Controlled irrigation system for a predetermined area
First Claim
1. A sprinkler system comprising in combination:
- a source of water supply under pressure and a common water supply line connected thereto;
a plurality of sprinkler heads at spaced intervals along said water supply line, each sprinkler head having timer control valve means interposed between an inlet port adapted to receive water from said water supply line and a discharge port connected to said sprinkler head, said control valve means being responsive to rotation of said sprinkler head to be movable between a first position diverting water from said water supply line through said inlet and discharge ports and a second position closing said discharge port and permitting water to flow through said supply line to each next sprinkler head in succession;
a rotatable nozzle assembly in each sprinkler head communicating with said discharge port; and
water operated drive means in each sprinkler head responsive to the flow of water under pressure through said discharge port to continuously rotate said sprinkler head.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lawn sprinkler system has a plurality of sprinkler heads connected to a common water supply line. The sprinkling or irrigation, the rate of rotation and the contour of the area sprinkled all are controlled at each sprinkler head. A timer valve associated with a manually adjustable control setting regulates the sprinkling cycle at each head in response to rotation of the head, following which water is bypassed to the next sprinkler head in succession. Further, each sprinkler head contains a rotatable nozzle assembly which is adjustable to provide a spray pattern which will conform to different contours or areas to be sprinkled by each head independently of the other heads in the line in such a way as to afford the greatest possible water efficiency. The sprinkler head is driven or rotated by a water-operated motor which is responsive to the flow of water under pressure into the head to impart continuous rotation to the nozzle assembly throughout the sprinkler cycle and can be varied in speed by regulating the flow rate of water through the motor.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A sprinkler system comprising in combination:
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a source of water supply under pressure and a common water supply line connected thereto; a plurality of sprinkler heads at spaced intervals along said water supply line, each sprinkler head having timer control valve means interposed between an inlet port adapted to receive water from said water supply line and a discharge port connected to said sprinkler head, said control valve means being responsive to rotation of said sprinkler head to be movable between a first position diverting water from said water supply line through said inlet and discharge ports and a second position closing said discharge port and permitting water to flow through said supply line to each next sprinkler head in succession; a rotatable nozzle assembly in each sprinkler head communicating with said discharge port; and water operated drive means in each sprinkler head responsive to the flow of water under pressure through said discharge port to continuously rotate said sprinkler head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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- 10. In a sprinkler system having a source of water supply under pressure and a water supply line connected thereto, a sprinkler head in said water supply line having timer control valve means interposed between an inlet port adapted to receive water from said water supply line and a discharge port connected to said sprinkler head, said timer control valve means being responsive to rotation of said sprinkler head to be movable between a first position diverting water from said water supply line through said inlet and discharge ports and a second position closing said discharge port, said timer control valve means including indexing means to automatically reposition said timer control valve means in said first position after completion of the sprinkling cycle, a valve member slidable within a valve chamber between said first and second positions, and a piston member operative connected to said valve member and responsive to changes in differential pressure on opposite sides of said piston to advance said valve member between said first and second positions.
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12. In a sprinkler system, a hydraulically actuated power drive piston assembly comprising:
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a piston chamber having opposite end walls; a double-acting piston head slidable through said chamber between opposite end walls, said piston head having axially spaced opposite ends sealed with respect to said chamber; at least one shuttle valve extending axially of said piston head having an intermediate inlet port and outlet ports at opposite ends of said piston, said shuttle valve including a valve stem movable in an axial direction independently of said piston between opposite end limits of movement so as to alternately close one of said outlet ports while opening the other of said outlet ports; a member to be rotated; and means operatively associated with said piston head to convert the linear movement of said piston head into rotational movement of the member to be rotated. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 17)
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16. In a sprinkler system according to claim 16, including a second spring element operative to resist displacement of said shuttle valve stem member under the urging of said first resilient means until a predetermined spring force is developed in said resilient means.
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18. In a sprinkler system, a hydraulically actuated power drive piston assembly comprising:
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a piston chamber having opposite end walls; a double-acting piston slidable through said chamber between opposite end walls, said piston having axially spaced opposite ends sealed with respect to said chamber; a first shuttle valve extending axially through said piston having an intermediate inlet port and outlet ports at opposite ends of said piston, said shuttle valve including a first valve stem member movable in an axial direction independently of said piston between opposite end limits of movement so as to alternately close one of said outlet ports while opening the other of said outlet ports; a second shuttle valve extending axially through said piston including an intermediate outlet port and inlet ports at opposite ends of said piston, and a second valve stem operatively connected to said first shuttle valve stem and movable therewith to open said inlet port at the end of said piston when the outlet port of said first shuttle valve at the same end of said piston head is closed and to close said inlet port at the opposite end of said piston when said inlet port of said first shuttle valve is open; a member to be rotated; and indexing means operatively associated with said piston to convert the linear movement of said piston into rotational movement of the member to be rotated. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A sprinkler head unit comprising:
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a base including an inlet port adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure; a generally tubular, open-ended housing mounted on said base having its longitudinal axis normal to the longitudinal axis of said piston chamber; a casing disposed in inner concentric relation to said housing, said casing being fixed against rotation relative to said housing but movable axially of said housing, said casing having an upper cam programmer assembly forming at least a partial closure across the upper end of said casing; and a nozzle assembly supported on the upper end of said casing but rotatable independently thereof, said nozzle assembly including a series of nozzle orifices arranged to extend in a common substantially radial direction away from the center of said casing, each nozzle extending at a different vertical angle to cover a different area to be irrigated, a liquid inlet communicating with said nozzle orifices, and a nozzle control member including a series of plungers aligned with said nozzles and a cam follower operative to control radial movement of said plungers into and away from said nozzle orifices. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A sprinkler head unit comprising:
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a base including a piston drive chamber therein and an inlet port adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure; a generally tubular, open-ended housing mounted on said base having its longitudinal axis normal to the longitudinal axis of said piston chamber; a casing disposed in inner concentric relation to said housing, said casing being fixed against rotation relative to said housing but movable axially of said housing, said casing having an upper nozzle programmer assembly forming at least a partial closure across the upper end of said casing; a nozzle assembly supported on the upper end of said casing but rotatable independently thereof, said nozzle assembly including a series of nozzle orifices arranged to extend in a common substantially radial direction away from the center of said casing, each nozzle extending at a different vertical angle to cover a different area to be irrigated, and a liquid inlet communicating with said nozzle orifices; a rotatable drive shaft extending downwardly from and drivingly connected to said nozzle assembly including a driven gear at its lower end; at least one drive gear shaft extending upwardly from said piston chamber having a pinion disposed to at least partially extend into the interior of said piston chamber and a drive gear in intermeshing relation to the driven gear on said driven shaft; a piston slidable in said piston chamber including drive means responsive to water pressure of the water directed through said inlet port to drive said piston through said piston chamber, an indexing rack on at least one side of said piston disposed in intermeshing engagement with said drive shaft pinion, said pinion being so connected to said drive shaft as to rotate said gear drive shaft and impart rotation to said driven shaft; and time control valve means responsive to rotation of said sprinkler head to control the sprinkling cycle of said sprinkler head and the delivery of said water into said sprinkler head. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification