Water distributing assembly

• US 4,405,085 A
• Filed: 04/27/1981
• Issued: 09/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
• Inventors: Meyer, Larry P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Forman, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US06/257,621
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 239/709-711, 239/718-721, 239/178-184, 239/177, 239/266-268, 239/169, 239/587, 239/588, 285/5, 285/404
• US Class Current: 239/726
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/092 movable around a pivot centre

Abstract

A water distributing assembly for use with a section of upwardly bowed rigid conduit supported at the opposite lower ends thereof by wheeled towers so that its longitudinal axis is disposed within a vertical plane for movement over a field in a direction transverse to said vertical plane. The water distributing assembly includes an inverted T-shaped pipe assembly for containing water under pressure having a plurality of sprinkler heads fixedly mounted in longitudinally spaced relation. A flexible hose assembly is provided for communicating the water under pressure in the conduit to the pipe assembly and sprinkler heads so as to accommodate five different adjustable movements between the pipe assembly and conduit provided by a clamping assembly.

Claims

1. A water distributing assembly for use with a section of upwardly bowed rigid conduit having a first axis which extends longitudinally therein, said conduit being supported at the opposite lower ends thereof by wheeled towers to that its longitudinal axis is disposed within a vertical plane for movement over a field in a direction transverse to said vertical plane, said water distributing assembly including

an inverted T-shaped pipe assembly for containing water under pressure, said inverted T-shaped pipe assembly including an elongated head carrying section having a second axis, said head carrying section being arranged to be disposed with said second axis extending horizontally in operation and a mounting section having a third axis, said mounting section being fixed at one end with the central portion of said head carrying section arranged so that said third axis extends vertically upwardly with respect to said second axis,

a plurality of sprinkler heads fixedly mounted in longitudinally spaced relation on said head carrying section in water pressure communicating relation with respect thereto so that water contained within said T-shaped pipe assembly is communicated with said sprinkler heads and discharged therefrom in a plurality of spray patterns within the field therebelow,

clamping means for operatively fixedly connecting the upper end portion of the mounting section with said conduit for the following five adjustable movements;

(1) longitudinal movement of said T-shaped pipe assembly along said first axis so as to determine the longitudinal position of operation of the inverted T-shaped pipe assembly with respect to the conduit, (2) pivotal movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly about said first axis so as to position said third axis parallel with said vertical plane, (3) pivotal movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly with respect to the conduit about a fourth axis perpendicular to the aforesaid vertical plane so as to position said third axis within a second vertical plane perpendicular to the first-mentioned vertical plane, (4) vertical translational movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly with respect to the conduit so as to determine the height of operation of the sprinkler heads mounted on the head carrying section thereof above the field surface, and (5) pivotal movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly about said third axis so as to determine the angular extent of said second axis with respect to the first-mentioned vertical plane, and

flexible hose means having one end connected with the upper end of the mounting section in fluid pressure communicating relation therewith and an opposite end adapted to be connected with the conduit for communicating water under pressure within said conduit to said T-shaped pipe assembly while accommodating any and all of the aforesaid five adjustable movements.

2. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means includes a rigid structure providing a horizontally open generally semi-cylindrical surface for engagement with the exterior of the conduit and a generally vertically extending flat surface for engagement with the upper end of the mounting section of said T-shaped pipe assembly, fastening means for adjustably fixedly securing said rigid structure to the conduit with said semi-cylindrical surface in engagement with the exterior thereof and U-bolt assemblies for adjustably fixedly securing said rigid structure to said T-shaped pipe assembly with said flat surface in engagement with the upper end of the mounting section of said pipe assembly.

3. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said rigid structure includes a metal strap having its central portion bent to provide said semi-cylindrical surface, a flat metal plate providing said flat surface and a pair of vertically spaced metal bars welded to the opposite surface of said bent strap and said flat plate.

4. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said flat plate has formed therein in spaced relation to each plate end edge a horizontally elongated slot for receiving a U-bolt assembly therethrough.

5. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein said fastening means includes a cooperating metal strap having its central portion bent to define a cooperating generally semi-cylindrical conduit engaging surface, said straps having their end portions bent outwardly in opposite directions, and bolt assemblies extending through the outwardly bent end portions of said straps.

6. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said T-shaped pipe assembly includes a central fitting forming a common part of the mounting and head carrying sections thereof, said fitting having a pair of oppositely extending horizontal sockets and a vertical socket extending upwardly from between said pair of sockets in communicating relation therewith, said mounting section including a vertical water pipe having its lower end sealingly fixedly secured in said vertical socket, said head carrying section including a pair of aligned horizontal water pipes sealingly fixedly secured in said horizontal sockets and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions.

7. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said fitting includes a second pair of oppositely horizontally extending sockets above said first-mentioned pair, a pair of horizontal support pipes fixedly mounted in said second pair of horizontal sockets and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions above said horizontal water pipes and diagonal brace means rigidly fixedly connected between each horizontal support pipe and the associated horizontal water pipe therebelow.

8. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said diagonal brace means comprises an elongated metal bar bent into an accordian fold configuration, said horizontal support pipes and water pipes being metal, each of said metal horizontal pipes being welded to an associated series of accordian folds of an associated bent bar.

9. A water distributing assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said fitting includes a second vertical socket extending downwardly from between said first pair of horizontal sockets in communicating relation therewith, one of said spray heads being fixedly sealingly engaged within said second vertical socket.

10. In a moving agricultural irrigation system of the type including a plurality of wheeled towers and elongated water conduit means having a first axis extending longitudinally thereof, said conduit means extending longitudinally between said wheeled towers in supported relation thereto for containing water under pressure movable by said wheeled towers over a field to be irrigated, and a plurality of water distributing assemblies carried by said conduit means in longitudinally spaced relation therealong for distributing water under pressure from said conduit means onto the adjacent portions of the field over which the conduit means is moved by said wheeled towers, the improvement which comprises each of said water distributing assemblies comprising

an inverted T-shaped pipe assembly for containing water under pressure, said inverted T-shaped pipe assembly including an elongated head carrying section having a second axis, said head carrying section being disposed with said second axis extending horizontally and a mounting section having a third axis, said mounting section being fixed at one end with the central portion of said head carrying section with said third axis extending vertically upwardly with respect to said second axis,

a plurality of sprinkler heads fixedly mounted in longitudinally spaced relation on said head carrying section in water pressure communicating relation with respect thereto so that water contained within said T-shaped pipe assembly is communicated with said sprinkler heads and discharged therefrom in a plurality of patterns within the field therebelow,

clamping means for operatively fixedly connecting the upper end portion of the mounting section with said conduit means for the following five adjustable movements:

(1) longitudinal movement of said T-shaped pipe assembly along said first axis so as to determine the longitudinal position of operation of the inverted T-shaped pipe assembly with respect to the conduit means, (2) pivotal movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly about said first axis so as to position said third axis parallel with a vertical plane passing through said first axis, (3) pivotal movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly with respect to the conduit means about a fourth axis perpendicular to the aforesaid vertical plane so as to position said third axis within a second vertical plane perpendicular to the first-mentioned vertical plane, (4) vertical translational movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly with respect to the conduit means so as to determine the height of operation of the sprinkler heads mounted on the head carrying section thereof above the field surface, and (5) pivotal movement of the T-shaped pipe assembly about said third axis so as to determine the angular extent of said second axis with respect to the first mentioned vertical plane, and

flexible hose means having one end connected with the upper end of the mounting section in fluid pressure communicating relation therewith and an opposite end connected with the conduit means for communicating water under pressure within said conduit means to said T-shaped pipe assembly while accommodating any and all of the aforesaid five adjustable movements.

11. The improvement as defined in claim 10 including guy wire means anchored to said system and connected with the ends of the head carrying sections of said water distributing assemblies to stabilize the same during operation.