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US 3,968,933 AGranted
Apparatus for hydraulic planting
AssigneeAmchem Products, Inc.
InventorJohn E. Waldrum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeAmchem Products, Inc.
InventorJohn E. Waldrum
Estimating the term…
Methods and apparatus for dispensing seed or other particulate matter in the air to apply the particulate matter generally evenly over a target area on the ground. The seeds are entrained in a viscous, elastic carrier fluid, which facilitates the movement thereof through hydraulic equipment and holds the seeds together in the air to preclude segregation or drifting as the particles drop to the target area. The seed and carrier fluid mixture is either premixed and stored in storage chamber in the apparatus or is mixed immediately prior to being dispensed in the air. One embodiment of the apparatus is utilized to broadcast seed over a relatively wide area and comprises a rotating spray head for dispensing the seed and carrier fluid mixture into the air. Another embodiment of the apparatus is used to apply rows of crop seed and comprises a dispensing head for providing a narrow stream of the seed and carrier fluid mixture into the air.
Apparatus for dispensing a suspension of particulate matter and an elastic carrier fluid in a well defined area on the ground from above the ground, said apparatus comprising, a spray head and means for rotating said spray head, said spray head having a common central chamber having an entrance, with plural nozzles projecting radially therefrom and in fluid communication therewith, each of said nozzles including an open orifice and with no valve means between said chamber and said orifices, means for feeding the suspension to said chamber, and a common valve at the entrance of said chamber and in fluid communication with said feeding means and said chamber for adjusting the rate at which said suspension is supplied to said chamber, whereupon said suspension is enabled to freely flow through said valve means, said chamber and out of said open orifices as the result of the rotation of said spray head.
Apparatus for depositing particulate matter in a well defined area on the ground from above the ground, said particulate matter being suspended in an elastic carrier fluid, said apparatus comprising a dispensing head for dispensing said suspension in a narrow stream, said dispensing head having an input chamber and at least one output nozzle coupled thereto, means for feeding said suspension to said chamber and comprising storage means for storing said suspension and conduit means carrying said suspension from the storage means to the chamber, and valve means for adjusting the rate at which said suspension is applied to said chamber, said valve means comprising a butterfly valve disposed within said chamber and adapted to be rotated to various angular positions to establish the rate at which the suspension is dispensed to the air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.