Soil treatment liquid injection device

Disclosed herein is a device for introducing soil treatment liquids into the ground including a plurality of injection tines having a downwardly directed tip portion and connected to a rotatable crankshaft for reciprocative movement between a raised or non-injection position and an injection position wherein the tine portion is located beneath the ground surface. Flow of the treatment liquid to the tines is controlled by a rotary flow distribution valve which is connected directly to a chain drive sprocket mounted on the crankshaft and which is arranged to selectively supply the treatment liquid to the tines only when they are in the injection position. Each tine has a generally spherical tip made from a high aluminum ceramic material and an internal check valve located near the tip for minimizing the amount of residual liquid which can be shaken from the tine while it is in the non-injection position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to devices for injecting soil treatment liquids into 
the ground and, more particularly, to such devices including a plurality 
of reciprocative injection tines having a ground-penetrating tip portion 
and means for selectively supplying the treatment liquid to the tines only 
when the tip portions are beneath the ground surface. 
The Collins U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,926,131, issued Dec. 16, 1975, and 4,034,686, 
issued July 12, 1977, disclose injection devices of this type including a 
crankshaft reciprocating the injection tine and a flow distribution valve 
connected in timed relation to the crankshaft, via the crankshaft drive 
chain, for selectively and sequentially supplying the treatment liquid to 
the tines only when the tip portions are located beneath the ground 
surface. With this arrangement, setting the timing often can require a 
laborious trial and error procedure. Also, any slippage of the drive chain 
during operation can cause the valve to operate out of time in which case 
the treatment liquid is injected near or on the ground surface rather than 
at the desired depth beneath the ground surface. 
Some prior art constructions for the injection tines include some sort of 
valve for preventing the flow of treatment liquid from the tines when they 
are in the raised or non-injection position above the ground surface. 
However, such valves usually are situated in the flow passage at a 
location wherein some quantity of the treatment liquid remains in the 
tines and this residual liquid tends to be shaken out onto the ground 
during rapid cycling of the tines. Also, the tines used in prior art 
devices typically employ pointed metal tips which tend to be abraded away 
after a few operations in some types of soil. 
In addition to the above-identified Collins patents, attention is directed 
to the references referred to therein for examples of prior art 
constructions for the general type of soil treatment liquid injection 
devices to which the present invention relates. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention provides a device for introducing soil treatment liquids into 
the ground, which device includes a frame supported for movement along the 
ground surface, a plurality of injection tines which have a tip portion, 
have a flow passage and are connected to a crankshaft driven by a power 
source supported on the frame for reciprocative movement between a raised 
or non-injection position and an injection position wherein the tip 
portion is located beneath the ground surface, and a rotary flow 
distribution valve for selectively supplying the treatment liquid to the 
tines including a valve chamber, an inlet port communicating with the 
valve chamber and adapted for connection in communication with a supply of 
the treatment liquid, a plurality of outlet ports communicating with the 
valve chamber, and a rotatable drive shaft carrying a valve disc 
interposed the valve chamber and the inlets of the valve outlet ports. The 
valve disc has an opening which is registerable with the inlets of the 
valve outlet ports and which, in response to rotation of the valve drive 
shaft, is sequentially moved into and out of registration with the inlet 
of each valve outlet port. The valve shaft is drivingly connected directly 
to a drive member mounted on a crankshaft such that the valve disc is 
rotated in direct timed relation with the crankshaft to thereby supply the 
treatment liquid to each tine flow passage only when the respective tine 
is in the injection position. 
In one embodiment, a pair of the tines are mounted for joint reciprocation 
and separate conduit means are provided for connecting the outlet of each 
valve outlet port with a respective pair of the tines. 
In another embodiment, the valve drive shaft is coaxial with the crankshaft 
and the flow distribution valve includes a rotatable member mounted on the 
outer end of the valve driveshaft and carrying a plurality of 
circumferentially spaced, axially extending drive pins which are drivingly 
received in complementary apertures provided in the crankshaft drive 
member. 
In a further embodiment, the flow distribution valve is adjustably mounted 
so that the rotational relationship of the inlets of the valve outlet 
ports to the crankshaft can be adjusted to advance or retard the timing 
for initiating the introduction of treatment liquid into the tine flow 
passages. 
In a still further embodiment, the tine tips are made from a high aluminum 
ceramic material to minimize abrading thereof by the soil. 
In yet a further embodiment, an integral check valve means is provided in 
each tine flow passage above and near the injection port for permitting 
flow through the flow passage when the fluid pressure in the tine flow 
passage is above a predetermined level and for preventing flow through the 
flow passage when the fluid pressure and the tine flow passage is below 
the predetermined level. 
One of the principal features of the invention is the provision of a soil 
treatment liquid injection device of the type including a plurality of 
reciprocating, ground-penetrating injection tines driven by a rotatable 
crankshaft and a rotary flow distribution valve for selectively supplying 
a treatment liquid to the tines, which device includes means for 
conveniently setting and adjusting the timing of the valve relative to 
crankshaft rotation. 
Another of the principal features of the invention is the provision of such 
a device including means for drivingly connecting the valve drive shaft 
directly to the crankshaft. 
A further of the principal features of the invention is the provision of an 
injection tine for a soil treatment liquid injection device, which tine 
includes an integral check valve means arranged to minimize the amount of 
residual treatment liquid which can be shaken onto the ground while the 
tine is in a raised or non-injection position. 
A still further of the principal features of the invention is the provision 
of an injector tine for a soil treatment liquid injection device which 
tine includes a tip resistant to being abraded away by the soil during 
penetration. 
Other features, advantages, and aspects of the invention will become 
apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the following detailed 
description, the drawings and the appended claims.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is 
to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to 
the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set 
forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The 
invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and 
carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the 
phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purposes of 
description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Illustrated in the drawings is a soil treatment liquid injection device 10 
including a frame, designated generally by reference numeral 12, supported 
on a pair of transversely-spaced, ground-engaging rear wheels 14 and a 
pair of ground-engaging front wheels 16 (one shown) rotatably mounted on a 
front axle assembly (not shown) which is mounted on the front portion of 
the frame 12 for rotation about a vertical turning axis. The device 10 can 
be guided for travel over the ground by a handle 17 suitably connected to 
the front axle assembly. Supported on the frame 12 is a prime mover, such 
as an internal combustion engine 18, which drives the rear wheels 14 
through a suitable clutch and transmission means to propel the device 10 
along the surface to be treated, such as a golf course green. 
The engine 18 also drives a plurality of laterally spaced, generally 
cylindrical, ground-penetrating tines 20 (two shown), each including a 
downwardly directed tip portion 21. Extending upwardly from the rear 
portion of the frame 12 is a frame structure 22. Suitably journaled on the 
frame structure 22 is a transverse crankshaft 24 including a plurality of 
offset crank arms 26 (two shown). A connecting rod 28 (one shown) is 
pivotally connected, at the upper end, to a crank pin extending between 
the two illustrated crank arms 26. The lower end of each connecting rod 28 
is pivotally connected to the upper end of a respective push rod 30 (one 
shown) slidably mounted on the frame 12. Fixedly mounted on the lower end 
of each push rod 30 is a dual tine injector unit 32 (one shown) including 
a housing or body 33 carrying a pair of the tines 20. 
The engine 18 rotates the crankshaft 28 through the clutch and transmission 
means which includes (FIG. 4) an endless drive chain 34 trained over a 
first drive member or sprocket 36 mounted on one end of the crankshaft 24. 
Thus, as the device 10 is propelled over the surface being treated and the 
crankshaft 24 is rotated, pairs of the tines 20 are jointly reciprocated 
in a generally vertical direction between a raised position wherein the 
tine tip portions 21 are located above the ground surface and a lowered or 
injection position wherein the tine tip portions 21 are located beneath 
the ground surface. 
As mentioned above, the tine tips of prior art constructions often tend to 
be abraded away within a relatively short time by certain types of soil. 
This shortcoming is minimized by providing each of the tines (FIG. 3) with 
a tip assembly 37 including an adapter 38 which is staked or otherwise 
suitably attached to the tine body 39 and a generally spherical tip 40 
made from a high alumina ceramic material and bonded to the adapter 38 by 
a suitable adhesive or the like. 
Each injection tine 20 has an axially extending bore or flow passage 41 and 
a plurality (e.g., 4) of circumferentially spaced, radially directed 
injection ports 42 communicating with the flow passage 41. The injector 
unit body 33 (FIG. 2) is provided with a passageway 43 which communicates 
with the flow passages 41 of both the tines 20 of each injector unit 32. A 
soil treatment liquid, such as liquid containing one or more pH 
conditioning agents, fertilizers, compaction conditioning agents, 
nematacides, insecticides, fungicides, herbacides and the like, is 
introduced into the passageway 43 via a centrally bored inlet boss 44 on 
the injector unit body 33 for ultimate injection into the soil through the 
injection ports 42 of the respective pairs of tines 20. While various 
arrangements can be used, in the specific construction illustrated, the 
treatment liquid is supplied under pressure to the device 10 through a 
flexible supply conduit 46 connected to a separate supply, such as a tank 
wagon 48 having an on-board compressor or pump 50 (both schematically 
illustrated in FIG. 1). Flow of the treatment liquid from the supply to 
the device 10 is controlled by an on-off supply valve 52 connected in the 
supply conduit 46 and mounted on the frame 12. 
Flow of treatment liquid to each of the injector units 32 is controlled by 
a rotary flow distribution valve 54 supported on the frame 12. The flow 
distribution valve 54 (FIGS. 4 and 5) includes a generally cylindrical 
housing 56 defining a valve chamber 58 having a circular cross section, an 
inlet port 60 communicating with the valve chamber 58 and connected to the 
downstream side of the supply valve 52 via an inlet conduit 62, and a 
plurality of circumferentially-spaced outlet ports 64 corresponding in 
number to the number (e.g., 6) of injector units 32. Each of the outlet 
ports 64 has an inlet 66 communicating with the valve chamber 58 and an 
outlet 68 which is connected to a respective injector unit inlet boss 44 
via a separate conduit 70 (one fully illustrated in FIG. 1). 
Rotatably mounted in a first central bore 72 provided in the valve housing 
56 is a drive shaft or pin 74 having a flattened outer end portion 76 
extending into a larger diameter second central bore 78 provided in the 
valve housing 56 and an inner end portion 80 extending into the valve 
chamber 58. Mounted on the inner end portion 80 of the drive pin 74 for 
common rotation therewith is a circular valve member or disc 82 having a 
single opening 84 which is registerable with each inlet 66 of the outlet 
ports 64 and which, in response to rotation of the drive pin 74, 
sequentially and momentarily connects each outlet port 64 in communication 
with the valve chamber 58. 
As best shown in FIG. 4, the valve housing 56 has a generally flat interior 
surface 86 which faces the valve chamber 58 and in which the inlets 66 of 
the valve outlet ports 64 are located. Interposed the surface 86 and the 
valve disc 82 and suitably bonded to the surface 86 is an annular wear 
plate 88 including a plurality of openings 90 which are aligned with 
respective inlets 66 of the valve outlet ports 64 and is wipingly engaged 
by the rotating valve disc 82 to minimize leakage of treatment liquid past 
the valve disc 82. The wear plate 88 preferably is constructed from a high 
alumina ceramic material in order to prolong its effective life, 
particularly when treatment liquids containing abrasive substances are 
being used. 
The valve disc drive pin 74 is rotated by a drive shaft assembly 92 
including a shaft 94 which is rotatably mounted in and extends through the 
larger diameter second bore 88 in the valve housing 56 coaxially with the 
valve drive pin 74 and coaxially with the crankshaft 24. The drive shaft 
assembly 92 also includes a slotted opening 96 in the inner end of the 
shaft 94 receiving the flattened outer end portion 76 of the valve disc 
drive pin 74 and a radially extending, circular second drive member or 
flange 98 on the outer end of the shaft 94. A roll pin 100 extending 
through the valve housing 56 and tangentially to the shaft 94 within an 
annular recess 102 in the shaft 94 retains the drive shaft assembly 92 
against axial movement relative to the valve housing 56. 
Mounted on the flange 98 is a plurality (e.g., 3) of 
circumferentially-spaced drive pins 104 which project axially outwardly 
therefrom and are drivingly received in complementary apertures 106 
provided in the drive chain sprocket 34. Thus, the valve disc 82 is 
rotated directly from the drive chain sprocket 36 in timed relation with 
the crankshaft 24 and the valve disc opening 84 sequentially and 
momentarily registers with each of the outlet port inlets 66. Pressurized 
soil treatment liquid which flows into the valve chamber 58 through the 
inlet port 60, passes through the valve disc opening 84 into the valve 
outlet port 64 with which it is in registration, flows through a 
respective conduit 70 to the respective injection unit 32, and ultimately 
is injected into the soil through the injection ports 42 in the respective 
pair of tines 20. 
The drive chain sprocket 36 and the drive shaft assembly 92 are arranged so 
that the desired timing of the valve disc 82 relative to the crankshaft 
rotation, i.e., the treatment liquid is supplied to each pair of the tines 
20 only when they are in the injection position, can be obtained by simply 
inserting the drive pins 104 into the sprocket apertures 106. More 
specifically (FIGS. 5 and 6), an index mark, such as a drill spot 108, is 
provided on the inner face of the drive shaft assembly flange 98 at a 
circumferential location corresponding to the desired rotational position 
of the valve disc opening 84 when the crankshaft 24 is at a predetermined 
rotational position, e.g., at a location where the illustrated injection 
unit 32 is about to start its downward stroke. In the specific 
construction illustrated (FIG. 4), the center of the drill spot 108 is 
located on a radial plane 110 extending through the center of the shaft 94 
and the centerline of the slotted opening 96 in the inner end of the shaft 
94. During assembly, the valve disc is positioned on the inner end 80 of 
the valve disc drive pin 74 so that the center of the opening 84 is 
located on the radial plane 110. 
The chain drive sprocket 36 (FIG. 7) is mounted on the crankshaft 24 with a 
key 111 which is located at a predetermined rotational position of the 
crankshaft 24 relative to position of the tines 20. The sprocket 36 is 
provided with a timing mark 112 with which the drill spot 108 on the drive 
shaft assembly flange 98 is aligned to obtain the desired timing of the 
valve disc 82 relative to the rotation of the crankshaft 24. In order to 
assure that the drive shaft assembly flange 98 and the sprocket 36 are 
connected together at the desired rotational orientation, the drive pins 
104 and the sprocket apertures 106 are circumferentially spaced apart at 
different intervals with the corresponding drive pin and apertures being 
spaced respectively from the drill spot 108 and the timing mark 112 at the 
same angular intervals. For instance, in the specific construction 
illustrated (FIG. 6), the drive pin 100 adjacent the drill spot 108 is 
located 45.degree. (in the counterclockwise direction) from the drill spot 
and 120.degree. from the next drive pin 100 (in the counterclockwise 
direction) which is located 105.degree. from the next drive pin 100 (in 
the counterclockwise direction) which in turn is located 90.degree. from 
the drill spot 108 (in the clockwise direction). The apertures 106 and the 
sprocket 36 are located at this same angular relationship to each other 
and to the timing mark 112. 
The flow distribution valve 54 preferably is adjustably mounted on the 
frame 12 so that the valve housing 56 can be rotated, either clockwise or 
counterclockwise, relative to the crankshaft axis for conveniently 
retarding or advancing the initiation of injection through each pair of 
tines 20. In the specific construction illustrated (FIGS. 4 and 5), a 
panel 114 including a pair of diametrically opposed arcuate slots 116 is 
mounted on the frame 12. A pair of mounting brackets 118 are mounted on 
the valve housing 56 in diametrically opposed relationship and the flow 
distribution valve 54 is supported on the panel 114 by a pair of mounting 
bolts 120, each extending through a respective panel slot 116 and threaded 
into the respective mounting bracket 118. The initiation of injection can 
be retarded or advanced by loosening the mounting bolts 120, rotating the 
valve housing 56, either clockwise (retard) or counterclockwise (advance), 
to adjust the rotational relationship of the inlets 66 of the valve outlet 
ports 64 to the valve disc opening 84, and thus, to the crankshaft axis. 
After the desired timing adjustment has been made, the mounting bolts 120 
are tightened. 
As mentioned above, treatment liquid retained in the tines 20 tends to be 
shaken out through the injection ports 42 onto the ground as the tines 20 
are reciprocated. Check valve means is provided in the tip portion 21 of 
each tine 20 near the injection ports 42 to minimize the amount of 
treatment liquid which can be shaken out of the tines when they are in the 
raised or non-injection position. More specifically, (FIG. 3), the flow 
passage 41 of each tine 20 is provided with an annular, downwardly facing 
valve seat 122 which is located a small distance above the injection ports 
42. Disposed in the flow passage 41 between the valve seat 122 and the 
adapter 38 is a nylon ball valve 124 which is urged into sealing 
engagement with the valve seat 122 by a spring 126 bearing against the 
interior surface of the adapter 38. The ball valve 124 moves away from the 
valve seat 122 to permit flow of treatment liquid through the injection 
ports 42 when the fluid pressure in the flow passage 41 is above a 
predetermined level (i.e., when the treatment liquid supply is connected 
in communication with the respective injector unit inlet boss 44 through 
the flow distribution valve 54) and closes to prevent flow through the 
injection ports 42 when the fluid pressure in the passage 41 is below a 
predetermined value (i.e., when communication between the respective 
injector unit inlet boss 44 and the treatment liquid supply is interrupted 
by the flow distribution valve 54). With this arrangement, the maximum 
amount of residual treatment liquid which can be shaken onto the ground 
corresponds in volume to the internal volume between the valve seat 122 
and the adapter 38 unoccupied by the ball valve 124 and the spring 126. 
Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following 
claims.