Abstract
A device for killing or weakening plants and other organisms, has a conveying device for moving the device, a high voltage source and an applicator which is electrically connected to a high voltage source and which has a sensor-guided height-adjusting device. The invention also relates to a method for using the device.
Claims
1. Equipment for killing or weakening plants and other organisms, which comprises a conveying device for moving the equipment, a high voltage source and an applicator which is electrically connected to the high voltage source, wherein the applicator is provided with a sensor-guided height adjusting device.
2. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises at least one brush.
3. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator has at least one belt which is guided over spaced rollers as a continuous belt.
4. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a roller within which the high voltage source is disposed.
5. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator has hollow fibre bristles.
6. The equipment as claimed in one claim 1, wherein it has a device for moistening the applicator.
7. The equipment as claimed in else claim 1, wherein it has at least one water jet.
8. The equipment as claimed in one claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises brush or belt segments which are disposed in movable manner relative to each other.
9. The equipment as claimed in claim 8, wherein applicator segments are connected to the high voltage source separately from one another.
10. The equipment as claimed in claim 8, wherein the applicator segments are disposed next to each other or one behind the other.
11. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator has a profiled surface.
12. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a track vehicle.
13. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying device comprises a bogie and the applicator is fastened to the bogie.
14. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveying device comprises a robot which controls the movement of the equipment.
15. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a mechanical device for killing or weakening plants and other organisms by means of a chemical or physical method.
16. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein it has a memory which is connected to a control device which is connected to the height adjusting device.
17. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the height adjusting device is pneumatically adjustable.
18. A method for using a device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator is moved by means of the conveying device over a ground surface and is moved relative to the conveying device, wherein the speed of the applicator relative to the ground surface is varied as a function of the lateral speed of the conveying device relative to the ground surface.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the data is collected in respect of the area to be treated and the high voltage source and/or the height adjusting device are controlled on the basis of the determined data.
20. The method as claimed claim 18, wherein during use of the equipment, data is collected regarding the operation of the equipment and/or regarding the area to be treated and/or regarding the treated area.
Description
[0041] Advantageous exemplary embodiments are described in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. In the drawings:
[0042] FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a railway embankment with different regions to be processed,
[0043] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of a cross section of an applicator over a line and railway embankment and track bed,
[0044] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a cross section of an applicator at the ballast flanks,
[0045] FIG. 4 shows a sensor-based height adjustment for split or brush-like drag applicator units,
[0046] FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of a first embodiment of a static brush with inclined rows of bristles as a further development from straight axial rows of bristles,
[0047] FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of a second embodiment of a static brush with inclined rows of bristles,
[0048] FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows the function of inclined bristles or bundles of bristles,
[0049] FIG. 8 shows a diagrammatic representation of the dynamics of movement of a brush rotating about itself,
[0050] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a helical arrangement of the bundle of bristles,
[0051] FIG. 10 shows a front view of the bundle of bristles shown in FIG. 9,
[0052] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a bundle of bristles with inclined bristles at the edge,
[0053] FIG. 12 shows a cross section of rotating brushes in the position of use on a track,
[0054] FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic 3D representation of an edge of a brush with bristle units with an edge intake,
[0055] FIG. 14 shows a diagrammatic representation of an exchange of load for stuck objects,
[0056] FIG. 15 shows a diagrammatic representation of a series of adjacent rotating brushes,
[0057] FIG. 16 shows a diagrammatic representation with additional mutually offset rotating brushes,
[0058] FIG. 17 shows a diagrammatic representation of all rotating brushes in the direct right-of-way,
[0059] FIG. 18 shows a diagrammatic representation of a belt applicator with height-adjustable rollers,
[0060] FIG. 19 shows a diagrammatic view of a bellows-based set of drag applicators,
[0061] FIG. 20 shows a brush with retracted bristles,
[0062] FIG. 21 shows the brush shown in FIG. 20 with deployed bristles,
[0063] FIG. 22 shows a diagrammatic representation of a stepped height set of height-adjustable blades or wires,
[0064] FIG. 23 diagrammatically shows a mobile preparation and storage system for hot water or wet steam based on co-generation,
[0065] FIG. 24 shows a diagrammatic cross section through the right-of-way with a representation of an applicator which is robotically controlled, disposed on a vehicle located on or near the tracks,
[0066] FIG. 25 shows a diagrammatic representation of a sensor-controlled travel and application robot,
[0067] FIG. 26 shows a dispensing system for hot water or steam,
[0068] FIG. 27 shows a side view of a brush with long bristle strips stabilized in the central region,
[0069] FIG. 28 shows a front view of the brush shown in FIG. 27, and
[0070] FIG. 28 diagrammatically shows a cross section through roller brushes profiled with different lengths of bristles.
[0071] The cross section through a railway embankment shown in FIG. 1 shows different regions which can be processed with the equipment in accordance with the invention. They are the sleeper region 1 between the rails 2, 3, the region 4, 5 between the sleepers, the rail fixings, the region 6 outside the sleepers, the ballast flank 7, the service path region 8, the horizontal wayside 9 and the rising wayside 10, in place of which a dropping wayside, a supporting wall or a ditch might be provided.
[0072] FIG. 2 shows drag applicators 11 to 15 which can be moved up and down in accordance with the arrows 16 to 20. In the direction of the rails 2, 3, offset with respect to the applicators 11 to 15, the applicators 21 and 22 shown in FIG. 3 are disposed which can be moved up and down in accordance with the arrows 23, 24.
[0073] FIG. 4 shows a plurality of height-adjustable applicators 25 to 31 which, like the applicators described above, are connected to a high voltage source (not shown) and which can be moved up and down in response to the signal from the sensor 32 by means of height-adjustable devices 33 to 39 in accordance with the height profile determined by the sensor. This allows a continuous adjustment of the height of the applicators in accordance with the substrate and the strength of the plant growth.
[0074] The brushes shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 have rows of brushes disposed in a V-shape which ensure that during uniform passage over a surface, material which is torn out is conveyed outwardly. When the brushes 40, 41 move rapidly in the direction of the arrow 42, an air flow is formed which conveys the material outwards and prevents blockages in the brushes.
[0075] FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows the bristles 50 to 53 of the bundle of bristles 54 which are orientated rearwardly in the direction of travel, which are guided over the ballast material 55 and the sleepers 56 and 57 in the direction of travel 58. The rearwardly facing static bristles reduce the abrasion of the sleepers 56 and 57 and at the same time increase the contact area of the bristles 50 to 53 with the ballast 55 and plants growing there (not shown).
[0076] The rotating brushes 60, 61 shown in FIG. 8 rotate somewhat more slowly than the wheels 62 and 63. In this manner, the equipment 64 is moved in the direction 65 over the track 66 and the bristles of the brushes 60 and 61, in the direction of the arrow 67, operate more slowly on the substrate and thus exert a force on the substrate which results in a displacement of objects on the substrate in the direction of the arrow 67.
[0077] The bundle of bristles shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 have at least helical regions in which the air resistance of the brushes is reduced and torn off objects are conveyed by the brushes, preferably outwardly, with a minimum of opportunity for blockages.
[0078] The cross section through brushes 81 to 83 rotating about an axis 80 shown in FIG. 12 shows how the brushes operate in the region of the rails 84 and 85 of the track bed 86. In the region of the fixings for the rails 84 and 85, the brushes 81, 82, 83 have rows of bristles 87 to 90 produced from an insulating material. In this manner, on the one hand, the dense row of bristles leads to an intensive contact between the brushes acting as the applicator energized with high voltage and on the other hand, an electrical contact between the brushes and rails 84, 85 is prevented. While smaller plants (not shown) are only mechanically damaged, larger plants (not shown) receive a weakening or destructive quantity of electrical energy.
[0079] FIG. 13 shows an edge of a brush with a specifically twisted disposition of the bristles. Because of the inclined position of the bristles, materials at the edge of the rails 84, 85 are displaced laterally and outwardly.
[0080] An object 101 adhering to a bristle 100 is pressed against the bristle 100 in the lower region of the rotating brush 102 by the airstream 103. As the brush 102 turns further in accordance with the arrow 104 during the movement of the brush 102 in accordance with the arrow 105 relative to the track 106, the particle 101 moves upwardly and at the point 107 is blown away from the bristle 100 by the airstream 108.
[0081] FIG. 17, in combination with FIGS. 15 and 16, shows how rotatable brushes 121 to 125 disposed one behind the other on a railway embankment 120 can be supplemented by laterally disposed brushes 124 to 126. In this regard, a row of like-poled brushes 121 to 125 may be disposed in a manner such that the brushes are always disposed alternately in the sleeper and in the ballast region. While one brush is disposed in the sleeper region, the adjacent brush is therefore disposed in the ballast region. In this manner, the energy consumption can be reduced, because in each case only half of the brushes are disposed in the ballast region while the other half of the brushes are disposed above the sleepers.
[0082] The height of all of the brushes can be adapted by means of sensors to the profiled surface of the rails, sleepers, ballast and other assemblies. In the exemplary embodiment, they rotate under control somewhat more slowly but in the same direction of rotation as the wheels 127 and 128. The height adjustment possibilities of the brushes are indicated with the arrows 129 and 130 (numbered only by way of example).
[0083] All of the brushes may have profiled configurations in the region of their radially outer surface. This is shown in FIG. 17 on the brush 126, for example. The arrangement of the brush type 126 in front of the bogie for the wheels 127, 128 shows, for example, the position at which a lateral displacement, such as under the central region of a bogie wagon in order to maintain the alignment, is not necessary.
[0084] The equipment 140 shown in FIG. 18 has a plurality of belt applicators 141, 142 and 143 in which a belt 144 is guided around two rollers 145 and 146 in each case. These rollers are height-adjustable in a manner such that the entire belt applicator can be moved to and from the track 147 or the belt can be inclined in a manner such that, in the direction of travel 148, the front roller 149 is higher than the rear roller 150. This means that taller plants are in contact with the belt 144 of the belt applicator for a longer time than small plants and in this manner, can be attacked for longer for a minimal energy consumption. The belt surface in this case may be smooth or provided with brush-like elements and exhibit all of the features of the previously described static and rotating brushes.
[0085] The equipment 160 shown in FIG. 19 has a set 161 of drag applicators 162 to 167 which can be individually controlled in order to change the height of the applicator. The expanded bellows of the applicators retract again due to the internal spring force. In this manner, the spring is used for the purposes of energy transfer. Forwards in the travel direction 168, a static applicator 169 is provided which applies current to tall plants beyond the technical interference contour.
[0086] FIGS. 20 and 21 show flexible bristles 171 housed in sheaths 170 (numbered only by way of example). These bristles 171 can be displaced radially outwardly under gravity or in fact also mechanically as a function of the circumferential speed of the brush 172 so that the bristles 171 can make contact with the ground 173.
[0087] The equipment 180 shown in FIG. 22 has a stepped-height set of blades and wires 181 which can cut or tear out plants when energized with current and at the same time kill or weaken with current. For this purpose, a height adjusting device 182 is provided on the equipment 108 which may also be operated in a sensor-guided manner.
[0088] FIG. 23 shows a co-generation-based mobile preparation and storage system for hot water or wet steam. In this regard, cooling water from the engine 191 is cooled in a cross or counter-current heat exchanger 192 using water from a tank 194 and the hot water produced is stored in a tank 193 until ready for use. To obtain temperatures of more than 100 C. or to further exploit exhaust energy, in parallel or downstream, the water may be guided through an oversized exhaust gas heat exchanger 195 in which the water is dispensed for immediate use through the jet 196 or superheated or possibly stored under pressure in a superheated state in a tank 197.
[0089] A vehicle travelling on the rails 200 or in fact next to the rails 200 can be set to move slowly in order to robotically treat this region using a brush 201 which can be robotically moved in accordance with the arrows 202 and 203 between the rails and the outer railway region, circumventing signal assemblies and masts.
[0090] In addition to the ballast bed 204, when rail traffic is busy, the right-of-way may be treated with a low sensor-controlled partly autonomous or autonomous travel-and-application robot with a brush 205 which is disposed on a robot 206. In this regard, weeds can be robotically grasped or killed or cut down.
[0091] The dispensing system 210 for hot water or steam 211 has a sensor-guided height adjustment 212, 213 with which the drift of the height-adjustable hood 214 can be reduced and the contact time with the track bed 215 can be increased. Inclined downwardly directed bundles of bristles 216 or appropriately disposed flexible strips make it easier for the height adjustment device 212, 213 to set a minimum gap between the hood 214 and the ballast bed 215. Openings 217, 218 on the top of the hood 214 allow a flow of air to enter the region beneath the hood 214, whereupon the hot water or hot steam 211 which is sprayed out can be forced into the track bed during travel in the direction 219.
[0092] FIGS. 27 and 28 show a further embodiment of a brush 230 with bristles 231 the length of which can be adjusted, which are reinforced in the radially inner region 232 and are flexible in configuration in the radially outer region. The bristles 231 thus have a greater stability in the radially inner region 232 than in the radially outer region 233. In this embodiment as well, the flexible bristle components 233 can be moved out of the mechanically stable bristle retainers of the radially inner region 232 mechanically or as a result of the circumferential speed, whereupon the length of the bristles is increased in order to obtain good contact with the track bed. The flexibility of the outer region 233 of the bristle 231 ensures that the brush 230 is not damaged when the bristles impinge against an obstacle. These bristles may also have different radial lengths at the radial perimeter.
[0093] Bristles with different lengths on a roller brush mean that, as can be seen in FIG. 29, profiled roller brushes 240, 241 may be produced which are optimally adapted to the characteristics of a track bed 242. This also means that with a suddenly varying profile of the track bed 242, the longer bristles glide further over the objects with little abrasion, because the flexibility of the bristles makes adaptation to smaller differences in levels easier.
