Patents Assigned to Tecnoma
  • Patent number: 5586725
    Abstract: A spray device, especially for agricultural use, includes a centrifugal compressor which sends compressed air to at least one injector (20) placed upstream of the throat (16) of a convergent-divergent, so as to entrain the surrounding air by a venturi effect. The convergent-divergent may itself be of flattened shape, but it is preferred to group several parallel convergents-divergents (14) together along a line parallel to the maximum extension of the section of the air stream to be created. The device includes blowing panels (7), with a box-type structure, which have the convergents-divergents passing through them in leak-tight fashion. The internal volume of the box structure (7) constitutes a compressed air manifold connected, on the one hand, to the compressor and, on the other hand, to the injectors (20) by pipes (21, 22, 23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: 5478013
    Abstract: A vehicle, equipped with the usual spray equipment and with a casing for controlling spraying, placed in the driver's cab, is furthermore equipped, according to the invention, with a monitoring member (8) which compares the current situation of the various elements of the equipment with the normal situation of these elements for an operation prior or subsequent to spraying, this operation being displayed on the monitoring member. The operator is informed by luminous or acoustic signals whether or not it is possible to carry out the operation displayed, and of the elements on which he may have to act manually in order to render this operation possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J.-M. Ballu
  • Patent number: 5454522
    Abstract: An apparatus for breaking solid objects includes a box-shaped support (6) open at the top and at the bottom, a substantially horizontal rotor (6) mounted in the box and carrying at least one knife which turns with it while passing between backing knives, an active face of which is turned toward the rotor, and preferably has teeth, the backing knives being movable independently of each other and having their own return means, for example by oscillating the backing knives on a pivot parallel to the rotor. The knives may be set in forced oscillation, and may be individually removable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: 5323963
    Abstract: A nozzle for spraying liquids includes a body pierced with a bore, preferably a cylindrical or cylindro-conical bore, and carrying an endpiece pierced with an orifice which may be frustoconical flowing out towards the outside or dihedral opening out towards the outside, this orifice being coaxial with a preferably hemispherical swirl chamber and opening out into the latter via a narrow passage. The endpiece is made from an elastically deformable material, and a restraining component, carried by the body and able to move with respect to the endpiece, acts on the endpiece in order to adjust the cross-section and/or the shape of the the orifice without substantially deforming the swirl chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick Ballu
  • Patent number: 5222614
    Abstract: A carrier vehicle is solidly connected to a stationary support frame (2) which carries, by pivot joints or of a ball joint (3), a movable support frame (1) obliged to pivot only about a transverse axis relative to the direction of the travel of the vehicle and, optionally, a vertical axis. The movable support frame (1) carries a treatment boom of a suspension, for example of the swinging or rocker link type, acting in a transverse plane. The center of gravity of the assembly that includes the movable support frame and the boom is maintained on a vertical line passing through the pivot joint or the ball joint (3) or in a plane passing through the transverse axis and containing the resultant of the gravitational and inertial forces which are exerted on this assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: 5176276
    Abstract: A disassemblable container capable of sustaining pressure and disassemblable into a body and a lid and which is assembled with a leaktight seal includes a piece which is movable but integrally connected to the body and is pushed into a cavity of the lid under the effect of the internal pressure acting on a shutter and in opposition to an elastic return member. By pressing the movable piece, the shutter is brought into a pressure-release position. The shutter prevents the opening of the container when under an excessively high pressure and advantageously also serves as a safety shutter against overpressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: 5125578
    Abstract: Device for spraying liquids comprising a body (1A, 1B) having an inlet passage (2) which can be connected to a feed line (2); a chamber (3) provided in the body and communicating with the inlet passage; an outlet passage (8) which communicates with the chamber (3); a bearing surface surrounding the body portion which contains the chamber (3) and in which the outlet passage emerges; and a nozzle-carrier component (12) mounted rotatably on the bearing surface, carrying at least two nozzles (13) and having orifices disposed in order to place a specific nozzle in communication with the said outlet passage for a suitable position of the said nozzle-carrier component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick Ballu
  • Patent number: 5005440
    Abstract: A piston pump has a piston rod comprising a casting with a cross-section of external circular shape and having at least two longitudinal, parallel open grooves each of a predetermined depth such that each groove extends beyond an axial plane lying perpendicular to a median plane of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: 4982898
    Abstract: Device for simultaneously projecting onto plants one or more jets of particles or droplets of a treatment product and a stream of air for facilitating the displacement of the particles or droplets, and comprising a frame carrying substantially vertical slideways along which can slide, on the one hand, a boom carrying a row of atomization means and pressurized air pipes having suitably oriented passages, and on the other hand, separately, a fan feeding the said pipes and connected thereto by a deformable hose, or a connector of adjustable length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. M. Ballu
  • Patent number: 4947986
    Abstract: A container apparatus for introducing a metered quantity of a product into a vessel such as a mixing and diluting tank without includes a capsule which is in two parts joined together by screwing and which is integral with a clamping collar screwed onto a neck (2) of the vessel. A first one of the parts of the capsule rotates together with the clamping collar during the screwing, whereas the second part is immobilized in terms of rotation relative to the vessel, and the screw pitches are such that the screwing of the clamping collar onto the neck causes the separation of the two parts the capsule and opens slots in the second part so that the product contained in the capsule can flow therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. M. Ballu
  • Patent number: 4936483
    Abstract: The invention relates to a receptacle which can be dismantled into two elements and can withstand an internal pressure, preferably made from plastic which is impossible or difficult to dismantle the receptacle when it is under pressure. The receptacle comprises a male element which partially penetrates into a female element. The female element bears, on its outer face, attachment means, for example a male thread designed to cooperate with attachment means such as a female thread carried by a connecting member such as a ring fixed to the male element for the purposes of axial translation. When the pressure is applied to the receptacle, the latter deforms until the attachment means lock, in particular by jamming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: 4930531
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for cleaning the inside of a container.A rotor (10) has mounted on it at least one nozzle (12) oriented tangentially so as to cause the rotor to rotate when the said nozzle emits a jet (13) of liquid intended to clean the inside of the container. The rotor (10) is itself mounted on a rotating head (6) capable of rotating about an axis xx' not parallel with the axis yy' of the rotor, this head being provided with an auxiliary spout (7) which causes it to rotate about this axis xx', such that the whole of the inner surface of the container is scavenged. Preferably, the nozzle (12) and the auxiliary spout (7) are supplied with the same cleaning liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: 4881687
    Abstract: A portable sprayer has a container is provided with a threaded hole for selectively mounting to either a hand pump which pressurizes the interior of the container or an electric pump, which may be operated by batteries or a rechargeable accumulator, which delivers the liquid to the sprayer without pressurizing the container. The container is provided with another threaded hole for filling purposes. This hole can be closed by a leak-tight stopper, which is equipped with a valve or a pressure gauge if the hand pump is used, or by a simpler stopper if the electric pump is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. M. Ballu
  • Patent number: 4872467
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the rinsing of containers, particularly small-size containers of plant-protective or toxic products.The same assembly comprises a rinsing liquid inlet, a channel directed upwards which can penetrate into the container to be rinsed, introduced with the opening downwards, and an ejector fed by a branch from the rinsing liquid supply and capable of removing the draining liquid collected in a funnel surrounding the channel. Preferably, the positioning of the container controls, via a pushing device, the supply of liquid to the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick Ballu
  • Patent number: 4716678
    Abstract: This invention relates to a device for treatment of culture by moistening. This device comprises at least one practically horizontal tubular tank (3) having a slit (4) in which are clamped the upper ends (2) of flexible capillary wicks (1) adapted for resting on the vegetation. This tank (3) is intermittently fed with a pressurized liquid, such as a weed-killer. According to the invention, each inlet (5) through which pressurized liquid is intermittently fed to a tank (3) is provided with a calibrated orifice (6) acting as an atomizer for spraying liquid into the tank. Preferably, a ball valve (7) biased by a spring (9) against its seat (8) is provided for preventing the liquid from dripping into the tank (3) during interruptions of pressure. In case the upper ends (2) of the wicks (1) are so tightly clamped in the slit (4) of the tank that capillary flow would be impeded, a row of orifices (10) is provided along an edge of the slit (4 ) for allowing liquid to seep onto the wicks (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Assignee: Tecnoma S.A.
    Inventor: Patrick Ballu
  • Patent number: 4710109
    Abstract: A diaphragm pump has at least one double-acting piston moving in a cylinder closed at its ends by diaphragms and filled with oil. The diaphragms are capped by cylinder heads defining the chambers in which warping of the diaphragms produces the suction and discharge of liquid to be pumped through suction and discharge tubes each having a one-way valve therein. The diaphragms are centrally connected to the piston ends by screws whose screw heads have the form of a large diameter, concave metal cup. The screw head concavity faces the cylinder heads and has an internal surface provided with, for example, annular reliefs, ensuring a large contact surface between the screw heads and the pumped cooling liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. M. Ballu
  • Patent number: 4592164
    Abstract: This invention relates to a mobile device for applying a weed-killer between rows of cultivated plants, e.g. vine stocks. This applicator has a moistening contact action, as distinguished from spraying. It comprises at least one tubular container, the axis of which is horizontal during use, with flexible wicks extending outside of this tube for applying a weed-killer to the weeds.The main feature of this applicator is that the wicks are in the shape of flat braids laying side-by-side so as to form a single continuous sheet, ensuring a uniform distribution of the product over the treated area.One embodiment of the invention is a tractor-mounted device in which two swivelling arms extending right and left of a median frame carry the applicator devices. These arms are resiliently biased outwardly and may fold inwards when meeting an obstacle such as a vine stock, and spread out again after clearing the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1986
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. M. Ballu
  • Patent number: D307628
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: D311571
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: TECNOMA
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu
  • Patent number: D312297
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Tecnoma
    Inventor: Patrick J. Ballu