Sprinkler Construction

Abstract

A lawn sprinkler includes a housing having a turbine which, for example, may be driven by the water supplied thereto for rotating a crank eccentric for the purpose of oscillating a tubular nozzle assembly about its own longitudinal axis. The nozzle assembly includes a guide sleeve or tube having a slot on its periphery which extends longitudinally and which is covered on its exterior by a nozzle body defining a plurality of nozzle passages oriented at divergent angles on each side of a central vertical nozzle passage. A regulating sleeve is positioned inside the guide sleeve and has a threaded connection with the guide sleeve at one end. It includes a plurality of nozzle pattern selection axes or generatrices which include one or more slots arranged in longitudinal patterns at spaced locations around the periphery. The regulating sleeve includes a knob portion extending outwardly to one side of the sprinkler which may be engaged by an operator to selectively position one of the generatrices in alignment with the longitudinal slot of the outer guide sleeve. The guide sleeve slot in turn communicates with the passages of the nozzle body. The longitudinal slot patterns which are defined along the generatrices of the regulating sleeve are advantageously spaced such that the sprinkle pattern of operation of the device may be controlled for example to provide for a full sprinkling pattern or a reduced pattern, as well as a pattern on each side or on only one side, or to provide for sprinkling only on the sides and not in a central area.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to the construction of sprinklers and in particular, to a new and useful lawn sprinkler having means for setting the sprinkler nozzles to sprinkle areas of different sizes.

In the known sprinklers the nozzle comprises a bent tubular member, or pipe, which is pivotally mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis and it includes a plurality of nozzle holes along its length which are arranged substantially linearly. These nozzle holes can be covered by means of sleeves so that they can be clamped from the outside on the nozzle holder. This has the effect that the rectangular area to be sprinkled can be selected in any length by covering a corresponding number of nozzle holes or it can be divided into individual sections.

The present invention provides an improved sprinkler of the above-mentioned type wherein the sprinkling area can be varied in a substantial manner and the strength of the sprinkler jets, and thus the sprinkling density, and also the water consumption per unit of area and time can be varied at the same time. With the inventive construction, a regulating sleeve which is provided with a plurality of patterns of openings in its outer periphery is arranged for rotation within the interior of an outer guide sleeve and it communicates at its one end with the water supply. The guide sleeve which is provided with a series of nozzle discharge ports is covered at the port area by a nozzle body having a plurality of selectively oriented nozzle discharge passages. The guide sleeve rotatably supports the inner regulating sleeve and it may be rotated by a suitable knob projection on one side thereof to orient it and at least one hole pattern below the ports of the regulating sleeve and to provide a sprinkling action in accordance with this selection. The nozzle body with the regulating tube and the guide tube are oscillated backwardly and forwardly by the known adjustable crank and eccentric drive elements, for example, to sprinkle a selective rectangular area. The nozzle body may preferably have discharge passages with nozzle fittings therein which are sloped in a divergent manner on either side of a central vertical nozzle passage. The slotted opening or openings of the regulating tube which is arranged inside of the guide sleeve are advantageously arranged in a plurality of separate circumferentially offset longitudinally extending patterns.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved sprinkler device which includes an oscillatable nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle body having a plurality of nozzle discharge passages which communicate with a slotted opening of a regulating sleeve mounting the body, and wherein there is provided a regulating sleeve which is rotatable within the guide sleeve and which communicates at its one end with a source of water to be sprinkled, the regulating sleeve advantageously including a pattern defining a passage from the interior of the sleeve through the slot of the guide sleeve and through the discharge passages of the nozzle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sprinkling device which includes means, such as a turbine, for producing an oscillation of a nozzle assembly and wherein the nozzle assembly includes means for selecting the pattern area to be sprinkled such that a full pattern or any reduced area pattern may be effected as well as a sprinkle pattern on each side of an opened area or on only one side or the other of the rectangular area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view and side elevational view of a sprinkler constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle assembly indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the nozzle assembly;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the regulating tube for the nozzle assembly;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, are views of the regulating tube of FIG. 4 shown at successive 90.degree. intervals;

FIGS. 4a, 5a, 6a, and 7a indicate the sprinkling patterns which are produced with the regulating tubes positioned in the various arrangements of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 and 7;

FIGS. 8 to 11 are views similar to FIGS. 4 to 7 but indicating further variations of the construction of a nozzle regulating tube; and

FIGS. 8a, 9a, 10a, and 11a are diagrammatic plan views of the sprinkling areas which are effected by the various arrangements of regulating tube indicated in FIGS. 8 to 11 inclusive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein in FIGS. 1 to 3, comprises a sprinkler for sprinkling a square or a rectangular sprinkling area and which includes a nozzle assembly generally designated 20 which is rotatably mounted within a housing 1 for rotation about the longitudinal axis of a tubular member or guide sleeve 14 of the assembly. The housing 1 is provided with a fluid turbine 3 which is driven by water supplied through a water connection 2 and it rotates a shaft having a crank arm 7 connected to a linkage 6. The linkage is adjustably connectable to the crank arm 7 at its one end and connected to the nozzle assembly 20 at its opposite end; and, when it is driven by the crank arm, it oscillates the assembly backwardly and forwardly about the axis Y--Y. The eccentric mechanism defined by the connection of the link 6 to the crank 7 is adjustable for example, with four eccentric settings and thus four different fields of traverse or with an intermittently variable setting. The housing 1 includes a foot portion or pedestal 5 for supporting it in the upright position indicated in FIG. 1 and it is closed on the delivery end by a cover 4.

In accordance with the invention, the nozzle assembly 20 includes the guide sleeve 14 which has a plurality of orifices or openings 15 defined along its length which are opened at the interior and which communicate individually with individual discharge passages 17 which are formed in a nozzle body 12, and which, for example, may be made of a plastic material but which has a geometric form such as a circular segment. The nozzle body 12 may advantageously be applied over the guide tube 14 by cladding.

A feature of the construction of the nozzle body is that a central discharge passage 17' is arranged to extend substantially vertically and the passages on either side thereof, that is, the passages 9, 9' and 17 diverge outwardly from the central passage, for example at varying angles. The inlets of all of the discharge passages communicate with respective orifices 15. With such an arrangement the spray pattern may be extended from one end to the other end of the regulating tube. The discharge passages are all each provided with a brass nozzle fitting or nozzle member 13 so enhance the formation of jets and the radiation of the sprinkling water.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention a regulating sleeve or regulating member 10 is arranged within the guide sleeve 14 and it is advantageously rotatably supported within a female thread 11 at an end fitting of the tube 14. The regulating sleeve 10 includes a knob portion 10' which extends outwardly from one end and it includes an opposite opened end which communicates with the water supply through a fitting 8 of the housing 1. The outer shell surface of the regulating sleeve 10 bears on the inner shell surface of the guide sleeve 14 in such a way that the movement of the water between the regulating sleeve 10 and the guide sleeve 14 is prevented. The regulating sleeve 10 can be turned relative to the guide sleeve by overcoming a certain frictional resistance. The water which passes from the house supply through the connection 2 and the turbine 3 is discharged through the fitting 8 into the interior of the regulating sleeve 10 and it moves outwardly through a selected set of openings or slots 16 through the orifices 15 and it is discharged through the passages 9, 9' and 17, 17' and through the brass nozzles 13.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the regulating sleeve 10 may be provided with one or more patterns or aperture arrangements around its periphery which in the embodiment shown comprises four separate patterns arranged along a longitudinal line at 90.degree. intervals around its periphery. As indicated in FIG. 4, there is a pattern 16 which comprises a single longitudinally elongated slot. When this slot 16 is oriented below all of the orifices 15 the sprinkler will operate to cover a rectangular lawn area such as indicated in FIG. 4a. FIG. 5, showing the sleeve 10, includes a further regulating area or pattern 16a which is advantageously located at some angle from the area 16 for example at 90.degree. away from the slot 16. In the pattern 16a the openings which extend through the regulating sleeve 10 are arranged centrally in respect to the length of the regulating sleeve so that the full area shown in 4a will not be covered but only a partially reduced rectangular area as indicated in 5a will be covered. Similar further reductions are provided by patterns 16b and 16c as indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7 which produce the sprinkled areas indicated in FIGS. 6a and 7a.

The inventive device may be further modified, for example as indicated in FIGS. 8 to 11, by providing a regulating tube or sleeve member 10' having patterns 16', 16a' 16b' and 16c', respectively. The pattern 16' shown in FIG. 8 produces a sprinkling effect on two outer rectangular areas leaving a central rectangular area which is not sprinkled as indicated in in FIG. 8a. A variation of this arrangement is indicated in FIG. 11a where the central area is sprinkled but the outer areas are not. FIGS. 9a and 10a show the use of the devices with the pattern 16a' and 16b' respectively which cause a sprinkling of one side or the other of the normal sprinkling area.

The area indicated in FIGS. 4a to 11a are to show schematically the manner in which the sprinkler may be regulated for controlling the sprinkle pattern but of course may other variations would be possible. Each pattern control is located on a separate longitudinal generatrix, for example, the line a-- a of FIG. 7, line b--b of FIG. 6, etc. These generatrices are respectively aligned with the openings 15 in order to position the selected patterns in the operative position and indications of the generatrices are advantageously carried on the knob 10' to indicate when the various patterns are aligned in an operative position.

The regulating sleeve 10 permits not only a variation of the length of the sprinkling area but also a fine adjustment of the strength of the jet issuing from the nozzle holes. This occurs when the patterns, such as the slots 16 are oriented so that they are offset slightly from perfect alignment with the openings 15 so that there is a reduced flow area communication between the interior of the regulating tube with its water supply and the apertures 15. A spray mist is obtained for example with minimum overlapping of the opening 16 with the orifices 15. This possibility of dosing the water jet is of great practical importance. For some soils the full jet is too strong and would result in a deterioration of the soil structure or a mudding action. In this case regulation of the water jet can remedy the situation.

Frequently, it is desirable with the sprinkling area remains unchanged to increase or decrease the sprinkling density which is also possible with the present invention. A garden requires spraying with very fine droplets instead of a full jet such as a vegetable garden. On the other hand when sprinkling a lawn a full jet is required. It is even possible to spray plants subject to intensive solar radiation, in order to reduce their evaporation. In the case of a water shortage, the regulation of the sleeve 10 permits adaptation of the device to the allowable water consumption and to the existing water pressure conditions are providing the same number of active nozzles or sprinkling areas.

In the embodiments described in the invention the nozzle assembly is indicated as being adaptable to oscillate about a horizontal axis but the arrangement of the invention can also be used with an oblong nozzle rotating about a vertical axis. With such an arrangement, the guide sleeve 10 would still have openings mounted within a guide tube in a manner such that the openings may be selectively oriented for the desired pattern arrangement. The nozzles need not be limited for arrangement where there is linear water flow. The nozzle can also be designed as an arcuated tube provided on the top side with a number of orifices and which is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. With such an arrangement the dosing nozzle must be flexible.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A sprinkler construction, comprising a closed regulating tube, means for supplying a sprinkling fluid under pressure to the interior of said regulating tube, a nozzle guide tube covering said regulating tube and having a portion with a plurality of spaced discharge passages for the spraying out of the fluid and which terminate at their inner ends in openings through said guide tube, said regulating tube having at least one area with an opening slot therethrough which is adapted to be aligned below at least portions of some of said discharge passage openings of said guide tube, including a nozzle body of arcuate form arranged over said guide tube and defining said plurality of discharge passages, said guide tube with said nozzle body being oscillatable about substantially the longitudinal axis of said guide tube.

2. A sprinkler construction, according to claim 1, wherein said means for supplying a sprinkling fluid includes a turbine, a turbine housing having an inlet for a liquid such as water to drive said turbine and having a discharge from said turbine connected into the interior of said regulating tube.

3. A sprinkler construction, comprising a closed regulating tube, means for supplying a sprinkling fluid under pressure to the interior of said regulating tube, a nozzle guide tube covering said regulating tube and having a portion with a plurality of spaced discharge passages for the spraying out of the fluid and which terminate at their inner ends in openings through said guide tube, said regulating tube having at least one area with an opening slot therethrough which is adapted to be aligned below at least portions of some of said discharge passage openings of said guide tube, said regulating tube being rotatably supported within said guide tube, a nozzle body fitted over said guide tube and defining said discharge passages therein, said regulating tube being in threaded engagement within said guide tube.

4. A sprinkler construction, according to claim 3, wherein said body comprises an arcuated nozzle including a central nozzle passage which extends substantially normal to said regulating tube and passages on each side of said central passage which are arranged at divergent angles.

5. A sprinkler construction, according to claim 4, wherein said nozzle body encloses said guide tube, said guide tube having openings therethrough in alignment with said discharge passages which are defined in said nozzle body, said nozzle body having a rectangular cross section.

6. A sprinkler construction, according to claim 4, wherein said discharge passages each include a nozzle member therein.

7. A sprinkler construction, according to claim 6, wherein said nozzle elements are metallic elements pressed into said nozzle body, said nozzle body comprising a plastic member.

8. A sprinkler construction, comprising a closed regulating tube, means for supplying a sprinkling fluid under pressure to the interior of said regulating tube, a nozzle guide tube covering said regulating tube and having a portion with a plurality of spaced discharge passages for the spraying out of the fluid and which terminate at their inner ends in openings through said guide tube, said regulating tube having at least one area with an opening slot therethrough which is adapted to be aligned below at least portions of some of said discharge passage openings of said guide tube, said regulating tube being rotatably mounted within said guide tube, said means for supplying sprinkling fluid to said interior of said regulating tube including a rotatable turbine having a discharge connected to the interior of said regulating tube, and a crank driven by said turbine and connected to said guide tube for rotating said guide tube, said crank means is adjustable for varying the degree of rotation of said guide tube.

9. A sprinkler construction, comprising a closed regulating tube, means for supplying a sprinkling fluid under pressure to the interior of said regulating tube, a nozzle guide tube covering said regulating tube and having a portion with a plurality of spaced discharge passages for the spraying out of the fluid and which terminate at their inner ends in openings through said guide tube, said regulating tube having at least one area with an opening slot therethrough which is adapted to be aligned below at least portions of some of said discharge passage openings of said guide tube, said regulating tube is rotatably mounted within said guide tube, said means for supplying sprinkling fluid to said interior of said regulating tube including a rotatable turbine having a discharge connected to the interior of said regulating tube, and a crank driven by said turbine and connected to said guide tube for rotating said guide tube, said guide tube being threadable at one end at its interior, said regulating tube being threadably engaged with said threaded portion of said regulating tube, said regulating tube being rotatable relative to said guide tube, said guide tube being movable with said regulating tube by said crank means.

10. A sprinkler construction, according to claim 9 wherein the angle of traverse and the operating direction of said nozzles are adjustable.