Oscillating sprinkler

• US 3,977,610 A
• Filed: 12/22/1975
• Issued: 08/31/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gilmour Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: James R. Coson
• Inventors: Royer, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, Jr., Robert S.
• Application Number:
  US05/643,193
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• Field of Search: 239/230, 239/231-233
• US Class Current: 239/230
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0481 Impact motive means

Abstract

An oscillating sprinkler having improved provision for confining fluid discharge to a predetermined arc through which the sprinkler reciprocates, including a nozzle adapted to direct a stream along an axis in predetermined relation thereto, a pair of cooperative concave vanes; and means mounting the vanes in fixed spaced relation for integral movement to and from the stream with their concavities disposed toward a predetermined fluid path therebetween, one of the vanes being adjacent to the nozzle and having an inner end disposed theretoward in acute angular relation to the axis when in the stream and an opposite end curved laterally from the axis, the other vane being spaced laterally and longitudinally of the axis from said one vane in the direction of curvature thereof having an inner end substantially parallel to said opposite end of said one vane and an opposite end substantially parallel to the inner end of said one vane.

Claims

1. In a sprinkler having a nozzle adapted to direct a stream along an axis in predetermined relation thereto, a pair of cooperative concave vanes;

and means mounting the vanes in fixed spaced relation for integral movement to and from the stream with their concavities disposed toward a predetermined fluid path therebetween, one of the vanes being adjacent to the nozzle and having an inner end disposed theretoward in acute angular relation to the axis when in the stream and an opposite end curved laterally from the axis, the other vane in its entirety being spaced laterally and longitudinally of the axis from said one vane in the direction of curvature thereof so that the vanes overlap neither laterally nor longitudinally of the axis, and said other vane having an inner end substantially parallel to said opposite end of said one vane and an opposite end substantially parallel to the inner end of said one vane.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the vanes are shaped and arranged so that when said one vane is in the stream to its maximum point of movement theretoward the one vane deflects the stream from the axis sufficiently to strike the other vane whereby it is deflected a second time to substantially parallel relation to the axis, so that as the one vane moves in the opposite direction the one vane progressively deflects the stream to a lesser extent until it misses the outer end of said other vane, so that as said one vane continues its movement in said opposite direction it moves from the stream, so that as said one vane returns to the stream it first deflects the stream insufficiently to strike the other vane, and so that as said one vane continues into the stream it progressively deflects the stream to a greater extent until it strikes the other vane whereupon it is deflected thereby to a path substantially parallel to the axis.

3. In a sprinkler having a nozzle adapted to direct a fluid stream along a predetermined axis;

first and second cooperative stream deflecting vanes;

means pivotally mounting the vanes in unitary spaced relation for reciprocal movement toward and from the stream; and

a stop engageable with the first vane when the first vane is in the stream to limit movement of the vanes in the direction toward the stream, the first vane having a first end acutely angularly related to the axis when the first vane is against the stop and an opposite end more obtusely angularly related to the axis whereby the first vane angularly deflects the stream a maximum when it is against the stop and the stream impinges against a relatively obtuse portion of the vane and deflects the stream substantially less as the vane moves from the stop and the stream impinges against the first vane at positions progressively closer to its first end, and the second vane has a first end substantially parallel to said opposite end of the first vane and an opposite end which is substantially parallel to first end of the first vane, the second vane being spaced longitudinally and transversely of the axis from the first vane in a position for the impingement of the stream deflected by the first vane thereagainst at a position in spaced relation to said opposite end when the first vane is against the stop and as the first vane moves from the stop the position of impingement on the second vane moves toward said opposite end until the deflected stream misses the second vane substantially entirely before the first vane moves from the stream.

4. In a sprinkler having a nozzle adapted to discharge a stream along an axis in a predetermined direction therefrom, an oscillating element, and means mounting the element for reciprocal pivotal movement transversely of the stream;

an arcuate first vane rigidly mounted on the element for pivotal movement therewith between a first position in the stream and a second position retracted from the stream, said vane in its first position having an end portion adjacent to the nozzle and an opposite end portion, said end portion adjacent to the nozzle being in acute angular relation to said axis and extending toward the opposite end portion across the stream in arcuate progressively more obtusely angular relation to said axis whereby the stream strikes the first vane when it is in its first position and is angularly deflected from said axis away from the nozzle and as the vane moves from its first position the stream is deflected from said axis progressively to a lesser extent until the vane leaves the stream; and

an arcuate second vane rigidly mounted on said element in spaced relation to the first vane having an arcuate surface disposed to receive the stream deflected from the first vane when the first vane is in its first position to deflect the stream a second time back to substantially parallel relation to the axis of the nozzle, having an arcuate surface continuing outwardly from the first vane of progressively more acute angular relation to said axis so that as the first vane pivots from its first position the stream deflected thereby impinges on the progressively more acutely angularly related portions of the second vane to return the stream to substantially parallel relation with the axis and having an outer end portion that moves out of the deflected stream before the first vane moves out of the stream.

5. In an oscillating sprinkler having a body, means adapted to mount the body in fluid communication with a source of fluid under pressure and for oscillation about a substantially erect axis, a nozzle mounted on the body adapted to direct a fluid stream along an axis outwardly from the axis of body oscillation, a primary anvil mounted on the body adjacent to the nozzle, an impact lever mounted on the body for reciprocal pivotal movement about a substantially erect axis toward and from the primary anvil to rotate the body in increments of stepped progression in one direction, resilient means urging the impact lever toward the primary anvil, a secondary anvil mounted on the body at the side of the axis thereof opposite to the primary anvil for movement to and from the path of the impact lever engageable with said lever when in its path to rotate the body in increments of stepped progression opposite to said one direction, and control means for moving said secondary anvil to and from said path of the impact lever whereby the body oscillates to move the nozzle back and forth through a predetermined arc;

reaction means on said impact lever movable to and from said stream to reciprocate the impact lever while substantially confining the distribution of the fluid over said predetermined arc comprising;

A. a first vane integral with the lever disposed for movement through the stream to impact the primary anvil at an edge of the stream and back through the stream to a position retracted from the stream; and

B. a second vane integral with the lever spaced from the first vane longitudinally of the stream and transversely of the stream in the direction of retraction of the lever,

1. each of said vanes having an inner edge disposed toward the nozzle, an outer edge disposed away from said nozzle, and a concave central portion disposed toward the stream,

2. the central portion of the first vane being disposed in the stream when the first vane is in impact position and angularly related thereto to deflect the stream between the vanes and against the central portion of the second vane, said second vane being concave and angularly disposed to the deflected stream to deflect the stream a second time to substantial parallel relation to said nozzle axis,

3. the first vane being progressively more acutely angularly related to the stream as it nears its inner edge so that as the first vane moves to impact position the stream impinges on progressively more acutely angularly related portions thereof to be more acutely deflected toward the second vane to impinge thereon at positions progressively closer to the outer edge thereof, said second vane being progressively more acutely angularly related to the axis of the stream as it nears its outer edge so that as the stream is more acutely deflected from the first vane it is correspondingly more acutely angularly deflected in the opposite direction by the second vane to return to substantial parallelism with the axis of the nozzle, the inner edge of the first vane being sufficiently acutely angularly related to the stream that before it moves from the stream it deflects the stream so slightly as substantially to miss the outer edge of the second vane.

6. The combination of claim 5 in which as the impact lever approaches the primary anvil the stream first impinges against the acutely angularly related inner edge of the first vane to drive the lever toward the primary anvil while the stream is deflected insufficiently to impinge against the second vane so as to avoid resistance therefrom and as the impact lever continues toward the primary anvil the stream strikes progressively more obtuse portions of the first vane to receive increased thrust therefrom toward the primary anvil as the stream is deflected sufficiently to strike the second vane and be redeflected thereby to substantially parallel relation to the axis of the nozzle and to oppose the thrust toward the primary anvil.