Abstract: A ground-engaging travelling structure supporting a member which is pivotally mounted on the structure for swinging movement about a fore-and-aft axis of the structure and including a device to maintain the member in a substantially constant position with respect to the structure and the ground. The member may be an upright pipe supplying an irrigation boom with water and the device may be actuated by a pendulum and so be responsive to deviation of the supply pipe from the upright position and operable to operate a fluid actuator to restore the supply pipe to its upright position. The actuator may be connected in a circuit including pressure-relief valves operable to limit the end loading which is permitted to be exerted on the boom by the supply pipe.

Abstract: A hose-drum irrigation machine having a tensioning device engaging the hose at a position adjacent the hose-guide by which the hose is pulled from the drum as the hose is being unwound or by which a drag is applied to the hose as it is being re-wound on the drum, thereby to prevent the convolutions of hose on the drum from becoming loose. The tensioning device comprises an endless belt of which one run extends lengthwise of the hose adjacent the hose-guide and frictionally engages the hose thereby to pull it from the drum where the hose is being unwound or to exert drag when the hose is being re-wound. The belt is driven in the appropriate direction by a driving sprocket driven by a motor.

Abstract: A hose-drum irrigation machine including a hose-laying device by which a hose-guide through which the hose passes is reciprocated parallel to the axis of rotation of the hose-drum as the drum is rotated. The hose-laying device includes a carriage to which the reciprocation is applied and the hose-guide is mounted for movement relative to the carriage parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum between two extreme positions adjacent the ends of the carriage. The hose-laying device includes control means responsive to the position of the hose-guide in the length of the carriage to control a motor driving the drum. One of the extreme positions of the hose-guide on the carriage corresponds to maximum permitted drum speed and the other of the extreme positions corresponds to zero or minimum drum speed.

Abstract: Irrigation apparatus comprising a vehicle to be moved between a pair of fixed positions spaced apart on the ground to be irrigated; a hose drum mounted for rotation on the vehicle; a hose wound on the drum and having an inlet end attachable to a fixed hydrant positioned between the two fixed positions and an outlet end connected to a water-discharging device mounted on or movable with the vehicle, the hose being unwound from the drum when the vehicle is moving away from the hydrant and rewound on the drum when the vehicle is moving towards the hydrant; a taut cable extending between the fixed positions and defining a straight path along which the vehicle is to move between the fixed positions and steering means mounted on the vehicle and responsive to deviation of the vehicle to either side of the cable and operable to restore the vehicle to said straight path defined by the cable.

Abstract: An irrigation machine guided to follow the course of a water supply pipe laid along the ground to be irrigated and having self-closing hydrants spaced apart along the length of the water supply pipe. The machine carries a vertically-movable riser pipe leading to an irrigation nozzle on the machine and arranged to be engaged automatically at its lower end to each of the hydrants in succession as the machine moves along the water supply pipe and stops with the riser pipe in vertical alignment with a hydrant. When the machine has stopped at a hydrant the riser pipe is automatically lowered to engage and to open the hydrant to admit water to the irrigation nozzle. The machine is supported on running wheels travelling along the top of the water supply pipe. To enable the wheels to pass over the hydrants without risk of the machine tipping over, the wheels are carried on a sub-frame which is pivotally-mounted about a horizontal axis on a main frame carrying the riser pipe and the irrigation nozzle.