Abstract: A valve assembly comprises a diaphragm valve, a pressure regulator and a solenoid. The pressure regulator is operatively coupled to the diaphragm valve for maintaining a predetermined pressure in water exiting the diaphragm valve despite fluctuations in the pressure of water entering the diaphragm valve. The solenoid is mounted on the pressure regulator so that a plunger axis of the solenoid extends through a coil spring of the pressure regulator. The solenoid is operatively coupled to the diaphragm valve through the pressure regulator for opening and closing the diaphragm valve.

Abstract: A modular expandable irrigation controller has rotary, slide, lever, bayonet, screw, cam, hard, over-center, fork or push-pull locks for positively securing station modules in receptacles, individually or simultaneously.

Abstract: A modular expandable irrigation controller has controls for manual entry or selection of a watering program and a memory for storing the watering program. A processor executes the stored watering program and controls one or more station modules each including a station module circuit for energizing at least one solenoid actuated valve in accordance with the watering program. The irrigation controller has a plurality of receptacles for each removably receiving a station module and for providing an operative connection to the processor. A manually movable locking member is grasped and moved between UNLOCKED and LOCKED positions to positively secure each station module in a corresponding receptacle.

Abstract: A modular expandable irrigation controller has controls for manual entry or selection of a watering program and a memory for storing the watering program. A processor executes the stored watering program and controls one or more station modules each including a station module circuit for energizing at least one solenoid actuated valve in accordance with the watering program. The irrigation controller has a plurality of receptacles for each removably receiving a station module and for providing an operative connection to the processor. A manually movable locking member is grasped and moved between UNLOCKED and LOCKED positions to positively secure each station module in a corresponding receptacle.

Abstract: An adjustable stator is mounted in the lower end of a pop-up sprinkler riser and includes a vertically extending frame portion and a pair of valve portions that extend horizontally from an upper end of the frame portion. A coil spring is squeezed between a lower end of a drive subassembly and a mandrel mounted in a lower end of the frame portion. The mandrel and the frame portion have mating projections which allow the vertical position of the mandrel to be adjusted. This adjusts the downward biasing force exerted by the coil spring against the frame portion and the valve members carried thereby. This varies the pressure of a water stream flowing past a turbine in the riser, and the speed of rotation of the turbine which in turn changes the speed of rotation of a nozzle driven by the turbine.

Abstract: An adjustable stator is mounted in the lower end of a pop-up sprinkler riser and includes a vertically extending frame portion and a pair of valve portions that extend horizontally from an upper end of the frame portion. A coil spring is squeezed between a lower end of a drive subassembly and a mandrel mounted in a lower end of the frame portion. The mandrel and the frame portion have mating projections which allow the vertical position of the mandrel to be adjusted. This adjusts the downward biasing force exerted by the coil spring against the frame portion and the valve members carried thereby. This varies the pressure of a water stream flowing past a turbine in the riser, and the speed of rotation of the turbine which in turn changes the speed of rotation of a nozzle driven by the turbine.

Abstract: A diaphragm valve includes a valve housing, a diaphragm assembly mounted within the valve housing, a pilot valve coupled to the valve housing and a flow control stem mounted in an upper bonnet of the valve housing. The valve housing has an inlet passage and an outlet passage. The diaphragm assembly is vertically reciprocable back and forth within the valve housing to thereby connect and disconnect the inlet passage and the outlet passage. The valve housing has a lower inlet chamber below the diaphragm assembly, an upper pressure control chamber above the diaphragm assembly, and a bore in the bonnet which communicates with the upper pressure control chamber. The pilot valve is operatively associated with the upper pressure control chamber for selectively venting pressurized liquid therefrom.