Abstract Improved agricultural apparatus is provided which, for example, may be mounted on the back of a truck, and which may be used to mulch, fertilize and seed an area conveniently and efficiently. The apparatus to be described includes a tank containing a slurry of the seed, mulch and fertilizer. A circulating pump is coupled to the tank for circulating the slurry through the tank, and a spray-dispensing hose is coupled to the recirculating line for receiving a portion of the circulating slurry to be sprayed thereby over the aforesaid area. The present invention is particularly concerned with an improved valve assembly for use in the apparatus, and which is positioned in a tangential manner with respect to the circulating conduit, so that there is no tendency for the cellulose in the mulch to congregate behind the valve and clog the valve, as is prevalent in the prior art structures.
In apparatus which includes a tank forming a reservoir for a slurry, said tank having an inlet and an outlet, a pump having an intake and an outlet, pipeline means coupling the outlet of said tank to the intake of said pump, and further pipeline means coupling the outlet of said pump to the inlet of said tank, and an outlet hose coupled to said further pipeline means for bleeding a portion of the slurry circulated by said pump through said further pipeline means; the combination of a control valve mounted between said outlet hose and said further pipeline means and mounted on said further pipeline means in a position essentially tangential to the flow of the slurry therethrough, so that the flow of slurry through said further pipeline means sweeps across the face of said control valve to maintain the inlet to said control valve in a clean condition even in the presence of leakage through said control valve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
In apparatus which includes a tank forming a reservoir for a slurry, said tank having an inlet and an outlet, a pump having an intake and an outlet, pipeline means coupling the outlet of said tank to the intake of said pump, and further pipeline means coupling the outlet of said pump to the inlet of said tank, and an outlet hose coupled to said further pipeline means for bleeding a portion of the slurry circulated by said pump through said further pipeline means; the combination of a control valve mounted between said outlet hose and said further pipeline means and mounted on said further pipeline means in a position essentially tangential to the flow of the slurry therethrough, so that the flow of slurry through said further pipeline means sweeps across the face of said control valve to maintain the inlet to said control valve in a clean condition even in the presence of leakage through said control valve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination defined in claim 1, in which said control valve comprises a butterfly valve.