Reciprocating Or Oscillating Distributor Patents (Class 239/242)
  • Patent number: 5390858
    Abstract: A new and improved rotatable and oscillatable sprinkler apparatus is provided for use on a trolley pulled across a field to be sprayed with water. A rotation direction control assembly controls direction of rotation of a rotatable portion of a rotatable sprinkler head assembly. The rotation direction control assembly includes a revolving control element connected to the rotatable portion of the rotatable sprinkler head assembly. The rotation direction control assembly also includes a remotely controlled spray pattern selection assembly which controls a water spray pattern on the field by the remotely controlled spray pattern selection assembly contacting the revolving control element. The remotely controlled spray pattern selection assembly includes a first portion located adjacent to the stationary portion of the rotatable sprinkler head assembly. A second portion of the first remotely controlled spray pattern selection assembly is attached to the trolley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Inventor: Galen T. Watson
  • Patent number: 5383600
    Abstract: A vandal resistant part circle gear driven sprinkler having a plastic pop-up assembly including a nozzle housing rotatably mounted to a non-rotatable pop-up stem within which a reversible gear drive mechanism is mounted. A slip clutch is provided for mounting the reversible gear drive mechanism within the stem to prevent relative rotation during normal sprinkler operation, but which permits the mechanism to rotate relative to the stem whenever an external torque above a preselected level is applied to the nozzle housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Anthony Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Steven Verbera, Timothy C. Sexton
  • Patent number: 5368229
    Abstract: A pop-up sprinkler assembly for installation within the ground and for manual connection from a position above ground with an above ground hose as a source of water pressure. The pop-up sprinkler assembly includes a housing structure having an annular opening and exterior suitable for installation within the ground in a fixed operative position. The housing structure has a inlet passageway communicating with the annular opening. A hose connector is in the passageway for connection to an above ground hose. A sprinkler head is mounted in the annular space that is generally at ground level when the sprinkler head is in a lower storage position. An annular seal is provided between the sprinkler head and the housing structure so that the communication of water pressure with the annular space results in water pressure-biased movement of the sprinkler head from the lower storage position to a raised operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry R. Hayes, Lawrence P. Heren
  • Patent number: 5350115
    Abstract: An oscillating sprinkler adjustable to selectively alter and adjust the spray pattern as desired is provided. Adjustment is provided by an internal selectable cam connected to an external rotary dial at the distal end of the sprinkler. Placing the spray adjustment dial at the distal (non-hose) end of the sprinkler minimizes the chances of the operator getting wet while selecting the desired spray pattern while the sprinkler is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Vermont American Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas J. Burnworth, Joachim H. Lungershausen
  • Patent number: 5330103
    Abstract: The epicyclic gear train for the sprinkler includes a sun gear coupled to an impeller for rotation about a central axis. A planetary gear has a single set of teeth meshing with the teeth of the sun gear for revolving about the central axis while pivoting about a revolving planetary gear axis. A first ring gear is fixed relative to the sprinkler housing and has teeth meshing with the teeth of the planetary gear. Second and third ring gears are adjacent to the first ring gear and rotate about the central axis. The respective teeth of the second and third ring gears mesh with the planetary gear teeth. There is one less tooth on the second ring gear than on the first ring gear, and one more tooth on the third ring gear than on the first ring gear. As a result, the second and third ring gears rotate in opposite directions relative to the first ring gear. The second and third ring gears each have an outer surface with a plurality of protrusions spaced around the circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Pepco Water Conservation Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Gershon Eckstein
  • Patent number: 5305956
    Abstract: An oscillatory sprinkler includes a base frame, an oscillatory unit, a water output tube, and a tubular socket. The water output has one end attached to the oscillatory unit and the other end pivotally attached to the base frame to allow oscillatory motion of the water output tube upon actuation of the oscillatory unit. The water output tube further has a plurality of water outputs. The tubular socket is rotatably mounted on the water output tube, having a plurality of faces. A strip with a plurality of sprinkling nozzles is removably attached to each face. Retaining members are provided in each face to retain the tubular socket in a desired position relative to the water output tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Inventor: Po H. Wang
  • Patent number: 5292071
    Abstract: The lawn sprinkler device comprises a manually operative combination of a container, sprinkler head and lid components. The container and lid are manually movable between a closed position defining a closed volume in the container and an open position that provides access to the closed volume. The container and lid are mounted within the ground so that the closed volume extends downwardly from the level of the lawn area and in the open position access to the closed volume is available generally at the level of the lawn area. The sprinkler head component includes a hose coupling inlet for manual connection by a user with an above-ground hose and an outlet structure for discharging water under pressure in a desired pattern on the lawn area. The sprinkler head is mounted with respect to the container and lid for manual movement between a storage position within the closed volume of the container and an operative position which is in elevated relation to the closed volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas R. Kruer
  • Patent number: 5288023
    Abstract: An Omega type biasing spring for use in a part circle gear driven sprinkler of the type having a reversing gear train mounted on a pivotal yoke and operated by a lost motion trip mechanism, the omega spring having a bulbous-shaped arcuate head section interconnected with laterally diverging leg sections through a narrow neck section defining a lateral gap which closes upon spring compression to reduce internal spring stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Anthony Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph U. Han, Gerald E. Peterson
  • Patent number: 5226599
    Abstract: A flush sprinkler has a sprinkler unit raisable and lowerable in hydraulic manner in a shaft and, several nozzle units, which, as required, can be switched into a sprinkling state with an upper nozzle selecting handle and whose nozzle jets can be modified independently by a jet spreading member adjustable with an associated jet adjusting handle. There are also rings for varying a spray spreading angle as a function of size and position. The handles are raisable and lowerable with the sprinkler unit and therefore easily accessible. For cleaning the bearing of the sprinkler unit, an automatically valve-controlled flushing device is provided. For the reliable draining of the sprinkler, a drain valve is provided directly in the water flow and its body is clipped into a valve bore of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Gardena Kress & Kastner GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Lindermeir, Ram K. Agrawal, Johann Schaffer, Frantz Lopic, Christian Stephany
  • Patent number: 5212903
    Abstract: A greenhouse for providing improved growth and environmental control for growing plants comprising a frame defining a structure having a given length and width forming a bounded, interior region for receiving plants; a flexible cover positionable over the frame for providing a roof enclosure for the structure; an elongate roller substantially extending along the length of the structure secured to a lengthwise edge of the cover; and a power source coupled to the roller for travel therewith operable for rotatably driving the roller about its longitudinal axis to retract or extend the cover relative to the frame. A water distribution system for the greenhouse is also disclosed. The water distribution system includes a distribution conduit with spaced-apart spray nozzles positioned adjacent the top interior of the greenhouse. A power drive system oscillates the conduit through a defined arc to distribute water downwardly to plants growing in the greenhouse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Inventor: Gene B. Talbott
  • Patent number: 5174501
    Abstract: A gear drive sprinkler includes a fixed ring gear fixed to the sprinkler housing and having a circular array of teeth; a rotatable ring grear coupled to the sprinkler nozzle and having a circular array of teeth coaxial with, but of a different number than, the teeth of the fixed ring gear; and a planetary gear rotated by the sprinkler drive and having a circular array of teeth meshing with the teeth of both ring gears so as to planetate around both ring gears and thereby to rotate the rotatable ring gear at an angular velocity corresponding to the difference in the number of teeth in the two ring gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Lego M. Lemelshtrich Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoram Hadar
  • Patent number: 5148991
    Abstract: A gear driven oscillating sprinkler head has a gear train transmitting rotational drive from a drive motor to the oscillating sprinkler head with a shifting drive mechanism which includes alternately engageable driving devices providing oscillation. An over-center spring maintains the direct driving engagement bias for a driving device on each side of a center position of the shifting drive mechanism. An over center spring carry device places a bias against the shifting drive mechanism to move the shifting drive mechanism over its center position once a driving device has become disengaged from driving the sprinkler head, during a reversing action, so that the over-center spring now biases the shifting drive mechanism in the alternate driving engagement position. Adjustable arc of oscillation includes adjustment to full circle rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Inventor: Carl L. C. Kah, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5141157
    Abstract: A pop-up sprinkler having a nozzle housing threadably coupled to a pop-up stem, and including an axially projecting tab formed on the upper end of the stem which cooperates with spaced ribs formed on the inside of the nozzle housing to prevent over tightening of the nozzle housing relative to the stem during assembly and which resists unthreading of the nozzle housing from the stem to prevent vandals from unthreading the nozzle housing from the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Anthony Mfg. Corp., Industrial Div.
    Inventors: Joseph U. Han, Hendrik Amirkhanjan, Christopher M. Moralez
  • Patent number: 5115977
    Abstract: A gear driven rotary sprinkler comprising a base defining a liquid inlet, a sprinkler head which is rotatable about a rotation axis fixed in the base, liquid driven gear apparatus for driving the sprinkler head in rotation about the rotation axis, clutch apparatus for selectably decoupling the sprinkler head from the gear apparatus upon forced rotation of the sprinkler head, apparatus for limiting the speed of rotation of the sprinkler head under high pressure and/or high volume conditions, apparatus for selectably limiting the azimuth of rotation including an over-center spring mechanism, and a liquid flow pathway from the liquid inlet to the sprinkler head including suctioning apertures operative to draw sediment from the liquid driven gear apparatus by venturi action and to flush it from the sprinkler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Naan Mechanical Works
    Inventors: Uri Alkalay, Moshe Gorney
  • Patent number: 5098021
    Abstract: An oscillatable nozzle sprinkler has a primary valve for controlling flow through a nozzle in a nozzle housing. An arc set control sets a desired angle of oscillation of the nozzle housing. An integrated system is set forth so that when a desired angle of oscillation is selected, the primary valve is positioned to provide a desired precipitation rate. A secondary valve is provided to achieve a uniform precipitation coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Inventor: Carl L. C. Kah, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5098020
    Abstract: An adjustable oscillating wave-type irrigation sprinkler having an impact or impulse drive type mechanism for effecting side-to-side oscillation by a spray tube about a horizontal axis, the drive mechanism including a pair of drive spoons coupled to impact arms journaled for rotation relative to the spray tube and intercepting streams of water from the spray tube to produce incremental rotation of the spray tube about the horizontal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Rain Bird Consumer Products Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: Randy J. Cooper, Aaron D. DeLaby, Craig E. Beal, Glenn I. Beal, Roger L. Hildwein
  • Patent number: 5052622
    Abstract: In a sprinkler (1), the water distributors (10) for supplying the spray nozzles (13, 14, 15) is formed by a separate main channel (15) inserted in a spray nozzle casing (2) and having relatively small flow cross-sections compared with the casing cross-sections, which is also constructed in one piece with the spray nozzles (13, 14, 15), so that the spray nozzle casing (2) does not have to be used for water distribution purposes and can instead merely serve as a support casing. Of the spray nozzles arranged in a row, those which are located at the end of the row can be individually manually disconnected with separate check valves (36), so that in simple manner it is possible to adjust the width of the exiting water curtain within certain limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Gardena Kress & Kastner GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Lindermeir, Franz Lopic, Johann Katzer, Johann Schaeffer, Christian Stephany, Roland Sauer
  • Patent number: 5052621
    Abstract: In a drive mechanism for a transportable sprinkler or the like, a hydraulic motor has a reduction gear, whose gear or gear wheels are outside the water distribution system in a separate gear chamber and are therefore dry. However, the gear chamber is so integrated into the casing of the hydraulic motor, that it is adjacent to a reversing chamber used for water distribution purposes and in which is located a reversing valve of a reversing device for the alternating reversing of the hydraulic motor in both rotation directions. The hydraulic motor is drive-connected by means of a driven pinion to a support and in the drive connection is arranged a self-engaging safety clutch. Between the reversing chamber and a rotor chamber connected axially thereto and to the gear chamber is provided a pressure-dependently operating bypass water distribution system with simple flap valves. Thus, high operational reliability with extremely compact construction of the hydraulic motor is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Gardena Kress & Kastner GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Katzer, Wolfgang Lindermeir, Franz Lopic
  • Patent number: 5048757
    Abstract: A drive clutch mechanism for a pop-up oscillating irrigation sprinkler which serves to protect the internal components of the sprinkler against forceable rotation of the pop-up assembly by vandals, or others, and which when operated does not disturb the previous setting of the trip mechanism in the sprinkler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Garden America Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy O. Van Leeuwen
  • Patent number: 5042719
    Abstract: An oscillating lawn sprinkler includes a watering pipe provided with spray nozzles and a choking device for selectively limiting the watering range of the sprinkler. The choking device includes a control member, an external manual-actuation device and an internal flow-diverting element. The internal flow-diverting element is capable of being oriented, through angular displacements of the control device, in corresponding positions for diverting the flow of water coming from a water inlet opening in such a manner as to deliver the water to all of the spray nozzles in the watering pipe, or to parts of the nozzles provided in opposite length portions of the watering pipe located on opposite sides of the flow-diverting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Assignee: Uniflex Utiltime S.p.A.
    Inventors: Erme Magris, Antonio Cadamuro, Maria Licciardello Maranzana
  • Patent number: 5033678
    Abstract: An oscillating lawn sprinkler (4) has a spray pipe (7) pivotally mounted on a sprinkler body (5). The spray pipe (7) is driven to oscillate by water pressure through a motor mechanism disposed in a driving mechanism compartment (6). The driving mechanism compartment (6) is connected to a supply of water on one side thereof and with one end of the spray pipe (7) on the other side thereof. An adjusting mechanism is provided for adjusting the flow rate of water delivered by the spray pipe. Furthermore, a mechanism for adjusting the oscillating range of the spray pipe has a control member (9) disposed on the same side of the driving mechanism compartment (6) as a control member (26) of the water flow rate adjusting mechanism. Both the control members (9, 26) are disposed on the side of the driving mechanism compartment opposite to the spray pipe (7). A filtering mechanism is removably housed at a water supply inlet connection (8) of the oscillating sprinkler (4) for filtering the supply water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Uniflex Utiltime SpA
    Inventors: Alladino Borghese, Maria Licciardello Maranzana
  • Patent number: 5031833
    Abstract: A gear driven rotary sprinkler comprising a base defining a liquid inlet, a sprinkler head which is rotatable about a rotation axis fixed in the base, liquid driven gear apparatus for driving the sprinkler head in rotation about the rotation axis, clutch apparatus for selectably decoupling the sprinkler head from the gear apparatus upon forced rotation of the sprinkler head, apparatus for limiting the speed of rotation of the sprinkler head under high pressure and/or high volume conditions, apparatus for selectably limiting the azimuth of rotation including an over-center spring mechanism, and a liquid flow pathway from the liquid inlet to the sprinkler head including suctioning apertures operative to draw sediment from the liquid driven gear apparatus by venturi action and to flush it from the sprinkler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Moshe Gorney
    Inventors: Uri Alkalay, Moshe Gorney
  • Patent number: 4976319
    Abstract: A portable water driven fan for firefighting applications utilizing positive pressure ventilation is disclosed. A unit including a water powered turbine and a fan is constructed to be light in weight and compact and is capable of delivering a large volume of air sufficient for positive pressure ventilation. The unit is provided with a plurality of spray nozzles which enables the unit to deliver a water mist along with the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: Hale Fire Pump Company
    Inventors: H. Alfred Eberhardt, Richard E. Teske
  • Patent number: 4972993
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler which may include a pop-up assembly driven by a water-flow powered motor. A nozzle is mounted on the upper end of the pop-up assembly and is rotated through an adjustable arc to irrigate a sector of a particular size, and it is automatically reversed at the end points of the selected irrigated sector to oscillate back and forth across the sector. The sprinkler is constructed so that if the pop-up assembly is rotated forceably beyond its preset arc of coverage, either by vandals or others, the sprinkler itself is not damaged, but it will automatically reset itself into its previously preset arc of coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: GardenAmerica Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy O. Van Leeuwen
  • Patent number: 4955542
    Abstract: A gear driven oscillation sprinkler head including a gear train for transmitting rotational drive from a drive motor to the oscillating sprinkler head with a shifting mechanism including a shiftable gear cage assembly which includes alternately engageable driving terminal gears with an output shaft ring gear, having a reversing toggle device and single overcenter spring device for continuously maintaining a driving engagement bias on the gear cage assembly until the reversing toggle device passes over center at which time the gear cage assembly and reversing toggle device bias simultaneously reverse for maintaining the gear cage in the alternate driving engagement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Inventor: Carl L. C. Kah, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4948052
    Abstract: A gear driven oscillating sprinkler head includes a reversible gear train for transmitting drive from a drive motor to the oscillating sprinkler head with a shifting mechanism, including a shiftable carrier on which a pair of driving pinions are mounted for shifting alternately into driving engagement with an internal ring gear, with a lost motion connection between a shifting arm and the carrier with a cam controlled shift retainer unit for maintaining the carrier in its engaging position until positively shifted by a shifting arm and over-center springs for biasing and maintaining the shifting arm to the alternate driving engagement positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Inventor: Edwin J. Hunter
  • Patent number: 4944457
    Abstract: There is disclosed a device for effecting the oscillating movement of a fluid nozzle. The device consists of a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a fluid inlet being adapted to allow fluid under pressure to enter the housing. An impeller is rotationally mounted within the housing positioned in the path of the fluid inlet such that fluid under pressure will rotate the impeller. A gear system is mounted within the housing and is operatively connected to the impeller, and includes a gear arm operatively driven by the gear system at one end and connected to an actuator arm at the other end. The actuator arm interconnects the gear arm with a fluid ejection nozzle such that the rotational movement of the impeller by fluid under pressure causes the gear system to rotate, which in turn rotates the gear arm, causing a concomitant reciprocating movement of the actuating arm and the fluid ejection nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Inventor: Mark Brewer
  • Patent number: 4930699
    Abstract: A hand held water spray and massage fixture attachable to a standard sink faucet by means of a flexible hose. The vibrating face of the fixture is driven by an enclosed water turbine rotated by spray water flow over the turbine blades. A crank shaft on the turbine wheel is coupled to the movable face of the fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Inventor: Richard Wall
  • Patent number: 4927082
    Abstract: A ball-type water sprinkler of the sector type includes two inlets into the ball chamber oriented to direct the water to flow in opposite directions circumferentially around the chamber, and a shutter rotatable with the rotor and movable either to a first position with respect to the rotor covering one inlet and uncovering the other inlet to cause the water to flow in a first direction, or to a second position uncovering the one inlet and covering the other inlet to cause the water to flow in the opposite direction. The shutter is actuated by a member rotatable with the rotor and cooperable with the sector stops of the sprinkler, the actuator being coupled to the shutter by an over-center spring coupling producing a snap action movement of the shutter to either its first or second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Lego M. Lemelshtrich Ltd.
    Inventors: Ilan Greenberg, Amir Cohen
  • Patent number: 4925098
    Abstract: The invention relates to an underground-installable spray irrigator device with a piston-type spray element raisable and rotatable by the pressure of the irrigation water, comprising a turbine which is rotated by the water pressure to rotate the rotatable portion of the piston spray element by way of a reduction gear, wherein the turbine is fed by feed means which are oriented obliquely to the turbine axis is such a manner as to provide the same direction of rotation, and are mobile between two stable positions in which they are orientated in opposite directions, they being connected, by a shaft coaxial to the turbine and to the casing of the device, to a rotation reversal member which is disposed at the top of the spray element and comprises striker means which are accessible directly from the upper region of the device and are adjustable in position to set the size of the spray angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: James Hardie Irrigation (Italy)
    Inventor: Jan C. Di Paola
  • Patent number: 4919337
    Abstract: An irrigation sprinkler with an internal assembly which is caused to turn back and forth through a preset arc so that a nozzle at the upper end of the assembly may irrigate a sector of land of a particular size, and in which the internal assembly arc of the internal assembly is adjustable by depressing a spring-loaded arc-adjust screw in the end of the assembly by a small standard screwdriver, or the like, and rotating the screw either clockwise or counterclockwise to decrease or increase the arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: GardenAmerica Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy O. Van Leeuwen, Billy J. Hobbs, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4901924
    Abstract: A sprinkler device having a setable gear driven sprinkler where the angle of oscillation may be directly set and be readable from a nozzle assembly. The drive mechanism of the sprinkler is combined with the angle setting device to prevent damage by forced rotation of the sprinkler. A flexible relationship is maintained between angular contact members and an actuation device to aid in protection of the sprinkler and provide automatic resetting of the angle of oscillation when the nozzle asssembly has been forced out of an operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Inventor: Carl L. C. Kah, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4877185
    Abstract: An improved oscillating sprinkler comprising a frame having a sprinkler tube mounted for oscillating movement on the frame. An inlet water housing is mounted on the frame and supplies water to the sprinkler tube. The sprinkler tube is driven in an oscillating path by a crank arm, and an eccentric gear mechanism driven by the water being supplied to the sprinkler tube is operably connected to the crank arm. The eccentric gear mechanism is constructed to provide a variable speed output that balances the varible speed output of the crank arm to provide a substantially uniform velocity of oscillating movement for the sprinkler tube. The sprinkler also includes a mechanism for varying the effective length of the crank arm to change the arc of oscillation of the sprinkler tube, and a slip clutch mechanism interconnects the inner end of the sprinkler tube to the housing to permit the sprinkler tube to be manually rotated to shift the spray pattern to one side or the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Western Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Fred W. Kufrin
  • Patent number: 4860954
    Abstract: An oscillating wave-type sprinkler having a housing supporting an elongated spray tube which is driven by a water motor to oscillate from side-to-side about a generally horizontal axis. A throttling mechanism is provided to cyclicly throttle the water flow to the spray tube to improve distribution and enhance the aesthetic appearance of the wave-shaped spray, and the spray tube is mounted to the housing by end fittings which eliminate thrust loading on the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Rain Bird Consumer Products MFG. Corp.
    Inventor: James G. Allemann
  • Patent number: 4850532
    Abstract: A process for sprinkling water onto a lawn, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an in-ground pop-up sprinkler comprised of a cylindrical housing, a motor compartment structure, and rotatable sprinkler head, wherein 1. said cylindrical housing has a sprinkler compartment, a motor compartment, and an inlet communicating with said motor compartment, 2. the bottom end of said cylindrical housing is closed except for said inlet, 3. above the bottom end of said cylindrical housing, the housing forms said motor compartment, 4. above said motor compartment, said housing is radially enlarged to form said sprinkler compartment, 5. said sprinkler head is capable of limited extension and retraction, 6. when retracted, said sprinkler head is enclosed within said sprinkler head compartment formed within said housing, and 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: DonuTrimmer Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Mackanos
  • Patent number: 4836450
    Abstract: A reversible sprinkler unit includes a stream interruptor that includes a finger that moves into the stream for interrupting it on one direction of rotation of the nozzle and moves out of the stream on the other direction of rotation of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Inventor: Edwin J. Hunter
  • Patent number: 4826079
    Abstract: Mechanism for adjustably moving two separate series of water fountain nozzles. The mechanism includes a pair of elongated push rods being driven in opposite directions by a single electric motor having two eccentric arms. The push rods are each separately connected to a spaced series of fountain nozzle assemblies by a slip ring adjustably connected to an elongated length of pipe forming part of each nozzle assembly. By varying the location of the slip ring along the length of the nozzle assembly's pipe, infinite variations in the extent of the arc through which the nozzle's tip will sweep during oscillation of the push bars is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Inventor: Gunter Przystawik
  • Patent number: 4789101
    Abstract: A water-driven monitor is provided as a stand-by pre-aimed fire fighting device installed at a fixed location for fire protection of a structure or equipment, such as aircraft, in a hanger structure. The monitor is oscillated by providing a diversion of a minor flow of the water or water/foam to be discharged from the monitor, to reciprocate an annular piston in an annular cylinder in up and down directions. A pair of concentric barrel cams having helical cam tracks therein and a cam ring with attached cam rollers interconnect a fixed base assembly containing the piston and cylinder and a water or water/foam discharge assembly, such that linear piston motion includes oscillatory motion which is transferred to the discharge assembly. A four-way spool valve controls fluid flow to opposite sides of a piston head and a toggle action shuttle actuates the valve spool to reverse the piston movement and the direction of discharge tube oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1988
    Assignee: Spectrum Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: D. Dale Kempf
  • Patent number: 4773595
    Abstract: A turbine operated rotary sprinkler comprising a rotary nozzle, a water supply, operated turbine and rotary drive coupling means coupling the turbine to the nozzle so as to impart a rotary drive thereto, the turbine comprising a turbine wheel having a plurality of equiangularly distributed vanes each having a plane of symmetry located along a radial plane of the wheel, a pair of turbine inlets being located with respect to the wheel that water inflow sequentially through the inlets drives the wheel in respectively opposite senses, sealing means being provided for sequentially sealing the turbine inlets, displacement means being provided for displacing the sealing means into sequentially sealing the turbine inlets, displacement actuating and transmission means being provided which comprise an impact member and a rotational range defining member, the latter including a pair of spaced apart abutment elements, one of the members being rotatable with the nozzle and the other of the members being responsively coupl
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Dan Mamtirim
    Inventor: Zvi Livne
  • Patent number: 4763839
    Abstract: A sprinkler comprises a nozzle and a distributor head mounted for both rotary and lateral movements with respect to the nozzle. The distributor head has two passageways formed such that when it receives the water jet in one or the other passageway, it directs the jet outwardly of the distributor head with the water applying a force tending to rotate the distributor head in one or the other direction. The sprinkler further includes an abutment, a first stop engageable by the abutment when the distributor head is rotated in the one direction by the flow of water through the first passageway to move the distributor head laterally of the nozzle to align its second passageway with the nozzle, and a second stop engageable by the abutment when the distributor head is rotated in the opposite direction by the flow of water through the second passageway to move the distributor head laterally of the nozzle to align its first passageway with the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignees: Plastro Gvat, Agroteam Consultants Ltd.
    Inventor: Ilan Greenberg
  • Patent number: 4721248
    Abstract: An oscillating sprinkler is specially designed to facilitate assembly, as well as disassembly for purposes of repair of replacement of parts, without sacrifice of water-tight integrity and with improved operating characteristics. The housing for the impulse wheel and for supporting one end of the sprinkler tube is formed of two parts snapped together to effect the necessary seal, the sprinkler tube is mounted therein by a snap action insertion, thereby to define an operating subassembly, and that subassembly is reliably assembled with a mounting subassembly by sliding insertion and snap action retention. The sprinkler tube is sealingly journaled in such a manner as to produce very low friction, thus reducing the load on the impeller wheel and enabling the sprinkler to have a very low pressure drop therethrough, thereby increasing the sprinkling range of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Assignee: Jet Stream, Inc.
    Inventor: Ho Chow
  • Patent number: 4718605
    Abstract: A gear driven oscillating sprinkler head includes a reversible gear train for transmitting drive from a drive motor to the oscillating sprinkler head with a shifting mechanism, including a shiftable carrier on which a pair of driving pinions are mounted for shifting alternately into driving engagement with an internal ring gear, with a lost motion connection between a shifting arm and the carrier with separate over-center spring units for separately biasing the carrier and shifting arm to the alternate driving engagement positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Inventor: Edwin J. Hunter
  • Patent number: 4708291
    Abstract: A sprinkler (2) includes a rotary nozzle (6) mounted on a body (4). A reversible drive (12) includes an internal gear (14) connected to the nozzle (6), a motor (16) having a unidirectional output shaft (18), and an oscillating gear train (20) having two final drive gears (27) or (29) which rotate reversely relative to one another and are engageable with driven gear (14) for reversing the direction of nozzle rotation. The first and second final drive gears (27) and (29) are mounted on first and second pivot arms (22a) and (22b) and are part of two gear sets (26) or (28). The numbers of gears in each gear set (26) or (28) is selected in conjunction with the direction of the pivoting motion of the pivoting arms (22a) or (22b) so that the additional rotation induced on the final drive gears as they rotate above the stationary part of the gear train (20) will always be counter to the normal direction of rotation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1987
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventor: Michael J. Grundy
  • Patent number: 4702417
    Abstract: A water sprinkler which includes a casing and an oscillatory sprinkler head mounted on the casing. The casing includes a water inlet and two water outlet paths. Within the casing there is a structure which cyclically connects the water inlet first to one outlet path and then to the other. The oscillatory sprinkler head includes two spray nozzles which direct water generally tangentially. The nozzles are arranged so that the reaction force when water flows from one nozzle rotates the sprinkler head in one direction and when water flows from the other nozzle the sprinkler head is rotated in the other direction. Each nozzle is in communication with a respective one of the outlet paths. The angle through which the sprinkler head moves can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Quentin John Seaton Hartley
    Inventors: Quentin J. S. Hartley, Daniel G. Christen
  • Patent number: 4632313
    Abstract: A sprinkler comprising a plurality of horizontally extending chambers each including a plurality of spray nozzles oriented at different angles, a drive for cyclically driving the sprinkler about its horizontal axis, and water-steering means for selectively steering the water to the plurality of chambers while the sprinkler is cyclically driven about its horizontal axis. In one described embodiment, the plurality of chambers are oscillated about the horizontal axis of the sprinkler; and in other described embodiments, the plurality of chambers are rotated about the horizontal axis of the sprinkler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Inventor: Isaac Rinkewich
  • Patent number: 4625914
    Abstract: An improved rotary drive sprinkler is provided for rotatably driving a pop-up spray head in a stepwise manner through a full-circle or reversibly within a selected part-circle path. The sprinkler includes a reversing trip mechanism having a pair of spaced-apart stops rotatable with the spray head and defining preset end limits of a part-circle path, wherein a stationary trip wire is engageable with the stops to switch an internal rotary drive assembly, such as a ball drive assembly, between forward- and reverse-drive operation. The trip wire flexes to accommodate forced spray head rotation to a maladjusted position beyond the end limits and, upon subsequent sprinkler operation, rides over ramped surfaces on the stops for automatic return to reversible operation between the reset end limits. Alternatively, the stops can be set in side-by-side relation with their ramped surfaces oriented for the trip wire to ride resiliently thereover without switching of the rotary drive assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Assignee: Rain Bird Consumer Products Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Sexton, George H. Lockwood, David E. Robertson, Joseph D. Mason, Mark J. Mattson, Robert W. Patterson
  • Patent number: 4606500
    Abstract: An oscillating wave-type lawn sprinkler is provided of the type having a water-powered drive mechanism for angularly oscillating an elongated spray tube generally about its own axis, wherein the drive mechanism has a crank link coupled to the spray tube by an improved releasable coupling assembly. The releasable coupling assembly comprises a C-shaped clamp at one end of the crank link, sized to fit around the spray tube, an indentation in the spray tube, and at least one tab on the interior surface of the clamp for releasingly engaging the indentation. During normal operation, the tab is engaged in the indentation and the angularly oscillatory motion of the crank link is imparted to the spray tube. When the spray tube is subjected to an external rotational force exceeding a predetermined magnitude, the spray tube rotationally disengages the indentation from the tab to move independently of the crank link, thereby preventing damage to the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1986
    Assignee: Rain Bird Consumer Products Mfg. Corp.
    Inventors: Karl J. Mussler, Alvin F. Godsey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4568024
    Abstract: A gear driven oscillating sprinkler head includes a shifting gear train for transmitting drive from a drive motor to the oscillating sprinkler head with a shifting mechanism for shifting alternate driving pinions into driving engagement with an internal ring gear with the pressure angle of the engaging teeth being different for the different drive pinions to thereby balance the shifting force applied by the shifting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Inventor: Edwin J. Hunter
  • Patent number: 4568023
    Abstract: A uniform water pattern oscillating wave type lawn sprinkler in which the impeller has a dynamic impeller ratio as herein defined of less than approximately 0.30, the reduction gear assembly has a gear reduction ratio of greater than approximately 400 to 1 and an efficiency of at least 26% preferably 39% or greater and the heart-shaped cam motion-transmitting mechanism has a heart-shaped cam with a cam factor as herein defined of less than approximately 3 so as to enable said housing structure to be an optimal minimum in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: Jerry R. Hayes
  • Patent number: 4545532
    Abstract: A fan-jet sprinkler of the type which has an oscillating horizontal nozzle cylinder driven by a turbine wheel and a translation drive, the sprinkler having a rotational connection between its stand and housing, or between the nozzle cylinder and an oscillating drive sleeve, so that the oscillation range can be shifted by adjusting the angular relationship between the oscillation range and the sprinkler stand independently of the drive transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1985
    Assignee: Perrot-Regnerbau GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Friedrich Schanz, Emil Schucker, Alexander Perrot