Abstract: An agricultural irrigation machine of the hose-drum type in which a hose through which water is passed leads from a drum on which the hose is wound to an irrigation trolley or sledge carrying a nozzle or water-gun. The hose-drum is mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis on a turret which can be turned about a vertical axis, whereby the hose-drum can be oriented in the direction of the unwound part of the hose. The hose-drum is driven in the hose-rewinding sense while water is flowing through the hose to the irrigation trolley or sledge. The hose-drum rests in a cradle of rollers and is driven in the hose-rewinding sense by a sprocket wheel engaging a captive chain wrapped around a peripheral channel on a flange of the drum.

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.

Abstract: An irrigation machine having traction wheels which run along the top of a pipe having self-closing hydrants spaced apart in the length of the pipe. The machine is guided to follow the course of the pipe. When the machine reaches a hydrant, the machine stops and a vertically-movable riser pipe in the form of a probe and connected to a water gun or other water distribution device automatically descends to open the hydrant valve and thus admit water to the riser pipe and to the water gun. The machine is fitted with a device which shifts the machine longitudinally of the hydrant as the riser pipe is lowered towards the hydrant so that when the probe end of the riser pipe enters the hydrant, the probe end will be in precise vertical alignment with the hydrant. After a predetermined time the riser pipe is raised, the hydrant valve closes and the machine travels along the pipe to the next hydrant.