Mixing container for dissolving dry chemicals in water

• US 5,769,536 A
• Filed: 11/08/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clayton Kotylak
• Original Assignee: Clayton Kotylak
• Inventors: Kotylak, Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooley, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US08/745,674
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 366/136, 366/137, 366/138, 366/159.1, 366/162.1, 366/167.1, 366/173.1, 366/173.2, 366/174.1, 366/175.2, 366/182.2, 366/182.4
• US Class Current: 366/136
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/20 using flow mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/30 Workflow diagrams or layout of plants, e.g. flow charts; Details of workflow diagrams or layout of plants, e.g. controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/59 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/21 with submerged injectors, e.g. nozzles, for injecting high-pressure jets into a large volume or into mixing chambers
• 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 35/752 with arrangements for converting the mechanism from mixing to discharging, e.g. by either guiding a mixture back into a receptacle or discharging it

Abstract

Chemicals for a sprayer tank, particularly in dry dissolvable form, are mixed with water in a separate mixing container prior to adding to water in the sprayer tank. The mixing container has a hopper bottom with a perforated discharge control at the bottom apex for controlling the exit of mixed chemicals and water. An injection elbow is mounted on the hopper bottom for directing return water downwardly toward the apex for agitation of dry dissolvable chemicals collecting at the apex. Two valves are provided mounted on a common frame supporting the tank. The valves can be operated to control recirculation of water and dissolved chemicals back into the mixing tank and can be operated so that the same pump is used for filling the sprayer tank from a supply tank and for filling the mixing tank with mixing water for the chemicals.

Claims

1. A method of filling an agricultural sprayer with a mixture of water and chemicals comprising:

providing a sprayer tank;

providing a supply of water for filling the sprayer tank;

providing the chemicals in one or more separate supply containers for mixing with the water;

providing a separate mixing tank having a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet adjacent a bottom of the mixing tank and an opening at a top wall of the mixing tank into which the chemicals from said one or more containers can be discharged from the container;

providing a pump for moving the water;

providing a first inlet valve having a first inlet and a second inlet and an outlet and being operable for selecting one of said first and second inlets for supplying liquid to the outlet and a second outlet valve having a first outlet and a second outlet and an inlet and being operable for selecting one of said first and second outlets for supplying liquid to the selected outlet from the inlet;

connecting the supply of water to the first inlet of the inlet valve;

connecting the liquid outlet of the mixing tank to the second inlet of the inlet valve;

connecting the outlet of the inlet valve to an intake of the pump;

connecting an output from the pump to the inlet of the outlet valve;

connecting the first outlet of the outlet valve to the inlet of the mixing tank;

connecting the second outlet of the outlet valve to the spray tank placing the chemicals through the opening into the separate mixing tank;

operating the inlet and outlet valves so as to pump water from the supply of water through the first inlet and through the outlet of the inlet valve, through the pump and through the inlet and through the first outlet of the outlet valve into the separate mixing tank;

mixing the water with the chemicals to cause the chemicals to dissolve into the water;

operating the inlet and outlet valves so as to cause the pump to extract water with dissolved chemicals therein from the liquid outlet through the second inlet and through the outlet of the inlet valve, through the pump and through the inlet and through the first outlet of the outlet valve and to return the water with dissolved chemicals therein to the liquid inlet so as to recirculate the water with dissolved chemicals therein through the separate mixing tank until the chemicals are fully dissolved; and

operating the inlet and outlet valves to extract the mixed water and dissolved chemicals from the separate mixing tank through the second inlet and through the outlet of the inlet valve, through the pump and through the inlet and through the second outlet of the outlet valve so as to supply the water and dissolved chemicals to the sprayer tank.

2. The method according to claim 1 including providing for the mixing tank a conical bottom converging to a bottom apex and including providing on the liquid inlet of the mixing tank a directional element mounted on an inside surface of the conical bottom at a position spaced from the bottom apex, and arranging the directional element at a position spaced from the bottom apex of the tank so as to direct the liquid downwardly toward the bottom apex of the tank.

3. The method according to claim 1 including providing a water supply hose at one side of the mixing tank, an operable valve for controlling supply of water to the supply hose for rinsing the one or more separate supply containers and a support stand for supporting the one or more separate supply containers underneath the supply hose.

4. The method according to claim 3 including operating the operable valve by a foot pedal.

5. The method according to claim 1 including providing on the liquid outlet of the mixing tank an outlet control member comprising:

a vertical cylindrical duct connected to the liquid outlet and standing upwardly therefrom for allowing discharge of liquid from the mixing tank;

a top portion mounted on a top end of the cylindrical duct and projecting outwardly to sides of the cylindrical duct;

the cylindrical duct and the top portion both being formed of a perforated screen so as to allow exit of water while preventing escape of dry dissolvable chemicals;

and an upper surface of the top portion which is shaped so as to shed dry dissolvable chemical material falling onto the top surface.

6. The method according to claim 5 including providing the top portion in the form of a horizontal perforated cylindrical body including perforated ends.

7. A mixing container for receiving and mixing chemicals from a supply container comprising:

a mixing tank having a conical bottom converging to a lowermost apex, a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet at the lowermost apex of the mixing tank and an opening at a top wall of the mixing tank into which the chemicals from the supply container can be discharged from the supply container;

a first inlet valve having a first inlet and a second inlet and an outlet and being operable for selecting one of said first and second inlets for supplying liquid to the outlet;

a second outlet valve having a first outlet and a second outlet and an inlet and being operable for selecting one of said first and second outlets for supplying liquid to the selected outlet from the inlet;

means for connecting the liquid outlet of the mixing tank to the second inlet of the inlet valve;

and means for connecting the first outlet of the outlet valve to the inlet of the mixing tank;

wherein the liquid inlet of the mixing tank includes a directional element on an inside surface of the mixing tank, the directional element being arranged on the conical bottom of the tank and arranged to direct the liquid downwardly toward the lowermost apex of the tank.

8. The container according to claim 7 including a frame for supporting the tank and the inlet and outlet wherein the frame, the mixing tank and the valves are portable as a common unit.

9. The container according to claim 8 wherein the frame includes a vertical post arranged at one side of the mixing tank and wherein the valves are mounted on the vertical post.

10. The container according to claim 7 wherein the liquid outlet of the mixing tank has an outlet control member thereon comprising:

a vertical cylindrical duct connected to the liquid outlet and standing upwardly therefrom for allowing discharge of liquid from the mixing tank;

a top portion mounted on a top end of the cylindrical duct and projecting outwardly to sides of the cylindrical duct;

the cylindrical duct and the top portion both being formed of a perforated screen so as to allow exit of water while preventing escape of dry dissolvable chemicals;

and an upper surface of the top portion which is shaped so as to shed dry dissolvable chemical material falling onto the top surface.

11. The container according to claim 10 wherein the top portion comprises a horizontal cylindrical body having perforated ends and wherein the vertical cylindrical duct includes a plurality of perforations on a peripheral surface thereof.

12. The container according to claim 7 including a water supply hose at one side of the mixing tank, an operable valve for controlling supply of water to the supply hose for rinsing the supply container and a support stand for supporting the separate container underneath the supply hose.

13. The container according to claim 12 wherein the operable valve is operable by a foot pedal.

14. A mixing container for receiving and mixing chemicals from a supply container comprising:

a mixing tank having a conical bottom converging to a lowermost apex, a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet at the lowermost apex of the mixing tank and an opening at a top wall of the mixing tank into which the chemicals from the supply container can be discharged from the supply container;

a first inlet valve having a first inlet and a second inlet and an outlet and being operable for selecting one of said first and second inlets for supplying liquid to the outlet;

a second outlet valve having a first outlet and a second outlet and an inlet and being operable for selecting one of said first and second outlets for supplying liquid to the selected outlet from the inlet;

means for connecting the liquid outlet of the mixing tank to the second inlet of the inlet valve;

and means for connecting the first outlet of the outlet valve to the inlet of the mixing tank;

wherein the liquid outlet of the mixing tank has an outlet control member thereon comprising;

a vertical cylindrical duct connected to the liquid outlet and standing upwardly therefrom for allowing discharge of liquid from the mixing tank;

a top portion mounted on a top end of the cylindrical duct and projecting outwardly to sides of the cylindrical duct;

the cylindrical duct and the top portion both being formed of a perforated screen so as to allow exit of water while preventing escape of dry dissolvable chemicals;

and an upper surface of the top portion which is shaped so as to shed dry dissolvable chemical material falling onto the top surface.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the top portion comprises a horizontal cylindrical body having perforated ends and wherein the vertical cylindrical duct includes a plurality of perforations on a peripheral surface thereof.