Patent Application
20140216588
Manure is a valuable resource, particularly as its use as a fertilizer, that oftentimes must be transported from one location to another. For example, manure may be transported from a place of processing or storage to a point of application in a field. Manure irrigation systems are used to transport liquid manure from one location to another, for example, so that the liquid manure can be applied to agricultural croplands. Such transport is often done with a hose, such as a manure drag hose, extended along a ground surface. Moreover, it is often needed to transport other liquids, including but not limited to water, fertilizer mixtures and liquid feeds in remote or rural areas.
In the field of liquid transport and irrigation, problems arise due to obstacles along the path of the irrigation system. For example, difficulties often exist in getting an irrigation line across a county or state road. Prior art transport lines are often run underneath roads, bored into the ground on one side of the road, traveling underneath the road, and emerging on the other side of the road.
The present disclosure involves improved systems and methods for increasing the ease and safety of liquid transport, and particularly liquid fertilizer transport, while at the same time reducing cost and meeting more stringent regulations. Prior art systems and methods of liquid and particularly liquid manure or fertilizer transport are difficult, expensive, and impractical because they bore into the ground to run the liquid transport line underneath obstacles. Moreover, more stringent regulations have been enacted that create additional obstacles to roaming liquid transport lines under roads, often right of ways such as rail lines, and bodies of water.
One embodiment relates to a raised pipeline apparatus for use in liquid irrigation to transport manure, liquid fertilizer or other liquid over an obstacle having a raised pipeline for transporting the liquid, the raised pipeline having a first end and a second end. The raised pipeline apparatus further has a first support structure operably connected near the first end f o the raised pipeline and a second support structure operably connected near the second end of the raised pipeline. The first and second support structures raise or suspend the raised pipeline in an upright position over an obstacle, enabling liquid transport over the obstacle.
Another embodiment relates to a liquid fertilizer irrigation system comprising a pipeline having an entrance end and an exit end, and a raised pipeline section positioned therebetween. The liquid fertilizer irrigation system further has a first support structure operably connected to the pipeline near a first end of the raised pipeline section and a second support structure operably connected to the manure pipeline near a second end of the raised pipeline section. The first support structure and the second support structure operate to raise or suspend a pipeline section in an upright position over an obstacle so as to enable the transport of liquid fertilizer through the pipeline over or around the obstacle.
Yet another embodiment relates to a method for transporting liquid fertilizer over and obstacle comprising the steps of accessing a supply of liquid fertilizer and pumping the liquid fertilizer into an entrance end of a first hose. The liquid fertilizer gets pumped through the first pipeline section to a raised pipeline that extends over an obstacle. The method may further comprise transporting the liquid fertilizer over the obstacle via the raised pipeline to a second hose. The liquid fertilizer may then be transported through the second hose to an applicator. In one embodiment the liquid fertilizer is liquid manure.
Other principle features and advantages of the presently disclosed system, apparatus, and method will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description, and the appended claims.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.
The drawings furnished herewith illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention in which the above advantages and features are disclosed, as will be understood from the following description of the illustrated embodiment(s).
In the present description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No necessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art and/or the plain meaning of the language or terms used because such language and/or terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are not intended to be broadly construed. The systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein may be used alone or in combination with other systems, apparatuses, and/or methods. Various equivalents, alternatives, and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims. None of the limitations the appended claims are intended to invoke interpretation under 35 USC §112, sixth paragraph, unless the terms “means” or “step for” are explicitly recited in the respective limitation.
As will be recognized by one of skill in the art, the present application can be utilized for many liquids, and is particularly adapted for the use of transporting liquid fertilizers. While the detailed description discusses irrigation of liquid manure, it must be recognized that other liquids and other liquid fertilizers may be transported by the disclosed apparatus and materials.
Referring to
The raised pipeline apparatus 3 is designed to provide an irrigation pathway over an obstacle 22, such as a road, railway, or body of water, such as a stream or river. The raised pipeline apparatus 3 may comprise a raised pipeline 5 having a first end 45 and a second end 46 each configured to attach to other pipeline sections or parts of the manure irrigation system 1. The raised pipeline 5 may form a smooth arch shape, or it may have more of a rectangular shape like the embodiment depicted in
The raised pipeline 5 of the raised pipeline apparatus 3 may connect at either end. to further pipeline sections that extend along a ground surface 20, such as in the embodiment depicted in
A support structure 10 is operably connected near each end of the raised pipeline 5 in order to support and maintain the raised pipeline 5 in an upright position. The support. structure 10 may include legs 16 attached to a min support body, such as the support connector depicted in
In the embodiment depicted in
In an embodiment depicted in
In one embodiment, the one or more legs 16 may extend diagonally from the support connector 11 to the ground surface 20. The diagonal stretching leg, or legs, 16 may be adjustable in length in order to adjust the height of the arched pipeline 5 and/or accommodate a variable ground surface 20 such as a hill or ditch. Alternatively, as depicted in
In the embodiment of the support structure 10 depicted in
In some embodiments, the base of the leg may have a foot 19 that has a wider surface area than that of the bottom of the leg 16 and is configured to provide stability and contact with a ground surface 20. The foot 19 may be fixably attached to the leg 16. Alternatively, the foot 19 may be hingedly attached to the leg 16, such that the angle between the leg 16 and the foot 19 could be adjusted in order to accommodate a slanted or uneven ground surface.
Additionally, the length of the outrigger 13 may be adjustable by adjusting the position of the outrigger 13 with respect to the support connector 11 and/or the leg 16. Specifically, the support connector may have an outrigger joint 14 that may slidably connect to the outrigger 13, wherein the outrigger can slide into the outrigger joint 14 such that the functional length of the outrigger 13 can be adjusted. Alternatively or additionally, the functional length of the outrigger 13 could be adjusted at leg joint 17, wherein the outrigger 13 selectably connected to the leg joint 17 at various points. The joint connections described herein may be through any method known in the art, including the hole and fastener 26 system described above. Alternatively or additionally, the outrigger 13 may have a telescoping structure that allows its length to be adjustable.
The raised pipeline 5 may form any shape that is conducive to transporting liquid fertilizers, such as manure, over an object. The raised pipeline 5 may compose a rigid pipe, non-rigid pipe or any structure for holding a manure hose in a raised position over an obstacle 22, such as a brace structure or a trough structure. Additionally, the raised pipeline 5 may be formed of a single piece, or of multiple pipe portions, e.g., 28-32, connected together to form the raised pipeline 5. As depicted in the example of
In one embodiment, the raised pipeline apparatus 3 is designed to provide an irrigation path over an obstacle 22 that is a road. In this embodiment, the clearance distance under the raised pipeline apparatus 3 must be wide enough and tall enough to allow vehicles traveling the road to safely pass underneath. For example, the support structures 10 of the bridged pipeline apparatus 3 must be placed far enough apart so that they do not impede any traffic traveling on the road or the shoulder of the road. The support structures 10 on either side of the arched pipeline 5 may be configured to be at least 65 feet apart, meaning that the horizontal distance between the first end 45 and the second end 46 of the arched pipeline 5 is at least 65 feet. Likewise, the raised pipeline apparatus 3 must be tall enough to provide vertical clearance for traffic to pass underneath the manure pipeline. In such embodiments, the raised pipeline 5 may provide at least 14 feet of clearance, if not more, for the entire section over the road. As depicted in
Referring again to
The step of transporting the liquid manure over the obstacle 22 through the raised pipeline 5 may further include transporting the manure up through a first pipe portion 28 extending at least partially in the upward direction, away from the ground surface 20. Then, the liquid manure may be transported back down through a second pipe line section 29 extending at least partially in the downward direction towards the ground surface 20. The liquid manure may be further transported through additional sections, such as through a third pipe portion 30 that may be connected between the first pipe portion 28 and second pipe portion 29. As described above, any of the pipe portions may be curved or straight, rigid or non-rigid.
The step of transporting may be accomplished through the use of one or more pumps, and it is further contemplated that gravitational forces may aid the transporting of the liquid manure through the raised pipeline apparatus, particularly once a pump forces the liquid manure to a topmost point in the system as the liquid manure makes its way down towards the second end 46 of the raised pipeline 5.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art based on the present disclosure. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
