Abstract: A water irrigation system includes a dripper tube having a plurality of water discharge openings along its length for discharging water at a slow rate from each opening; and a pulsator device connecting a water supply conduit to the dripper tube and producing a pulsatile water flow to the dripper tube having a frequency substantially exceeding one cycle per second (CPS). In a described preferred embodiment, the pulsator device is connected to the dripper tube by a connecting tube of a length and cross-sectional area such as to produce a resonant feedback system with the pulsator device producing a pulsatile water flow to the dripper tube having a frequency exceeding 10 CPS.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a housing defining a main chamber having an inlet connectable to a source of pressurized fluid, and an outlet; a first valve within the main chamber normally closing the main chamber outlet but automatically opening its outlet in response to a first predetermined pressure within the main chamber; an intermediate chamber communicating with the main chamber outlet; and a second valve having an inlet communicating with the intermediate chamber, and an outlet for discharging fluid from the chambers. The second valve is normally closed but automatically opens in response to a second predetermined pressure slightly higher than the first predetermined pressure, such that the second valve reduces or eliminates drippings in the discharge of fluid from the chambers particularly during low rates of flow of the fluid into the main chamber via the main chamber inlet.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a housing defining a main chamber having an inlet connectable to a source of pressurized fluid, and an outlet; a first valve within the main chamber normally closing the main chamber outlet but automatically opening its outlet in response to a first predetermined pressure within the main chamber; an intermediate chamber communicating with the main chamber outlet; and a second valve having an inlet communicating with the intermediate chamber, and an outlet for discharging fluid from the chambers. The second valve is normally closed but automatically opens in response to a second predetermined pressure slightly higher than the first predetermined pressure, such that the second valve reduces or eliminates drippings in the discharge of fluid from the chambers particularly during low rates of flow of the fluid into the main chamber via the main chamber inlet.

Abstract: A sound-making device includes a hollow body closed at one end by an end wall and open at the opposite end; and a pulsator unit mounted centrally of the end wall; the pulsator unit having an inlet located externally of the hollow body for inletting a pressurized fluid in a continuous manner, and an outlet located within the hollow body for outletting the fluid in a pulsating manner effective to vibrate the end wall for generating sound waves. Also described is the use of such a device for protecting plants and ponds from birds or other animals.

Abstract: A water irrigation system includes a dripper tube having a plurality of water discharge openings along its length for discharging water at a slow rate from each opening; and a pulsator device connecting a water supply conduit to the dripper tube and producing a pulsatile water flow to the dripper tube having a frequency substantially exceeding one cycle per second (CPS). In a described preferred embodiment, the pulsator device is connected to the dripper tube by a connecting tube of a length and cross-sectional area such as to produce a resonant feedback system with the pulsator device producing a pulsatile water flow to the dripper tube having a frequency exceeding 10 CPS.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing device, includes a container for holding a supply of a liquid to be dispensed; a liquid feed tube having one end exposed to the interior of one end of the container for feeding liquid by gravity through the opposite end of the liquid feed tube when the container is inverted with the one end of the container facing downwardly and the opposite end of the liquid feed tube located at a lower elevation than the level of the liquid in the container; an air inlet leading from the atmosphere into the interior of the one end of the container so as to be immersed by the liquid therein when the container is filled with a liquid and inverted; and an air inlet control device effective, when the container is inverted, to block the outflow of liquid from the interior of the container via the air inlet, but to permit atmospheric air to enter, via the air inlet into the interior of the container at a very slow rate and to bubble through the liquid within the container, whereby dispensing of the liquid from

Abstract: A pulsating spraying device includes a housing having an inlet for a liquid under pressure, and a plurality of discharge openings for discharging the liquid; an inlet chamber communicating with the housing inlet; a plurality of pulsating control chambers each having an inlet passageway on one side communicating with the inlet chamber, and an outlet passageway on the opposite side communicating with at least one of the discharge openings; and a plurality of oscillating members, one located in each of the fluid control chambers, configured to be rapidly oscillated by the flow of liquid into the respective pulsating control chamber via its inlet passageway, and to drive the liquid via its outlet passageway out of the respective discharge opening in the form of pulses.

Abstract: A fluid-flow control device particularly useful as a drip-irrigation emitter, includes a housing having first and second housing sections attachable to each other to define an internal chamber. The first housing section includes an inlet opening at one side of the chamber, and the second housing section includes a hollow stem projecting into the chamber from the opposite side of the chamber and defining an outlet opening from the chamber. A control ring is located within the chamber around the hollow stem and is freely movable, as guided by the hollow stem, towards and away from the inlet opening to control the flow therethrough into the chamber, and thereby the flow through the outlet opening from the chamber.

Abstract: A spraying device includes a nozzle head formed with an axial bore connectible to a source of pressurized liquid, an outlet orifice through which the liquid exits in the form of a jet, and a connecting passageway connecting the inlet end to the outlet orifice. A rod passes through the axial bore; and a liquid distribution member is secured to the rod at the outlet orifice to distribute the liquid laterally of the nozzle head. The rod carries an abutment at the bore inlet end and is displaceable axially and laterally within the bore. The connecting passageway of the axial bore, and the adjacent portion of the rod, include complementary conical surfaces defining between them a metering passageway for the liquid flowing to the outlet orifice such that, during operation of the spraying device, the axial position of the rod within the bore, as determined by the abutment, determines the output rate of the spraying device.

Abstract: A snap-action valve includes a housing defining a fluid chamber and a deformable membrane mounted within the chamber in alignment with an outlet opening in a wall of the housing. The membrane has an inner face exposed to the pressure within the chamber, and an outer face exposed to the ambient pressure via the outlet opening. The wall of the housing formed with the outlet opening is displaceable from the wall of the: housing formed with the inlet opening such that an increase in pressure in the chamber causes the membrane to deform to maintain the outlet opening closed until the displacement of the two walls exceeds the deformability of the membrane, whereupon the membrane opens the outlet opening with a snap-action to discharge a quantity of the fluid from the chamber and then recloses with a snap-action upon release of the pressure resulting from such discharge.

Abstract: A cyclically-operated hydraulic device includes: an air-liquid chamber which, during a first part of each cycle is partially filled with a liquid while air in the chamber is compressed, and during a second part of each cycle discharges under pressure a portion of said liquid from the chamber; and an air-replenishing device which inlets a small quantity of air into the air-liquid chamber during each cycle to replenish air contained in the liquid discharged under pressure.

Abstract: A rotary sprinkler including a water discharge assembly having a water discharge outlet for discharging water laterally of the sprinkler, and a connecting passageway fluidly coupling the inlet to the water discharge outlet. The water discharge assembly is rotated by a drive including a rotary turbine in the connecting passageway rotated by the water flow therethrough, and a ball carried by the rotary turbine and movable radially outwardly thereof by centrifugal force during the rotation of the rotary turbine. An abutment is located to be impacted by the ball when in its radial outward position during the rotation of the rotary turbine to thereby rotate the water discharge assembly in a series of stepped increments.

Abstract: A rotary sprinkler includes a drive assembly having a rotary drive rotated by the inletted pressurized water, a rotor, a mechanical coupling between the rotary drive and the rotor, and at least one ball carried by the rotor and movable radially outwardly thereof by centrifugal force during the rotation of the rotor; and a water discharge assembly rotatably carried by the sprinkler housing and including a water discharge outlet fluidly coupled to the sprinkler inlet, and an abutment located to be impacted by the ball when in its radial outward position during the rotation of the rotor to thereby rotate the water discharge assembly in a series of stepped increments.

Abstract: A water metering device includes a housing defining a chamber having an inlet, connectable to a source of pressurized water, and at least one outlet; and a stem in the chamber having an inner end fixed to the housing wall, and an outer end spaced from the outlet for receiving one end of a feed tube to be sealingly passed through the outlet; the stem being formed with a metering passageway for conducting water entering the housing via the inlet opening into and through the feed tube, when received thereon, to a location externally of the housing.

Abstract: An expansible bellows, includes a pair of end plates attached together and sealed around their peripheries such that their inner faces confront each other to define between them an expansible chamber for containing a fluid. One end plate is formed with an inlet port to the chamber; and the other end plate is formed with an outlet port from the chamber. The inner and outer faces of both end plates are formed with recesses which permit the center portions of the end plates to flex outwardly, and thereby to expand the chamber, when pressurized fluid is inletted into the chamber via the inlet port and blocked from flowing out of the chamber through the outlet port.Also described is a pulsator including such a bellows serving as the expansible chamber of the pulsator.

Abstract: A fluid flow control valve, comprising: a housing having an inlet connectable to a source of pressurized fluid, an outlet connected to the inlet via a connecting passageway, and a valve opening in the connecting passageway; a valve member movable to an open position and to a closed position with respect to the valve opening; and an actuator for actuating the valve member to its open and closed positions; the actuator including a control chamber which is expansible by receiving a quantity of fluid from the housing inlet and which is contracted by discharging the quantity of fluid from the housing via the housing outlet, whereby repeated operations of the valve repeatedly flush the control chamber with fresh fluid from the source of pressurized fluid.

Abstract: A fluid pulsator includes a housing containing a fluid reservoir, an inlet port, an outlet port, and a valve assembly biassed to an open position by a predetermined biassing force, the valve assembly includes a surface exposed to the inlet pressure to close the valve assembly when subjected to an inlet pressure greater than the biassing force. An inlet control passageway into the reservoir is dimensioned to produce a flow rate smaller than that in an outlet control passageway from the reservoir.

Abstract: A control device includes a liquid reservoir and a buoyant body movable to either an upper control position or to a lower control position in response to the level of the liquid in the reservoir. The outer surface of the buoyant body includes a cavity circumscribed by a rim engageable with a surface of the reservoir in the lower control position of the buoyant body to define a chamber isolated from the reservoir. A passageway normally connects the chamber to a source of low pressure but is connectible to a source of higher pressure, such that during the filling of the reservoir with the liquid, a low pressure in the chamber normally holds the buoyant body in the lower control position until the chamber is connected by the passageway to the higher pressure to permit the buoyant body to move by buoyancy to the higher control position.

Abstract: A filter operable in either a filtering mode or in a flushing mode, includes a cylindrical filter body, and a plurality of partitions defining a plurality of axially-extending, circumferentially-spaced filter compartments each communicating with an axial section of the filter body. All the filter compartments communicate with the fluid inlet except for at least one filter compartment which is blocked. A flushing pathway is provided between each blocked compartment and the flushing outlet. A valve in the flushing pathway is movable either to (a) a closed position during the normal filtering mode, or (b) an open position during the flushing mode.

Abstract: A fluid-flow control device includes an oscillating member freely movable within a housing and havng one face movable into and out of contact with an inner face of the housing through which an inlet opening extends to close and open the inlet opening. The contacting faces of the oscillating member and housing are configured such as to set the oscillating member into rapid oscillation opening and closing the inlet opening and to drive the fluid, in the form of high-frequency pulses, out through an outlet opening formed in the opposite face of the housing.