Watering devices

Abstract

A water sprinkler comprises a rotary assembly which carries a cam follower co-operating with an undulating, continuous cam surface which forms a circular track coaxial with the axis of rotation of the assembly. The cam follower actuates a valve stem which extends into the sprinkler nozzle to modify the strength of the water jet in dependence upon the undulations of the cam surface. The cam is deformable and its profile controllable by studs whose length is adjustable to allow modification of the shape of the area watered.

Description

The present invention relates to a watering device of the type comprising a fixed base, a moving system mounted so as to rotate on the said base about a vertical axis and having at least one watering nozzle, a hydraulic motor for driving the said moving system in rotation, and means for supplying water to the said nozzle and the said hydraulic motor.

In order to permit devices of this kind to follow the contour of an area to be watered, which may have a form other than circular, for example square, polygonal or other, it has already been proposed to provide these devices with a cam device and a cam follower, in which a cam is carried on a fixed base and forms a circular track coaxial with the axis of rotation of the moving system, while a cam follower, carried by the moving system and co-operating with the said cam, acts on the nozzle in order to modify the range of the jet as a function of the cam profile.

In these known devices, the cam has generally a fixed shape to which corresponds a certain contour of the watering area. It is therefore necessary to have practically as many equipments with different cams as there are watering contours of different shapes to be produced, which adversely affects the cost of the installation. In addition, in the known devices, the watering nozzle is generally mounted oscillatably, its oscillation being controlled by the cam follower, so as to modify the angle and in consequence the range of the jet. Such an oscillating mounting of the nozzle involves a complication of its construction.

The present invention has for its object a watering device of the type indicated above with a cam and cam follower, which is free from these drawbacks and which offers wide possibilities of application, with a simple and convenient construction.

According to the invention, the watering device is characterized in that the cam is deformable, and in that regulating means accessible from the exterior are provided in order to adjust the profile of the cam at will. By virtue of this arrangement, it is possible with the same device to obtain a large diversity of contours for the watering area, without having to move the device or to modify the conditions of water distribution.

In one preferred form of embodiment, the cam is mounted on studs which are adjustable both in position and in height, and which can be actuated from the exterior. More particularly, each stud is slidably engaged along a curvilinear slide following a circumference coaxial with the axis of rotation of the moving system, and is mounted on a support having means for raising and lowering the stud, for example in the form of a helicoidal ramp. By virtue of this arrangement, it is easily possible to modify the shape of the surface watered, whether the device is in operation or not, and this can be done without the addition of any accessory or the aid of any tool.

The most appropriate position for each stud is first chosen by causing it to slide along the slide-member and the stud is locked in that position, after which the stud is raised or lowered in order to regulate the range of the jet. The ramp which controls the lifting and lowering of the stud is preferably notched so as to facilitate an adjustment of this kind.

Two or more studs are advantageously provided so as to permit a large variety of contours of the watered area. In practice, four studs make it possible to obtain excellent results.

In one preferred form of embodiment, the cam is constituted by a flat annular band mounted on the various studs.

According to another characteristic feature of the invention, the nozzle is fixed on the moving system and, in order to act on the nozzle, the cam follower is associated with a closure means adapted to penetrate transversely more or less into the orifice of the nozzle, in order to shut-off the jet partly or wholly, so as to reduce or annul the watering distance.

This arrangement permits of a simple construction of the device, since the nozzle is fixed and is not movably mounted on the rotating system. In addition, this arrangement provides great sensitivity, that is to say it gives a large variation in the range of the jet for a small vertical travel of the follower, which makes it possible to give the cam only a slightly undulating profile, irrespective of the result desired, and in consequence excellent conditions of operation are obtained under all circumstances.

Forms of construction of the invention are described below by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a watering device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of this device in horizontal section, taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view in perspective of one of the cam-mounting studs;

FIG. 4 is a view to a larger scale and in cross-section of the nozzle and the closure means;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the cam;

FIG. 6 relates to an alternative form in which grooves are provided in the plate in order to reinforce the locking of a stud at any point of the slide.

Reference will first of all be made to FIGS. 1 to 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a watering device according to the invention comprises a fixed base 10 having a water supply conduit 11 with a vertical axis A and a horizontal plate 12 of generally circular form. This device also comprises a moving system 13 rotatably mounted on the base 10 about the axis A and having at least one watering nozzle 14 and a hydraulic motor 15 for driving the system 13 in rotation.

More particularly, the moving system 13 comprises a conduit 16 coaxial with the axis A of the conduit 11 and coupled to this latter by a rotary joint (not shown). The conduit 16 has on the one hand a branch 17 forming at the end the nozzle 14 which is inclined at about 30.degree. to the horizontal, and on the other hand another branch 18 forming at the end an auxiliary nozzle 19 which is inclined at about 70.degree. to the horizontal and which forms part of the hydraulic motor 15.

This hydraulic motor 15 is of the impulse type and also comprises an oscillating beater bar 20, known per se. This bar is mounted oscillatably on the moving system 13 about the axis A, is provided at one end with a spoon 21 co-operating with the auxiliary nozzle 19 and is returned by a spring 22.

A cam 23 is carried by the base 10 and forms a circular track coaxial with the axis A of rotation of the moving system 13, while a follower 24 carried by the system 13 and co-operating with the cam 23 acts on the nozzle 14 so as to modify the range of the jet as a function of the profile of the cam 23. The cam 23 is deformable and consists of a flat annular band mounted on studs 25 which are adjustable both in position and in height on the plate 12 and which can be operated from the exterior. For example, the cam 23 is of thin stainless steel or plastic material strip.

Each stud 25 (see FIG. 3) comprises a cylindrical upper portion 26, an intermediate parallelepiped portion 27 having two faces 28, the width of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the portion 26, and two faces 29 having a width smaller than this diameter, and a cylindrical lower tail portion 30, the diameter of which is smaller than the width of the small faces 29.

At the top of the cylindrical portion 26 are arranged two opposite claws 31 in which the cam 23 is engaged with a slight clearance in such manner that the cam at the point considered is fixed to the stud 25 while at the same time it can be slightly bent.

At the top of the cylindrical portion 26 and below the claws 31 are arranged two opposite projections 32 having a section in the form of a V and thus presenting a lower horizontal edge 33.

The edges 33 of the projections 32 co-operate with a helicoidal ramp 34 in two notched portions formed on a support 35. The latter has a cylindrical axial bore 36 in which the cylindrical portion 26 of the stud 25 is rotatably engaged.

The parallelepiped portion 27 of the stud 25 is engaged in a curvilinear slot 37 along a circumference coaxial with the axis A formed in the plate 12, which preferably comprises two slots of this kind formed end to end so as to make a complete circle while being separated by two full portions 37a of small width (see FIG. 2).

In this manner, the stud 25 is permitted to slide along the slot 37 forming a slideway and at the same time the stud 25 is held angularly fixed in any position.

The support 35 is rotatably mounted on the stud 25 by means of engagement of the bore 36 around the portion 26 and, as the stud 25 is held angularly fixed, rotation of the support 35 causes the lifting or the lowering of the stud 25 by reason of the engagement of the edges 33 on the helicoidal ramp portions 34.

The support 35 is rigidly fixed on an operating finger 38 which projects externally and by which the stud 25 can be moved along the slide 37 and the support 35 can be rotated in order to modify the height of the stud 25. The finger 38 comprises a lug 39 which forms a means of limitation of the angular travel of the support 35 by coming into abutment against the peripheral contour 40 of the plate 12.

The cylindrical tail 30 of the stud 25 projects from beneath the plate 12, where it receives a helicoidal spring 41 which surrounds it and which is supported between a washer 42 applied underneath the plate 12 and two juxtaposed washers 43 rigidly fixed on the extremity of the tail 30. Thus, the spring 41 applies an elastic action downwards on the stud 25, which holds the edges 33 applied against the portions 34 of the helicoidal ramp.

This elastic action makes it possible at the same time to lock the stud 25 at any point on the slide 37. However, it may be overcome at will when it is desired to modify the position of the stud 25 along the slide 37, or when the support 35 is caused to rotate in order to modify the height of the stud 25.

The follower 24 which co-operates with the cam 23 is associated with a throttle or closure means 44 adapted to penetrate more or less transversely into the bore 45 of the nozzle 14 (see FIGS. 1 and 4), in order to close the jet wholly or partly so as to reduce or annul the watering distance.

More particularly, this closure means 44 consists of a cylindrical rod with a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the bore 45. The rod 44 is guided in a vertical cylindrical hole 46 which intersects the bore 45, and is provided with a rounded upper extremity 47.

The follower 24 is formed by a ball-shaped knob arranged at the lower extremity of the rod 44. A helicoidal spring 48 surrounding the rod 44 is supported between the nozzle 14 and the follower knob 24 and tends to hold this latter applied against the cam 23.

In operation, water admitted under pressure through the conduit 11 passes into the branches 17 and 18, and passes out through the watering nozzle 14 and through the auxiliary nozzle 19.

The water passing out of the nozzle 14 mainly ensures the watering, while the water discharged from the nozzle 19 and actuating the oscillating beater 20 with its spoon 21, mainly ensures the movement of rotation of the moving system, so that the jet discharged from the nozzle sweeps over the whole space surrounding the apparatus.

During the course of this rotation, the follower 24 travels along the track formed by the cam 23 and undulating due to the adjustment in position and height of the studs 25, which gives the rod 44 a corresponding reciprocating movement inside the hole 46, thus closing more or less the bore 45 of the nozzle 14.

In this manner, the range of the jet discharged from the nozzle 14 inclined at about 30.degree. to the horizontal, is variable during the course of rotation of the moving system. This range is a maximum when the rod 44 leaves the bore 45 completely free and is correspondingly reduced when the rod 44 penetrates further into the bore 45.

It should be noted that the jet discharged from the auxiliary nozzle 19, inclined at about 70.degree. to the horizontal, waters a surface which is sufficiently small to correspond to a minimum desired distance, but is however large enough to ensure, taking account of the flow necessary for the driving function of this nozzle 19, that the rate of watering is not excessive in the immediate vicinity of the device.

It will also be noted that the more the closure rod 44 penetrates into the bore 45, the smaller is the distance watered, and the greater is the power available at the nozzle 19, so that the moving system 13 rotates more rapidly. There is therefore a favorable compensating effect which has the further result that it is the zones corresponding to the most distant points which are covered most slowly and which are therefore the most completely watered.

The adjustment of the studs 25 so as to obtain the contour which is the closest possible to that which is desired for the watered area, taking account of the formation of the land, can be carried out at will either when stopped or during working or partly stopped and partly working.

There is first chosen the position to be given to the studs 25 along the slots 27. The movement of each stud is effected by overcoming the frictional resistance calibrated by the spring 41 and applied by the pinching of the plate between the support 35 and the washer 42. When once the stud 25 has reached the selected position, this resistance is sufficient to maintain it there.

The height of each stud 25 is then adjusted by turning the finger 28 in one direction or in the other, which rotates the notched portions 34 of the helicoidal ramp and raises or lowers the projections 32 and in consequence the stud 25. The notches or grooves in the ramps 34 facilitate the adjustment since they define a succession of angular positions of the support corresponding to a succession of positions in height of the stud, while experience makes it possible to know the variation in distance, for example half a metre, corresponding to the passage from one notch to the next.

It should be noted that a device of this kind makes it easily possible to obtain a large variety of contours for the watered area. It will be appreciated that the rod 44, permitted to penetrate into the bore 45 of the nozzle 14 further enables great sensitivity to be obtained for the action of the follower 24 on the range of the jet, and therefore to provide advantageously for the deformable cam 23 differences in level which are comparatively small.

In the alternative form shown in FIG. 6, the plate 12 is notched at 50 and the washer 42 has projections 51 intended to be engaged in the notches 50 in order to ensure a particularly effective fixing of the stud 25 at any point selected along the slot 37, while enabling the stud 25 to be moved along the slot 37 when this action is applied voluntarily. Such a system of notches which is radial in the example shown in FIG. 6, has also the result of facilitating the adjustment in an angular position in the same way as the notches of the ramps 34 facilitate the adjustment in height.

In the forms of embodiment which have just been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 and with reference to FIGS. 6, the hydraulic motor 15 is preferably of the type with an auxiliary nozzle 19 and an oscillating beater 20 with a spoon 21, but it could also be of any other appropriate type, for example it may consist of a turbine transmitting a movement of rotation to the moving system 13 through a set of gears.

It will further be noted that the support 35 associated with the stud 25 could be arranged above the plate 12, the spring 41 being then arranged below the said plate 12. The stud may also have any other appropriate form, for example it may comprise a member of truncated cylindrical form controlled by a knurled ring located under the plate 12, or alternatively a wedge moving forwards or backwards under the effect of a threaded rod, or again cam members having an operating element located under the plate.

Claims

I claim:

1. A watering device comprising a fixed base, a moving system rotatably mounted about a vertical axis on the said base and having at least one watering nozzle, a hydraulic motor for driving the said moving system in rotation, means for supplying water to the said nozzle and to the said hydraulic motor, a cam carried by the said fixed base and forming a circular track coaxial with the axis of rotation of the said moving system, said cam being mounted on a plurality of studs which are adjustable both in position and in height and which can be operated from the exterior, and a cam follower carried by the moving system and co-operating with the said cam, the said follower acting on the nozzle so as to modify the range of the jet as a function of the profile on the said cam, the device being characterised in that the said cam is deformable and in that regulating means accessible from the exterior are provided in order to adjust the profile of the said cam.

2. A watering device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the said nozzle is fixed on the moving system, and in that, in order to act on the nozzle, the said cam follower is associated with a closure means intended to penetrate transversely to a considerable extent into the bore formed in the said nozzle.

3. A watering device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the said cam consists of a flat annular band fixed on the said studs.

4. A watering device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that each stud is movably mounted along a curvilinear slide following a circumference coaxial with the axis of rotation of the said moving system.

5. A watering device in accordance with claim 4, characterised in that locking means are provided so as to immobilize each stud at any chosen point on the said slide.

6. A watering device in accordance with claim 4, characterised in that the said slide comprises arcuate slots formed in a plate on the said base.

7. A watering device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that each stud is slidably engaged along the said slide and is mounted on a support having means for raising and lowering the said stud.

8. A watering device in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that the said support is mounted rotatably and is provided with a helicoidal ramp which co-operates with the stud which is held angularly fixed by its engagement in the said slide.

9. A watering device in accordance with claim 8, characterised in that the said ramp is formed in two parts which co-operate with two opposite projections of the said stud.

10. A watering device in accordance with claim 9, characterised in that a spring acting between the support and the stud holds the said two projections applied against the two parts of the said ramp.

11. A watering device in accordance with claim 8, characterised in that the said ramp is notched in such manner as to define a succession of angular positions of the support corresponding to a succession of positions in height of the said stud.