Method for aerial spray marking of ground surfaces

Abstract

Aerial spraying is accomplished with a system including a storage tank for holding a substance to be sprayed, a compressed gas cylinder for pressurizing the storage tank, a spray nozzle assembly, and a feed line for delivering pressurized substance from the storage tank to the spray nozzle assembly. The spray nozzle assembly includes a spray nozzle that will discharge a pressurized shot of the substance onto the ground when the spray nozzle assembly is activated. A controller is provided for automatically activating the spray nozzle assembly in accordance with user selected settings. The storage tank, cylinder and spray nozzle assembly are all mounted on a frame, which can be supported from an aircraft. In operation, the system is suspended or otherwise mounted below an aircraft and flown over the target site. At which point, the spray nozzle assembly is selectively activated to spray a pressurized and directed solid stream of substance onto the ground surfaces with precision. The system and method are particularly useful for aerial spray marking applications. In which case, the substance would be a marking substance such as paints, dyes or the like.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for aerial spray marking of ground surfaces, said apparatus comprising: 
 a source of a marking substance; and    means for producing a highly forceful shot of said marking substance capable of penetrating dense foliage.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means for producing a highly forceful shot is a solid stream spray nozzle.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising means for tilting said solid stream spray nozzle.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising means for adjusting shot forcefulness.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising means for supporting said apparatus from an aircraft.  
     
     
         6 . A system for aerial spraying of ground surfaces, said system comprising: 
 a storage tank for holding a substance;    means for pressurizing said storage tank;    a spray nozzle assembly; and    a feed line connecting said storage tank and said nozzle assembly so as to deliver pressurized substance to said spray nozzle assembly.    
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said means for pressurizing said storage tank includes a cylinder of compressed gas.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said cylinder contains an inert gas.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a pressure regulator, a high pressure line connecting said cylinder to said pressure regulator, and a first regulated gas line connecting said pressure regulator to said storage tank.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said spray nozzle assembly includes a first valve connected to said feed line, a spray nozzle connected to said first valve, and a second valve arranged to open and close said first valve.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said spray nozzle is a solid stream spray nozzle.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising means for tilting said spray nozzle.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a second regulated gas line connecting said pressure regulator to said second valve; and  
 first and second pneumatic control ports fluidly connecting said second valve to said first valve, wherein said second valve is a solenoid valve having a first state in which said first pneumatic control port is pressurized by said second regulated gas line and a second state in which said second pneumatic control port is pressurized by said second regulated gas line, and wherein said first valve is closed when said first pneumatic control port is pressurized and said first valve is opened when said second pneumatic control port is pressurized.  
 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a controller for controlling said second valve.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising means for selecting how said controller controls said second valve.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising a shut off valve disposed in said feed line.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising means for sensing pressure of gas output from said pressure regulator, said controller controlling said shut off valve in response to said means for sensing pressure.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a frame, said storage tank, said cylinder and said spray nozzle assembly all being mounted on said frame.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said cylinder is removably mounted to said frame.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising means for supporting said frame from an aircraft.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said means for supporting includes at least one attachment arm extending from said frame and a cable connected at one end to said attachment arm and at another end to an aircraft.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said spray nozzle assembly includes a main valve connected to said feed line and a spray nozzle connected to said main valve.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein said spray nozzle is a solid stream spray nozzle.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising means for tilting said spray nozzle.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising a shut off valve disposed in said feed line between said storage tank and said main valve.  
     
     
         26 . A method for aerial spray marking of ground surfaces, said method comprising: 
 providing a source of a marking substance;    flying over a ground surface; and    spraying a highly forceful shot of said marking substance onto said ground surface, wherein said shot is forceful enough to penetrate dense foliage.    
     
     
         27 . A method for aerial spraying of ground surfaces, said method comprising: 
 providing a storage tank for holding a substance to be sprayed;    pressurizing said storage tank;    supplying pressurized substance from said storage tank to a spray nozzle assembly;    flying over a target site; and    selectively activating said spray nozzle assembly to spray pressurized substance onto ground surfaces.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said storage tank is pressurized by introducing a pressurized gas into said storage tank.  
     
     
         29 . The method of claim  28  wherein said gas is an inert gas.  
     
     
         30 . The method of claim  28  further comprising sensing the pressure of said pressurized gas and shutting off supply of pressurized substance from said storage tank to said spray nozzle assembly if the sensed pressure falls below a predetermined level.  
     
     
         31 . The method of claim  28  further comprising selecting the pressure of said pressurized gas introduced into said storage tank.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said spray nozzle assembly includes a solid stream spray nozzle.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising tilting said spray nozzle to a desired angle.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27  wherein a pressurized gas is used to selectively activate said spray nozzle assembly.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said substance to be sprayed is a marking substance.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein said substance includes paint.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35  wherein said substance includes a luminescent material.