Weed Terminating Device Using Superheated Water and Spring Loaded Discharge Valve

摘要

A weed or insect terminating device features a container having a valve port, a heating element, a valve core, and a biasing mechanism forcing the valve core into an extended position. An axial passage in the valve core extends through only a distal end of the valve core. A lateral passage intersects the axial passage and opens radially from the valve core. A proximal seal is provided between the valve core and valve port at a location between a proximal end of the valve core and the opening of the lateral passage. The proximal seal withdraws from sealed contact with the port in a retracted state of the valve core, while a distal seal remains intact. Heated water from the container can be dispensed through the valve port only via the lateral and axial passages of the valve core, and only when made accessible by retraction of the valve core.

主权项

1. A weed or insect terminating device comprising:
a container having opposing first and second ends spaced apart on a longitudinal axis that defines a longitudinal direction of the container, a peripheral wall closing around said longitudinal axis to enclose and interior space of the container between the first and second ends thereof, a valve port opening into the interior space of the container at the first end thereof, and an openable and closeable fill opening for introduction of water into the interior space of the container; a heating element disposed within the interior space of the container between the first and second ends thereof; a valve core slidably disposed in the valve port at the first end of the container and displaceable back and forth in the longitudinal direction between a retracted state and an extended state in, the valve core reaching further outward from the first end of the container in the extended state than in the retracted state; a biasing mechanism acting on the valve core in the longitudinal direction to bias the valve core into the extended position; an axial passage in the valve core that extends through a distal end of the valve core that resides outside the container beyond the first end thereof in at least the extended position, the axial passage terminating short of a proximal end of the valve core that resides opposite the distal end thereof; a lateral passage in the valve core that intersects the axial passage and opens radially from the valve core at a point on the valve core that resides inside the container in the retracted position; a proximal seal spanning circumferentially around the valve core at a location between the proximal end of the valve core and the point at which the lateral passage opens radially therefrom, the proximal seal being arranged to seal against a boundary wall of the valve port in the extended position and withdraw from sealed contact with the boundary wall of the valve port in the retracted position, thereby allowing access to the lateral passage of the valve core by water in the container only in the retracted state of the valve core; and a distal seal spanning circumferentially around the valve core in sealed contact with the boundary wall of the valve port at a location between the distal end of the valve core and the point at which the lateral passage opens radially therefrom, whereby water from the container can be dispensed through the valve port only via the lateral and axial passages of the valve core, when made accessible by retraction of the valve core.