Reversible gear oscillating sprinkler

• US 4,718,605 A
• Filed: 09/19/1986
• Issued: 01/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Edwin J. Hunter
• Inventors: Hunter, Edwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Forman, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US06/909,487
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 239/240, 239/242, 74/97, 74/100 R
• US Class Current: 239/242
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0431 the rotative movement of the outlet elements being reversible B05B3/0445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18864 Snap action

Abstract

A gear driven oscillating sprinkler head includes a reversible gear train for transmitting drive from a drive motor to the oscillating sprinkler head with a shifting mechanism, including a shiftable carrier on which a pair of driving pinions are mounted for shifting alternately into driving engagement with an internal ring gear, with a lost motion connection between a shifting arm and the carrier with separate over-center spring units for separately biasing the carrier and shifting arm to the alternate driving engagement positions.

Claims

1. An oscillating sprinkler unit, comprising:

a sprinkler head mounted for rotation about a first axis;

a drive motor;

a reversible gear train for drivingly connecting said drive motor for driving said sprinkler head in alternate directions, comprising final drive gear means connected to said sprinkler head, shiftable drive means comprising alternately operable terminal gear means and carrier means for carrying said terminal gear means and shiftable to alternately engageable positions with said final drive gear means for driving said sprinkler head in alternate directions;

shifting arm means pivotally mounted adjacent said carrier means and movable between alternate shifting positions by engagement with shoulder means carried by said final drive gear means, and lost motion means for connecting said shifting arm means with said carrier means for shifting said carrier means between said alternately engageable positions upon movement of said shifting arm means between said alternate shifting positions;

first over-center biasing means for maintaining said carrier means in a selected one of said alternately engageable positions until positively shifted therefrom by said shifting arm means; and

second over-center biasing means for maintaining said shifting arm means in a selected one of alternate shifting positions by said shoulder means.

2. The sprinkler of claim 1 wherein:

said shiftable drive means comprises a drive gear driven by said drive motor and mounted for rotation about a second axis spaced from said first axis;

said carrier means is mounted for pivotal movement about said second axis; and

said shifting arm means is mounted for pivotal movement about said first axis.

3. The sprinkler unit of claim 2 wherein:

said carrier means comprises a yoke surrounding said first axis and said lost motion means comprises shoulder means on the opposite side of said first axis from said second axis for alternate engagement with said shifting arm means.

4. The sprinkler unit of claim 3 wherein:

said first over-center means comprises a spring engaging said yoke between said shoulder means.

5. The sprinkler of claim 4 wherein:

said spring comprises a generally U-shaped leaf spring.

6. The sprinkler system of claim 4 wherein:

said first over-center means maintains said terminal gear means in engagement until said said yoke is biased by said second over-center means through said shifting arm means.

7. An oscillating sprinkler unit, comprising:

a sprinkler head mounted for rotation about a first axis;

a drive motor;

a reversible gear train for drivingly connecting said drive motor for driving said sprinkler head in alternate directions, comprising a final drive gear connected to said sprinkler head, shiftable drive means comprising alternately operable terminal gear means and carrier means for carrying said terminal gear means and shiftable to alternately engageable positions with said final drive gear for driving said sprinkler head in alternate directions;

shifting arm means pivotally mounted adjacent said carrier means and movable between alternate shifting positions by engagement with shoulder means carried by said final drive gear means, and lost motion means for providing engagement with said carrier means for shifting said carrier means between said alternately engageable positions upon movement of said shifting arm means between said alternate shifting positions;

first over-center biasing means for maintaining said carrier means in a selected one of said alternately engageable positions until positively shifted therefrom by said shifting arms means; and

second over-center biasing means for maintaining said shifting arm means in a selected one of alternate shifting positions by said shoulder means.

8. The sprinkler of claim 7 wherein:

said shiftable drive means includes a drive gear driven by said drive motor and mounted for rotation about a second axis spaced from said first axis;

said carrier means mounted for pivotal movement about said second axis; and

said shifting arm means mounted for pivotal movement about said first axis.

9. The sprinkler unit of claim 8 wherein:

said carrier means comprises a yoke surrounding said first axis and said lost motion means comprises shoulder means on the opposite side of said first axis from said second axis;

said over-center means comprises spring means engaging said yoke between said shoulder means; and

said spring means comprises a generally U-shaped leaf spring.

10. The sprinkler system of claim 9 wherein:

said first over-center means maintains said terminal gear means in engagement until said yoke is biased by said second over-center means through said shifting arm means.

11. An oscillating sprinkler unit, comprising:

a housing having a generally cylindrical configuration with a central axis, an inlet at a lower end for attachment to a source of water and an outlet at an upper end;

a sprinkler head mounted at said upper end for rotation about said central axis;

a drive motor mounted in said housing for driving said sprinkler head;

a shiftable gear train comprising terminal drive gear means, including a pair of terminal gears, and 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 sprinkler head in alternate directions;

said shiftable gear train comprising a drive shaft driven by said drive motor and a drive gear mounted for rotation about a second axis offset from said first axis;

a pivoting yoke including a carrier mounted for pivotal movement about said second axis;

one of said terminal gears mounted on said carrier on one side of said second axis, and the other of said terminal gears mounted on said carrier on the other side of said second axis;

a shifting arm means mounted adjacent said yoke for pivotal movement about said first axis to alternate shifting positions by engagement with shoulder means carried by said internal gear;

lost motion means disposed between said shifting arm and said yoke for connecting said shifting arm means to said yoke for shifting said terminal gears to alternately engageable positions;

first over-center biasing means for maintaining said carrier in a selected one of said alternately engageable positions until positively shifted therefrom by said shifting arm means; and

second over-center biasing means for maintaining said shifting arm means in a selected one of said alternate shifting positions until engagement by said shoulder means.

12. A sprinkler unit according to claim 11 wherein:

said first over-center biasing means comprises a generally U-shaped spring disposed between said carrier and fixed means on said housing for biasing said carrier to said one of said alternately engageable positions.