US3782637A

US3782637A - Wind-responsive sprinkler regulator

Info

Publication number: US3782637A
Application number: US00325879A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Crumpacker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-01-22
Filing date: 1973-01-22
Publication date: 1974-01-01
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-01
Also published as: CA986967A

Abstract

A screen is operatively connected to a transverse wind vane and pivoted with the vane about a horizontal axis relative to the vertical rotational axis of a rotatable sprinkler head having a nozzle forming a spray jet. The screen is pivotable across the nozzle in response to wind velocity, so that as the water jet faces into or against the wind, the screen is held clear of the spray allowing maximum trajectory of the spray jet against the wind. When the spray moves downwind, or in the same direction as the wind, the screen pivots into the spray jet to shorten its trajectory by dissipating the jet into small droplets. A substantially circular sprinkling pattern and thereby, even water dispersal may thus be maintained regardless of wind velocity or direction.

Description

Jan. 1, 1974 WIND-RESPONSIVE SPRINKLER Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-John J. Love Attorney-Greek Wells et al.

REGULATOR [76] Inventor: William H. Crumpacker, 1538 School Ave., Walla Walla, Wash. 99362 [57] ABSTRACT A screen is operatively connected to a transverse wind 22 Filed: Jan. 22, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 325,879

vane and pivoted with the vane about a horizontal axis relative to the vertical rotational axis of a rotatable sprinkler head having a nozzle forming a spray jet. [52] US. 239/232, 239/504, 239/508, The Screen is pivotable across the nozzle in response to wind velocity, so that as the water jet faces into or against the wind, the screen is held clear of the spray allowing maximum trajectory of the spray jet against the wind. When the spray moves downwind, or in the [51] Int. [58] Field of Search.................... 239/230, 231, 232, 239/233, 50 A, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 516

same direction as the wind, the screen pivots into the spray jet to shorten its trajectory by dissipating the jet into small droplets. A substantially circular sprinkling pattern and thereby, even water dispersal may thus be S T N m n e m mT S e D E H N U (M U 239/231 239/231 maintained regardless of wind velocity or direction. 239/508 X 239/1 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures n e S d u n K 1,806,100 5/1931 Thompson 3,009,652 11/1961 ,McKay........ 3,465,968 9/1969 Halpern 3,667,673 6/1972 PATENTEU JAN 1 I974 sum 2 BF 2 WIND-RESPONSIVE SPRINKLER REGULATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION for the purpose of evenly distributing water. This problem has been realized to a limited degree by the following U. S. Patents: No. 1,751,345 granted to Tashiro Matsui; No. 2,539,976 granted to Joseph Samson et al; No. 2,988,287 granted to Roger M. Sherman; and No. 3,465,968 granted to Lewis Halpern.

The Matsui patent discloses a lawn or garden type sprinkler having a manually pivotable screen affixed thereto for dissipating a spray jet to shorten the length of the spray. This sprinkler does not rotate as does a pulsating rotational type, nor is the screen automatically operated in response to wind direction and velocity.

The patents to Samson and Halpern both disclose manually operable spray control attachments for shower'flxtures, the primary function of which is to enable the used to deflect the shower spray downwardly.

Perhaps the most directly related patent of those cited above is that granted to R. M. Sherman titled Boom Sprinkler withWind Responsive Means." The Sherman patent discloses spray nozzles for irrigation purposes which are pivoted in response to wind direction. Further disclosed are nozzles which include wind actuated valves for varying the spray pressure in response to the wind velocity. The apparatus includes both the sprinkler head and the wind control device as a unit, thereby involving considerable conversion expense for existing irrigation systems.

The apparatus of the present invention is externally mountable to existing sprinklers and includes external means for varying the sprinkler pattern with respect to wind velocity and direction. Sprinkler control is provided by a screen mounted to an upright transverse wind vane. The screen is pivotable about a horizontal axis in response to wind velocity, which thereby moves the screen into and out of the path of the spray jet emitting from the sprinkler head. The apparatus is designed so that the screen moves into the spray jet only when the direction of the spray jet is downwind. The screen is normally held clear of the spray jet by a torsion spring mounted about the pivotal axis of the screen and vane. This normal position assures the usual circular spray pattern under low or no wind conditions. When the wind velocity is sufficient to affect the usual spray pattern, the screen is automatically pivoted to an operative position as the spray jet rotates into downwind position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus disclosed herein basically comprises a wind responsive sprinkler regulator for revolving sprinklers of the type having a nozzle rotatable about a vertical axis for directing a spray jet of water over a substantially circular area. The regulator includes a deflector frame pivotably carried by a support frame. The deflector frame is pivotal about a horizontal axis and is pivoted, in response to wind-velocity, to move a deflecting means between a position clear of the spray jet and an operative position wherein the deflecting means intersects the spray jet. A transverse wind-resistant vane on the deflector frame is operable to pivot the deflecting means as described in response to wind force so that the deflector intersects the spray jet only when the jet is directed substantially downwind. In an alternate form of the invention the deflector frame is held freely pivotable relative to the nozzle and includes an upright rudder affixed thereto for continuously directing the deflecting means downwind of the vertical axis of the sprinkler. i

It is a first object of my invention to provide a wind responsive sprinkler regulator that may be easily mounted to existing forms of pulsating rotational type sprinklers.

Another primary object is to provide such a regulator that is automatically operable in response to wind direction and velocity. to deflect the spray jet emitting from such sprinklers and thereby preserve a substantially circular spray pattern wherein the water is evenly distributed.

An additional object is to provide such a regulator that is simple in construction and relatively maintenance feee.

A yet further object is to provide such a regulator that is operable to deflect the spray jet in varying degree directly relative to varying force of wind thereby further facilitating even dispersal of water across the circular spray pattern.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the, following description which, taken with the accompanying drawings, describe a preferred and alternate form of the invention.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a preferred form of the wind control device mounted to a rotating type sprinkler;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the torsion spring biasing means;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the device in an operative position;

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along line 6-6 in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the screen utilized for both illustrated embodiments; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is shown in FIG. I a preferred form of the invention mounted on a sprinkler head designated by the reference numeral 10. Sprinkler 10, is of the pulsating, rotational type commonly used for farm irrigation purposes. It is normally mounted to a riser l2 and includes a nozzle 11 through which a spray jet is directed radially as the nozzle 11 revolves in a circular path about a vertical rotational axis. A spring loaded deflector bar 13 is also provided, which oscillates into and out of the jet to aid in even water dispersal and in powering the head to rotate.

The normally circular spray pattern developed by rotation of nozzle 11 is easily affected by directional wind velocity. As the spray jet is directed into or against the wind, the length of the jet is shortened, by the force of the wind against the water droplets. As the spray jet is directed downwind, the spray jet is lengthened as the wind force carries the droplets downwind. The resulting variation in spray trajectory produces an oblong or ellipitcal spray pattern in which the water is unevenly dispersed. The apparatus of the present disclosure is designed to move closely maintain a circular spray pattern regardless of wind direction by automatically pivoting a deflector means comprising a screen 26 into the spray jet as the jet rotates downwind. This is accomplished by a wind vane 31 which is operatively connected to screen 26. The screen dissipates the water, shortening the length of the spray jet trajectory to approximately the same length as when it is directed into the wind.

As shown in FIG. 2, the device includes an upright U-shaped support frame member 20 having at its horizontal base section, a split clamp 21 which mounts the device to head 70 by means of a bolt 22. The clamp is utilized to removably mount the device to sprinkler head for rotational movement with the sprinkler head relative to the stationary riser 12.

' The upper ends of the upright members of frame include bearings 23 which pivotably mount a horizontal axle of a deflector screen frame 27.

Screen frame 27 includes a pair of upright upwardly projecting legs 28, each adjacent one end of axle 30. Members 28 extend upwardly above axle 30 to mount the transverse wind vane 31 with its planar face parallel to the upright members 28.

Screen frame 27 also includes downwardly projecting extensions 29 which are also mounted adjacent each end of axle member 30 coextensive with members 28. The axis of axle 30 is horizontal. In this form of the invention, since the screen frame 27 revolves about the vertical axis with nozzle 11, the horizontal axis is also perpendicular to a vertical plane centered along nozzle 11 and the spray jet 9 that exits from nozzle 11. Screen 26 is mounted to the extensions 29 by vertically spaced U-shaped members 35. Members 35 extend angularly outward from upright members 28 to mount screen 26 between vertically spaced curved portions 36 thereon. The screen 26 is held by members 28 so that in an operative position (FIGS. 2 and 5) it is spaced outwardly from nozzle 11 and deflector 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, biasing means in the form of a torsion spring 32 is mounted on axle 30 between an upright 28 and the adjacent upright member of the U- shaped frame 20. Torsion spring 32 provides means for normally biasing screen 26 to a first, upward position shown in FIG. 1, away from the spray jet 9. A retaining chain 39 is fixed between clamp 21 and extensions 29 to provide means for preventing upward pivotal movement of the screen beyond a desired angle. The limit of movement upwardly is such as to hold the planar face of vane 31 above a horizontal position, assuring resistance to wind necessary to pivot screen 26 in opposition to spring 32. Members 29 extend below the horizontal portion of frame 20 as shown in FIG. 5 to provide a stop against pivotal movement of the screen in a counter clockwise direction, past a second, operative position where the screen fully intersects the spray jet.

Vane 31 is therefore continuously held in a position wherein its planar face faces the wind.

In the preferred form, the device is mounted to the sprinkler head 10 so that the rotational movement normally imparted to the sprinkler head by water pressure also serves to rotate the regulating device fixed to the sprinkler head. Therefore, as the spray jet moves against or into the wind as shown in FIG. 8, the screen is held in the first position out of the spray jet by the tension of spring 32 and by the force of the wind against the wind vane 31. As the sprinkler head moves the spray jet downward, wind pressure against the vane 31 pivots screen 26 downwardly, about the horizontal axis of axle 30 to the second position, to intersect the spray jet and thereby dissipate the spray as shown in FIG. 9, shortening the length of the jet to create a substantially circular sprinkler pattern.

The screen 26 as shown in FIG. 7 comprises horizontally spaced vertical screen grid members 26a and vertically spaced screen grid members 26b. The spaces between members 26a are substantially equal while the spaces between horizontal members 26b are diminished upwardly. As such, the sprayjet may be gradually shortened relative to the wind velocity and to the angle of the spray jet with respect to the wind direction.

Referring again to FIGS. 8 and 9, then, it may be seen that as the sprinkler rotates, the upward bias of torsion spring 32 is gradually overcome as more surface area of vane 31 is exposed to wind current from a direction as indicated by the arrows. As the spring torsion is overcome, the screen is gradually pivoted downward from the first position into the spray jet, with the widely spaced meshes at the bottom of the screen first coming into contact with the jet. Since the screen members 26b are spaced apart further at the bottom of the screen than at the top, it follows that the spray jet, when engaged by these members, is only partially dissipated, and becomes further dissipated as the finer mesh is pivoted into the spray jet. Thus the spray jet is dissipated more as it rotates toward a downwind position (FIG. 9) where, when the spray is directed in the same direction as the wind, a condition of maximum dissipation is reached. As the sprinkler continues to rotate past the point of maximum dissipation, the screen pivots gradually upward, increasing the density of the spray jet, as torsion spring 32 overcomes the force of the wind against a decreasing surface area of vane 31.

The purpose of maintaining such a circular spray pattern is to effectively and evenly distribute water over the pattern. Assuming a substantially constant rotational velocity of the spray head and constant water pressure, it may be understood that even distribution is maintained, providing the spray pattern is circular. If the spray is allowed to be hampered by wind currents, the spray pattern is elongated at one side of the sprinkler and shortened at the opposite side, preventing even water distribution across the pattern.

The alternate form of my invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In this form, a freely pivotable frame 37 is utilized to allow the screen to be pivoted about a vertical axis with regard to the direction of the wind. This is accomplished by leg members 41 extending downwardly from U-shaped frame 20. The lower ends of legs 41 are affixed to outer races of a vertically spaced pair of bearings 38. The inner races of bearings 38, in turn, are removably mounted to sprinkler riser 12. Screen 26 and vane 31 are thereby free to pivot about the vertical axis of riser 12. A directional rudder 42 is also mounted to the outer races of bearings 38 having a planar face 43 perpendicular to that of vane 31. Rudder 42 is mounted elevationally below screen 26 and extends radially outwardly from riser 12 in the same direction thereof. The force of wind against rudder 42 serves to pivot screen 26 to a position downwind of the vertical rotational axis. The screen 26 is thereby held constantly downwind of the sprinkler head regardless of the position of the spray jet.

It may be obvious from the above description and the attached drawings that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the intended scope of the invention which is defined in the following claims.

The angular extent of the dissipating screen for example might be extended about the sprinkler any desired amount, and variation in spray pattern can be further achieved by varying the screen opening sizes transversely as well as vertically as described above, or a simple screen having uniform openings in a constant grid can be used. Or a more economincal model could be made to clamp rigidly to the riser 12 to control the water jet on only one side of the sprinkler. Essentially the disclosure is concerned with movable control of the deflector by wind force to shorten the downwind range or trajectory of a sprinkler nozzle.

What I claim is:

1. A wind-responsive sprinkler regulator for a revolving sprinkler nozzle on a supportive water supply structure, the nozzle having a radial outlet for rotation about a central vertical axis to direct a spray jet of water in a revolving pattern over a substantially circular area centered about the vertical axis, comprising:

a support frame adapted to be located adjacent the sprinkler nozzle for rotation about said vertical axis;

a deflector frame pivotally mounted on said support frame about a horizontal axis;

deflecting means fixed to said deflector frame for selectively modifying the trajectory of the spray jet from the nozzle, said deflecting means being located within an arcuate segment to one side of the vertical axis and being spaced radially outward from said vertical axis a distance greater than the radial dimension of said nozzle;

means on said support frame and deflector frame limiting angular pivotal movement of said deflector frame about said horizontal axis between a first angular position wherein the deflecting means clears of the revolving spray jet from the nozzle and a second angular position wherein maximum interception of the spray jet by the deflecting means is achieved;

biasing means between said support frame and deflector frame for urging the deflector frame toward one of said angular positions;

and a directional wind-resistant vane on said deflector frame arranged relative to said horizontal axis to cause the force of wind thereon to pivot the de flector frame about said horizontal axis from said first angular position toward said second angular position in opposition to said biasing means while the deflecting means is downwind from the vertical axis.

2. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein said deflecting means comprises a partially open screen grid.

3. A device as set out in claim 2 wherein the openings of the screen grid are progressively varied in size across the screen area.

4. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein the deflector frame is fixed relative to the nozzle and revolves in union with said nozzle about the vertical axis;

said horizontal axis being perpendicular to a vertical plane centered along the outlet of the nozzle.

5. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein the deflector frame is rotatably mounted by the supportive structure of the nozzle independently of the nozzle itself for rotational movement about said vertical axis, and further comprising:

upright rudder means fixed to the deflector frame and extending radially outward relative to the vertical axis in a place bisecting the deflecting means for maintaining the deflecting means downwind from the vertical axis.

6. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein said deflector frame comprises:

a pair of laterally spaced parallel arms directed upward from said horizontal axis and each having lower integral extensions directed downward from Said horizontal axis;

a solid planar vane extending across said arms;

said deflecting means comprising a transverse open grid fixed to said extensions.

7. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein the deflecting means comprises:

a transversely curved open grid substantially gener ated about said vertical axis when viewed in plan at said second angular position thereof.

Claims

1. A wind-responsive sprinkler regulator for a revolving sprinkler nozzle on a supportive water supply structure, the nozzle having a radial outlet for rotation about a central vertical axis to direct a spray jet of water in a revolving pattern over a substantially circular area centered about the vertical axis, comprising: a support frame adapted to be located adjacent the sprinkler nozzle for rotation about said vertical axis; a deflector frame pivotally mounted on said support frame about a horizontal axis; deflecting means fixed to said deflector frame for selectively modifying the trajectory of the spray jet from the nozzle, said deflecting means being located within an arcuate segment to one side of the vertical axis and being spaced radially outward from said vertical axis a distance greater than the radial dimension of said nozzle; means on said support frame and deflector frame limiting angular pivotal movement of said deflector frame about said horizontal axis between a first angular position wherein the deflecting means clears of the revolving spray jet from the nozzle and a second angular position wherein maximum interception of the spray jet by the deflecting means is achieved; biasing means between said support frame and deflector frame for urging the deflector frame toward one of said angular positions; and a directional wind-resistant vane on said deflector frame arranged relative to said horizontal axis to cause the force of wind thereon to pivot the deflector frame about said horizontal axis from said first angular position toward said second angular position in opposition to said biasing means while the deflecting means is downwind from the vertical axis.

4. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein the deflector frame is fixed relative to the nozzle and revolves in union with said nozzle about the vertical axis; said horizontal axis being perpendicular to a vertical plane centered along the outlet of the nozzle.

5. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein the deflector frame is rotatably mounted by the supportive structure of the nozzle independently of the nozzle itself for rotational movement about said vertical axis, and further comprising: upright rudder means fixed to the deflector frame and extending radially outward relative to the vertical axis in a place bisecting the deflecting means for maintaining the deflecting means downwind from the vertical axis.

6. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein said deflector frame comprises: a pair of laterally spaced parallel arms directed upward from said horizontal axis and each having lower integral extensions directed downward from said horizontal axis; a solid planar vane extending across said arms; said deflecting means comprising a transverse open grid fixed to said extensions.

7. A device as set out in claim 1 wherein the deflecting means comprises: a transversely curved open grid substantially generated about said vertical axis when viewed in plan at said second angular position thereof.