Patents Assigned to L. R. Nelson Corporation
  • Patent number: 5645218
    Abstract: Unitized sprinkler assembly including a housing assembly having an inlet end constructed and arranged to be connected with a source of water under pressure and a spaced outlet end, a manually adjustable control mechanism carried by the housing assembly, a sprinkler head assembly having an inlet end disposed to receive water under pressure flowing from the outlet end of the housing assembly, a base assembly constructed and arranged to support the assemblies on a ground area to be sprinkled, a structural connection between the sprinkler head assembly and the housing assembly constructed and arranged to enable the sprinkler head assembly to oscillate about an oscillatory axis with respect to the housing assembly, an oscillating mechanism mounted in the housing assembly constructed and arranged to be operated by the flow of water under pressure and connected with the sprinkler head assembly to oscillate the sprinkler head assembly about the oscillatory axis through repeated oscillating head cycles, an adjusting m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence P. Heren, Jerry R. Hayes, Thomas R. Kruer
  • Patent number: 5511727
    Abstract: A wave sprinkler assembly in which the tubular spray assembly comprises a tubular member and one or more elongated strips of flexible material having a series of longitudinally spaced water stream outlets extending therethrough, the strips are assembled with the tubular member by inserting them therein through an end and moving them radially outwardly into an operative position wherein the water under pressure within the interior of the tubular spray assembly acts on the strips to enhance their engagement with the tubular member. The strip provides an annular seal of flexible sealing material extending around the exterior of each of the controllable water stream outlets, and a control member is mounted on the elongated tubular assembly for movement between a full width operating position and a width limiting position. The control member includes a control section associated with each annular seal and the controllable water stream outlet around which it extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence P. Heren, Jerry R. Hayes, Thomas R. Kruer
  • Patent number: 5368229
    Abstract: A pop-up sprinkler assembly for installation within the ground and for manual connection from a position above ground with an above ground hose as a source of water pressure. The pop-up sprinkler assembly includes a housing structure having an annular opening and exterior suitable for installation within the ground in a fixed operative position. The housing structure has a inlet passageway communicating with the annular opening. A hose connector is in the passageway for connection to an above ground hose. A sprinkler head is mounted in the annular space that is generally at ground level when the sprinkler head is in a lower storage position. An annular seal is provided between the sprinkler head and the housing structure so that the communication of water pressure with the annular space results in water pressure-biased movement of the sprinkler head from the lower storage position to a raised operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry R. Hayes, Lawrence P. Heren
  • Patent number: 5292071
    Abstract: The lawn sprinkler device comprises a manually operative combination of a container, sprinkler head and lid components. The container and lid are manually movable between a closed position defining a closed volume in the container and an open position that provides access to the closed volume. The container and lid are mounted within the ground so that the closed volume extends downwardly from the level of the lawn area and in the open position access to the closed volume is available generally at the level of the lawn area. The sprinkler head component includes a hose coupling inlet for manual connection by a user with an above-ground hose and an outlet structure for discharging water under pressure in a desired pattern on the lawn area. The sprinkler head is mounted with respect to the container and lid for manual movement between a storage position within the closed volume of the container and an operative position which is in elevated relation to the closed volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas R. Kruer
  • Patent number: 5005767
    Abstract: A pop-up sprinkler head assembly for use during installation of an underground sprinkler system including a housing having an inlet for receiving water from an underground conduit and an open end extending upward from the inlet. The open end has an annular seal member which communicates with a pop-up body mounted within the housing. A compression spring biases the pop-up body in a first retracted position entirely within the housing and stresses in response to the movement of the pop-up body from the first retracted position to a second extended position partially extending from the housing. A shielding member releasably affixes to the housing in an aperture-shielding position and flexes outward in response to the movement of the pop-up body. When the pop-up body is in the first retracted position, such as after flushing and during installation operations, the shielding member isolates the interior of the housing from the unintended and unwanted deposit debris, dirt and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: L.R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence P. Heren
  • Patent number: 4997131
    Abstract: A hose nozzle comprising a fixed body structure including a hand grip portion and a barrel portion extending at an angle therefrom. The hand grip portion has exterior surfaces shaped to be gripped forwardly by the fingers of a user's hand and rearwardly by the palm with a rearwardly projecting abutment overlying the base of the thumb. A flow control knob is mounted on the hand grip portion above the abutment for turning movement through 90.degree. about a fore and aft extending axis in a position to be conveniently turned by the thumb of the user's hand gripping the hand grip portion. The body structure defines an interior water passage including an inlet passage portion extending through the hand grip portion in temperature insulating relation with respect to the exterior surfaces thereof. A ball valve is mounted within the inlet passage portion for movement in response to the movement of the control knob. A spray pattern defining assembly is mounted on the outlet end of the interior water passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence P. Heren
  • Patent number: 4903897
    Abstract: A hose nozzle comprising a tubular body having female threads on one end portion thereof. The tubular body provides a hand grip portion adjacent the one end portion suitable to be grasped in one hand with the thumb naturally extended into an actuating position on an opposite end of the hand grip portion. The tubular body defines an interior water passage and has an inner annular ball valve seat facing toward the passage therein on which a ball valve is mounted for varying the flow rate of the water through the valve seat. A manually actuatable flow directing assembly is provided for receiving water flowing through the valve seat and for directing the same into variable stream formations. An actuating member is provided having a thumb-engaging portion extending in the actuating position for effecting pivotal movements of the actuating member about the pivotal axis of the ball valve by thumb engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Jerry R. Hayes
  • Patent number: 4893645
    Abstract: A control valve in which the bonnet is removably fixedly attached to the valve body by a retained bolt and slot arrangement in such a way as to fix the marginal edge of the diaphragm main valve therebetween. The diaphragm defines with the bonnet a control chamber having an inlet control passage leading thereto from the valve body inlet and an outlet control passage leading therefrom to the valve body outlet. A control valve seat in the outlet valve seat is controlled by a solenoid plunger valve element in such a way as to afford either manual or electrical solenoid operation by virtue of a manually movable member mounting the solenoid assembly on the bonnet. An adjusting knob member is mounted by a snap fit on the bonnet in laterally offset relation with respect to both the main valve and the solenoid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventors: Andrius R. Augustinas, Raymond F. Lippitt
  • Patent number: 4892252
    Abstract: An adjustable part circle sprinkler assembly including a sprinkler body structure and a sprinkler head structure mounted thereon for rotational movement in either direction about an upright axis. An interior water flow path from an inlet in the body to a stream discharging outlet in the head includes nozzles directing streams onto a reversible flow directing mechanism for driving an impeller selectively in either direction. The impeller is connected with the head to rotate the same by a gear driven speed reducer and a slip clutch. A part circle pattern control assembly is mounted in an open top of the head closed by a conveniently removable anti-vandal cap structure. The pattern control assembly cooperates with a lever and resilient post reversing mechanism for the reversible flow directing mechanism. Manual movements of the head are accommodated by the slip clutch which protects the gear driven speed reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Bruninga
  • Patent number: 4858827
    Abstract: Apparatus for connection with a sill cock for communicating water under pressure from the sill cock with a hose having a lawn sprinkler communicating therewith comprising a water control unit having a female coupler for connection with the sill cock, a male coupler for connection with the hose, a valve between the couplers and a battery operated valve mechanism operable in response to the connection of the electric current thereto for effecting movement of the valve from a closed position into an opened position, and a manually portable programming unit containing a battery operated programming keyboard, a battery operated display, and batteries operatively connected therewith. An extension cord accessory is provided which renders the portable unit operable to operate the water control unit either in its operative position or when the portable unit is disposed in a remote position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas C. Fletcher, Kenneth J. Bruninga
  • Patent number: D319289
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence Heren
  • Patent number: D319296
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence P. Heren
  • Patent number: D325620
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence P. Heren
  • Patent number: D325775
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald G. Hayes
  • Patent number: D325961
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald G. Hayes
  • Patent number: D327314
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald G. Hayes
  • Patent number: D349152
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald G. Hayes
  • Patent number: D361122
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Goodin
  • Patent number: D379491
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: L.R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Goodin
  • Patent number: D383193
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence P. Heren, Thomas R. Kruer, Ronald G. Hayes