Kuhn Farm Machinery has launched a new range of precision orchard and vineyard air-blast sprayers as part of its Amenity Pro horticultural equipment range.
The OKTOPUS sprayer range features four mounted and three trailed machines with tank sizes of 300, 400 or 600 litres for the mounted models and 1000 or 1500 litres for the trailed variants.
All seven models use an air-blast dispersion system which accurately regulates the size of spray droplets and enables precise and targeted application of crop protection products: a powerful centrifugal turbine (430mm or 450mm diameter) feeds air into a series of (6, 8 or 10) outlet spouts, each of which feeds an interchangeable, double flip-over nozzle where spray droplets are formed. Each nozzle is mounted on a pivoting holder which enables chemical application and foliage penetration to be precisely controlled. Each individual nozzle holder can also be adjusted horizontally and vertically to enable even greater application precision.
The mounted machines are equipped with a plastic mixing sieve for the incorporation of liquid or powder crop protection products, while the trailed machines are fitted with a stainless-steel mixing sieve. An optional bottle rinser can be specified.
Spray shut-off is controlled by fast-acting anti-drip diaphragm valves which are fitted to each nozzle holder to prevent chemical wastage: the mounted machines are equipped with DPM regulation with manual pressure setting and electric cut-off of the left and right sections; the trailed versions are supplied as standard with DPME regulation with electric in-cab adjustment and electric cut-off.
A narrow version of the mounted machine – the OKTOPUS S – is also available for work in tight plantation rows: the spray outlets on these machines are positioned more centrally to provide sufficient clearance for the nozzles to spray accurately.
The trailed machines are available with a pivoting drawbar which reduces the turning radius for easier maneuvering on short headlands.
OKTOPUS – technical specifications:
| MOUNTED | TRAILED | ||||||
| Model | OKTOPUS S (NARROW) | OKTOPUS | OKTOPUS | ||||
| Variant | 300 – 43 | 400 – 45 | 400 – 45 | 600 – 45 | 1000 – 45 – 8 OUTPUT | 1000 – 45 – 10 OUTPUT | 1500 – 45 – 10 OUTPUT |
| Frame | Galvanised steel | Galvanised steel | |||||
| Tank capacity (l) | 300 | 400 | 400 | 600 | 1000 | 1000 | 1500 |
| Tank type | Polyethylene | Polyethylene | |||||
| Clean water (l) | 66.7 | 102 | 102 | 124.5 | |||
| Hand-washing tank (l) | 15.5 | 15.5 | |||||
| Agitation | 2 hydraulic agitators + return to tank | 2 hydraulic agitators + return to tank | |||||
| Filtration | Triple (filling, suction + delivery) | Triple (filling, suction + delivery) | |||||
| Mixing basket | Standard in plastic | Standard in stainless steel | |||||
| Pump | APS 71 with 3 pistons diaphragm | APS 96 with 3 pistons diaphragm | |||||
| Max flow | 68 l/min | 89 l/min | |||||
| Max pressure | 40 bar | 50 bar | |||||
| Regulation | DPM: manual adjustment & election section closing | DPME: electric adjustment in cab & pressure gauge | |||||
| Number of sections | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Type of spouts | Heads | Shaped heads | |||||
| Number of spouts | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Type of nozzles | Double flip-over ATR nozzles with drop stop | Double flip-over ATR nozzles with drop stop | |||||
| Blower diameter (mm) | 430 | 450 | 450 | 450 | 450 | ||
| Speed (rpm) | 1998 – 2700 | 1998 – 2700 | |||||
| Gear box type | M 35 N | M 35 N | |||||
| Gear box ratio | 1/3.7 – 1/5 | 1/3.7 – 1/5 | |||||
| Wheels | – | – | – | – | 10.0 / 80 – 12 | 10.0 / 80 – 12 | 10.0 / 75 – 15.3 |
| Power required (hp) | 25 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 25 | 40 | 40 |
| Starting price | £8,362 | £9,084 | £8,625 | £9,444 | £12,725 | £13,395 | £15,407 |
