Abstract: A system for automatic forward bow alignment on a water drive pivot irrigator has a valve assembly associated with each of the towers of the irrigator for regulating movement of the respective tower in a direction of rotation of the irrigator. A flexible element extends along the length of the pipe connecting together the towers of the irrigator for detecting alignment of each of the towers along a desired forward bow of the irrigator and controlling the valve assembly of each of the towers as a function of alignment and misalignment of the particular tower with respect to the desired forward bow. Each valve assembly includes a pair of valves normally held open by a weight mounted on an actuator of the valve, with a reversing lever being connected to the actuator of each of the valves for selectively closing one of the valves while assuring the other of the valves is held in an on position.

Abstract: A control valve for use in conjunction with the control system of water powered field irrigation equipment has a valve housing provided with an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a flow passage connecting the inlet and outlet openings. The flow path is selectively blocked and unblocked by a valve element actuated by a pilot valve controlled remotely by an operator of the equipment in order to determine the direction of rotation of a drive motor which propels a portion of the equipment about a pivot axis as a function of the position of other portions of the equipment. A fluid actuated motor provided with an eccentrically mounted output cam permits control of the time the end unit of the equipment, which unit controls the operation of other units disposed between the end unit and the pivot axis, is on and off in order to obtain a continuous speed control of the equipment.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuated load sensing governor device for use with a wheel mounted sprinkler which is driven from an inward radial discharge type turbine. This inward radial discharge turbine has an inverse pressure-speed characteristic which is an important part of the governor operation.

Abstract: On a mobile agricultural sprinkler of the type provided with a wheeled chassis and a rotatable winding member about which one end of a flexible tension member is wound and further including coupling structure thereon for coupling to a high pressure water hose as well as a fluid motor having a fluid inlet coupled to the coupling structure and a rotary mechanical output member, flexible torque transfer structure is provided for drivingly coupling the rotatable output member to the winding drum and is flexive under the transmission of torque from the output member through the torque transfer structure to the winding member. Wheel brake structure is also provided and operative to releasably brake at least one of the supportive wheels of the irrigation device. Also, the wheel brake structure includes fluid pressure actuatable operator structure shiftable between active and inactive positions and a fluid pressure line extends from the coupler structure to the brake operator for actuation thereof.