Aerial spraying apparatus

A method of spraying a fluid from an airborne vehicle having two laterally spaced sets of spray nozzles to discharge said fluid and an electrode associated with each nozzle of each set to maintain said vehicle at neutral potential, said method comprising the steps of generating a charge of predetermined magnitude and opposite polarity on the electrodes of respective sets and inducing in fluid issuing from said nozzle a charge of opposite polarity prior to dispersion of said fluid into a cloud thereby generating a pair of laterally spaced oppositely charged clouds of droplets.

Spraying apparatus for mounting on a vehicle to spray an atomised liquid, said apparatus comprising a pair of electrodes for mounting on said vehicle, electrostatic charge generating means to supply charges of opposite polarity to respective areas of said electrodes so that said electrodes have opposite charges and spray generating means to cause a cloud of droplets of said liquid to pass over each electrode and produce a pair of laterally spaced oppositely charged clouds of droplets whilst maintaining said vehicle at a neutral polarity.

Aerial spraying apparatus for mounting on an airborne vehicle to spray a fluid, the apparatus comprising two sets of nozzles to be located at laterally spaced locations on said vehicle, each of the nozzles of each set having an electrode associated therewith, charge generating means to supply a charge to each of said electrodes, said charge generating means supplying a charge of opposite polarity to the electrodes of each of said sets, and fluid supply means to supply fluid to each of said nozzles to generate a fluid spray therefrom, said electrodes generating opposite charges fluid clouds issuing from each set of nozzles to maintain said vehicle of neutral potential.

Aerial spraying apparatus for attachment to an airborne vehicle to spray a fluid, said apparatus comprising a pair of booms each of which carries a plurality of nozzles for connection to a fluid reservoir, and is adapted to be attached to said vehicle at laterally spaced locations, each of said nozzles having a respective electrode associated therewith and positioned relative thereto to induce a charge upon fluid dispersed from said nozzle, charge generating means to generate charge of opposite polarity at respective outputs, first conduction means to connect one of said outputs with the electrodes of one of said booms and second conduction means to connect the other of said outlets to the other of said booms, said electrodes thereby inducing charges of opposite polarity in laterally spaced clouds of fluid dispersed from the nozzles carried by respective booms to maintain a neutral potential on said airborne vehicle.