Corner irrigation system

• US 6,045,066 A
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valmont Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Valmont Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Gerdes, Jerry D., Unruh, Rudy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganey, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US09/164,326
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 239/69, 239/71, 239/73, 239/DIG. 1, 239/726, 239/728, 239/729, 239/730, 239/731, 239/732, 239/733, 239/743, 239/744, 239/DIG. 15, 239/66, 239/97, 364/142, 700/3, 700/284
• US Class Current: 239/729
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/092 movable around a pivot centre
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 239/15 Sprinkler systems with controls

Abstract

An irrigation system is disclosed which includes a center pivot support having an elongated main water boom pivotally connected thereto which extends outwardly therefrom. An elongated extension boom is pivotally connected at its inner end to the outer end of the main boom and is supported by a steerable drive tower. A corner arm sensor is provided for sensing the angle of the extension boom with respect to the main boom. A plurality of sprinklers are positioned on the extension boom along the length thereof and are controlled by a computer which is programmed with a table of sprinkler sequences. The computer calculates the areas being covered by the extension boom as the system is moved through the field and determines the best sprinkler sequence for the sprinkler on the extension boom.

Claims

1. An irrigation system, comprising:

a center pivot support structure;

an elongated main water boom, having inner and outer ends, pivoted at its inner end to said center pivot support structure and extending outwardly therefrom;

said main water boom comprising an elongated main water pipe supported upon at least one non-steerable drive tower which propels said main water pipe around said center pivot support structure;

said main water pipe having a plurality of spaced-apart sprinklers mounted thereon;

an elongated extension boom, having inner and outer ends, pivotally connected at its said inner end to said outer end of said main boom;

said extension boom comprising an elongated extension water pipe having inner and outer ends supported upon at least one steerable drive tower;

steering means for steering said steerable drive tower;

guidance means for controlling said steering means so that said steerable drive tower is moved along a preselected path, as said main boom travels over the field to be irrigated, thereby causing said extension boom to pivotally move with respect to said boom to cause said extension boom to pivotally extend out into corner areas of the field and pivotally retract therefrom as said main boom travels through the field;

a plurality of sprinklers mounted on said extension water pipe along the length thereof in a spaced-apart relationship;

sequencing means for sequencing the sprinklers on said extension water pipe;

sensing means for sensing the angle of said extension boom with respect to said main boom;

a computer means including means for calculating the area being covered by said extension boom as said main boom and extension boom travel over the field to be irrigated;

said sensing means being operatively connected to said computer means for inputting the sensed angle thereinto;

said computer means controlling said sequencing means.

2. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein said computer means is programmed with a table of sprinkler sequences.

3. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein said computer means is programmed with the length of said extension boom.

4. The irrigation system of claim 1 wherein said computer means computes the area being covered by said extension boom by using the angle sensed by said sensing means, the length of said extension boom, and the change in the sensed angle.