Device for washing containers, in particular containers for agricultural chemicals for use in a spraying machine

Abstract: Containers for agricultural chemicals, the contents of which have been used in agricultural spraying machines, are washed by means of a device mounted on the tank (1) of an agricultural spraying machine so that the residue of chemical is collected in the tank along with the washing water, so that the chemical can be used rather than disposed of, thus preventing the risk of pollution (figure 1).

Description: The present invention refers to a device for washing containers, for agricultural chemicals, with recovery of the waste water, for use in spraying machines in general. Up to date, containers for agricultural chemicals, after having been emptied of their product, were either thrown away, with harmful consequences for the environment due to pollution from the remains of product within them, or else underwent adequate washing both to avoid the problem mentioned above, and also for their recovery and re-use. In the latter case, the waste water used for washing, was disposed of along with the dissolved residual product left sticking to the inside of the relative container before washing, with consequent waste of the product itself. The object of the present invention is to provide a device for the washing of containers, in particular empty containers of agricultural chemicals the content of which had been used in spraying machines. This device is capable of performing in a surprisingly rational, practical and efficient manner the cleaning of said containers, and to permit, at the same time, the recovery of the waste water containing a certain quantity, even if only small, of the chemical product, thus avoiding waste thereof. A device for washing containers, in particular empty containers for agricultural chemicals the content of which has been used in a spraying machine, including a tank to contain a diluted liquid mixture of agricultural chemical to be sprayed, a filter through which said chemical is introduced and pump means capable of feeding the mixture from the tank to the nozzles of said spraying machine, in which a hydraulic ejector is mounted on said tank and it comprises a suction chamber, in open fluid communication with said tank, an injection nozzle in said suction chamber to direct a jet of washing water into said tank, and a filling port for suction from the outside of said tank of flow of water and introduction thereof into said tank through said suction chamber characterized in that: means for transferring the washing water from said container to the tank comprise said mouth of the container and said filter of the tank, so that the washing water is sprinkled into the container and falls down into the tank through said mouth of the container and said filter; a three-way valve is mounted on said hydraulic ejector and comprises an inlet for said washing water and a first outlet to direct this same washing water to said container of chemical to be washed, and a second outlet to said injection nozzle, said three-way valve being arranged so as to take either a first position in which said second outlet is closed or a second position in which said second outlet is open; said device being provided with means for feeding said washing water to said inlet in said three-way valve; and means for introducing said washing water into said container to be washed, so that the residual chemical in the empty container to be washed is transferred to said tank to be used in a successive spraying operation. The present invention will be further illustrated below by the description of one of its embodiments, with reference to the enclosed drawing, wherein: figure 1 is a side view, with parts in cross-section, of a first embodiment of the washing device of the invention. With reference to figure 1, it has firstly to be noted that a conventional spraying machine is provided with a tank 1, containing a diluted liquid mixture of agricultural chemical to be sprayed, said tank having an upper opening for the introduction of the chemical to be used, on which is applied a filter 2. A pump 3 has its suction intake connected to the first end of a tube 4, the second end of which is connected in fluid communication to the bottom of the tank 1. The outlet of the pump 3 is connected to the first end of a tube 5, the second end of which is connected to a switch valve 6, capable of being switched, preferably by means of a remote control, from a first position to a second position. The first position puts into communication the tube 5 and a section of tube 7 for the activation of a hydraulic agitator 8, said agitator having the function of maintaining in constant agitation the chemical solution in the tank 1 to ensure its homogeneity, and, at the same time, for feeding by means of a tube 9 the distribution valves of the machine (not illustrated) to perform the spraying. The second position, as illustrated in figure 1, puts the tube 5 into communication with a first end of a tube 10. The second end of the tube 10 is connected, in conventional spraying machines, directly to a hydraulic ejector 11 so arranged as to create a pressure drop in an upper suction chamber 12, due to a flowing of liquid through an injection nozzle 13. This provides suction into tank 1 of the liquid to be poured in, for example from a basin, through a flexible tube (not shown), connected to a filling port 14 leading to the hydraulic ejector 11. This filling port has a closure plug 15, and the other end of the flexible tube is dipped in the basin. According to the present invention, at the inlet of the ejector 11 a three-way valve 16 is installed, capable of being switched, preferably by means of a remote control from a first to a second position. The three-way valve 16 has an inlet in communication with the tube 10, a first outlet in communication with a tube 17 and a second outlet in communication with the hydraulic ejector 11. In the first position, illustrated in figure 1, the communication between the hydraulic ejector 11 and the tube 10 is blocked and the tube 10 is in fluid communication with a first end of the tube 17, to perform the washing operation in a manner that will be better described herebelow. In the second position the tube 10 is put into communication with the hydraulic ejector 11, while maintaining the communication between tube 10 and tube 17. The other end of tube 17 is connected to a normally closed valve 18 on the bottom of the filter 2. When the valve is closed the flow of washing liquid is blocked. When the valve is open, a flow communication is established to a sprinkler 19 extending vertically above the valve 18, in communication with the outlet of the valve 18. The function of valve 18 is controlled by an actuator 20 which closes the valve when in a state of rest, and opens the valve when a container 21 of agricultural chemical to be washed is placed upon it in an upsidedown position with the sprinkler 19 inside, as shown in figure 1. The washing operation of an agricultural chemical container according to the above described embodiment of the invention is performed in the following manner: a certain quantity of clean water is drawn into the tank 1; the switch valve 6 and the three-way valve 16 are placed respectively in said second and said first position, as illustrated in figure 1; the pump 3 is set into motion in order to circulate the water contained in the tank 1 through the tubes 4, 5, 10, 17 until reaching the inlet of valve 18; the agricultural chemical container 21 is placed in an upsidedown position on filter 2 and held there, with the sprinkler 19 inside it, in such a way as to press the control actuator 20 so as to open the valve 18 and produce jets of water through the holes provided in the sprinkler 19. Thus the washing of the container 21 is performed, while the waste water runs out of the container 21. The waste water contains, dissolved therein, the remains of the chemical which had been left within the container 21 itself after emptying. The waste water falls back into the tank 1 through the filter 2, and it can be re-used in the agricultural treatments, obviously after addition of an adequate amount of agricultural chemical, to restore the mixture to the desired dosage. In an alternative method of performing the washing operation in question using the device of the invention described above, the three-way valve 16, in the first position illustrated in figure 1, is disconnected from the relative end of the tube 10, and connected to one end of a tube 22, preferably of a flexible type, the opposite end of which is connected to a water supply by means of a tap 23. In said alternative method, the performance of the washing operation takes place in the same manner as that described in precedence, however without any intervention of pump 3. It should be noted that, using the latter method, although it is less simple and practical, the washing of container 21 will be more thorough, in that it is carried out using water from the mains water supply, which is always clean, whereas in the former case the water in tank 1 is constantly re-cycled by the pump 3, so that after washing a first container 21 the residue of its agricultural chemical is present in tank 1.

Claims: A device for washing containers, in particular empty containers for agricultural chemicals the content of which has been used in a spraying machine, including a tank (1) to contain a diluted liquid mixture of agricultural chemical to be sprayed, a filter (2) through which said chemical is introduced and pump means (3) capable of feeding the mixture from the tank to the nozzles of said spraying machine in which a hydraulic ejector (11) is mounted on said tank and it comprises a suction chamber (12), in open fluid communication with said tank, an injection nozzle (13) in said suction chamber to direct a jet of washing water into said tank, and a filling port (14) for suction from the outside of said tank of a flow of water and introduction thereof into said tank through said suction chamber characterized in that: means for transferring the washing water from said container to the tank comprise the mouth of the container and the filter of the tank, so that the washing water is sprinkled into the container and falls down into the tank through said mouth of the container and said filter; a three-way valve (16) is mounted on said hydraulic ejector and comprises an inlet for said washing water and a first outlet to direct this same washing water to said container (21) of chemical to be washed, and a second outlet to said injection nozzle, said three-way valve being arranged so as to take either a first position in which said second outlet is closed or a second position in which said second outlet is open; said device being provided with means for feeding said washing water to said inlet in said three-way valve; and means for introducing said washing water into said container to be washed, so that the residual chemical in the empty container to be washed is transferred to said tank to be used in a successive spraying operation. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which said means for introducing said washing water into said container comprise: said three-way valve in said first position; a tube (17) having one of its ends connected in fluid communication with said first outlet of the three-way valve and passing from the outside to the inside of said tank; a normally closed valve (18) mounted on said filter (2) of the tank, having an inlet connected in fluid communication with the other end of said above mentioned tube (17), and an outlet; a sprinkler (19) connected in fluid communication with the outlet of said normally closed valve; and a control actuator (20) which opens said normally closed valve following the placing of said container in an upside-down position on said actuator with said sprinkler in the inside of said container through the mouth thereof. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said means for feeding said washing water to said inlet of said three-way valve comprise: a switch valve (6) placed in the outlet tube (5) of said pump means (3) and having an inlet adapted to be alternatively switched to one or the other of two outlets; a tube (7) which connects in fluid communication one of said outlets of said switch valve with the inside of the tank for a spraying operation; a tube (10) which connects in fluid communication the other outlet of the switch valve with the inlet of the three-way valve to carry out the recycling of said washing water by means of operation of said pump means. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said means for feeding said washing water to said inlet of said three-way valve comprise a tube (22) which connects in fluid communication an outside pressure water supply with the inlet of said three-way valve. A device as claimed in claims 1 to 3, in which a tube dipped in an outside water supply at an atmosphere pressure is connected to said filling port (14) of said suction chamber, so that water can be drawn into the tank following operation of said pump means.

Inventors: VINCENZO VINCENZO DI, DI VINCENZO, VINCENZO
Applicants: SIAPA SPA, SIAPA SOCIETA ITALO-AMERICANA PRODOTTI ANTIPARASSITARI S.P.A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A01M7
IPC codes: B08B9, A01M7