Grower experience, with poor disease control of grape vines has suggested that, despite overspraying, actual spray coverage was poor, failing to penetrate the dense outer foliage, so that parts of the tree, particularly the top, were inadequately sprayed. Consequently, there was a requirement to ensure that spraying materials were deposited more efficiently and effectively upon targeted foliage, thereby reducing the volume of liquid carrier and therefore the amount of chemical required for a particular crop. This problem has been overcome by directing two fan-driven spray units (14) upward and into the foliage canopy, so as to displace the leaves in upward and outward directions, in co-operation with at least one further spray unit (16) downwardly directed, so as to spray into and partly through the canopy. The spray units are mounted on an inverted U-frame (21), which in turn is mounted on a mobile chassis or tractor (10) for transport through the crop area. For preference, two upper spray units (16) are employed, with a further option for a fifth spray unit (17), adjacent the apex (22) of the inverted U-frame (21). Multiple frames (21) may also be exploited, by suspension from an overhead boom (12). The operation is enhanced by automatic sensing and control, regulating the distance of the spray units (15, 16, 17) from the canopy, adjusting the spray rate to the canopy volume, the surface area of the leaves and produce, careful adjustment of the positions and directions of the spray units (15, 16, 17), and relating the speed of the spraying equipment to the volume of liquid sprayed. Liquids sprayed include insecticides, herbicides, oils and fertilisers.
A transportable, positionable, directionable insect control system comprising a frame supported on one or more wheels for movement over the underlying surface and a handle for use in positioning the insect control system. A tank is mounted on the frame and a pump is employed to discharge an insect controlling chemical agent from the tank under the operation of a control system. The pump directs the insect controlling chemical agent from the tank through conduits to one or more discharge nozzles for discharge therefrom. The discharge nozzles are positionable to control the direction of discharge of the insect controlling chemical agent.
A spraying apparatus for spraying agricultural chemicals over shrubbery and small size trees and plants in early stages of their growth positioned in arrays with empty areas therebetween, has a storage for an agricultural chemicals to be sprayed, a spraying assembly having the shape of an upside down "U" and provided with a plurality of spraying nozzles, a detector for detecting the presence of a plant, and an activator for activating the spraying nozzles, after the detector detects a plant, to spray the plant inside the spraying assembly, the spraying assembly having a substantially flat frame composed of a plurality of substantially flat elements.
Disclosed is a crop spraying system. The system includes an articulated spraying assembly that is secured to a tractor and/or a pull behind crop sprayer. The articulated assembly permits a fluid, such as an insecticide, to be effectively delivered to a commercial crop, such a citrus tree. Specifically, the fluid can be delivered upwardly from a pivotal boom that is preferably horizontally positioned at a location adjacent the ground. In this manner, the fluid is released upwardly from a position beneath crop canopies. The result is a more effective penetration of the crop by the dispensed fluid.
An agricultural/viticultural sprayer including a pair of curved arms to partially encircle a row of crops such as vines to be sprayed. Each arm carries a plurality of fan spray heads, and each arm is mounted on a support arm rotatable about a vertical pivot, whereby each of the curved arms can be rotated from a transport position to a spread operating position while remaining symmetrical about a plane generally normal to the path of travel when in use.
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlled droplet atomization and controlled projection of atomization droplets. More particularly, the present invention is a spray apparatus that produces uniform sized atomized droplets controllable from fog size to larger for spraying fungicides, bactericides, pesticides, insecticides, plant nutrients and other materials applied to crop, ground, and foliage for agricultural and horticultural benefaction. The apparatus generates laminar airflow in a vortex or cyclone pattern functioning to project and distribute spray droplets evenly and more completely on the sprayed surfaces. The resulting vortex or cyclone spray and airflow serves to lift, turn, and flutter plant leaves, exposing all sides to be coated with spray droplets.
