AU617132B2 - Irrigation sprinkler - Google Patents

Description

Form COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATEMT WQ 1952,62 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (011L0INAL) FOR OlFlCa USE, 617432 Appticration Number: Pil'rity: Foti~o Art: Class Int, Class A@Jrma bt AppllQant: ActualInhvontorl, Addre3, for W~v1ac TO BE COMPLETED0 BY APPICOANT ,7AML$ 114RIEV tUILI)IWG PPR0tUQCV PW LXMITUD '1129 aiicVeW Coreof .KMADDtEIRN A$ 'O A4S$ 1 345 tiq WWri $t~rcv, AdoX4aidO taeO Sout com~plete $pooItkodUlrh for tho Invention ernttled:, "laIGATION4 Tho foItowlno stteoint 1f, 0 lUll dosoelptlofn d thlo tnventioti, InclIuno the best Method of peormln0 it This invention relates to an irrigation sprinkloe, and1 In pairtioular tQ the typo of irrigation sprinkler known as a miniature sprinkl.er.

Miniature spdinkiers at'e well known, anddue to irigation systemt in place of larger~ and more costly sprinkling systerns. Other advinnaqos of~ such sprinklor.6 tncdudo more 4oourato distrIbution af water, and reduooed IQ. water losses thromgh ovapoiration or wind disruptlon 9 4,Water distribution with such %prinklero is ntal achlovad by havingj a rot~or positlonl over a Jot of water.

The purpose of hert is to rodirocit t1Ae water in sust~nttiyhorizontal, divoctlon, anrd to ra a2.

i~ ditribte he wator throLugh rotjation ofte to I cnventionial sprinkling nytw~ it isQttrlf tmon vlgQVido I t ~nozzle whioh rdiroet-, tho vlatr In an horizontal direction, In Ow tcation with a vane thaV inLtrruLLts 04 ~and redirects the ot of water isutirj Crenx the nozzle(1 2 0# so, an to oaure rotationi (A the nO2,zto) One Ufititty with s3uch a qprinklotr inc.ludilnq the miniaturosrikes is that the open ori~icuo areo easilyV bto k(d nither Water borne debAri.

oore,, it ti comimon In the maiatiro srnl to previdlo a mn Whorob? the* rotoc moves troa a fiArst positioJ~n whlich blooks, Lti wator outletn thocoby proveniting Inn oct or (Ieob r nI r in'jrosc' nd i5' mvabIo to a. scuo nI( position in which the wator noz4les or channals ar oe and allow fr'ee disitributiori off the water,.

Such sprinklors havo a cylindrical sooket ronned above the nozz1lo, and tho rotor is provided with a sterr it~ undrourtace which Is on~a~eabc iti h cylindrical socket to allow votation ot the rotor. Tho upper ffaco of the roQQ has a tiost attached thereoo which is engaojed tn a boelrln~j rnpport ro as to allow rotation of the coto)r t(oj(thec with inovenmnt aionnq tho axts off the roetor, The rfter i:n pvo-vtdedj with a paji- of' Qjhannols whichl de~lecL th(e wiaterj frmni the vertLj 4 hton4directiAon, aridl LhorQ if3 Ir(-dod means- For 4:4: Cmatn to~1 orce on tho rf)otor Which inth 1.prior at nrnkt inclnudo diroctiwq tho waiter issuitngj ,front the Ohannelts to(, a blade that cle)f ~Lea tho watr re Lroim ui thowy oaItrrtrVJ rLtion of t.he erckr When the ,,rnklor i not in usthe roto)r roents1 too*OTI lih upppr end off the cylindricl kt Thin, thereb~ty provontn th Lin os f (1bris.IA or inoects, Upon -applicatton ofE waer)Y Clo)W the, .)et of watUe ifnuitn(J ftron 4 heYo le1 caunvoi the CrAtt tor. mlovu tpwardly there by cyl~drial ockt n asto llo ffroo tI sIuanfce andl flow hl,) ceasedl t he V1,(r aq(lI rolrrnn to t st In prior art miniature sprinkclers using the above arrangement-, such as that. shown in Australa atn App1lioation No 49326/85 in the name of Rubinstein and Australian Patent No 575572 in the name of Rosenberg there is only provided a small clearance between the stem and the~ oy2 4 indr4,cal soc~et. In certain situations, due to the passage of water through the channels and between the Oy1lIndrioal OQO -ot and rotor,, before the rotor has r-Isen, Jt has been observed that the rotor fails to raise* The passage of water through the clearance between the rotor and qylind-710a! PsOkt~ causes a Venturi effect whioh reduo~s the pressure thoroin, and as a result of small clearances between the stem and -the cylindrical soqkoto particularly in the case S where a film of Water I$ betweenI the, clrnc, th watr Spressure wil2l not beO sufficient to vaise the rotov to its 4oprating position, In Aadition, Aoy Wator borne or other debis may wedge within this qeooAnc hrbypentg 4pward. rovemnft of the r-Otors 4444* 4Th~refore, it is 4n, o$jeot of this invention, to povide A mieans Whoroby tho above QrbileMs are overcome.

4 44Xn its broadest formn, the Invention compri~ies a M 3itUrO SPV4kler of the type having a nozzle cotinotale to a Soro o water tinder proesuro haiving anl 4xit bore to '.Produce a e of Water, the Q.d of the nozzlo boing of 68e~ reaietopi xit boro, to define a cylindrical oo~t a rotor In the path Of said Jet of atr and means above and below said rotor for mounting zaid rotor fraxial and rotary Mo'ements with repect to 0aid nozzle 1 wa4d mounting meanz including on the tinderiurtaco of the 3~rptor a Zt *dpening thQereeroiq thAt 14 ceaiVedj in, the Qkc~ri~4 Meo-S cylindr;ical socket having at least one channel formed within the stem that engages the jet of water and directs the Jet of water horizontally or at an angle to the horizontal, the external surface of the stem having At least two first longitudinal portions, diametrically opposed, that have a diameter oubstantially the same as the diameter of the cylindrical sock~et; so as to Allow rotation of the stem within the cylindrical sock~et and to position the centre of the stem over the nozzle, and at least one secjond portion 1O oxtending between said first porttIos that has a diameter that is substantially less -than the dlametel of the cylindrical sockcet so as to pr~ovide olearanoo between said 0C0 second portion of the stem and the cylindrical, socketo And moans on sAid rotor to opqrato in combination with said Jet of water f'ov impar~ting a rotati~onal force oni said rotor,, I" having a stem with a subot'ntially- noo-irular (la~ce~nc ~poied Ibetwoen the 4 stem And -the cyXlndlaoal pooke-t, As a -taiultt there is l8Ss 4, tondefloy fo thin film adhesion to rbotipt UPWAV4 mvelot Q4 tho rotor, 4ad in additiofl variais Wator t1oW or ventoJ.

04eoto therohy ailowinq troo upward movement of~ tho roor Xn addition, there iN A, redio'ed toodoncy for~ d~rij to wiejo OF PCbotwoon tho stetft eAnd the cylindrical aoc1het, Atnd tho additional dwaoo alas the fre flow thorohmk~qh 04 theo Proeovbly, at le~tit two flat Aurado are Poiled on th, ztew aQ fas to provide the nacezzay cltrallo biotWen the smand tho OY firc~ so3 ockpt, ia fther atpoot of this invoation, thoro it provid~d a Pair~ of parallel and spaced pl~anar walls and said channel mieans OOMParises channels between said planar walls, The pair' of channels act to redirect the jet of wAtpr into a pair of oppositely directed horizontal or substantially horizonital streams 4a3d may comnpri~se ,-v~rap~avstat qonverge to an edge at a point where the jet imnpingeo on the Ghannels, vrotoAblyj the means for providinq rotation to the rotor comprises either formnq~ the phAnnol, so as to laterally defleot the jot of wc-tor, or, providing a k 1d or bladi~o the Jotor to rVed Ioqt the flow of wr~ter iminging thereupon so as to oaluoO voQtationT of the rotor, In a~dition, tho mopano for causingj rotation Q4 the IZotor Im&y comptoio a, cQml fat p pq9 koth oh"nne3,s ff~rmocl so as to ltta2l eatth O f .Iy a otPh o P water in conm4,natton With b~lades shaped so asto redirect tho .kw ptQ Water i)1'Pifin~ A (100ritioa of the Vg fel;,ed ernkodillietit followsan the omoinor~ is ilstrated in the ~y n wnsi F ~ig, O hOWO a PArt cobn-ss tional ViqW of the Pig 2 hows a vt v iow of a1 P)irtrt rtr a boly4 which haB an O~eni thtoad ft cor lti~n to CA wilupy pipe oi thke likoe Avn avm itt vho (it each kid~oof thQo body 2, tho ':ivin 4 being~ pationod uo that thoy lio in 3U enqloplan'o Each al.

J,

6 i 3 extends away from the bodye has an vpwairdJy extending poriton, and a portion that extends back towards the centre line of the body 2. The junction of the armns carry a bearing 4. The arms have wedge-shaped qrosssection so as to o~4se minimal rostriction to flow of water past the arm 3.

A liner 7 is inserted ito the body 2, and is provided with an exit bore which forms a nozzle in tho end of the liner 7, The nozzlQ end of, the linor 7 is IQ. enlarged in diameter relative to the exit bore so as to deWine a cylinlrical ooket 9, The rrigjatlon sprinkler 1:3 provided with 4, rotor 6 which a posjt 5 on iht- upper sumrface, It an ato On itS Undorneatih suorface. The beavrng 4 Is provided with ant ape tLru tnto which the post, $5 iocatov and h atom I 1,qi received within the cylinldricalt rno(kft 9,4 Thu, locationl of the roor 6 betweenj the bea-rinq 4 and(.

the Cylinldrioal sokt9ealsthQ rotor to fel ret'lte clia well move inl an axial dlrec(tion vlatiLvo to bothi bearin-mi.

The (,tom~ 10 of the votor 6' have a paitr ofhnnl 11 which are aIrranged( to vodirect the jelt or water iss ui-nq Cromth Ulexit 5ere 8 into two oppoe,.ltn ieto~ h (eharmelan 11 cur~ve Upwardly anld otw-'.dly awlth hanl .hve an1 exit t" sjuch that the water" iseces(, Prm the chanes i asubtatialyh,)rilontal direc.,tion. In thi ebolmetthere ace provided bld~13 which rotor 6, The water leaving the channel axits 12 is directed onto the blades Of~ and the blades 13 are sot at an anglo so as to oause a red~ireot~ion of the water flow issuing from the channel exit 13. This change in direction of water flow results in a rotational force being applied to the rotor 6, The underside osurface 14 of the votor is angled Erom the horizontal so as to establish the trajectory of the water with rccpoqt to the horizontalt when the Water leaves the chainnl exits 12, Tn priorc art devioes (as referred tM above) the stem 0 q 10 as shown in Pig. 2 has a generally cylinrivia l e xtornal siirface ei0the atde of the channels 11, In the rior alrt irriatin srinklers, there has genrerilly been a -malt 444: clearance b etwoen the oxtacnal cylindrical oCcsc the stem 10 ,n the- internal virfaec h yinrclsce 9. In these ccum.stancoes,, the iosuance, of wlater betAween the underneath OUrfCEIC OE the rotor 6 arid the upp end of the cylinidrical ',ockot 9 causeo 'a venturi offect anid a *44 edutie ofpre i aIt th11 topL Of th ylindr,ita nocket 9. Thi reduICtionl In prwssuire In combina-,tion withA a thti p 0 lpfi~m of- wIater being betweeni th stem 10 andT the: rhie t an oeaigPONIttol whenl Water it; L)Llltod tq the ir.l(atioln epint r Idditionl, dobrut! may wedqge Z~ between t0i, Il~n~ rtctn 14a 1 mn v11omont of tOe r(oo 6.

Z-1 r~ The improvements subject of this invention are shown in Figs. 3 and 4, where it will be seen that the stem 10 is provided with a non-circular cross'-setion which in this embodiment results from flat sixrfaoos 15 being provided on the stem 10, As ca4 be seen in Fig. 3 and Viq. 4s the atem cOm~prses A pair of parrallel and pQed planar wall$ 16, the pair of qhanne3,p it beinq formed theekrebtwoe n The ve~tiqla2 edges ot the planar wallo 16fom bearing surfaces whioh are diametripally opposed ana have A diamnotor 4ar't from th, geeion oomp4rin9 the ohanne3,s 11, that is subtantially the same as the dianmeote of the oylindrical 0 ctk ner boarinq OUV44a8 auppQrt the atom 10 for r otation withnte yQii~ral soo et ,'hie a4n Io str o op theefoe treult in th ste located within the cylindrical socket 00 that the k~nife edeo 17o from which the channals 11 divorqej is~ maintain44d diretly over the exit be 8, that eqital qtantitiot of Wa-tpr paso through both the channe]la t1 In this embodiment, the knife oeqo 17 io shtown at an A ang0o in relaion to the panar w411 16 hio reulto in a of the water which paufsag thiaouqh the channe l1 1 Whim joiteral defl i n turn itmptar a rotatln U foro to the roo 6, Tho lateral deecmtio wiithin~ the chanels 11 In Oopbination with tho blAd*es 1$ QQP041ne uQmt vr t tv tho u1ud ei r xtaia AEktvo fEor Qf the I Otor.

A$lthougth this ombodiment MhQWo flt itv 040 #5 be providrd on aah 9We of the mtom 10s It %1k ea lizod tha~t othor prtiX.k Aad OngUV~tO11 Oan b useQd which will result in a reduot~ion oE ro~tao to Upwa,1 Movemeont oIt the rotor 6 Whilo 00h invon~ion haa boon p t-ioitlarily nh1mwn .aOdescribed with $.ormo t-o a ptr~on'ro~i Qrnbox1imont v~ t4huocll it Will bO U~fldOj,'Pjood b)y thQ olilod Itn 1 (JhthaE VatUijq1 clthr modUi(,i dioni and Qha .nejon ma bO o ~de, Lo thq e oI invention feo. tht~ ittI4~ the inventton. dc I1oa1hod abavuo wl~hoILde p,,IrM~nQj exna Lllho spirit an ,icope tLhoru(nLj a in tho acompanyirig cdnim# T oro, It I!,in tmdpid in tho PPnd~d Qia,.ETV3 o ~voet all OUlwh ~i~~~wain n oW~ ithin Lho, tviopo of 1tho1 inlvojntionl an, doririhod.

Claims (1)

1. 4. i Atr spike aocordi to Cltaim who±feirln p~dpi fcanlt opiec~~d apsrao o Otto~ 'ita toto ~o A ain a~14 copnn at i a Jn t o Qth 4 4 i8o rttft tth otr -rto Ntin a~v~w copnn than thanqt i toto xio 7A minit~ur aprin%16 woditq to claimw 6 whvei said, pavo hannt u4r% fomo to airlydfots d U ~T t 8, A mi4niotur'e sprinkler substantiallJy as herenbefore depor~1ibec ith reference to and as illustrated in the Aqcqompanying darawings# thvis 12th day of aune 1991 TAME4S HART2 tIELDENQ PP0DtJUT PTY LIMITED~ ,a K< MADEEh\J ASSOCIATES e~ V q~ V E p L