The invention relates to a device for dispensing granular, flowable material in accordance with patent claim 1.

EP-A-489367 shows a device suitable for the dispensing of granular, flowable material, which can be borne by a person and which can be used for single plant fertilization. This device comprises a conainter storage of a quantity of the material, a feed tube which is connected to the container, through which the material is fed to a dispensing apparatus removably attached to the free end of the feed tube. At its lower end the tubular dispensing apparatus comprises a dispensing lever with a lever claw. During use, the container with the material to be dispensed is borne on the back of the person concerned, while the feed tube for carrying out a single dose fertilization is held in a certain inclined position by means of a handle. In this inclined position, by pressing its lower end onto the ground, the dispensing lever releases the material which is immediately located above the dispensing lever, so that it can flow down onto the ground, whilst an area located further up in the dispensing apparatus is cut off by means of the lever claw, so that no further material can flow out of the dispensing apparatus.

The device described in patent specification EP-A-489367 is intended to use be used for, and suited to, dispensing material of the type in question, particularly artificial fertilizer, onto the ground at selected locations. Supplying material into the soil to any depth is not possible. In addition, an exact dispensing of material is not possible with this device, since the measuring out of a charge of material (dosage) does not occur separately and independently from the dispensing onto the ground. In accordance with the construction, the dosage dispensed each time varies, and is dependent on the speed with which the dispensing lever is opened while set onto the ground. It also varies dependening on the material's behaviour of flow. This is a distinct disadvantage if there are types of concentrated artificial fertilizer used which needs exact dispensing. Furthermore, the given charge of material, particularly artificial fertilizer is not optimally exploited by the plant concerned because of the material supplied onto the surface of the soil. Finally, there can be disadvantages for flora and fauna, if artificial fertilizer remains lying on the ground over a long period, due to the lack of irrigation, or the holding off of rain.

US 4,614,160 relates to a manually operated dispensing tool for repeatedly dispensing a predetermined quantity of pelletized material below the surface of the earth. The teachings of this prior art document provide that a tubular element should have an aperture to allow filling of material to be dispensed into a lower chamber. The teachings of this document do not provide any suggestion that the rod-like element should comprise a void to enable transport of material from the upper to the lower chamber.

The aim of the present invention is to be able to carry out a single plant fertilization or similar single dose of plants, which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the known devices and makes it possible to dispense certain materials, with an exact dose, directly to the locate of the roots of the plant, or at least into the immediate proximity of the roots.

To achieve the aim indicated above, a device is proposed, in accordance with the invention, of the type mentioned in the introduction, and which is carried out with the corresponding features of patent claim 1. Further advantages or suitable features are quoted in patent claims 2 to 13.

By means of the invention, a portable, compact, and manageable device is provided with which granular, flowable material, for example artificial fertilizer, can with exact and therefore economical dispensing be dispensed at a predestined depth in the soil, and directed to the local of the roots of a plant, or into their proximity. The device is easy to use and provides the possibility for simply changing the dosage and/or the depth, to which the material can be supplied into the soil.

Patent claim 2 quotes an embodiment of the device, with separating elements, which has a favourable effect on the flow of the material, and which from the bottom up, locks both chambers, which are formed in the device. Here the device is suitably designed as quoted in patent claim 3.

Quoted in patent claims 4 and 5 are two possible designs of the dispensing spaces provided in or on the rod-like element of the device.

For ensuring complete flowing out of the material located in the dispensing space a part of the surrounding border surface of the dispensing space is formed as quoted in patent claim 6.

In patent claim 7 a fundamental and suitable further design of a dispensing space is described, for the constructional realization of which a person who is skilled in the art will find different possibilities without any effort.

Another possibiliy to change the size of the whole dispensing space is quoted in patent claim 8.

In patent claim 9 a particularly advantageous design of the device according the invention is proposed, with a total arrangement of that end of the device, which comes into contact with the ground/soil, and which enables a particularly easy and energy saving use of the device also in cases of "heavy" and/or relatively hard soils.

To be able to work rapidly with the device, without having to look after the planned penetration depth of the discharging channel for the dosage of material into the soil, the device is provided with an appropriate limiting arrangement, as proposed in patent claim 10.

To further simplify and making the use of the device according the invention easier a constructional predestined limitation of the maximal distance of the reciprocating motion - the stroke- of the rod-like element is provided. For this patent claim 11 proposes a constructional simple solution.

For the filling of the device, or the container for the material integrated into the device respectively, a preferred and simple solution is mentioned in patent claim 12.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with the aid of figures 1 to 5, where

• Figure 1 shows a front view, partly as a section, of a device in accordance with the invention,
• Figure 2 shows a side view of the device in figure 1,
• Figure 3 shows the other side view of the device in figures 1 and 2,
• Figure 4 shows a view from above of the device in figures 1 to 3, and
• Figure 5 shows a view from below of the device in figures 1 to 4.

The device shown in figures 1 to 5, as indicated by the reference number 1, essentially consists of a tubular element 2, a rod-like element 3, separating elements 4, 5, 6, a pipe piece 7 and a handle 8.

These sleeve-like separating elements 4, 5, and 6 are fixed in, or on, the tubular element 2 by means of screws, and all of them contain a central opening, not described further, the cross section of which are adjusted to the cross section of the rod-like element 3 in such a way that it can be moved back and forth in relation to the tubular element 2, in its longitudinal direction, and also parallel with the tubular element.

The upper separating element 4, together with the middle one separating element 5, which is fixed inside the tubular element 2, mark the borders of a chamber 9, which forms a container for a granular, flowable material, for example artificial fertilizer, not further described.

The middle one separating element 5, together with the lower separating element 6, mark the borders of a chamber 10, which form an intermediate store for a dispensed charge of material (dosage).

At the upper end of the rod-like element 3, the handle 8 is fixed, with which the rod-like element 3 can be moved back and forth in relation to, and parallel with, the tubular element 2.

At the lower end of the tubular element 2, the pipe piece 7 is attached by fixing it in a corresponding void in the separating element 6, not further described. The pipe piece 7 has a predestined free length, with which the maximal penetration depth into the ground, or soil respectively, is determined in advance.

The lower end of the rod-like element 3, which lies opposite the handle 8, is conically shaped and, in case of the lower end-position of the rod-like element 3 shown in the drawing, rises up out of the pipe piece 7, as shown. In this way a spear-like arrangement is formed at the end, which is in contact with the ground/soil, which enables a particularly light, energy saving use of the device, especially in cases of a "heavy" and/or relatively hard ground.

For the dispensing of material which is located in the chamber 10 of the tubular element 2, a dispensing space 11 is provided, which in the example of an embodiment has the form of a slit-like void. Dispensing occurs by corresponding movements back and forth of the rod-like element 3, taking place parallel, and relative to the tubular element 2. In the course of this movement the dispensing space alternately reaches the area of chamber 9 and 10. Inside chamber 9, a certain charge of material, which is being held here as a stock, flows into the dispensing space 11, while further movement back and forth, and positioning of the dispensing space 11 in the area of chamber 10, the charge of material (dosage) in the dispensing space 11, which is being withdrawn from chamber 9, flows out of the dispensing space 11 and through the lower area of chamber 10 and flows into the pipe piece 7, which forms a discharging channel for the dosage of material. In the course of the following movements back and forth of the rod-like element, another charge of material (dosage) will be supplied from the dispensing space 11 to the chamber 10. At the same time, the dosage, which is in the pipe piece 7, will be pressed out of the pipe piece 7, and into the local area of the ground or soil respectively, with the aid of the lower end which is indicated as 12.

For adjustment and limitation of the maximal distance of the back and forth movement, including suitable positioning of the rod-like element 3 with relation to the tubular element 2, there is a fixed control pivot 13, which lies opposite the tubular element 2 in the area of the upper end of the tubular element 2, and which reaches into a groove 14 of predestined length and position, which is provided in, and extending along, the rod-like element 3. The two ends of the groove 14, in this way, form a stop for the control pivot 13, so that the stroke of the rod-like element is therefore settled in view of its length and position, relative to the tubular element.

The control pivot 13 is suitably arranged on an interlocking arrangement, which is detachably fixed on the upper end of the tubular element 2, and which comprises two interlocking pivots 15, 16. These interlocking pivots 15, 16 are fastened on a common gripper element 17 and are used for the detachable interlocking of the upper separating element 4 with the tubular element 2.

At the upper end of the tubular element 2, there is a further filler opening 18 for the material which is stored in the chamber 9. For closing of the filler opening 18, a plug 19 is used, which is fastened to the tubular element 2 with a chain or the like, so that it cannot be lost.

For a certain limitation of the penetration depth of the lower end of the device 1, that particularly means limiting the penetration depth according to the free end of the pipe piece 7, there is a limiting arrangement in the area of the lower end of the tubular element 2, at the point of transition of the free part of the pipe piece 7, which in the example of an embodiment is formed by a footplate 20. In this way this limiting arrangement gets a further, very useful function for easier use of the device, since the pipe piece 7 can be pressed down into the soil or the ground, respectively, in an easy way with the aid of the footplate 20.

For ensuring exact dispensing of the material and problem-free use of the device, it is advantageous that the separating elements 5 and 6 are formed in a funnel-shape at their sides, which turn toward the upper end of the tubular element 2, a cross section of the opening decreases toward the lower end of the tubular element 2.

Furthermore the dimensions of the outer diameter of the pipe piece 7 is chosen in such a way, that it, together with the lower part of the rod-like element 3, which if it is in the lower position fills the inner space of the pipe piece 7, means the discharging channel for the dispensed material can be pressed down into the ground or soil respectively, with the aid of manual strength.