Abstract:
A stationary rinse nozzle made of durable, non-corrosive material includes a simple deflector directing a uniform water jet in all directions so the need for a rotating nozzle or a multi-apertured rinse tube is eliminated. A large rinse orifice provides the necessary volume of water for effective low pressure rinsing of residual products from the tank walls. The deflector support is located in the middle of a tube so that blank spots in the spray pattern are avoided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to agricultural sprayers and, more specifically, to rinse structure for a tank on such a sprayer.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Agricultural sprayers include one or more tanks for containing a chemical solution for application to a crop or the ground. The solution tank must be thoroughly rinsed after use, particularly if the sprayer is going to be stored for a period of time or if a different chemical solution is to be applied in subsequent spraying operations. Heretofore, structures for rinsing the tank have presented several problems. One type of structure includes rotating rinse nozzles for spraying water on the tank sides. The rotating nozzles typically provide only a low rinse water flow rate at high pressure and are ineffective for fast, complete tank rinsing. The rotating mechanism requires vanes and bearings and often seizes up as a result of particles in the rinse water. Seizure can also result from being submerged in the chemical solution. Once the nozzle seizes and stops rotating, rinsing becomes less complete and less effective.  
           [0003]    In another type of structure, rinse nozzles or tubes lined with holes are placed around the top of the solution tank. Although such structures are less prone to plugging than the rotating mechanisms, the finite number of nozzles or holes in the tube do not provide for complete, effective coverage of the sides to be rinsed. In addition, the rotating mechanisms and the tube or nozzle rinse structures are very expensive to manufacture and usually require high pressure for removing residual products from the tank walls.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved rinse structure for the solution tank of an agricultural sprayer. It is a further object to provide such a structure which overcomes most or all of the aforementioned problems.  
           [0005]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved rinse structure for the solution tank of an agricultural sprayer which is simpler and more reliable than at least most previously available rinse structures. It is a further object to provide such a structure which eliminates problems of seizure and ineffective coverage. It is yet another object to provide such a structure with a substantially longer life than most rinse structures.  
           [0006]    In an embodiment of the invention, a stationary nozzle made of durable, non-corrosive material such as stainless steel includes a simple deflector directing a uniform water jet in all directions obviating the need for bearings and vanes to produce nozzle rotation, thereby eliminating a source of expense and problems. A large rinse orifice provides the necessary volume of water for effective rinsing of residual products from the tank walls without requiring high pressure. The orifice is relatively free from plugging problems caused by particles in the rinse solution. The thin, flat deflector support is located in the middle of a rinse tube. The flat support has a width at the tube outlet less than the diameter of the outlet and connects to the central portion of the deflector so that blank spots in the spray pattern are avoided. In the embodiment shown, the deflector is supported in a concave upwardly attitude from the top of a spray tank.  
           [0007]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in view of the drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an agricultural sprayer solution tank, partially broken away to better show the rinse nozzles.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rinse nozzle utilized with the tank of FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the nozzle of FIG. 2 illustrating the deflector support structure for providing a generally uninterrupted curtain of rinse solution. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]    Referring now to FIG. 1, therein is shown a portion of an agricultural sprayer  10  having a solution tank  12  adapted for containing a chemical solution to be applied. The tank may be of conventional construction and includes a central wall portion  16  connecting transversely spaced end wall portions  18  and  20 . A baffle or divider (not shown) may be provided at a central location within the tank walls between the end wall portions  18  and  20 . Plumbing structure indicated generally at  30  facilitates various standard spraying operations including tank filling, solution recirculation, and spraying. An access door  34  is hinged to the upper portion of the tank  12 . Bracket structure indicated at  38  mounts plumbing on the bottom of the tank  12 . The tank  12  is carried by saddle or tank support structure on the sprayer frame (not shown) of the sprayer  10  for forward movement over a field to be sprayed.  
         [0012]    To provide a rinsing function for the inside wall portions  16 ,  18  and  20  and for the sides of any baffle structure in the tank  12 , rinse nozzle structures indicated generally at  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  are supported inside the tank  12  from offset locations at the top of the central wall portion  16 . Four nozzle structures are shown, but it is to be understood that the number and location of the structures can be varied depending on the tank configuration. The rinse nozzle structures  40 - 46  are generally identical so only the nozzle structure  40  will be described in detail.  
         [0013]    The nozzle structure  40  depends from a line inlet or tank connector  52  supported at the top of the tank. The connectors  52  for the tank  12  of FIG. 1 are generally located above each tank quadrant centrally between the end wall portions  18  or  20 . Each connector  52  receives and supports a nozzle structure  40  having a deflector assembly  60  located closely adjacent the top of the tank  12 . The inlets or tank connectors  52  are connected to a source of low pressure rinse solution through supply lines  66 . The rinse solution may simply be water.  
         [0014]    Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the deflector assembly  60  includes a cylindrical body  70  terminating in an inwardly tapered connecting end  72 . A cylindrical bore  76  extends all the way through the body  70  and defines an outlet end  78  opposite the connecting end  72 . The outlet end  78  includes a relatively unrestricted high volume outlet area  80  facilitating high flow of rinse fluid at low pressures.  
         [0015]    The deflector assembly  60  also includes a thin flat deflector support  86  located within the bore  76 . The support  86  has an elongated, axially extending body  88  of width less than the diameter of the bore  76 . Upper ears  90  project from the body  88  to extend the width of the support  86  to approximately equal the diameter of the bore  76  at the end  72 . Similarly, ears  92  extend the width of the lower portion of the support  86  at a location offset above the outlet area  80  to support the lower portion within the bore  76  without interrupting the flow pattern of the rinse fluid exiting the bore. The deflector assembly can be fabricated from a long-lasting and anticorrosive material such as stainless steel, and the support  86  can be welded at the ears  90  and  92  to the walls of the bore  76 . The lower portion of the support  86  extends downwardly from the outlet area  80  to a central connection at  98  with a circular, concave deflector  100 .  
         [0016]    As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the deflector  100  is concave upwardly and intercepts fluid exiting the outlet area  80 . The deflector  100  had a diameter on the order of twice the diameter of the cylindrical body  70 . In the embodiment shown, the body  70  has a diameter of slightly greater than one inch (26.8 mm) and the body  88  of the support  86  is approximately half an inch (12.7 mm). The diameter of the bore  76  is about seven-eighths of an inch (21 mm). The thin centrally located support  86 , which only partially bridges the outlet area  80  and has only a relatively narrow connecting area at the center of the deflector  100 , eliminates any interference that would result in voids in the spray pattern from the deflector assembly  60  to inside surfaces of the tank  12 . The end  72  facilitates securing of the assembly  60  to the connector  52 . The end may be threaded for receipt by the connector  52 , or a hose and hose clamp or other suitable arrangement can be utilized for the mounting the assembly. As shown, the distance between the end  72  and the deflector  100  is relatively small and on the order of only several inches so that the deflector is closely adjacent the tank wall.  
         [0017]    When rinsing of the inner tank surfaces is desired, low pressure (on the order of 20 psi) rinse fluid is directed through the supply lines  66  to the assemblies  60 . Higher pressure rinse, on the order of 100 psi or more, may be used but are not necessary for effective operation. A generally uninterrupted curtain of high volume, low pressure rinse fluid is projected upwardly and outwardly from each concave deflector  100  to thoroughly rinse all the inside surfaces of the tank.  
         [0018]    Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.