×

Turbine speed control for rotary irrigation sprinklers

  • US 6,929,194 B2
  • Filed: 02/12/2003
  • Issued: 08/16/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. In a rotary irrigation sprinkler having a housing with an inlet for attachment to a source of pressurized water, and a pop-up assembly mounted within the housing and moveable between a lower, in operative position and an upper, operational position with a portion of the assembly extending out of the housing, the pop-up assembly including a lower casing portion and an upper tubular riser portion having a nozzle attached to its upper end, the casing having a lower end for admitting water from the source into the casing, a turbine mounted for rotation within the casing, and a speed reducing assembly mounted within the casing and drivingly coupled to the turbine and to the riser whereby rotation of the turbine effects rotation of the riser relative to the housing, a water flow path defined between the casing inlet and the riser, a fixed stator plate disposed in the flow path between the casing inlet and the turbine and defining a first drive passage for directing a first portion of the water entering the casing upwardly to drive the turbine, and a second bypass passage for directing a second portion of the water entering the casing around the turbine, the improvement comprising:

  • a moveable stator plate rotatably coupled to said fixed stator, said rotatable stator having a wall portion adapted to overlie and occlude said bypass passage when said rotatable stator is in one rotary position relative to said fixed stator, and having a flow opening therein of a size and shape substantially the same as said second bypass passage such that when said rotatable stator is in a second rotary position relative to said fixed stator, the flow opening is aligned with said second bypass passage and water flowing through said second bypass passage is unobstructed, said rotatable stator being infinitely adjustable between said first and second rotary positions.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×