Abstract:
A series of wick ropes are pressure fed with herbicide. They are moved along weeds to be killed at about a 35° angle so that the ropes wipe along the weeds applying herbicide thereto. Each rather short section of rope is fed by a different reservoir so that if the applicator is on a slope as by a roadside, the head upon the ropes at one end is not much greater than upon the other end.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is co-pending with our prior application, Ser. No. 951,448, filed Oct. 16, 1978 and entitled WET ROPE WEED KILLER. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to agriculture and more particularly to the application of herbicide. 
     (2) Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of herbicides for the control of weeds is widespread in agriculture today. Generally pre-plant and pre-emergent herbicides may be broadcast over fields without injury to crops. Few herbicides, however, are specific for weeds alone and so once a crop has emerged it is necessary to treat only the weed with herbicide to avoid killing the crop plant. The problem is aggravated in the western regions of the United States which have high temperatures, low humidity and dry winds. With the application of herbicides by a damp applicator, there is a very high evaporation rate from the applicator so that it is necessary to continually replinish the fluid supply of herbicide to the applicator. 
     Selective means for the dispensation of herbicides have recently come to be known. These methods of treating weeds have become increasingly important as &#34;hoe hands&#34;, who manually kill weeds are unavailable. Also, general distribution of even pre-plant or pre-emergent herbicide stunts the growth of many crops. 
     Methods of selectively applying herbicides to weeds after the emergence of a crop have largely been very involved mechanically or ineffective. Heretofore, no simple method for selective application of herbicides to weed after emergence of crops has been known in the art. 
     In addition to agricultural weed killing, there exists a problem for governmental units killing weeds and tall grasses along the right-of-way of public roads. Often the roadsides are sloped, and sometimes sloped sharply away from the roadway. Therefore, the vehicle carrying any applicator must necessarily operate with one side of the applicator far lower than the other side of the applicator. 
     Before filing this application, applicant caused a search of the prior art to be made at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. That search revealed the following patents: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,109,060, Griffin 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,523,590, Hartshorn 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,764,952, Hay 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,818,369, Watson 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,988, Corley 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,818, Crane 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,642, Ewing 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,701, Osmun 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,320,694, Biron 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,278, McKirdy 
     EWING discloses a solid sheet-like wick extending from the bottom of a header with a few inches of head thereon. 
     HAY disclosed a boll weevil poisoner having wet strands hanging from a chamber with liquid therein. 
     WATSON shows a series of strands hanging down vertically from an axial pipe which distributes the liquid to it. 
     While the other patents cited are thought by applicants to be of little interest with respect to their invention, other workers in the field are continuing to work in this area. Reference is particularly made to our prior patent application, wherein work done by the United States Department of Agriculture, and particularly Dr. J. E. Dale is described. Applicants believe that Dr. Dale has filed a U.S. Patent Application, Ser. No. 969,036 entitled ROPE WICK APPLICATOR. 
     Also within recent months, certain publications in farm literature have been published, however, none of these prior publications were more than one year before this invention or before the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) New and Different Function 
     We have invented a way to selectively apply liquid herbicides to weeds in a field after the emergence of the crop. We accomplish this by force feeding liquid herbicides through loosely woven synthetic rope. The herbicide-laden ropes are then brought into contact with weeds, thereby applying herbicide to the weeds. This manner of herbicide application is very selective and will not kill weeds at the expense of the growing crop. The selectivity is obtained as herbicide is only applied to plants which intersect the herbicide-laden ropes. The ropes may be adjusted such that they will apply herbicide only to weeds which they contact and not the growing crop. 
     The ropes are at about a 35° angle (±10°) to the direction of application. Therefore, as the rope passes the weeds, the rope wipes along the weed, rather than intersecting it at right angles, more effectively applying herbicide to the weed. 
     There is a reduced loss of herbicide due to evaporation as the herbicide is transferred from the reservoir to the ropes by a closed system of tubes. Even though there is a high evaporation rate, by force feeding the fluid herbicide into the rope, it is possible to keep the rope sufficiently damp with the herbicide to transfer an adequate amount of herbicide to any of the weeds wiping the rope. 
     On units which are designed to operate along slopes as in highway use, it is desirable to have several short sections of the rope and to have several reservoirs to force feed the ropes. The reservoirs are mounted at an adjustable distance above the ropes, so that the head on each of the sections can be adjusted. Also the ropes on the high end of one of these sections are connected at one end to a pressure of the higher section and the other end connected to a header of a lower section. Therefore, more herbicide is fed into one end of the ropes than the other. 
     There is virtually no maintenance necessary to keep our invention working as its components, synthetic rope and PVC tubing, are very simple. 
     Therefore, it may be seen that great results are obtained. The function of the combination are far greater than the sum of the functions of each of the individual parts. 
     (2) Objects of this Invention 
     An object of this invention is to selectively disperse liquid herbicide. 
     Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, ecologically compatible, energy conserving, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, adjust, operate and maintain. 
     The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not scale drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention in an agricultural field. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic showing the invention on a slope with one wing shown folded up in dashed lines. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view in schematic form, showing the arrangement of the ropes on the headers and the reservoir with the headers. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the tube, ropes, and sleeve. 
     FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the tube, rope, and sleeve. 
     FIG. 6 is a detail of the attachment of the reservoirs to the frame. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, there may be seen an embodiment of this invention. Specifically there is a frame 10 having a front horizontal bar 12 and a rear horizontal bar 14. Inasmuch as the frame itself extends traverse or normal to the direction of application as seen by arrow D, it is desirable to have the frames hinged or folded at point 16, so that when being transported from one location to another, the wings of the frame may be angled up so that they are not so wide while going down roadways. This is common with equipment of this sort and well understood by those skilled in the art. It will be understood that vehicle 18 is attached to the frame 10 and forms means for supporting the frame and moving it in the application direction &#34;D&#34;. Also there is a standard hitch 20 connecting the frame to the vehicle whereby the height of the frame above the ground may be adjusted. 
     First or front header means 22 is attached to the front bar 12. Rear or second header means 24 is attached to the rear bar 14. It will be understood that other cross braces and the like extend between the front and rear bar to form a unified frame. The front header means 22 and rear header means 24 are for carrying herbicide. A series of nipples 26 extend from the front header means and a similar series of nipples 26 extend from the rear header means. Tube 28 is telescoped over each of the nipples. 
     A parallel series of ropes 30 extend from each of the tubes 28 on the front header bar to one of the tubes 28 on the rear header means. Each rope has two ends and one end is telescoped within the tube on the front header means and the other end is telescoped within a tube on the rear header means. Each of the ropes 30 is at an angle to said application direction &#34;D&#34;. This angle is about 35° (±10°). Stated otherwise each of the ropes 30 is at an angle of between about 25° and about 45° to the application direction &#34;D&#34;. The angle to the application direction &#34;D&#34; is complementary to the angle on the drawing which is the angle of the ropes to the header means 22, which is normal to the application direction. We have had good success with spacing the nipples 26, and thus the ropes, about 3 inches apart. Each of the ropes is about 20 inches long and has about 2 inches telescoped within each of the tubes 28. Therefore the ropes have about 16 inches of space between the ends of the tubes. They are not stretched taut, but are permitted to sag, as seen in FIG. 2. 
     Therefore it may be seen that as the frame is moved along the land to which the herbicide is to be applied that the ropes 30 will wipe along the weeds rather than contacting them momentarily as in the case that if the ropes are normal or at right angles to the direction of application. 
     We have had good success by using the tubes 28 to be a synthetic plastic material which can readily be cut by a knife. Each rope can be held within this tube by staple 32 extending through the tube 28 and the rope therein. The rope 30 forms a snug fit within the tube 28. The staple, after it is driven through the tube and rope will have its bight 34 flat against one side of the tube and the tips 36 flattened out against the diametrically opposed side of the tube. We have had good success by telescoping sleeve 38 of heat-shrinkable material over the tube and rope using about a 3 inch length of sleeve. Then the heat is applied to the sleeve 38 so that it shrinks to fit firmly and snuggly over the tube and rope. The sleeve extends over the staple bight and tips. Therefore herbicide is prevented from dripping from the ends of the tubes. Thus it may be seen that we provide seal means on each of the tubes and ropes for sealing the ropes and tubes. It will be understood that the herbicide used is a potent solution of herbicides with the capacity to kill any plant it touches. Therefore it is desirable not to have any of the herbicide dripping or it will kill desirable plants. 
     The herbicide within the header means 22 and 24 is maintained under a small pressure. This is accomplished by having supply means in the form of reservoir 40 mounted to the frame above the header means 22 and 24. Thus the reservoir forms a portion of the supply means connected to each tube supplying liquid herbicide under pressure to said tubes and thus pressure feeding said ropes. It is desirable that the height of the reservoir above the header means 22 and 24 be adjustable along one of the upright members 42 of the frame. Therefore, if under certain conditions it is felt like more pressure is needed at the header means and thus the tubes 28 to apply more herbicide to the ropes 30, it is readily accomplished by raising the reservoir 40 upon the upright member 42. Less pressure can be achieved by lowering the reservoir. 
     We have had good success using ropes of loosely woven synthetic material. Each rope is composed of 18 strands, the strands are composed of very fine elements. Fluid moves readily along these ropes by forced feeding. 
     The invention as described to this point is quite suitable for agricultural use. However as stated above, there is a use for such applicators by highway departments to prevent the growth of tall weeds along the highway right-of-ways. Often they will be used along highway right-of-ways at extreme slopes, as seen in FIG. 2, as compared to agricultural purposes. Therefore, if one end of the frame is considerably lower than the other end, problems result by obtaining the correct amount of pressure upon the ropes at each end. 
     We have solved this problem by using a series of front or first headers 44 and a series of back or second headers 46. Each header is no more than about 17 inches long, and therefore each header has six nipples 26 and tubes 28 extending from it. Normally any slope over which the vehicle 18 will comfortably travel will not be so great but what the pressure differential between one end of each of the headers 44 and 46 will be so great but what good operation can be accomplished. Also of the six ropes that extend from each header three will extend to a header about opposite it. Inasmuch as the ropes themselves extend at an angle, it may be seen that if the headers are fed from the same reservoir that one end of the rope will have a higher pressure because it will be at a lower elevation than the other end. Therefore, about half the ropes attached to each header 44 or 46 does not extend to an opposite header fed from the same reservoir, but it extends to a header fed by reservoir which will have a different elevation. This relationship is clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     A series of double reservoirs are mounted to frame members 42. Each double reservoir has one conduit 50 which extends to the first or front header 44 and a second conduit 52 which extends to the second or back header 46. Connections of the individual double reservoirs to the first header 44 and the second header 46 are clearly seen in the drawings. 
     Thus it may be seen that we have provided an applicator well adapted to be used along severe slopes as well as agricultural land having more gentle slopes. 
     As an aid to correlating the terms of the claims to the exemplary drawing, the following catalog of elements is provided: 
     10--frame 
     12--front bar 
     14--rear bar 
     16--point, fold 
     18--vehicle 
     20--hitch 
     22--front header means 
     24--rear header means 
     26--nipple 
     28--tube 
     30--rope 
     32--staple 
     34--bight 
     36--tips 
     38--sleeve 
     40--reservoir 
     42--member 
     44--front header 
     46--back header 
     48--double reservoirs 
     50--first conduit 
     52--second conduit 
     &#34;a&#34;--angle 
     &#34;D&#34;--Direction of application 
     The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. We do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of our invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention. 
     SUBJECT MATTER CLAIMED FOR PROTECTION