초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for foliar spraying liquid composition such as pesticide, aqueous fertilizer solution, and/or herbicide, onto foliage of vegetation. In a preferred embodiment, while spraying a spray stream of liquid composition at 10 to 75 pounds per square inch pressure from an orifice havin

A method and apparatus for foliar spraying liquid composition such as pesticide, aqueous fertilizer solution, and/or herbicide, onto foliage of vegetation. In a preferred embodiment, while spraying a spray stream of liquid composition at 10 to 75 pounds per square inch pressure from an orifice having a cross-sectional area of from about 0.0000948 to about 0.0323000 square inches to strike vegetation foliage within from about 5 to about 15 inches, with a plurality of gas-directing vents spaced-apart on opposite sides of the orifice but not circumscribing the orifice, the gas-directing vents each being directed to impinge air upon the spray stream within the 5 to 15 inches, the gas-directing vents being angled toward the spray stream at angles from about 0 to about 50 degrees relative to a second axis extending from the gas-directing vent that is parallel to a first axis following the spray stream, with baffles on opposite sides of the gas-directing vent for each thereof, the baffles being angled divergingly outwardly from the axis in which directed at angle ranging from 0 to about 20 degrees, a plurality of spray orifices each with its plurality of gas-directing vents, are mounted and spaced-apart from one another along an open boom and adapted to spray laterally and/or backwardly, while a support structure mounting the boom(s) moves the spray vents substantially horizontally forwardly by way of a vehicle advancing at a speed of from about 1 to 10 miles per hour.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of spraying liquid composition onto foliage of vegetation, comprising in combination: (a) spraying in at least one of lateral and rearward directions a liquid composition as a solid flat spray stream at a liquid pressure ranging from about 10 to about 75 pounds per square inch from an orifi

A method of spraying liquid composition onto foliage of vegetation, comprising in combination: (a) spraying in at least one of lateral and rearward directions a liquid composition as a solid flat spray stream at a liquid pressure ranging from about 10 to about 75 pounds per square inch from an orifice of a spray nozzle along a longitudinal first axis toward and onto foliage of vegetation; while advancing about the foliage and substantially horizontally to ground level at a forwardly rate of speed of about 1 to 10 miles per hour; (b) concurrently directing a gas as gas streams from gas vents in directions substantially the same as said spraying of said spray stream such that said directed gas intersects and impinges upon said liquid composition as the liquid composition is sprayed-away-from the spray nozzle whereby amount and uniform distribution of spray of the composition onto top and bottom surfaces of foliage of vegetation is enhanced by greater deposits more uniformly distributed, said directing being from at least two spaced-apart locations on substantially opposite sides of said spray stream positioned to form spaced-apart separate non-circumscribing barriers on opposite two sides of said spray stream such that particles of said spray stream are prevented from diverging beyond said two opposite barriers, each said directing of said gas stream being at a directing angle ranging from about zero to about 50 degrees relative to a second axis spaced-away from and parallel to said longitudinal first axis of said spray stream; said spray stream at said spray nozzle having an orifice cross-sectional area ranging from about 0.0000948 square inches to about 0.00323000 square inches; and said directing of said gas streams including positioning gas vents from which said gas streams flow, with each gas vent having at least oppositely-spaced-apart baffles each extending a distance of from about 1 to about 12 inches, each said baffle ranging relative to said second axis, from about zero to about 20 degrees in a direction of the opposing baffle of the same gas vent, and angles of said directing being such that each said gas-stream impinges upon said spray stream at a distance of from about five to about fifteen inches distant from said orifice.