air downwardly substantially in the direction of the sprayed liquid as represented by arrows Y in
A rear set of vents 1058 provided in the base plate 1003 vent the pressurised air into a dual skin rear windshield 1037 which is secured by suitable means to the rear lower edge of hollow structural section frame member 1001. The vented air represented by arrow Z in
Although boom 1000 includes a front set of vents 1057 and a rear set of vents 1058 in conjunction with a double skin windshield 1037, it is envisaged that different combinations of vents provided in the base plate 1003 are possible. For example, the rear windshield 1037 may be omitted and a simple set of vents that directly vent air in a generally downward direction may be employed instead.
The top plate 1002 and rear plate 1005 of the HSS serve as baffle means to direct the funnelled airflow X downwardly towards the vents 1057, 1058.
Pneumatic Canopy Opening
The windshields 636, 637 have a dual skin structure which provides a respective air conveyance channel for channelling an airflow from vents 657, 658 provided in the base plate 603, to downwardly pointing vents 660, 661 provided along the bottom edge of each windshield. The internal chamber provided by the HSS frame member 601 is pressurised by an auxiliary air pump (not shown) provided on the sprayer or by funnel-like devices that are functionally similar to those shown in
The pressurised air is vented through vents 657, 658 into the respective cavities provided by the double skin windshield 636, 637 via appropriate holes 662, 663 provided in the windshields. The air is vented through one or more slots provided along the bottom edge of each windshield 636, 637 so as to provide a pressurised air curtain which impacts upon the standing crop canopy. Arrows Z (
The vents or holes 660, 661 effectively form one or more air dispensing nozzles. A single linear slot may be provided along the length of the windshield to dispense a substantially planar jet (or curtain) of pressurised air extending in the direction of the boom axis.
Boom 800 shown in
Furthermore, the double skin drip tray 843 may comprise nozzles integrated along the longitudinal edge. The cavity provided by the double skin structure can be used to convey pressurised air from the front windshield 636 to the nozzles which vent a pressurised air curtain into the standing crop canopy.
Boom 900 illustrated in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1319119.2 | Oct 2013 | GB | national |
1319121.8 | Oct 2013 | GB | national |
1319125.9 | Oct 2013 | GB | national |
1319131.7 | Oct 2013 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2014/072747 | 10/23/2014 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2015/062964 | 5/7/2015 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20160262371 A1 | Sep 2016 | US |