Oscillating water sprinkler
First Claim
1. In an oscillating water sprinkler having a base with a horizontal sprinkler tube mounted therein for oscillating motion about its axis, a water supply inlet, a fluid motor comprising a chamber having a paddle-piston arranged therein drivingly secured to the sprinkler tube, left and right motor chamber filling channels, left and right motor chamber discharge channels, means for connecting the motor chamber discharge channels to the sprinkler tube, valve means for routing the flow of water alternately along one or the other of the left and right motor chamber filling channels and control means for manipulating said valve means in response to the angular position of the sprinkler tube, the improvement wherein said valve means includes a two-position mechancial closure element arranged to alternately directly close one or the other of the inlets to the left and right filling channels and switch means for independently propelling said closure element alternately from one position to the other when actuated by the movement of said paddle-piston past a predetermined point and for mechanically urgingly holding said closure element in said other position independent of water pressure.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A snap-action toggle valve reverses the direction of an oscillating sprinkler powered by a paddle-piston motor. Adjustable stops on the sprinkler tube trip the valve at the end of each sweep, alternately opening left and right motor chamber channels interconnected to a sprinkler supply channel feeding the sprinkler tube without interruption. A special vane on the sprinkler tube where it intercepts the sprinkler supply channel prevents vortex action. The edges of the paddle-piston are sealed to the motor chamber by a flanged slip-on wiper.
24 Citations
12 Claims
- 1. In an oscillating water sprinkler having a base with a horizontal sprinkler tube mounted therein for oscillating motion about its axis, a water supply inlet, a fluid motor comprising a chamber having a paddle-piston arranged therein drivingly secured to the sprinkler tube, left and right motor chamber filling channels, left and right motor chamber discharge channels, means for connecting the motor chamber discharge channels to the sprinkler tube, valve means for routing the flow of water alternately along one or the other of the left and right motor chamber filling channels and control means for manipulating said valve means in response to the angular position of the sprinkler tube, the improvement wherein said valve means includes a two-position mechancial closure element arranged to alternately directly close one or the other of the inlets to the left and right filling channels and switch means for independently propelling said closure element alternately from one position to the other when actuated by the movement of said paddle-piston past a predetermined point and for mechanically urgingly holding said closure element in said other position independent of water pressure.
- 8. In an oscillating water sprinkler having a base with a horizontal sprinkler tube mounted therein for oscillating motion about its axis, a water supply inlet, a fluid motor comprising a chamber having a paddle-piston arranged therein drivingly secured to the sprinkler tube, left and right motor chamber filling channels, left and right motor chamber discharge channels, means connecting the outlets of the motor chamber discharge channels to the sprinkler tube, valve means for routing the flow of water alternately along one or the other of the left and right motor chamber filling channels and control means for manipulating said valve means in response to the angular position of the sprinkler tube, the improvement wherein the left and right motor chamber discharge channels merge together to form a single sprinkler supply channel leading to the sprinkler tube such that flow from one discharge channel into the sprinkler supply channel tends to aspirate fluid from the other.
- 10. In an oscillating water sprinkler having a base with a horizontal sprinkler tube mounted therein for oscillating motion about its axis, a water supply inlet, a fluid motor comprising a sector-shaped chamber having a rotatably mounted paddle-piston drivingly secured to the sprinkler tube with a substantially rectangular blade extending radially within and dividing the chamber in a plane parallel to the axis thereof, and means for providing and controlling the flow of water to supply the sprinkler tube and the fluid motor, the improvement wherein a U-shaped slip-on double-flanged flexible wiper is fitted to the paddle-piston blade to slidably seal the edges thereof to the sides of the motor chamber.
Specification