US2914255A

US2914255A - Lawn sprinkler

Info

Publication number: US2914255A
Application number: US575881A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jepson Ivar
Original assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Current assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Priority date: 1956-04-03
Filing date: 1956-04-03
Publication date: 1959-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1976-11-24

Description

I. JEPSON LAWN SPRINKLER Nov. 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 3. 1956 INVEETV'VOR. 1m $6076 VIII/ll i In Nov. 24, 1959 JEPSON 2,914,255

LAWN SPRINKLER Filed April 3, 195a s Sheets-Sheet 2 11111111!!! I II 1 [III IIIIIII I INVENTOR.

Nbv. 24, 1959 I. JEPSON 2,914,255

LAWN SPRINKLER Filed April 3, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v LAWN SPRINKLER Ivar Jepson, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of lilmois Application April 3, 1956, Serial No. 575,881

12 Claims. (Cl. 239-242) This-invention relates generally to lawn sprinklers and more particularly to oscillating lawn sprinklers of the type employing a horizontally disposed spray tube which is oscillated about its axis.

Lawn sprinklers having mechanical means for cyclically varying the direction of the water spray produced thereby may be divided into the two broad categories of oscillating sprinklers and rotating sprinklers. There are certain advantages and disadvantages associated with each category which may make one or the other type of sprinkler more suitable to a particular installation or application. The oscillating type sprinkler is provided with a horizontally extending spray tube which is adapted to 'be oscillated about its longitudinal axis. The tube is formed with longitudinally spaced spray orifices or nozzles which produce diverging streams of water which lie in a plane coincident with the axis of the spray tube. The Width of the spray area covered by an oscillating sprinkler may be varied by changing the angle through which the spray tube oscillates. area is determined primarily by the divergence of the spray nozzles but may be varied to some extent by changing the rate of flow to the spray tube.

On the other hand, the rotary type 'of sprinkler employs oneor more spray nozzles which rotate about a vertical axis and direct the water spray outwardly from this vertical .axis/ The rotary type sprinkler, therefore, covers a circular area, the size of which may be varied by changing the angleof the nozzles relative to the vertical axis of rotation. Because of the structural and functional features described above, the oscillating type sprinkler is best suited to the sprinkling of square or rectangular areas.

The location of the spray area relative to the oscillating sprinkler may be displaced or centered on the sprinkler depending on the adjustment of the spray tube and its oscillating driving arm. In contrast, the circular spray area of the rotating sprinkler is always centered on the sprinkler. The oscillating sprinkler is, therefore, often most desirable when it is necessary to place the sprinkler on the edge of the spray area so that new grass, flowers or the like will not be damaged in traversing the spray area to position the sprinkler.

Most of the oscillating sprinklers in use today are characterized by the fact that they have separate water impulsemotors to drive the spray tube. The rather complex drive structure of the impulse motor creates numerous problemswhich are not present in the rotating or revolving sprinklers wherein the reaction force at the spray nozzle is employed to rotate the spray tube.

Conventionally, the oscillating type sprinkler comprises a housing from which the spray tube extends and is provided with a hose connection by means of which a garden hose is attached to the housing for supplying water to the sprinkler. The sprinkler housing serves as a conduit to deliver the water received at the hose connection to the oscillating spray tube where it is discharged through The length of the spray I ,2 the diverging spraynozzles to cover the rectangular area as described above. The'impulse motor which provides the oscillatory drive for the spray tube is designed to utilize as a driving force at least a portion of the water flowing through the housing to the spray tube. To so utilizethis water flow, thedrive means of the impulse motor is conveniently positioned in the housing'adjacent to the water input or hose connection of the sprinkler. Impulse motors of the type found in oscillating sprinklers normally employ as a driving means, a toothed or bladed impeller wheel designed to rotate at-relatively high speed by virtue of a water jet directed upon the teeth or blades of the wheel. v the spray tube at fairly low velocities, means must be provided to convert the high speed rotary motion of the impeller wheel to the relatively low speed oscillatory motion desired to be imparted to the spray tube. V

This reduction is conventionally accomplished through a series-of gears or worms and gears. Many of the early pr-ior art sprinklers were designed with this reduc tion gearing positioned outside'of the sprinkler housing in either an exposed location or enclosed within aseparate gear housing spaced from thesprinkler housing! In that the gearing must be adapted to connect the rotating impeller to the means-for oscillating the spray tube, it is most convenient and economical to locatethe' gearing as close as possible to the impeller and the spray tube. The early prior art sprinklers described above were bulky and expensive in construction due to the position-'-' ing of the reduction gearing outside er the sprinkler housing. These early designs represented'an awkwardsolution to the problem of maintaining the gearing out of contact with the Water driving the impulse motor. To insureprolonged life and trouble-freeservice of an oscillating sprinkler, somepractical means must be devised to present the water associated with the impeller wheel and the spray tube from contacting the fairly intricate gearing mechanism of the impulse motor. 5

The commercial oscillating sprinklers now on the market embody designs which have little or no means provided to prevent the water supplied to the sprinkler from contacting and thereby corroding the reduction gearing. In the interests of economy, the gearing has been placed inside the sprinkler housing so that it may be as close as possible to the impeller and to the spray tube. No

means has been devised in these prior art sprinklers to seal the reduction gearing from the water driving the impulse wheel at the same time taking advantage of the economies of enclosing the gearingand impeller wheel in one unitary sprinkler housing. Experimentation and testing has disclosed that it suitable protective means are not provided, rust and corrosion soon renders the impulse motor inoperative.

Tests have also shown that a frequent source of malfunction in the prior art oscillating sprinkler is corrosion in the spray tube orifices or nozzles. The oscillating type sprinkler employs a fairly large number of small spray orifices in order that good water distribution may be achieved. If the diameter of the orifices were increased and the number decreased, the spray would have a greatcr'tendency to erode the ground and would not properly soak the entire area being sprinkled. However, the small size of the orifices creates a problem as to small amounts of corrosion obstructing the flow therethrough. Aluminum has been found to be the most desirable material from which to fabricate the spray tube except from the standpoint of this corrosion problem. Many manufacturers have found it necessary to employ stainless steel nozzles which are inserted into the alu minum spray tube. It would be desirable therefore if a unitary spray tube could be devised which would not Patented Nov. 24, 1959 Inasmuch as it is desirable to oscillate be subject to nozzle corrosion but at the same time would not require separate insert nozzles.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved. sprinkler design wherein theimpulse motor'gearing is positioned in a sealed chamber separate from the conduit portion through which water is supplied to the spray tube.

It is another object of'this invention to provide a simplified sprinkler design wherein a one-piece housing member and a support member define two sealed chamberswithin one of'which the sprinkler drive gearing is located.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a simplified construction for an oscillating sprinkler wherein only two structural members are required to enclose the sprinkler drive mechanism and to support the spray tube for oscillatory movement.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a leak-proof bearingwhereby a rotatably supported shaft may extend between a fluid containing chamber and a moisture free chamber without any leakage occuring from one chamber to the other.

It is a further object of thisinvention to provide a simplified method of making a spray tube having integral spray nozzles formed therein.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

'For a better understanding of the present invention,

reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the sprinkler of Fig. 1 with the drive housing and mechanism shown in section and a portion of the spray tube and support cut away; i

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along 'line 3'3 of Fig. 2 assuming that Fig. 2 shows a complete structure;

Fig. 4 is a sectional .View taken along line 44 of Fig. 2 assuming that Fig. 2 shows the complete structure;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view-taken along line 55 of Fig. 2 assuming that Fig. 2 shows a complete structure;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the drive housing and mechanism of the sprinkler embodying the presentinventionj Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8'-8 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view taken along'line 99 of Fig. 2 assumingthat Fig. 2 shows the complete structure.

The present invention is concerned with an oscillating sprinkler of the type wherein the water supplied to the sprinkler is directed through a nozzle and impinges as a relatively high velocity jet on an impulse wheel which, through a gear reducing mechanism, drives a crank means which is operatively connected to effect oscillation of a spray tube. The present invention involves the use of a one-piece gear housing and a one-piece'base assembled to provide a pair of sealed chambers in which the drive mechanism is positioned and a pair of supports for the oscillating spray tube. The housing member is of inverted cup shape and cooperates with a horizontal portion of the base member to form the above mentioned sealed chambers. The shafts and gearing associated with the impulse motor are all carried by bearings mounted either in the walls of the housing member or in the base member. In order that the rotation of the impeller wheel may be transmitted to the reduction gearing, the impeller wheel shaft extends through the wall which divides the housing member into twosealed chambers. A tvvo p art bearing mounted in the dividing wall supports the peller ivheel shaft and prevents leakage bet ween the chain- Fig. 1 is a side perspective of a sprinkler embodying her in which the impeller wheel is located and the chamber housing the reduction gearing mechanism.

It should be understood that the present invention is of general application and the specific disclosure with respect to an oscillating sprinkler is by way of example only. In the particular application illustrated in the drawings, there is disclosed an oscillating sprinkler indicated generally by the numeral 12. The sprinkler comprises a base or support member 13 of generally L-shaped configuration having a pair of horizontally extending runners 13a and a vertically extending leg 13]) which leg serves to support one end of a spray tube 23. At the end of the base 13 most distant from the spray tube support leg 13b, there is provided a support plate 13c which connects the upper portions of the runners 13a. Mounted on the support plate is a motor housing 14 which is of a generally inverted cup shaped configuration and is provided with water inlet and outlet openings as will be explained. "The 'side walls of the housing abut'the support plate 1 3c'so' that the latter supports the housing 14 in'horizontal spaced relation to the spray tube support leg 13b. The housing 14' serves to enclose the impulse motor and to define conduit means through which water is supplied to the spray tube. There are two chambers and a water conduit passageway defined by the housing member. One of the chambers contains the reduction gearing for the impulse motor. The other chamber contains the impeller Wheel of the impulse motor. The chamber containing the impeller is formed with an inlet opening and is in communication with the water conduit passageway. The housing supports one erid of the spray tube in the water passageway with the other end extending horizontally outwardly from the housing. The housing thus serves as a conduit means whereby water fiows through the impeller chamber and the water passageway to the spray tube Without contacting the gear reduction portion of the impulse motor which is contained in a separate portion of the housing. i

The motor housing 14 is provided with a pair of up wardly extending recesses 15 and 16. The recess 15, when sealed by the support plate 130, is considered to be the impulse chamber since it is the portion of the housing which contains the impeller wheel. An opening 14:: provided in the end wall of housing 14 is threaded to receive a suitable hose coupling 18. The hose coupling 18 retains a nylon nozzle member 20 in positionin the opening 14a. As can be readily observed in Fig. 9, the' nozzle 20 is fabricated with an annular flange 20a by means of which it is held between the hose coupling 18 and the side wall of housing 14. Extending outwardly and at an angle to the flange 26a is an elongated orifice 20b which directs a jet or stream of incoming water against an impeller 21. The nozzle also contains a wall or web portion .200 on its inner face which serves as a key or locating member. The key 20c cooperates with a keyway or slot on the housing 14 to accurately position the nozzle 20. i

The impeller 21 is mounted within impulse chamber 15 adjacent nozzle 2%. The impeller 21 is'formed with a plurality of angularly disposed blades 21a positioned around its periphery to provide torque when impinged upon by the water jet or stream entering impulse chairiber 15 through the nozzle orifice 20b. v The water, after passing through the nozzle orifice 20 and the chamber 15, flows through a water passageway 22 formed in the housing 14 into the spray tube 23, one end of which is pivotally supported in the housing 14. Thus, the impulse chamber 15 and the water passageway 22 act as a conduit formed in the housing member 14 through which the input water passes from the hose coupling 18 to the spray tube 23. The impeller 21 is mounted for rotation on a horizontally disposed shaft 24 which extends into the impulse chamber 15. With the impeller 21"so mounted, the water stream entering through the nozzle '26 and the nozzle orifice 20b impinges upon the blades 21ato cause rotation of the impeller and the impeller shaft 24. The rotation of the shaft 24 is transmitted through a gear reducing means to an output shaft 33 which is operatively connected to the spray tube 23 by crank means which provide the desired oscillatory motion of the spray tube.

The impeller shaft 24 has an end portion 24a of reduced diameter which is threaded to receive an impeller assembly sleeve 25. The center of the impeller 21.has a hole 21b formed therein to receive the sleeve 25. The impeller assembly sleeve 25 is provided with a peripheral flange 25a which serves to support the impeller 21. The periphery of the sleeve 25 is ring staked at 25b to retain the impeller in assembled relation against the flange 25:: on the. sleeve 25. To prevent leakage of water from the impulse chamber 15 along the shaft 24 into the recess 16, a gasket member 26. is gripped between the sleeve 25 and a bearing 34 which rotatably supports impeller shaft 24. 1

The recess 16 in the housing member 14 is positioned immediately adjacent the impulse chamber 15 and when sealed by the support plate 13c may be termed the drive chamber. In this manner the reduction gearing mechanism of the impulse motor is enclosed in a moisture-free chamber. A gasket member 27 is positioned between the support plate 130 and the bottom wall portions of housing member 14 in order to provide a good moisture seal for the drive chamber 16 and to prevent leakage from impulse chamber 15. A plurality of screws 28 are employed to intimately assemble the housing 14, the

gasket 27 and the support plate 13c. v

The instant invention is concerned in part with the detail below. A worm gear 31 is positioned on transmission shaft 30 for operative engagement with the worm 24b.- The gear 31 is preferably formed of nylon and is fixed to shaft 30 by means of a taper pin 31' or, other suitable means.

A portion of the transmission shaft 30 below the gear 31 is provided with a worm 30a cut directly into the shaft 30. To complete the gear reduction, a nylon gear 32 is provided for engagement with the worm 30a. The gear 32 is secured by means of a taper pin 32 or set screw to an output or crank shaft 33 which extends outside of the housing 14 and has a crank arm 33a formed thereon by bending the end of the shaft at 33b as canbe seen in Figs. 2 and 7. The crank arm 33a provides the oscillatory movement for the spray tube 23 as explained below.

The impeller shaft 24, in addition to being journalled in the bearings 34 is also supported in bearing cup 37' mounted in the outside wall of housing 14. In order that the impeller shaft 24 may be inserted into the simplified cup-shaped housing 14, it is necessary that a re-" simplified manner in which the water impulse motor is I mounted within the housing 14 with the gearing parts thereof sealed against the entrance of water from either impulse chamber 15 orwater passage 22. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the impeller shaft 24 extends between the impulse chamber 15 and the drive chamber 16. The chambers 15 and 16 are separated by a portion of housing 14 which defines a wall 14b. The impeller shaft 24 extends through and is journalled in split bearings 34 mounted in a bore 14c in the wall 14b. Because of the I pressure of the fluid in the impulse chamber 15, it is plate 130. By mounting: the bearing 41 directly in a pornecessary to prevent leakage alongthe shaft '24 into 7 chamber 16. Gasket member 26 is designed to reduce any tendency toward leakage at bearing 34 but due to the inherent difficulty in maintaining good sealing engagement between moving parts, an additional safeguard is provided. Thus, in the interior of' wall 14b, a downwardly extending passageway 14d is formed which extends to the bottom of wall 14b. At its upper end passageway 14d intersects with bore 140 as can be best seen in Figs. 2 and 6. In Fig. 2, it can be observed that the bearings 34 are spaced axially within bore 140 leaving an annular space 35 surrounding the shaft 24. The space 35 and the downwardly extending passageway 14d act as a channel for any water leaking from impulse chamber 15. Any such leakage flows downwardly into passageway 14d by gravity rather than into the drive gear combinations as can be best seen in Fig. 7. The

impeller shaft 24 has a worm thread 24b cut directly in the portion of the shaft which extends into the drive chamber 16. Spaced to one side of the impeller shaft 24 is a transmission shaft vertically positioned with its upper end journalled in the housing 14 and its lower end journalled in the support plate 130 as described in movable bearing seat-38 be provided for the bearing 37. g

The bearing seat 38 is threadedly received in a tapped hole Me in the wall of housing 14. To assemble the impeller shaft 24 to the housing 14, the impeller carried by the assembly sleeve 25 is first placed in the recess 15: The shaft 24 is then inserted through openings 14eand 14c and screwed into assembled relation with the sleeve 25. The shaft 24 is provided with a left hand thread so that in operation the impeller is rotated in a. direction which tends to tighten the threaded assembly. The hearing seat 38 may then be threadedly asembled to the housing 14.

Referring to Fig. 4, the simplified mounting of the transmission shaft 30 can be seen. The housing 14 has a vertically extending bearing recess 14 into which a suitable sleeve bearing 39 has been placed. A ball-type thrust bearing 40 is also provided to receive the reaction force on the'shaft from the worm 30a. The lower end of the transmission shaft 35) is received in a cup bearing 41 which is pressed into an opening 42 in the support:

tion of the supporting member 13, a reduction in parts and a simplified structure results since the support mem ber 13 serves a multiplicity of functions, acting as the main base for the sprinkler, the support for one end of the spray tube, the closure and sealing member for the impulse chamber and drive chamber, and also as a hearing support for a portion of the reduction gearing.

The output shaft 33 is journalled in a pair of bearings 43 and 44- which are pressed into suitable openings 45' and 46 respectively in opposed wall sections of the drivechamber 16. The crank end 334 of the output shaft- 33 is pivotally connected to a flat connecting link 47 which? has a hole 48 formed in its lower end to receive the crank 33a. To maintain the connecting link 47' spaced from the bent portion 33b of the output shaft 33, a plurality I of deformed portions 330 are provided which protrude from the periphery of the crank arm 33a. A pair of bearing washers-49 are slideably received on the crank arm 33a on either side of the connecting link 47. Theinside diameter of the washers 49 is such that they will slide loosely on the crank arm 33a but will abut the protruding deformations 33c. The protrusions 33c, therefore, limit the movement of the link 47 toward the bent portion 33b so that no interference is created. An annular slot 50 is formed on the periphery of the crank arm 33a adjacent its end. A C type snap washer 51 is received in assembled relation in the slot 50 to retain the bearing Washers 49 and the connecting link 47 on the crank arm 33a.

Attached integrally to one end of the spray tube 23 is an area control sector 52. The area control sector 52. has a hub portion 52a having an inside diameter slightly larger than the spray tube to which it is welded. The

mm s m s in a di io a o y po ion 5 12 hi is f ub a y an ul hap nd. e ends o wardly from the spray tube at an angle perpendicular to the axis of the spray tube. The hub 52;; is located approximately at the apex of the triangular body portion 52b.' An arc shaped cutout 520 is formed in the side of the body portion 52b opposite the portion carrying the hub 52 1. 'The body portion 52b may be provided with suitable indicia adjacent the cutout 52c as explained below. The cutout 52c provides a means for varying the relative rotational positions of the crank arm 33a and the s y tube 2 B p o n h an a ju tment, the area sprayed by the sprinkler may be either centered on the sprinkler or displaced to one side or the other of the axis of the spray tube. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the sector 52 is provided with suitable indicia to aid in proper adjustment of the spray area displacement con: trol means. The indications, Left, Q, and Right designate the link positions for displacingthe spray area to the left, center or right respectively of the sprinkler.

To secure the connecting link 47 in a selected position in the cutout 520, a bolt 54 and wing nut 55 are employed. The bolt 54 has a formed portion 54;: which is received in the cutout portion 52c and prevents relative rotation of bolt 54 with respect to body portion 5212. A bearing member 56 is slideably received on the bolt 54 between the formed portion 54a and the wing nut 55. The bearing 56 has a peripheral flange 56a formed at one end thereof which is adapted to abut the body portion 52b of the control sector adjacent the cutout portion 520. The connecting link 47 contains a hole 471) in its upper end which is adapted to be loosely received on the hearing 56. Thus, by loosening the wing nut 55 the control sector 52 may be moved relative to the bolt 54 to effect changes in the areas to be sprinkled. When the control sector 52 and the bolt 54 are in the desired relative positions, the wing nut is tightened locking the control sector 52 between the head of bolt 54 and the peripheral flange 56a of the bearing member 56.

The spray tube 23 of the instant invention is of noyel design employing a one-piece construction with formed nozzles projecting therefrom. The spray tube 23. is fabricated of stainless steel but may be made of any other suitable corrosion resistant material. One of the primary sources of malfunction in sprinklers has been corrosion and rust forming in the spray tube nozzles,- This problem has forced many sprinkler manufacturers to costly sprinkler tube designs wherein separate stainless steel nozzle members are assembled to an aluminum spray tube. The present invention provides a simple solution to this problem by providing an inexpensive means of forming a one-piece stainless steel sprinkler tube with the spray nozzles extruded therein.

In making the tube 23, a rectangular stainless steel blank with a length equal to the desired length of the spray tube and a width equal to the circumference of the spray tube is secured. Employing an extrusion die, the nozzles 23a are all formed on the longitudinal center line of the rectangular blank in one operation. Each die pierces a hole 23b and forms an outwardly extending nozzle portion 230 as can be readily seen in Fig. 8. After the nozzles are formed, the rectangular blank is rolled to a tubular shape by any of the well known tube forming processes. The abutting edges of the blank are then welded as indicated by numeral 23d in Fig. 8. After the nozzles have been extruded and the tube has been welded, it is bent to assume the desired shape shown in Fig. 1. In the bending operation, the nozzles 23a are. maintained so that they extend radially from the axis of curvature of the tube and the ends of the tube are provided with axially aligned bearing portions23e. After establishing the radius of curvature of the tube, i t is sometimes'desirable to realign the nozzle openings. This realignment is accomplished by inserting rods into the openings 23b and bending the nozzles until the aligning of the water passage 22 described above.

- a closure member 57 threadedly assembled therein.

The other end of the spray tube 23 is received in a sealed bearing in the housing member 14. To receive the sealed bearing, the housing 14 is provided with a shouldered opening 141 which is positioned at the end An annular gasket member 53 is positioned in the opening 14 The central opening 58a in the gasket member 58 slideably receives the bearing portion 23a of the spray tube 23. The gasket member SS is retained in the shouldered opening 14 by means of a bearing retaining plate 59. The bearing retaining plate 59 is a flat plate of oval configuration with suitable fastening means 60 located in the ends of the oval for afiixing the bearing retaining plate to the housing 14, The center of the retaining plate 59 has a hole 59a formed therein to receive the spray P p 23- A sealing ring 61 on the end of spray tube 23 consists of an annular flange having a larger external diameter than the bearing surface 23c. It should be understood that when water is flowing into the spray tube 23 an axial thrustwill be produced in the spray tube in a direction away from the housing 14. This thrust tends tov force the sealing ring 61 into engagement with the gasket member 58 and preventsleakage along the bearing surface 232 The retaining plate 59 serves to counteract the force on the spray tube retaining ring 61 and maintains the gasket 58 in position in the opening 14 The bearing comprising the sealing ring 61, the gasket 58 and the retaining plate 59 provides an effective seal for a comparatively low friction journal bearing.

In reviewing the operation of the sprinkler, it should be understood that a garden hose or other suitable water supply means is connected to the coupling 18. When water is delivered to the sprinkler through the coupling 18, it is discharged at high velocity from the nozzle 2011 into contact with the blades 21a of the impeller. The force exerted by the jet of water directed by the nozzle 20b causes the impeller 21 to rotate at a rapid rate.

The water which causes rotation of impeller 21 fills the impulse chamber 15 and then flows through the passageway 22 to the open end of spray tube 23. After the spray tube 23 has become completely filled, water is discharged from all of the spray nozzles 23a. The care ful alignment of the nozzles 23a so that their axes are coplanar and extending radially from the axis of curve ture of spray tube 23 resultsin the water being distributed uniformly over the area being sprayed.

Upon rotation of the impeller 21 the impeller sha 24, and worm gear 241; are similarly rotated. The gear 31 which is keyed to the transmission shaft 30 is engaged by the worm gear 24b and transmits rotary motion to the transmission shaft 30. A substantial reduction; takes place between the rate of rotation of impeller shaft 24 and the rate of rotation of transmission shaft 30 by reason of the reduction achieved driving through the worm 24b and worm gear 31.

The second gear reduction accomplished by the gear train 29 is produced by the worm 304 which rotates integrally with the transmission shaft 30 in engagement with the nylon worm gear 32 Gear 32, which; is keyed to the output or crank shaft 33, rotates the latter in re- I link 47 is pivotally joined to the area control sector 52 by bolt 54. The point of pivotal connection between the link 47 and the sector 52 determines the lever arm which effects the oscillation of spray tube 23 about its axis. Thus, upon rotation of the output shaft 33, the bottom portion of connecting link '47 moves in a circular path while the upper portion at the pivot point oscillates back and forth along an are having its center of curvature coincident with the axis of rotation of the spray tube. As the upper portion of the connecting link 47 describes this path, it oscillates the spray tube 23 through an angle equal to the angle described by the upper pivot of the connecting link. It should be clear that by varying the position of the pivotal connection between the connecting link '47 and the area control sector 52. it is possible to displace the spray area to one side or the other of the sprinkler.

Although there has been described and illustrated a specific embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A lawn sprinkler comprising a one-piece cup-shaped housing, a support plate secured to said housing and closing the mouth thereof, said housing having an integral Wall dividing said housing into an impulse chamber and a drive chamber, said housing having an inlet orifice communicating with said impulse chamber, a drive shaft journalled in said housing and extending through said integral wall, impeller means secured to said drive shaft and positioned to be rotated by fluid entering said orifice, a water spray tube mounted for oscillatory movement in said housing and in communication with said impulse chamber, reduction gears mounted in said drive chamber and driven by said drive shaft, an output shaft journalled in opposed walls of said drive chamber and driven by said reduction gears, and means operatively connecting said output shaft and said spray tube for converting rotary motion of said output shaft into oscillatory motion of said spray tube.

2. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said output shaft extends outside of said housing for connection with said spray tube, and the inner end of said output shaft being journaled in a bearing received in a recess in said integral dividing wall.

3. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said drive shaft is journaled in said integral dividing wall and in an outer wall of said drive chamber, said outer wall having a threaded opening for receiving a cup-shaped member which supports one end of said drive shaft.

4. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein a portion of said reduction gears are secured to a transmission shaft which is journaled for rotation in opposed bearings mounted in recesses in said support plate and in said housing.

5. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said support plate is provided with a drain opening therein to permit water leaking from said impulse chamber to drain from said housing.

6. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said reduction gearing comprises a nylon gear secured to a transmission shaft, said nylon gear in driven engagement with a worm formed integrally with said drive shaft, 3. second worm formed integrally with said transmission shaft in driving engagement with a second nylon gear secured to said output shaft.

7. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said drive shaft is journalled in a pair of spaced bearings mounted in said integral wall, said integral wall having a passageway extending from the portion of said drive shaft be tween said bearings to the outside of said housing.

8. The lawn sprinkler of claim 7 having a one-piece base including a pair of parallel horizontally extending runners, said support plate connecting said runners at one end and an integral spray tube bearing support conmeeting the other end of said runners.

9. A lawn sprinkler comprising a one-piece inverted cup-shaped housing, a horizontally extending support plate secured to said housing and closing the month thereof, said housing having a vertically extending integral wall dividing said housing into an impulse chamber and a drive chamber, said housing having an inlet orifice in communication with said impulse chamber, impeller means mounted for rotation in said impulse chamber and positioned to be rotated by fluid entering said orifice, a water spray tube mounted for oscillating movement in said housing and in communication with said impulse chamber, a drive shaft mounting said impeller means and extending through said integral wall, spaced bearings for said drive shaft in opposed walls of the portion of said housing defining said drive chamber, reduction gears mounted in spaced bearings in said drive chamber in driven relationship to said drive shaft, one of said reduction gear bearings being carried by said plate and the other being carried by the upper wall of said drive chamber, an output shaft journalled in opposed walls of the portion of said housing defining said drive chamber and driven by said reduction gears, and means operatively connecting said output shaft and said spray tube for converting rotary motion of said output shaft to oscillatory motion of said spray tube.

10. The lawn sprinkler of claim 9 wherein one of said spaced bearings for said drive shaft is cup-shaped and is received in an opening in an outer wall of said drive chamber.

11. The lawn sprinkler of claim 9 wherein said support plate is provided with a drain opening therein to permit water leaking from said impulse chamber to drain from said housing.

12. The lawn sprinkler of claim 9 wherein saiddrive shaft is journalled in a pair of spaced bearings mounted in said integral wall, said integral wall having a passageway extending from the portion of said drive shaft between said bearings to the outside of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,454,844 Campbell May 15, 1923 2,202,898 Caputo -1 June 4, 1940 2,306,945 Hebron Dec. 29, 1942 2,546,241 Squiers Mar. 27, 1951 2,673,122 Wehner Mar. 23, 1954 2,676,842 Squires Apr. 27, 1954 2,808,292 Gladstone Oct. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 252,070 Italy Feb. 19, 1927 278,009 Italy Sept. 26, 1930