SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

• US 3,854,664 A
• Filed: 10/11/1973
• Issued: 12/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1973
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Edwin J. Hunter
• Original Assignee: Edwin J. Hunter
• Inventors: Hunter, Edwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Application Number:
  US05/405,690
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 239/201,203,204,206,237,240
• US Class Current: 239/206
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/74 driven by the discharged fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0422 with rotating outlet elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 239/01 Pattern sprinkler

Abstract

Improvements in sprinkler systems having fluid under pressure flowing therethrough and a sprinkler head with a pop-up nozzle actuated by fluid pressure. An impeller is actuated by the fluid flow to rotate the nozzle and thus rotate the spray of fluid therefrom. A transmission is disposed between the impeller and the nozzle for transmitting rotation of the impeller to the nozzle. The transmission is sealed off from the fluid passing through the system by a resilient expandable diaphragm at one end. A fluid pressure responsive seal is provided in the system in sealing engagement with the nozzle. The sealed-off portion of the transmission is completely filled with a lubricating medium which is free to selectively contract or expand against the diaphragm in response to varying ambient conditions encountered by the sprinkler head. The nozzle may also include means for varying the pattern of the sprayed fluid and may be comprised of molded plastic components which may be assembled together.

Claims

1. In a sprinkler system having fluid under pressure flowing therethrough, and a sprinkler head operatively connected to said system having a nozzle for dispersing said fluid therefrom, the improvement which comprises:

impeller means associated with said head operatively engaging said nozzle for rotating said nozzle in response to said fluid passing through said system, said impeller means including transmission means for transmitting movement of said impeller to said nozzle, said transmission means being sealed off from engagement by said fluid at one end by an expandable diaphragm separating said transmission means from said fluid and closedoff in a fluid-tight manner at the other end and a lubricating medium completely filling the sealed-off portion of said transmission means, said lubricating medium being free to selectively contract or expand thereby displacing said diaphragm in response to varying ambient conditions encountered by said sprinkler head.

2. In the sprinkler system of claim 1 wherein the lubricating medium is of a differing coefficient of expansion than the materials comprising said transmission means.

3. In the sprinkler system of claim 1 wherein said transmission means includes reduction gearing means disposed in said sealed-off portion and in operative engagement with said impeller means for transmitting rapid rotation of said impeller means to slow rotation of said nozzle.

4. In the sprinkler system of claim 1 wherein screening means is disposed in said sprinkler head adapted to screen fluid entering said system before said fluid contacts said impeller means.

5. In the sprinkler system of claim 4 wherein said screening means includes a screen member encircling said impeller means, said screen member having a plurality of openings therein for screening fluids passing therethrough.

6. In the sprinkler system of claim 4 wherein said screening means includes a screening member disposed within said sprinkler head in contact with said fluid entering therein, said screening member having a main central imperforate body portion and a plurality of radially outwardly extending upstanding ribs, said ribs forming generally triangular openings between adjacent ribs, said triangular openings tapering from said central body portion outwardly to the periphery of said screening member forming a plurality of peripheral spaced openings disposed about the periphery of said screening member and in fluid communication with the spaces between adjacent ribs, the portion of said screening member between said peripheral openings and said central body portion also being imperforate.

7. In the sprinkler system of claim 1 wherein said nozzle includes a first nozzle cap portion operatively connected to said impeller means and rotatable thereby, and a main nozzle body having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough, said passageways having openings leading into said passageways for receiving fluid from said impeller means and orifices leading from said passageways, for spraying fluid therefrom, and means associated with both said nozzle cap portion and said main nozzle body for transmitting rotation of said nozzle cap portion by said impeller means to said main nozzle body.

8. In the sprinkler system of claim 1 wherein said main nozzle body includes an upper nozzle body portion and a lower nozzle body portion, three sides of said passageways extending through said upper nozzle body portion and leading into said orifices with said orifices open on one side thereof and the fourth side of said passageways and the closing-off of said orifices being formed by the interengagement of said upper and lower nozzle body portions, guide means associated with both of said nozzle body portions for guiding said nozzle body portions into interengagement in a manner whereby said fourth sides closes off said passageways and said orifices in said upper nozzle body portion in a fluid-tight manner, and said openings being disposed on said lower nozzle body portion.

9. In the sprinkler system of claim 8 wherein said upper and lower nozzle body portions are welded together.

10. In the sprinkler system of claim 7 wherein said openings are generally trapezoidal in cross-section.

11. In the sprinkler system of claim 7 wherein said openings are generally rectangular in cross-section.

12. In a sprinkler system having fluid under pressure flowing therethrough, and a sprinkler head operatively connected to said system having a nozzle for dispersing said fluid therefrom, said nozzle having a plurality of passageways extending completely therethrough, the improvement which comprises:

impeller means associated with said head operatively engaging said nozzle for rotating said nozzle in response to said fluid passing through said system, said impeller means enclosed by a housing having an upper portion and an open lower end for receiving said fluid therein, and sealing means disposed between the upper portion of said housing and said nozzle for preventing fluid entering said housing from passing between the upper portion of said housing and said nozzle while permitting said fluid to flow out of the passageways in said nozzle, said sealing means being adapted upon application of fluid under pressure to increase the pressure between it and said nozzle and the upper portion of said housing.

13. In the sprinkler system of claim 12 wherein said impeller means includes transmission means therein for transmitting movement of said impeller means to said nozzle, said transmission means being enclosed by a second housing, and an expandable diaphragm seal disposed within said second housing between said impeller means and said transmission means.

14. In the sprinkler system of claim 12 further including template means associated with said sprinkler head disposed between said nozzle and said sealing means adapted to set a predetermined pattern of spray of fluid under pressure from said nozzle.

15. In the sprinkler sytem of claim 14 wherein said template means is a metallic disc having aperture means therein shaped for providing said predetermined pattern of spray in a fluid communication with the fluid entering said sprinkler head and in selective fluid communication with the passageways of said nozzle.

16. In the sprinkler system of claim 15 wherein the upper portion of said housing includes an inwardly extending flange having a downwardly extending lip thereon, and said sealing means includes a resilient ring member having a first generally upright portion and an integral generally horizontally extending flange portion, the intersection of both of said portions forming a lip bearing against the underside of said disc with a first space formed between the lip of said housing and the upright portion of said ring member and a second space formed between said flange portion and the flange of the upper portion of said housing.

17. A sprinkler head comprising:

an outer housing;

an inner housing coaxially mounted therein and moveable from a first position within said outer housing to a second position extended from said outer housing;

a nozzle rotatably mounted at the upper end of said inner housing having a plurality of radiating fluid discharge passageways opening beyond said outer housing when said inner housing is extended out of said outer housing, said passageways being in fluid communication with the interior of said inner housing;

biasing means operatively engaging said inner housing for biasing said inner housing to its first position; and

impeller means associated with said inner housing in operative engagement with said nozzle for transmitting rotation of said impeller means to said nozzle, said impeller means including transmission means disposed within said inner housing, said transmission means being adapted to convert rapid rotation of said impeller means to slower rotation of said nozzle, said transission means having a portion sealed-off from the atmosphere with an expandable diaphragm disposed between said sealed-off portion and said impeller means, and a lubricating medium completely filling said sealed-off portion, said lubricting medium being free to selectively contract or expand thereby displacing said diaphragm in response to varying ambient conditions.

18. The sprinkler head of claim 17 wherein Said lubricating medium has a differing coefficient of expansion than the coefficient of expansion of the internal portions of said sealed-off portion.

19. In a sprinkler having a head mounting a nozzle for dispersing fluid through said head and out of said nozzle and impeller means associated with said head operatively engaging said nozzle for rotating said nozzle in response to said fluid passing through said head, said impeller means including transmission means for transmitting movement of said impeller means to said nozzle, the improvement comprising:

sealing means for sealing off at least a portion of said transmission means from engagement by said fluid including a displaceable member separating said transmission means sealed-off portion from said fluid; and

a lubricating medium completely filling the sealedoff portion of said transmission means, said lubricating medium being free to selectively contract or expand and thereby displace said member in response to varying ambient conditions encountered by said sprinkler.

20. In the sprinkler of claim 19, wherein said displaceable member is an expandable diaphragm.