Spraying apparatus having a fluid storage tank with agitator and anti-vortex tank fittings

Spraying apparatus for spraying fluid stored in a fluid storage tank comprising:

• one or more spray heads;
• pump means connected between said fluid storage tank and said spray heads for pumping fluid from said fluid storage tank to said spray heads, said pump means being connected to the bottom wall of said fluid storage tank by a fluid outlet pipe;
• and
• anti-vortex means mounted on the bottom wall of said fluid storage tank in a vertical position and connected to said fluid outlet pipe, said anti-vortex means including cap means overlaying the opening in said fluid outlet pipe at a fixed distance therefrom for preventing the formation of a gyrating vortex as the fluid in said fluid storage tank discharges through said fluid outlet pipe by forcing the fluid in said fluid storage tank to make a substantially 90 degree turn in order to enter said fluid outlet pipe to thereby prevent pump cavitation in said pump means, said anti-vortex means further including tank fitting means fastened to said fluid outlet pipe and mounted on said bottom wall of said fluid storage tank, said tank fitting means having a number of tabs, said cap means including a number of support bars corresponding to the number of said tabs for mounting said cap means on said tank fitting means, several of said support bars having notches for coupling said support bars to corresponding ones of said tabs.

In spraying apparatus for spraying a fluid stored in a fluid storage tank, said spraying apparatus including one or more spray heads, a pump connected to said fluid storage tank by a fluid outlet pipe for pumping fluid through a spray pipe to said spray heads and a bypass return pipe connected between said spray pipe and said fluid storage tank to supply a portion of the fluid in said spray pipe to said fluid storage tank, a tank fitting for use as either an agitator when mounted on said bypass return pipe in said fluid storage tank or an anti-vortex device when mounted on said fluid outlet pipe in said fluid storage tank, said tank fitting comprising:

• mounting means for fastening said tank fitting to either said bypass return pipe or said fluid outlet pipe, said mounting means including a plurality of support tabs;
• cap means overlaying the opening in either said bypass return pipe or said fluid outlet pipe at a fixed distance therefrom, said cap means being removably mounted on said mounting means by a plurality of support bars associated with corresponding ones of said plurality of support tabs on said mounting means;
• and
• nozzle means coupled between said mounting means and said cap means for defining a fixed gap between said cap means and said nozzle means to control the fluid momentum in said fluid storage tank when said tank fitting is connected to said bypass return pipe as an agitator, said nozzle means being removable from said tank fitting to convert said tank fitting from an agitator to an anti-vortex device when said tank fitting is mounted on said fluid outlet pipe.

In a fluid storage tank having a fluid inlet, an agitator associated with said fluid inlet for mixing the fluid in said fluid storage tank by transferring the momentum of the fluid passing through said fluid inlet to the fluid in said fluid storage tank, said agitator comprising:

• cap means overlaying said fluid inlet at a fixed distance therefrom for directing the fluid discharged by said fluid inlet into said fluid storage tank in a spiral rotating fashion to thereby mix the fluid in said fluid storage tank by imparting a gentle rolling motion to the fluid, said cap means being formed by a conical plate having its concave side positioned adjacent said fluid inlet at a fixed distance therefrom to provide a focus for the fluid discharged by said fluid inlet, said conical plate including spiral shaped fins mounted on its concave side for imparting a spiral rotating motion to the fluid passing through said fluid inlet;
• and
• nozzle means coupled to said fluid inlet and extending substantially along the center line of said conical plate for defining a fixed gap between said conical plate and said nozzle means to control the flow momentum in said fluid storage tank, wherein said agitator is mounted on one of the walls of said fluid storage tank, said agitator further comprising tank fitting means associated with said fluid inlet for attaching said agitator to said one wall of said fluid storage tank, said nozzle means being freely supported between said tank fitting means and said conical plate, said conical plate including a plurality of support bars and said tank fitting means including a corresponding plurality of tabs for attaching said support bars to said tank fitting means.