US3033469A - Water sprinklers - Google Patents

Description

y 8, 1962 A. J. GREEN 3,033,469

WATER SPRINKLERS Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 8, 1962 A. J. GREEN 3,033,469

WATER SPRINKLERS Filed April 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofihce 3,033,459 Patented May 8, "1962 3,033,469 WATER SPRINKLERS Alfred James Green, Bournemouth, England, assignor to WrightRain Limited, Riugwood, England Filed Apr. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 103,334 Claims priority, application Great Britain Aug. 5, 1966 3 Claims. (Cl. 239-230) This invention relates to water sprinklers of the 510W rotary type, particularly designed for use in orchards, gardens, golf courses, lawns and the like.

The type of sprinkler to which the invention particularly relates is that described and shown in United States patent specification No. 1,997,901 wherein basically the sprinkler comprises a sprinkler body of tubular shape to provide a water channel, and mounted for rotation about a vertical axis on a support member, with some form of frictional gasket or packing in the bearing to oppose the rotation of the sprinkler body. The body usually terminates at the upper end in one or more arms e.g. 1n the form of a Y, and at the end of an arm is a jet nozzle. A horizontal swing arm is rotationally carried on a post and rotates against a torsional spring surrounding the post. One end of the swing arm is provided with a spoon which lies in the path of the water jet from one of the nozzles. In consequence the water jet, by impinging on the spoon, drivesthe swing arm in a direction of rotation away from the jet, while the sprinkler body remains stationary due to the opposition. of the gasket in the bearing therefor. The swing arm rotation is made against the action of the resisting torsion spring, so that after a given are of swing the inertia of the arm is expended and the spring returns the arm inthe opposite directionthe forward direction-with a velocity which causes it to break through the water jet and strike the sprinkler body with such a blow as to turn it one step in the forward direction. The sprinkler thus makes a step by step rotation in the forward direction alternately with reverse swings of the swing arm, and this action will be continuous through a full circle unless some form of sectoring or part circle control mechanism is provided.

Thus in some known forms of sprinklers of the type to which the invention relates, there has been provided sectoring mechanism which may work in one of the following ways:

In one arrangement, when the sprinkler has reached the limit of its sector, an anvil piece is brought into proximity to the swing arm so that in swinging away reverse direction-from the nozzle because of the thrust exercised against the spoon of the arm by the jet of water emitting from the nozzle, the swing arm strikes the anvil before completing its reverse swing. The part of the arm which strikes the nozzle is the rear part behind the pivot, and each blow against the anvilwhich is attached to the sprinkler body but protrudes outside the armdrives the body of the sprinkler step by step in the reverse direction to the forward direction which is that normally taken when the sprinkler is rotated by the impact of the returning swing arm. In short, forward rotation of the sprinkler body takes place at the end of the return swing of the arm, and reverse rotation of the sprinkler takes place at the end of the curtailed reverse swing of the arm. Consequently, the impacts are more frequent during reverse rotation and the speed of reverse rotation is faster than in forward rotation. Resulting from these two factors, the evenness of water distribution during reverse rotation deteriorates considerably. When the sprinkler reaches the other limit of its sector, the anvil piece is removed from its proximity to the swing arm and the sprinkler rotates in the original i.e. forward, direction in a normal manner.

In another arrangement, a wedge piece is fitted in lieu of the spoon at the end of the swing arm. This wedge piece is pivoted about its centre so that either face may 'be presented to the jet of water emitting from the nozzle. As a result the swing arm can be thrust away in either direction according to which face of the Wedge is facing the water jet, and the direction of thrust will determine the direction of rotation of the sprinkler. The back end of the swing arm is fitted with a pivoting striker plate which strikes an anvil-forming part of the Sprinkler body to cause it to rotate. The striker plate normally prevents the swing arm from being thrust too far out of the water jet and consequently the return swing of the arm is short and fairly slow. When the sprinkler reaches the limit of its sector, the striker plate swings over so that it can hit the anvil on the opposite side and thus reverse the rotation of the sprinkler body. The last swing of the arm is therefore unrestricted and travels much further away from the water jet. Its return swing is consequently longer and faster and the wedge piece is carried through the water jet to the other side. This causes the wedge piece to pivot and present the other face to the water jet during subsequent swings of the arm, and thus the arm swings in the other direction so that the striker plate hits the anvil on the opposite side to turn the sprinkler body in the reverse direction. When the sprinkler reaches the other limit of its sector, the same action takes place to return the sprinkler in its original direction of rotation.

in these known arrangements of sprinkler, setting levers are provided to enable the arc of the sector which is to be irrigated to be selected and preset by hand.

As will be understood from the aforesaid summarised description of known sectoring or part circle sprinklers, the mechanism is complicated, while the efilciency of the sprinkling is aifected because of unevenness of water application whilst the sprinkler is in reverse motion.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simpler form of sectoring mechanism and one which produces a more efficient watering action in that the reverse motion of the sprinkler at the end of a step-by-step cycle to the commencing position of the cycle is for all practical purposes-instantaneous and under direct control of the water jet pressure so that norm-ally the return would be difficult to see with the eye.

According to the invention the improved sprinkler of the type referred to includes an adjustable lock by which at a predetermined point in the normal rotation of the sprinkler body the water jet transmits rotary motion through the swing arm to the body in reverse direction to restore the body to the beginning of a sectoring arc whereat the lock is opened and the body commences its step-by-step forward motion under the control of the swing arm in the usual manner.

The opening and closing positions of the lock are presettable to predetermine the extent of a sectoring arc and cycle, thesequence of operation of which will be continuous and repeated so long as the water jet is operating or the lock is in operative condition.

In carrying out the invention, the lock may consist of lock closing and lock opening setting levers which cooperate with a reaction link mounted on the sprinkler body for displacement into the path of the swing arm when the link strikes the lock closing lever, whereby the swing arm is connected withthe body to turn the same under the impetus of the water jet in the reverse direction until the link strikes the lock opening setting lever and is thereby disengaged from the swing arm.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, one practical example thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE lis an elevation, FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a part sectional plan of FIGURE 1.

The sprinkler comprises a support in the form of a pipe coupling nut 1 which is screwed to a stationary stand pipe (not shown). Coaxially mounted in the nut is the usual type of tubular sprlngler body 2 with a single arm or Y head 3 and a spigot post 4 on which is rotationally mounted a counter balance swing arm 5 with the usual tontion spring 6 surrounding the post 4 for controlling the swing arm in the normal step-by-step forward rotation (A, FIGURE 3) of the body.

The swing arm 5 has a spoon head 7 which lies in front of one of a water jet nozzle =8 on the head 3. On the counter balance end 9 of the arm on the opposite side of the spigot post 4 there is an angular locking face 1% which forms part of the water reaction lock which constitutes the essential feature of this invention. As part of this lock there is provided on the body a radially projecting horizontal pivot 11 for a reaction link pawl 12 having one upwardly projecting arm 13 adapted by means of a catchhead 14 for co-operating with the angular locking face 10. The pawl 12 has a depending arm 15 lying between a pair of setting levers 16 and 17 projecting radially from the support 1 and angularly adjustable about the vertical axis thereof by means of 'angularly spaced notches 18 in the support 1 and pins 19 or like on the levers, or other indexing means (FIGURE 3) may be provided.

One lever 17 is the locking closing lever, and the other lever 16 is the locking opening lever. The faces of the levers 16 and 17 which co-operate with the depending pawl arm 15 are preferably curved concavely as indicated in FIGURE 3 (2-0) to the pawl arm 15. A coil spring 21 between a flange 22 on the sprinkler body and the levers 16 and 17 presses the latter against a bearing flange 23 on the support 1 so as to keep the levers in place while allowing them to be angularly set to the required sectoring arc. It is only necessary for the lever 16 (lock closing) to be adjustable, but both may be so, if desired.

As will be seen the sprinkler body turns about a centre spigot axis 24 around which the coil spring 21 is mounted, and interposed between the body flange 22 and the spring 21 is a control gasket 25 which provides the necessary friction to hold the sprinkler body stationary while the swing arm 5 is turned backward by the water jet from the nozzle 8.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing the quick return of the sprinkler body 2 at the end of a sectoring arc is brought about by locking the spoon 7 of the swing arm 5 in the water jet from nozzle 8 when reverse rotation is required, so that the thrust of the water jet in the spoon produces a reaction in the direction opposite to normal forward rotation (A). The rear end S of the swing arm transmits this reaction to the sprinkler body through the pawl catch 14 which engages the face It} and thus locks the swing arm to the body, this engagement being caused by the pawl arm 15 striking the lock closing setting lever 17 at the end of the sector arc. As this reaction is continuous during the period of locking, both the swing arm 5 and body 3 are flicked back together until the locking pawl catch 14 is disengaged horn the rear face of the swing arm when the depending arm of the pawl strikes the lock opening lever 16. In particular the sequence of operation is as follows:

On starting, the sprinkler rotates in the usual way in the forward direction A until the depending arm 15 of the pawl 12the operating arm-is rocked anti-clockwise (FIGURE 1) by contact with the lock closing setting lever 17. This rocking of the pawl engages the catch on the upper arm 13 with the angular locking face 10 on the counter balance end 9 of the swing arm, whereupon the sprinkler body 3 is rotated rapidly in the reverse direction to A by means of the water jet from nozzle 8 being kept in the swing arm spoon 7. At the end of the return are the pawl operating arm 15 is unlocked by striking the lock opening setting lever 16 which thus disengages 1 the pawl catch 14 from the locking face 10 on the swing arm. The swing arm now being free from the body 3, the sprinkler rotation reverts to the normal step-by-stcp direction, and the sequence of step-by-step movement A and quick return is repeated as long as required by maintaining the jet.

The step-by-step movement is evident from the construction. Sufiice to say that the jet of water impinging on the scoop 7 turns the swing arm 5 against the torsion spring 6, while the sprinkler body (with nozzle 8) rerelatively stationary due to the resistance of the gasket 25. When the energy of the swing arm has been absorbed by the spring the latter returns the swing arm in direction A until it swings through the water jet and imparts against an anvil portion 26 which forms part of an overhung arm 27 on the sprinkler body 3. This impact drives the body forward one step in the forward direction A, and the swing arm immediately swings back under the action of the jet to repeat the operation.

The spigot post 4 on which the swing arm is rotationally mounted is held in vertical position by a bearing support 28 on the overhung arm 27 which also forms an anchor 29 for the control spring 6.

In practice it has been found that chattering of the locking pawl 12 may occur during its engagement with the swing arm 5. To obviate this chatter while allowing the pawl to act as required, there may be provided some form of motion absorbing device. Thus, for example, the pivot 11 or" the pawl may carry friction washers 30 which engage between the pawl and an adjusting nut 31 threaded on to the pivot spindle 11 to enable the friction pressure on the pawl to be adjusted as required.

I claim:

1. A water sprinkler, comprising a rotatable sprinkler body on which is mounted a swing arm and means whereby said hody is rotated step by step in a sectoring arc under the action of a water jet issuing from said body and impinging on said arm in combination with a quick return device having reaction link means between the body and the swing arm operable by body displacement at the end of said sectoring arc to lock the body to the swing arm whereby the body and swing arm return together under the action of the water jet to the commencement point of the sectoring arc, and means displacing said reaction link means to effect release of the lock at said point whereby the body can re-commence its step-by-step sectoring arc.

2. A water sprinkler comprising a support adapted for connection in a water line, a sprinkler body rotatably mounted on said support, a water nozzle radiating from said body for projecting a water jet, a swing arm rotationally mounted upon a pivot post upstanding from said body above the nozzle, said swing arm having a water scoop at one end to lie in the path of the water jet from said nozzle, and at the opposite end a counter balance having a locking face, a torsion spring embracing said post and anchored at one end to the swing arm and at the opposite end to an upstanding anvil arm from said body, whereby the body can sector through an arc step by step in one direction under the action of the water jet, locking means operable at the end of said are to connect the swing arm to the body so that the water jet effects a quick return of the body to the commencement of said sector arc, said locking means comprising lock closing and lock opening levers mounted on the support beneath the body and angularly adjustable for varying said sectoring arc, a reaction link pawl mounted on said body on a pivot at right angles to said swing arm pivot post, said pawl having an integral operating arm disposed between said levers and a locking arm having a catch for engagement with the locking face of the counter balance.

3. A water sprinkler comprising a support, a sprinkler body rotatable on said support, means including a swing arm on said body for effecting step by step rotation in a forward direction of said body about the swing arm axis under the action of a water jet from said body, a reaction link between said body and said swing arm, an operating 'member on said support arranged to displace said reaction link after a predetermined number of steps of said body thereby to effect locking engagement of said link with the swing am so that the swing arm and body rotate together in the opposite return direction under the action of the water jet, and a second member to displace the reaction link out of engagement with said swing arm at a predetermined point in the return rotation of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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