Abstract:
A mobile vehicle having a burner assembly for movement over a ground surface and directing flame onto the ground surface to incinerate the materials on the ground surface and growing therefrom and including a water spray for reducing air pollution associated with the incineration.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field conditioning art and more particularly to a mobile vehicle for providing a substantial incineration of growing matter on a field and the subsequent utilization of the material that has been incinerated as a fertilizing agent on the field. 
       Description of the Prior Art 
       [0002]    The control of growing materials such as grass, weeds and the like on various fields is often performed on a periodic basis. Many procedures of such control that have heretofore been utilized involved cutting of the growing material close to the ground level. Such cutting of the growing materials, however not only left many of the roots of the, for example, existing grass and weeds in place, but also required appropriate disposal of the cut materials. One method of such disposal that is heretofore been utilized involved the sweeping up of the cut materials, packaging such swept up cut materials in bags or other transportable containers and transporting such bags or containers to an appropriate green waste facility. This method of control has not proven to be completely satisfactory in many applications as not only are some of the roots of the previous growth of grass, weeds and the like left in place for subsequent growth the following season, but also the seeds of the grass, weeds and the like were left intact as were many insect, the eggs of insects, and other undesirable materials that may have been in place on the field. The subsequent re-seeding of the field with new grass seeds often did not provide a uniform and consistent field for the next season utilization of the field. Further, the cost associated with the gathering together and disposal of the cut materials was an added cost above and beyond the costs associated with the cutting of the growing material. Additionally, this method of control often resulted in the generation of dust, air pollution such as pollen and the like. This method of control has often been heretofore utilized in applications such as golf courses and other large areas of growing material that is to be controlled. It is been found, however, that often two or even four weeks were required between the cutting operation and the re-seeding operation in order that proper growth of the newly seeded grass can germinate and grow for the next season. 
         [0003]    Other locations of fields in which the growing material was to be controlled often involve control of growing materials on highway dividers and areas along the sides of such highways. In such areas associated with highways and the like, very often chemicals were utilized to control the growing materials. However, many municipalities and other governmental agencies have disallowed the use of chemicals for such control of growing materials along highways. 
         [0004]    Thus, there has long been in need for a control arrangement which not only removes the existing grass and weeds but also removes the seeds thereof as well as insects, the eggs of insects, and other foreign material present on the held by a substantial incineration thereof, but also leaving the incinerated remains of the materials in situ not only to avoid the environmental contamination as well as minimize the costs associated with such control. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a control of growing materials on a field by incinerating much of the cut materials and leaving the remains of the incinerated materials in situ. 
         [0006]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved control of growing materials by substantial incineration of the materials on the field and yet minimizing undesired and environmental effects associated with the control method. 
         [0007]    It is yet another object of the present invention provide an improved control of growing materials on the field that is cost effective even for comparatively large fields such as golf courses and the like. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a mobile vehicle. The mobile vehicle may be a towed vehicle or self-propelled vehicle. However, for convenience of illustration, the present invention is described herein as incorporated in a towed vehicle but the invention is not so limited. 
         [0009]    The mobile vehicle is provided with a chassis having wheels for supporting the chassis on the field over which the mobile vehicle moves. The wheels comprise a pair of front wheels and a pair of back wheels all of which are rotatably mounted on the chassis. The chassis has a forward end and a rear end. The forward end of the vehicle is provided with a tow bar which may be attached to any desired powered vehicle for pulling the chassis on the field. A source of fuel such as liquified petroleum gas (LPG) such as propane under pressure is contained in a tank arrangement mounted on the powered vehicle and the source of fuel is operatively connected by a flexible hose to a burner assembly mounted on the chassis. The LPG tank on the powered vehicle is spaced from the burner assembly which is mounted on the forward end of the chassis by a preselected distance of at least 10 feet. 
         [0010]    The burner arrangement is provided with an air blower which may also be mounted on the chassis in regions adjacent to the forward end thereof for blowing air into the burner assembly. In preferred embodiments of the present invention the air blower is connected to the burner assembly by a flexible conduit. The burner assembly also receives the liquified petroleum gas and mixes the air and LPG together to provide a combustible mixture. The burner assembly and associated structures such as carburetor, flow control for the LGP, and the like are also mounted on the chassis and operatively connected to the burner assembly and associated structure for control of the liquified petroleum gas and the air flow. 
         [0011]    The lower end of the burner assembly is provided with a fuel nozzle array for discharging the combustible mixture of LPG and air in regions beneath a lower portion of the chassis and in incineration relationship to the materials on the ground level. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the burner assembly is rotatably mounted on the chassis for limited pivotal movement thereon about a horizontal transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal separation of the forward end of the chassis and the rear end of the chassis so that the flame from the nozzles is movable from a lower position which may be on the order of 12 inches from the ground surface on which the chassis is positioned to a higher position which may be on the order of 24 inches from the ground surface. An igniter is mounted on the chassis in operable relation to the fuel nozzle array for providing ignition of the combustible mixture air and LPG as it exits the fuel nozzle array. The fuel nozzle array extends transversely across the width of the chassis. 
         [0012]    A water tank is mounted on the chassis for containing a preselected volume of water. The water tank has a plurality of walls defining a volume for storage of the water in the volume formed by the plurality of walls. The plurality of walls may include a front wall, a pair of opposed transversely spaced apart side walls, a bottom wall, a top wall spaced vertically above the bottom wall and a back wall spaced longitudinally from the front wall to define the enclosed water storage volume. The front wall of the water tank is positioned in regions adjacent the burner assembly and nozzle array at the forward end of the chassis and the bottom wall of the water tank extends from the forward end of the chassis longitudinally and upwardly to the back wall of the water tank and the back wall of the water tank is positioned in regions adjacent the back end of the chassis. The bottom wall of the water tank at the back wall is spaced vertically a greater distance from the ground surface than the bottom edge of the front wall of the water tank to provide a progressively larger separation between the ground level and the bottom wall of the water tank. The incinerating area of the field having the vegetation and other material to be incinerated is the area that at any given time is the area which lies beneath the bottom wall of the water tank, between the side edges of the chassis and between the front wall of the water tank and the back wall of the water tank. 
         [0013]    In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the inner surface of the bottom wall of the water tank that is, the surface facing the ground level, is provided with a ceramic coating. The ceramic coating radiates eight towards the incinerating area of the ground surface to for additional incineration effect of the vegetation materials to be incinerated. Thus, while the flame of the combustible materials emanating from the nozzle array may have a temperature on the order of 750° F., the temperature of the coating on the bottom wall of the water tank may be on the order of 1000° F. to 2500° F. 
         [0014]    The combustion volume is defined as the volume between the fuel nozzle array and the back wall of the water tank and the sides of the chassis. As noted above, the combustion volume is generally wedge shaped and extends between the sides of the chassis and has a smaller vertical dimension at the forward end of the chassis and a larger vertical dimension at the rear end of the chassis. 
         [0015]    The chassis is also provided with a bottom frame that has side frame members extending along the sides of the chassis, a front frame member connected to the side frame members at the forward end of the chassis and a rear frame member connected to the side frame members at the back end of the chassis and the bottom frame has external surfaces facing outwardly from the chassis and internal surfaces facing inwardly. The internal surfaces of the bottom frame defined, substantially, the incinerating area of the ground level. 
         [0016]    A skirt arrangement is coupled to the outside surface of the bottom frame and extends downwardly towards the ground level therefrom. In preferred embodiments of the present invention the skirt arrangement is flexible and the lower edge of the skirt arrangement is positioned in close proximity to the ground level. The skirt arrangement tends to keep the products of combustion generated within the combustion volume from being transmitted to regions external the chassis. The flexibility of the skirt arrangement allows the lower edge of the skirt arrangement, date various surface irregularities in the ground as the chassis is there on. 
         [0017]    A filter box is positioned at the back end of the combustion volume and extends towards the ground surface so that the combustion gases may exit thr combustion volume therethrough. The combustion gases from the combustion generated by the flames at the nozzle array as well as any particulate matter from the incineration of the vegetation and other combustible materials on the ground surface flow through the exhaust along a flow path from the nozzle array to the filter box and exit to the atmosphere through the filter box. Since the volume of the exhaust flow path increases progressively greater from the front end of the chassis to the rear end of the chassis, the pressure of the exhaust gas as well as the velocity of the exhaust gas flow progressively decreases in the longitudinal direction from the front end of the chassis to the rear end of the chassis and the filter box is more efficient at removing particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas flow. 
         [0018]    A water pump is mounted on the chassis at the forward end thereof and is connected to the water tank for pumping water therefrom. An external water manifold which, for example may be a pipe, is mounted on the external surface of the side members of the bottom frame and extend from the forward end of the chassis to the rear and the chassis. A plurality of water nozzles are mounted on the external water manifold in a spaced apart longitudinal array and are in water flow communication with water contained therein. The plurality of water nozzles is aimed towards the ground level and is provided to wet down any particulate matter that may escape from the combustion volume between the bottom edge of the skirt arrangement and the ground level so that pollution of the atmosphere external the chassis is minimized. 
         [0019]    A misting nozzle arrangement is mounted within the chassis above the filter box and the misting nozzle arrangement has a misting manifold to which there is attached a plurality of transversely spaced apart misting nozzles aimed downwardly towards the ground level for entrapping particulate matter in the exhaust gas flow and directing any such particulate matter to the ground level. As the chassis is moved on the ground level the water flow from the misting nozzles and the water flow from the water nozzles wets down both the incinerated area of the ground surface and the ground surface immediately adjacent to the sides of the chassis. Such water flow minimizes flow of particulate matter into the atmosphere both during the combustion process and after the chassis is moved along the ground surface. 
         [0020]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the flexible skirt arrangement is comprised of a multi-layer structure and may have a flexible outer layer on the external side thereof and a flexible inner layer on the inner side thereof. The flexible outer layer may be, for example, rubber, thin copper sheeting or the like. The flexible inner layer may be, for example silicone. The silicone inner layer can withstand temperatures in the range 1500° F. to 2000° F. and wall radiate heat inwardly of the chassis to aid in the incineration of the materials on the ground surface. 
         [0021]    It has been found that in order to obtain the maximum benefit from the incineration process performed by the device described herein, it is often desirable to prepare the ground that is to be incinerated that is, it has been found that a three-day procedure is most efficient for obtaining the maximum benefits. In this three-day procedure is been found that on day one there is the first vertical cut of the growing vegetation. On day two there is the second vertical cut of the growing vegetation and then removal of the debris from the surface of the field to be incinerated. On day three the incineration process may be performed. 
         [0022]    In operation of the device to perform the incineration process utilizing the invention described herein, the mobile vehicle is positioned at an initial location on the surface of the ground which is to be incinerated. The air blower and the fuel pump are made operational to provide the combustible mixture of all and air in the burner assembly and the combustible mixture is ignited as it leaves the fuel nozzle array. The water pump is activated to pump the water from the water tank into both the external water manifold to provide the spraying of water from the plurality of water nozzles and also to the misting manifold to provide the flow of misting water from the plurality of misting nozzles located thereon. The mobile vehicle is moved in a desired pathway covering the ground surface that is to be provided with incineration of the materials thereon. 
         [0023]    The seeding of the field with new grass seed and the watering thereof may be accomplished immediately after the incinerating process when the “three day” process is followed. 
         [0024]    The benefits of the incineration process by the machine described herein and in accordance with the above described three-day procedure, there is a saving of both time and money associated with providing the new growth of, for example, grass. Further, the operation as above described significantly reduces the PM pollutants from the environment. Further, by operating on clean burning liquified petroleum gas the pollutants associated with the burning are eliminated. The incinerated waste acts as a natural fertilizer for the new growth and thus reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. The incineration process described herein kills harmful six, the eggs of such insects, weed seeds, and many lawn diseases thus using or illuminating the need for utilization of pesticides. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0025]    The above and other embodiments of the present invention my be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view embodiment the present invention of a mobile field incinerating arrangement; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the water tank removed and shown in phantom lines thereon to show additional structural details; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  with the water tank removed and shown in phantom lines thereon to show additional structural details; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the details of the side skirts useful in the practice of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view illustrating the attachment of the side skirts the chassis of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are front and rear perspective views showing the structural arrangement of the chassis of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 9  is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 10  a block diagram illustrating the water system of the present invention; and, 
           [0035]      FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated in the various Figures thereof a preferred embodiment generally designated  10  of the present invention of a mobile field incinerating arrangement. As shown in the figures the embodiment  10  illustrates the principles of the present invention as incorporated in a towed vehicle. However, the present invention is not so limited as it may be also incorporated advantageously in a self propelled vehicle arrangement.  FIG. 1  is a front back to you of the embodiment  10  having a chassis generally illustrated at  12  which has a forward end indicated at  14  and a rear end indicated at  16  The forward end  14  is spaced longitudinally from the rear end  16  as illustrated by the arrow  18 . The chassis  12  also has a pair of side panels  20  and  22  spaced transversely apart as indicated by the arrow  25  and the side panels extend generally from regions adjacent the rear end  16  and the front end  14 . 
         [0037]    The chassis  12  defines a substantially open chassis volume  28  between the forward end  14  and the rear end  16 . A water tank  24  is positioned in the open volume  28  of the chassis  12 . As shown most clearly in  FIG. 9 , the water tank  24  contains water  30  and has an upper surface  32  and a lower surface  34 . The lower surface  34  of the water tank  24  extends generally upwardly from the forward end  14  of the chassis  12  towards the rear end  16  of the chassis  12 . The volume between the lower surface  34  of the water lank  24  and the ground surface  40  may be considered to be the incinerating volume  42  and as shown most clearly in  FIG. 9  the incinerating volume  42  is generally wedge shaped having a smaller cross-sectional area at the forward end  14  then the cross-sectional area at the rear end  16 . The water tank  24  also has a front wall  44  and a rear wall  46 . An appropriate thing height  50  is provided to allow access from the interior of the water tank  24  to regions external the water tank  24  to allow the flow of air into and out of the interior volume of the water tank  24 . The bottom surface  34  of the water tank  24  may, if desired, be provided with a ceramic coating  34 ′ in opposed relationship to the ground surface  40 . 
         [0038]    A burner assembly generally designated  60  is mounted on the forward end  14  of the chassis  12  and the burner assembly  60  has a mixing chamber  62 , a conventional air blower asked the four connected by an appropriate duct six which if desired may be flexible, which feeds air into the mixing chamber  62 . In preferred embodiments of the present invention the burner assembly also includes liquefied petroleum gas such as propane in tanks  70  and a flexible hose  72  is provided to conduct the liquefied petroleum gas such as propane from the tanks  70  into the mixing chamber  62  as indicated at  66  on  FIG. 9 . The flow of air as indicated at  68  mixes with the liquefied petroleum gas and in operation forms a combustible mixture as indicated by the pictorial representation of the flames at  70 . The flames  70  are in incinerating relationship to the ground surface  40  and as the chassis  12  is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow  80  as shown on  FIG. 9  the ground  40  is sequentially incinerated to burn not only vegetation growing in the ground  40  but also any insects, seeds, larvae and the like. The ceramic coating which may be applied to the underside of the lower surface  34  of the water tank  24  provides reflected heat back towards the ground surface  42  to increase the effectiveness of the incineration process. 
         [0039]    In order to reduce pollution resulting from the incineration of the materials located on the ground surface  40  as provided by the present invention, it is been found desirable to incorporate skirts as indicated at  50  on  FIG. 1  mounted on the exterior of a bottom frame  52  of the chassis  12  which is positioned vertically downwardly from the upper framework  54  of the chassis  12 . Skirts  50  may extend completely around the bottom frame  52  along the sides, front and rear. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate the preferred construction of the skirt arrangement  50  useful in the practice of the present invention. The upper portion  50   a  of the skirt  50  is coupled t the bottom frame  52  by, for example, bolts and nuts indicated at  60   a  which extended through the brackets  66  which is connected to the longitudinal support  70 . A lower portion  50   b  of the skirt  50  is spaced vertically downwardly from the upper portion  50   a  and the lower portion has a bottom edge  62  which is in close proximity to the ground surface  40  as shown on  FIG. 9 . 
         [0041]    The skirt arrangement  50  is preferably flexible and may be a multilayer construction. An inner layer  74  which may be comprised one or more layers silicone and the outer layer  76  may be comprised of a flexible material such as rubber, a thin copper sheet, a thin aluminum sheet or the like. The skirt  50  tends to minimize any products of combustion generated in the combustion volume  42  from entering into regions external the chassis  12  of the present invention as indicated by the arrow  80 . As noted above, the skirt  50  may also extend along the front and rear of the bottom frame  57  as indicated on  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
         [0042]    As shown on  FIGS. 3 and 4  a filter  90  is provided filter the flow of the combustion products generated in the combustion volume  42  as indicated at  92  on  FIG. 9 . As noted above the combustion volume  42  is wedge shaped having a greater cross-sectional area in regions adjacent the filter  92  that at the front end of the combustion volume  42 . Because of this wedge shape the velocity of the flow of the combustion products  92  through the filter  90  is reduced thereby aiding in maintaining the products of combustion within the combustion volume  42 . 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , in some embodiments of the present invention the water tank  24  may be extended over filter  92  as indicated by the phantom lines at  96  to increase the volume of water contained in the water tank  24 . 
         [0044]    The burner  60  may be pivotally mounted on the chassis  12  by brackets  110  to allow for limited pivotal motion as indicated by the arrow  112  to remove the flame indicated at  70  closer to or further from the ground surface  40  during the incineration of the products on the ground surface  40 . 
         [0045]    A control box  120  may be included on the chassis  12  to contain the various controls necessary for operation of the incineration arrangement of the present invention. 
         [0046]    In order further reduce the pollution which might because by the escape of products of combustion from the combustion volume  42 , it has been found advantageous to incorporate a water spray arrangement  130 . For clarity, a semi-schematic block diagram of the water spray arrangement  130  is shown on  FIG. 10 . The water spray arrangement  130  incorporates a water pump  132  which receives water from the water tank  24  as indicated at  134 . The water pump  132  pumps the water into an exterior water manifold  136  which has spray bar  138  which may if desired extend along both sides, the front and the rear of the chassis  12  and the spray bar  138  is external the combustion volume  42  and external the chassis  12  to spray water onto the ground  40  and the spray bar  138  may be mounted, for example, on the brackets  66 . Water flows in the spray bar  138  in the direction indicated by the arrow  150 . The spray bar  138  includes a plurality of spaced apart nozzles as indicated at  166  for spraying water therefrom. 
         [0047]    The water spray arrangement  130  also has a transfer tube  140  for conducting water in the direction indicated by the arrow  169  of to a misting manifold  150  which extends transversely across the interior of the combustion volume  42  along the lower wall  34  of the water tank  24  adjacent to the entrance to the filter  90 . 
         [0048]    As indicated above, the chassis  112  in the embodiment  10  is a towed vehicle and may be attached to a towing vehicle  180  which moves the chassis  12  in the direction indicated by the arrow  186  during the incineration of the material on the ground  40 . It has been found that a preselected separation indicated by the letter L on  FIG. 11  is necessary to provide a safe distance between the liquified petroleum gas tanks  71  and the burner mixing chamber  62  and flames  70 . The separation L is often specified by various regulations and codes. 
         [0049]    This concludes the description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown above the present invention will provide substantially complete incineration serials on the ground to be incinerated as opposed to only scorching the ground surface. 
         [0050]    Accordingly, those skilled in this art will appreciate that the embodiments discussed above are exemplary of the present invention. They are not, however, intended to limit the scope of the claims of this patent application. Many other substances and techniques, different from those discussed above, can be used. That is to say that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the present invention are intended to be protected by the following patent claims.