US 5,971,294 A · Agricultural application systems with improved spray control

Abstract

A spray system is provided with improved spray control having decreased injection lag, and reducing non-uniformity in injection lag throughout the length of a spray boom. A pump is coupled to spray nozzles installed along the spray boom by manifolds which divide the spray boom into a predetermined number of zones. Each zone has a respective boom manifold, and each boom manifold is coupled through equal length line to the spray nozzles. The size of lines coupling the pump to the boom manifolds varies with position along the spray boom and restricting orifices are used in some of the connecting lines. Application systems constructed according to principles of the present invention respond quicker to changes in pump operating points than conventional systems and variability of injection lag along the length of the spray boom is virtually eliminated with the present invention.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A field sprayer system for mounting to a vehicle frame comprising:

a product holding tank and a spray boom with means for mounting to said vehicle frame;
a pump means coupled to said product holding tank and having an output;
plural separate main feed lines coupled to said pump output, with at least some of said main feed lines having dissimilar internal sizes;
a spray boom with means for mounting to said vehicle and having a plurality of spaced nozzles, with plural ones of said nozzles being fed by respective nozzle manifolds;
said main feed lines being coupled to respective feed manifolds, having respective input and output means;
at least one of said nozzle manifolds being coupled to respective ones of said feed manifolds by similarly sized connecting lines;
and
flow restricting orifices in at least some of said feed lines,
whereby, by controlling the output of said pump, product from said holding tank is delivered, substantially simultaneously, to said nozzles.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Agricultural application systems with improved spray control

Life of this patent

Agricultural application systems with improved spray control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20