US2566781A - Spray device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 4, 1951 B. A. TETZLAFF 2,556,78

SPRAY DEVICE LFiled oct. 2 2, 1947 2 sheets-shew: 1

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.ZKTL. @if f la Sept 4, 1951 B. A. TETz-LAFF 2,566,78l

SPRAY DEVICE Y Filed Oct. 22, 1947 2Y Sheets-Sheet 2 f//g/Z.

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Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE senat. nnvlcn Application october 22, 194.7, serial No. 781,459

(c1. zeef-1s) l. Claim. 1

spray devices which are simpler in construction and operation, more economical to manufacture,

simpler to adjust, and more efficient and accurate in performance than prior spray devices in general, and those described in the said Wittek patent in particular.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray device of the character described where `the area sprinkled is sharply and precisely defined.

`A further object of the invention is to provide` a spray 4device of the character described in which a perfect square or a half of that square `may be wetted by the same device by means of an adjustment easily made.`

Certain important objects of the invention lie the novel construction of the adjustable means for converting the sprinkler from producing a square spray pattern to produce a rectangular fpattern comprising one half of the square area.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a spray device which will produce a sharply defined 'rectangular spray pattern.

, `Afurtlier object of the invention is to provide ai sprinkler head in which the water is emitted in a finely divided and uniformly distributed spray and in which the area wetted 4will be unt- .formly saturated.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved formula for the designing of spray heads to produce a uniformly distributed spray of square or rectangular design.

Other objects of the invention lie in the provision of novel fixed spray heads for producing either square or rectangular spray patterns.

With the `foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features ci?A construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed` out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the `structure may be made without departing from `the spritor sacrine any f the advantages 0f the invention.

For the purpose oi facilitating an understanding of this invention, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considcred in connection with the following description, this invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operativi@l and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreelated.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a spray device embodying the new invention, same being shown adjusted to produce a' perfectly square spray pattern.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view'talren through the center of same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same showing the device adjusted to produce a perfectly rectangular spray pattern exactly half the size of that capable of being produced when the condition of the device is as shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing the device adjusted as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical illustration of the pattern of the sprayed area when the sprinkler is adjusted to produce a square pattern.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical illustration of the pattern of the sprayed area when the sprinkler has been adjusted to produce half of the sprayed pattern of Fig. 5, namely, a rectangle;

Fig. 7 is a top elevational view of a fixed sprinkler head adapted to be attachedto a permanent sprinkler system for example, embodying the teachings of theinvention.`

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken through the head shown in Eig. '7 along the line 8e3 as indicated by the arrows. The. appearance ofthe heads which are designed to produce either square or rectangular spray patterns are identical in plan. Fig. 8 illustrates a head intended to produce a perfectly squarespray pattern.

Fig. 9 is a top plan viewsimilar to that of Fig. but with a section taken through the bottom of the spreader capor deflector along the line 9-.-3 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 isa bottom plan view of the spreader cap or deflector used in the head shown in Fig. 8 and adapted to produce a perfectly square spray pattern.

11 is a bottom planview of the spreadercap or denector used to produce a rectangular spray pattern.

Fig; 12 is a side elevational view of the same.

in the Wittek patent above referred to, a rspray device was described` which .could produce a substantially square spray pattern. The sprinkler or 3 spray head was provided with four passages ending in orifices 90 apart and vertically arranged. The water coming through these orifices was directed to impinge on the bottom of a spreader cap or deiiector. The cap was shaped somewhat like a squat, inverted, truncated cone and the water impingedon the slanted sides of the cone. As a result of this impingement, the water from each orifice theoretically spread over the frustoconical member and fanned out in a somewhat triangular segment approximately 120 in extent, or roughly 1/3 of the square area. Since there were four orifices, the water pattern overlapped at each corner by This overlap of pattern caused the water to ily further at each corner since the juncture of theV spray increased the volume in relative ratio of the overlap. Thus a square pattern was formed.

This same general principle is used in the instant invention with certain improvements which will be pointed out hereinafter. y

By reason of the practical application of the above theory set forth in the Wittek pattern a perfectly rectangular pattern was not produced by the described construction. Such a result is possible, however, by means of the construetion of the instant invention.

The reference character 20 designates a base o iron and having a water chamber 2| formed f,

therein. Access to the chamber is had at the side of the base by means of a passageway 22 which is screw threaded at its outer end 23 to receive the threaded ferrule of an ordinary garden hose (not shown). A rubber ring 24 is provided to serve as a gasket when the ferrule is attached.

The base 29 is generally of truncated pyramidal formationV in the embodiment shown, although this is not essential to the invention. The top wall 25 is provided with a plug member 25 comprising a discharge head which is set into the top wall and extends through same to the cham- The plug member 26 is cylindrical in formation and is provided with four circular passageways 21, 28, 29, and 39, equally spaced thereabout and extending therethrough, parallel to the axis of the member 26. Centrally of the plug member 26 there is provided a screw threaded passageway 3| for the accommodation of a machine screw 32 thei head 33 of which holds the deector cap 34 in place over the upper open ends of the passageways 21 to 39. These open 'ends comprise fluid discharge oriflces.

The spreader or defiector cap 34 comprises a dished member of frusto-conical formation hav- Ving a flat bottom surface 35 which overlies the upper end of the plug member 26 and overlaps the upper openings or orices of the passageways 21 to 30. Centrally of the bottom surface 35 there is provided a downwardly extending protuber= ance 36 lwhich is adapted to engage in and be received by a seating recess 31 formed about the upper end of the passageway 3|. The cap 34 is firmly engaged on the end of the member 23 n It is often desirous, in portable sprinkler systems to be able to spray and saturate a section of the lawn immediately adjacent a walk or driveway which is being used. It is required that the lawn properly be wetted `while the driveway remains dry. Naturally the area to be sprayed should be controlled and in the case of the instant invention it can be precisely defined so that the systematic spraying of the terrain can be efficiently accomplished.

On Ithe top of the base 20 there is attached a plate member 39 by means of the screws 4U. The thickness of the plate member 39 is preferably substantially equal to the amount which the member 26 extends above the surface of the wall 25 as indicated at 4|. The plate member 39 is rectangular in formation and is arranged on one side of the member 29, preferably along the same edge of the base 29 having the inlet 22. The outer edge of the plate member 39 is provided with a turned up portion forming a ange 42. A nut 43 is welded to the flange 42 on the inside thereof aligned with an appropriately positioned opening in the flange. A screw 44 having a knurled head 45 is engaged in said nut 43. The inner end of the thumb screw 44 is grooved at 46 and is pinned within the slide block 41 by the pin 48. The plate member 39 has a pair of ears 43' formed thereon, preferably by striking same from the same member as shown, said ears coming up the end walls of the block 41 and overlapping the top surface thereofY whereby they retain and guide same in its sliding movement. An additional pair of lugs 50 will be found advantageous in properly guiding the sliding move- Vment or vthe block.

fined by the cut-away portion 5| and the bottom surface of the spreader cap 34 are identical. The angle at which the water is sprayed as a result of the impingement thereof against the bottom surface of the spreader cap 34 is thus parallel to the angle of the cut-away surface of the block 41 and hence the block need not be spaced a great distance from the spreader cap in order for the spray to clear same in the production of a perfectly square spray pattern.

When the thumb screw 44' is turned to its furthest clockwise extent, the block 41 slides along the plate 39, onto the upper surface of the plug 25, and into engagement with the spreader cap 34. The orifices which comprise the upper ends of the passageways 28, 29, and 30 will be covered by the block 41, the passage 29 being completely covered, and the passages 28 and 30 being only half covered. Thus, the passageway 21 will be completely uncovered and the left halves of the orifices comprising the ends of the passageways 28 and 3!! will 'be uncovered, viewed in Fig. 3. It should be appreciated that by reason of the overlapping portion of the spreader cap 34, as will be hereinafter described, theV normal area of a completely uncovered orifice is less than the cross sectional area of any of the passageways.

it should be noted that the leading edges of the block member 41 are perpendicular to the half as4` shown in Fig. 2, it has been found that the pattern produced by the spray is precisely onehalf of that produced when the block is moved to its fullest open extent. The patternV is shown in Fig. G. The position of the sprinkler is indicated at S. The half of thearea served bythe i `sprinkler which is dry is that half to the side wherethe hose is attached. It is'therefore possible to move the devicewhile same is operating and without danger of getting wet. The advantages of being able to spray aV precise rectangular'pattern to one side of' the sprinkler are believed obvious without further mention.

Where a permanent sprinklingsystem is lnstalled to spray a large area, the invention is highly advantageous since it enables a minimum of spray heads to be used,whi1e a completely uniform saturation is obtained. In such systems the feature of adiustability is not required and hence this invention contemplates the application of the principles to permanent spray heads. The heads which are utilized to produce a square or rectangular pattern are substantially identical with the exception of the deflector cap. Thus in Fig. 7 there is shown the top plan view of aspray head which could be of either type. The reference character 52 designates generally the spray head which includes a shank 53 having ani-internally threaded passage 54 whereby the head'52 may be secured'to a pipe or the like (not shown). A flaredend portion 55 is carried on the shank 53, same being recessed at 55 so that the delector cap may be below the upper surface 51 of the head. This enables the lawn to be mowed without danger of injuring the blades of the mower and causing interference with the sprinkler heads. The base of the recessed portion is fiat as shown at 58 and is provided with four circumferentially arranged orices 59, 50, 8|, and 62 each of which communicates with the passageway 54. Centrally of the base 58 there is provided a circular seating recess 63 arranged to cooperate with the downwardly depending protuberances formed on the spreader caps as will be described. A machine screw 63 is adapted to engage in a centrally positioned tapped opening provided in said head 52 for holding the spreader caps in position.

Two different types oi spreader caps are utilized in connection with the described permanent spray head 52. One is for the production of a perfectly square spray pattern and the other is for the production of a half of said square pattern. In Fig. 10 there is shown a bottom plan view of the spreader cap which is intended for the former purpose. Same is shown installed on the head in Fig. 8. The spreader cap 64 of Figs. l and 8 comprises a member of substantially squat truncated conical formation heretofore described as frusto-conical having the conical spreading surface 55 inverted upon the base 58 so that water ejected through the orifices 59, 6|), 6|, and 52 will be broken into fine mist-like spray. There is provided a central opening B to allow passage of the screw 63', a downwardly depending protuberance 61 to cooperate with the recess 53 in locating and seating said cap 55 on the base 58, and an upper seating recess 58 to accommodate the head of the screw 63'. There is an annular flat portion 69 which is intended to overlap the orifices a given amount as will be described below. The edge defined by the juncture of the surfaceand the surface 69 is'designated 1D, andis represented in broken lines-in Fig. 9 in order Sto show therelation thereof with respect to the oriii'ces for purposes of describing the` improved formula of relative values of the important dimensions of the device.

The spreader cap or deilector 1|, whichris intended to be used with the spray head 52 for the production of a halir of the square pattern, namely a precise rectangle, is shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Same comprises a member of substantially squat truncated conical formation having the conical spreading surface 12, the central opening 13 accommodate the screw 53', the downwardly ex- Ahead of the screw 53'. `Asthus far describedthe cap 1| is identical with the cap 54. In addition, however, there are provided diametrically opposed orifice blocking members 11 and 18 of generally parallelepipedal formation set into the sides of the can 1| andhaving their bottom'surfaces iiush with the surface 15 so as to engage the base 58. These members 11 and 18 are arranged on the center line of the cap 1| as will be noted from Fig. l1, so that when in position upon the head A52, the halves of a pair of diametrically opposed orifices will be effectively covered, exactly as in the case of the portable device inthe condition shown in Fig. 2. In order properly to center the cap 1| so` that the blocking members 11 and 18 are perfectly positioned, a pin 19 is attached to the cap 1| and adapted to enter and block the orifice on the covered side of the members 11 and 18. Thus the pin 19 serves 4a dual purpose.

If for example, the cap 1| is arranged so that the upper halves of the orices 59 and 5| of Fig. 9 are covered, the pin 19 will be engaged Within and blocking the orice 62.

It should be obvious that the reason for the comparatively complicated construction of the cap 1| is to permit the same head 52 to be used with both that cap and cap 64. This is a matter of economy in manufacture. Naturally special heads may be designed in which the construction of the cap to produce the rectangular pattern need not be as complicated. For example, an orifice could be eliminated, in which case means could be provided for centering the cap in other than the manner described.

In order to achieve the fine spray referred to above and to further achieve the formation of the square and half square patterns, certain requirements must be met. The initial volume of water must be of a certain amount, the area of the orifices covered must be a certain amount in relation thereto, and the angle of the cap must be of a certain amount to give the flying water the correct pitch so that it will y the proper distance. If any of these factors are off, the sprinkler will not produce a square (or rectangular) spray pattern. The formulae described in the Wittek patent did not produce as precise and uniform a square as possible in view of the fact that certain factors were not properly adjusted one relative to the other. This resulted in certain limitations which to a considerable extent restricted the size of the sprinkler.

It has been found that the results described herein can readily be obtained by utilizing certain formulae (reference being had for the letters to Fig. 9 and Fig. 8). wherein, O equals the diameter of the orice; C equals the diameter of a circle intersecting the centers of the 'orifices spaced 90 apart; D equals the diameter of the bottom of the deflector cap at the point of intersection of the conical and flatsurfaces, designated 70 in Fig. 9; and A equals the angle of the face of the deector cap relative to the base of the sprinkler head.

These formulae are expressed as follows:

O is any given Value.

C equals four times O.

D equals C, minus one fiftieth of O. A equals 34.

Iforegoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrativepurposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of this invention as deflned in the appended claim. Y

What it is claimed and desired to secure by Let= ters Patent of the United States is:

8 In a spraying device. a base having a top and a uid intake, a discharge head carried upon the top oi the base and including circumferentially A arranged openings, a spreader for spreading the uid discharged from the openings and means for blocking off half of the openings, said means comprising a sliding block member adapted to cover the openings arranged upon the top of the base and movable into complete engagement against said spreader,` a vertically arranged flange upon the top, a thumbscrew threaded in said flange and arranged parallel with the top, the end of the thumbscrew being rotatively mounted in the block member, said block member being slidable reciprocally with rotation of said screw, andears on opposite edges of the top slidably engaging the edges of the block member tov guide the reciprocal sliding movement thereof.

RALPH W, TETZLAFF, CLARENCE Vo. TETZLAFF, LILMAN B. TETZLAFF.

vEnrecuto'rs of the Estate of Beniamzn A. Tetzlaj,

Deceased.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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