Oscillating sprinkler

• US 4,568,024 A
• Filed: 07/21/1983
• Issued: 02/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Edwin J. Hunter
• Inventors: Hunter, Edwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/515,802
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 74/457, 74/462, 74/460, 74/98, 239/242
• US Class Current: 239/242
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/74 driven by the discharged fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0431 the rotative movement of the outlet elements being reversible B05B3/0445 takes precedence

Abstract

A gear driven oscillating sprinkler head includes a shifting gear train for transmitting drive from a drive motor to the oscillating sprinkler head with a shifting mechanism for shifting alternate driving pinions into driving engagement with an internal ring gear with the pressure angle of the engaging teeth being different for the different drive pinions to thereby balance the shifting force applied by the shifting mechanism.

Claims

1. An oscillating sprinkler, comprising:

a sprinkler head mounted for rotation about a first axis;

a drive motor;

a gear train for drivingly connecting said drive motor for driving said sprinkler head including an internal gear connected to said sprinkler head, shiftable drive means having a pair of alternatively operable terminal gears alternatively engageable with said internal gear for driving said internal gear in alternate directions, each terminal gear having a different pressure angle of engagement with said internal gear when each one of said terminal gears is alternately engaged with said internal gear for balancing the engaging forces thereof.

2. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said shiftable drive means includes

a drive gear driven by said drive motor, said drive gear mounted for rotation about a second axis offset from said first axis,

a pivoting yoke mounted for pivotal movement about said second axis,

one of said terminal gears mounted on said yoke on one side of said second axis, and the other of said drive gears mounted on said yoke on the other side of said second axis.

3. The sprinkler of claim 2, wherein said internal gear comprises teeth having a first pressure angle on one side and a second pressure angle on the other side, and said first and second pressure angles match said angles of engagement of said terminal gears.

4. The sprinkler of claim 3, wherein the one of said terminal gears for driving said internal gear in a common direction with said drive gear has the lesser of said pressure angles.

5. The sprinkler of claim 4, wherein the lower of said pressure angles is about 15 degrees and the greater of said pressure angles is about 25 degrees.

6. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said internal gear comprises teeth having a first pressure angle on one side and a second pressure angle on the other side, and said first and second pressure angles match said angles of engagement of said terminal gears.

7. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein, the one of said terminal gears for driving said internal gear in a common direction with said drive gear has the lesser of said pressure angles.

8. The sprinkler of claim 7, wherein the lesser of said pressure angles is about 15 degrees and the greater of said pressure angles is about 25 degrees.

9. The sprinkler of claim 7, wherein the difference between said pressure angles is about 10 degrees.

10. The sprinkler of claim 1, wherein the pressure angle of one of said terminal gears is about 15 degrees and the pressure angle of the other terminal gear is about 25 degrees.

11. An oscillating sprinkler, comprising:

a sprinkler head mounted for rotation about a first axis;

a drive motor

a shiftable gear train including a pair of terminal drive gears for drivingly connecting said drive motor for driving said sprinkler head including an internal gear connected to said sprinkler head, shiftable means for alternatively shifting said terminal gears alternatively into engagement with said internal gear for driving said internal gear in alternate directions, each terminal gear having a different pressure angle of engagement with said internal gear for balancing the engaging forces thereof,

said shiftable drive means includes a drive shaft driven by said drive motor and a gear mounted for rotation about a second axis offset from said first axis,

a pivoting yoke mounted for pivotal movement about said second axis,

one of said terminal gears mounted on said yoke on one side of said second axis, and the other of said drive gears mounted on said yoke on the other side of said second axis.

12. The sprinkler of claim 11, wherein said internal gear comprises teeth having a first pressure angle on one side and a second pressure angle on the other side, and said first and second pressure angles match said angles of engagement of said terminal gears.

13. The sprinkler of claim 12, wherein the one of said terminal gears for driving said internal gear in a common direction with said drive gear has the lesser of said pressure angles.

14. The sprinkler of claim 13 wherein the lesser of said pressure angles is about 15 degrees and the greater of said pressure angles is about 25 degress.

15. The sprinkler of claim 13 wherein the difference between said pressure angles is about 10 degrees.

16. A balanced oscillating gear drive for a sprinkler head comprising:

an internal gear having teeth with a first pressure angle on one face and a second different pressure angle on the other face;

a drive gear,

a shifting yoke pivotally mounted co-axially of said drive gear,

a first gear train driven by said drive gear and including a drive pinion for selective engagement with said internal gear for driving said internal gear in a first direction of rotation; and

a second gear train driven by said drive gear and including a drive pinion for selective engagement with said internal gear for driving with internal gear in a second direction,

one of said first and second drive pinions having teeth matching the first of said pressure angles and the other of said drive pinions having teeth matching the second of said pressure angles for substantially balancing the engaging force on said gear.

17. The sprinkler of claim 16, wherein the one of said terminal gears for driving said internal gear in a common direction with said drive gear has the lesser of said pressure angles.

18. The sprinkler of claim 17 wherein the lesser of said pressure angles is about 15 degrees and the greater of said pressure angles is about 25 degrees.

19. The sprinkler of claim 17, wherein the difference between said pressure angles is about 10 degrees.

20. The sprinkler of claim 17, wherein the first and second pressure angles are about 15 degrees and 25 degrees respectively.