Rotary fertilizer applicator

Abstract

An applicator for applying dry fertilizer or livestock waste in the form of a slurry beneath the soil surface with minimum soil displacement includes a leading spring-cushioned, conical-shaped, wavy coulter angularly offset from the direction of travel which displaces soil laterally in forming a furrow adapted to receive fertilizer. The coulter is trailed by a single, or a pair of, rotary blade(s) which fill the furrow, covering the deposited fertilizer. A second embodiment includes a second wavy coulter disposed between the leading coulter and the trailing rotary blades for directing soil in a laterally opposed direction from the soil displaced by the leading coulter in forming a wider furrow. The single conical coulter and dual conical coulter embodiments are easily interchangeable in the applicator, and are easily removed and replaced with a curved shank and sweep assembly to convert to sweep fertilizer application.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from prior provisional application No. 61 / 609,037 which was filed on Mar. 9, 2012, herein incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to agricultural fertilizer applicators; and more particularly, it relates to apparatus for subsoil application of dry fertilizer or livestock waste in the form of slurry (that is, a freely flowable mixture of liquids and solids).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Historically, livestock waste, particularly in solid form, has been spread on the surface of the soil by a manure spreader using a flail to fling the material to the rear. A more modern side-discharge spreader also deposits the material on the surface of the soil.[0004]The advent of confinement systems for animals which include pits below the confinement area produces a large amount of animal waste in a slurry form which must be handled and disposed of Typica...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The present invention is designed to operate in a wide variety of soil types and heavy residue. The present invention employs two (2) conical shaped wavy blades to provide openings side-by-side. The front coulter creates a slot and moves soil laterally. A second rear blade is mounted to move soil laterally in the opposite direction. The loosened soil between the two (2) paths is fractured to allow liquid to fill in the voids. One conical wavy blade system could provide an alternate embodiment. This would reduce maximum gallons per acre and create more concentration of nutrients. A slurry delivery tube is mounted to the rear coulter hub support arm. Adjustment is provided so that the front coulter can be operated at the same depth as the rear coulter or operated shallower if desired. In hard soil it is often desirable to run the rear coulter deeper since less down pressure is often required because the front coulter has loosened an adjacent soil path. This coulter application has limitations regarding gallons per acre. Depending on soil moisture, a range of 3000-9000 gallons per acre is fairly realistic using the present invention. The shank that the rear coulter and the closer blades are mounted to can be removed by removing one (1) bolt and loosening two (2) others. A curved shank, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,973,884, may be installed in a forward assembly for sweep application. The high gallon per acre sweep can accommodate a 20,000 gallon application rate, thus providing a very wide range of application.

Problems solved by technology

This coulter application has limitations regarding gallons per acre.

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