Wave sprinkler with improved adjustable spray assembly

• US 5,511,727 A
• Filed: 06/01/1994
• Issued: 04/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Tool Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: L.R. Nelson Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Kruer, Thomas R., Heren, Lawrence P., Hayes, Jerry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Application Number:
  US08/252,555
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 239/242, 239/240, 239/237, 239/263, 239/559, 239/557, 239/556, 239/562, 239/DIG. 1, 239/566, 239/552, 239/550, 239/390, 239/248
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 239/01 Pattern sprinkler

Abstract

A wave sprinkler assembly in which the tubular spray assembly comprises a tubular member and one or more elongated strips of flexible material having a series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough, the strips are assembled with the tubular member by inserting them therein through an end and moving them radially outwardly into an operative position wherein the water under pressure within the interior of the tubular spray assembly acts on the strips to enhance their engagement with the tubular member. The strip provides an annular seal of flexible sealing material extending around the exterior of each of the controllable water stream outlets, and a control member is mounted on the elongated tubular assembly for movement between a full width operating position and a width limiting position. The control member includes a control section associated with each annular seal and the controllable water stream outlet around which it extends. Each control section has a surface area movable into engagement with the associated annular seal to prevent a water stream from issuing from the controllable water stream outlet around which it extends and an open area movable over the controllable water stream outlet around which the associated annular seal extends to allow a water stream to issue therefrom.

Claims

1. A wave sprinkler assembly comprising

a housing and base assembly providing a water inlet for communication with a source of water under pressure and an outlet communicating with said inlet,

a tubular spray assembly mounted on said housing and base assembly for oscillatory movement with respect thereto,

said tubular spray assembly having an inlet end disposed in sealed water communicating relation with said outlet so that an interior of said tubular spray assembly receives water under pressure from said outlet, a closed end and a series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets between said inlet end and said closed end,

an oscillating mechanism carried by said housing and base assembly constructed and arranged to be operable by water flowing between said water inlet and said outlet to oscillate said tubular spray assembly when said water inlet is communicated with a source of water under pressure,

said tubular spray assembly including a tubular member and an elongated strip of flexible material having a number of said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough,

said tubular member including an elongated section having transverse opening-defining and interior strip-engaging surfaces thereon,

said strip having interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces therein constructed and arranged so that when said strip is inserted within said tubular member through an end thereof and moved radially outwardly into an operative position with respect to said elongated section of said tubular member the interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces of said strip are engaged respectively (1) by the water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly and (2) by an interior strip-engaging surface of said tubular member so that engagement of the water under pressure with the strip enhances engagement of the strip with the tubular member,

each water stream outlet in said strip extending within an opening in said tubular member defined by an opening-defining surface of said tubular member so that water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly issues from said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets as a series of longitudinally spaced water streams which oscillate as the tubular spray assembly is oscillated to provide a desired sprinkler pattern on a ground area to be sprinkled,

said tubular spray assembly including a second elongated strip of flexible material having a number of said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough, said second strip having interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces therein constructed and arranged so that when said second strip is inserted within said tubular member through an end thereof and moved radially outwardly into an operative position with respect to said elongated section of said tubular member the interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces of said second strip are engaged respectively (1) by the water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly and (2) by an interior strip-engaging surface of said tubular member so that engagement of the water under pressure with the strip enhances engagement of the strip with the tubular member, each water stream outlet in said second strip extending within an opening in said tubular member defined by an opening-defining surface of said tubular member so that water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly issues from said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets as a series of longitudinally spaced water streams which oscillate as the tubular spray assembly is oscillated to provide a desired sprinkler pattern on a ground area to be sprinkled,

the number of water stream outlets in each of said strips constituting half of the series of water stream outlets,

said water stream outlets in each strip being arranged in adjacent pairs, each adjacent pair extending within a separate opening in said tubular member defined by a transverse opening-defining surface of said tubular member,

said tubular member being molded of plastic material with the elongated section having a thickness on one side of the openings therein greater than a thickness on an opposite side thereof so that in the molding operation the plastic material flows between the openings from the one side of greater thickness to the opposite side.

2. A wave sprinkler assembly comprising

a housing and base assembly providing a water inlet for communication with a source of water under pressure and an outlet communicating with said inlet,

a tubular spray assembly mounted on said housing and base assembly for oscillatory movement with respect thereto,

said tubular spray assembly having an inlet end disposed in sealed water communicating relation with said outlet so that an interior of said tubular spray assembly receives water under pressure from said outlet, a closed end and a series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets between said inlet end and said closed end,

an oscillating mechanism carried by said housing and base assembly constructed and arranged to be operable by water flowing between said water inlet and said outlet to oscillate said tubular spray assembly when said water inlet is communicated with a source of water under pressure,

said tubular spray assembly including a tubular member and an elongated strip of flexible material having a number of said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough,

said tubular member including an elongated section having transverse opening-defining and interior strip-engaging surfaces thereon,

said strip having interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces therein constructed and arranged so that when said strip is inserted within said tubular member through an end thereof and moved radially outwardly into an operative position with respect to said elongated section of said tubular member the interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces of said strip are engaged respectively (1) by the water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly and (2) by an interior-strip engaging surface of said tubular member so that engagement of the water under pressure with the strip enhances engagement of the strip with the tubular member,

each water stream outlet in said strip extending within an opening in said tubular member defined by an opening-defining surface of said tubular member so that water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly issues from said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets as a series of longitudinally spaced water streams which oscillate as the tubular spray assembly is oscillated to provide a desired sprinkler pattern on a ground to be sprinkled,

the number of water stream outlets in said strip includes a plurality of controllable water stream outlets at one end of said series, said strip providing an annular seal of flexible sealing material extending around an exterior of each of said controllable water stream outlets, and a control member mounted on said elongated tubular assembly for movement with respect to said elongated tubular assembly in opposite directions between a full width operating position and a width limiting position,

said control member including a control section associated with each annular seal and the controllable water stream outlet around which it extends, each control section extending in the direction of movement of said control member and having a surface area movable into engagement with the associated annular seal to prevent a water stream from issuing from the controllable water stream outlet around which it extends and an open area movable over the controllable water stream outlet around which the associated annular seal extends to allow a water stream to issue therefrom.

3. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said tubular spray assembly includes a second elongated strip of flexible material having a number of said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough, said second strip having interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces therein constructed and arranged so that when said second strip is moved into an operative position with respect to said elongated section of said tubular member the interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces of said second strip are engaged respectively (1) by the water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly and (2) by an interior strip-engaging surface of said tubular member so that engagement of the water under pressure within the strip enhances engagement of the strip with the tubular member, each water stream outlet in said second strip extending within an opening in said tubular member defined by an opening-defining surface of said tubular member so that water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly comes from said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets as a series of longitudinally spaced water streams which oscillate as the tubular spray assembly is oscillated to provide a desired sprinkler pattern on a ground area to be sprinkled.

4. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the number of water stream outlets in said second strip includes a corresponding plurality of second controllable water stream outlets at an opposite end of said series, said second strip providing a second annular seal of flexible sealing material extending around an exterior of each of said second controllable water stream outlets, and a second control member mounted on said tubular spray assembly for movement with respect to said tubular spray assembly in opposite directions between a full width operating position and a width limiting position, said second control member including a second control section associated with each second annular seal and the second controllable water stream outlet around which it extends, each second control section extending in the direction of movement of said second control member and having a second surface area movable into engagement with the associated second annular seal to prevent a water stream from issuing from the second controllable water stream outlet around which it extends and a second open area movable over the second controllable water stream outlet around which the associated second annular seal extends to allow a water stream to issue therefrom.

5. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said tubular member has a generally cylindrical exterior periphery, said control member being of sleeve-like configuration molded of plastic material mounted in surrounding relation to an exterior periphery of said tubular member for limited arcuate movement in opposite directions about an axis of said cylindrical exterior periphery between said full width and limited width positions, said control sections comprising adjacent arcuate sections of said control member, the arcuate extent of an open area of each arcuate control section being greater than an arcuate extent of the open area of the arcuate control section adjacent thereto in a direction extending away from the arcuate control section associated with the annular seal extending around the controlled water stream outlet at said one end of said series.

6. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said control member has a generally cylindrical interior periphery slightly greater than a cylindrical exterior periphery of said tubular member so as to extend therearound in spaced relation, an outwardly extending axial ridge on the exterior periphery of said tubular member opposite said strip, and a plurality of inwardly extending axial ridges on the interior of said control member maintaining the interior periphery and exterior periphery in spaced relation while permitting said arcuate movement of said control member.

7. A wave sprinkler assembly comprising

a housing and base assembly providing a water inlet for communication with a source of water under pressure and an outlet communicating with said inlet,

a tubular spray assembly mounted on said housing and base assembly for oscillatory movement with respect thereto,

said tubular spray assembly having an inlet end disposed in sealed water communicating relation with said outlet so that an interior of said tubular spray assembly receives water under pressure from said outlet, a closed end and a series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets between said inlet end and said closed end,

an oscillating mechanism carried by said housing and base assembly constructed and arranged to be operable by water flowing between said water inlet and said outlet to oscillate said tubular spray assembly when said water inlet is communicated with a source of water under pressure,

said tubular spray assembly including a tubular member and an elongated strip of flexible material having a number of said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough,

said tubular member including an elongated section having transverse opening-defining and interior strip-engaging surfaces thereon,

said strip having interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces therein constructed and arranged so that when said strip is inserted within said tubular member through an end thereof and moved radially outwardly into an operative position with respect to said elongated section of said tubular member the interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces of said strip are engaged respectively (1) by the water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly and (2) by an interior-strip engaging surface of said tubular member so that engagement of the water under pressure with the strip enhances engagement of the strip with the tubular member,

each water stream outlet in said strip extending within an opening in said tubular member defined by an opening-defining surface of said tubular member so that water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly issues from said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets as a series of longitudinally spaced water streams which oscillate as the tubular spray assembly is oscillated to provide a desired sprinkler pattern on a ground area to be sprinkled,

said tubular spray assembly including a second elongated strip of flexible material having a number of said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough, said second strip having interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces therein constructed and arranged so that when said second strip is inserted within said tubular member through an end thereof and moved radially outwardly into an operative position with respect to said elongated section of said tubular member the interior pressure responsive and exterior mounting surfaces of said second strip are engaged respectively (1) by the water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly and (2) by an interior strip-engaging surface of said tubular member so that engagement of the water under pressure with the strip enhances engagement of the strip with the tubular member, each water stream outlet in said second strip extending within an opening in said tubular member defined by an opening-defining surface of said tubular member so that water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly issues from said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets as a series of longitudinally spaced water streams which oscillate as the tubular spray assembly is oscillated to provide a desired sprinkler pattern on a ground area to be sprinkled,

the number of water stream outlets in each of said strips constituting half of the series of water stream outlets,

said water stream outlets in each strip being arranged in adjacent pairs, each adjacent pair extending within a separate opening in said tubular member defined by a transverse opening-defining surface of said tubular member,

the water stream outlets in each strip being inclined progressively less in a direction from the end of the series so as to form the series of water streams into a fan shaped spray,

said housing and base assembly including a first tubular housing assembly having said inlet at one end thereof and an opposite outlet end, a second tubular housing having said outlet at one end thereof and an opposite inlet end disposed in sealed water communicating relation with the opposite outlet end of said first housing assembly, and a base assembly, said first and second housing assemblies being fixedly mounted on said base assembly, said tubular spray assembly being mounted for oscillatory movement about an oscillatory axis with the inlet end thereof in sealed water pressure communicating relation with said outlet of said second tubular housing assembly, said water pressure actuated oscillating mechanism being mounted in said second tubular housing assembly between the opposite inlet end and said outlet thereof, said first tubular housing assembly having a manually adjustable control mechanism mounted in operable relation therein between said inlet thereof and opposite outlet end thereof constructed and arranged to control a flow of water under pressure from the inlet thereof to the opposite outlet end thereof in accordance with a manual adjustment of said manually adjustable control mechanism.

8. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein each of said first and second housing assemblies and said base assembly includes cooperating mounting elements constructed and arranged to interengage with a snap action when said housing assemblies and said base assembly are moved relatively into operative relation with respect to one another to thereby retain said housing assemblies in a fixed operative position on said base assembly.

9. A wave sprinkler assembly comprising

a housing and base assembly providing a water inlet for communication with a source of water under pressure and an outlet communicating with said inlet,

a tubular spray assembly mounted on said housing and base assembly for oscillatory movement with respect thereto,

said tubular spray assembly including an inlet disposed in sealed water communicating relation with said outlet so as to supply an interior of said tubular spray assembly with water under pressure,

a water pressure actuated oscillating mechanism carried by said housing and base assembly between said water inlet and said outlet constructed and arranged to oscillate said tubular spray assembly when said water inlet is communicated with a source of water under pressure,

said tubular spray assembly providing a series of water stream outlets constructed and arranged to have water under pressure supplied to the interior of said tubular spray assembly issue therefrom into a series of water streams which are oscillated to produce a desired water pattern on the ground to be sprinkled having a width determined by water stream outlets at the ends of the series,

said water stream outlets including a plurality of controllable water stream outlets at one end of said series,

an annular seal of flexible sealing material extending around an exterior of each of said controllable water stream outlets,

and a control member mounted on said tubular spray assembly for movement with respect to said tubular spray assembly in opposite directions between a full width operating position and a width limiting position,

said control member including a control section associated with each annular seal and the controllable water stream outlet which it extends around,

each control section extending in the direction of movement of said control member and having a surface area movable into engagement with the associated annular seal to prevent a water stream from issuing from the controllable water stream outlet around which it extends and an open area movable over the controllable water stream outlet around which the associated annular seal extends to allow a water stream to issue therefrom.

10. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said water stream outlets include a corresponding plurality of second controllable water stream outlets at an opposite end of said series, a second annular seal of flexible sealing material extending around an exterior of each of said second controllable water stream outlets, and a second control member mounted on said tubular spray assembly for movement with respect to said tubular spray assembly in opposite directions between a full width operating position and a width limiting position,

said second control member including a second control section associated with each second annular seal and the second controllable water stream outlet which it extends around, each second control section extending in the direction of movement of said second control member and having a second surface area movable into engagement with the associated second annular seal to prevent a water stream from issuing from the second controllable water stream outlet around which it extends and a second open area movable over the second controllable water stream outlet around which the associated second annular seal extends to allow a water stream to issue therefrom.

11. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said tubular spray assembly includes a tubular member having a generally cylindrical exterior periphery, said control member being of sleeve-like configuration molded of plastic material mounted in surrounding relation to the exterior periphery of said tubular member for limited arcuate movement in opposite directions about an axis of said cylindrical exterior periphery between said full width and limited width positions, said control sections comprising adjacent arcuate sections of said control member, the arcuate extent of an open area of each arcuate control section being greater than an arcuate extent of the open area of the arcuate control section adjacent thereto in a direction extending away from the arcuate control section associated with the annular seal extending around the controlled water stream outlet at said one end of said series.

12. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said control member has a generally cylindrical interior periphery slightly greater than said exterior periphery so as to extend therearound in spaced relation, an outwardly extending axial ridge on the exterior periphery of said tubular member opposite said strip, and a plurality of inwardly extending axial ridges on the interior periphery of said control member maintaining the peripheries in spaced relation while permitting said arcuate movement of said control member.

13. A wave sprinkler assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing and base assembly includes a first tubular housing assembly having said inlet at one end thereof and an opposite outlet end, a second tubular housing having said outlet at one end thereof and an opposite inlet end disposed in sealed water communicating relation with the opposite outlet end of said first housing assembly, and a base assembly, said first and second housing assemblies being fixedly mounted on said base assembly, said tubular spray assembly being mounted for oscillatory movement about an oscillatory axis with the inlet end thereof in sealed water pressure communicating relation with said outlet of said second tubular housing assembly, said water pressure actuated oscillating mechanism being mounted in said second tubular housing assembly between the opposite inlet end and said outlet thereof, said first tubular housing assembly having a manually adjustable control mechanism mounted in operable relation therein between said inlet thereof and opposite outlet end thereof constructed and arranged to control the flow of water under pressure from the inlet thereof to the opposite outlet end thereof in accordance with the manual adjustment of said manually adjustable control mechanism.

14. A wave sprinkler assembly comprising

a housing and base assembly providing a water inlet for communication with a source of water under pressure and an outlet communicating with said inlet,

a tubular spray assembly mounted on said housing and base assembly for oscillatory movement with respect thereto,

said tubular spray assembly having an inlet end disposed in sealed water communicating relation with said outlet so that an interior of said tubular spray assembly receives water under pressure from said outlet, a closed end and a series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets between said inlet end and said closed end,

an oscillating mechanism carried by said housing and base assembly constructed and arranged to be operable by water flowing between said water inlet and said outlet to oscillate said tubular spray assembly when said water inlet is communicated with a source of water under pressure,

said tubular spray assembly including a tubular member and an elongated strip of flexible material having a number of said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough,

said tubular member including an elongated section having a number of closely spaced axially aligned openings therein,

said strip being fixedly mounted with respect to said elongated section of said tubular member with each water stream outlet in said strip extending within an opening in said tubular member defined by an opening defining surface of said tubular member so that water under pressure within the interior of said tubular spray assembly issues from said series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets as a series of longitudinally spaced water streams which oscillate as the tubular spray assembly is oscillated to provide a desired sprinkler pattern on a ground area to be sprinkled,

said tubular member being molded of plastic material with the elongated section having a thickness on one side of the openings therein greater than a thickness on an opposite side thereof so that in the molding operation the plastic material flows between the openings from the one side of greater thickness to the opposite side.