Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Seed treating mechanisms are commonly used by grain growers to cover the surface of seed with fertilizer or enzymes before planting. Seed treaters in prior art generally use a storage unit like a hopper until transferred to the field for treating seeds in batches. Mechanisms used in the prior art thus generally involve storage of left over treated seeds. Storage of treated grain poses a health risk to workers and may cause possible accidental mixing into grain intended for consumption. 
     Prior art, which typically involves the use of powders for inoculation, has not addressed the exposure of potentially harmful treatment chemicals to the operator on a windy day. Also the prior art has not solved the cleansing problem in which the operators are exposed to potentially harmful chemicals during this cleansing process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In light of the previous disadvantages known to the current seed treating devices now present in prior art, the present invention solves most of inadequacies of that prior art. 
     The present design makes use of liquid inoculent, which reduces the risk of floating powders on a windy day. 
     This method which may be used on the final seed-treating implement, eliminates the mess that previously was left in the hopper or other mixing device. 
     The only residue possible would be contained to the actual seeder implement and seed treater itself. The seed treater can be cleaned easily by rinsing out with water and adding −40° C. washer fluid to keep from freezing. 
     The seed treater is designed to uphold efficient operation thereby reducing operator cost and chemical exposure. This seed treater eliminates further inefficiencies by allowing the worker to treat only the amount of grain required for immediate planting. 
     The present invention is simple in design and composed of available, inexpensive materials, allowing low cost of manufacture and low cost to the consumer. This device is therefore easily and inexpensively repaired or replaced for longer and economical use. 
     The operation is as efficient as pouring the inoculent/seed treatment into the tank and turning the power on. The pump and nozzle combination sprays the fluid into the moving seed at the grain intake of the air seeder operation. This innovation can be also used as a sprayer for ATV spraying. 
     Also, the seed treater can be quickly mounted on any air seeder implement or truck box. 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a seed inoculation system. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a seed inoculation system for a transfer duct having an inlet hopper for transporting seeds from a supply of seeds, the system comprising: 
     a tank for receiving a liquid inoculant material; 
     a pump for discharging the material from the tank; 
     a flexible hose for receiving the pumped material; 
     a rigid wand connected to an end of the hose; and 
     a spray nozzle connected to an end of the wand for spraying the material into a flowing mass of the seed to be inoculated. 
     The spray nozzle is preferably arranged to be mounted above the duct so as to spray the material into the seed as it enters the hopper. 
     The spray nozzle may be arranged to be mounted by the rigid wand so as to spray the material generally parallel to the duct. 
     The spray nozzle is also preferably arranged to spray in a fan pattern in a plane at right angles to the flow into the hopper. 
     A manually operable flow control valve may be provided at the wand. 
     An agitator may be provided on the tank for circulating contents of the tank. The agitator preferably comprises an agitator valve connected between an outlet of the pump and the tank for circulating a portion of contents of the tank through the pump and back into the tank. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a seed inoculation system comprising: 
     a seeder having a seed tank and a plurality of seeding elements; 
     a transfer duct for transporting the seeds from a supply to the seed tank; 
     an inoculant tank for receiving a liquid inoculant material; 
     a pump for discharging the material from the tank; 
     a flexible hose for receiving the pumped material; 
     a rigid wand connected to an end of the hose; 
     and a spray nozzle connected to an end of the wand for spraying the material into a flowing mass of the seed at the transfer duct to be inoculated. 
     The duct preferably comprises an auger tube. 
     When the duct includes a hopper, the spray nozzle is preferably mounted by the rigid wand so as to spray the material into the hopper. 
     The spray nozzle is preferably mounted above the duct so as to spray the material into the seed as it enters the hopper. 
     Preferably the spray nozzle is arranged to spray in a fan pattern in a plane at right angles to the flow into the hopper. 
     The spray nozzle may be mounted by the rigid wand so as to spray the material generally parallel to the duct. 
     The duct is preferably mounted on the seeder for receiving the seed from a supply truck. 
     The hose is preferably flexible so as to allow folding of the duct relative to the seed tank. 
     The inoculant tank is preferably mounted on the seeder when the duct is mounted on the seeder. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of seed inoculation comprising: 
     providing a transfer duct having an inlet hopper for transporting the seeds from a supply; 
     providing an inoculant tank for receiving a liquid inoculant material; 
     providing a pump for discharging the material from the tank; 
     providing a flexible hose for receiving the pumped material; 
     providing a rigid wand connected to an end of the hose; 
     providing a spray nozzle connected to an end of the wand and spraying the material into a flowing mass of the seed as it enters the hopper at the transfer duct. 
     The method preferably includes mounting the spray nozzle above the duct and spraying the material into the seed as it enters the hopper. 
     The method may also include mounting the spray nozzle the rigid wand so as to spray the material generally parallel to the duct. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevational view of a seed inoculation system according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the components of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a view of a truck box mount hinge for the tank of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view of the components of an air seeder cart including the components of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the spray nozzle of FIG. 1 mounted on the auger hopper of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view along the line  6 — 6  of FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated a seed inoculation system generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . The system  10  is arranged for inoculation of seeds using a liquid inoculant. 
     The system includes a tank  12  which is generally rectangular, being molded of plastic and having a nine gallon capacity. The tank  12  is formed of suitable material for containing the potentially harmful chemicals used for seed inoculation. 
     The tank includes a product fill hole in a top side  14  thereof which includes a cap  16  for enclosing the product fill hole. The cap  16  is threadably secured over the product fill hole in the top side of the tank to permit removal thereof for filling the tank by pouring liquid inoculant through the open product fill hole. 
     The tank  12  also includes a drain opening  18  in a bottom side of the tank in communication with the lowest point of the tank for draining contents of the tank therethrough. 
     The tank  12  is supported on a steel frame  20  which includes a pair of bottom rails  22  spanning horizontally across the bottom of the tank  12  at opposite ends of the tank. The rails  22  support the tank thereon, with the tank being secured to the rails by suitable fasteners. 
     The frame  20  also includes a rear support  24  secured to the rails  22 , perpendicularly to the rails, spanning a back side of the tank  12 . The rear support includes suitable mounting apertures therein for mounting the tank supported on the bottom rails  22  on a suitable vertical supporting surface such as a frame member of a seeder or truck. 
     The steel frame  20  also includes a pair of straps  26  which span between the rear support  24  and the respective bottom rails  22  at opposite ends of the tank  12 . 
     A clear drain line  28  is coupled to the drain opening  18  by a suitable connector  30  below the tank. The drain line  28  includes a branched connector  32  coupled thereto which connects the drain line to a manual drain valve  34  at a first branch and to the inlet line  36  of a product flow pump  38  at a second branch. All of the connectors comprise suitable product flow connectors which plumb the lines of the system together while enabling flow of the liquid inoculant therethrough. 
     The pump  38  includes a 12 volt electrically operated motor which is controlled by a 12 volt toggle switch  40  which includes an inline fuse  42 . A mounting bracket  44  supports the pump  38  below the tank  12  on the steel frame  20 . 
     An outlet of the pump  38  is branched by a suitable branched connector  32  into a dispensing line  46  and an agitator line  48 . The lines  46  and  48  are clear to permit product therein to be visibly observed. The dispensing line  46  is an elongate flexible hose having a wand  50  mounted at the free end thereof. 
     The wand  50  is an elongate rigid copper tube which includes a spray nozzle  52  at a free end thereof. A control valve  54  is located in line with the dispensing line  46  at the wand  50  for controlling the amount and rate that the liquid inoculant is dispensed through the wand  50 . The nozzle  52  which dispenses the liquid inoculant from the wand  50  is arranged to spray the liquid therefrom in a fan-type pattern which is substantially planar. 
     The agitator line  48  is part of an agitator apparatus coupled to the tank  12  for recirculating inoculant in the tank through the pump and back to the tank. Periodic agitation of the liquid contents of the tank prevents settling and promotes uniform mixture of the product within the tank. The agitator line  48  is coupled at a free end to communicate with the top side  14  of the tank  12 . A manual agitator valve  56  is coupled in series with the agitator line  48  for controlling the amount of liquid inoculant which is pumped through the agitator line  48  back into the tank  12 . When agitation is not required, the agitator valve  56  is closed so that liquid pumped out of the outlet of the pump  38  is directed entirely to the dispensing line  46 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, a mounting hinge  58  is illustrated for supporting the tank  12  on the supporting surface of a truck and the like, to keep the product within the tank level. The hinge  58  includes a pair of first plates  60  which are pivotal together about a rod  62  while being arranged for securement to the supporting surface of the truck using suitable fasteners. The hinge  58  further includes a pair of second plates  64  which are longer than the first plates and are pivotal about the rod  62  together in relation to the first plates  60 . The second plates are arranged for securement to the steel frame  20  supporting the tank thereon such that the tank may be supported on the supporting surface for relative pivotal movement therebetween. A locking pin  66  is arranged to communicate with co-operating apertures in the first and second plates to selectively restrict relative rotation therebetween, thus restricting movement of the tank in relation to the supporting surface upon which it is mounted in a transport position of the system. 
     In actual operation, the seed treatment product is poured into the product tank  12  through the product fill hole in the top side  14 . The product is transferred to the moving seed through a process of various control mechanisms. 
     The product pump is controlled by the on/off 12 volt toggle switch which is fused. The pump moves the product under pressure from the product tank through the lines and connectors by which the operator uses the control ball valve  54  to control the product amount exiting the spray nozzle  52 . 
     When the seed treatment is done the operator flushes the apparatus with water. −40° C. washer fluid may be used to store apparatus to keep from freezing. Opening the drain valve  34  permits contents of the drain line and tank to be drained therethrough. 
     The electric supply is derived from conductor wires originating at the truck or seeders 12 volt supply. 
     This entire unit can also be converted for use as an ATV sprayer. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 4,  5  and  6  the same components as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are mounted directly on a seeder cart  70  for an air seeder which includes a seeder tank  71  with a filler opening  72 . A filling auger  73  Is mounted upon a cantilever support  74  on the seeder cart. The support  74  is arranged to permit pivotal folding movement of the auger  73  in relation to the seed cart between a stored folded position alongside the cart and a filling position extending laterally outwardly from the cart so that a feed hopper  75  at a free end of the auger can be located underneath the discharge spout  76  of a supply truck arranged to transport seed. Accordingly, auger  73  acts as a transfer duct for loading seed into a seeder tank of the seeder cart as in a conventional seeder cart. 
     The seeder cart is well known to one skilled in the art and many examples are manufactured by different companies. 
     In the present arrangement, the seed treatment in liquid form is mounted in the supply tank  12  which is mounted on the frame of the cart at a suitable location using the mounting bracket arrangement of the frame  20  so that it remains permanently on the frame. Underneath the tank is the pump as shown previously which expels the liquid treatment material within the tank  12  through the flexible hose dispensing line  46  to the rigid wand portion  50  at the hopper  75 . The flexible hose of the dispensing line  46  can accommodate the movement of the auger from the stored position alongside the tank  71  to the feed position as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     As shown in FIG.  5  and FIG. 6, the auger  73  has a feed end  73 A at the hopper  75 . The hopper has a front wall  75 A and a rear wall  75 B together with side walls which confine the feed material from the discharge opening on the supply truck. The flexible portion of the hose is attached to the outside of the auger tube so that it remains with the auger tube at the feed end of the auger tube and is connected by a coupling to the rigid wand portion  50  which extends through the front wall  75 A of the hopper. The one portion extends to the nozzle  52  which generates a fan shaped jet  80 . The fan shaped jet is arranged to flow parallel to the shaft of the auger tube at a position spaced above the auger tube into the material entering the hopper. Thus the material from the discharge opening at the spout  76  of the truck is flowing downwardly as indicated at  76 A into the hopper and the jet of the treatment liquid is generally at right angles to this flow lying in a plane parallel to the auger which is approximately horizontal so that the jet  80  of the liquid material enters into the flowing materials. The manually operable control valve  54  at the coupling between the dispensing line  46  and the wand  50  controls the flow through the wand  50  and the jet nozzle  52  so that the amount of the material injected into the stream of flowing seeds can be controlled manually to approximately match the quantity required depending upon the amount of flow at the discharge  76 A. 
     In further embodiment, the wand may be arranged to discharge the liquid inoculant for treating the seeds directly into the flow of seeds through the auger. Alternatively, the wand may be mounted at the discharge end of the auger for spraying seed as it flows into the hopper  75  of the seed cart. Further variations include mounting the system on any type of implement arranged to convey seed by directing the wand to discharge the liquid inoculant into a flowing path of the seed. 
     Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

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