US2419353A - Boll weevil eradicator - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1947- c. v. HENLEY" BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATOR Filed Jan. 24, 1945 2 vSheets-Sheet l Gttornegs April 22 1947- c. v. HENLl-:Y

BOLL wEEvIL ERADICATOR 2 Shees-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1945 ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for eradicating boll weevils.

An object of the invention is the provision of a machine having a suction apparatus thereon, with suction intakes adapted to be drawn along the ground and against the bushes in a pair of rows for collecting the boll weevils from the ground and from the Vbushes and dropping the same into a storage bin.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine for removing boll weevils from plants and from the ground, said machine having a plurality of suction intakes which are mounted for adjustment on the machine and which are adapted to be drawn along the sides of the bushes for evacuating boll weevils, said machine having a suction device connected with the suction intakes, with means on the machine for collecting the boll Weevils before said weevils are drawn into the suction apparatus.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine for eradicating boll weevils from plants in which a wheeled frame carries a plurality of suction intakes, with the suction intakes connected to a manifold by flexible tubes, said manifold being in communication with a storage tank receiving the boll weevils and a suction device, certain of the suction intakes being located at the sides of the frame and vertically disposed so that they may be moved into close association with rows of bushes, said intakes being adjustably mounted for manual operation so that the position of the intakes may be varied for a more complete contact with the bushes, others of the intakes being positioned to move above the ground for recovering boll weevils that are on the surface of the ground adjacent the rows.

This invention will be best understood .from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawings -forming a. part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not conned to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications as dene the material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation of the machine. v

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary enlarged front view in elevation of a suction intake which is movable over the ground.

Fig .5 is a side view of the suction intake illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of the intake shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring more particularlyfto the drawings I0 designates a U-shaped beam having axles I I at its ends upon which arev mounted wheels -I2.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the axles are at a lower horizontal level than the beam I0 per se. The wheels I2 are of large diameter and support the machine above the ground.

A triangularly shaped frame generally desighated by the numeral I'5 consists of a front bar I6 and a pair of inclined side bars II which terminate at a point at the rear of the machine.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the rear portions I8 of the bars Il are located at a lower horizontal plane than the bars Il per se. Depending members I9 connect the portions I8 with the bars Il.

The rear portion of the frame is supported by a small broad wheel 20. This wheel is carried by a fork 2I having bearings 2 for supporting the rear end of the frame I5. The shank 23'of the fork 2I is pivotally mounted in a passage at the rear end of said frame. the frame as shown at 24 is secured to the beam III, said frame being welded or secured in any approved manner to the beam.

The rear horizontal portions I8 of the frame I5 provides a support for a suction apparatus 25 upon whichis mounted ak container 26 for fuel which is supplied toTan internal combustion engine 21. A suction ian 28 is driven by a shaft 29 and this shaft is rotated by a pulley 30, a belt 3I and a pulley 32, the belt lbeing trained upon the pulleys 30 and 32. The pulley 32 is secured to a shaft 33 which is driven by the engine 21. The engine operates the fan 28 only. A tongue'35 -is connected in any yapproved manner to the frame` I5 at the rear of the beam lll and the forward end 36 of this tongue is provided with perforations-B'I so that the same may be connected to a tractor and drawn along the rows of plants. i

A manifold 40 is located centrally of the machine and below the beam IIl. A storage tank The front end of 4| is in open communication with the manifold 40 adjacent the rear end thereof so that when air is drawn through the manifold which has been supplied with boll weevils through the operation of the suction fan 28 the boll weevils will fall into the bin 4|.

A suction intake 45 in the form of a curved plate is located at each side of the machine and approximately below the ends of the bar |-6 of the frame l5. A flexible pipe 4S has one end connected to the manifold 40 while the other end is connected to the periphery of an opening 41 formed in each plate 65 adjacent the forward end of each plate. A second flexible tube 48 is likewise in communication with the manifold 40 and also with a passage 49 in each plate 45 so that a pair of flexible tubes extends from the manifold 40 to perforations in each plate 45.

Two U-shaped members 50 extend downwardly from the bar l5 of the frame i5 and a link 5l is suspended from each U-shaped member. The lower end oi each link receives an eye 52 secured to the back of each plate 45.

A link 55 at each end of the bar i6 connects an eye 56 secured to the upper end of each plate 45 to a U-shaped member 51 projecting downwardly from an end of the bar I6. In other words the links 5l and 55 flexibly support the plates 45 at the front end of the machine A bell crank lever Si] is pivotally mounted at El on the bar I6 at each side of the center of the bar. A link 62 connects one arm of the bell crank 60 with the plate 45 at one side of the machine. An operating rod B3 has one end pivotally connected with the other arm of the bell crank 6U while the other end of the rod is provided with a manipulating handle 5&1. There is a rod provided at each side of the center of the machine and each rod passes through a guide B5. These handles 64 are located close .to a seat 65 for the operator of the machine. It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the seat is carried by a bracket 61 which is bolted or riveted to the top of the manifold di). The swingably or flexibly supported intakes 55 may be variously adjusted since reciprocation of the rod 63 toward the rear will operate the bell crank 6B so that the outer ends of the intakes 45 will be moved inwardly toward the center of the machine while the inner ends of said intakes will be moved outwardly of the wheels l2. The opposite movement of the rod S3 will reverse the position of the intakes just described- In other words, these intakes may be adjusted so they will move in closer contact with the rows of bushes when the machine is drawn along a definite path.

A iiexible tube or hose 10 is placed in communication with the manifold 40 at each side thereof, and these tubes extend outwardly and downwardly toward the ground where they are connected to a hollow nipple 1| formed at the upper end of a cup-shaped intake 12. An axle 13 extends rigidly from one end of each intake 12 and a wheel 14 is mounted on the axle for supporting the intake at a predetermined distancev above the ground.

An eye 15 is secured to each cup-shaped intake 12 and a link 15 is connected with each eye and extends forwardly where the link is connected to the lower end of the associated intake 45.

Before drawing the machine betweenjrows of said bushes the intakes 45 are properly adjusted to meet the conditions and the motor 21 is started for operating the fan 28 to create the suction in the manifold 40 for the various flexible tubes.

As the machine is drawn along the boll weevils will be drawn through the openings in the intakes 45 and through the tubes, thence into the manifold 40, after which the boll weevils will be dropped in the storage bin or container 4 l. Some of the boll weevils will be dropped on the ground as the suction intakes 45 are moved against the bushes but since the intakes 12 follow the intakes 45 the boll weevils will likewise be picked up oif the ground by the intakes 12 and carried to the bin or container 4I.

I claim:

1. A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising a wheeled carriage, means on the carriage for producing suction, plates mounted on the carriage extending horizontally at diverging angles and provided with spaced openings, and tubes connected between the openings and suction means, said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows of plants, the angular displacement of the plates engaging separated rows of plants being `such that the weevils on the plants will be `drawn through the openings and tubes.

2.- A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising a wheeled carriage, means on the carriage for producing suction, horizontally extending curved plates mounted on the carriage and provided with spaced openings, and tubes connected between the openings and the suction means, said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows of plants so that the weevils on the plants will be drawn through the openings and tubes, and means for moving the plates relatively outwardly in close association with the plants.

3. A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising e. wheeled carriage, means on the carriage for producing suction, horizontally extending plates swingably mounted on the carriage and provided with spaced openings, and tubes connected between the openings and suction means, said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows of plants so that the weevils on the plants will be drawn through the openings and tubes, and means for shifting the plates outwardly laterally relatively to each other into close association with adjacent rows of plants.

4. A machine for eradicating boll weevils comprising a wheeled carriage, means on the carriage for producing suction, horizontally extending curved plates swingably mounted on the carriage and provided with spaced openings, and tubes connected between the openings and suction means, said carriage being adapted to be drawn between rows of plants so that the weevils on the plants will be drawn through the openings and tubes, and means for retaining the curved plates in position at an angle to the plant rows and for moving them in close associatedwith the contiguous sides of the plant rows so that when the carriage is drawn between rows of plants the weevils will be sucked through the openings and tubes away from the plants.

5. A machine for eradicating boll weevils, comprising a wheeled carriage, a suction means'on the carriage, curved plates swingably mounted at their upper ends on the carriage and provided with spaced openings, flexible pipes connecting the openings with the suction means, a container connected with the pipes for collecting weevils drawn through the pipes by the suction means, suction intakes adapted .to travel along the ground at the rear of the curved plates, means supporting the intakes above the ground, flexible pipes connecting the intakeswiththe suction means, means flexibly connecting the intakes with the plates, and means moving the plates toward plants containing Weevils and retaining said plates in position when the carriage is drawn between rows of said plants.

6. A machine for eradicating boll weevils comprising a wheeled carriage, a suction means on the carriage, horizontally extending plates disposed at an angle to each other and swingably mounted at their upper ends on the carriage and provided with spaced openings located above the ground level, pipes connecting the openings with the suction means, ground suction intakes at the rear of and below the bottom edges of the plates, exible pipes connecting the intakes with the ground suction means, and means moving the plates laterally toward the plant rows containing weevils and retaining said plates in position when the carriage is drawn between rows of said plants.

CHARLES V. HENLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 779,945 Lehmann Jan. 10, 1905 1,146,687 Britton et al July 13, 1915 15 1,068,941 Shaw July 29, 1913 2,201,463 Williams et al May 21, 1940

Images