GB2263853A - Underground watering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

2263853 UNDERGROUND WATERING SYSTEM THIS INVENTION relates to underground

watering systems and is particularly concerned with novel irrigation and fertilization apparatus and a means for placing such apparatus in situ.

Plants are generally watered and fertilized at ground level by spraying or drip feeding, with reliance being placed upon the water and fertilizer percolating down to the root zone to enable growth -to occur. This is a very inefficient method of watering due to loss by evaporation, run-off and/or saturation and fertilization of regions and zones in which there are no plant roots. Furthermore, surface watering promotes surface roots which can result in plant dieback if watering is discontinued in dry periods.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for getting water and/or fertilizer to the root zone to promote deep roots; which method does not have the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for supplying water and/or fertilizer in solution form to the effective root zone of a plant, said apparatus comprising a tube adapted to extend from approximately ground level to the effective root zone of a plant, said tube being open at the end in the effective root zone and being sealed at it's other end by a removable closure member,. the said apparatus including a micro- irrigation line inlet therein.

The term "effective root zone" is intended to refer to the zone surrounding the portion of the plant's root system 2 - 0 0 which is primarily active in absorbing water and nutrients for growth and maintenance.

Preferably, the micro-irrigation line inlet is located in the upper, in use, end of the tube, adjacent to the removable closure member. The inlet may take the form of a nipple to which a flexible micro tube, as conventionally used in micro-irrigation, can be connected by frictional engagement.

The removable closure member can take any configuration so long as it forms an effective closure and permits unimpeded access to the tube when required as hereinafter described. A suitable closure member comprises a plug having an external screw-threaded end portion below a cap which screws into an internally threaded section on the end of the tube. Preferably, there is a collar fitted to, or formed integrally with, the end of the tube which includes the internal thread. The micro-irrigation line inlet may suitably be connected into this collar. The collar can, furthermore, have an arrangement associated therewith which enables the incoming water flow to be regulated.

Holes may be formed in the side wall of the tube to enable more efficient irrigation and/or fertilization over a wider band of the root zone or surrounding, if so required.

The apparatus can be manufactured from standard offthe-shelf components, such as h.d. polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyethylene and like pipe and pipe fittings, and microtube connectors, and is thus relatively inexpensive to produce.

In use, water is suppled through the micro- 1 1 - 3 irrigation line inlet and runs down the tube through the open end and any holes in the side wall thereof, to the medium surrounding the effective root zone of the plant. The plant is thereby assured of an available supply of water where it is needed most and there is no wastage due to evaporation or wetting of unwanted root or rootless regions.

If it is desired to fertilize the plant, fertilizer such as a slow release fertilizer, preferably in pelletized form, is placed in the tube after removing the closure member, the tube is resealed and the water f low is turned on so that the water can percolate around the fertilizer and pass the required nutrients to the effective root zone. Other agents such as plant growth stimulants, herbicides, fungicides, antibacterial materials, trace elements and the like can similarly be introduced to the effective root zone of the plant.

In order to be able to readily monitor whether water is f lowing in the apparatus, a micro drip line can be put in place so as to feed a small quantity of water to the ground surface from the watering tube. This will show up as a wet patch Lnd give instant visual recognition that there is water flow. Such an arrangement is particularly useful -in large orchards as it enables the orchardist to view the operation of the watering system upon driving past.

The.micro drip line can be connected to the watering tube by a nipple protruding from the wall thereof, or can be associated with a collar, if fitted thereto. In this latter instance, it could be formed integrally with the micro- 4 LO 0 irrigation line inlet.

Another aspect of the invention' concerns a complete irrigation system comprising a plurality of watering apparatus as described above, connected to a micro-irrigation arrangement comprising a main water supply pipe having a plurality of flexible micro -tubes connected thereto which are, in turn, separately connected to one each of the said watering apparatus.

The watering apparatus of the invention can be placed in situ at the same time as the plant is planted, or after the plant has been planted or established. Yet another aspect of the invention is concerned with the equipment necessary to achieve such in situ placement. According to this aspect there is provided a pipe having a smaller diameter than the tube of the aforementioned watering apparatus to enable insertion therein so as to protrude from each end of the tube, said pipe including a handle at one end with an associated valve and means for connecting to a water source. Such a pipe enables the controlled injection of water under pressure through the pipe while it is held vertically inside the watering tube so as to evacuate a passageway for the watering 'apparatus to be progressively urged into the ground until it reaches the required depth.

In order to facilitate the downward movement of the watering tube into the ground, the handle is suitably formed at right angles to the pipe, at the very end thereof, so that it can be used to push the tqbe into the ground as the high pressure water evacuates a furrow for it.

- The proximate valve is preferred contained on the handle itself to enable the f low of water to be easily and conveniently controlled.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a watering apparatus according to the present invention, in situ; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the watering apparatus of Figure 1 in the process of being placed in situ; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative closure-member arrangement.

In all drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts..

Referring to Figure 1, the watering apparatus 10 comprises a watering tube 16 connected by way of a microirrigation line 11, to a water supply pipe 12.

The watering tube 16 extends down to the effective root zone 13 of a plant 14, and projects above the ground level '15 by a small distance. Microirrigation line 11 and water supply pipe 12 are buried just below the ground level. In some circumstances however, such as in the case of rocky ground or simply because of convenience, it may be more suitable to lay the micro- irrigation line 11 and/or supply pipe 12 on the ground surface. This in no way af f ects the operation of the system.

The watering tube 16 is fabricated from extruded h. d. polyvinylchloride plastics material which is open at its lower end 17 and closed at its upper end with a closure member 18- The closure member consists of a plastic screw cap which screws into a complementary threaded section of a plastic collar 19 formed on the upper end of the tube.

A hollow plastic nipple 20 extends from the side wall of the collar 19 and enables frictional connection with the flexible plastic micro- irrigation line 11.

In operation, water flowing through the supply pipe 12 is supplied at a constant pre-determined flow rate to the top of tube 16 by way of line 11. The water flows down the tube and seeps out into the ef fective root zone at open end 17. Excess water builds up in the line and seeps out through holes 21. In this manner, the entire effective root zone 13 of the plant is watered without wastage.

When it is desired to fertilize the plant, the cap 18 is removed and slow release, or other fertilizer, suitably in granular form so as not to unduly hinder the f low of water through the tubes, is placed in the tube 16. The cap is then replaced and the water flow started. Water seeps over the fertilizer and carries the dissolved nutrients directly to the effective.root zone 13.

Figure 2 demonstrates how the watering apparatus 10 is placed in situ. In the depicted arrangement, the watering apparatus is already half inserted into the ground, the surface of which is indicated by reference numeral 15.

As shown, a pipe 22 is inserted into the watering tube 16 so that it extends right down the inside of the tube A -5 and projects from the lower end 17. The pipe is angled at its lower end 23 so that water can be ejected downwardly but can escape sideways if necessary.

The upper end of the pipe includes a T-piece 24 with a rim 28 which rests on the collar 19 of the watering tube. The T-piece is connected to a hand operable valve 25 having a handle 26 and a water inlet nozzle attachment 27 for attachment to a hose.

In operation, water under pressure enters through the inlet nozzle 27 from a hose and passes through the valve 25, down the pipe 22 and out the bottom in the direction indicated by the arrows. The water then passages upwardly on the exterior of the watering tube 16 carrying with it the ground material which it has loosened. As the ground material at the bottom of the pipe is carried away, the pipe is urged downwardly into the cavity which has been created by pushing down on the manipulable valve handle 25. This simultaneously urges the watering tube 16 further down until it is buried up to about its collar 19. Water injection is then discontinued by shutting of ú the valve handle 26, and the pipe 22 is withdravn f rom the tube 16. A cap is f illed to the open top end of the tube., and the nipple 20 is connected to a microirrigation line.

It is possible to design the watering apparatus so as to effectively obviate the need for separate insertion equipment by, for example, incorporating a water inlet means on the top end of the watering tube and, optionally, including a handle means.

Figure 3 illustrates an alternative closure-member and collar arrangement for fitting to the top of the watering tube 16. It comprises an integral moulding 30 of tubular configuration for frictional fitment once the tube 16 has been placed in the ground. The interior of the moulding includes a hollow tubular "V section 31 with an attachment 32 for adjusting the flow of water therethrough to the interior of the tube 16. The "V section 31 extends through the side wall of the moulding and includes nipples 33, 34 for respective attachment to a micro-irrigation inlet line 35 and a microirrigation outlet line 36. The inlet line 35 leads to a water supply line and the outlet line 36 leads to a micro-drip on the ground surface.

Access cap 37 is screw-threaded and enables fertilizer or the like to be added to the watering tube 16.

In operation, water is fed through the inlet line 35 to the interior of the watering tube 16 by way of regulated attachment 32. Simultaneously, a small amount of water is expelled through outlet 36 to the micro-drip (not illustrated) wh-lch allows sufficient water onto the ground surface to be readily detectable by eye.

It will be apparent that a micro -irrigation outlet could readily be incorporated into the embodiment depicted in Figure 1 by adding a nipple and line to the collar 19.

It can be seen from above that the irrigation system is very simple to install, is inexpensive, provides good water and fertilizer conservation, and potential to be achieved through enables maximum growth accurate watering and fertilizing.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the invention, many modifications and variations may be made thereto by persons skilled in the art without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.

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Claims (11)

CLAIMS:-

1. Apparatus for supplying water and/or fertilizer in solution form to the effective root zone of a plant, said apparatus comprising a tube adapted to extend from approximately ground level to the effective root zone of a plant, said tube being open at the end in the effective root zone and being sealed at it's other end by a removable closure member, the said apparatus including a micro- irrigation line inlet therein.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the micro irrigation line inlet is located in the upper, in use, end of the tube, adjacent to the removable closure member.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the micro-irrigation line inlet is a nipple which is adapted for connection to a flexible micro-tube by frictional engagement.

4- Apparatus as claimed in any one of ciaims 1-3, wherein the removable closure member comprises a plug which has an external screw threaded end portion which mates with an internally threaded section on the end of the tube.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the internally threaded section on the end of the tube comprises a collar which is fitted to, or formed integrally with, the end of the tube.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein holes are formed in the wall of the tube for the purpose of increasing the region of irrigation and/or fertilization over the effective root zone of the plant.

7. An irrigation system comprising a plurality. of watering apparatus as defined in any one of the preceding claims, which apparatus are connected by way of micro irrigation tubes to a main water supply pipe.

8. A pipe arrangement for insertion into the tube as defined in the apparatus claimed in any one of claims 1-6, said pipe being of sufficient length to protrude from each end of the tube and including a handle portion at one end with a proximate valve, and means for connecting said handle portion to a water source.

9. A pipe arrangement as claimed in claim 8 and including a rim section to restrict movement of said pipe arrangement in said tube.

10. Apparatus for supplying water and/or fertilizer in solution form to the effective root zone of a plant, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A pipe arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.