Abstract: A water-propelled prime mover in and for agricultural irrigation systems. The hose to be coupled to and pulled by the prime mover, to supply water under pressure for irrigation purposes, also supplies water pressure for torquing the wheel line of the irrigation system and for advancing the prime mover, through its capstan revolvement, along an anchored cable, stretched over an intended course of travel. Means are provided to sense and utilize deflections of the wheel line, and also to control prime mover propulsion and wheel-line torque; further, to relate and vary the relationship of wheel line revolvement and prime mover advance, depending upon line conditions, so that the line and prime mover travel in proper mutual orientation.

Abstract: An irrigation system for irrigating an area of a field and which includes a liquid conduit extending over a portion of said area to be irrigated. The conduit is supported by wheels which rotate with rotation of the conduit. The system includes a drive unit which is supported for movement on the ground along a path by wheels which are rotatably mounted thereto. The conduit is rotatably mounted to the drive unit for rotation about a generally horizontal axis generally normal to the defined path of the drive unit. The drive unit supplies liquid to the conduit and includes means for rotatably driving the conduit and for driving the drive unit along the path, and further includes a control system for selectively varying the relative speed of the drive unit and conduit in response to fore and aft displacement of the drive unit relative to the conduit.