Patents Assigned to L. R. Nelson
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Patent number: 4997131Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 7, 1989Date of Patent: March 5, 1991Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Lawrence P. Heren
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Patent number: 4903897Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 12, 1988Date of Patent: February 27, 1990Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Jerry R. Hayes
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Patent number: 4893645Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 7, 1988Date of Patent: January 16, 1990Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: Andrius R. Augustinas, Raymond F. Lippitt
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Patent number: 4892252Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 3, 1988Date of Patent: January 9, 1990Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Kenneth J. Bruninga
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Patent number: 4858827Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 13, 1987Date of Patent: August 22, 1989Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: Douglas C. Fletcher, Kenneth J. Bruninga
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Patent number: 4856823Abstract: A female assembly of a quick connect/disconnect coupling including an annular locking/unlocking member molded in a thin wall construction of plastic material such that the annular member is capable of resilient flexure such that a manual movement applied to a pair of diametrically opposed unlocking portions in a direction to move the same radially together has the effect of moving a pair of diametrically opposed locking portions displaced 90.degree. from the unlocking portions radially outwardly. The locking/unlocking member is separate from and is mounted on an annular structure axially inwardly of an open end of the female assembly with the locking portions extending normally in a position to lock a tubular male member in an operative position therein or to unlock the same. The locking/unlocking member is movable from its normal locking/unlocking position to a positive locking position when opposing forces are applied tending to move the coupling apart.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1988Date of Patent: August 15, 1989Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Lawrence P. Heren
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Patent number: 4784329Abstract: A portable lawn sprinkler comprising a housing assembly having means defining a fixed horizontally extending water inlet having a female hose fitting on the exterior end thereof and a spaced fixed annular wall providing an interior periphery defining an annular vertically opening water outlet. A speed reducing unit is mounted within the housing assembly. An impeller is drivingly associated with the input shaft of the speed reducing unit in a position to be rotated by water under pressure flowing from the inlet to the outlet. A rotary water distributor is fixed to the output shaft of the speed reducing unit disposed in water communicating relation with the outlet. An annular member is mounted for axial movement within the annular water outlet and in surrounding relation with the output shaft and has an exterior periphery disposed within the interior periphery of said fixed annular wall.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1986Date of Patent: November 15, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Lawrence P. Heren
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Patent number: 4776517Abstract: A pistol hose nozzle including a handle structure and a barrel structure extending forwardly from the upper end thereof. The handle and barrel structures are formed of two outer shell parts enclosing an inner conduit providing a water flow path between an inlet at the lower end of the handle structure and an outlet at the forward end of the barrel structure. A spring actuated on-off valve mechanism is disposed within the handle portion of the flow path and a fixed orifice is disposed within the barrel portion of the flow path. A variable leverage mechanism serves to transmit the movement of a finger trigger to the valve mecahnism. A thumb actuated mechanism is provided for selectively retaining the trigger in its operating position. Coupling means is provided in the forward end of the barrel structure and rearward tubular portions of an adjustable spray assembly and a rotary outlet assembly for enabling either to be detachably interengaged therewith.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1986Date of Patent: October 11, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Lawrence P. Heren
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Patent number: 4722478Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1986Date of Patent: February 2, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: Douglas C. Fletcher, Kenneth J. Bruninga
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Patent number: 4708264Abstract: A water timer including a housing having an inlet and outlet through which water flows to drive an impeller and speed reducer used to determine the open time of a valve member. The valve member is movable in one direction, corresponding with one direction of axial movement of the timer dial, into a water flow position out of engagement with a valve seat and movable in an opposite direction, corresponding with an opposite direction of axial movement of the dial, into engagement with the valve seat into a water shut-off position. The valve member has a first pressure responsive surface area facing in the opposite direction disposed in communication with water under pressure communicating with the housing inlet and a second pressure responsive surface area facing in the one direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1985Date of Patent: November 24, 1987Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Kenneth J. Bruninga
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Patent number: 4646224Abstract: A sprinkler system including a controller having a manual data entry device, a processor and a sprinkler controller. Data is entered through the data entry means relating to conditions in each of a number of zones in which sprinkling is to occur with respect to the amount of water needed to be applied to that zone and the soil water infiltration rate. Upon receiving this information, the processor determines for each zone the number of cycles and the length of time in each cycle that water is to be applied not only so that the amount of water applied during each cycle does not exceed the amount of water the soil can absorb during that cycle, but also so that the total amount of water needed by that zone is applied. The processor employs the number of cycles and the length of on time per cycle to organize the cycles for all of the zones, creating an application program.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 1983Date of Patent: February 24, 1987Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: David P. Ransburg, Douglas C. Fletcher, Sven E. Wahlstrom
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Patent number: 4592505Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 1984Date of Patent: June 3, 1986Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: Kenneth J. Bruninga, Douglas C. Fletcher
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Patent number: D295778Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 1985Date of Patent: May 17, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: Kenneth J. Bruninga, Douglas C. Fletcher, Ronald G. Hayes
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Patent number: D295779Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 1985Date of Patent: May 17, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: Kenneth J. Bruninga, Douglas C. Fletcher, Ronald G. Hayes
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Patent number: D295890Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 1985Date of Patent: May 24, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventors: Kenneth J. Bruninga, Douglas C. Fletcher, Ronald G. Hayes
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Patent number: D298962Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1985Date of Patent: December 13, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Kenneth J. Bruninga
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Patent number: D299156Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 1985Date of Patent: December 27, 1988Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Lawrence P. Heren
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Patent number: D310706Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1986Date of Patent: September 18, 1990Assignee: L. R. Nelson CompanyInventors: Lawrence P. Heren, Ronald G. Hayes
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Patent number: D319289Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 1988Date of Patent: August 20, 1991Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Lawrence Heren
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Patent number: D319296Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 1988Date of Patent: August 20, 1991Assignee: L. R. Nelson CorporationInventor: Lawrence P. Heren