Sprinkler Systems

Abstract

The present specification describes and claims a sprinkler system for watering lawns or beds of plants. The sprinkler system comprises a hollow body pivotally mounted on a stand and arranged to receive and carry water under pressure, several openings being provided in the wall of the body, and a nozzle carrier in which several spray orifices are provided, the spray orifices pointing in different directions and each orifice being connectible to one of the openings in the body wall.

Description

The present invention relates to a sprinkler system for watering lawns or beds of plants.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a sprinkling system comprising a hollow body pivotally mounted on a stand and arranged to receive and carry water under pressure, a wall of the body being provided with several spray orifices pointing in different directions. Such a sprinkling system is known from British Pat. Specification No. 1296664. In the known sprinkling system the spray orifices are located in the housing which encloses a driving turbine and transmission gear. In order to achieve a large range of spray in the longitudinal direction of the lawn sprinkler, they are designed as diverging bores. At their outlet they end in spherical recesses or projections, the spray jet or feed duct passing through the centre of curvature of the spherical projection or recess. This arrangement prevents the outlet of the spray orifices from being cut off at an angle which would lead to a deflection of the water jet.

Such a sprinkling system is constructed in an extremely compact manner and it operates excellently for small and medium areas to be sprinkled. If a larger area is to be covered, however, this can be accomplished only by the provision of a farther-reaching jet from the individual spray orifices. It is relatively difficult to provide the diverging orifices in the housing, made of plastics material. An economic machining is possible only by means of a special drilling device which drills simultaneously the numerous diverging holes. Owing to the complexity of the moulds it is almost impossible and economically unsound, to mould directly the diverging spraying orifices. The bores can only be realized cylindrically and it can easily happen, when a drill is pushed through, that a plastic chip is not torn off, and, during subsequent operation, is moved under the pressure of the water so as to block the spray orifice.

Furthermore sprinkling systems are known which comprise a swivelling curved tube, through which flows the water. Into this tube are inserted individual nozzles generally made of metal. Such sprinkling systems are extremely expensive in their manufacture and assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sprinkling system which is simple in its construction and easy to assemble whilst allowing also very wide sprinkling ranges.

According to the present invention there is provided a sprinkler system comprising a hollow body pivotally mounted on a stand and arranged to receive and carry water under pressure, several openings being provided in the wall of the body, and a nozzle carrier in which several spray orifices are provided, the spray orifices pointing in different directions and each orifice being connectible to one of the openings in the body wall.

The present invention now enables the spray orifices in the nozzle carrier to be separately machined. In accordance with a particularly advantageous development of the present invention, the nozzle carrier with the spray orifices can be injection moulded in one piece from plastics material. The spray orifices and their feed ducts can be given optimum design, so that the farthest-reaching and most favourable spray jet is achieved. The feed ducts preferably have a larger diameter than the spray orifices and taper towards said orifices.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the spray orifices are located within the region of plug-like projections on the nozzle carrier, which projections are inserted from the outside of the hollow body into the separate openings in the body wall. The attachment of the nozzle carrier from the outside makes assembly easier. However, if the projections on a nozzle carrier are to be inserted into openings which are too large, special measures have to be adapted for the sealing and for the absorption of the possibly appreciable pressure differential between the hollow body and the outside atmosphere. This problem is overcome by designing the body and nozzle carrier so that the area upon which the pressure differential acts is very small and moreover large wedging surfaces are available to provide adequate retention forces even if no special measures are adopted for tightening.

It is an advantage if the projections on the nozzle carrier are slightly conical and are fixed in the openings by friction and/or adhesion. The projections may also be fixed in the openings in the body wall by a stopping device provided on each projection, for example, flexible lugs may be provided which extend from each projection and have thickened regions which, when the projections are inserted in the openings, engage the body wall and retain the nozzle carrier in position.

In the preferred embodiment one spray orifice is provided in the region of each projection and a feed duct leading to the spray orifice passes through the projection. As a result of this construction the optimum smallest areas are provided, on which pressure directed outwardly of the body is exerted. The nozzle carrier has a generally strip-like configuration in which the projections are formed, the parts of the carrier between the projections, covering part of the body wall when the projections are inserted in the openings. In this manner, even though the individual spray orifices are located in separate openings an integral nozzle carrier is formed, which not only facilitates the manufacture by allowing the production in one piece of a number of nozzle components, but above all facilitates the assembly of the sprinkler. It is not necessary, for example, to arrange and insert the nozzles in a specific manner during the assembly. The insertion of all spraying orifices can be carried out by a single manipulation. This is helped further by the parts of the strip-like nozzle carrier between the projections, being flexible. In this way tolerances or differences in expansion can easily be absorbed and the insertion is simpler since the separate nozzles can be snapped into the openings like a press-stud strip.

The spray orifices may be designed so that a single, relatively large spray orifice provides satisfactory performance, where several small orifices liable to become clogged were previously needed. This makes it also possible to arrange the spray orifices in a row, one behind another. As a result of the construction now possible, there need be no misgivings that the spraying jet, owing to clogging up or the like, might assume a wrong direction and that as a result an area would fail to be sprinkled.

It has previously been mentioned that in certain known lawn sprinklers, the hollow body has a curved shape to allow for the accommodation of the spray orifices in the appropriate diverging directions. As a result of the present invention, the hollow body can have a planar surface in which the openings are provided, the nozzle carrier being in the form of a substantially planar strip, the feed ducts to the spray orifices being arranged so that they diverge. This provision of the hollow body with a planar surface in which the openings are provided, facilitates manufacture of the sprinkler, particularly its fabrication from plastics material, and also improves the aesthetic value of the design as compared to previous designs.

The nozzle carrier can be designed so that the spray orifices and feed ducts are initially substantially parallel to each other, the nozzle carrier being of curved configuration. The carrier can then be built into the lawn sprinkler by bending the carrier, the flexible parts between the projections facilitating this action, thus providing the diverging spray orifices. If the nozzle carrier with the spray orifices is manufactured, as is also possible, as a substantially straight part in one piece from plastics material, it is necessary to provide a number of slides in the injection mould, which slides carry the cores for the diverging spray orifices and feed ducts. Whilst it is true that this manner of manufacture is considerably simpler and less expensive than the known methods of manufacture, it can be simplified still further in the described former manner. When the nozzle carrier, which ultimately is to be of straight, i.e., planar shape, is manufactured in curved shape so that its subsequently diverging orifices are all parallel, it is then possible to operate with a mould having only two pieces, one side of which carries all the cores for the spray orifices. After moulding, the flexibility of the parts of the nozzle carrier between the projections, facilitates the release of the nozzle carrier from the mould. This flexibility also allows the nozzle carrier to be straightened and attached to the hollow body.

The outlets of the spray orifices are preferably each provided in a part spherical projection on the nozzle carrier, the outlets being part spherical depressions in said part spherical projections, the common centre line of each spray orifice and associated feed duct, passing approximately through the centre of curvature of the part spherical projection in which the orifice and feed duct are formed. This design, known in itself, ensures that no deflection of the jet is produced by outlet orifices cut off at an angle, but in addition offers advantages in manufacture in that the pins forming a mould for the spray orifices obtain effective guidance in the spherically shaped parts of the mould.

In a manner also known per se the hollow body may form the housing of the lawn sprinkler enclosing the driving turbine and a transmission gear. In this manner all the mechanical parts are protected and no additional leakage losses etc. need be feared.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a lateral view of an embodiment of the sprinkling system constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows a partly broken off longitudinal section of a detail of the sprinkling system in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a section of the detail represented in FIG. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a section corresponding to FIG. 2 of a modified embodiment of a nozzle carrier, and

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a nozzle carrier and a plastic injection mould for its fabrication.

In FIG. 1 a sprinkling system 11 is represented which comprises a hollow body 12 forming the main housing. This hollow body 12 is constructed of plastics material and has a generally oblong configuration, a substantially cylindrical bulge 13 being provided at one end of the body. Inside the substantially cylindrical bulge 13 are accommodated a driving turbine 14 and a transmission gear 15 for producing a swivelling movement of the sprinkler about axis 19, these components being represented schematically by broken lines. Two adjusting rings 16 allow the range of swivelling movement possible by the housing in both directions to be adjusted independently. End pieces 17 provided at each end of the sprinkling system, carry bearings which allow the housing to pivot about axis 19 these end pieces being joined to one another by stand bracket 18. In the end body 17 on the right hand side in FIG. 1, a connector in the form of a connecting nipple 20 is provided coaxially with the swivel axis 19, for the supply of the water.

The sprinkling system operates with a reversible turbine 14 and may be largely constructed and operated as described in German Pat. Specification 1,912,315.

As evident in the accompanying drawings, a nozzle carrier 21 which carries spraying orifices 22 (FIG. 2), is arranged on the upper straight generatrix of the hollow body 12. The nozzle carrier 21 is injection moulded in one piece from plastics material and has the shape of a strip in which the spraying orifices are provided. The spraying orifices 22 are arranged in one row which extends along a line substantially parallel to the axis 19.

The spraying orifices 22 are provided in nozzle blocks 23 formed in the nozzle carrier, the nozzle blocks being joined together by striplike connecting parts 24. The connecting parts 24 are moulded relatively thin, so that they are very flexible and permit bending of the carrier. Each nozzle block is provided with one spraying orifice 22, each spraying orifice comprising a feed duct 25 pointing towards the inside of the hollow body 12, a taper 26 and the nozzle section proper 27, the outlet cross-section of which is smaller than the cross-section of the feed duct 25.

Each nozzle block 23 has a plug-like projection 28 extending from the adjacent connecting parts 24 of the nozzle carrier, into the inside of the hollow body 12, the round outside wall of which projection 28 is made slightly conical. The upper section of each nozzle block 23 extending above the connecting part 24 consists of a projection 29 having a spherical surface. At the point where the outlet edge of the spraying nozzles 22 is situated, a likewise spherical depression 30 is provided.

The direction of spraying of the spraying orifices 22, which is symbolized by the centre line 31 of each spraying orifice consisting of feed duct 25, taper 26 and nozzle section 27, varies depending on where the spraying nozzle is situated. Thus the directions of spraying diverge, so that the outer spraying orifices, i.e., the orifices adjacent end pieces 17, spray most strongly away from the sprinkler, whilst the spraying orifices near to the middle of the sprinkler, spray almost perpendicularly out of the hollow body 12.

FIG. 2 illustrates spraying orifices provided towards each end of the sprinkler, and in a middle section of the sprinkler.

The nozzle carrier 21, which is in the form of a relatively flexible strip with separate plug-like projections, is attached to the sprinkling system 11 in such a way that the separate, plug-like projections 28 are inserted in correspondingly dimensioned openings 32 in the body 12. By virtue of the slightly conical design of the projections 28 a fairly good retention effect is achieved by the normal pressing in of the projections in the openings 32. To make quite sure that the projections are retained in the openings, it is also possible, however, to provide an adhesive joint 33 between the hollow body 12 and the projections 28. In cases when the nozzle carrier 21 and the hollow body 12 are made of identical or similar materials, a joint may also be achieved by fusing of the two parts.

In FIG. 4 is presented a further kind of attachment between the nozzle carrier and the hollow body. Each nozzle block 23', only one of which is illustrated, has in the region of its lower edge, as viewed in FIG. 4, a retaining device 34 which is formed by resilient plastic lugs which have thickened portions at their lower ends. As the projection and lugs are pressed into the opening 32, the lugs flex allowing the thickened portions of the lugs to pass therethrough, the lugs returning to their normal configuration when the projection has been pressed right in, the thickened portions of the lugs engaging the inner surface of body 12 to retain the nozzle carrier against the body 12.

FIG. 5 shows a nozzle carrier 21', which in most details may correspond to the nozzle carrier 21 described previously, during its fabrication. As said already, the nozzle carrier comprising the spraying orifices, etc., is made in one piece by plastic injection moulding. In FIG. 5 is shown the mould for this purpose, consisting of two mould halves 35, 36 which can be displaced in relation to one another in the directions indicated. For the sake of clarity the presentation has been considerably simplified. It can be recognized, however, that the nozzle carrier 21' lies curved in the mould, in such a way that the subsequent outside (on the top in FIGS. 1 and 2) is located on the inside of the arch. The curvature is dimensioned so, that the centre lines 31 of the spraying orifices are all parallel to one another. Consequently, the cores 37 in the form of pins forming the spraying orifices during the moulding process, can also be arranged all parallel to one another on one mould half 36. The recesses in the mould half 35, in which the projections 28 are formed, on the other hand, are displaced relative to each other by angular amounts corresponding to the required angular relationship of the spraying orifices. After the injection and the opening of the mould halves 36 the nozzle carrier 21' cannot immediately be released from its mould, but it is first automatically or manually lifted on one side and is then pulled off like a press-stud strip or a zip fastener. This example of a manufacturing process is very schematic. Thus it would not be possible by means of such a device to fabricate an outlet of the type described above, but only a straight bore. It can be seen, however, that by a suitable design of the mould half 35, e.g., by means of a slider to be drawn upwards which carries cores projecting through a mould half 35, the fabrication of a tapering outlet is also possible. Furthermore it is also possible in this moulding process, by modification of the shape of the projections 28, to achieve an easier release of the mould. The important point is, that in this moulding process all the spraying orifices and feed channels run parallel to one another, so that the drawing of the cores does not have to take place in a number of divergent directions. In the case of for example 18 spraying nozzles a considerable saving in tool costs will be achieved by this arrangement. For the rest, the nozzle carriers 21' need not differ from the nozzle carriers described above in inserted condition. The flexible connecting part 24 allows the nozzle carrier, as described above, to be straightened and fixed to hollow body 12. The spraying orifices will then diverge again and ensure the desired large dimension of the area to be sprinkled.

The present invention brings about a number of advantages. It makes it possible for the first time to provide in an economic manner a sprinkling system, the diverging spraying orifices of which have a wide range of sprinkling. Not only the length and the tapering form, which is approximating to the ideal form of outlet, of the spraying orifices ensure a good range of sprinkling, but also the fact that the inside faces of the feed duct, the taper and the nozzle section may have an excellent surface quality. The flexible connecting part 24 not only facilitates the ease of fabrication described, but also ensures that the projections can be inserted one after the other, which facilitates assembly. Moreover, as already mentioned, small dimensional differences between the nozzle carrier and the hollow body 12 can easily be absorbed. The manufacture in one piece of the nozzle carrier is particularly preferred for economic reasons, but alternatively prefabricated nozzle inserts may be joined together, or be injected into a strip.

Although it is sufficient in view of the great accuracy of the direction of the jet, to provide one row of suitably large spraying orifices, it is also possible, in a manner known per se, to provide several parallel rows. For this purpose it is possible to fix to the body 12, either several nozzle carrier strips parallel to one another or an appropriately combined nozzle carrier strip.

Claims

We claim:

1. A sprinkler system comprising a stand, a hollow body pivotally mounted on the stand and adapted to receive and carry water under pressure, a plurality of openings being provided in a wall of the body, and a one-piece nozzle carrier having formed integrally therewith a plurality of plug-like projections, each projection being inserted in an opening in the body wall and the projections being secured to portions of the body wall surrounding the openings therein, fluid passages being formed at least in part in the projections and communicating with the interior of the body, the passages directing fluid sprays outward of the body and being oriented relative to one another such that the respective fluid sprays are directed in different directions.

2. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle carrier incorporating the projections and fluid passages is injection moulded in one piece from a plastics material.

3. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein each fluid passage includes a feed duct and a spray orifice to which the feed duct is connected, the feed duct having a larger diameter than the spray orifice and tapering toward said orifice.

4. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein the projections are conical and are retained in the openings by friction.

5. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein the projections are conical and are retained in the openings by adhesion.

6. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein flexible lugs are provided on the projections, which lugs retain the nozzle carrier against the body, when pressed through said openings.

7. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein each fluid passage includes a feed duct and a spray orifice to which the feed duct leads.

8. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle carrier is of generally strip-like configuration, the parts of the nozzle carrier between the projections covering the hollow body between the openings, when the projections are inserted one in each opening.

9. A sprinkler system according to claim 8, wherein the parts of the nozzle carrier between the projections are flexible.

10. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein the spray orifices are arranged in a row in the nozzle carrier, in spaced apart relationship.

11. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle carrier is of generally strip-like configuration, and when arranged substantially planar, the feed ducts diverge relative to each other.

12. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein a feed duct connects with each spray orifice, the feed ducts immediately after manufacture of the nozzle carrier extending substantially parallel to each other, the nozzle carrier being generally arcuate so that said feed ducts diverge away from one another when the nozzle carrier is straightened to a substantially planar configuration.

13. A sprinkler system according to claim 7, wherein the outlet of each spray orifice is located in a spherically shaped projection on the nozzle carrier, the centre line of each spray orifice passing approximately through the centre of curvature of the spherical projection in which the orifice is provided.

14. A sprinkler system according to claim 13, wherein a spherical depression in the spherical projection forms the outlet of the spray orifice.

15. A sprinkler system according to claim 1, wherein a driving turbine and a transmission gear are located in the hollow body for pivoting the system, the body forming the housing of the system.