Work vehicle sprayer system and method with pinching nozzle apparatus

A sprayer system, comprising:

• a fluid source configured to supply a primary fluid;
• and
• at least one nozzle apparatus fluidly coupled to the fluid source and configured to disperse the primary fluid over an area;
• wherein the at least one nozzle apparatus comprises:
• a support plate;
• a fluid manifold mounted on the support plate defining a fluid passage to receive the primary fluid;
• a spray nozzle coupled to the fluid manifold and configured to receive the primary fluid from the fluid passage and spray the primary fluid in a spray pattern;
• an actuator gear assembly mounted on the support plate;
• an actuator configured to drive the actuator gear assembly;
• a pincher gear assembly having a first pincher gear and a second pincher gear mounted to the support plate, wherein the first pincher gear is engaged with the second pincher gear and the second pincher gear is engaged with the actuator gear assembly;
• a first pincher mounted on the first pincher gear;
• and
• a second pincher mounted on the second pincher gear, wherein the first and second pinchers are positioned on opposite sides of the spray nozzle,
• wherein the actuator gear assembly is configured to drive the pincher gear assembly between a first position in which the first and second pinchers are positioned relative to each other and relative to the spray nozzle such that the spray nozzle has a first cross-sectional shape and a second position in which the first and second pinchers are positioned relative to each other and relative to the spray nozzle such that the spray nozzle has a second-cross-sectional shape, and wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different than the second cross-sectional shape.

A nozzle apparatus configured to distribute a primary fluid, the nozzle apparatus comprising:

• a support plate;
• a fluid manifold mounted to the support plate and configured to receive the primary fluid;
• a spray nozzle coupled to the fluid manifold and configured to receive the primary fluid from the fluid manifold and spray the primary fluid in a spray pattern;
• a pincher gear assembly mounted on the support plate and including a first pincher gear to which is mounted a first pincher and a second pincher gear to which is mounted a second pincher, the first and second pinchers positioned to contact the spray nozzle;
• and
• an actuator gear assembly mounted on the support plate and the pincher gear assembly and configured to reposition the pincher gear assembly between a first position relative to the spray nozzle such that the spray nozzle is undeformed by the first and second pinchers and a second position relative to the spray nozzle such that the spray nozzle is deformed by the first and second pinchers.