Air sprayer apparatus for vineyards and the like

Claim 1

An air sprayer apparatus for spraying plants with a liquid comprising: frame means movable along a path of travel, blower means mounted to said frame means for generating an air blast generally transversely of said path of travel of the frame means and at a height so as to impinge upon the plants to be sprayed as said frame means is moved by the plants, said blower means including a housing having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, impeller means within said housing, said impeller means drawing air into said inlet opening and forcing a stream of air outwardly through said outlet opening, deflector means for receiving said airstream from said outlet opening of said housing and for deflecting said airstream through an air discharge opening extending in a generally horizontal plane and into a projected pattern which is generally transverse to the path of travel of said frame means and at varying angles of inclination relative to the horizontal so as to impinge upon the plants with varying angles of impingement, said deflector means including a deflector wall having an inner end, an inner wall portion extending from said inner end, and an outer wall portion extending from said inner wall portion and terminating in an outer edge, said inner wall portion having a configuration adapted to direct the airstream discharged from said outlet opening generally transversely of the path of travel of said frame means, and said outer wall portion having an upwardly curved contour adapted to generally upwardly deflect the airstream flowing past said inner wall portion, said outer edge of said deflector wall being obliquely inclined relative to the horizontal so that the air blast is discharged from said discharge opening at varying angles relative to the horizontal, and spray nozzle means positioned in said discharge opening for spraying the liquid to be delivered to the plants into said air blast emanating from said discharge opening.

Claim 16

An apparatus for spraying a liquid against plants which are grown in rows comprising: vehicle means which is movable along a path parallel to the row of plants to be sprayed; blower means mounted to said vehicle means for generating at least one air blast in a generally transverse direction and at a height adapted to impinge upon the foliage of the plants to be sprayed; sprayer means mounted to said vehicle means for spraying a liquid into the air blast generated from said blower means; said blower means including housing means having an air inlet opening formed at one end thereof and an air outlet opening formed at the opposing end thereof; said blower means further including deflector means mounted to said housing means in communication with said air outlet opening, said deflector means having an air discharge opening oriented to direct an air blast in said generally transverse direction, said discharge opening being elongated and extending in a generally horizontal plane; said sprayer means including a plurality of spaced nozzles mounted within said air discharge opening; said blower housing means being mounted to said vehicle means such that said air inlet opening is disposed at the top end of said housing means and said outlet opening is disposed at the bottom end of said housing means thereby minimizing the possibility that dirt and other loose debris adjacent the ground will be drawn into said blower means and subsequently down onto the plants being sprayed.

Claim 17

An apparatus for spraying a liquid against plants which are grown in rows comprising: vehicle means which is movable along a path parallel to the row of plants to be sprayed; blower means mounted to said vehicle means for generating at least one air blast in a generally transverse direction and at a height adapted to impinge upon the foliage of the plants to be sprayed; sprayer means mounted to said vehicle means for spraying a liquid into the air blast generated from said blower means; said blower means including housing means having an air inlet opening formed at one end thereof and an air outlet opening formed at the opposing end thereof; said blower means further including deflector means mounted to said housing means in communication with said air outlet opening, said deflector means having an air discharge opening oriented to direct an air blast in said generally transverse direction, said discharge opening being elongated and extending in a generally horizontal plane; said sprayer means including a plurality of spaced nozzles mounted within said air discharge opening; said blower housing means being mounted to said vehicle means such that said air inlet opening is disposed at the top end of said housing means and said outlet opening is disposed at the bottom end of said housing means thereby minimizing the possibility that dirt and other loose debris adjacent the ground will be drawn into said blower means and subsequently down onto the plants being sprayed.

Claim 18

An apparatus for spraying a liquid on low-lying or medium height plants which are grown in rows comprising: vehicle means which is movable along a path parallel to the row of plants to be sprayed; blower means mounted to said vehicle means for generating at least one air blast in a generally transverse direction and at a height adapted to impinge upon the plants to be sprayed; sprayer means mounted to said vehicle means for spraying a liquid into the air blast generated from said blower means, said blower means including housing means having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening formed therein; said blower means further including deflector means mounted to said housing means in communication with said air outlet opening, said deflector means having an air discharge opening oriented to direct an air blast in said generally transverse direction, said air discharge opening being elongated and extending in a generally horizontal plane; said sprayer means including a plurality of nozzles mounted in spaced positions along said air discharge opening; said deflector means being so contoured and so mounted relative to said vehicle means as to direct at least a portion of the air blast emanating therefrom in a generally horizontal direction adjacent the ground to thereby impinge upon portions of the plants which are adjacent the ground and to direct other portions of the air blast at various upwardly directed angles relative to the horizontal to impinge upon the upper portions of the plants, said housing means of said blower means being vertically mounted upon said vehicle means such that said air inlet opening is at the top end of said housing means thereby minimizing the possibility that dirt or other debris suspended in the air above the ground level as a result of said air blast will be drawn into the blower means and blown against the plants being sprayed.

Claim 19

An apparatus for spraying a liquid on low-lying or medium height plants which are grown in rows comprising: vehicle means which is movable along a path parallel to the row of plants to be sprayed; blower means mounted to said vehicle means for generating at least one air blast in a generally transverse direction and at a height adapted to impinge upon the plants to be sprayed; sprayer means mounted to said vehicle means for spraying a liquid into the air blast generated from said blower means, said blower means including housing means having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening formed therein; said blower means further including deflector means mounted to said housing means in communication with said air outlet opening, said deflector means having an air discharge opening oriented to direct an air blast in said generally transverse direction, said air discharge opening being elongated and extending in a generally horizontal plane; said sprayer means including a plurality of nozzles mounted in spaced positions along said air discharge opening; said deflector means being so contoured and so mounted relative to said vehicle means as to direct at least a portion of the air blast emanating therefrom in a generally horizontal direction adjacent the ground to thereby impinge upon portions of the plants which are adjacent the ground and to direct other portions of the air blast at various upwardly directed angles relative to the horizontal to impinge upon the upper portions of the plants, said housing means of said blower means being vertically mounted upon said vehicle means such that said air inlet opening is at the top end of said housing means thereby minimizing the possibility that dirt or other debris suspended in the air above the ground level as a result of said air blast will be drawn into the blower means and blown against the plants being sprayed.