Portable control system for use with conventional sprinklers

• US 5,908,157 A
• Filed: 10/20/1997
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Domenico Antonellis, George Valentino
• Original Assignee: Domenico Antonellis, George Valentino
• Inventors: Antonellis, Domenico, Valentino, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, ROBIN OCTAVIA
• Application Number:
  US08/954,192
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 137/78.2, 137/624.2, 137/343, 239/63, 239/64, 239/65, 239/67, 239/69, 239/70, 239/71, 239/310, 239/316, 239/318
• US Class Current: 239/70
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86461 Variable cycle

Abstract

A portable control system for use with conventional sprinklers including a portable housing. Further included is a plurality of interconnections positioned within the housing for allowing interconnection between an inflow hose and a plurality of outflow hoses. A plurality of valves is connected to the interconnection for allowing the passage of fluid upon the activation thereof. A control panel is situated within the housing and connected to the valves. The control panel is connected to a rain level detector and is adapted to allow selective actuation and deactivation of each valve mechanism at a designated time as a function of the amount of rain received by the rain level detector. A fertilizer mechanism is connected to the interconnections for allowing the supply of fertilizer to the fluid passing between the garden inflow hose and the garden outflow hoses. The fertilizer mechanism includes a plurality of containers each connected between the garden inflow hose and an associated one of the garden outflow hoses. This allows the supply of a predetermined amount and type of fertilizer to each of a plurality of discrete sprinklers.

Claims

1. A portable sprinkler control system for use with conventional sprinklers comprising:

a portable housing;

a coupling means for allowing the interconnection between a conventional garden inflow hose and a plurality of conventional garden outflow hoses;

a valve means connected to the coupling means adapted to allow the passage of fluid upon the activation thereof;

a control panel situated within the housing, the control panel connected to the valve means and adapted to allow selective actuation and deactivation of each valve means at a designated time;

wherein the coupling means comprises a plurality of cylindrical male couples each comprising an axial bore formed therein, a threadedly lined outer surface, and an intermediate section therebetween having a hexagonal cross-section, each male couple having a first end adapted to releasably couple to a conventional garden hose; and

a plurality of interconnections each comprising a T-shaped conduit with a pair of open axially aligned ends and an orthogonal end, each interconnection employing one of the male couples to align the orthogonal end of the conduit with an aperture formed in the housing and further to allow coupling with an outflow hose, whereby one of the interconnections employs one of the male couples to align one of the axial ends of the T-shaped conduit thereof with an aperture formed in the housing and further to allow coupling with an inflow hose and whereby the axial ends of the remaining interconnections are interconnected using a plurality of male couples.

2. A portable sprinkler control system with fertilizing means for use with conventional sprinklers comprising:

a portable housing;

coupling means for allowing the interconnection between a conventional garden inflow hose and a plurality of conventional garden outflow hoses;

valve means connected to the coupling means adapted to allow the passage of fluid upon the activation thereof;

a control panel situated within the housing, the control panel connected to the valve means and adapted to allow selective actuation and deactivation of each valve means at a designated time, wherein the control panel is further adapted to allow selective adjustment of the duration of time between activation and deactivation of each valve means; and

fertilizer means connected to the coupling means for allowing the supply of fertilizer to the fluid passing between the garden inflow hose and garden outflow hoses, the fertilizer means including a plurality of containers each connected between the garden inflow hose and an associated one of the garden outflow hoses, thereby allowing the supply of a predetermined amount and type of fertilizer to each of a plurality of discrete sprinklers, each of the containers of the fertilizer means having a cylindrical configuration with a circular bottom face and a vertically oriented tubular periphery for defining an open top and an interior space, the tubular periphery having an inlet aperture formed therein adjacent to the open top for connection with the valve means and outlet aperture formed therein adjacent the bottom face thereof for coupling with the corresponding garden outflow hose, the tubular periphery further having a plurality of threads formed in an inner surface thereof adjacent the open top for allowing the removable coupling of a disk-shaped lid having a plurality of threaded grooves formed in a periphery thereof, each container further including a ledge with a horizontally oriented circular screen mounted on the ledge at a central extent of the container just below the inlet aperture, whereby a solid fertilizer may be removably positioned on the screen and the lid secured in place such that upon the flow of water to the garden outflow tube associated with the container, dissolved fertilizer is dispersed.