Fertilizer applicator blade

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED APPLICATOR BLADE ASSEMBLY FOR DISTRIBUTING A LIQUID FERTILIZER BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SOIL AS THE BLADE IS DRAWN THROUGH THE SOIL WHICH COMPRISES: A SHANK HAVING MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT TO A TRACTION DEVICE; CONDUIT MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHANK FOR DELIVERING FERTILIZER TO BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SOIL; A REMOVABLE BOOT ABUTTING AGAINST THE FRONT OF SAID SHANK; SAID BOOT HAVING A HEEL PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE FRONT THEREOF AND BELOW SAID SHANK, SAID HEEL PORTION ABUTTING AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF SAID SHANK; AND MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID BOOT AND SAID HEEL TO SAID SHANK, WHEREBY SAID BOOT ABSORBS THE SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE WEAR OF SAID APPLICATOR BLADE AND MAY BE REPLACED WHEN WORN TO AVOID DISCARDING THE ENTIRE APPLICATOR ASSEMBLY, ONE OF THE ABUTTING SURFACES OF SAID BOOT AND SAID SHANK BEING CONVEX AND THE OTHER BEING CONCAVE SO THAT THE AREA OF CONTACT BETWEEN SAID BOOT AND SAID SHANK IS GREATER THAN THEIR CROSSSECTIONAL AREA, WHEREBY TWISTING MOVEMENTS BETWEEN SAID SHANK AND SAID BOOT ARE REDUCED WITHOUT INCREASING THEIR THICKNESS; SAID CONDUIT BEING FASTENED BY DISENGAGEABLE COUPLING MEANS TO SAID SHANK SUCH THAT THE CONDUIT IS NOT IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE APPLICATOR BLADE, THEREBY MINIMIZING HEAT TRANSFER BETWEEN THE CONDUIT AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY TO PREVENT UNDUE CHILLING THEREOF AND PERMITTING REPLACEMENT OF SAID CONDUIT IF DAMAGED, THE REAR PORTION OF SAID HEEL HAVING A RELATIVELY ENLARGED OPENING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM THERETHROUGH, SAID CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING LOOSELY THROUGH SAID OPENING SUCH THAT SAID CONDUIT MEANS IS ESSENTIALLY FREE FLOATING THEREIN.