Deere + Company

Joshua Jacob Engelbrecht

Kent Alvin Klemme

Richard Allen Humpal

Mark E Barker

Garry Eugene Baxter

Jack Conan Anderson

Michael L Gardner

Peter Hloben

Pierre Van Raaij

Julien Saint Laurent

Michael Dean Fugate

An agricultural sprayer system includes a solution circuit including solution lines and a fluid pump to pump a solution from the solution tank through the solution lines to the spray nozzles; an air circuit including air lines and a source of compressed air to selectively introduce air pressure into the solution circuit; and a control system including a controller configured to control flow of the solution and the compressed air. The controller is configured to perform a spray cycle in which, during a primary portion, a control valve is controlled to isolate the air circuit from the solution circuit so that the solution is pumped by the fluid pump from the solution tank to the spray nozzles, and in which, during an air pressure application portion, the control valve is controlled so that the solution is forced through the solution circuit by the compressed air.

Agricultural sprayer with compressed air spray

A trailed agricultural implement is disclosed. The trailed agricultural implement includes a hydraulically-driven pump for moving a fluid at an actual fluid rate. An electro-hydraulic valve is configured to regulate an implement hydraulic pressure to the hydraulically-driven pump. The hydraulically-driven pump regulates the actual fluid rate. The electro-hydraulic valve is configured to receive a vehicle hydraulic pressure. The electro-hydraulic valve communicates with a vehicle load sense system. The load sense system senses the implement hydraulic pressure and communicates with a vehicle hydraulic pump. The vehicle hydraulic pump adjusts the vehicle hydraulic pressure to correspond to the implement hydraulic pressure.

Trailed agricultural implement pump with hydraulic flow rate control

A regulator valve includes an inlet coupled for receiving a spray solution delivered by a fixed displacement pump coupled to a solution tank. Located in the valve body so as to divide the solution received at the inlet between a bypass or tank port of the regulator valve, and a boom port is a ball valve in the form of a hollow sphere having a first circular opening in register with said inlet, a second circular opening in register with said boom port and an elongate, wedge-shaped opening in register with said bypass port. The ball valve is mounted for rotation about an axis which is coaxial with the first circular opening and includes a stem coupled to an electric motor for actuating the valve, the motor being coupled for receiving a control signal for causing the motor to position the ball for dividing the flow so as to achieve a desired solution application rate.

Spray application rate regulating valve

A fast fill pump system for a self-propelled field sprayer includes high capacity centrifugal pump for tank filling. The centrifugal pump is connected in parallel with the fill connection and primed by a lower capacity diaphragm spraying pump. Two check valves and a pressure sensor allow the sprayer control to automatically control the pump priming and tank filling with the activation of one switch. The two-pump system preserves tank filling speed, even during operation of eductor or tank agitation functions. The centrifugal pump can be removed and the spraying pump operated to fill the tank without substantial base machine modification.

Self-priming fast fill sprayer pump system

An agricultural sprayer includes tubular main frame rails supporting tank and plumbing structure. A tank port is located between the rails with a substantial portion of the plumbing structure supported between the rails and between the upper and lower planes of the rails for protection and a neat appearance. The upright walls of the rails include round holes reinforced with round tube secured to the walls to seal the wall and prevent contaminants from entering the rails. The round tube is split to allow torsional frame flexibility while preventing high stress at the round tube sidewall connections. A straight horizontal fluid line path between the port and a location outside the frame is provided through the round tube to limit line length, eliminate elbows, improve appearance, improve cleanout functions and facilitate a low mounting of the tank on the frame.

Implement with plumbing lines through a main frame tube

A stationary rinse nozzle made of durable, non-corrosive material includes a simple deflector directing a uniform water jet in all directions so the need for a rotating nozzle or a multi-apertured rinse tube is eliminated. A large rinse orifice provides the necessary volume of water for effective low pressure rinsing of residual products from the tank walls. The deflector support is located in the middle of a tube so that blank spots in the spray pattern are avoided.

Tank rinse structure for an agricultural sprayer

A chemical loading system includes a venturi located at the top of the solution tank to reduce the fluid mass that has to be lifted into the tank. An anti-bridging nozzle at the outlet of the eductor hopper assures that material is pushed into the vacuum created by the venturi. To reduce air space in the granular material and increase pull by the venturi vacuum, fluid is directed to the material through the anti-bridging nozzle and through a rinse ring around the top of the hopper. The rinse ring, also used to rinse the hopper after loading the material and provide structural rigidity, includes a rolled edge at the top of the hopper walls with notches in the edge of the ring to provide improved placement of rinsing solution.

Structure for loading chemicals into solution tanks

A dual counterbalance valve is added in the hydraulic lines between the steering unit and the steering cylinders on an implement to maintain pressure in the steering lines by metering hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinders under pressure so that the steered wheels stay in phase. Since the steering system is kept under constant pressure, the wheels can only be steered by the steering unit and not by tractive soil forces so toe in and toe out problems are eliminated without need for a mechanical tie rod connecting the steered wheels. The valve is added in-line to the system so that current machines can be easily retrofitted.

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Ankeny, IA, United States of America

Joshua Jacob Engelbrecht