Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G25/00—Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like
  • A01G25/09—Watering arrangements making use of movable installations on wheels or the like
  • A01G25/097—Watering arrangements making use of movable installations on wheels or the like guided or propelled along a water supply line with supply line traversing means

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an arrangement in an irrigation system
• a self-propelled irrigation carriage provided with drive wheels and a spraying boom or high-volume dis- charge sprayer and, on the other hand, a pipe-line which is laid on the ground and along which the carriage is movable back and forth and from which water can be transferred, via a transfer unit connected to said carriage and movable together therewith, to a motor which is also mounted on the carriage and adapted to drive the drive wheels, and from there to one or more spray nozzles on the spraying boom or high-volume discharge sprayer, said pipe-line having equidistantly spaced apart valve means, and said transfer unit com- prising at least one endless loop in the form of a chain or the like which is passed over guide pulleys and on which there are mounted, at intervals correspond ⁇ ing to the interspaces between the valve means, connec ⁇ tors which are successively movable into a position opposite an adjacent valve means and are provided each with one actuator adapted to open the
• This prior art ir ⁇ rigation system comprises a self-propelled irrigation carriage which carries a spraying boom or high-volume discharge sprayer and is movable back and forth along a pipe-line laid on the ground and provided with equi ⁇ distantly spaced apart non-return valves.
• the carriage is propelled by means of pressurised water which, via connecting cups, is taken from said non-return valves and which, via a special transfer mechanism, is supplied to a motor which in turn propels the car ⁇ riage.
• the transfer mechanism of the carriage com ⁇ prises guide pulleys and chains which are passed over said guide pulleys and on which the connecting cups are mounted.
• One object of the present invention therefore is to obviate the above-mentioned disadvantages of unreliable cup application and water leaks.
• the transfer unit has a guiding device for guiding the connectors along a predetermined closed path, said guiding device being arranged successively to direct the connectors perpendicularly to the respective valve means of the pipe-line and, while maintaining said perpendicular positioning of the connectors, to move said connectors into or out of engagement with the valve means for opening or closing them by means of said actuators, and that said guiding device is adapted, while said connectors are engaged with or disengaged from said valve means, to impart to said connectors a downwardly 24
• the invention thus provides an arrangement in an irrigation system comprising on the one hand a self-propelled irrigation carriage provided with a spraying boom or high-volume discharge sprayer and, on the other hand, a pipe-line which is laid on the ground and along which the carriage is movable back and forth.
• Water is transferred to the carriage via a transfer unit which is characteristic of the inven ⁇ tion and which, in a preferred embodiment, comprises two endless loops which are passed over guide pulleys and on which connectors are mounted.
• the transfer unit cooperates with a number of non-return valves equi- distantly spaced apart along the pipe-line. Water is supplied via a pipe system to a carriage drive motor and to the spray nozzles of the spraying boom.
• a guiding device for imparting to the connectors a down ⁇ wardly or upwardly directed vertical movement toward or away from the non-return valve, as well as a number of guide followers acting against said guiding device and serving to reduce the risk of leakage.
• Fig. 1 illustrates schematically and from behind a carriage comprised by the arrangement according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a lateral view of a transfer unit comprised by the carriage.
• Fig. 3 illustrates schematically a sec ⁇ tion along line III-III in Fig. 2.
• Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a section along line IV-IV in Fig. 2.
• Fig. 1 illustrates schematically and from behind a carriage comprised by the arrangement according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a lateral view of a transfer unit comprised by the carriage.
• Fig. 3 illustrates schematically a sec ⁇ tion along line III-III in Fig. 2.
• Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a section along line IV-IV in
• FIG. 5 illustrates, on a larger scale and in more detail, an end portion of the transfer unit, a con ⁇ nector bein'g illustrated in different positions.
• Fig. 6 illustrates the same end portion as in Fig. 5, but with the connector in still another position.
• Fig. 7 illustrates schematically and on a larger scale an end view of said transfer unit as seen from the right with respect to Fig. 2, only one connector being il- lustrated.
• FIG. 1 illustrates schematically the arrangement according to the invention in an irrigation system.
• a self-propelled irrigation carriage 1 comprises a frame 3 which is supported by drive wheels 2 and on which there is mounted a spraying boom or high-volume discharge sprayer (not shown) provided in known manner with a number of spray nozzles.
• the carriage 1 is movable back and forth between the ends of the area to be irrigated, along a pipe-line 4 which is laid on the ground and which preferably consists of commer ⁇ cially available quick-coupled light-metal pipes or hoses which can be laid directly on the ground and thus are readily moved from one location to another.
• the carriage 1 also has a transfer unit 5 which *" is movable together with said carriage and which serves to take water from the pipe-line 4 and to supply the water to a fluid motor 6 which is mounted on the car ⁇ riage and, via a transmission (not shown), is connected with the drive wheels 2 for driving these wheels and thus the carriage 1.
• a transfer unit 5 which *" is movable together with said carriage and which serves to take water from the pipe-line 4 and to supply the water to a fluid motor 6 which is mounted on the car ⁇ riage and, via a transmission (not shown), is connected with the drive wheels 2 for driving these wheels and thus the carriage 1.
• the conduit system of the carriage may include by-pass pipes for conducting parts of the water supplied directly to the spray nozzles, thereby to control the water volume per unit area.
• Other control equipment may also be included in the conduit system of the carriage.
• the pipe-line 4 is provided with valve means in the form of non-return valves 9 which are equi- distantly spaced apart on the pipe-line and of which only one is shown in the drawings.
• the transfer unit 5 has an endless driving loop which, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises two parallel chains 10, 10' which are passed over guide pulleys 11, 11' and on which there are mounted, at intervals corresponding to the interspaces between the non-return valves 9, connectors in the form of cups 12 which are successive ⁇ ly movable into a position opposite a non-return valve 9.
• Each cup 12 has an actuator in the form of an axial- ly displaceable rod 13 depressing the ball 8 of the non-return valve 9 when the cup 12 is applied to the non-return valve (see Fig. 5).
• the cups 12 are connected via a hose 14 to a common collecting chamber 59 (see Fig. 5) which in turn is connected to the fluid motor
• Fig. 2 is 'a lateral view of the transfer unit 5, a connecting cup 12 being shown in different posi ⁇ tions along the path of the chain 10. It will be appre ⁇ ciated that the chain 10' and its guide pulley 11' which are concealed from view by the plane of the drawing, are arranged similarly, for which reason it is sufficient to describe but one "side" of the transfer unit 5.
• Each cup 12 preferably is hingedly mounted on the chain 10 by means of a hinge pin 30 and therefore can be swung in relation to the chain 10 to enable swing ⁇ ing movements adjacent the guide pulleys 11.
• an outer guide loop 31 extends in such a manner that the path of the chain 10 will form an upper part 32 and a lower part 33 which are mutually spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the guide pulley 11 to form two oblique parts 34 forming an oblique angle ⁇ with the lower part 33. If the carriage moves to the right with respect to Fig. 2, each cup 12 will thus be moved around the transfer unit 5 by means of the endless loop (chains
• an upper guide 35 is provided which extends parallel to said upper part 32 and whose ends- are located at each guide pulley 11. Furthermore, there is on the inside of the lower part 33 of the chain 10 a lower guide 36 which extends parallel to the lower part
• the connecting cup 12 has a number of guide fol ⁇ lowers in the form of rotary wheels adapted to roll upon the guides comprised by the guiding device, there- • by to move the cup 12 along the oblique part 34 of the chain 11.
• These wheels consist of a first pair of wheels 40 which are trailing as seen in the direction of movement of the chain 10 (arrow A) and a second pair of wheels 41 which are leading in relation to said direction of movement.
• the pairs of wheels 40, 41 roll on the inner side of the guide loop 31 and the upper side of the upper guide 35.
• a third pair of wheels is provided which comprises a wheel 42 trailing in relation to the direction of chain movement, and a leading wheel 43.
• the wheels 42, 43 are smaller than the first-mentioned wheels 40, 41 and located diametrically with respect to the cup 10. Also the smaller wheels 42, 43 are adapted to roll on the guides comprised by the guiding device, as will be described below.
• the articulated pipe connection 15 mentioned above is a pipe link system which comprises a fulcrum 44 which is fixedly mounted on the carriage 1 and to which is connected a first pivotal link pipe 45 which, via a first fulcrum 46, is connected to a se ⁇ cond pivotal link pipe 47 which in turn is connected, via a second fulcrum 48, to a pipe 49 rigidly connected with and extending perpendicularly inwardly from the cup 12.
• the pipe 49 issues from the collecting cham- ber 59 of one cup 12 (see Fig. 5).
• the remaining cups 12 are connected with the collecting chamber 59 via the hose 14.
• Fig. 3 illustrates the transfer unit 5 from above to show the appearance of the guiding device and the wheels cooperating therewith and mounted on the collect ⁇ ing cup 12.
• Two further short guides 50 and 51 are provided at the chain 11 ' and form, together with the above-mentioned guides 38 and 39, respectively, a pair of guides 38, 50 and a pair of guides 39, 51, respectively, each at one end of said transfer unit 5.
• the cup 12 has just swung about the guide pulleys 11, ll 1 , and the first pair of wheels 40 roll on the inside of the guide loop 31, at the beginning of an oblique portion 56 thereof, while the second pair of wheels 41 have just been lifted up from the guide loop because the leading wheel 43 have rolled up along a downwardly bent initial portion 60 of the guide 39.
• position L3 see Fig. 5
• the cup 12 has just swung about the guide pulleys 11, ll 1 , and the first pair of wheels 40 roll on the inside of the guide loop 31, at the beginning of an oblique portion 56 thereof, while the second pair of wheels 41 have just been lifted up from the guide loop because the leading wheel 43 have rolled up along a downwardly bent initial portion 60 of the
• Fig. 4 illustrates the position L4 from another direction, showing the location of the various guides in relation to the wheels 40, 41, 42, 43 of the con ⁇ necting cup 12. Moreover, Fig. 4 shows the design of the pipe link system 15 and its connection, via the cup 12, with the hose 14 (even though these de- tails actually are not comprised by this section).
• Figs. 5 and 6 show in detail how a connecting cup 12 swings about the guide pulley 11, and how it is moved vertically downwardly towards and into engage ⁇ ment with a non-return valve 9 in the pipe-line 4. in this engagement position L5, the cup 12 is shown partly in section. Figs.
• FIG. 5 and 6 also show a further guide follower which, in this instance, comprises a pair of wheels 52, 53 disposed after one another in the direction of movement A of the chain 10.
• These further wheels 52, 53 are rotatably mounted on a yoke 61 connected to the bar 13 and controlling the axial position thereof.
• the wheels 52, 53 will engage a further valve control guide 54, such that the bar 13 is moved downwardly against the ball 8 of the non-return valve 9 to open the latter and allow water to flow up from the pipe ⁇ line 4, through the cup 12 and, via the pipe system 15, to the fluid motor 6 for driving the carriage 1.
• the guide 54 has a central portion 57 and two end portions 58 which form an angle greater than ⁇ with the part 33. (Note that, for the sake of clearness, the wheels 52, 53 and the guide 54 have been omitted in Figs. 2-4. )
• the movement pattern is the opposite.
• Fig. 7 is an end view of the transfer unit 5, showing how the various wheels are rotatably mounted by means of brackets and uprights projecting from the connecting cup.
• Fig. 7 shows how the cup 12 is affixed to the chains 10, 10' by means of angle pieces 55 through which the hinge pins 30 extend.
• the movement of a connecting cup 12 towards a non-return valve 9 in the pipe-line 4 is as follows. The cup 12 moves along the upper par 32 of the chain
• the cup 12 is prevented from tilting by the contact of the wheel 41 with the underside of the guide 36 and the contact of the wheel 42 with the underside of the guide 51.
• the cup 12 is now moving obliquely downwardly along the inclined chain part 34, its vertical position being maintained all the time. At least during the final phase of this movement, the cup 12 is directly above the non-return valve 9 and is moving perpendicular thereto.
• the lower posi ⁇ tion of the cup 12, i.e. its application to the non ⁇ return valve 9, is shown in Fig. 5 where the ball 8 has been slightly depressed by the bar 13.
• the cup 12 is provided with an internal seal 16 preventing water from flowing away from the point of application, and with a non-return valve 17.
• the vertical application of the cup 12 to the non-return valve 9 provides ' for safer engagement and less risk of leakage. After the engagement, the movement of the cup 12 continues along the lower part 33 of the chain 10. After that, the movement pattern is repeated for the next cup 12, simultaneously as the preceding cup is moved out of engagement with its non-return valve.
• trans ⁇ fer unit comprising four connecting cups 12 mounted on a chain 10 having a length of 4 m, the distance be ⁇ tween the non-return valves 9 in the pipe-line 4 being 1 m.
• two cups will be briefly connected to the pipe-line during opening and closing. This provides for a very smooth transfer of water from the pipe-line to the carriage, without any sudden pressure drops or pres ⁇ sure increases.
• the guiding device comprised by the transfer unit 5 is functionally symmetrical in respect of its ends, such that its function is the same regardless of the direction of movement of the carriage along the pipe-line 4.
• the various guides then serve exact ⁇ ly the same objects.
• the connectors 12 could also be guided on the outside of the guide loop 31, in which case the guiding device as a whole could be modified in different ways to adapt it to the ex ⁇ ternal guiding mode.
• the guiding device may be in the form of cams or'cam grooves, in which case the guide followers are formed as cam followers.
• guides and cams, or cam grooves, and guide followers and cam followers are considered to be equivalent.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
• Special Spraying Apparatus (AREA)
• Spray Control Apparatus (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20361053

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (1)

• 1985
  • 1985-08-08 SE SE8503738A patent/SE452698B/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1986
  • 1986-08-07 AU AU62256/86A patent/AU6225686A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1986-08-07 JP JP61504376A patent/JPH07112395B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1986-08-07 WO PCT/SE1986/000356 patent/WO1987000724A1/en unknown
  • 1986-08-08 CN CN 86104904 patent/CN1007576B/zh not_active Expired

Patent Citations (1)

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