Patents Assigned to Richdel Div. of Garden America Corp.
  • Patent number: 4671485
    Abstract: A solenoid-operated pilot valve of the diaphragm type which includes an assembly for controlling the flow of liquid through the valve. The valve has particular although not exclusive utility for irrigation purposes. The valve includes a diaphragm chamber into which fluid is introduced to establish a fluid pressure which normally forces a diaphragm against an annular seat in the valve to assist a spring in maintaining the valve in a closed condition. A stationary bleed tube is provided which extends through the diaphragm into the diaphragm chamber. A solenoid is mounted on the cap of the valve, and the plunger of the solenoid normally closes off the upper end of the bleed tube. However, when the solenoid is energized, the plunger is withdrawn and the bleed tube opens and drains the diaphragm chamber sufficiently to reduce the pressure therein to a point at which the diaphragm is forced off its seat by upstream fluid pressure, and the valve is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Richdel Div. of Garden America Corp.
    Inventor: Myrl J. Saarem
  • Patent number: 4650118
    Abstract: A gear driven sprinkler head with a pop-up spray nozzle driven by a water-flow powered motor. The nozzle is rotated incrementally through an adjustable arc to irrigate a sector of a particular size, and it is automatically reversed at the end points of the selected irrigated sector. The nozzle may be interchanged with other nozzles to provide matched precipitation rates for sectors of different sizes. The feature of incremental rotation of the nozzle overcomes the problem of reduced throw distance at high rotational speeds encountered by the prior art assemblies of the same general type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: Richdel Div. of Garden America Corp.
    Inventors: Myrl J. Saarem, Donald E. Lovelace