Skid-mounted boom cradles for an agricultural product sprayer

1. An agricultural product sprayer having at least one foldable boom and being connectable to an agricultural product applicator having a chassis adapted for removably receiving the agricultural product sprayer thereon, the agricultural product sprayer comprising:

a skid adapted for operative removable connection to the applicator chassis and for supporting the at least one foldable boom, the skid including a boom cradle adapted for supporting the at least one foldable boom in a folded position when the skid is mounted on the chassis and when the skid is separated from the chassis of the agricultural applicator;

lifting arrangement attachment elements interconnected to the skid; and

a lifting arrangement selectively connectable to the lifting arrangement attachment elements, the lifting arrangement configured for removing the sprayer from the chassis.

2. The agricultural product sprayer of claim 1 , further including a boom lock for securing the at least one foldable boom in the boom cradle.

3. The agricultural product sprayer of claim 1 , wherein:

the skid extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a first end of the skid disposed along the longitudinal axis of the skid and adapted for attachment thereto of the at least one foldable boom; and

the boom cradle is disposed at a second end of the skid opposite to the first end of the skid.

4. The agricultural product sprayer of claim 3 , further including a boom lock for securing the at least one foldable boom in the boom cradle.

5. The agricultural product sprayer of claim 3 , wherein the first end of the skid is a rear end of the skid, and the opposite end of the skid is a front end of the skid when the sprayer is mounted on the chassis of the applicator.

6. The agricultural product sprayer of claim wherein:

the at least one foldable boom includes left and right foldable booms;

the boom cradle is a left boom cradle and the skid further includes a right boom cradle, the left and right boom cradles being adapted for respectively supporting the left and right foldable booms in their folded positions when the skid is mounted on the chassis and when the skid is separated from the chassis of the agricultural applicator;

the skid further includes boom locks for securing the folded left and right foldable booms in their respective boom cradle; and

the skid extends along a longitudinal axis and a rear end of the skid is adapted for attachment thereto of the left and right fbldable booms, and the left and right boom cradles are disposed at a front end of the skid for supporting the left and right foldable booms in their folded position.

7. An agricultural product applicator having a chassis including a bed, comprising:

an agricultural product sprayer removably mounted on the bed and having at least one foldable boom, the agricultural product sprayer including:

a skid adapted for operative removable connection to the applicator chassis, the skid including a boom cradle adapted for supporting the at least one foldable boom in a folded position when the skid is mounted on the chassis and when the skid is separated from the chassis of the agricultural applicator;

lifting arrangement attachment elements interconnected to the skid; and

a lifting arrangement selectively connectable to the lifting arrangement attachment elements, the lifting arrangement configured for removing the sprayer front the chassis.

8. The agricultural product applicator of claim 7 , further including a boom lock for securing the at least one foldable boom in the boom cradle.

9. The agricultural product applicator of claim 7 , wherein:

the skid extends along a longitudinal axis and a first end of the skid is disposed along the longitudinal axis and is adapted for attachment to the at least one foldable boom; and

the boom cradle is disposed at a second en.d of the skid opposite to the first end of the skid.

10. The agricultural product applicator of claim 9 , further including a boom lock for securing the at least one foldable boom in the boom cradle.

11. The agricultural product applicator of claim 9 , wherein the first end of the skid is a rear end of the skid, and the opposite end of the skid is a front end of the skid when the sprayer is mounted on the bed of the chassis of the applicator.

12. The agricultural product applicator of claim 7 , wherein:

the at least one foldable boom includes left and right foldable booms;

the boom cradle is a left boom cradle and the skid includes a right boom cradle, the left and right boom cradles being adapted for respectively supporting the left and right foldable booms in their folded positions when the skid is mounted on the chassis and when the skid is separated from the chassis of the agricultural applicator;

the skid further includes boom locks for securing the folded left and right foldable booms in their respective left and right boom cradles; and

the skid extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a rear end adapted for attachment to the left and right thldable booms, and the left and right boom cradles are disposed at a front end of the skid for supporting the left and right foldable booms in their folded positions.

13. A method for removably mounting an agricultural product sprayer having at least one foldable boom on an agricultural product applicator, the agricultural product applicator having a chassis adapted for removably receiving the agricultural product sprayer, the method comprising:

attaching the at least one foldable boom to a skid adapted for operative removable mounting on the applicator chassis, the skid including:

lifting arrangement attachment elements; and

a boom cradle adapted for supporting the at least one foldable boom in a folded position when the skid is mounted on the chassis and when the skid is separated from the chassis of the agricultural applicator;

selectively connecting a lifting arrangement to the lifting arrangement attachment elements, the lifting arrangement configured for mounting the skid on and removing the skid from the applicator chassis; and

supporting the at least one foldable boom in the boom cradle during mounting of the skid on and removal of the skid from the applicator chassis.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the boom cradle further includes a boom lock for securing the a folded one of the at least one foldable boom in the boom cradle, and the method further includes locking the folded one of the at least one foldable boom to the boom cradle with the boom lock.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein;

the skid extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a first end disposed along the longitudinal axis and adapted for attachment thereto of the at least one foldable boom;

and

the boom cradle is disposed at a second end of the skid opposite to the first end of the skid.