Temperature controlled automatic water dispenser to provide subsurface irrigation for orchard, farm & vineyard plants

• US 3,902,825 A
• Filed: 02/08/1974
• Issued: 09/02/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John D. Quillen
• Original Assignee: John D. Quillen
• Inventors: Quillen, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Freeh, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gluck, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US05/440,843
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 412/118,120,126,137,138,149,207,379 61/13
• US Class Current: 417/118
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/06 Watering arrangements making use of perforated pipe-lines located in the soil
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/006 Solar operated
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 1/02 using both positively and negatively pressurised fluid medium, e.g. alternating

Abstract

A temperature controlled automatic water dispenser for irrigating plant roots and the like in which an increase in ambient temperature will cause the device to dispense water automatically for irrigation use. The dispensed water is conveyed through appropriate water conveying lines to a plurality of seepage nozzles which are inserted into the soil adjacent to the plant roots. Thus, the irrigation water flows from the dispenser device directly to the roots of selected plants during intervals of rising temperature. When the ambient temperature stabilizes, or whenever the temperature is falling, the device will not dispense water.

Claims

1. A temperature controlled automatic irrigation mechanism:

a. a first body of water under atmospheric pressure;

b. a sealed envelope buoyantly supported by said body of water and having an air chamber in its top and a second body of water in its lower portion;

c. a buoyant water pumping unit floatable in the second body of water;

d. a first means for conveying water from said first body of water under atmospheric pressure into said pumping unit and thence into the second body of water within said envelope when the atmospheric air pressure exceeds the air pressure within said air chamber;

e. a sealed temperature sensor container having a tubular communication with said air chamber within said envelope so that a lowering of the ambient temperature of the air surrounding said temperature sensor container will cool the air therein causing a lowering of the air pressure in the temperature sensor container and also within said air chamber in said envelope to below that of the atmospheric pressure whereby water will flow from said first body of water through said first water conveying means into said pumping unit and thence into said second body of water within said envelope;

f. a second means for feeding water from said second body of water into said pumping unit and thence to an irrigation system, said second water feeding means including means for exposing the water therein to atmospheric pressure;

g. whereby an increase in the ambient temperature surrounding said temperature sensor container will increase the temperature and, therefore, the air pressure within said container and within said air chamber in said envelope to a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, thus causing this higher pressure on the second body of water in the envelope to overcome the atmospheric pressure acting on the water in the second water feeding means and causing water to flow from the second body of water through said second means into said pumping unit and thence from the pumping unit to an irrigation system for watering purposes, said irrigation system is below said pumping unit, and flow therebetween is caused by gravity.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1:

and in which a. said first means for conveying water from said first body of water into said second body of water within said envelope includes;

b. a first flexible conduit in said envelope and having an inlet communicating with said first body of water and having an outllet connected to a first pipe mounted in said pumping unit;

c. said first water conveying means also having a second pipe in said pumping unit and surrounding said first pipe, the top of said first pipe terminating at a point below the top of said second pipe; and

d. said pumping unit having a first group of openings in the lower portion placing the interior of the second pipe in communication with the second body of water in said envelope.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1:

and in which a. said second means for feeding water from said second body of water into said pumping unit and thence to an irrigation system includes;

b. a third pipe in said pumping unit extending from the top to the bottom of said unit;

c. a second flexible conduit having one end communicating with the top of the third pipe and having its other end projecting through said envelope and communicating with the atmosphere;

d. a fourth pipe comprising a water outlet pipe carried by said pumping unit and having its lower end connected to a third flexible conduit whose other end extends through the bottom of said envelope and is connected to a fourth conduit that extends beyond the first body of water and communicates with the irrigation system;

e. the bottom of said pumping unit having a second group of openings placing the second body of water in said envelope in communication with the interior of said third pipe so that any water entering the third pipe through said second group of openings can flow into said fourth pipe and into said irrigation system.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1:

and in which a. said first means for conveying water from said first body of water into said second body of water within said envelope includes;

b. a first flexible conduit in said envelope and having an inlet communicating with said first body of water and having an outlet connected to a first pipe mounted in said pumping unit;

c. said first water conveying means also having a second pipe in said pumping unit and surrounding said first pipe, the top of said first pipe terminating at a point below the top of said second pipe; and

d. said pumping unit having a first group of openings in the lower portion placing the interior of the second pipe in communication with the second body of water in said envelope;

e. said second means for feeding water from said second body of water into said pumping unit and thence to an irrigation system includes;

f. a third pipe in said pumping unit extending from the top to the bottom of said unit;

g. a second flexible conduit having one end communicating with the top of the third pipe and having its other end projecting through said envelope and communicating with the atmosphere;

h. a fourth pipe comprising a water outlet pipe carried by said pumping unit and having its lower end connected to a third flexible conduit whose other end extends through the bottom of said envelope and is connected to a fourth conduit that extends beyond the first body of water and communicates with the irrigation system;

i. the bottom of said pumping unit having a second group of openings placing the second body of water in said envelope in communication with the interior of said third pipe so that any water entering the third pipe through said group of openings can flow into said fourth pipe and into said irrigation system.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1:

and in which a. means for applying a source of external heat to said temperature sensor container for extraneously increasing the internal temperature thereby increasing the air pressure therein which increased air pressure is communicated to said buoyantly supported sealed envelope and causing a flow of water from the second water body in said envelope through said second water feeding means into said pumping unit and thence to said irrigation system for discharging through seepage nozzles into the soil;

b. the termination of each extraneous application of external heat causing the temperature within said temperature sensor container to decrease thereby resulting in a reduced air pressure in said container which lower air pressure is communicated to the buoyantly supported sealed envelope to lower the pressure therein, thereby causing said first water conveying means to transfer water from said first body of water into said second body of water in said envelope to replenish the amount discharged into the irrigation system during the application of the extraneous heat.