Abstract: In a high speed method and apparatus for forming inlet and/or outlet ports in drip irrigation hose, the surface of one margin of a continuous length of plastic film is deformed without puncturing at periodic intervals along its length corresponding to the locations of the inlet and/or outlet ports to form protrusions from the film surface. Thereafter, the protrusions are severed from the film to form the ports. The remainder of the hose is made in a conventional fashion. Preferably, the film surface is deformed by directing the film through the nip of pair of rotating wheels. On the surface of one of the wheels is a series of blunt projections sized, shaped and positioned to correspond to the ports being formed. The protrusions are severed by the edge of a knife across which the film is directed.

Abstract: In a method for prohibiting the growth of roots in the outlets of a drip irrigation hose, water under pressure is supplied to the hose for drip irrigation of the soil. A soil retainable, water transportable substance such as clay is introduced into the hose upstream of the outlets to form in the vicinity of the outlets localized regions containing the substance. The soil-retaining substance is also capable of absorbing a selected root-inhibiting, water-transportable substance. The selected root-inhibiting substance is introduced into the hose upstream of the outlets to distribute such root-inhibiting substance to the localized regions for absorption by the soil-retainable substance.

Abstract: A drip irrigation hose formed of an elongated flat sheet of flexible water impervious material having two longitudinally extending ribs attached to a surface of the material and positioned adjacent to one edge thereof, the ribs being die-formed to be precisely dimensioned and precisely spaced from one another and to be serrated on the inner sides thereof. The sheet is turned over on itself to form a lapped longitudinal seam between opposing longitudinal margins of the sheet, and the ribs are heat sealed, or otherwise attached to the other surface of the sheet and extend between the opposing margins to form a flow regulating tube, with the serrated sides of the ribs creating turbulence in the water flowing in the flow regulating tube. The hose has filter-type inlets longitudinally spaced along the flow regulating tube and outlets from the flow regulating tube longitudinally displaced from the respective inlets.

Abstract: An irrigation hose comprises an elongated flat sheet of flexible water impervious material bent along its length to form a lapped longitudinal seam between opposing longitudinal margins of the sheet. Two transverse ribs in spaced apart relationship interconnect the opposing margins along their length to seal the longitudinal seam, thereby forming a flow regulating tube defined by the ribs and the opposing margins and forming a supply tube defined at least in part by the remainder of the sheet. The hose has a plurality of longitudinally spaced inlets to the flow regulating tube and a plurality of longitudinally spaced outlets from the flow regulating tube displaced from the respective inlets to provide a substantial path length from each inlet to a respective outlet.

Abstract: A combination flow control, shutoff and pressure relief device comprises a body with a movable spool and inlet and outlet portions. The spool supports a spring loaded valve head that forms an internal fluid chamber around one end when the handle fixed to the other end is in the closed position. An orifice in the body inlet portion is progressively opened from a complete shutoff position by rotation of the spool within the body to provide flow into the fluid chamber. When fluid pressure within the internal chamber exceeds a preselected spring force on the valve head, the latter opens to provide pressure relief. Regulation of the fluid pressure in the chamber and thus in the outlet can be maintained at the preselected level by controlling the size of the inlet orifice at a point just below the actuation level of the valve spring.