IL43639A - Self-regulating sprinkler - Google Patents

Description

SELF-REGULATING SPRINKLER The present invention relates to a novel pressure regulator, and also to water sprinklers including the novel pressure regulator.

My copending Patent Application ,42953, filed August 10, 1973 describes a fluid flow control device which may be used as a pressure regulator to regulate the outlet pressure of a fluid line, such as a water line. The present invention is particularly directed to modifications to or improvements in the pressure regulator described in that patent application, which modifications make the regulator particularly useful for water sprinklers, to maintain a substantially uniform water pressure at the outlet of the sprinkler. The present invention is also directed to water sprinklers including the novel pressure regulator.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pressure regulator particularly useful for water sprinklers, comprising: a housing having an nlet and an outlet connected together by an opening; a cylinder fixed to the housing and aligned with said opening at one side thereof; said cylinder, opening and outlet all having a common straight-line axis; a piston movable within the cylinder; biassing means urging the piston outwardly of the cylinder; a disc having an inner surface area substantially the same as the outer surface area of the piston; and a connecting member extending through the opening and connecting the piston at one side of the opening to the disc at the other side of the opening, said connecting member permitting the fluid to flow between the disc and the piston such that the inlet pressure is applied equally to the pisto and disc producing substantially equal of the fluid causes the disc to move towards said opening to reduce the flow therethrough and thereby to lower the outlet fluid pressure.

According to another feature of the invention, the disc is movable within a bore of larger diameter than the disc and the cylinder, and wherein the disc includes a plurality of protuberances projecting outwardly both radially and axially of the disc and engageable with the walls of the bore for guiding the movement of the disc and for limiting one extreme position thereof* When the pressure regulator is Used with water sprinklers, the cross-sectional dimensions of the disc may be the same as or smaller than said opening so that the disc moves into the opening in the other extreme position of the disc; or the cross-sectional dimensions of the disc could be larger than said opening so that the disc seats against the opening in the other extreme position thereof.

According to another aspect of the invention, the housing of the pressure regulator constitutes a part of a water sprinkler head and includes a nozzle in the outlet thereof, the water sprinkler head being rotatably mounted and including an oscillating arm adapted to be impinged by the water Jet issuing from the nozzle for rotating the sprinkler head.

A pressure regulator constructed in accordance with the foregoing features provides a number of Important advantages particularly when used in a water sprinkler. Thus, this arrangement has been found to respond very quickly to pressure changes and thereby to accurately maintain a constant outlet pressure at the sprinkler nozzle. Further, it is less susceptible to becoming blocked by sand or other particles in the water. ft a smooth and uniform movement of the regulating disc with -— respect to the opening.

The disc does not have to shut off the flow of water, and therefore it does not need to seat within the opening nor does it require a sealing ring; rather it needs only move towards and away from the opening to regulate the outlet pressure.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereini Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a water sprinkler constructed in accordance with the invention to include the novel pressure regulator therein; Fig, 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the main elements of the pressure regulator included in the sprinkler of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line III—III of Fig. 2.

The water sprinkler illustrated in the drawings comprises a sprinkler head, generally designated 50, adapted to be rotatably mounted by threaded fastener 52 to a vertical riser connected to a water supply line. The water enters the sprinkler head in the direction of the arrow 52 and exits through outlet nozzle 56, where it impinges an oscillating arm 58. Oscillating arm 58 is spring-urged in one direction by a coil spring 60, and is driven in the opposite direction by the impingement of the water Jet thereon. The arm includes a hammer 62 adapted to hit a stop (not shown) carried on the sprinkler head for rotating the sprinkler in a series of short angular movements with the oscillation of the arm.

Sprinklers of the foregoing type are well known, and therefore further details are not deemed necessary.

Sprinkler head 50 includes a cylindrical extension 64 in line with nozzle 56. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, cylindrical extension 6ft is formed with a bore defining a chamber 66 in which is disposed a rod 68 having an end passing through an opening 70 centrally of the end wall of the cylindrical extension. Opening 70 is preferably of slightly larger diameter than rod 68 so that chamber 66 is always vented to the atmosphere.

Rod 68 carries a piston 72, a sealing disc 74, and a retainer ring 76. A coil spring 78 is interposed between retainer ring 7S and the end wall of cylinder extension 64.

The inlet 80 of the sprinkler head 52 illustrated in Fig. 2 communicates with the outlet nozzle 56 via an opening 82. As shown in Fig. 2, the axis of inlet 80 is at an angle (of about 135 degrees) with respect to the axis of outlet nozzle 56, as well as the axis of cylinder 64. The axis of the cylinder is in a straight line which is common to the axis of opening 82 as well as that of the outlet nozzle 56.

Another rod 64 is attached at one end to the outer surface of piston 72, and the opposite end of rod 84 carries a disc 86. The latter disc is movable within a bore 88 of larger diameter than that of disc 86. Preferably, the diameter of disc 86 is the same as that of opening 82 and of cylinder 64 which simplifies the manufacture of these parts, since they all have a common straight-line the walls of bore Θ8. These protuberances guide the movement of the disc within bore 88, and also limit the movement thereof by engageing an annular shoulder 92 at the end of bore 88 where the latter leads to the outlet nozzle 56.

The inner surface area of disc 86 (i.e. the surface facing piston 72) is substantially the same as the confronting face of piston 72, so that the inlet pressure at inlet 80 is applied equally to the piston and disc, producing substantially equal and opposite forces. On the other hand, coil spring 78 urges piston 72 out of the cylinder 64, disc 86 thereby also being urged (because of its connection 84 to piston 72) away from opening 82 between the inlet 80 and outlet 56 of the sprinkler head.

The outlet pressure of the water is applied to the outer surface of disc 86 (i.e. the surface remote from piston 72 and facing nozzle 56) and acts against spring 78, so that an increase in ·¾½ outlet pressure causes disc 86 to move towards opening 82 to reduce the flow therethrough, and thereby to lower the outlet pressure.

Disc 86 thus senses the outlet pressure and moves towards or away from opening 82 to thereby maintain a substantially uniform outlet pressure.

As indicated earlier, disc 86 is preferably of the same (or smaller) cross-sectional area as opening 82, but it could be of a larger cross-sectional area (i.e. of a larger diameter) than opening 82 since it is not necessary for the disc to seat within the opening but merely to move towards away from the opening in order to regulate the outlet pressure.

Many other variations, modifications and other applications

Claims (5)

P.A. 43639/2 WHAT IS CLAIMED IS ;

1. A pressure-regulated water sprinkler, comprising: a water spr6nkler head having an inlet and an outlet connected together by an opening; a nozzle in said outlet for producing a water jet therefrom; a rotatable mounting for the sprinkler head; an oscillating arm adapted to be impinged by the water jet issuing from the nozzle for rotating the sprinkler head; a cylinder fixed to the head and aligned with said opening at one side thereof; said cylinder, opening and outlet all having a common straight-line axis; a piston movable within the cylinder; biassing means urging the piston outwardly of the cylinder; a disc having an inner surface area substantially the same as the outer surface area of the piston; and a connecting member extending through the opening and connecting the piston at one side of the opening to the disc at the other side of the opening, said connecting member permitting the fluid to flow between the disc and the piston such that the inlet pressure is applied equally to the piston and disc producing substantially equal and opposite forces, whereas the outlet pressure is applied to the outer face of the disc tending to move same towards said opening against the biassing means, whereby an increase in the outlet pressure of the fluid causes the disc to move towards said opening to reduce the flow therethrough to the outlet nozzle.

2. A device according to Claim 1 , wherein said disc is movable within a bore of larger diameter than the disc and the cylinder, and wherein the disc includes a plurality of protuberances projecting outwardly both radially and axially of the disc and engageable with the walls of the bore for guiding the movement of the disc and for limiting one extreme position thereof. P.A. 43639/2

3. A device according to either of Claims 1 or 2, wherein the cross-sectional dimensions of the disc are the same as or smaller than said opening so that the disc moves into the opening in the other extreme position of the disc.

4. A device according to either of Claims 1 or 2, wherein the csoss-sectional dimensions of the disc are larger than said opening so that the diss seats against the opening in the other extreme position thereof.

5. A water sprinkler including a pressure regulator therein substantially as described with refeasice to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.