Patents by Inventor Jeff McKenzie

Jeff McKenzie has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6869026
    Abstract: A rotary sprinkler having an adjustable arc segment whose angular extent and absolute direction relative to the ground are represented by an arc indicator, which arc indicator may comprise a band whose visible length represents the angular extent and whose position on the sprinkler points to the direction. The sprinkler may have the arc segment adjusted by a movable arc limit stop that is coupled to a toggle member only at drive reversal, and the sprinkler may be converted to full circle operation by raising the arc limit stop relative to a cooperating trip tab. A buckling spring assembly used to shift the drive comprises a compression spring held between two spaced pivot members, and the drive can be built in continuous and intermittent drive versions by replacing a few normal rotary gears with multilated gears. A friction clutch having asymmetric teeth for smooth operation prevents damage to the drive during forced nozzle rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Jeff McKenzie, Chad Philip McCormick, Peter Janku
  • Publication number: 20040195358
    Abstract: A rotary sprinkler having a rotatable nozzle assembly for watering an arc of ground traversed or swept by the nozzle assembly as the nozzle assembly rotates is disclosed. Oscillating rotation is achieved via a drive train that includes a trip spring that is drivable between first and second positions for reversing the direction of nozzle rotation. The sprinkler also includes: a variable trajectory nozzle; secondary opening adjacent the variable trajectory nozzle; an automatic break up screw configuration; a substantially constant speed turbine assembly; a bypass stator; a reversing cluster gear planetary drive with a uni-directional turbine; an overcenter reversing mechanism; a nozzle base clutch; an adjustable arc mechanism, solid arc limit stops, a snap ring installation method and an adjustable pilot valve which uses visual indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Miguel Santiago, Jeff McKenzie, Peter Janku, Steven C. Renquist, Hyok Lee, Steve K. Kish, James T. Wright, Chad McCormick
  • Publication number: 20040050958
    Abstract: A rotary sprinkler having an adjustable arc segment whose angular extent and absolute direction relative to the ground are represented by an arc indicator, which arc indicator may comprise a band whose visible length represents the angular extent and whose position on the sprinkler points to the direction. The sprinkler may have the arc segment adjusted by a movable arc limit stop that is coupled to a toggle member only at drive reversal, and the sprinkler may be converted to full circle operation by raising the arc limit stop relative to a cooperating trip tab. A buckling spring assembly used to shift the drive comprises a compression spring held between two spaced pivot members, and the drive can be built in continuous and intermittent drive versions by replacing a few normal rotary gears with multilated gears. A friction clutch having asymmetric teeth for smooth operation prevents damage to the drive during forced nozzle rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Jeff McKenzie, Chad Philip McCormick, Peter Janku