Rotary stream sprinkler unit with rotor damping means

• US 4,971,250 A
• Filed: 12/01/1989
• Issued: 11/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1989
• 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:
  US07/444,292
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 239/200-206, 239/222.17, 239/222.19, 239/251, 239/252, 239/259, 239/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 239/222.17
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/74 driven by the discharged fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/005 using viscous dissipation, e.g. a rotor movable in a chamber filled with oil
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0486 the spray jet being generated by a rotary deflector rotated by liquid discharged onto it in a direction substantially parallel its rotation axis

Abstract

A rotary stream sprinkler unit comprises a housing having a water flow passage in which is disposed a flow control unit having one or more passages configured to control the volume and pressure of a stream, which strikes and rotates a self-propelled rotary distributor head rotatably mounted at the outlet of the housing for dividing each stream into a plurality of final streams, and rotating each of the final streams through a selected arc during the rotation of the rotary head, with a pressure compensated damping device in the housing connected to the rotary head by means of a shaft supported by a resilient member at the outlet for controlling the rotational velocity thereof.

Claims

1. A rotating stream sprinkler unit comprising:

a tubular housing having a central axis, an inlet, an outlet, and a flow passage communicating therebetween for conducting a primary stream of water from said inlet to said outlet;

distributor means rotatably mounted at said outlet for receiving said primary stream of water, for rotating in response thereto, and for directing said stream outward from the axis of said housing over a selected area;

damping means including a damping fluid disposed in said housing up stream of said outlet and operatively connected to said distributor means by a rotatable shaft for controlling the velocity of rotation thereof; and

means for equalizing pressure between said primary stream of water and said damping fluid.

2. A rotary stream sprinkler according to claim 1 wherein:

said damping means comprises a generally cylindrical chamber in said housing;

a quantity of damping fluid in said chamber; and

a generally cylindrical rotor on said shaft disposed in said chamber.

3. A rotary stream sprinkler according to claim 2 wherein:

said means for equalizing pressure comprises a diaphragm between said damping fluid and said primary stream of water;

said chamber includes annular wall means therein; and

said rotor includes means defining an annular recess for receiving said annular wall means.

4. A rotary stream sprinkler according to claim 1 wherein:

said means for equalizing pressure comprises a diaphragm between said damping fluid and said primary stream of water.

5. A sprinkler unit according to claim 4 wherein:

said damping means comprises a damper housing removably mounted in said tubular housing and having a generally cylindrical damper chamber therein;

a quantity of damping fluid in said chamber; and

a generally cylindrical rotor on said shaft disposed in said chamber.

6. A sprinkler unit according to claim 5 wherein:

said diaphragm is mounted within said damping chamber;

said chamber includes annular wall means therein; and

said rotor includes means defining an annular recess for receiving said annular wall means.

7. A sprinkler unit according to claim 6 wherein:

said tubular housing includes resilient means at said outlet for rotatably supporting said shaft.

8. A sprinkler unit according to claim 7 wherein:

said resilient means comprises a circular disc having a central bore for supporting said shaft and a nozzle adjacent said bore for forming said primary stream; and

said damping means is disposed coaxially within said housing upstream of said outlet.

9. A sprinkler unit according to claim 8 wherein:

said rotor and said distributor head are connected by a coaxial shaft extending along said flow passage;

said distributor means comprises a distributor head having a plurality of curved axially and radially extending flow channels for defining turbine blades and for forming and directing a plurality of individual streams outward therefrom

said distributor head comprises a generally conical shaped member having a plurality of curved grooves extending along the conical surface thereof from an apex to a base thereof; and

said apex is disposed at said outlet.

10. A rotary stream sprinkler unit comprising:

a tubular housing having a central axis, an inlet, an outlet, and a flow passage communicating therebetween for conducting a primary stream of water from said inlet to said outlet;

an elongated rotor shaft rotatably mounted at said outlet and having an inner end and an outer end;

distributor means mounted on the outer end of said shaft for receiving said primary stream of water, for rotating in response thereto, and for directing said stream outward from the axis of said housing over a selected area; and

damping means including a damping fluid disposed therein, said damping means having pressure equalizing means therein for equalizing pressure between said damping fluid and said primary stream of water, said damping means being disposed in said housing on the inner end of said elongated shaft for controlling the velocity of rotation of said distributor means.

11. A rotary stream sprinkler according to claim 10 wherein:

said distributor means and said damping means are mounted on a common shaft coaxially of said central axis.

12. A rotary stream sprinkler according to claim 11 wherein:

said damping means comprises a generally cylindrical chamber in said housing;

a quantity of said damping fluid in said chamber;

said pressure equalizing means comprises a diaphragm between said damping fluid and said primary stream of water; and

a generally cylindrical rotor disposed in said chamber.

13. A rotary stream sprinkler according to claim 11 wherein:

said damping means comprises a damper housing removably mounted in said tubular housing and having a generally cylindrical damper chamber therein;

a quantity of damping fluid in said chamber; and

a generally cylindrical rotor on said shaft disposed in said chamber.

14. A sprinkler unit according to claim 13 wherein:

said pressure equalizing means comprises a diaphragm in said damper housing between said damping fluid and said primary stream of water.

15. A sprinkler unit according to claim 10 wherein:

said damping means comprises a generally cylindrical chamber in said housing;

a quantity of said damping fluid in said housing;

said pressure equalizing means comprises a diaphragm between said damping fluid and said primary stream of water; and

a generally cylindrical rotor disposed in said chamber.

16. A sprinkler unit according to claim 15 wherein:

said chamber includes annular wall means therein; and

said rotor includes means defining an annular recess for receiving said annular wall means.

17. A rotary stream sprinkler unit comprising:

an elongated generally cylindrical housing having generally coaxially disposed inlet means and outlet means at opposite ends thereof;

a flow passage in said housing for communicating a stream of fluid from said inlet means to said outlet means;

flow stream generating means comprising an elongated nozzle in said housing at said outlet means for generating a predetermined shaped flow stream at said outlet means, said elongated passages having a length that is greater than the diameter;

combined turbine and distributor means rotatably mounted at said outlet for receiving said primary stream of water, for rotating in response thereto, and for directing said stream outward from a longitudinal axis of said housing over a selected area; and

damping means including a damping fluid therein, said damping means having pressure equalizing means therein for equalizing pressure between said damping fluid and said stream of fluid operatively connected to said distributor means for controlling the velocity of rotation thereof.

18. A rotary stream sprinkler according to claim 17 wherein:

said damping means comprises a generally cylindrical chamber in said housing;

a quantity of said damping fluid in said cylindrical chamber;

a generally cylindrical rotor disposed in said chamber; and

said pressure equalizing means comprises a diaphragm in said chamber in contact with said damping fluid on one side and with said stream of fluid on the other side.

19. A sprinkler unit according to claim 18 wherein:

said chamber includes annular wall means therein; and

said rotor includes means defining an annular recess for receiving said annular wall means.

20. A sprinkler unit according to claim 19 wherein:

said combined turbine and distributor means comprises a generally conical shaped member having a plurality of curved grooves extending along the conical surface thereof from the apex to the base thereof; and

said apex is disposed at said outlet.