초록 ▼

An improved system for controlled aerial distribution of substances such as chemicals upon crops in a select field, including coordinating the simultaneous independent application of two different substances. The system may include a pair of sub-systems, one of which includes a computer controlling

An improved system for controlled aerial distribution of substances such as chemicals upon crops in a select field, including coordinating the simultaneous independent application of two different substances. The system may include a pair of sub-systems, one of which includes a computer controlling a variable flow valve capable of varying the release of a substance from the first subsystem. There may also be a second subsystem having a pump activated by a lever that also opens and closes the fluid communication of the first subsystem, in this basic version of the invention, manually positioning the lever to open the spray valve also commences continuous release of a second substance from the second subsystem at a constant rate, until the lever is positioned to close the first fluid communication. In more sophisticated versions, the second sub-system may include a second computer controlling a second variable flow valve capable of varying the release of a substance from the second subsystem, or the second variable flow valve may be controlled by a separate output from the first computer.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A system improvement aboard an aircraft for controlled aerial distribution of a first substance and a second substance into any spraystream of the first substance, onto a target area of substratum or portions thereof, the aircraft including a first subsystem comprising a first reservoi

We claim: 1. A system improvement aboard an aircraft for controlled aerial distribution of a first substance and a second substance into any spraystream of the first substance, onto a target area of substratum or portions thereof, the aircraft including a first subsystem comprising a first reservoir means of holding the first substance awaiting distribution, a first lateral distribution means defining a first substance distribution chamber for distributing the first substance laterally from the aircraft fuselage and including a plurality of first exit point means arrayed periodically thereupon and allowing release of the first substance in a spraystream into the air outside the first substance distribution chamber, and first fluid communication means between the first reservoir means and the first exit point means, said first fluid communication means including a spray valve activated by a lever, the system improvement comprising a second subsystem comprising a second reservoir means holding the second substance awaiting distribution, a second lateral distribution means defining a second substance distribution chamber for distributing the second substance adjacent the first exit point means and including a plurality of second exit point means arrayed periodically thereupon and allowing release of the second substance into any spraystream of the first substance from the first exit point means, and a second fluid communication means between the second reservoir means and the second exit point means and comprising a second pump means between the second reservoir means and the second exit point means, whereas lever activation of the spray valve concurrently activates the second pump means. 2. An aerial distribution system described in claim 1 above, (a) the first reservoir means comprising a first tank, the first lateral distribution means comprising a hollow boom providing first fluid communication to the port side of the aircraft and to the starboard side of the aircraft, the first exit point means comprising a plurality of first nozzles arrayed periodically along the boom; (b) the first fluid communication means further comprising a first flow control valve means downstream of the spray valve, to control the flow of the first substance to the boom when the spray valve is activated; (c) the first subsystem further comprising a first governance means governing the rate and timing of distribution of the first substance from the first nozzles, said first governance means including first computer hardware having software programming and functional connection to the first flow control valve means and including stored data concerning the target area, for recognition by the software programming to enable outputting of first electronic stimuli to control the passage of the first substance through the first flow control valve means and thereby govern the rate and timing of distribution of the first substance from the first nozzles; (d) the second reservoir means comprising a second tank, the second pump means comprising an injection pump, the second fluid communication means further comprising a pressure hose providing fluid communication to a second divider separating the flow of the second substance into a plurality of tubes defining second substance distribution chamberlets supplying a port side boom outerflow and chamberlets supplying a starboard side boom outerflow, the second exit point means comprising a plurality of second nozzles, each of said chamberlets including a respective second nozzle adjacent a respective first nozzle and guiding the distribution of the second substance into any spraystream of the first substance. 3. An aerial distribution system described in claim 2 above, the tubes extending along the underside of the boom, and each respective second nozzle situated aft of the respective first nozzle. 4. An aerial distribution system described in claim 2 above, the second subsystem further comprising a pressure regulator valve downstream of the injection pump, including a T-screw adjuster whereby rotation of the T-screw by a user in the aircraft adjusts the pressure of the second substance in the second subsystem. 5. An aerial distribution system described in claim 2 above, the first flow control valve means comprising a first computer governed flow control valve, the first governance means comprising a first computer with software and programming to govern the first flow control valve. 6. An aerial distribution system described in claim 2 above, the first lateral distribution means comprising an automatic gate control means for controlling the distribution of the first substance, wherein the first substance is granular. 7. An aerial distribution system described in claim 2 above whereupon, positioning the lever to concurrently activate the spray valve and the second pump means, commences both the distribution of the first substance at a constant rate and the independent distribution of the second substance at a constant rate. 8. An aerial distribution system described in claim 2 above whereupon, positioning the lever to concurrently activate the spray valve and the second pump means concurrently commences the distribution of the second substance at a constant rate and distribution timing and the independent distribution of the first substance at whatever rate(s) and timing(s) are authorized by the first governance means. 9. An aerial distribution system described in claim 2 above: (a) the second fluid communication means further comprising a second flow control valve means to control the flow of the second substance to the second lateral distribution means; and (b) the second subsystem further comprising a second governance means governing the rate and timing of distribution of the second substance from the second nozzles, said second governance means including computer hardware having software programming and functional connection to the second flow control valve means and including stored data concerning the target area, for recognition by the software programming to enable outputting of second electronic stimuli to control the passage of the second substance through the second flow control valve means and thereby govern the rate and timing of distribution of the second substance from the second nozzles. 10. An aerial distribution system described in claim 9 above, the second flow control valve means comprising a second computer governed flow control valve, and the second governance means comprising a second with software and programming to govern the second flow control valve. 11. An aerial distribution system described in claim 9 above, the second flow control valve means comprising a second computer governed flow control valve, and the second governance means comprising a second output from the first computer. 12. An aerial distribution system described in claim 9 above whereupon, positioning the lever to concurrently activate the spray valve and the second pump means concurrently commences both the distribution of the second substance at whatever rate(s) and timing(s) are directed by the second governance means and the independent distribution of the first substance at whatever rate(s) and timing(s) are directed by the first governance means. 13. A system improvement aboard an aircraft for controlled aerial distribution of a first substance and a second substance into any spraystream of the first substance, onto a target area of substratum or portions thereof, the aircraft including a first subsystem comprising a first tank holding the first substance awaiting distribution, a hollow boom defining a first substance distribution chamber extending laterally from the aircraft fuselage and including a plurality of first nozzles arrayed periodically thereupon and allowing distribution of the first substance in a spraystream into the air outside the boom, and first fluid communication means between the first tank and the boom comprising a first pump means downstream of the first tank, a pipeline with a lever-activated spray valve upstream of the first pump means, a first computer governed flow control valve downstream of the first pump means, and a downstream flowline to the boom from the first flow control valve to a first divider separating the flow of the first substance into a port side boom flow and a starboard side boom flow, the first subsystem further comprising a first computer having software programming and functional connection to the first flow control valve and including stored data concerning the target area, for recognition by the software programming to enable outputting of first electronic stimuli to control the passage of the first substance through the first flow control valve and thereby govern the rate and timing of distribution of the first substance from the first nozzles, the system improvement comprising: a second subsystem comprising a second tank holding the second substance awaiting distribution, a plurality of second nozzles and second fluid communication means between the second tank and the second nozzles comprising: (1) an intake conduit extending from the second tank to an injection pump, (2) a second duct extending from the injection pump to a metered pressure regulator valve having a T-screw adjuster, (3) a pressure hose extending from the pressure regulator valve to a second divider separating the flow of the second substance into a plurality of tubes extending laterally beneath the boom and supplying a port side boom outerflow and a starboard side boom outerflow, each of said tubes defining a chamberlet terminating in a respective second nozzle aft of a respective first nozzle and guiding the distribution of the second substance into any spraystream of the first substance released from the respective first nozzle; whereas lever activation of the spray valve upon the aircraft's approach of a target area concurrently activates the injection pump. 14. An aerial distribution system described in claim 13 above whereupon, positioning the lever to concurrently activate the spray valve and the second pump means commences both the distribution of the first substance at a constant rate and the independent distribution of the second substance at a constant rate. 15. An aerial distribution system described in claim 13 above whereupon, positioning the lever to concurrently activate the spray valve and the second pump means concurrently commences the distribution of the second substance at a constant rate and distribution timing and the independent distribution of the first substance at whatever rate(s) and timing(s) are authorized by the first computer. 16. A system described in, claim 13 above: (a) the second fluid communication means further comprising a second computer governed flow control valve to control the flow of the second substance to the tubes; (b) the second subsystem further comprising a second computer governing the rate and timing of distribution of the second substance from the second nozzles, the second computer having software programming and functional connection to the second flow control valve and including stored data concerning the target area, for recognition by the software programming to enable outputting of second electronic stimuli to control the passage of the second substance through the second flow control valve and thereby govern the rate and timing of distribution of the second substance from the second nozzles. 17. A system described in claim 16 above whereupon, positioning the lever to concurrently activate the spray valve and injection pump commences both the distribution of the first substance at whatever rate(s) and timing(s) are directed by the first computer and the independent distribution of the second substance at whatever rate(s) and timing(s) are directed by the second Del computer. 18. An aerial distribution system described in claim 13 above, the first subsystem further comprising an automatic gate control means for controlling the flow of the first substance, wherein the first substance is granular. 19. A method of using a system described in claim 1 above, comprising the steps of (a) installing and priming the first subsystem and the second subsystem on an aircraft having the first substance and the second substance; (b) upon the aircraft's approach of a target area, positioning the lever to concurrently commence activate both the spray valve and the second pump means; and (c) upon leaving the target area, repositioning the lever to concurrently deactivate both the spray valve and the second pump means.