Floating manure agitator with multidirectional agitator nozzles

• US 10,118,138 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Timothy Tews
• Original Assignee: James Timothy Tews
• Inventors: Tews, James Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Soohoo, Tony G
• Application Number:
  US14/740,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20150367297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/00 Mixing characterised by the nature of the mixed materials or by the application field
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/212 the injectors being movable, e.g. rotating
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/2121 Pivoting or oscillating in a multidirectional way during jetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/2124 being moved or transported between different locations during jetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/2125 Moving to adjust the direction of jetting, the injectors being fixed during operation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/50 Circulation mixers, e.g. wherein at least part of the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/503 Floating mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2205 Controlling the mixing process from a remote server, e.g. by sending commands using radio, telephone, internet, local network, GPS or other means

Abstract

An aquatic floating manure agitator vessel including a plurality of remotely controlled above-surface agitator nozzles which are visibly positioned on the vessel and hydraulically movable about multiple axes to facilitate effective pond agitation and directional control of the floating agitator. The floating agitator includes a vertically adjustable hydraulic undercarriage and hitch mechanism to facilitate ease of maneuverability during launching and removal of the floating agitator, and for probing the pond bottom for excess sludge build-up. The floating agitator also includes hydraulically folding side wings or pontoons mounted on each side of the vessel to further enhance ease of maneuverability and storage of the vessel.

Claims

1. A remotely controllable floating aquatic manure agitator, comprising:

(a) an aquatic vessel being constructed to float upon a reservoir of manure effluent, said vessel having a deck with outer confines defining a bow end and a stern end, a starboard side and a port side, and an upper surface supported above said reservoir;

(b) a plurality of agitator nozzles mounted on the upper surface of said vessel deck, each of said agitator nozzles being configured for pivotal movement about multiple axes relative to said deck, and for rotational movement beyond said outer confines of one of said bow end and said stern end of said deck, and at least one of said starboard side and said port side of said deck;

(c) a hydraulically controlled actuating mechanism connected to each of said agitator nozzles for controlling movement thereof about each of said multiple axes;

(d) a handheld user remote control unit controllably linked to said hydraulically controlled actuating mechanism for each of said agitator nozzles for remotely controlling the operation thereof;

(e) a fluid pump mounted on said deck of said vessel, said pump being configured to extract said manure effluent from said reservoir and pump said manure effluent through said agitator nozzles in order to agitate said manure effluent and manage directional control of said vessel; and

(f) each of said agitator nozzles being readily viewable above said upper surface of said deck for ease of managing agitation of said manure effluent and directional control of said vessel.

2. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 1, wherein said remote control unit has joystick controls for controlling movement of said agitator nozzles from a location remote of said deck.

3. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 1, wherein each of said agitator nozzles is constructed to be pivotal substantially 180 degrees about a vertical axis.

4. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 1, wherein each of said agitator nozzles includes a terminal end portion that is constructed to be vertically movable more than 90 degrees relative to a horizontal axis.

5. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 1, wherein a pair of said agitator nozzles is mounted one each upon opposing aft corner portions of said deck, and another of said agitator nozzles is mounted upon a bow portion of said deck.

6. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 5, wherein said agitator nozzles are operable from a location remote of said deck via the use of a hand-held joystick control module, and each of said agitator nozzles are separately operable with independent joystick controls.

7. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 1, wherein said vessel includes a hydraulically operable hitch for connecting to a vehicle to facilitate launching and removal of said vessel from said reservoir of manure effluent.

8. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 1, wherein said vessel includes a pair of floatation devices connected one each adjacent opposing sides of said deck to support said deck in floating relation upon said manure effluent, said floatation devices being retractable to an upright position for ease of transporting said vessel out of said reservoir of manure effluent.

9. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 1, wherein said deck includes an extendable probe mechanism for probing a bottom area of said reservoir to determine the extent of sludge build-up and need for agitation of said bottom area, said probe being cantilevered from an elongated frame which is pivotally mounted to said deck at a point generally central distance between said bow end and said stern end of said deck, and extending rearward therefrom to a point adjacent said stern end of said deck.

10. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 9, wherein said probe is configured to elevate a portion of said vessel relative to an upper surface of said reservoir upon which said vessel floats when sludge build-up is detected at said bottom area of said reservoir being probed.

11. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 9, wherein said probe mechanism is comprised of an undercarriage having wheels for assisting in removal of said vessel from said reservoir of manure effluent.

12. A remotely controllable floating aquatic manure agitator, comprising:

(a) an aquatic vessel being constructed to float upon a reservoir of manure effluent, said vessel having a deck with outer confines defining a bow end and a stern end, a starboard side and a port side, and an upper surface supported above said reservoir;

(b) a pair of hydraulically operable agitator nozzles mounted one each on opposing aft corner portions of said upper surface of said deck, and another hydraulically operable agitator nozzle mounted upon a bow portion of said upper surface of said deck;

(c) each of said agitator nozzles mounted on said aft corners of said deck being configured for directional movement beyond said outer confines of said stern end of said deck and one of said starboard side and said port side of said deck, and said agitator nozzle mounted on said bow portion of said deck being configured for directional movement beyond said outer confines of said bow end of said deck and both said starboard side and said port side of said deck, and each of said agitator nozzles being pivotal substantially 180 degrees about a vertical axis and more than 90 degrees about a horizontal axis;

(d) a handheld user remote control unit controllably linked to said hydraulically operable agitator nozzles for remotely controlling the operation thereof;

(d) a fluid pump mounted on said deck of said vessel, said pump being configured to extract said manure effluent from said reservoir and pump said manure effluent through said agitator nozzles in order to agitate said manure effluent and manage directional control of said vessel; and

(e) each of said agitator nozzles being readily viewable above said upper surface of said deck for ease of managing agitation of said manure effluent and directional control of said vessel.

13. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 12, wherein said remote control unit includes joystick controls for operating said agitator nozzles, and said agitator nozzles that are mounted upon said aft corner portions of said deck are controlled by separate joystick controls than said agitator nozzle mounted upon said bow portion of said deck.

14. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 12, wherein said vessel includes a hydraulically operable hitch connected to said bow portion of said deck which is remotely controllable upward and downward for connecting to a transport vehicle to facilitate launching and removal of said vessel from said reservoir of manure effluent without manual manipulation.

15. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 12, wherein said vessel includes a pair of floatation devices connected one each adjacent opposing sides of said deck to support said deck in floating relation upon said manure effluent, said floatation devices being retractable to an upright position for ease of transporting said vessel out of said reservoir of manure effluent.

16. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 12, wherein said deck includes an extendable probe mechanism for probing a bottom area of said reservoir to determine the extent of sludge build-up and need for agitation of said bottom area, said probe being cantilevered from said deck at a point about central distance between said stern end and said bow end thereof, and extending rearward therefrom to a point adjacent said stern end of said deck.

17. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 16, wherein said probe is configured to elevate a portion of said vessel relative to an upper surface of said reservoir upon which said vessel floats when sludge build-up is detected at said bottom area of said reservoir being probed.

18. The floating aquatic manure agitator of claim 16, wherein said probe mechanism is comprised of an undercarriage having wheels for assisting in removal of said vessel from said reservoir of manure effluent.

19. A remotely controllable floating aquatic manure agitator, comprising:

(a) an aquatic vessel being constructed to float upon a reservoir of manure effluent, said vessel having a deck with outer confines defining a bow end and a stern end, a starboard side and a port side, and an upper surface, said deck being supported above said reservoir by a pair of retractable flotation devices;

(b) a plurality of agitator nozzles mounted on the upper surface of said vessel deck, each of said agitator nozzles being configured to pivot around multiple axes relative to said deck, and for rotational movement beyond said outer confines of one of said bow end and said stern end of said deck, and at least one of said starboard side and said port side of said deck;

(c) a retractable undercarriage attached to said aquatic vessel;

(d) a transport hitch pivotally mounted upon said aquatic vessel;

(e) a hydraulically controlled actuating mechanism connected to each of said agitator nozzles, said floatation devices, said undercarriage and said hitch for controlling movement thereof;

(f) a handheld user remote control unit controllably linked to all of said agitator nozzles, said floatation devices, said undercarriage and said hitch for controlling remote operation thereof;

(g) a fluid pump mounted on said deck of said vessel, said pump being configured to extract said manure effluent from said reservoir and pump said manure effluent through said agitator nozzles in order to agitate said manure effluent and manage directional control of said vessel; and

(h) each of said agitator nozzles being readily viewable above said upper surface of said deck for ease of managing agitation of said manure effluent and directional control of said vessel.