Abstract: A spraying support system for a working machine, includes: a support device including a plan creator portion to create a spraying plan representing a relation between field information relating to a field to which spray substance is sprayed and spraying information including spraying amount of the spray substance; a plan obtainer device provided to a working machine having a sprayer device to spray the spray substance and configured to obtain the spraying plan created by the plan creator portion; and a spraying controller device to control a sprayer portion of the sprayer device based on the spraying information of the spraying plan obtained by the plan obtainer device.

Abstract: A novel airflow controller is hereby disclosed in a variety of embodiments illustratively including round-design and tower-design embodiments. In one illustrative embodiment, an airflow controller apparatus includes a blower chamber, at least one sprayer, and at least one diverter. The blower chamber is configured for providing an airstream. The at least one sprayer is positioned proximate to the blower chamber and defines a spray path leading from the sprayer along which the sprayer is configured to spray a fluid. The at least one diverter is movably positioned proximate to the blower chamber and movable across a range of positions between a first position and a second position. When the diverter is in the first position, at least a portion of the airstream is directed out of the blower chamber away from the spray path of the at least one sprayer, and when the diverter is in the second position, at least a portion of the airstream is directed out of the blower chamber toward the spray path of the sprayer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly for a spaying apparatus (10) which includes a ducting assembly (11) mountable about a fan (24), said ducting assembly (11) includes a plurality of ducts (28) formed by a plurality of vanes (29), each of said vanes (29) has a substantially constant width from a duct inlet (32) to a duct outlet (17, 18); a guide member locatable adjacent the ducting assembly (11) and on which the fan (24) is mountable, said guide member (33a) is shaped to direct fan forced air from the guide member (33a) to the duct inlet (32); and spray supply means (19) for providing ducted air with liquid to form spray.

Abstract: A spraying apparatus for crops having unusually high trees, the spraying apparatus comprising means for producing a vertical flow of air with an agrochemical product, an air conduit having an inlet connected to a discharge of the flow producing means and also having an outlet, spraying means for producing a mist from the air flow with the agricultural product and spraying the mist to a tree, the air conduit being flexible and bellows-shaped, and means for extending and retracting the air conduit so that the air conduit can be extended and retracted according to a height of the tree and to position the spraying means at a corresponding height for spraying the mist to a desired target.

Abstract: An integrated multi-head device for effectively converting liquid into mists directed forwardly and laterally of the device. The device may be used by itself or combined with a fan for efficiently entraining the produced mists in the fan's airstream.

Abstract: An economical and compact air handler specially configured for use in agricultural applications is provided. The agricultural air handler includes a shroud formed to surround a rotating shaft having a propeller attached to each end of the shaft. The propellers draw air through an air inlet located proximate the top of the shroud. Each propeller blows the air out of an end of the shroud. A shaft drive rotates the shaft. The shaft drive can be powered by a source outside the shroud, or a source contained within the shroud. The power source can include a hydraulic pump driven by the power take-off of a tractor. An air stream is blown from the shroud. The air stream is directed in an approximately vertically planar flow pattern to remove water ponded within the stem cup of a agricultural crop, such as cherries. The air handler can be used as a freeze protecting heat exchanger or for the application of liquid or dust formulations of agri-chemicals.

Abstract: A device and method for cooling a vegetation covered surface, such as a golf putting green. Said method includes providing an air stream, injecting water into said air stream, and projecting the combined air/water mixture over and onto the surface to be cooled. The air/water mixture generally takes the form of a mist which is able to cool the air space directly above the ground surface, and further provides the advantage of providing cooling and moisture to the vegetation without saturating the subjacent soil. Alternately, the device may be used with only the fan portion operational, or with only the water injection operational.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlled droplet atomization and controlled projection of atomization droplets. More particularly, the present invention is a spray apparatus that produces uniform sized atomized droplets controllable from fog size to larger for spraying fungicides, bactericides, pesticides, insecticides, plant nutrients and other materials applied to crop, ground, and foliage for agricultural and horticultural benefaction. The apparatus generates laminar airflow in a vortex or cyclone pattern functioning to project and distribute spray droplets evenly and more completely on the sprayed surfaces. The resulting vortex or cyclone spray and airflow serves to lift, turn, and flutter plant leaves, exposing all sides to be coated with spray droplets.

Abstract: An improved orchard or grove sprayer having a rigid tubular member arranged to receive the discharge from a blower, flexible upper and lower sleeves secured to the rigid member, and turning vanes secured in the rigid member to direct the majority of air discharged from the blower into the upper flexible sleeve. A clevis and pin located below the lower sleeve connect the sprayer to a trailer carrying a tank, and the flexible sleeve permits inserting and removing the pin while the blower is inoperative. A support post stabilizes the upper sleeve.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer for injecting pesticide into an airstream being directed at foliage to protect the foliage from insects, vermin or the like. The air is generated using fans that pulls in air axially and directs the air outward in a radial direction. The radial outwardly directed air is then fed through a plurality of rotating vertically aligned elliptical paddles to create turbulence in the air. Pre-charged liquid pesticide droplets are then injected through a plurality of nozzles into a second airstream which directs the droplets into the outwardly directed air to regulate the droplet size. An oscillating sensor detects the foliage location and turns nozzles "off" and "on" to spray different foliage locations.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer for injecting pesticide into an airstream being directed at foliage to protect the foliage from insects, vermin or the like. The air is generated using fans that pulls in air axially and directs the air outward in a radial direction. The radial outwardly directed air is then fed through a plurality of rotating vertically aligned elliptical paddles to create turbulence in the air. Pre-charged liquid pesticide droplets are then injected through a plurality of nozzles into a second airstream which directs the droplets into the outwardly directed air to regulate the droplet size. An oscillating sensor detects the foliage location and turns nozzles "off" and "on" to spray different foliage locations.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer, particulary effective for use in orange groves or orchards utilizes a high velocity, high volume axial flow fan which directs air through a plenum chamber in which the air is divided to flow towards opposed lateral openings at the sides of the sprayer. The sprayer is provided with an oscillator for directing the flow of air so that the air flow varies from a substantially downward direction to a substantially upwards direction during the spraying operation. The axial flow fan is mounted relatively high with respect to the ground to avoid the pick up of debris and the like.

Abstract: A mobile ground vehicle is provided intended to move along a path oriented in predetermined position relative to the vehicle and blower structure is mounted on the vehicle and includes an outlet opening outwardly from the vehicle laterally of the aforementioned path. Deflector structure is operatively associated with the outlet for variably deflecting the discharge of air from the outlet through an arch of angular deflection disposed in a plane generally paralleling the aforementioned path and including extremes inclined in opposite directions along the path. Drive structure is operatively associated with the deflector structure for driving the latter between the extremes of angular deflection thereof and object sensor structure is carried by the vehicle for sensing objects past which the vehicle is moved.

Abstract: Apparatus for spraying trees and especially citrus trees comprising a mobile source of pressurized air adapted to be propelled along a path parallel to a row of trees to be sprayed; at least one nozzle connected to the source and having a throat in the form of a vertically oriented slip producing a sheet-like air blast whose principle plane is substantially vertically oriented; means associated with the list of oscillating the principle plane of the air blast about a substantially vertical axis through such an angle and at such a frequency as to impart an oscillatory movement to the leaf structure within the air blast thereby exposing each surface of the leaves to the blast; and a sprayhead associated with each nozzle out of the path of the air blast for spraying atomized liquid into the air blast at a location downstream of the throat.

Abstract: Disclosed is a portable, pulse-jet engine powered fog producing device in which the hot engine components are mounted on one side of a vertical plate and the fuel and insecticide supply tanks are mounted on the opposite side of the plate and in which the engine components are formed to utilize natural convection currents to rapidly cool the engine after shut-down.

Abstract: A fruit harvesting machine consisting of a wheeled support on which is mounted a vertically extending housing containing a pair of transversely arranged blowers, one above the other, the housing having a laterally directed, vertically extending, laterally converging air collection chamber receiving air from the blowers and having a laterally facing discharge passage of substantial height. Movable air-guiding members are mounted in the discharge passage in a vertical array. In one embodiment, the members are louvers horizontally pivoted and linked together for simultaneous oscillating movement. Another embodiment uses a vertical crankshaft and drive linkages to oscillate the louvers. A further embodiment uses vertically pivoted oscillating louvers coupled by gears. A still further embodiment uses vertically journaled rotating apertured drums cooperating with an apertured fixed outlet wall on the mouth of the discharge passage to control the lateral discharge of the high pressure air from the discharge passage.