Part Circle Sprinkler

Abstract

A part circle sprinkler having an internal reversible water motor which includes a water deflector movable between two positions and a reversing blade engaged by triggering fingers which are circumferentially adjustable from the exterior of the sprinkler.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The most widely used type of part circle sprinkler had its inception in U.S. Pat. No. 2,256,737. This sprinkler utilized an oscillating arm, developed in an earlier U.S. Pat. No. 1,997,901, which moved periodically into the water stream. The part circle sprinkler included circumferentially adjustable stops which were engaged by a trigger projecting from the sprinkler.

There is a trend toward full circle sprinklers having internal motors, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,315,898 and 3,515,351. These two have been provided with part circle control as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,647. However, adjustment has required disassembly of the sprinkler and removal of the rotating unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a part circle sprinkler utilizing an enclosed motor, and is summarized in the following objects:

First, to provide a part circle sprinkler utilizing an enclosed motor wherein the sprinkling arc may be adjusted externally without disassembly.

Second, to provide a part circle sprinkler which incorporates a novelly arranged reversing mechanism defining jet passages for causing water to impinge on an impact rotor, the reversing mechanism including a spring engageable with adjustable stops and the arrangement of the passages being such that the reversing mechanism may be depended upon to switch the direction of rotation without becoming stuck in dead center.

Third, to provide a part circle sprinkler which incorporates a novelly arranged means including the discharge stem and a surrounding sleeve which are externally accessible so as to be turned individually to adjust the arcuate extent of the part circle to be watered, or in unison to orient the area to be watered.

Fourth, to provide a part circle sprinkler which may be arranged as a pop-up sprinkler having an extended and a retracted position, adjustment being accomplished when the sprinkler is extended.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sprinkler housing with a sprinkler mechanism shown in elevation and in its retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the housing with the sprinkler mechanism shown in elevation and in its extended or operating position.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the housing taken through 3--3 of FIG. 1, with the sprinkler mechanism shown in plan.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the sprinkler mechanism with the sprinkler head removed, the view being taken from 4--4 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the sprinkler mechanism taken through 5--5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary partial sectional partial side view of the sprinkler mechanism, the sectioned portion being taken through 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken through 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken through 8--8 of FIG. 6, showing the parts in position for rotation of the sprinkler nozzle in one direction.

FIG. 9 is a similar transverse sectional view showing the parts arranged for rotation of the sprinkler nozzle in the opposite direction.

The sprinkler structure is contained within a cup shaped shell 1 having an inlet 2 at its lower end for connection to a water supply. The upper end is provided with a flange 3 which receives a cover 4 secured thereto by screws 5. Centered in the cover 4 is a nozzle opening 6. Lining the shell 1 is a strainer 7, details of which are omitted as the strainer does not form a part of the present invention. In fact, the strainer and shell structure so far described is essentially the same as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,647.

Slidable within the shell 1 is a motor housing 8 in the form of an inverted cup and joined by a transition portion 9 to a tubular stem or shell 10. The lower end of the motor housing is closed by a bottom cover 11. Centered in the bottom cover is an integral bearing 12 formed by a ring of spaced ribs. A cap 13 covers the bearing 12.

The motor housing is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed key bosses 14. Another key boss 15 is provided at right angles to the bosses 14 and in a lower plane. The strainer 7 is provided with guide channels 16 which receive the bosses 14 and 15 to restrain the housing 8 against rotation. The strainer 7 and the shell 1 are also provided with interlocking key elements, not shown, to secure the strainer 7 against rotation with respect to the shell 1. By this arrangement, the motor housing is oriented in a predetermined direction with respect to the shell, and the shell 1 is provided with a suitable mark, not shown, to indicate this orientation.

Contained within the motor housing 8 is a motor base 17 having a stem 18 journalled in the bearing 12. The underside of the motor base rests on a filter ring 19, and the lower end of the stem 18 is provided with a retainer ring 20 underlying the bearing 12.

The upper side of the motor base 17 forms the bottom surface 21 of a motor chamber which is surrounded by an annular wall 22. A pair of diametrically disposed channels 23 are formed in the bottom surface 21 immediately adjacent to the wall 22. The channels extend arcuately and their bottom surfaces deepen from their central points towards their circumferential extremities, and the channels pass under the wall 22. The radially inner sides of the opposed channels converge and merge into continuing converging deflector walls 24, each converging pair of which terminate in a radially outwardly directed apex 25, thus providing two apices spaced 180.degree.. The apices 25 confront diametrically disposed water inlets 26 formed in the key bosses 14.

At right angles to the apices 25, the motor base 17 is provided with a vertically extending movement limiting slot 27 and extending inwardly from the key boss 15 is a stop pin 28 received in the slot 27. Formed within the motor base below the bottom surface 21 of the motor chamber is a diametrically extending trigger spring cavity 29 which is in alignment with the slot 27 but terminates short of the slot. The wall formed between the cavity 29 and the slot 27 is provided with a slit to receive and secure one end of a trigger spring 30. The trigger spring extends diametrically with respect to the motor base, terminating at the side thereof diametrically opposite from the slot 27 and provided with an upwardly directed extension 31. The extension is capable of limited arcuate movement, the maximum excursion of which is limited by side stops 32. The amount of arcuate movement is controlled by (1) the force of the water motor upon the trips 46 and 47 via the driven rotor 42 and sleeve 37 and (2) the locking effect of inlet velocity upon the swirl plate assembly 17.

Mounted for free rotation within the annular wall 22 is an impact driver 33 having a polygonal opening. In the structure illustrated the opening is triangular, forming three apices 34 connected by side walls 35. Externally these side walls may be provided with one or more ribs 36.

Journalled within the tubular shell 10 is a sleeve 37 having a flanged lower end 38. At the juncture of the flange and the sleeve and within the transition portion 9, there is provided a filter ring 39. Above the filter ring and surrounding the sleeve 37 is a seal and thrust bearing ring set 40. The upper extremities of the tubular shell 10 and the sleeve 37 form an annular channel which receives a filter ring 41.

Journalled within the sleeve 37 is a rotor stem 42 near the lower end of which is a seal ring 43 engaging the sleeve 37. The lower end of the rotor stem 42 is provided with a flange 44 which fits under the flange 38 and overlies the annular wall 22 so as to form the upper side of the motor chamber. The rotor stem 42 is tubular for the outward flow of water, and formed integrally therewith are rotor bars 45 which extend into the motor chamber and into the impact driver 33. In the construction illustrated, two rotor bars are provided spaced essentially the distance between adjacent apices 34 of the driver 33.

Depending from the flange 38 outside the annular wall 22 is a trip finger 46. A second trip finger 47 depends from the flange 44. Mounted above the sleeve 37 is an adjustment collar 48. The adjustment collar and upper end of the sleeve 37 are provided with interengaging fingers 49 so that the sleeve 37 may be turned by turning the collar 48. Opposed flattened portions 50 permit engagement of the adjustment collar by an end wrench or similar tool.

The rotor stem 42 extends above the sleeve 37 within the collar 48 and is screw threaded to receive a nozzle member 51 having a laterally upwardly directed nozzle port 52. Mounted on the nozzle member is a flow control cap 53 which may be circumferentially adjusted. The cap, which is not a part of the present invention, permits adjustment of the trajectory of the water flowing from the nozzle port 52, and is more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,514.

Operation of the part circle sprinkler is as follows:

Water flowing inward from the inlets 26 is deflected counterclockwise by the deflector walls 24, when positioned as showwn in FIG. 8, or is deflected clockwise when the deflector walls 24 are positioned as indicated in FIG. 9, with the result that water entering the motor chamber within the annular wall 22 continues to flow either counterclockwise as in FIG. 8 or clockwise as in FIG. 9. The rotating water causes the impact driver 33 to rotate in a corresponding direction. On rotation of the driver 33, the side walls 35 adjacent the apices 34 strike the rotor bars 45, causing the rotor stem 42 to turn by increments. The interaction of the impact driver 33 and rotor thus far described is more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,898.

The sleeve 37 and the rotor stem 42 rotate in unison and if the rotation is in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 8, when the trip finger 47 carried by the rotor stem 42 moves into contact with the trigger spring 30, the spring is forced from its solid line position shown in FIG. 8 to the dotted line position, placing a counterclockwise torque on the motor base 17 sufficient to move the apices 25 into the two streams of water. When the streams of water are divided by the apices 25, the dynamic pressure of the water against the counterclockwise deflector walls 24 rapidly diminishes allowing the deflected spring 30 to provide a snap action, causing the motor base 17 to snap to the position shown in FIG. 9 wherein the water now rotates in a clockwise direction and causes the impact rotor 33 to reverse its direction of movement and drive the rotor stem 42 in the opposite direction or in a clockwise direction, with the result that the trip finger 46 moves in a clockwise direction toward the trigger spring 30 to effect reversal of the water flow from that shown in FIG. 9 to that shown in FIG. 8.

Adjustment to increase or decrease the arc through which the water is discharged is obtained by turning the adjustment collar 48 with respect to the nozzle member 51. The screw threaded connection between the nozzle member and rotor stem is made sufficiently tight that adjustment of the nozzle member does not provide sufficient force to loosen the screw thread connection.

In order to orient the arc through which the water is to be discharged, the sprinkler case or shell 1 is turned relative to the riser secured in the inlet 2.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the details herein set forth but that my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A part circle sprinkler, comprising:

a. a housing structure adapted for connection to a water supply and having an inlet port;

b. a rotor including a water outlet stem terminating in a nozzle and rotatable in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and rotor driving means for rotating said rotor;

c. Oscillatable means having a pair of passageways having water receiving ends sharing a common wall confronting the inlet port for alternately connecting the passages with the inlet port, the passageways directing water into the motor to cause clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the driving means and rotor;

d. a pair of trip elements disposed on said rotor and relatively adjustable circumferentially with respect thereto to determine the arc of travel of the nozzle;

e. and means carried by the oscillating means alternately engageable by the trip elements to shift the common wall past the inlet port, thereby to cause reversal of the direction of movement of the nozzle.

2. A part circle sprinkler as defined in claim 1, which further comprises:

a. a means accessible externally of the housing for adjusting the positions of the trip elements.

3. A part circle sprinkler as defined in claim 2, wherein:

a. the trip element adjusting means includes the outlet stem connected to one of the trip elements, and a sleeve journalled on the outlet stem and connected to the other of the trip elements.

4. A part circle sprinkler as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. the housing includes a tubular stem encompassing the sleeve and a body structure encases the housing and includes a cover having an opening to pass the tubular stem.

5. A part circle sprinkler comprising:

a. a housing forming a motor enclosure having at least one radial water inlet port and a tubular shell extending upwardly therefrom;

b. means for supplying water to the inlet port;

c. a water motor base structure mounted within the enclosure and including a cylindrical motor chamber, and a pair of passageways intersecting the chamber at diametrically opposite sides thereof and converging to a common entrance end forming an apex confronting the inlet port;

d. means mounting the base structure for limited arcuate movement to cause water entering through the inlet port to flow through either passage to produce circular flow of water in the motor chamber in either direction;

e. a water motor top structure including a rotor having a portion covering the motor chamber and a water discharge stem terminating in a nozzle and extending upwardly from the motor chamber through the tubular shell, and impact receiving elements depending into the motor chamber;

f. a drive means in the motor chamber and surrounding the impact receiving elements, the drive means being rotatable in either direction by the circular flow of water in the motor chamber to impact the elements and cause rotation of the top structure;

g. and circularly spaced and relatively adjustable means on said rotor engageable with the water motor base structure for shifting the base structure to divert water flow from one passageway to the other.

6. A part circle sprinkler as defined in claim 5, wherein:

a. a plurality of inlet ports and a plurality of passage pairs are provided.

7. A part circle sprinkler as defined in claim 5, wherein:

a. the water motor base structure includes a cantilever spring mounted for movement in either direction to impart arcuate movement in either direction to the base structure;

b. and the adjustable means includes a sleeve rotatably adjustable on said rotor, a trip finger on said sleeve engageable with the spring to urge the base structure in one direction, and a second trip finger carried by the rotor and engageable with the spring to urge the base structure in the opposite direction; said rotor and sleeve being externally accessible for manual rotation to relatively adjust the trip fingers circumferentially.

8. A part circle sprinkler, comprising:

a. a housing having a motor chamber connected with a water supply;

b. a reversible water motor within the motor chamber;

c. a rotatable discharge stem rotatable in either direction by the water motor, the discharge stem terminating in a nozzle protruding from the housing for discharging water from the motor;

d. a pair of adjustable trip elements within the motor chamber and rotatable with said stem for reversing the water motor, thereby to change the direction of movement of the discharge stem and nozzle;

e. and externally accessible adjusting means including the stem and a relatively rotatable surrounding sleeve to which the trip elements are respectively attached.

9. A part circle sprinkler, comprising:

a. a first body member defining, in part, a rotor chamber and having impact receiving means therein;

b. a rotor received in the chamber for engagement with the impact receiving means to effect rotation of the first body member;

c. a second body member closing the rotor chamber and including a pair of tangentially disposed water supply passages for directing circular flow in either direction within the rotor chamber; the passages converging radially outward to form a pair of contiguous inlets;

d. a housing structure surrounding the body members and including an inlet port;

e. means for oscillating the second body member to present the inlet end of either supply passage to the inlet port to cause water discharging into the rotor chamber to rotate the rotor in either direction for engagement with the impact means thereby to effect corresponding arcuate movement of the body member;

f. and a sprinkler outlet fixed to and arcuately movable with the first body member for receiving water from the rotor chamber.

10. A part circle sprinkler, as defined in claim 9, wherein the oscillating means includes:

a. a pair of trip elements rotatable with said first body member and mounted thereon for relative arcuate adjustment to establish a predetermined arc corresponding to a desired arcuate movement of the sprinkler outlet;

b. and means carried by the second body member engageable by a trip element to shift the water supply channels with respect to the inlet port thereby to effect reversal in the direction of arcuate movement of the sprinkler outlet.

11. A part circle sprinkler, as defined in claim 10, wherein:

a. one of the trip elements is fixed to the first body member and for arcuate movement with the sprinkler outlet whereby the sprinkler outlet defines the position of said trip element;

b. and a means is arcuately adjustable with respect to the first body member and carries the other trip element.

12. A part circle sprinkler, as defined in claim 10, wherein:

a. a tubular stem comprises a portion of the first body member;

b. a sleeve surrounds the tubular stem and is arcuately adjustable relative thereto;

c. the housing structure includes a bearing tube journaling the sleeve and tubular stem;

d. one of the trip elements is fixed with respect to the sprinkler outlet whereby the position of the sprinkler outlet defines the position of said trip element;

e. and the other trip element is fixed to the sleeve for arcuate adjustment with respect to the first trip element.