Foam marking device for yards

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6651908
  • Patent Number
    6,651,908
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, July 12, 2001
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, November 25, 2003
    20 years ago
Abstract
The foam marking device of the present invention includes a solution tank with a tube extending upwardly therein. An air line extends from an air pump and into the tank so as to provide air into the tube. The air passes through a porous element so as to create air bubbles. The tube includes an elongated slot that allows foam solution within the tank to enter the tube. The air bubbles generate foam within the upper end of the tube. The foam passes through a homogenizer at the upper end of the tube and then into a foam line for discharge onto the ground. The slot serves dual functions, by allowing solution in the tank to enter the tube and by allowing foam within the tube to enter the tank when the pressure in the foam discharge line exceeds the pressure within the tube.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Devices for generating and dispensing foam used for marking rows in agricultural fields are well known in the farming industry. Such agricultural foam marking systems include relatively large tanks of water to be mixed with foam solution to accommodate the large fields in which the foam is used. Such devices are typically mounted on tool bars or sprayers, both of which may have elongated boom arms extending laterally from the line of travel of the tractor. Since the end of the boom arms are a significant distance from the tractor driver, foam is dispensed at the end of the boom arm to provide a visual site that the driver can track along when the tractor is turned around for return along the next adjacent row in the field.




There is a need for a similar, yet smaller and simpler foam marking device for use in yards and acreages. Such a foam marking device can be used during spraying, seeding, or mowing. Such a device can provide foam markers on one edge of each row of a spreader, sprayer, or mower so the operator can have a line of sight to travel along for each row.




Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a foam marking device for use in yards and acreages.




Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a foam marking device adapted to be used on a lawn and garden tractor, spreader or sprayer.




A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a foam marking device which is small in scale and simple in construction.




Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a yard foam marking device having a tank for containing the marking solution and having a tube within the tank in which the foam is generated.




Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method of providing foam for marking a yard or acreage during mowing, spraying, fertilizing, or seeding.




Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a yard foam marking device which is economical to manufacture, and safe and durable in use.




These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.




BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The foam marking device of the present invention includes a first tank for containing the foam solution, and a tube or second tank mounted within the first tank. The first tank has a cap at the upper end which is removably connected to the top of the tank. The tube includes an elongated slot extending along the tube substantially between the upper and lower ends thereof. The'slot allows solution to enter the tube so that the solution is at the same level as within the first tank. An air stream is passed through a porous element at the bottom of the tube so as to generate small bubbles, which pass upwardly through the fluid solution within the tube and generate foam bubbles within the tube above the solution level. The foam passes into a foam line connected to the cap of the first tank and is discharged on the ground to mark the travel rows. A second porous element or homogenizer is provided at the upper end of the tube so as to standardize the size of the foam bubbles passing out of the tube and into the foam line.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a side elevation view of the foam marking device of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a sectional view taken along lines


2





2


of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the device.





FIG. 4

is a view similar to

FIG. 1

showing an alternative embodiment of the yard marking device of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




The foam marking device of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral


10


in the drawings. The device


10


includes a first or primary tank


12


for containing the foaming solution. The tank


12


includes a cap


14


, which preferably is removable in any convenient manner, such as threads or a snap fit. A tube


16


is mounted within the tank


12


in an upright orientation. In a preferred embodiment, a plug or base


18


is provided in the bottom of the tank


12


, with the lower end of the tube


16


being received within the plug


18


to maintain the tube


16


in upright position. The upper end of the tube


16


is received within a plug


20


extending downwardly from the inside of the cap


14


. Thus, the tube


16


functions as a tank within the solution tank


12


. The device


10


may be mounted on a lawn or garden tractor, sprayer, or spreader in any convenient manner, such as by tabs


15


on the cap


14


.




The tube


16


includes an elongated slot


22


extending substantially between the upper and lower ends of the tube


16


. The slot


22


is approximately one-quarter inch wide. Preferably, the slot


22


is continuous, though it is understood that the slot may include separate upper and lower portions so as to be discontinuous.




The cap


14


includes an air inlet coupler


24


to which an air line


26


is connected. The opposite end of the air line


26


is connected to an air pump


28


, which preferably is battery powered.




An air line


30


resides within the tank


12


, and extends between an internal air coupling


32


on the inside of the cap


14


and an air coupling


34


on the lower plug


18


.




Mounted within the plug


18


or within the lower end of the tube


16


, is a porous element


36


. The porous element


36


may be mounted in any convenient fashion. As shown in the drawings, the element


36


is supported by a screen


38


, though other support means may be provided. A second porous element


40


, or homogenizer, is provided in the top of the tube


16


or in the upper plug


20


. The upper porous element


40


may be supported in any convenient means, such as by a screen


42


, as shown in the drawings.




A foam outlet


46


is provided on the cap


14


. A foam line


48


is connected to the foam outlet


46


and has an outer end connected in any convenient manner to one edge of the yard implement being used, such as the edge of a mower deck, spreader or sprayer. The homogenizer element


40


may be located in the foam line


48


, as an alternative being within the tube


16


or plug


20


, as described above. If desired, the foam line


48


may branch into two or more lines, such as shown in the drawings, wherein a tee element


50


splits the foam line


48


into two discharge lines


52


A,


52


B.




In use, a foaming solution


54


is supplied to the tank


12


by removing the cap


14


. Alternatively, a fill opening may be provided on the cap


14


with a conventional closure member sealing the fill opening. The air pump


28


is then actuated to supply air through the air lines


26


and


30


. The solution


54


in the tank


12


passes through the slot


22


in the tube


16


such that the level of solution


54


within the tube


16


is substantially equal to the level of the solution in the tank


12


. The stream of air from the air line


30


passes through the porous element


36


and is broken into tiny bubbles, which rise through the solution


54


so as to form foam within the tube


16


as the bubbles break the surface


56


of the solution


54


within the tube


16


. The generated foam fills the upper end of the tube


16


above the solution level, and passes through the upper porous element


40


which homogenizes the foam such that the foam bubbles have a substantially uniform size. The homogenized foam then passes out the foam line


48


for discharge onto the ground. If the pressure in the foam line


48


exceeds the pressure within the upper end of the tube


16


, the foam within the tube


16


will pass outwardly through the slot


22


for collection in the tank


12


. Thus, the slot


22


allows solution to enter the tube


16


and allows foam to exit the tube


16


, thereby equalizing pressure within the tank


12


and the foam line


48


.




Whereas the invention has been shown and described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that any modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended broad scope of the following claims. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of the stated objectives.



Claims
  • 1. A foam marker device, comprising:a first tank for holding a foamable solution; a second tank within the first tank and having upper and lower ends; an air inlet in the lower end of the second tank to supply a stream of air into the second tank; a foam outlet in the upper end of the second tank; a slot in the second tank to let solution from the first tank pass into the second tank so as to generate foam in the second tank when air is introduced into the second tank; and the slot extending above the solution in the first tank to allow foam to escape from the second tank into the first tank to relieve pressure in the second tank.
  • 2. The device of claim 1 further comprising an air supply line having a first end adapted to be connected to an air pump and a second end connected to the air inlet on the second tank.
  • 3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a foam line having a first end connected to the foam outlet of the second tank and a second end to discharge foam.
  • 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the foam line includes a screen to form the foam into foam droplets.
  • 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the first tank includes a removable cap.
  • 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the second tube includes a porous element above the air inlet to break the stream of air into air bubbles.
  • 7. A method of generating and dispensing foam, comprising:supplying foam solution into a tank; allowing the foam solution to enter a tube in the tank; supply air to the tube so as to generate foam within the tube above the solution; discharging the foam into a foam line operatively connected to the tube; dispensing the foam from the foam line; and allowing foam to exit the tube into the tank when the pressure in the foam line exceeds the pressure in the tube.
  • 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising passing the air through a porous element before entering the tube to create air bubbles.
  • 9. The method of claim 7 further comprising passing the foam through a homogenizer before dispensing the foam from the line.
  • 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising passing the foam through a homogenizer before discharging the foam into the foam line.
  • 11. The method of claim 7 wherein the solution enters the tube through a slot in the tube and the foam exits the tube through the slot.
  • 12. A device for making foam for dispensing on a yard, comprising:a foam solution tank; a tube mounted in the tank with a slot in the tube adapted to allow solution into the tube; an air line for supplying air to the tube to form foam from the foam solution in the tube; a foam line to deliver foam from the tube to the yard; and the slot extending above the solution in the tube to allow foam to exit the tube into the tank to balance the pressure in the tube and in the foam line.
  • 13. The device of claim 12 wherein the tank includes a removable cap.
  • 14. The device of claim 12 further comprising a porous element adjacent the tube through which the air passes to form air bubbles.
  • 15. The device of claim 12 further comprising a porous element through which the foam passes to homogenize the foam.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Number Name Date Kind
625621 Whittier May 1899 A
1995215 Mehlsen et al. Mar 1935 A
2680010 Dubay Jun 1954 A
4296875 Borglum Oct 1981 A
4531660 Ford, Jr. Jul 1985 A
4901925 Blake, III Feb 1990 A
RE33564 Ford, Jr. Apr 1991 E
5238155 Blake, III Aug 1993 A
D351215 Camara Oct 1994 S
5411177 Blake, III May 1995 A
5725129 Chapin et al. Mar 1998 A
6308866 Hoang et al. Oct 2001 B1