Devices and methods for selective application of herbicide
First Claim
1. A herbicide applicator assembly having an inclined underside liquid-application surface fed with liquid herbicide in such a manner that said liquid-application surface can wipe sufficient herbicide onto tall plants to kill them, while wiping only enough herbicide onto lower-growing plants to retard their growth, and while avoiding contact of said liquid-application surface with the ground, said herbicide applicator assembly comprising, in combination:
- a rigid applicator panel providing said inclined underside liquid-application surface of non-absorbent,a source of said liquid herbicide for supplying said liquid herbicide to said inclined underside liquid-application surface at a sufficient flow rate for intended treatment and a sufficient pressure for proper distribution;
a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging said liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface; and
means for supporting said rigid applicator panel with sufficient rigidity to keep said inclined underside liquid-application surface at a selected elevation above the ground and at a predetermined slope, with said slope and elevation being maintained accurately while said rigid applicator panel is moved along a swath of vegetation, said inclined underside liquid-application surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that said liquid herbicide will flow from said upper edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface slowly down said inclined underside liquid-application surface while clinging to said inclined underside liquid-application surface until said liquid herbicide is wiped from an upper portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface by tall plants or from a lower portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface by both tall and short plants, or until said liquid herbicide reaches a lower edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A herbicide applicator has an inclined underside surface supported at a selected elevation and slope with respect to the ground. Liquid herbicide is fed at a variably controlled rate to an upper edge portion of the inclined underside surface, and the herbicide flows down the underside surface without dripping before reaching the lower edge portion of the underside surface. Preferably, the underside surface is provided by a durable, non-absorbent, structural-grade material that has been roughened to increase its liquid storage capacity, for example, by grooves, indentations, or pockets. Preferably, liquid herbicide is uniformly fed to the underside surface by a distributor having a perforated tube and a strip of porous plastic sealed within a channel so that liquid fed to the tube must exit through the pores in the porous plastic strip. Preferably, herbicide is collected at the lower edge portion of the underside surface by a rope-wick or other absorbent material, and any excess is removed by a drain or a suction line. For applying herbicide to a wide swath of vegetation, a number of rigid panels are hinged together, or a wide semi-flexible panel is drawn by draw bars connected to the panel by a network of flexibly-connected braces.
48 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A herbicide applicator assembly having an inclined underside liquid-application surface fed with liquid herbicide in such a manner that said liquid-application surface can wipe sufficient herbicide onto tall plants to kill them, while wiping only enough herbicide onto lower-growing plants to retard their growth, and while avoiding contact of said liquid-application surface with the ground, said herbicide applicator assembly comprising, in combination:
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a rigid applicator panel providing said inclined underside liquid-application surface of non-absorbent, a source of said liquid herbicide for supplying said liquid herbicide to said inclined underside liquid-application surface at a sufficient flow rate for intended treatment and a sufficient pressure for proper distribution; a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging said liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface; and means for supporting said rigid applicator panel with sufficient rigidity to keep said inclined underside liquid-application surface at a selected elevation above the ground and at a predetermined slope, with said slope and elevation being maintained accurately while said rigid applicator panel is moved along a swath of vegetation, said inclined underside liquid-application surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that said liquid herbicide will flow from said upper edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface slowly down said inclined underside liquid-application surface while clinging to said inclined underside liquid-application surface until said liquid herbicide is wiped from an upper portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface by tall plants or from a lower portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface by both tall and short plants, or until said liquid herbicide reaches a lower edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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an applicator panel having an inclined underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping vegetation, means for supporting said applicator panel at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while said applicator panel is moved along a swath of the vegetation, a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging the liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of the inclined underside surface, said inclined underside surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down the inclined underside surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of the inclined underside surface, wherein said inclined underside surface is rough and has substantial liquid-storage capacity, so that said inclined underside surface can apply liquid herbicide at a variable rate to vegetation that is neither uniform in size nor spacing while being fed with said liquid herbicide at a uniform rate, wherein said inclined underside surface has grooves to thereby aid in maintaining a uniform distribution of the liquid herbicide in a direction along said grooves.
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10. A herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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an applicator panel having an inclined underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping vegetation, means for supporting said applicator panel at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while said applicator panel is moved along a swath of the vegetation, a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging the liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of the inclined underside surface, said inclined underside surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down the inclined underside surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of the inclined underside surface, wherein said liquid distributor comprises a channel member containing a perforated distribution tube, and a porous-plastic distribution strip sealed within said channel member such that liquid herbicide fed to the distribution tube exits the channel member through the pores in the porous-plastic distribution strip, thereby providing relatively uniform distribution of the liquid herbicide to the underside of the applicator panel.
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11. A herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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an applicator panel having an inclined underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping vegetation, means for supporting said applicator panel at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while said applicator panel is moved along a swath of the vegetation, a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging the liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of the inclined underside surface, said inclined underside surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down the inclined underside surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of the inclined underside surface, further comprising a channel member mounted beneath the lower edge of the applicator panel to serve as a drip collector, said channel member containing an absorbent material, which serves as a filter and a wiper, and means for eliminating excess liquid herbicide from said absorbent material.
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12. A herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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an applicator panel having an inclined underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping vegetation, means for supporting said applicator panel at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while said applicator panel is moved along a swath of the vegetation, a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging the liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of the inclined underside surface, said inclined underside surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down the inclined underside surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of the inclined underside surface, further comprising an additional applicator panel having its own supporting means, and wherein said applicator panels are connected together by hinges to treat a swath of vegetation having a width approximately equal to the sum of the widths of said applicator panels.
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13. A herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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an applicator panel having an inclined underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping vegetation, means for supporting said applicator panel at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while said applicator panel is moved along a swath of the vegetation, a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging the liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of the inclined underside surface, said inclined underside surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down the inclined underside surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of the inclined underside surface, wherein said means for supporting includes at least one bar having one end for attachment to a vehicle and another end which is curved for resting on the ground.
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14. A liquid herbicide applicator assembly for treating a swath of vegetation, said assembly comprising, in combination:
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an inflexible applicator panel having a non-absorbent underside liquid-application surface having pockets provided therein for retaining liquid herbicide on said surface until the liquid herbicide is wiped off onto vegetation, said panel being inclined so that the taller the plants being treated are, the more liquid herbicide they receive; a source of liquid herbicide for supplying the liquid herbicide to said underside liquid-application surface at a sufficient flow rate for intended treatment and a sufficient pressure for proper distribution; a distributor connected to said source and mounted to said applicator panel for distributing the liquid herbicide uniformly to an upper, leading-edge portion of said underside liquid-application surface; and a pair of parallel-spaced runners, each having at least one upstanding member;
said applicator panel being mounted at selected points on said upstanding members so that said applicator panel is rigidly supported at a preselected elevation above said runners and at a predetermined slope that is accurately maintained so that the liquid herbicide fed along a leading edge portion of said underside liquid-application surface of said applicator panel will flow slowly down the non-absorbent, pocketed underside liquid-application surface without dripping until the liquid herbicide is wiped off by plants being treated or the liquid herbicide reaches a trailing edge portion of said underside liquid-application surface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A heavy-duty applicator assembly for applying liquid herbicide to vegetation, said assembly comprising, in combination:
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an applicator panel including a rigid structural beam having a rectangular, non-absorbent, underside liquid-application surface having a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion, said underside liquid-application surface being formed from a non-absorbent material and being inclined so that the taller the plants being treated are, the more of the liquid-application surface the plants are contacted by; a source of the liquid herbicide; a distributor for uniformly distributing said liquid herbicide from said source to said leading edge portion; and means for supporting said applicator panel at a slope such that said liquid herbicide fed to said leading edge portion will flow slowly down said rectangular, non-absorbent underside liquid-application surface, without dripping, until said liquid-herbicide is wiped off or reaches said trailing edge portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A herbicide applicator including a distributor for distributing liquid herbicide, said herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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a channel member; a perforated distribution tube mounted in said channel member; a source of said liquid herbicide, said source of liquid herbicide being connected to said perforated distribution tube for feeding said liquid herbicide under pressure into said channel member; and a porous distribution strip sealed in said channel member such that said liquid herbicide from said distribution tube must exit said channel member through said distribution strip, said perforated distribution tube being elongated and aligned along a length of said porous distribution strip, and said porous distribution strip having sufficient resistance to the passage of said liquid herbicide that said liquid herbicide is forced to be discharged uniformly along the length of said porous distribution strip. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A liquid herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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an "A"-frame structure; two opposing inclined applicator panels mounted within said "A"-frame structure; a source of said liquid herbicide; a distributor connected to said source and mounted above underside surfaces of said applicator panels for distributing liquid herbicide from said source uniformly to higher edge portions of said applicator panels, said applicator panels being mounted at inclinations sufficient that the liquid herbicide distributed to said higher edge portions flows down respective inclined underside surfaces of said applicator panels, without dripping, to respective lower edge portions of said underside surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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- 30. The combination as claimed in claimed 29, wherein said applicator panels include perforated sheets providing said underside surfaces.
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36. A semi-flexible liquid herbicide applicator assembly providing an inclined underside liquid-application surface for wiping liquids onto vegetation so that the taller the plants being treated are, the more liquid the plants receive, said assembly comprising, in combination:
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a semi-flexible applicator panel of non-absorbent material providing said inclined underside liquid-application surface; means for supporting said semi-flexible applicator panel at a predetermined inclination with respect to ground level so that when said semi-flexible applicator assembly is drawn in a longitudinal direction over unlevel terrain, said semi-flexible applicator assembly has sufficient flexibility in a transverse direction to conform to ridges and swales, and sufficient rigidity in the longitudinal direction to maintain the liquid-application surface at said predetermined inclination; a source of said liquid herbicide for supplying said liquid herbicide at a sufficient flow rate for intended treatment and a sufficient pressure for proper distribution; a distributor connected to said source of said liquid herbicide and mounted near an upper edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface of said semi-flexible applicator panel for uniformly distributing said liquid herbicide from said source to said upper edge portion, said semi-flexible applicator panel being maintained at a sufficient inclination so that the liquid herbicide flows slowly down said inclined underside liquid-application surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of said inclined underside liquid-application surface. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A liquid herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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a flexible applicator panel having an inclined underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping vegetation growing upon a ground elevation; means for supporting said flexible applicator panel at a selected elevation and inclination with respect to said ground elevation so that said flexible applicator panel flexes in a transverse direction when drawn over uneven terrain in a longitudinal direction toward which said flexible applicator panel is inclined; a source of said liquid herbicide; a distributor connected to said source and mounted near an upper edge portion of said inclined underside surface of said flexible applicator panel for uniformly distributing said liquid herbicide from said source to said upper edge portion, said flexible applicator panel being mounted at a sufficient inclination so that the liquid herbicide flows slowly without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of said inclined underside surface, wherein said means for supporting includes a frame including bars which have end portions extending below said lower edge portion of said flexible applicator panel for running upon said ground elevation and thereby raising said lower edge portion above said ground elevation.
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40. A liquid herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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a flexible applicator panel having an inclined underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping vegetation growing upon a ground elevation; means for supporting said flexible applicator panel at a selected elevation and inclination with respect to said ground elevation so that said flexible applicator panel flexes in a transverse direction when drawn over uneven terrain in a longitudinal direction toward which said flexible applicator panel is inclined; a source of said liquid herbicide; a distributor connected to said source and mounted near an upper edge portion of said inclined underside surface of said flexible applicator panel for uniformly distributing said liquid herbicide from said source to said upper edge portion, said flexible applicator panel being mounted at a sufficient inclination so that the liquid herbicide flows slowly without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of said inclined underside surface, wherein said distributor includes a channel member, a perforated distribution tube mounted in said channel member, and a porous distribution strip sealed in said channel member such that liquid from said distribution tube must exit said channel member through said distribution strip.
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41. A herbicide applicator comprising:
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an applicator panel supported at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while the panel is moved along a swath of vegetation; a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source for discharging the liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of an underside surface of said applicator panel, said underside surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down the underside surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of the underside surface; wherein said underside surface is provided by a sheet of porous, non-absorbent material that has a thickness and porosity selected so that substantially all of the liquid herbicide fed to the upper edge of said underside surface flows downward on the underside surface, rather than through the pores and interstices of the sheet of porous material, so that said underside surface, including pores immediately adjacent to said liquid-application surface, can store and wipe sufficient herbicide onto randomly-spaced, tall plants to kill them, while wiping only enough herbicide onto lower-growing plants to retard their growth. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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- 44. An applicator panel having a smooth, impervious underside surface of non-absorbent material for wiping liquid onto vegetation, said underside surface having a leading edge portion, and said applicator panel including a distributor for applying said liquid uniformly along said leading edge portion so that said liquid is applied preferentially to said vegetation and secondarily to said smooth, impervious underside surface.
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46. An applicator for applying liquid herbicide to vegetation, said applicator comprising, in combination:
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a plate made from a non-porous, non-absorbent material providing a liquid-application underside surface having pockets formed therein for temporarily retaining liquid on said liquid-application surface; and a distributor mounted to said plate for distributing liquid herbicide to said underside surface. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A liquid herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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a panel having an inclined underside surface and a multiplicity of vertical, rigid baffles connected to and extending downward from said underside surface; means for supporting said panel at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while said panel is moved along a swath of vegetation; a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source of liquid herbicide for discharging said liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of said inclined underside surface, so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down said inclined underside surface and also down the rigid baffles without dripping before reaching lower edge portions of said inclined underside surface and said rigid baffles. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A liquid herbicide applicator-distributor having an underside surface of non-absorbent material for applying liquid herbicide directly onto vegetation or to an adjacent surface that wipes the liquid herbicide onto vegetation, said applicator-distributor comprising, in combination:
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a channel member; a source of said liquid herbicide for feeding said liquid herbicide under pressure into said channel member; and an elongated porous distribution strip sealed in said channel member such that said liquid herbicide fed into said channel member must exit said channel member through said distribution strip to reach said underside surface, said distribution strip having sufficient inherent resistance to the passage of said liquid herbicide that said liquid herbicide is forced to be discharged uniformly along the length of said distribution strip. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A herbicide applicator comprising, in combination:
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an applicator panel of non-absorbent material supported at a selected elevation and slope with respect to ground elevation while the panel is moved along a swath of vegetation; a source of liquid herbicide; and a distributor connected to said source for discharging the liquid herbicide uniformly along an upper edge portion of an underside surface of said panel, said underside surface being inclined at a sufficient angle so that the liquid herbicide will flow slowly down the underside surface without dripping before reaching a lower edge portion of the underside surface; wherein said liquid herbicide is a viscous solution. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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Specification