Oscillating lawn sprinkler

• US 5,033,678 A
• Filed: 10/13/1989
• Issued: 07/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uniflex Utiltime SPA
• Original Assignee: Uniflex Utiltime SPA
• Inventors: Borghese, Alladino, Licciardello Maranzana, Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): WELDON, KEVIN P
• Application Number:
  US07/427,685
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 239/240, 239/242
• US Class Current: 239/242
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/044 Tubular elements holding several outlets, e.g. apertured tubes, oscillating about an axis substantially parallel to the tubular element

Abstract

An oscillating lawn sprinkler (4) has a spray pipe (7) pivotally mounted on a sprinkler body (5). The spray pipe (7) is driven to oscillate by water pressure through a motor mechanism disposed in a driving mechanism compartment (6). The driving mechanism compartment (6) is connected to a supply of water on one side thereof and with one end of the spray pipe (7) on the other side thereof. An adjusting mechanism is provided for adjusting the flow rate of water delivered by the spray pipe. Furthermore, a mechanism for adjusting the oscillating range of the spray pipe has a control member (9) disposed on the same side of the driving mechanism compartment (6) as a control member (26) of the water flow rate adjusting mechanism. Both the control members (9, 26) are disposed on the side of the driving mechanism compartment opposite to the spray pipe (7). A filtering mechanism is removably housed at a water supply inlet connection (8) of the oscillating sprinkler (4) for filtering the supply water.

Claims

1. An oscillating sprinkler body, comprising:

a sprinkler body;

a spray pipe having a plurality of spray apertures therealong pivotably mounted on said sprinkler body for pivoting movement about a substantially horizontal axis;

a driving mechanism compartment mounted on said sprinkler body having a water supply connection fitting on one side thereof, said compartment being fluidly connected to said spray pipe on the opposite side of said compartment, and said compartment having a motor therein for moving said spray pipe in pivotable oscillating movement about said substantially horizontal axis in response to water pressure in said compartment; and

valve means for adjusting the water flow rate of water flowing from said compartment to said spray pipe, said valve means being disposed in said compartment downstream of said motor, and said valve means comprising a conduit member mounted on said driving mechanism compartment having one end thereof in fluid communication with said spray pipe and at least one opening therein for fluid communication with the interior of said driving mechanism compartment, and a valve coaxial with said conduit member and said spray pipe rotatably mounted inside said conduit member for throttling the water flow through said at least one opening.

2. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said conduit member further comprises at the other end thereof a retainer for retaining said valve therein and a rotation limiting means for limiting rotation of said valve relative to said conduit member; and

said valve comprises a stem coaxial with said conduit member, at least one valve member on an inner end of said stem for throttling said at least one opening in said conduit member, means on an outer end of said stem for engaging said retainer of said conduit member to retain said stem therein, and an actuation means on said outer end of said stem for rotatably actuating said valve and engaging with said rotation limiting means of said conduit member for limiting rotation of said valve relative to said conduit member.

3. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said means for engaging comprises a collar for resiliently engaging said retainer of said conduit member;

said retaining comprises an annular groove machined on the interior of said conduit member;

said actuation means comprises a knob having a radial projection for engaging said rotation limiting means to limit the angle of rotation of said valve; and

said rotation limiting means comprises an axial projection inside said conduit member.

4. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 2, wherein each said at least one valve member of said valve has a tapered surface.

5. An oscillating sprinkler body, comprising:

an elongated sprinkler body having opposite ends;

a spray pipe having a plurality of spray apertures therealong pivotably mounted on said sprinkler body at both said opposite ends thereof for pivoting movement about a horizontal axis;

a driving mechanism compartment mounted on one of said opposite ends of said elongated sprinkler body, said driving mechanism compartment having opposite sides, one side facing toward the other opposite end of said elongated sprinkler body and the other side facing away from said spray pipe;

means for mounting said spray pipe to said compartment such that said spray pipe is pivotable relative to said compartment and in fluid communication with the interior of said compartment so as to receive water flowing therefrom;

a motor in said compartment for moving said spray pipe in pivotable oscillating movement about said longitudinal axis in response to water pressure therein;

a fitting disposed on said other side of said compartment for admitting water into said compartment;

valve means for adjusting the water flow rate of water flowing from said compartment to said spray pipe, said valve means having a manual control member; and

means in said driving mechanism compartment for adjusting the angular range of oscillation of said spray pipe, said means having a manual control member;

wherein both said manual control members are disposed on the exterior of said compartment on said other side thereof such that both said manual control members are positioned opposite to said spray pipe with respect to said compartment.

6. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 5, wherein said valve means is disposed downstream of said motor on said compartment.

7. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 6, wherein said valve means comprises:

a conduit member mounted on said driving mechanism compartment having one end thereof in fluid communication with said spray pipe and at least one opening therein for fluid communication with the interior of said driving mechanism compartment; and

a valve coaxial with said conduit member and said spray pipe rotatably mounted inside said conduit member for throttling the water flow through said at least one opening.

8. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said conduit member further comprises at the other end thereof a retainer for retaining said valve therein and a rotation limiting means for limiting rotation of said valve relative to said conduit member; and

said valve comprises a stem coaxial with said conduit member, at least one valve member on an inner end of said stem for throttling said at least one opening in said conduit member, means on an outer end of said stem for engaging said retainer of said conduit member to retain said stem therein, and an actuation means on said outer end of said stem for rotatably actuating said valve and engaging with said rotation limiting means of said conduit member for limiting rotation of said valve relative to said conduit member.

9. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said means for engaging comprises a collar for resiliently engaging said retainer of said conduit member;

said retainer comprises an annular groove machined on the interior of said conduit member;

said actuation means comprises a knob having a radial projection for engaging said rotation limiting means to limit the angle of rotation of said valve; and

said rotation limiting means comprises an axial projection inside said conduit member.

10. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 9, wherein said at least one valve member of said valve has a tapered surface.

11. The oscillating sprinkler as set forth in claim 5, and further comprising a cartridge filter and means in said fitting for removably mounting said cartridge filter therein such that said cartridge filter can be removed from said fitting without disassembling said fitting.

12. An oscillating sprinkler, comprising:

a sprinkler body;

a spray pipe pivotably movably mounted on said sprinkler body;

a water supply connection for supplying water to said spray pipe;

drive means for receiving water from said water supply connection, moving said spray pipe in oscillating movement in response to the water pressure of water received from said water supply connection, and delivering water from said water supply connection to said spray pipe; and

an adjusting means on said drive means for adjusting the flow rate of water delivered by said drive means to said spray pipe;

wherein said adjusting means has an adjustment control on one side of said drive means;

wherein a spray pipe range adjusting means is disposed on said drive means for adjusting the angular range of oscillation of said spray pipe, said spray pipe range adjusting means having a control on said one side of said drive means;

wherein said water supply connection is disposed on said one side; and

wherein said spray pipe is disposed on a side of said drive means opposite to said one side.