IL79296A - Water sprinkler including self-cleaning switching nozzle - Google Patents

Description

PA 79296/3 WATER SPRINKLER INCLUDING SELF-CLEANING SWITCHING NOZZLE WATER SPRINKLER INCLUDING SELF-CLEANING SWITCHING NOZZLE The present invention relates to liquid dispensing devices particularly useful in water sprinklers. While the liquid dispensing device of the present application may have other uses, it is intended primarily for use as a water sprinkler, and is therefore described below with respect to this application.

A large number of different types of water sprinklers are now in use for irrigating crops. Such sprinklers are commonly used with poor grades of irrigating water, namely water which contains a relatively high quantity of dirt or other foreign particles which tend to clog the sprinkler, and which, therefore, require frequent cleaning of the sprinkler. In most sprinklers, cleaning them of clogging particles requires the sprinkler to at least be partially disassembled in order to provide access to the clogged parts, which may then be flushed or otherwise cleaned. However, disassembling the sprinkler and reassembling it is both time-consuming and labor-consuming.

In addition, most sprinklers are designed for one particular output, so that changing the output for a particular application usually requires replacing the sprinkler for another one of the desired output.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flow dispensing device, and particularly a water sprinkler, having advantages in the above respects .

According to the present invention, there is provided a water sprinkler, comprising a body member having an inlet end connectible to a source of pressurized water and a nozzle carried by the body member and having an inlet communicating with the source of pressurized water, and an outlet throat for discharging the pressurized water therethrough in the form of a jet; the nozzle being rotatably mounted in the body member from an operative position wherein its inlet faces the source of pressurized water for discharging the water through its outlet throat, to a self-cleaning position wherein its outlet throat faces the source of pressurized water for flushing out clogging particles through the nozzle inlet; characterized in that the cylindrical nozzle is formed with a bore diametrically through it and having a conical section at one side leading to a cylindrical section at the other side, the conical section of the bore defining the nozzle inlet which is of conical configuration decreases in diameter from the inlet end - 2a - of the body member to the outlet throat; the cylindrical section of the bore having a length at least equal to its diameter to define the outlet throat having a length sufficient to prevent clogging partieles in the water from penetrating completely therethrough where they may interfere with the rotation of the nozzle.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention described below, the nozzle includes a handle projecting through the body member to facilitate rotating it to either its operative or self-cleaning position .

According to a further important feature in the preferred embodiment of the invention described below, the nozzle is of cylindrical configuration and is rotatable about its longitudinal axis; in addition, the cylindrical nozzle is removably received within a cylindrical bore formed in the body member, permitting its removal from the side for repair or replacement purposes .

As will be clearly apparent from the description below, and water sprinklers constructed in accordance with the foregoing features provide a number of important advantages. Thus, the nozzle may be easily and quickly cleaned of clogging particles by merely rotating the nozzle from its normal operative position to its self-cleaning position wherein its outlet orifice faces the source of pressurized fluid, whereupon the clogging particles would be flushed out throught the nozzle inlet. Disassembling this sprinkler for cleaning it, and then reassembling it, are thereby obviated, saving the user considerable time and labor. In addition, the water sprinkler may be easily and quickly converted to one having a different output by merely removing the cylindrical nozzle from the side and inserting another cylindrical nozzle having the desired output. Not only does this save the user considerable time and labor, but also substantially reduces the inventory required since only a stock of different-size nozzles need be maintainted in the inventory .

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

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating one form of water sprinkler constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, along lines II—II, of Fig 1; Fig. 3a is a fragmentary view illustrating the nozzle of the sprinkler of Figs. 1 and 2 in its normal operative position but clogged by a foreign particle in the irrigating water; and Fig. 3b is a view similar to that of Fig. 3A but illustrating the nozzle after it has been rotated 180 degrees to its self-cleaning position in order to flush out the clogging particle through the nozzle inlet .

The water sprinkler illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a body member or sprinkler head 2 of generally cylindrical construction and having an inlet end 4 connectable to a source of pressurized liquid via a tube 6. A nozzle 8 is disposed within the sprinkler head 2 and has an inlet end 10 normally facing the inlet end 4 of the sprinkler head, and an outlet throat 12 for discharging the water in the form of a jet.

Inlet end 10 of nozzle 8 is of conical configuration, decreasing in diameter from the inlet end 10 of the nozzle to its outlet orifice 12 through which the water is discharged in the form of a jet.

The illustrated sprinkler further includes a distributor 14 located to receive the jet from the nozzle outlet throat 12 and to distribute the water laterally around the sprinkler head 2.

Distributor 14 is preferably the construction described in copending Patent Application No.79297 filed the same date as the present application. It includes a rotor 16 formed with a stem 18 at its lower end receivable within a socket 20 in the sprinkler head 2, and another stem 22 at its opposite end receivable within a socket 24 formed in arm 26 of a bridge 28 integrally formed with, or otherwise secured to, the sprinkler head 2. Rotor stem 18 is formed with an axially-extending groove 30 merging with a curved radially extending groove 32 formed in the under face of the rotor 14. The axially-extending groove 30 is aligned with the outlet throat 12 of nozzle 8 so as to receive the axial jet discharged from that throat and to guide the jet to groove 32 formed in the underface of rotor 14 which deflects the jet laterally of the sprinkler head. The jet rotates rotor 14 which thereby distributes the water laterally around the sprinkler head .

Nozzle 8 in the sprinkler head 2 is of cylindrical configuration and is received within a cylindrical bore 33 formed through the sprinkler head. The ends of nozzle 8 project through the bore so as to extend laterally past the oppposite faces of the sprinkler head 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. One projecting end of nozzle 8 carries a handle 34 extending externally of the sprinkler head so as to be accessible to the user. Handle 34 may thus be conveniently engaged by the user's hand to rotate the nozzle 8 to either the position illustrated in Fig. 3a, wherein the conical inlet end 10 of the nozzle faces the inlet end 4 of the sprinkler head, or to the position illustrated in Fig 3b, wherein the outlet throat 12 of the nozzle faces the inlet end 4 of the sprinkler head.

The nozzle position illustrated in Fig. 3A is the normal operative position of the nozzle. In this position the water from supply tube 6 is directed by the conical inlet end 1 0 of the nozzle to the outlet throat 1 2 where the water exits in the form a jet into the axially-extending groove 30 formed in the rotor stem 1 8 . The jet is then deflected laterally of the sprinkler head by groove 32 formed in the underface of rotor 1 4 , thereby rotating the rotor to distribute the water laterally around the sprinkler head.

Should a clogging particle, as indicated by particle 40 in Fig. 3a , enter the nozzle and clog it, the nozzle may be rotated 1 80 degrees to the self-cleaning position illustrated in Fig. 3b . The length of the throat 1 2 is sufficient so as to prevent the clogging particle from penetrating completely through the throat where it may interfere with the rotation of the nozzle. In the rotated position, the outlet throat 1 2 of the nozzle now faces the inlet end 4 of the sprinkler head, so that the pressurized water introduced into the sprinkler head via supply pipe 6 flushes out the clogging particle 40 through the nozzle inlet 1 0 .

Thus, for normal operation of the sprinkler, the nozzle 8 would be in the position illustrated in Fig. 3a , but whenever the nozzle may become clogged by solid particles in the water, the clogging particles may be easily and quickly flushed out by merely manipulating handle 34 to rotate the nozzle to its Fig. 3b position. Once the clogging particles have been flushed out, the nozzle may then be rotated to its normal operative position illustrated in Fig. 3a by merely manipulating handle 34 back to its normal position.

Should it be desired to remove nozzle 8 for repair or replacement purposes, this may be easily done by merely pushing it out from its cylindrical bore 33 in the sprinkler head 2. The nozzle, after repaired or another replacement nozzle may then be reintroduced from the side by merely inserting it into the cylindrical bore 33 of the sprinkler head.

It will thus be seen that the nozzle 8 in the sprinkler head 2 may be easily and simply cleaned of clogging particles by merely rotating it from its Fig. 3a position to its 3b position to flush the clogging particles out of its outlet throat 12, without disassembling the sprinkler, thereby providing substantial savings in time for cleaning the sprinkler head. It will also be appreciated that the nozzle may be conveniently removed for repair or replacement purposes by merely pushing it out of its cylindrical bore, without requiring any further disassembly of the sprinkler head, thereby also providing substantial savings in time for repairing the sprinkler head. In addition, the sprinkler may be conveniently converted from one rate to another by merely removing its nozzle 8 from the side and reintroducing another nozzle of the desired rate, thereby providing substantial saving in the inventory of sprinklers and parts required by the user.

While the invention has been described with respect to a sprinkler head of the rotor-type distributor, it will be appreciated that this embodiment is set forth purely for purposes of example, and that many other variations, modifications and applications of the invention may be made.

Claims (5)

1. PA 79296/3 - 10 - WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A water sprinkler comprising a body member having an inlet end connectible to a source of pressurized water and a nozzle carried by said body member and having an inlet communicating with said source of pressurized water, and an outlet throat for discharging the pressurized water therethrough in the form of a jet; said nozzle being rotatably mounted in said body member from an operative position wherein its inlet faces said source of pressurized water for discharging the water through its outlet throat, to a self-cleaning position wherein its outlet throat faces said source of pressurized water for flushing out clogging particles through the nozzle inlet; characterized in that said cylindrical nozzle is formed with a bore diametrically through it and having a conical section at one side leading to a cylindrical section at the other side, said conical section of the bore defining said nozzle inlet which is of conical configuration decreases in diameter from the inlet end of the body member to the outlet throat; said cylindrical section of the bore having a length at least equal to its diameter to define said outlet throat having a length sufficient to prevent clogging particles in the water from penetrating completely therethrough where they may interfere with said rotation of the nozzle.

2. The device according to Claim 1, wherein said nozzle includes a handle projecting through said body member to facilitate rotating it to either its operative or self-cleaning position.

3. The device according to either of Claims 1 or 2, wherein said nozzle is of cylindrical - 11 - configuration and is rotatable about its longitudinal axis .

4. The device according to Claim 3, wherein said cylindrical nozzle is removably received within a cylindrical bore formed in said body member, permitting its removal from the side for repair or replacement purposes .

5. The device according to any one of Claims 1-4, further including a distributor located to receive the jet from the nozzle outlet orifice and to distribute the liquid laterally around the body member. 7. A water sprinkler substantially as described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. rney Tel-Aviv 61230