Irrigation system and apparatus

• US 4,674,681 A
• Filed: 08/01/1985
• Issued: 06/23/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lindsey Manufacturing Co.
• Original Assignee: Lindsey Manufacturing Co.
• Inventors: Meis, Charles H., Siekmeier, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weldon, Kevin Patrick
• Application Number:
  US06/761,393
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 239/177-177.2, 239/710, 239/718-721 726, 239/728, 239/729, 239/739, 239/743, 239/744, 239/DIG. 1, 285/114
• US Class Current: 239/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/092 movable around a pivot centre
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/097 guided or propelled along a water supply line with supply line traversing means

Abstract

This is concerned with an irrigation system or mechanism which is constructed and arranged and intended to water non-circular fields which may be considered polygonal sided intersecting at the corners. The system and method includes the use or combination of two types of irrigation systems, the first a so-called lateral move or free-standing span system and the second, either a so-called center pivot irrigation unit or a lateral move unit. The free-standing span moves along the outside of the field following the edge or border or fence with turns at intersections and the main irrigation unit moves inside of it and is coordinated and connected to it so that at times they overlap and at times they are distended with water, preferably, being supplied to the free-standing span by the main irrigation unit.

Claims

1. In an irigation system for watering a non-circular area, such as a generally square field, a free standing span including an elongated water pipe with a self-propelled movable tower with non-steerable wheels at each end, a guidance mechanism including a guidance reference line extending around the periphery of the field, a sensing mechansim on the free standing span constructed to follow the alignment reference line, sprinklers on the free standing span for irrigating a path around the outside of the field, a center pivot irrigation unit inside of the free standing span constructed and arranged to move with the free standing span, including an elongated water pipe supported at intervals by self-propelled movable towers with sprinkler units along the water pipe, and a connecting span between the outer end of the center pivot irrigation unit and the inner end of the free standing span so that the connecting span and free standing span may fold in next to and peripherally overlap the outer portion of the center pivot irigation unit opposite the sides of a field and unfold and extend beyond the outer end of the center pivot irrigation unit in the corners of the field.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including sprinklers along the connecting span between the free standing span and the center pivot irrigation unit.

3. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the center pivot irrigation system leads the free standing span in their direction of movement.

4. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including an overhang extension on the outer end of the free standing span.

5. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the alignment reference line includes an electric cable buried in the ground.

6. In an irrigation system for irrigating a field which has one or more non-circular areas, a first irrigation pipe system that includes a free standing span pipe unit with non-steerable wheels and towers on each end and sprinklers thereon arranged to irrigate a path made up generally of straight sections and turns conforming to the outside of the field, a second irrigation pipe system that includes an elongated center pivot pipe unit with sprinklers thereon supported at intervals on wheels and towers and arranged to pivot about a center to irrigate a circular area generally inside of the path defined and irrigated by the free standing span pipe unit, and a connection between the two units that supplies water from the second unit to the first and that also allows substantial differential movement between them while both are moving.

7. The structure of claim 6 further characterized by and including sprinklers on the connection between the two units.

8. The structure of claim 6 further characterized by and including a guidance mechanism for the system including an elongated reference line positioned around the periphery of the field and in predetermined relation thereto.

9. The structure of claim 6 further characterized in that the connection between the two units allows them to be in overlapping relation when opposite the sides of a field and in extended relation opposite the corner of a field.

10. A method of operating an irrigation system to irrigate a generally polygonal shaped field having generally rectilinear sides intersecting at corners, the system including a first free standing span pipe system supported by towers with non-steerable wheels on each end thereof and sprinkler units along its length, and a second elongated center pivot pipe system with sprinkler units along its length supported at intervals by wheel towers, including the steps of positioning the free standing span pipe system adjacent the periphery of the polygonal shaped field, simultaneously sprinkling and moving the free standing span pipe system around the periphery of the field in a series of generally straight line steps with turns where the sides of the field intersect at the corners, positioning the center pivot pipe system in the general center of the field inside of the defined path of movement of the free standing span pipe system, simultaneously pivoting and sprinkling with the center pivot pipe system through a generally circular part of the field, coordinating the inner end of the free standing span pipe system and the outer end of the center pivot pipe system so that they move in unison in overlapping relation opposite the sides of the field and in extended relation opposite the corners of the field, and supplying water from the outer end of the center pivot pipe system to the free standing span system.

11. The method of claim 10 further characterized by and including the steps of defining a reference line around the periphery of the field, and controlling the movement of the free standing span pipe system relative to the reference line around the periphery of the field.

12. The method of claim 10 further characterized by and including the step of supplying water from the outer end of the center pivot pipe system to the inner end of the free standing span system.

13. The method of claim 10 further characterized by and including the steps of sensing the movement of the free standing span pipe system, and causing and controlling the movement of the center pivot pipe system in cooperation therewith.

14. The method of claim 10 further characterized by and including the steps of sensing the movement of the center pivot pipe system, and causing and controlling the movement of the free standing span pipe system in cooperation therewith.

15. The method of claim 10 further characterized by and including the step of positioning the free standing span pipe system behind the outer end of the center pivot pipe system in their direction of movement when they are in their overlapping relation opposite the sides of the field.

16. The method of claim 15 further characterized by and including the step of sprinkling with the free standing span system and not sprinkling with the portion of the outer end of the center pivot pipe system peripheral opposite thereto when they are in their overlapping relation opposite the sides of the field.

17. The method of claim 16 further characterized by and including the step of positioning the free standing span pipe system ahead of the outer end of the center pivot pipe system in their direction of movement when they are in their overlapping relation opposite the sides of the field.

18. The method of claim 17 further characterized by and including the step of sprinkling with the portion of the center pivot pipe system peripherally opposite the free standing span pipe system and not sprinklng with any portion of the free standing span pipe system peripheral opposite the center pivot pipe system when they are in their overlapping relation opposite the sides of the field.

19. The method of claim 10 further characterized by and including the step of turning the free standing span pipe system through a corner of the field when the sides of the field intersect by slowing down the movement of the wheeled tower on the inner end relative to the speed of movement of the wheeled tower on the outer end thereof.

20. The method of claim 10 further characterized by and including the step of turning the free standing span pipe system through a corner of the field by speeding up the movement of the wheeled tower on the outer end relative to the speed of movement of the wheeled tower on the inner end thereof.

21. In an irrigation system for watering a generally polygonal shaped field having generally rectilinear sides intersecting at corners, the improvement comprising a free standing span pipe unit supported on at least two towers with non-steerable wheels on each end and sprinkling units along its length, means for moving the free standing span pipe unit along the periphery of the field while maintaining it disposed generally perpendicular to the sides of the field, a sensing mechanism on the free standing span pipe unit constructed to follow an alignment reference line extending along the periphery of the field, power means on the towers for propelling the free standing span along the side of the field, an elongated main pipe unit supported at intervals on wheeled towers with sprinklers along the length thereof positioned inside of the free standing unit and connected to a water source, power means on the towers for the main irrigation unit for propelling it, and a connecting span between the outer end of the main irrigation unit and the inner end of the free standing span pipe unit so that the connecting span and free standing span pipe unit may fold in next to and overlap the outer end of the main irrigation unit at times and may unfold and extend beyond the outer end of the main irrigation unit at other times so that an irregularly shaped field may be irrigated.

22. The structure of claim 21 further characterized in that the main irrigation unit is a center pivot type of irrigation unit.

24. The method of claim 22 further characterized in that the main irrigation unit is a lateral move irrigation system.

23. A method of operating an irrigation system to irrigate a generally polygonal shaped field having rectilinear sides intersecting at corners, the system including a first free standing span lateral move pipe system supported by non-steerable wheels on each end thereof and sprinkler units along its length, and a second elongated main pipe system with sprinkler units along its length supported at intervals by wheeled towers, including the steps of positioning the free standing span lateral move pipe system adajcent the periphery of the polygonal shaped field, simultaneously sprinkling and moving the free standing span lateral move pipe system along the periphery of the field while maintaining it generally perpendicular to the sides of the field, positioning the main pipe system in the general center of the field inside of the defined path of movement of the free standing span lateral move pipe system, simultaneously moving and sprinkling with the main pipe system through a part of the field, connecting the outer end of the main pipe system to the inner end of the free standing span lateral move pipe system by a connecting span, supplying water from the main pipe system through the connecting span to the free standing span lateral move pipe system, moving the free standing span lateral move pipe system adjacent the periphery of the field along a defined path, and allowing the free standing span lateral move pipe system and connecting span to fold in next to and peripherally overlap the outer end of the main irrigation system at times and to unfold and extend beyond the outer end of the main irrigation unit at other times.