WO1992014676A1

WO1992014676A1 - A fertilizer or like dry material dispensing assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1992014676A1
Application number: PCT/US1992/001465
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jorge Arturo Nuila
Original assignee: Raxxon SA
Current assignee: Raxxon SA
Priority date: 1991-02-25
Filing date: 1992-02-25
Publication date: 1992-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1993-08-25
Also published as: AU1456192A

Abstract

A dispenser assembly particular adapted to selectively dispense predetermined amounts of dry fertilizer or other dry material onto an area of disbursement, such as a plant, and including an elongated dispensing conduit (24) having a holding chamber (30), of predetermined dimension connected thereto along with a control mechanism (42) such that selective operation of the control mechanism will automatically dispense, by gravity, a premeasured amount of dry material onto the disbursement area.

Description

"A FERTILIZER OR LIKE DRY MATERIAL DISPENSING ASSEMBLY"

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention A dispenser assembly designed to dispense fertilizer or like dry material, by gravity flow, through selective manipulation of a control mechanism by the operator of the assembly.

Description of the Prior Art In the agricultural industry, it is, of course, well recognized that proper fertilization must occur in order to render the commercial growing of a given crop feasible. It is also well accepted that the dispensing of the fertilizer properly onto the given crop must be done accurately and in an effective manner to guarantee that the entire crop is properly fertilized.

In the growing of certain crops, particularly in the South American and Latin American countries, it is the practice to utilize a large labor force and through such use fertilize successively each of an extremely large number of plants individually. In accomplishing such fertilizer distribution, it has been found in the past that the fertilizer was normally sprayed onto the plant area after the fertilizer was mixed or blended with a predetermined amount of water. Problems in both time and expense were encountered due to the fact that large amounts of water, as well as the fertilizer itself, had to be transported to what may be considered generally remote areas where the crops were growing. In the aforementioned geographic locations, numerous agricultural areas involved transporting such supplies over mountainous areas. Individual members of the labor force, therefore, had to carry not only the fertilizer but were burdened with the weight of the water mixed with the fertilizer. Based on the above prior art and generally well-known techniques, an extremely large labor force was required and a relatively great amount of time was consumed in accomplishing fertilization. An additional problem associated with such prior art techniques was that the individual crops had to be fertilized more than one time during a growing season. Based on the above, there is a recognized need in the agricultural industry for the fertilization of individual plants on an independent basis utilizing an assembly which will effectively eliminate the need for mixing the dry and normally particulate fertilizer material with water in order to accomplish an even dispersal of the fertilizer mixture onto the plant. Preferably, such a preferred dispenser assembly would automatically "measure" predetermined amounts of fertilizer in dry, particulate form and through operation of a relatively simple control mechanism dispense the predetermined amounts of premeasured fertilizer directly onto the plant area or other desired area of disbursement. Summary of the Invention The present invention relates to a dispenser assembly primarily designed for use in dispensing fertilizer onto individual plants or other disbursement areas. It should be emphasized, however, the subject dispenser assembly can be used for the dispensing of other materials, particularly dry particulate material wherein the particulate material to be dispensed is prone to gravity flow. The subject dispenser assembly comprises a container having a hollow interior of sufficient dimension to hold sufficient quantity of dry material being dispensed. A mounting means, preferably in the form of shoulder straps or like body harness, is connected to exterior

_* portions of the container and, as set forth, is adapted to mount the container on the back of a laborer or user. It is, of course, to be noted that the dimension and configuration of the container and the structure of the mounting harness is such as to provide maximum comfort to the carrier, taking into consideration load restrictions and weight and content of the material to be dispensed.

A dispensing means is attached to the container and is generally in the form of an elongated conduit. The dispensing conduit has an inlet end connected or communicating with an outlet located at the bottom of the container. The opposite end of the conduit is defined by a free end which is opened so as to allow the dry material to pass therefrom. In a preferred embodiment, to be described in greater detail hereinafter, the conduit means is formed at least in part from a flexible material or is connected to the container by some type of flexible or movable joint so that positioning of the conduit relative to the container can easily occur by the carrier. This allows the "pointing" or aiming of the exit, free end of the conduit directly onto an area of disbursement. The area of disbursement may, in fact, be the roots or trunk of the individual plant or plants being fertilized. Further, the entire dispenser assembly is designed to operate by gravity flow of the dry, particulate material from the interior of the container, along the length of the conduit and out of the exit end thereof.

The dispensing means further comprises what may be considered a holding chamber mounted between the inlet and exit ends of the conduit means and defining a portion of its length. The holding chamber has a hollow interior and may be generally cylindrical in form. The opposite ends of the holding chamber are opened so as to allow passage therethrough of the dry, particulate material upon physical manipulation of a control mechanism associated with the holding chamber. The holding chamber itself may vary in dimension and configuration such that successive, predetermined quantities of the dry material or fertilizer are individually dispensed onto different ones of a plurality of plants, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. It should further be noted that the holding chamber is removably attached to the conduit means, thereby enabling any one of a plurality of different chambers to be mounted on the holding means in an operative fashion. The user of the subject dispenser assembly may want to vary the quantity of the individual amounts of the fertilizer to be dispensed depending upon the particular crop or plant needed to be fertilized. Therefore, the holding chambers may, in fact, be replaced by other holding chambers of different sizes which are designed to hold different quantities.

Portions of the conduit can be made of transparent material or be provided with a sight glass for monitoring the flow of particulate material.

The aforementioned control mechanism includes a valve means operable by and defining as part thereof a control lever. The valve means preferably includes a first and second valve plate attached in spaced apart relation along the length of a control lever. Disposition of the valve plates and selective movement of the valve lever into and out of a dispensing position serves to independently position one of the valve plates into a flow-blocking position relative to the dry material passing through the interior of the holding chamber. The control lever is normally biased into what may be defined as a "closed position".

The closed position in turn may be defined by a first or downstream valve plate disposed within the interior of the holding chamber into a flow-blocking position. Depression or other preselected manipulation of the valve lever into a dispensing position will serve to concurrently remove the first or downstream valve plate from the interior of the holding chamber - 7 -

and position the second or upstream valve plate into a flow-blocking position. This will open what may be referred to as an outlet end of the holding chamber and allowing the interior of the holding chamber to 5 communicate with the exit end of the conduit. The orientation of the entire conduit, including the holding chamber, into a downwardly oriented position will allow gravity flow of the dry material from the interior of the container through the free exit end of

10 the conduit and outwardly therefrom onto the area of disbursement which may be directly onto the plant to be fertilized.

Subsequent positioning of the control lever to a closed position will again reposition the first or

15 downstream valve plate into a flow-blocking position, and concurrently remove the upstream or second valve plate from the interior of the holding chamber. This will then allow free communication and material flow from the container through the upper portion of the

20 conduit into the interior of the holding chamber so as to fill the holding chamber with a predetermined amount of dry material, depending upon the overall size of the interior of the holding chamber. This amount can then be dispensed by again depressing or otherwise positioning the control lever into the aforementioned and defined dispensing position. Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the dispenser assembly of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view and partial cutaway showing interior portions of a holding chamber and a valve mechanism associated therewith.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view along line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cutaway view and partial detail and section of a portion of the container.

Figure 5 is a perspective view and partial cutaway and section showing operation of the subject dispenser assembly. Like reference numerals refer to like parts through the several views of the drawings.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken generally along line VII-VII of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of an alternate outlet of the container shown in Figure l.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a further alternate embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

As shown in the accompanying figures, the dispenser of the present invention is generally represented in Figure 1 as 10 and includes a hollow interior container 12. The container 12 has an access opening or like area as at 14 through which dry, particulate material, such as fertilizer, may enter the interior of container 12. The lower end of the container as at 12' as shown in Figure 4 includes an outlet 16 through which the dry material 18 may pass, due to gravity, when in an operative position such as shown in Figure 1 and/or 5. The interior of the container 12 may have a slanted bottom or other structural component as at 19 to aid in the guiding of the material 18 to the outlet 16 in the lower portion 12' of container 12.

A mounting means may be attached to the exterior of the container 12 and may take the form of a body harness and/or shoulder straps 20 structurally adapted to mount the container 12 on the back of a carrier which may be a human laborer.

Other features of the present invention are shown in Figure 5 wherein a support platform as at 23 may be secured in somewhat supporting engagement to the lower end 12- of the container 12. The strap ends as at 20' may be attached to the support platform 23 to aid in the support and mounting of the container 12 on the carrier's back.

An important feature of the present invention is represented primarily in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 and includes a conduit means generally indicated as 24. The conduit means comprises a first segment as at 26 and a second segment 28. The first and second segments 26 and 28 are separated by a holding chamber 30 which also has an elongated hollow interior 32 and two oppositely disposed open ends 35 and 36. These opened ends are preferably removably attached to correspondingly positioned ends 26' and 28* of the conduit segments 26 and 28 so that the interior 32 of the holding chamber 30 effectively defines a length and a path of flow for the dry material 18 to pass. More specifically, the conduit means 24 includes an inlet end portion 38 and an exit end as at 39. The inlet end portion 38 is connected one open end of the first conduit segment 26 and is attached thereto by a coupling or like structure 34. The opposite end of inlet end portion 38 is connected to the outlet 16 communicating with the interior 18 of the container 12. The oppositely disposed exit end 36 is defined by a free end of the second conduit segment 28 and is opened to allow the material to pass therefrom upon its exiting of the conduit means 24. The inlet end portion 38 can be rotationally freely connected at the outlet 16 to provide for swinging the conduit means 24 during dispensing.

The segments 26 and/or the holding chamber 30 can be fashioned of transparent plastic or have an eyeglass winder therethrough to give visual indication to our operator as to the type of material flowing therethrough or to indicate blockage or indicate an empty condition in the container 12. The segment 28 can likewise be transparent.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of a valve means and a control mechanism associated with the holding chamber 30. More specifically, the valve means comprises a first or downstream valve plate or member 40 attached to and movable with a control lever 42. A second or upstream valve plate 44 is spaced from the first valve plate 40 and attached to and also movable with the control lever 42. The control lever 42 is pivotally attached to the holding chamber by means of a mounting bracket 47 which is secured to the holding chamber by a connecting and/or pivot pin 48 (see fig. 3) . By virtue of this connection, the control lever 42 may be reciprocally positionable in accordance with the directional arrows 43 and 45. Further, the control mechanism, as set forth above, includes a biasing spring 46 connected to the control lever so as to exert a biasing force thereon which normally biases the control lever 42 into what may be referred to as a closed position, represented in solid lines in Figure 2. The closed position may also be defined as a non-dispensing position of the control mechanism and occurs when the valve lever 42 is not depressed or positioned against the biasing force exerted thereon normally by the biasing spring 46. The closed or non-dispensing position is further defined by the first or downstream valve plate 40 disposed within the interior 32 of the holding chamber 30 and into what may be referred to as a flow-blocking position relative to dry material passing through the holding chamber 30. Concurrently, the second or upstream valve plate is located almost totally out of the interior 32 of the holding chamber 30 so as to allow flow of dry material from the first conduit segment 26 through the opened end 34 and into the interior 32 of the holding chamber 30. The holding chamber will thereby be filled or at least partially filled with the material passing from the interior 18 of the container 12. When it is desired to dispense a given amount of material or the amount now held within the interior 32 of the holding chamber 30, the control lever 42 is depressed and positioned downwardly in accordance with the directional arrow 45 of Figure 2. This moves the control lever 42 against the biasing force exerted thereon by biasing spring 46 and concurrently positions the upstream or second valve plate 44 into a position represented by the broken lines as at 44' at the same time the first or downstream valve plate 40 is removed from the interior of the holding chamber 30. This establishes communication between the interior 32 and the second conduit segment 28 as well as the exit end 36 of the conduit segment 28. When the conduit means 24 is properly angled downwardly and effectively aimed or directed at a plant, generally indicated as 50 or other disbursement area, the material as at 18- previously within the holding chamber 30 will flow therefrom, through the second conduit segment 28 and out the exit end 36 onto the plant or disbursement area as pictured.

It should be readily apparent that the dimension and/or overall configuration of the interior 32 of the holding chamber 30 is determinative of the individual quantities or amounts of fertilizer which are successively disbursed. Since the amount of fertilizer or dry material each plant 50 may receive may vary depending upon the type of fertilizer and/or type of plant, a user of the subject assembly can vary the individual amounts successively disbursed merely by changing the holding chamber 30 to one of a different size. Such is accomplished by removable attachments as at 48a and 49 serving to removably connect the holding chamber 30 to both the first and second conduit segments 26 and 28, respectively. Alternatively, a screwed connection or a resilient interfitting connection could be utilized to connect the conduit segments 26, 28 and the holding chamber 30. Figure 6 shows an alternate embodiment featuring a curved container 112 having a side 114 formed with a curvature to comfortably form or contour against a user's back when carried. A lower portion 116 would interfit into the small of a person's back, between the upper back and shoulders and the buttocks. Upper contours can be provided to fit comfortably across the upper back. Similar to the previous embodiment, two back straps 120 are provided for carrying on a user's back. A C-shaped resilient clamp 126 is provided on a side of the container 112 for hanging up the hose 124 when not in use. The container 112 and the hose 124 can thereby be carried while freeing up the user's hands during transport.

The hose 124 comprises a flexible segment 132 connected to an outlet 136 at a bottom of the container 112. Screwed connections 140, 142 are provided on other side of a valve means 148, the valve means 148 similar in operation to that described with respect to the conduit means 30 as shown in Figure l. An outlet conduit 150 is provided, screwed onto the screw connection 142. This outlet conduit 150 differs from the conduit 28 of Figure 1 in that it is reduced in diameter at a reducing section 152 to a smaller diameter tube portion 154 which has an angularly cut open end 156 forming an inclined elliptical opening. A cap 160 can be interfit over the opening 156 when not in use, the cap 160 being tethered by a string 164 to the hose 124. The reduced diameter tube 154 gives greater control over the application of the particulate material, and the beveled opening 156 allows increase visual control to the swinging distribution of the particulate material to be dispensed. The user in effect swings back and forth the hose 124 to sprinkle out the particulate material from the beveled opening 156. Figure 7 shows a circular inlet opening 170 of the container 112. The opening 170 is closed by a screwed cap 172. A top 176 of the container 112 has a recessed tube 180 having overhanging peripheral lip 182, and which terminates at the inlet opening 170. Thus, the container can be stacked flushly either upside down on a floor or can have another container stacked on top thereof because the top surface 176 provides a substantially flush surface with no inlet nozzle or cap protruding therefrom. The circular peripheral lip 182 also provides a gripping handle for a user to lift the container 112.

Figure 8 shows a bottom portion of an alternate container 198 in sectional view having a recessed rotational outlet 200 having a circular opening 202 attached to a nozzle portion 204 by a rotational seal 206. The nozzle 204 has at its distal end a threading, either male or female, to connect to a hose 208 which extends into a hose means, such as that shown as 124 at Figure 6 (not shown) . Similar to the arrangement in Figure 7, the opening 200 is recessed from a bottom surface 210 of this container 198. A peripheral lip 214 is provided for a user to grab to lift the container (when upside down) . Figure 9 shows in another embodiment of the invention a container 300 having the features of either the container of Figure 1 or Figure 6, but is carried by a user via a holster means 304. The holster means 304 provides a supporting framework 306 which captures at least a lower half of the container 300 therein. A back wall 308 mounts thereto at least one shoulder strap 310. The shoulder strap 310 could either be slung over a user's shoulder, or could be backstraps such as shown in Figure 1. This embodiment is particularly suited for smaller containers 300. The framework 306 provides an opening 312 for exit of a dispensing tube 314 as described either in Figure 1 or Figure 6. The present invention provides selective functionality in that the containers 12, 112, 300 can be sized in an array of sizes particular to the type of material being dispensed. Additionally, the containers can be color coded, as can the conduit means 24, 124, for dispensing particulate materials which should be segregated, such as one color for pesticides, another color for fertilizers, and another color for organic fertilizers, etc. Additionally, the valve means or holding chamber 30, 148 can be particularly sized, either in diameter or length, to correspond to the particulate matter being dispensed. Thus smaller or larger volume of each application can be achieved, depending on the material to be dispensed. The valve means or holding chamber 30, 148 can be sold with the particulate matter and snapped into place in the conduit means 24, 124 such as by a resilient connection or by a screwed connection.

As an additional feature, the inside wall 19 of Figure 4 can be fashioned as the outside wall, that is, the container can have sloping outside walls at its bottom rather than an inside funnel. Although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, those of skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

I CLAIM AS MY INVENTION:

1. A dispenser assembly designed to dispense predetermined amounts of dry material, said assembly comprising: a container having a hollow interior and structurally adapted to hold the dry material to be dispensed therein and including an outlet formed in a lower end of the container; mounting means connected to said container on an exterior portion thereof and structured for supporting said container in an operative position on a carrier; disbursing means connected to said container in communication with said hollow interior and adapted for disbursing the material from said hollow interior through said outlet; said disbursing means comprising an elongated conduit defined by a first conduit segment including an exit end of said elongated conduit and a second conduit segment connected to said outlet of said container; an elongated holding chamber removably connected to the conduit between said first and said second conduit segments and being hollow and open at two opposite ends thereof and dimensioned to hold a predetermined quantity of dry material therein and adapted to communicate with and interconnect both said first and second conduit segments; said disbursing means further comprising a valve means mounted on said holding chamber and removable therewith relative to said first and second conduit segments and disposed between said inlet end and said exit end and adapted for regulating flow of dry material along the length of said conduit from said container to a predetermined area of disbursement; said valve means structurally adapted to fill and empty said holding chamber and dispense successive predetermined quantities of dry material from said exit end of said conduit.

2. An assembly as in Claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises an elongated lever pivotally attached to an exterior of said holding chamber and extendable along the length thereof and adapted to be moved into and out of a dispensing position; said valve means further comprising a first and a second valve member attached in spaced relation to one another along the length of said lever and movable therewith, said first and second valve members alternately positionable into and out of said holding chamber in flow blocking relation to material within said conduit and thereby defining a respective closed position of each of said first and second valve members.

3. An assembly as in Claim 2 wherein said first and second valve members are respectively disposed adjacent opposite open ends of said holding chamber adjacent said first conduit segment and said second conduit segment.

4. An assembly as in Claim 3 wherein said lever and said first and second valve members are cooperatively structured to regulate material flow successively into and out of said holding chamber and out of said exit end of said conduit, upon movement of said lever respectively out of and into said dispensing position.

5. An assembly as in Claim 4 further comprising a biasing means connected between said lever member and an exterior surface of said holding chamber and adapted to normally bias said first valve member into said closed position adjacent a down stream end of said holding chamber.

6. An assembly as in Claim 5 wherein said first and second valve members are concurrently positionable into a dispensing position defined by an opened position and a closed position, respectively, of said first and second valve members upon selective movement of said lever against a normal force exerted thereon by said biasing means.

7. An assembly as in Claim 6 wherein said dispensing position is further defined by an open communication of an interior of said holding chamber through said first end of said holding chamber with said exit end of said conduit and gravity flow of material from within said holding chamber to the predetermined area of disbursement through said exit end of said conduit.

8. An assembly as in Claim 4 wherein each of said valve members comprises a plate alternately movable between an opened and closed position relative to flow of material through said conduit, each of said plates having a diameter at least minimally greater than an internal diameter of said holding chamber.

9. An assembly as in Claim 8 wherein each of said plates are alternately disposable into said holding chamber in substantially perpendicular relation to a longitudinal axis of said holding chamber when in said closed position.

10. An assembly as in Claim 9 wherein each of said plates are alternately disposable exteriorly of said conduit and holding chamber when in said opened position.

11. An assembly as in Claim 1 wherein said conduit is formed at least in part from a flexible material and said conduit being movable relative to said container.

12. An assembly as in Claim 11 wherein said mounting means comprises a body harness secured to said container and structurally adapted to mount said container in said operative position on a human worker defining said carrier.

13. An assembly as in Claim 12 wherein said mounting means further comprises a support platform formed of a substantially rigid material and disposed beneath a lower end of said container in substantially supportive relation thereto when said container is in said operative position.

14. A dispenser assembly designed to dispense predetermined amounts of dry material, the assembly comprising: a container having a hollow interior and structurally adapted to hold the dry material to be dispensed therein and including an outlet formed in a lower end of the container; a mounting means connected to said container on an exterior portion thereof and structured for supporting the container in an operative position on a worker; a conduit flow connected to said outlet at a first end and opened at a distal end for dispersing the material from said hollow interior; said conduit having a first conduit section adjacent said outlet having a degree of flexibility to achieve a lateral swinging motion of said conduit about said outlet; said conduit having an elongated holding chamber connected to the first conduit section, being hollow and open at opposite ends thereof and dimensioned to hold a predetermined quantity of dry material therein and adapted to pass solid material therethrough; said holding chamber further providing a valve means structurally adapted to fill and selectively empty said holding chamber and dispense successive predetermined quantities of dry material from said conduit.

15. An assembly as in Claim 14 wherein said first conduit section comprises a transparent portion for observing dry material within said first conduit section.

16. An assembly as in Claim 14 wherein said container is fashioned to have a front side contoured, and adapted to fit closely to the contours of a worker's back; and said mounting means are fashioned as parallel shoulder straps.

17. An assembly as in Claim 14 wherein said conduit comprises an outlet conduit section, said holding chamber comprising an elongate hollow conduit portion is arranged axially connecting said first conduit section to said outlet conduit section; said outlet conduit section having a reduced diameter in comparison to said first conduit section.

18. As assembly as in Claim 17 wherein said outlet conduit section terminates in an inclined elliptical opening.

19. An assembly as in Claim 14 wherein said first conduit section comprises a flexible tube.

20. An assembly as in Claim 14 wherein said first conduit section is connected to said outlet by a nozzle having rotational freedom.