Oscillating sprinkler

• US 5,704,549 A
• Filed: 07/12/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Original Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Inventors: McEachen, Peter C., Kephart, Richard C., Zlatic, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, ROBIN OCTAVIA
• Application Number:
  US08/678,869
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 239/225.1, 239/236, 239/243, 239/245, 239/251, 239/273, 239/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 239/236
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/021 with means for regulating the jet relative to the horizontal angular position of the nozzle, e.g. for spraying non circular areas by changing the elevation of the nozzle or by varying the nozzle flow-rate B05B3/0454 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0454 relative to the angular position of the outlet or to the direction of rotation of the outlet, e.g. for spraying non circular areas
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/06 by jet reaction , i.e. creating a spinning torque due to a tangential component of the jet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 239/01 Pattern sprinkler

Abstract

An oscillating sprinkler comprises a fixed base assembly (12) and an upper housing (14) from which water distributing arms (16, 18, 20, 22) extend. A bearing member (66) depends from the upper housing (14) and is seated within the base assembly (12). An upper surface (26) of the base housing (12) comprises an undulating cam surface and bend portions (110) of the arm members act as cam followers. Bend portions (110) engage cam surface (26) and cause a reciprocal tilting of the upper housing (14) about the bearing member (66) as the upper housing (14) rotates about the base assembly (12). Water ejected from orifices (114) in the arm members (16, 18, 20, 22) act to propel the upper housing along its rotational path. A cap member (144) is rotationally mounted to the top of the upper housing (14) and pressurized water ejected through orifices (148) in the cap member (144) act to rotate the cap member in a direction opposite to the direction in which the upper housing rotates.

Claims

1. A sprinkler comprising:

a support base member;

an upper housing rotationally mounted to a top surface of the base member and tilting into variable angular attitudes relative to a vertical axis of rotation as the upper housing rotates about the base member;

a liquid chamber in the upper housing for receiving liquid from an external source;

the upper housing comprising at least one elongate arm member rigidly connected at one end to the upper housing and projecting therefrom, the arm member comprising an internal liquid passageway communicating with the liquid chamber and receiving liquid therefrom, and at least one outlet orifice extending through an outer wall of the arm member in communication with the liquid passageway and expelling liquid received therefrom through the orifice; and

the arm member rotates and tilts unitarily with the upper housing, and the arm member comprises actuation means for tilting the upper housing as the arm member rotates, whereby varying the arm member angle of projection relative to the vertical axis of rotation.

2. A sprinkler according to claim 1, wherein the upper housing tilts at sequentially varying angular attitudes relative to the vertical axis of rotation as the upper housing rotates, controlled and manipulated by the arm member, whereby sequentially varying the angle at which the arm member projects relative to the vertical axis of rotation.

3. A sprinkler according to claim 2, wherein the actuation means comprising an undulating cam surface coaxial with the axis of rotation and an outer surface of the arm member disposed to engage the cam surface as the arm member rotates to initiate a change in the angular attitude of the upper housing.

4. A sprinkler according to claim 3, wherein the cam surface is an upper surface portion of the base member.

5. A sprinkler according to claim 4, wherein the arm member has an intermediate bend portion complimentarily configured to engage and follow the undulations of the cam surface.

6. A sprinkler according to claim 5, wherein the upper housing is symmetric about a center axis and comprises at least a first and a second arm member projecting outward in opposite directions therefrom, each arm member having an intermediate bend portion complimentarily configured to engage and follow the undulations of the cam surface and the undulations of the cam surface are configured such that one of the arm members encounters a relatively low portion of the cam surface as the opposite arm member encounters a relatively high portion of the cam surface.

7. A sprinkler according to claim 1, wherein the upper housing further comprises a dependent bearing member seated within the support base member coincident with the vertical axis of rotation.

8. A sprinkler according to claim 7, wherein the bearing member comprises a spherical ball bearing seated within a bearing socket within the support base member.

9. A sprinkler according to claim 7, wherein further comprising an liquid intake passageway extending through the bearing member and communicating with the upper housing liquid chamber.

10. A sprinkler according to claim 1, wherein the rotation of the upper housing is propelled by reactionary forces to the discharge of liquid from the arm member.

11. A sprinkler according to claim 10, wherein the upper housing further comprises a rotationally mounted cap member having an internal liquid reservoir communicating with the upper housing liquid chamber and at least one outlet portal for discharging liquid from the reservoir and the rotation of the cap member is propelled by reactionary forces to the discharge of liquid from the outlet portal.

12. A sprinkler according to claim 11, wherein the cap member rotates in a direction opposite to the upper housing.

13. A sprinkler according to claim 11, wherein the cap member tilts and rotates about the vertical axis of rotation unitarily with the upper housing, whereby the angle of discharge of liquid through the outlet portal varies.

14. A sprinkler comprising:

a support base member;

an upper housing rotationally mounted to a top surface of the base member rotating about a vertical axis of rotation in a first direction;

a liquid chamber in the upper housing for containing liquid;

the upper housing comprising at least one outlet orifice extending through an outer wall and communicating with a liquid passageway and expelling liquid therefrom through the orifice; and

a cap member rotationally mounted to the upper housing and rotating in a second direction relative thereto contrary to the first direction about a cap member axis of rotation, the cap member further having an internal liquid reservoir communicating with the upper housing liquid chamber and at least one outlet port for discharging liquid from the reservoir and the cap member rotates unitarily with the upper housing about the vertical axis of rotation and rotates simultaneously thereto about the cap member axis of rotation.

15. A sprinkler according to claim 14, wherein the rotation of the upper housing is propelled by reactionary forces to the discharge of liquid through the outlet orifice and the rotation of the cap member is propelled by reactionary forces to the discharge of liquid from the outlet portal.

16. A sprinkler according to claim 15, wherein the cap member rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the upper housing.

17. A sprinkler according to claim 14, wherein the upper housing further comprises a dependent bearing member seated within the support base member coincident with the vertical axis of rotation.

18. A sprinkler according to claim 17, wherein the bearing member comprises a spherical ball bearing seated within a bearing socket within the support base member.

19. A sprinkler according to claim 17, wherein further comprising a liquid intake passageway extending through the bearing member and communicating with the upper housing liquid chamber.

20. A sprinkler according to claim 17, wherein the upper housing tilts into variable angular attitudes about the bearing member as it rotates relative to the support base member.

21. A sprinkler according to claim 20, wherein further comprising an undulating, upwardly facing cam surface on the base member disposed coaxial with the vertical axis of rotation and a cam follower member extending from the upper housing and engaging the cam surface, whereby influencing the upper housing as it rotates into a changing angular attitude relative to the vertical axis of rotation.

22. A sprinkler according to claim 21, wherein the cam follower member comprising at least one elongate arm member extending from the upper housing to engage the cam surface, the arm member comprising an internal liquid passageway communicating with the liquid chamber and receiving liquid therefrom, and the upper housing outlet orifice extends through an outer wall of the arm member.

23. A sprinkler according to claim 16, wherein the upper housing tilts into variable angular attitudes as it rotates relative to the support base member.

24. A sprinkler according to claim 23, wherein further comprising an undulating, upwardly facing cam surface on the base member disposed coaxial with the vertical axis of rotation and a cam follower member extending from the upper housing and engaging the cam surface, whereby influencing the upper housing as it rotates into a changing angular attitude relative to the vertical axis of rotation.

25. A sprinkler according to claim 24, wherein the cam follower member comprising at least one elongate arm member extending from the upper housing to engage the cam surface, the arm member comprising an internal liquid passageway communicating with the liquid chamber and receiving liquid therefrom, and the upper housing outlet orifice extends through an outer wall of the arm member.

26. A sprinkler comprising:

a support base member;

an upper housing rotationally mounted to a top surface of the base member and tilting into varying angular attitudes relative to an axis of rotation extending through the base member as the upper housing rotates;

a liquid chamber in the upper housing;

the upper housing comprising at least one outlet orifice extending through an outer wall and communicating with the liquid chamber and discharging liquid therefrom at an expulsion angle of trajectory which varies as the angular attitude of the upper housing varies; and

an arm member rigidly connected at one end to the upper housing and projecting therefrom, and the arm member tilting with the upper housing into the varying angular attitudes; and

tilt actuation means contacting an arm member portion at a location remote from the upper housing and acting through the arm member to tilt the upper housing into the varying angular attitudes.

27. A sprinkler according to claim 26, wherein the upper housing further comprises a dependent bearing member seated within the support base member coincident with the axis of rotation.

28. A sprinkler according to claim 27, wherein the bearing member comprises a spherical ball bearing seated within a bearing socket within the support base member.

29. A sprinkler according to claim 27, wherein further comprising a liquid intake passageway extending through the bearing member and communicating with the upper housing liquid chamber.

30. A sprinkler according to claim 26, wherein the tilt actuation means comprises an undulating, upwardly facing cam surface on the base member disposed coaxial with the vertical axis of rotation and a cam follower surface of the arm member located remotely from the upper housing and engaging the cam surface, whereby influencing the upper housing as it rotates into a changing angular attitude relative to the vertical axis of rotation.