US3755961A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Irrigation and frost preventation method and apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-06-09
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Granted: 1973-09-04
•
Expires: 1991-06-09
Abstract
Abstract A method of and system for protecting plantings such as trees, plants, and the like, against frost damage by conducting a heated liquid into heat transfer relation with thermal radiators located adjacent the base of the plantings to heat the radiators and thereby create convection currents which circulate about the plantings to lower the minimum air temperature which the plantings can withstand without permanent frost damage and raise the air temperature about the plantings by the conjoint action of heating the air and circulating the relatively warm air from the air space above the plantings to the air space about the plantings. A combined irrigation and frost protection system which is selectively operable in an irrigation mode wherein an irrigation liquid is supplied to the plantings through dispensers, preferably drip dispensers, located adjacent the base of the plantings, and a frost protection mode wherein the irrigation liquid is heated and utilized to heat thermal radiators mounted on the dispensers for creating convection air currents about the plantings. The combined system may also be operable in a fertilizing mode wherein a fertilizing agent is introduced into the irrigation liquid.
Inventors
- 👤 Isaac D Mc
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:24
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G13/00; A01G13/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
In a frost prevention system for inducing air circulation about a planting to protect the planting against frost damage, the combination comprising: a thermal radiator located above the ground having a substantially large radiating surface area located adjacent the base of said planting, and a drip dispenser located above said radiator for dispensing droplets of heated liquid onto said radiator whereby said radiator is heated by said droplets to create convection air currents about said planting.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
In a frost prevention system for inducing air circulation about a planting to protect the planting against frost damage, the combination comprising: a thermal radiator located above the ground having a substantially large radiating surface area located adjacent the base of said planting, and a drip dispenser located above said radiator for dispensing droplets of heated liquid onto said radiator whereby said radiator is heated by said droplets to create convection air currents about said planting.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A frost protection system according to claim 1 which includes means for heating said liquid at a central location and conducting the heated liquid in a thermally insulated conduit to said drip dispenser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A frost protection system according to claim 2 including: thermostatically controlled means for controlling the heated liquid at said central location in response to ambient air temperature about the planting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A frost protection system according to claim 1 wherein: said drip dispenser includes means for adjusting the rate at which said liquid is dispensed from the dispenser.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
153 words
In a combined irrigation and frost protection system which dispenses an irrigation liquid to the soil at the base of a planting in a grove to be irrigated, the combination comprising: thermal radiators located above the ground to be placed adjacent the base of said planting, a drip dispensing means located adjacent the base of said plantings for conducting said liquid into heat transfer relation with said radiators and dispensing the liquid into the soil adjacent the planting, and means for selectively heating said liquid at a central location and conducting the heated liquid in a thermally insulated conduit to said thermal radiator, whereby said irrigation system is selectively operated in an irrigation mode where unheated liquid is dispensed to irrigate said plantings and a frost protection mode wherein said liquid is heated to heat said radiators and thereby create convection air currents about said plantings to protect the latter against frost damage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
In a combined irrigation and frost protection system which dispenses an irrigation liquid to the soil at the base of a planting in a grove to be irrigated, the combination comprising: thermal radiators located above the ground to be placed adjacent the base of said planting, a drip dispensing means located adjacent the base of said plantings for conducting said liquid into heat transfer relation with said radiators and dispensing the liquid into the soil adjacent the planting, and means for selectively heating said liquid at a central location and conducting the heated liquid in a thermally insulated conduit to said thermal radiator, whereby said irrigation system is selectively operated in an irrigation mode where unheated liquid is dispensed to irrigate said plantings and a frost protection mode wherein said liquid is heated to heat said radiators and thereby create convection air currents about said plantings to protect the latter against frost damage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A combined irrigation and frost protection system according to claim 5 wherein: each radiator comprises a thermally conductive member, and each dispenser dispenses said liquid onto its respective radiator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A combined irrigation and frost protection system according to claim 5 wherein: each dispenser is a drip dispenser which dispenses said liquid in droplets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
A combined irrigation and frost protection system according to claim 7 including: means mounting each radiator on its dispenser for adjustment between a frost protection position wherein the radiator is located in the path along which the liquid droplets drip from the dispenser and an irrigation position wherein the radiator is spaced from said path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
A combined irrigation and frost protection system according to claim 5 wherein: said dispensing means has an inlet for connection to a supply of said irrigation liquid, a pair of parallel flow paths between said inlet and dispensers, and a mode selector valve for communicating said inlet to said dispensers through either flow path, and said heating means comprises a heater in one flow path.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
53 words
The method of protecting a planting against frost damage, which comprises the steps of: placing a thermally conductive radiator adjacent the base of said planting, and conducting a heated liquid drop by drop into heat transfer relation to said radiator to heat the latter and thereby create convection air currents about said planting.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
53 words
The method of protecting a planting against frost damage, which comprises the steps of: placing a thermally conductive radiator adjacent the base of said planting, and conducting a heated liquid drop by drop into heat transfer relation to said radiator to heat the latter and thereby create convection air currents about said planting.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
80 words
The method of irrigating and protecting a planting against frost damage, which comprises the steps of: placing a thermally conductive radiator adjacent the base of said planting, and selectively dispensing an irrigation liquid onto the said adjacent base of said planting to irrigate the planting in a first mode and heating said liquid and dispensing the heated liquid by drops onto said radiator to heat the latter and thEreby create convection air currents about the planting in a second mode.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
80 words
The method of irrigating and protecting a planting against frost damage, which comprises the steps of: placing a thermally conductive radiator adjacent the base of said planting, and selectively dispensing an irrigation liquid onto the said adjacent base of said planting to irrigate the planting in a first mode and heating said liquid and dispensing the heated liquid by drops onto said radiator to heat the latter and thEreby create convection air currents about the planting in a second mode.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-03 | 1977-03-05 | 1977-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-03 | 1981-03-05 | 1981-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-03 | 1985-03-05 | 1985-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |