PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING A HORIZONTAL SUBTERRANEAN FILM

• US 3,590,588 A
• Filed: 07/01/1968
• Issued: 07/06/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Duane W. Gagle, Homer L. Draper
• Original Assignee: Duane W. Gagle, Homer L. Draper
• Inventors: Draper, Homer L., Gagle, Duane W.
• Application Number:
  US04/741,355
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• US Class Current: 405/176
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 2025/003 with an impermeable layer in the ground
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/00 Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like special apparatus or adaptations for fertilising-liquids A01C23/00; nozzles or outlets, spraying apparatus B05B
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/103 with oscillating or vibrating digging tools

Abstract

Strips of preformed film are laid underground after passage through a hollow plow. The strips are finally disposed with their major surfaces substantially horizontal, and preferably laid with their edges turned up to act as a trap for water sinking through the ground. The strips can be spaced apart, adjacent or overlapping, and are preferably made of plastic, but may be made of metal foil or of fabric coated previously or coated in place with asphalt. Apparatus to feed the film from a roll through the plow are disclosed, along with tractors to draw the plow, vibrators to vibrate the plow, hydraulic and other means to control the plow depth and position, and means to inject liquid, such as water, asphalt, fertilizer, nematocides or weed killers, on the film as it emerges from the plow.

Claims

1. Apparatus for laying a horizontally disposed strip of preformed film under the surface of the ground comprising in combination a hollow plow, a roll of film, means for unrolling the film, means to pass the film through the hollow plow, and means to spread out the film in a horizontally disposed position behind the plow as the plow is moved wherein the roll of film is mounted with its axis in a plane passing vertically through a line in the direction of travel of the plow and there is means to pass the film folded along its longitudinal axis from the roll down through a hollow shank of the plow disposed with the longitudinal axis of the shank lying in the direction of movement of the plow, and the means to spread out the film comprises a triangular shoe on the bottom of the hollow plow disposed to unfold the film into a flat, horizontally disposed strip underground.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means to spread out the film includes means to fold the edges of the film upwardly in the ground.

3. Apparatus for laying a horizontally disposed strip of preformed film under the surface of the ground comprising in combination a hollow plow, a roll of film, means for unrolling the film, means to pass the film through the hollow plow, and means to spread out the film in a horizontally disposed position behind the plow as the plow is moved wherein the means for unrolling the film and means for passing the film through the hollow plow includes means to dispose the film vertically with its transverse axis in the direction of travel of the plow, and the means to spread out the film in a horizontally disposed position comprises means to turn the film horizontally in the plow and then to turn the longitudinal axis of the film in the direction the plow is moved.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means to spread out the film includes means to fold the edges of the film upwardly in the ground.

5. Apparatus for laying a horizontally disposed strip of preformed film under the surface of the ground comprising in combination a hollow plow, a roll of film, means for unrolling the film, means to pass the film through the hollow plow, and means to spread out the film in a horizontally disposed position behind the plow as the plow is moved wherein the roll of film is supported on one vehicle and the plow is supported on a separate vehicle.

6. Apparatus for laying a horizontally disposed strip of preformed film under the surface of the ground comprising in combination a hollow plow, a roll of film, means for unrolling the film, means to pass the film through the hollow plow, and means to spread out the film in a horizontally disposed position behind the plow as the plow is moved wherein a spray pipe is provided on the plow with means to spray liquid through the pipe on the film in place in the ground.

7. The process of laying a horizontally disposed strip of preformed film below the surface of the ground, comprising the steps of plowing the ground with a hollow plow, feeding the film down inside the plow, and moving the film out into a horizontally disposed position underground behind the plow wherein the strip of film is folded longitudinally and would in longitudinally folded form on a roll which has its axis in a plane passing vertically through a line in the direction of travel of the plow and the film is fed from the roll through the plow and unfolded into a horizontally disposed position underground.

8. The process of claim 7 including the step of simultaneously turning the edges of the strip upwardly to increase its ability to retain water while moving the film out into its horizontally disposed position.