BULK HANDLING OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS AND CHEMICAL CONTAINER

• US 20110272059A1
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dennis Bulani
• Original Assignee: Dennis Bulani
• Inventors: Bulani, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US12/984,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20110272059A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/2
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/003 Bulk fertiliser or grain handling in the field or on the farm

Abstract

A method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical includes securing an above ground farm container to the ground at a farm location with an input port defined in a top thereof; pumping the chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical into the input port; pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container through an output port in the top of the farm container into a carry tank on a farm vehicle; and driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field. A suitable chemical container for the farm location has an outer shell and inner molded tank with an upper portion that protrudes laterally outward over the top edge of the shell.

Claims

1. A method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical, the method comprising:

providing an above ground farm container at a farm location, the farm container having an input port defined in a top thereof, and securing the farm container to the ground;

pumping the agricultural chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport tank on a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical from the transport tank into the input port of the fat in container;

pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container through an output port in the top of the farm container into a carry tank mounted on a farm vehicle; and

driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising providing the farm container by providing a metal outer shell with an open top and sliding a molded inner tank into the outer shell such that a lower portion of the inner tank is inside the outer shell, and an upper portion of the inner tank extends above a top edge of the outer shell and extends laterally outward over the top edge of the outer shell, and placing a bottom of the outer shell on the ground at the farm location such that the outer shell and inner tank extend up from the ground.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising substantially preventing the entrance of rain into the outer shell adjacent to an outer surface of the inner tank by providing a lip on an outer periphery of the upper portion of the molded inner tank, the lip extending down along an outer surface of the outer shell below the upper edge of the outer shell.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the input port comprises:

a well extending down from a top thereof into the molded inner tank, the well having an open top and a removable lid configured to cover the open top of the well;

a bottom port defined in a floor of the well, the bottom port and well configured such that a delivery nozzle from the transport tank on the transport vehicle can extend into the open top of the well and through the bottom port to fill the molded inner tank;

a plug configured to plug the bottom port.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing a drip aperture in the floor of the well configured to allow chemical that drips from the delivery nozzle to drip through the floor and into the molded inner tank.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising a locking at least one of the plug and the lid to prevent unauthorized removal of the agricultural chemical.

7. The method of claim 4 comprising providing a gauge in the well operative to indicate when a vertical level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank is at a full level.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising maintaining secondary containment of the agricultural chemical by locating the full level at a vertical location that is below the top edge of the outer shell.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the gauge comprises a float extending down through the floor of the well and configured such that when the level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank approaches the full level, the float rises inside the well.

10. The method of claim 2 comprising providing an output conduit extending down inside the molded inner tank from the output port to a location adjacent a floor of the molded inner tank, and connecting an output pump to the output conduit.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising providing the output pump by one of connecting a submersible pump to a bottom end of the output conduit, and connecting a suction pump to a top end of the output conduit.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising attaching lockable cabinet to the outer shell, and locating the output suction pump in the cabinet, and storing a dispensing nozzle connected to an output of the suction pump in the cabinet.

13. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a layer of insulation between a bottom of the inner tank and the outer shell.

14. The method of claim 2 comprising installing collision barriers adjacent to the farm container.

15. A container apparatus for handling liquid chemical in bulk, the apparatus comprising:

a metal outer shell with a bottom adapted to rest on the ground such that the outer shell extends up from the ground to an open top thereof located above the ground;

a molded inner tank with a lower portion inside the outer shell, and an upper portion extending above a top edge of the outer shell, and a top defining input and output ports; and

wherein the upper portion of the molded inner tank extends laterally outward over the top edge of the outer shell.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the upper portion of the molded inner tank defines a lip extending down from an outer periphery thereof along an outer surface of the outer shell below the upper edge of the outer shell.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the input port comprises:

a well extending down from a top thereof into the molded inner tank, the well having an open top and a removable lid configured to cover the open top of the well;

a bottom port defined in a floor of the well, the bottom port and well configured such that a delivery nozzle from the transport tank on a transport vehicle can extend into the open top of the well and extend through the bottom port to fill the molded inner tank;

a plug configured to plug the bottom port; and

a drip aperture in the floor of the well configured to allow chemical that drips from the delivery nozzle to drip through the floor and into the molded inner tank.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a drip aperture in the floor of the well configured to allow chemical that drips from the delivery nozzle to drip through the floor and into the molded inner tank.

19. The apparatus of any one of claims 17 and 18 further comprising a lock operative to lock at least one of the plug and the lid to prevent unauthorized removal of the agricultural chemical.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 comprising a gauge in the well operative to indicate when a level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank is at full level,

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the full level is at a vertical location that is below the top edge of the outer shell,

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the gauge comprises a float extending down through the floor of the well and configured such that when the level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank approaches the full level, the float rises inside the well.

23. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising an output conduit extending down inside the molded inner tank from the output port to a location adjacent a floor of the molded inner tank, and an output pump connected to the output conduit.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the output pump is one of a submersible pump connected to a bottom end of the output conduit, and a suction pump connected to a top end of the output conduit.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the output pump is a suction pump connected to a top end of the output conduit, and wherein the suction pump and a dispensing nozzle connected to an output of the suction pump are stored in a lockable cabinet attached to the outer shell.

26. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising a layer of insulation a bottom of the inner tank and the outer shell.

27. A method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical, the method comprising:

providing the container apparatus of claim 15 at a farm location;

pumping the agricultural chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport tank on a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical from the transport tank into the input port of the farm container apparatus;

pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container apparatus through the output port in the top of the farm container apparatus into a carry tank mounted on a farm vehicle; and

driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field.