US 4,955,538 A · Applicator and method for the delivery of granular and liquid products to turf areas

Abstract

An applicator for the delivery of dry and liquid materials to turf areas. The applicator (10, 180) comprises frame means (11) supported by ground engaging wheels (14, 15); hopper means (12) carried by the frame for holding the dry materials; sealed reservoir means (39, 181) carried by the frame for holding the liquid materials; impeller means (23) beneath the hopper and rotatably driven to broadcast the dry materials in an arc laterally outside of and in front of the wheels; means (125) for selectively controlling the application of the dry materials; extendible boom means (75) carried by the frame means; pump means (56) for pressurizing the liquid materials to produce a low volume, low pressure spray; first nozzle means (64) located beneath the impeller, in communication with the pump means; second nozzle means (65) carried by the boom means in communication with the pump means; means (130) for selectively activating the flow of liquid material from the pump means; sensing means (135) for independently controlling the flow of the liquid materials through the second nozzle means; and electrically operable valve means (151) for independently controlling the flow of the liquid materials through the second nozzle means. A method for uniform and simultaneous delivery of dry and liquid materials to turf areas can be practiced for continuous and intermittent application of liquid spray during application of dry materials.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An applicator for the delivery of dry and liquid materials to turf areas comprising:

frame means supported by ground engaging wheels;
hopper means carried by said frame for holding said dry materials;
sealed reservoir means carried by said frame for holding said liquid materials;
impeller means beneath said hopper and rotatably driven to broadcast said dry materials in an arc laterally outside of and in front of said wheels;
means for selectively controlling the application of said dry materials;
extendible boom means carried by said frame means, said extendible boom means movable between a use and a stored position;
pump means for pressurizing said liquid materials to produce a low volume, low pressure spray;
first nozzle means located beneath said impeller, in communication with said pump means;
second nozzle means carried by said boom means in communication with said pump means;
means for selectively activating the flow of liquid materials from said pump means;
sensing means for sensing the position of the boom means between said use and stored positions and independently terminating the flow of liquid materials to said second nozzle means when said boom means are in said stored position;
electrically operable valve means for controlling the flow of said liquid materials through said second nozzle means independently of said first nozzle means and said application of dry material.

9 more elements

A method for the uniform and simultaneous delivery of dry and liquid materials to turf areas employing an applicator having a hopper for said dry materials and a sealed reservoir for said liquid materials;

means for broadcasting said dry materials from said hopper and first and second nozzle means for the application of said liquid materials directly to the ground, said second nozzle means being mounted to extendible boom means, said method comprising the steps of:
filling the hopper with desired dry materials and the reservoir with desired liquid materials;
moving said second nozzle means laterally away from the hopper and to the front of the applicator;
activating a lever to commence delivery of the dry materials and the liquid materials simultaneously;
selectively controlling the application of the liquid materials by moving a first switch means from a first position, in which the liquid materials are delivered continuously with the dry materials, to a second position in which delivery of the liquid materials is prohibited;
and
selectively activating a second switch means between on and off positions, when said first switch means is in said second position, thereby providing spot spraying of the liquid materials through said first and second nozzle means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Applicator and method for the delivery of granular and liquid products to turf areas

Life of this patent

Applicator and method for the delivery of granular and liquid products to turf areas

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25