Method and system for high pressure liquid injection of turf seed

• US 6,892,657 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2004
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Textron Inc
• Inventors: Kenworthy, Kevin E., Engelke, Milton C., Jones, Laurence B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/797,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20040187752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 111/118, 111/127, 111/129, 111/85, 111/86, 111/200, 239/726, 239/727, 239/728, 222/61, 222/397, 222/400.5
• US Class Current: 111/127
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/028 Contactless injection into the soil
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/004 using liquid seeding techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/008 Sod or grassland seeding A01C7/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A turf care system and method uses simultaneously fired pulses of high-pressure liquid jets of the mixture shot toward the ground. The liquid is mixed with dry grass seed shortly before being delivered to a high-pressure liquid/seed pumping system, which uses an accumulator and sequencing valve to produce at regular repetitive intervals pulses of the liquid/seed mixture under high pressure. The pulses are delivered to an elongated hydraulic manifold having multiple nozzles pointed downwardly, which are spaced from one another and the ground by predetermined distances. The momentum of the high-pressure jet of liquid/seed mixture issuing from each nozzle cuts through overlying vegetation to deposit the seeds into the crown of the soil at predetermined desired depth. Spray patterns are determined by nozzle orifice shape, and are preferably selected to provide a shallow knife slit-like opening or trench in the crown of the turf.

Claims

1. A method for overseeding turf seed into turf grass comprising:

mixing seed with a liquid to form a seed-liquid mixture;

placing the seed-liquid mixture in an accumulator;

raising the pressure within the accumulator to a predetermined level; and

fluidly coupling the seed-liquid mixture to a nozzle so as to cause the seed-liquid mixture to flow through the nozzle and into the turf grass.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising positioning the nozzle between about 4 and 6 inches above the turf grass.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the seed-liquid mixture is injected to a predetermined depth into a soil layer.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the existing root structure is substantially below the predetermined depth.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the seed-liquid mixture passes through a thatched layer of the turf grass.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the seed-liquid mixture passes through a grass layer.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid-seed mixture cuts through a thatched layer and a grass layer of the turf.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the nozzle is configured to spray the liquid-seed mixture in a conical configuration.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the nozzles are configured to spray the liquid-seed mixture in a fan configuration.

10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising mixing fertilizer into the liquid.

11. The mechanism for injecting a seed-liquid mixture into a turf grass bearing medium having:

a nozzle;

an accumulator for storing the seed-liquid mixture under pressure coupled to the nozzle;

a pump for increasing the pressure of the seed-liquid mixture; and

a regulator for regulating the flow of the liquid-seed mixture from accumulator through the nozzle, wherein the nozzle is configured to inject the liquid-seed mixture through the turf grass.

12. The mechanism of claim 11 further containing an agitator for mixing the seed within the liquid.

13. The mechanism of claim 11 wherein the accumulator has a volume from about 5 to about 20 cubic inches.

14. The mechanism of claim 11 wherein the accumulator has a volume from about 6 to about 12 cubic inches.

15. The mechanism of claim 11 wherein the nozzle discharges the liquid-seed combination in a fan pattern.

16. The mechanism of claim 11 wherein the nozzle is disposed from about 4 to about 6 inches above the turf grass.

17. The mechanism of claim 11 wherein the liquid is water.

18. The mechanism of claim 11 further comprising a compressor configured to increase the pressure within the accumulator.

19. The mechanism of claim 11 further comprising a metering mechanism configured to control the amount of seed-liquid mixture discharged by the nozzle.