Rotary drive sprinkler
First Claim
1. A rotary drive sprinkler, comprising:
- a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water;
a spray head for outward projection of an irrigation water stream and supported for rotation relative to said housing;
a rotary drive assembly for rotatably driving said spray head;
a reversing mechanism including means for reversing the direction of spray head rotation, within the end limits of a part-circle arcuate path, said reversing mechanism including resilient means permitting forced spray head rotation beyond either one of said end limits to a rotational position outside said part-circle path and upon subsequent spray head rotation for automatically returning to reversing rotation between said end limits within said part-circle path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved rotary drive sprinkler is provided for rotatably driving a pop-up spray head in a stepwise manner through a full-circle or reversibly within a selected part-circle path. The sprinkler includes a reversing trip mechanism having a pair of spaced-apart stops rotatable with the spray head and defining preset end limits of a part-circle path, wherein a stationary trip wire is engageable with the stops to switch an internal rotary drive assembly, such as a ball drive assembly, between forward- and reverse-drive operation. The trip wire flexes to accommodate forced spray head rotation to a maladjusted position beyond the end limits and, upon subsequent sprinkler operation, rides over ramped surfaces on the stops for automatic return to reversible operation between the reset end limits. Alternatively, the stops can be set in side-by-side relation with their ramped surfaces oriented for the trip wire to ride resiliently thereover without switching of the rotary drive assembly. Positional adjustment of the stops is performed quickly and easily from the exterior of the sprinkler after which a vandal-resistant lock device can be installed to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized stop adjustment. In addition, flow of irrigation water through the sprinkler is regulated to obtain improved control over spray head rotational speed irrespective of water pressure and spray head nozzle size.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A rotary drive sprinkler, comprising:
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a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water; a spray head for outward projection of an irrigation water stream and supported for rotation relative to said housing; a rotary drive assembly for rotatably driving said spray head; a reversing mechanism including means for reversing the direction of spray head rotation, within the end limits of a part-circle arcuate path, said reversing mechanism including resilient means permitting forced spray head rotation beyond either one of said end limits to a rotational position outside said part-circle path and upon subsequent spray head rotation for automatically returning to reversing rotation between said end limits within said part-circle path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A rotary drive sprinkler, comprising:
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a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water; a spray head for outward projection of an irrigation water stream and supported for rotation relative to said housing; a rotary drive assembly for rotatably driving said spray head; and a reversing mechanism movable between forward- and reverse-drive positions for reversing the direction of spray head rotation, said reversing mechanism including a trip member for switching said mechanism between said forward- and reverse-drive positions, a first stop engageable with said trip member upon spray head rotation and shaped for moving said trip member to switch said mechanism upon spray head forward rotation and to permit trip member passage without switching said mechanism upon spray head reverse rotation, and a second stop engageable with said trip member upon spray head rotation and shaped for moving said trip member to switch said mechanism upon spray head reverse rotation and to permit trip member passage without switching said mechanism upon spray head forward rotation. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A rotary drive sprinkler, comprising:
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a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water; a spray head for outward projection of an irrigation water stream and supported for rotation relative to said housing; a rotary drive assembly for rotatably driving said spray head; reverse means movable between forward- and reverse-drive positions for reversing the direction of rotary driving of said spray head; a pair of arcuately spaced-apart stops defining the end limits of a part-circle path of spray head rotation, said stops having stop surfaces presented generally toward each other across said part-circle path and ramped surfaces presented generally away from said part-circle path; and a resilient trip member for switching said reverse means between said forward- and reverse-drive positions and extending to a normal position generally between said stops, said stops and said trip member being movable relative to each other upon spray head rotation to bring said trip member into engagement with said stop surfaces respectively at the opposite end limits of said part-circle path to switch the position of said reverse means to reverse the direction of spray head rotation; said trip member having sufficient resiliency to move beyond either one of said end limits upon forced rotation of said spray head to a position outside said part-circle path and subsequently to ride over either one of said ramped surfaces without switching the position of said reverse means thereby returning to said normal position between said stops. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A rotary drive sprinkler, comprising:
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a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water; a pop-up stem assembly including a spray head for outward projection of an irrigation water stream, said stem assembly being movable between a retracted position with said spray head substantially within said housing and a spraying position with said spray head elevated above said housing, said stem assembly further including a drive sleeve rotatably supporting said spray head with respect to said housing; a rotary drive assembly movable with said stem assembly between said retracted and spraying positions, said rotary drive assembly including a drive case mounted against rotation within said housing and water-driven means for rotatably driving said drive sleeve; first and second stops rotatable with said drive sleeve; reverse means movable between forward- and reverse-drive positions for reversing the direction of rotational driving of said spray head by said drive sleeve; and a resilient trip member extending from said reverse means to a position engageable with said first and second stops upon spray head rotation, said first stop being shaped for moving said trip member to switch said reverse means upon forward spray head rotation and to permit trip member passage without switching said reverse means upon reverse spray head rotation, and said second stop being shaped for moving said trip member to switch said reverse means upon reverse spray head rotation and to permit trip member passage without switching said reverse means upon forward spray head rotation. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A rotary drive sprinkler, comprising:
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a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water; a pop-up stem assembly mounted within said housing for movement between a retracted position substantially within said housing and a spraying position with a spray head thereon elevated above said housing for spraying irrigation water outwardly therefrom, said stem assembly further including a drive sleeve rotatably carrying said spray head; a rotary drive assembly for rotatably driving said drive sleeve and said spray head in a succession of small rotational steps, said rotary drive assembly including a drive case nonrotationally supported within said housing, at least one water-driven turbine and means responsive to turbine rotation for driving said drive sleeve in a succession of small rotational steps; reverse means for reversing the direction of rotation of said turbine, said reverse means including a swirl plate having at least two oppositely angled swirl ports for passage of water in opposite swirl directions in driving relation with said turbine; means for directing a drive jet generally toward said turbine, said swirl plate being movable between a forward- and reverse-drive position with said swirl ports aligned respectively with said drive jet; a resilient trip wire anchored at one end to said swirl plate for movement therewith and extending outwardly therefrom; a first stop carried by drive ring; and a second stop carried by a trip ring releasably carried in turn about said drive ring; said first stop being shaped for moving said trip wire to switch said swirl plate upon forward turbine rotation and to permit passage of said trip wire without switching said swirl plate upon reverse turbine rotation, said second stop being shaped for moving said trip wire to switch said swirl plate upon reverse turbine rotation and to permit passage of said trip wire without switching said swirl plate upon forward turbine rotation; said drive sleeve and spray head being further movable relative to said drive case in the direction of movement between said retracted and spraying positions for movement between a normal operating position with said trip ring rotating with said drive ring and an adjustment position with said trip ring locked against rotation with said drive ring, said spray head and said drive ring being rotatable relative to said trip ring when in said adjustment position to adjust the arcuate spacing between said stops. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification