GB2035024A

GB2035024A - Plant watering system

Info

Publication number: GB2035024A
Application number: GB7939734A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: KIRK DYSON DESIGNS Ltd
Current assignee: KIRK DYSON DESIGNS Ltd
Priority date: 1978-11-17
Filing date: 1979-11-16
Publication date: 1980-06-18
Also published as: GB2035024B

Abstract

A watering system for plants and the like comprises a connector 10 adapted for connection to a liquid supply, the connector having a plurality of outlets 19 each adapted for connection to a distribution tube or hose 23. Each distribution tube 23 may be fitted with one or more feeder tubes 30. The connector includes a flow restrictor device for controlling the flow of liquid to the outlets 19. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plant watering system This invention relates to a watering system for plants, shrubs, trees and the like and which are hereinafter referred to generally as plants.

Conventional sprinkler systems for the watering of plants are usually cumbersome and expensive, and also have the disadvantage that such systems saturate the surface of the soil around the plants driving out oxygen and encrusting the surface of the soil resulting in weeds and the presence of snails.

The present invention sets out to provide an improved watering system which avoids the disadvantages of a sprinkler system by applying water (or other feeding liquid) at a measured rate through feed pipes directly to the roots of the plants. The water system of the invention thus enables the plants to draw the water they need without stress and in a controlled and automatic manner. In addition the soil oxygen levels are maintained, fruit and vegetable yields increase, and weeds are not watered.

The watering system of the invention is furthermore provided in a kit form so as to be assembled in accordance with the particular requirements of a vegetable plot, greenhouse, or other plant location. The invention thereby also provides an assembly kit for the controlled drip watering of plants together with a method of assembly of such a kit.

According to the invention the watering system comprises a kit which includes a connector adapted for connection to a liquid supply, such as a tap or hose, said connector having a plurality of outlets each adapted for connection to a distribution tube or hose, and said connector including a flow restrictor device for controlling the flow of fluid to said outlets. The distribution tubes are made of a suitable material such as a plastics, which can be perforated at selected locations to enable feeder tubes to be fitted, the feeder tubes being each cut to a predetermined length so that their other ends can be inserted in the soil to water the roots of the selected plant.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the connector includes also a filter and an anti-syphon device to prevent back flow of water through the connector.

The invention also provides a method of assembly of the kit forming the watering system, which method comprises the steps of attaching one or more distribution tubes each to an outlet tube of a connector, plugging the outlet tubes not required, puncturing the distribution tubes at desired locations with a suitable tool to form apertures therein, cutting predetermined lengths of a feeder tube, inserting one end of each feeder tube in the corresponding aperture of an associated distribution tube, and then inserting the other end of each of the feeder tubes in the soil adjacent the root of the selected plant to be watered.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood the preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a watering system showing in particular the method of assembly for the watering of selected plants, Figure 2 is an end view of the flow control valve of the connector showing the internal end portions of the outlets within the connector, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled connector as taken on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2.

The preferred embodiment of the drip watering system of the invention comprises a kit which is adapted for assembly to suit particular requirements for the watering or other liquid feeding of plants.

As shown in the drawings the kit comprises a connector 10 which consists of two parts, a female part 11 and a male part 12, which are threadably connected together to form therein an internal chamber 1 3. The part 11 has an extension 14 formed with a central supply bore 1 5 and the extension 1 4 is adapted for connection to a liquid supply source, such as a tap, by means of a hose 1 6 connected to the connector 10 by means of a hose end unit 17.

The other part 1 2 of the connector provides a flow control valve and is formed with an external thread 1 8 for connection to the first part 11 of the connector 10 and is also formed integrally with a plurality, for example four, outlet tubes 1 9 which extend therefrom parallel to each other and which are grouped around the longitudinal axis of the connector.

The outlet tubes 1 9 project also internally of the part 1 2 of the connector into the chamber 1 3 and their internal ends 1 9a in the chamber 1 3 provide a seating surace for a disc 20 which loosely fits within the mouth of the part 20 and which acts as a flow restrictor device.

The internal ends 1 9a of the outlet tubes 1 9 are located in the same transverse plane of the connector and are each so formed that around half their periphery the end surface is inclined. The inclined end surfaces may be located so that they are directed towards the central longitudinal axis of the connector, but as shown in Fig. 2 the internal ends 19a of the tubes 1 9 are preferably shaped so that the inclined surfaces 1 9b of the end of one pair of tubes are directed towards the inclined surfaces 1 9c of the other pair of tubes. An axially directed slot 21 is cut in the wall of each tube 1 9 centrally of the inclined surface, i.e. approximately at the lowermost point of the inclined surfaces.

The arrangement as described above is such that the disc 20 when positioned in the chamber 1 3 acts as a flow restrictor, water passing through a small gap 22 around its periphery and then around the internal ends 1 9a of the tubes 1 9 to enter the tubes through the gap provided by the inclined surfaces 19b, 1 9c and the axially directed slots 21. Variations in the water pressure can therefore be accommodated by flexure of the resilient disc 20 on to the inclined surfaces 19b, 1 9c which thus controls the water supply to maintain a constant flow rate through the outlet tubes 1 9. The rate of water flow through the outlet tubes 1 9 is determined by the axial length of the slots 21.The water flow can therefore be restricted to a predetermined rate by varying the length of the slots 21 which can be pre-set at the time of manufacture. Different connectors 10 can therefore be produced to provide different flow rates through the outlet tubes 19, for example a rate of 20 gallons or 40 gallons an hour.

The outlet tubes 1 9 are each adapted for connection to distributor tubes 23 as will be described, but to prevent a reverse flow through the outlet tubes 1 9 from the distribution tubes 23 the connector 10 is formed with an anti-syphon device which consists of a central tube 24 having a hole of small bore and which communicates with the atmosphere and also with the chamber 1 3 adjacent the internal ends 1 9a of the outlet tubes 19. In the event of back-flow the lifting of the disc 20 from its seating on the internal ends 1 9a of the outlet tubes 1 9 permits the ingress of air to prevent syphoning.It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the central tube 24 providing the anti-syphon device extends into the chamber 13 so that its mouth portion is slightly proud of the surrounding end surfaces of the inner ends 1 9a of the outlet tubes 1 9 thus providing a positive seal under normal operating conditions of the system.

The connector 10 is preferably provided also with a filter disc 25 which is located at the base of the part 11 between two sealing rings 26 and which is held in this position when the two parts of the connector are fitted together as shown in Fig. 3.

The external surfaces of the outlet tubes 1 9 are formed with a circumferential ridge or projection 27 so as to provide for the positive attachment of the distributor tubes 23.

The distributor tubes 23 are each of a predetermined length, for example 50 or 100 feet and are each made from a flexible plastics. The tubes 23 are laid or positioned as required (see Fig. 1) and apertures 28 are made in the tubes 23 at desired positions adjacent selected parts 29 by means of a suitable pointed tool. The distributor tubes 23 are punctured by the tool and the apertures 28 thus formed provide supply holes for the fitting of individual feeder tubes 30 for each selected plant. The feeder tubes 30 are of relatively small bore and a desired length is cut, one end 30a of the feeder tube being inserted in the corresponding aperture 28 in the distributor tube 23 and the other end 30b of the feeder tube 30 being inserted in the soil so that the outlet end 30c is adjacent the root 29a of the selected plant.In order to facilitate the insertion of the end 30a of a feeder tube 30 into the corresponding aperture 28 in the distribution tube 23 the feeder tube is preferably cut at an angle.

Following the assembly and installation of the watering system in a vegetable plot, greenhouse or other installation the only labour then required is the provision of the water or other liquid supply. The system is easy to assemble and the system operates automatically to provide a controlled automatic drip supply directly to the roots of the selected plants. The surface of the surrounding soil is not effected and weeds are therefore not watered which results in better crops as compared with a conventional sprinkler system.

The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a kit which includes also end plugs 31 which are also used for closing one or more of the outlet tubes 1 9 of the connector 10 when the maximum number of distribution tubes 23 are not required. Couplers 32 are also provided to extend the length of a distribution tube 23. Finally the kit includes small plugs (not shown) for closing unwanted apertures 28 in the distribution tubing 23 when the system is being arranged to suit a different location of plants.

Claims

1. A watering system comprising a connector adapted for connection to a liquid supply, said connector having a plurality of outlets each adapted for connection to a distribution tube or hose, and said connector including a flow restrictor device for controlling the flow of liquid to said outlets.

2. A watering system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connector includes an internal chamber and said outlets comprise tubes extending into said chamber, and wherein the flow restrictor device controls the internal inlet ends of said outlet tubes in said chamber.

3. A watering system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said flow restrictor device comprises a disc engageable with the inner ends of said outlet tubes in said chamber, and wherein the inner ends of said outlet tubes are each formed with an axial slot extending from their end surface.

4. A watering system as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the inner end surfaces of said outlet tubes are partially inclined and said slots are located in that portion of the wall section of said tubes having said inclined end surfaces.

5. A watering system as claimed in any preceeding claim, wherein a filter is located in the chamber of said connector upstream of said flow restrictor device.

6. A watering system as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims having an antisyphon device comprising a tube communicating with the atmosphere and extending into the chamber of said connector, the inner end of said tube abutting said disc of the flow restrictor device.

7. A watering system as claimed in any preceeding claim having a distribution tube fitted to the external end of one or more of the outlet tubes, each distribution tube being fitted with one or more feeder tubes.

8 A watering system substantially as described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of assembly of a kit to form a watering system, said method comprising the steps of attaching one or more distribution tubes each to an outlet tube of a connector, plugging the outlet tubes not required, puncturing the distribution tubes at desired locations with a suitable tool to form apertures therein, cutting predetermined lengths of a feeder tube, inserting one end of each feeder tube in a corresponding aperture of an associated distribution tube, and then inserting the other end of each of the feeder tubes in the soil adjacent the roots of the selected plant to be watered.

1 0. A method of assembling a system for the watering of plants, said method comprising the steps of attaching a connector having a plurality of outlets to a liquid supply, fitting said connector with a flow restrictor device for controlling the flow of liquid through said connector to said plurality of outlets, attaching distribution tubes to one or more of said outlets, perforating said distribution tubes as selected locations, and fitting therein feeder tubes of a predetermined length to water selected plants.

11. A method of assembling a water system for the controlled drip watering of plants substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.