APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADDING FERTILIZER OR OTHER LIQUIDS TO AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM

• Main Authors: MORTON DAVE, GRIZZLE GLEN, JOHNSON DWIGHT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.08.2010
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; BLASTING; BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEATING; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; LIQUID HANDLING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; OPENING, CLOSING; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PIPES; STORING; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

Apparatus for adding liquid fertilizer to a water line of a sprinkler system includes a mechanical injector device powered by a paddle wheel turned by water flowing through the water line. As the paddle wheel is turned, liquid fertilizer can be advantageously mixed with the irrigation water or other fluid. The fertilizer reservoir can be positioned on the upper portion of the injector apparatus and can include an inlet connection and a button used to hydraulically prime the system. The fertilizer may be fed into the reservoir via tubing from a separately contained fertilizer source. In some embodiments, an inlet nozzle may increase the inlet velocity of the water, thereby permitting the paddle wheel to operate over a greater flow rate range. The tubing or other conduit can be connected to the fertilizer source container via a quick-connect fitting.