Multi-purpose utility device

Claim 1

A portable, multi-purpose utility device for fluid processing and mechanically working deleterious material disposed on the ground comprising, a frame, a set of wheels mounted on said frame for supporting said frame in spaced relation from tHe ground for movement along the ground to the location of the deleterious material on the ground, a handle mechanism mounted on the frame for grasping by an operator for manipulating the device for movement along the ground, a fluid dispensing chamber on said frame for delivering fluid material onto the deleterious material and the ground, said fluid dispensing chamber including a conduit system having a coupling assembly adapted for connection to a source of fluid material under pressure, a fluid control valve mounted on said frame and connected to said conduit system for controlling the flow of fluid material through said chamber, an agitator mechanism including a casing mounted on said frame, an actuating member extending through said casing and said frame having a lower end disposed in the space between said frame and the ground being adapted for mechanically working the ground and the deleterious material, said actuating member including a shaft mounted for reciprocating movement on the frame, said shaft being movable relative to said frame and to said ground while said frame remains in a substantially stationary relation with respect to said ground, said actuating member including an agitator member mounted adjacent said lower end of said shaft for mechanically working the ground to condition the ground for receiving the fluid material and the deleterious material, said shaft being movable in a generally vertical direction for moving said agitator member between a normally raised, nonactuated position above the ground to a lowered, actuated position for simultaneous engagement with the ground and the deleterious material, said fluid chamber including discharge openings spaced outwardly from and in surrounding relation with respect to said agitator member for spraying said fluid material under pressure directly from said chamber onto the deleterious material, a resilient compressible spring member mounted within said casing being connected at one end to said shaft and at its opposite end being biased by said frame for urging said agitator member into said raised position above the ground. said shaft including a handle portion for manually moving said shaft against the force of said spring for moving said agitator member from said normally raised position above the ground to said lowered position in engagement with the deleterious material and the ground, said fluid control valve being actuatable independently of said actuating member so as enable spraying of the fluid material in the raised or lowered position of the agitator member, and said agitator member including downwardly depending elements for penetrating the ground to enable the deleterious material to penetrate the ground upon fluidization thereof.