Rain switch
First Claim
1. An improved rain switch for use in an irrigation system, which comprises:
- (a) an elongated housing having a connecting portion which is suited to be secured to a support and a slotted or apertured portion adjacent to the connecting portion;
(b) an electrical switch contained within the connecting portion of the housing;
(c) a moisture absorptive assembly contained within the slotted or apertured portion of the housing, wherein the moisture absorptive assembly expands upon absorbing rain water to actuate the switch thereby preventing the irrigation system from operating when it is raining, wherein the moisture absorptive assembly is located within the slotted or apertured portion of the housing in a position for allowing rain water to reach and wet the assembly; and
(d) wherein the housing is substantially L-shaped with the connecting portion substantially at right angles relative to the slotted or apertured portion, whereby the slotted or apertured portion can be spaced to one side of the connecting portion so as not to overlie the connecting portion when the connecting portion is secured to the support.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved rain switch includes a tubular L-shaped housing having an enclosed compartment in one arm in which an electrical switch is contained and an apertured compartment in the other arm in which a moisture absorptive assembly is contained. When mounted on a building with the apertured arm parallel to the ground, the electrical switch will be located to one side of the apertured arm and is not prone to coming into contact with any of the rain water passing through the device. Thus, a non-sealed electrical switch can be used. In addition, the housing is snap fit to the building and the electrical switch is releasably contained on a slide member received in the housing to ease switch replacement. A cover also hides a threaded adjusting cap to prevent unauthorized adjustment for how much water is required to be absorbed before the electrical switch is actuated.
75 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An improved rain switch for use in an irrigation system, which comprises:
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(a) an elongated housing having a connecting portion which is suited to be secured to a support and a slotted or apertured portion adjacent to the connecting portion; (b) an electrical switch contained within the connecting portion of the housing; (c) a moisture absorptive assembly contained within the slotted or apertured portion of the housing, wherein the moisture absorptive assembly expands upon absorbing rain water to actuate the switch thereby preventing the irrigation system from operating when it is raining, wherein the moisture absorptive assembly is located within the slotted or apertured portion of the housing in a position for allowing rain water to reach and wet the assembly; and (d) wherein the housing is substantially L-shaped with the connecting portion substantially at right angles relative to the slotted or apertured portion, whereby the slotted or apertured portion can be spaced to one side of the connecting portion so as not to overlie the connecting portion when the connecting portion is secured to the support. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An improved rain switch for use in an irrigation system, which comprises:
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(a) a housing which is suited to be secured to a support; (b) an electrical switch having an actuating button contained within the housing; (c) a moisture absorptive assembly contained within the housing, wherein the moisture absorptive assembly expands upon absorbing rain water to push against the button and actuate the switch thereby preventing the irrigation system from operating when it is raining, wherein the housing includes a slotted or apertured portion adjacent the moisture absorptive assembly for allowing rain water to reach and wet the assembly; and (d) wherein the switch is located in a substantially enclosed portion of the housing separated from the moisture absorptive assembly by an interior wall of the housing which is closed except for an opening that allows a portion of the moisture assembly to pass therethrough and actuate the switch, and wherein the opening in the interior wall is located to one side of the switch when the slotted or apertured position is located parallel to the ground such that rain water passing into the slotted or apertured portion and wetting the moisture absorptive assembly will not flow by gravity into the closed portion of the housing in which the electrical switch is contained. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An improved rain switch for use in an irrigation system, which comprises:
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(a) a generally cylindrical housing; (b) an electrical switch located within the housing; (c) a moisture absorptive assembly which expands upon absorbing rain water to actuate the switch thereby preventing the irrigation system from operating when it is raining, wherein the moisture absorptive assembly includes an elongated plunger on which moisture absorptive means are carried, the moisture absorptive means located between an enlarged head on the plunger and an abutment and normally having a clearance with respect to the abutment, the moisture absorptive means swelling when contacted by rain water until such means firmly engages the abutment and then pushes against the head on the plunger to slide the plunger in the housing and actuate the switch; and (d) an adjustable cap threaded onto one end of the housing to be rotatable on the housing and to close the one end of the housing, wherein the cap has a substantially planar surface which is located inside the housing and is spaced away from the enlarged head of the plunger when the cap is in place on the housing such that the planar surface of the cap inside the housing forms the abutment, whereby the cap may be rotated on the housing by virtue of its threaded connection relative to the housing to vary the distance between the planar surface of the cap and the enlarged head of the plunger to adjust the amount of rain water needed to get switch actuation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An improved rain switch for use in an irrigation system, which comprises:
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(a) a tubular housing separated into first and second compartments by an interior wall, the first compartment being substantially enclosed except for an open end thereof and the second compartment having a slotted or apertured surface, the interior wall having an opening communicating between the first and second compartments; (b) an electrical switch located in the first compartment with an actuating button thereof being located adjacent the opening in the interior wall; (c) a moisture absorptive assembly located in the second compartment and including an elongated plunger which passes through the opening to contact and actuate the switch when the moisture absorptive means absorbs rain water passing into the second compartment through the slots or apertures; (d) wherein the switch is releasably mounted on a slide member that may be inserted into the first compartment of the housing by passing it inwardly through the normally open end thereof; and (e) attachment means for securing the housing to a support, the attachment means normally closing the open first end of the first compartment so that the first compartment is substantially enclosed when the housing is secured to the attachment means. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification