Additive delivery device and methodology for irrigation systems

Abstract

One possible embodiment for the invention could be an additive delivery device for an irrigation system having at least one vacuum pressure breaker, whereby the additive delivery device can attach to the irrigation system without altering or otherwise changing the preexisting components of the vacuum pressure breaker. The attachment could occur at two pre-existing attachment points of the pressure vacuum breaker which were originally and substantially designed for other uses other than the introduction of additive(s) into the interior of the vacuum pressure breaker. The additive delivery device could comprise a container for holding and mixing additive with water from the irrigation system and a connector device for making container's interior and pressure vacuum breaker's interior substantially continuous. The connector device could utilize a passage restriction device to direct water from vacuum pressure breaker to the container and to direct water-additive solution from the container to the vacuum pressure breaker.

1 . An additive delivery device for an irrigation system having a vacuum pressure breaker, comprising: 
 (A) a container, the container having an interior, the interior capable of holding a definite quantity of one or more additives; and    (B) a connector device, the connector device further comprises of a plurality of connectors, which are connected to the container and can be connect to a plurality of pre-existing attachment points of the vacuum pressure breaker without requiring the removal of preexisting components of the vacuum pressure breaker, the pre-existing attachment points having access to the hollow interior of the vacuum pressure breaker to allow the interior of the vacuum pressure breaker to be connected to the interior of the container.    
   
   
       2 . An additive delivery device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of pre-existing attachment points were originally designed for other purposes besides that of introducing an additive into the interior of the vacuum pressure breaker.  
   
   
       3 . An additive delivery device of  claim 1  wherein one connector provides for liquid ingress from the vacuum pressure breaker to the container while the second connector provides for liquid egress from the container to the vacuum pressure breaker.  
   
   
       4 . An additive delivery device of  claim 1  wherein the connector further comprises a male threaded connector, which is reversibly and securely received by a threaded female receptacle of the pre-existing attachment point.  
   
   
       5 . An additive delivery device of  claim 1  wherein the pre-existing attachment point is a valve which can connect the interior of the vacuum pressure breaker to the exterior of the vacuum pressure breaker.  
   
   
       6 . An additive delivery device of  claim 5  wherein the valve has a threaded aperture to allow attachment of the connector to the valve.  
   
   
       7 . An additive delivery device of  claim 5  wherein the valve is a test cock.  
   
   
       8 . An additive delivery device of  claim 5  wherein the valve can isolate the interior of the vacuum pressure breaker from the interior of the container  
   
   
       9 . An additive delivery device of  claim 1  wherein the connector device further comprises an additive indicator.  
   
   
       10 . An additive delivery device of  claim 11  wherein the additive indicator is a translucent portion of the connector device.  
   
   
       11 . An additive delivery device of  claim 1  wherein the additive indicator allows the operator to observe colored additive being transferred to the vacuums pressure breaker.  
   
   
       12 . A method of operating fertilizer device comprising, but not necessarily listed in the order presented: 
 (A) providing a irrigation system with a vacuum pressure breaker having a plurality of pre-existing attachment points;    (B) providing a container capable of holding an additive;    (C) connecting the container to pre-existing attachment points;    (D) transmitting water from the vacuum pressure breaker to the container;    (E) forming a mixture of water and additive; and    (F) transmitting mixture to the vacuum pressure breaker.    
   
   
       13 . A method of operating additive delivery device of  claim 12  further comprising monitoring the mixture of water and additive as the mixture is transmitted to the vacuum pressure breaker.  
   
   
       14 . A method of operating additive delivery device of  claim 12  further comprising preserving the pre-existing components of the irrigation system.  
   
   
       15 . A method of operating additive delivery device of  claim 12  further comprising preventing the transmission of water and additive mixture from the container to the inlet side of the vacuum pressure breaker.  
   
   
       16 . A method of operating additive delivery device of  claim 12  further comprising closing the pre-existing attachment points.  
   
   
       17 . A method of operating additive delivery device of  claim 12  further comprising opening the pre-existing attachment points.  
   
   
       18 . An additive delivery device for use with an irrigation system comprising: 
 (A) a container means capable of holding and mixing an additive with water;    (B) a connection means for transporting an additive and water mixture between the container to an anti-siphon means, the anti-siphon means is for preventing backflow from occurring in a irrigation system;    (C) a pre-existing attachment means for attaching connection means to the anti-siphon means without requiring the removal of the pre-existing components of the anti-siphon means;    wherein the pre-existing attachment means were designed for purposes other than that of introducing additive to the anti-siphon means.    
   
   
       19 . An additive delivery device of  claim 18  further comprising an additive indicator means for determining if additive is being properly introduced into the interior of the vacuum pressure breaker.  
   
   
       20 . An additive delivery device of  claim 18  wherein at least a portion of the additive indicator means is translucent.