WO2005043999A1

WO2005043999A1 - Crop spraying device

Info

Publication number: WO2005043999A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/052888
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudio Martignani
Original assignee: Martignani Ing. C. Di Martignani Stefano & C. S.R.L.
Priority date: 2003-11-10
Filing date: 2004-11-09
Publication date: 2005-05-19
Also published as: AR046447A1; ITBO20030662A1

Abstract

A crop spraying device has a pneumatic circuit (3) for feeding a gaseous stream containing a parasiticide in powder form to at least one outlet (4) communicating with the outside; a hydraulic circuit (11) for feeding a liquid product into the gaseous stream; and an electric device (13) for electrically charging a parasiticide mixture defined by the gaseous stream and the liquid product.

Description

CROP SPRAYING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a crop spraying device. BACKGROUND ART In crop spraying, a device is known comprising a tank containing a parasiticide in powder form; a pneumatic circuit having at least one outlet communicating with the outside; and an impeller for drawing the parasiticide from the tank and feeding a gaseous stream containing the parasiticide along the pneumatic circuit to the outlet. Though widely used, known devices of the type described above have various drawbacks, mainly due to the gaseous stream, on issuing from the outlet, being partly dispersed in the atmosphere, thus reducing the effectiveness of the treatment, as well as polluting the environment and endangering the health of the operator. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a crop spraying device designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks . According to the present invention, there is provided a crop spraying device as claimed in Claim 1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the Figure 1 device. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a device for spraying crops (not shown) and mounted, in the example shown, on a carriage la drawn by a known agricultural machine not shown. Device 1 comprises a tank 2 containing a parasiticide in powder form; and a pneumatic circuit 3 for feeding the parasiticide from tank 2 to two outlets 4 (only one shown in the drawing) , each of which communicates with the outside and is substantially in the form of a sector of given size. Circuit 3 comprises an impeller 5, which is powered by a power take-off of said agricultural machine (not shown), draws the parasiticide from tank 2, and feeds a gaseous stream of air and parasiticide along two tubular conduits 6 (only one shown in the drawing) , each of which is fitted on its free end with one of outlets 4, and has a respective flexible intermediate portion 7 by which to orient relative outlet 4 about at least two perpendicular axes 8, 9, of which axis 8 is a substantially vertical axis, and axis 9 a substantially horizontal axis. In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that the amount of parasiticide drawn from tank 2 by impeller 5 is controlled selectively by a known regulating valve device not shown. Device 1 also comprises a tank 10 containing a liquid product - in the example described, water; and a hydraulic circuit 11 for feeding the water from tank 10 to four nozzles 12 (Figure 2) , two of which are fitted inside one outlet 4, and two inside the other outlet 4. The water issuing from nozzles 12 is atomized by the gaseous stream fed along conduits 6 and through outlets 4, so as to expel into the atmosphere an atomized parasiticide mixture, which is charged electrically at outlets 4 by means of an electric device 13 (Figure 2) comprising, for each outlet 4, a respective metal plate 14 located close to relative nozzles 12 and powered electrically to charge the atomized parasiticide mixture, issuing from relative outlet 4, electrostatically with an electric charge of given sign. When the atomized parasiticide mixture is charged electrostatically, the crops (not shown) assume an electric charge opposite in sign to that of the atomized parasiticide mixture, which is therefore deposited on the crops (not shown) by the electrostatic force of attraction generated between the electric charges of opposite signs. Consequently, the amount of atomized parasiticide mixture dispersed in the atmosphere is relatively small, thus greatly increasing the effectiveness of the treatment performed by device 1. In connection with the above, it should be pointed out that water flow along circuit 11 to nozzles 12 is controlled selectively by a known regulating valve device not shown. In a variation not shown, each outlet 4 is substantially cylindrical, and has a number of nozzles 12 equally spaced about a longitudinal axis of the outlet 4, and an annular metal plate mounted coaxial with the longitudinal axis and which is chargeable electrically. Operation of device 1 is easily deducible from the foregoing description with no further explanation required.

Claims

1) A crop spraying device, the device comprising a first tank (2) containing a parasiticide in powder form; and a pneumatic circuit (3) having at least one outlet (4) communicating with the outside, the pneumatic circuit (3) feeding a gaseous stream containing said parasiticide to the outlet (4); and the device being characterized by also comprising a second tank (10) containing a liquid product; a hydraulic circuit (11) for feeding the liquid product into said gaseous stream, the outlet (4) expelling into the atmosphere a parasiticide mixture comprising the gaseous stream and the liquid product; and an electric device (13) for electrically charging the parasiticide mixture issuing from the outlet (4) . 2) A device as claimed in Claim 1, and also comprising first regulating means for selectively controlling the flow of liquid product along said hydraulic circuit (11) . 3) A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, and also comprising second regulating means for selectively controlling the amount of parasiticide drawn from said first tank (2) . 4) A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein the hydraulic circuit (11) comprises at least one nozzle (12) located at said outlet (4) . 5) A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said outlet (4) is adjustable about at least two perpendicular axes (8, 9) of rotation. 6) A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said outlet (4) is substantially in the form of a sector of given size. 7) A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said outlet (4) is substantially cylindrical. 8) A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein the pneumatic circuit (3) comprises an impeller (5) connectable to a power take-off of an agricultural machine. 9) A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, wherein the electric device (13) comprises a metal element (14) fitted to said outlet (4) and which is powered electrically.