# US 2019/0168874 A1 · Removable aerial application system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168874 A1 - Document ID: US20190168874A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/209,365 - Filed: 2018-12-04 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Airduce, LLC - Applicants: Airduce, LLC - Inventors: Michael E. STEELMAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168874A1 ## CPC - B64D 1/18: by spraying, e.g. insecticides - A01C 7/16: Seeders with other distributing devices, e.g. brushes, discs, screws or slides - A01C 17/001: {Centrifugal throwing devices with a vertical axis} - A01M 7/00: Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass - B05B 13/005: {mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers} - B64C 27/04: Helicopters - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS ## Abstract A removable aerial application system and a method of installing the removable aerial application system in an aircraft such as a helicopter. In one embodiment, a removable aerial application system for an aircraft comprises: a tank insertable into a cabin of the aircraft; a first delivery conduit and a second delivery conduit, the first and second delivery conduits being in communication with the tank and extending aftward beneath a fuselage of the aircraft, a first auger within the first delivery conduit and a second auger within the second delivery conduit; a collector assembly defining a chamber, each of the first and second delivery conduits being in communication with the chamber; a distribution system coupled to the collector assembly; and a hydraulic system in mechanical communication with each of the first and second augers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A removable aerial application system for an aircraft, the removable aerial application system comprising: a tank configured to be inserted into a cabin of the aircraft; a first delivery conduit and a second delivery conduit, the first delivery conduit and the second delivery conduit being in communication with the tank and being configured to extend aftward beneath a fuselage of the aircraft; a first auger within the first delivery conduit and a second auger within the second delivery conduit; a collector assembly defining a chamber, each of the first delivery conduit and the second delivery conduit being in communication with the chamber; a distribution assembly coupled to the collector assembly; and a hydraulic system in mechanical communication with each of the first and second augers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The removable aerial application system of claim 1, wherein the tank includes a first outlet at a first end and a second outlet at a second end opposite the first end, the tank being configured such that the first outlet is located external to a left side of the aircraft and the second outlet is located external to a right side of the aircraft when the tank is within the cabin of the aircraft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The removable aerial application system of claim 2, further comprising: a first loading conduit extending vertically between the first outlet of the tank and the first delivery conduit; and a second loading conduit extending vertically between the second outlet of the tank and the second delivery conduit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The removable aerial application system of claim 3, wherein the first loading conduit and the second loading conduit are each composed of a flexible material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The removable aerial application system of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic system includes processing circuitry that is programmed to send and receive data from a navigation system of the aircraft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The removable aerial application system of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry has a wireless communication module. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The removable aerial application system of claim 5, further comprising a first rotary encoder in communication with the first auger and a second rotary encoder in communication with the second auger, each of the first rotary encoder and the second rotary encoder also being in communication with the processing circuitry of the hydraulic system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The removable aerial application system of claim 1, wherein the collector assembly includes a flow diverter having a central aperture and a projection. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The removable aerial application system of claim 8, wherein the flow diverter is adjustable to meter a flow of material from the removable aerial application system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The removable aerial application system of claim 1, wherein the distribution assembly includes a housing, the housing having: a central aperture in communication with the chamber of the collector assembly; a first edge; and a second edge opposite the first edge, the housing being rotated about a vertical axis such that the first edge is more aftward than the second edge. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The removable aerial application system of claim 1, wherein the distribution assembly includes a spinner in communication with the chamber of the collector assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The removable aerial application system of claim 11, wherein the spinner includes: a first plate and a second plate; and a plurality of baffles extending between the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of baffles, the first plate, and the second plate defining a plurality of passages within the spinner, each of the plurality of passages including an outlet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The removable aerial application system of claim 1, wherein the collector assembly includes a body defining the chamber, the body having a first inlet and a second inlet, each of the first inlet and the second inlet having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the first inlet and the longitudinal axis of the second inlet being oriented relative to each other at an angle of between approximately 30° and approximately 45°. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The removable aerial application system of claim 1, wherein the first delivery conduit and the second delivery conduit each have an elongated tubular shape and are composed of a rigid material. ### Claim 15 A removable aerial application system usable with a helicopter having a cabin, at least one landing skid, and a fuselage, the removable aerial application system including: a tank configured to be inserted into the cabin, the tank having a first outlet and a second outlet; a delivery unit removably coupled to a pre-existing mounting fixture on a lower surface of the fuselage at a location that is aftward of the tank; a first loading conduit in communication with the first outlet of the tank and a second loading conduit in communication with the second outlet of the tank; a first delivery conduit and a second delivery conduit each being in communication with the tank and the delivery unit, the first loading conduit extending between the tank and the first delivery conduit and the second loading conduit extending between the tank and the second delivery conduit; a first auger in the first delivery conduit and a second auger in the second delivery conduit; and a hydraulic system in communication with the first auger and the second auger, the hydraulic system being configured to be removably coupled to the landing skids. ### Claim 16 A method of installing a removable aerial application system into an aircraft, the method comprising: coupling a delivery unit of the removable aerial application system to an existing mounting point on a fuselage of the aircraft; coupling a first delivery conduit to a first inlet of the delivery unit and coupling a second delivery conduit to a second inlet of the delivery unit; inserting a tank into a cabin of the aircraft, the tank having a first outlet at a first end and a second outlet at a second end opposite the first end; and coupling a first loading conduit between the first outlet of the tank and the first delivery conduit and coupling a second loading conduit between the second outlet of the tank and the second delivery conduit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: coupling a hydraulic system to a landing skid of the aircraft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a first auger is located within the first delivery conduit and a second auger is located within the second delivery conduit, the method further comprising: coupling the hydraulic system to the first auger and the second auger. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: coupling the tank to a seat frame within the cabin of the aircraft. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: coupling at least a portion of each of the first delivery conduit and the second delivery conduit to an existing mounting point on the fuselage of the aircraft.