US2756099A - Sprinkler head - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1956 2,756,099

E. N. REYNOLDS, JR

SPRINKLER HEAD Filed June '27, 1955 INVEN TOR.

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SPRINKLER HEAD Elmer N. Reynolds, Jr., Rivera, Calif.

Application June 27, 1955, Serial No. 517,978

Claims. (Cl. 299-61) The present invention relates generally to a sprinkler head and relates more specifically to a pop-up type rotary sprinkling arrangement.

In heavy duty sprinkling arrangements, serious problems have existed hereinbefore relative to the complex mechanisms that were frequently associated with such arrangements, which made them diflicult to drive, absorbed considerable power and thus reduced the effective throw of water therefrom. Additionally, in situations such as large commercial lawns, it is necessary that permanent sprinkler installations be provided and that sprinkling heads may automatically retract when water thereto is shut off.

In prior arrangements, after sprinkling use over a relatively short period of time and upon induction of dirt, etc. into the operation mechanism of the sprinkler arrangements, the normal heretofore known retracting mechanisms have failed to operate whereby to leave the sprinkler heads in "an elevated condition, thus marring the appearance of such lawns. Additionally, it is desirable and even mandatory in some instances, that retractable sprinkler heads operate at all times in a reliable manner in order that mowers or the like may pass thereover without interference. Prior similar arrangements have failed to accomplish this objective.

It is accordingly one important object of the present invention to provide an automatically retractable sprinkler head.

It is another object of the invention to provide an automatically retractable sprinkler head arrangement having means responsive to the flow of water therethrough for driving the head. A

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a combination retractable head sprinkler device, means to drive said head and reduction gearing arranged in association therewith whereby to provide for efficient and reliable operation therewith under all conditions even though encountering dirt and other contaminants.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler head having retraction means and means to rotate said head wherein considerably fewer components are utilized than heretofore, thus rendering the sprinkler head more easy to manufacture, more reliable to use and more effective in operation.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a gear train mechanism for retractable sprinkler heads wherein gears utilized in such train are journalled on or connected to but a pair of shafts thus promoting smaller envelope requirements for the device.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler head wherein operating components thereof are arranged in association with such head, whereas to permit utilization of the weight thereof in returning the head to a retracted position upon discontinuance of the flow of water thereto.

Other and further important objects of the present invention will become apparent from the disclosures in nited States Patent 0 r 2,756,099 Patented July 24, 1956 following detailed specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through the sprinkler head of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through the head and nozzle portions of the present sprinkler head as taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the arrangement of the driving mechanism within a supporting case as taken substantially as indicated by line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is another transverse sectional view showing a portion of the gear train mechanism as taken substantially as indicated by line 44, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a further transverse sectional view showing the turbine arrangement associated with the present sprinkler head driving assembly.

With reference to the drawing, the sprinkler device of the present invention includes a body 10 that has a recess 11 formed in the upper portion thereof. A second recess 12, arranged eccentrically with the recess 11, is disposed adjacent the recess 11 and extends substantially throughout the body 10. The lower end of the body 10 is threaded as at 13 for connection to a water supply pipe 14. A bore 15 is provided between the inner end of the pipe 14 and the lower end of the recess 12, there being a swirl nozzle 16 positioned within this bore.

The upper end of the body 10 has attached thereto a cover member 17 as by means of screws 18, there being a gasket 20 disposed between the cover and the upper surface of the body. The cover 17 has a concentric opening 21 therein in which a sprinkler head 22 is positioned. The head 22 is relatively heavy and has a flanged lower end portion 23, against which a sealing member 24 is positioned. The under side of the head 22 is recessed as at 25, there being a pair of nozzles 26 and 27 disposed outwardly from the recess 25 and threadably engaging the sides of the head 22, as at 28 and 30, respectively. One of the nozzles 26 is somewhat longer than the nozzle 27 and has a larger opening therein so as to provide for both a long and a short water throw from the present device.

The lower end of the head 22 has depended therefrom a pair of brackets 31 and 32, to which a cross member 33 is connected. The cross member 33 is adapted for connection with one end of a shaft 34 that is carried by and journalled in a pair of spaced plates 35 and 36. The plates 35 and 36 are disposed within the recess 12 and have projections 37 about the peripheries thereof. The projections 37 are placed in close spaced relationship to the wall of the recess 12 which thus defines a passage 38 between the outer peripheries of the plates 35 and 36 and the wall of the recess 12. The plates 35 and 36 also serve to support another shaft 41 which is journalled therein. A gear train 42 is carried by the shafts 34 and 41 to provide considerable gear reduction with the gear train being driven through a driving gear 43, which is mounted on a shaft 44, that is in turn journalled on the axis of the plate 36. The lower end of the shaft 44 is adapted to carry a turbine rotor 45. Each of the various gears in the gear train 42 are individually rotatable upon the shafts 34 and 41 with the exception of the uppermost gear 46 that is pinned to the shaft 34 by means of a pin or key 47.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the plates 35 and 36 are maintained in tight engagement with the sleeve or cover 40 by means of a pair of elongated screws 48 which extend through sleeves 50 that are disposed between the 3 vention may be-utilizedas a'pa'rt circle sprinkling arrangement, a sleeve 51- is disposed about-the cylindrical upper portion of the head 22. The sleeve 51 has a circumferential slot 52 extending a portion of the distance about this sleeve and a radially extending-tab 53 disposed'in' a slot 54, the slot 54 being on the inner periphery of'the opening 21 in the-cover 1'72 Tli'e liead 22 is adapted for rotating within thesleeve 51 with the throw of water from thenozzles 2*6'-and 27f being. limited by the circumferential opening 52.

In operation of the present device, the water under pressure is admitted throughthe pipe14; passes through the nozzle 16-and is admitt'ed to theinterior" of the recesses 12 and 11*. Theforce of the waterin the re'eesses will act upon the head 22 and flanged portion 23 thereof, thus to move the-head-22, plates 35 and36, associated gear train42 and turbine rot'or 45 in-an= upwardly direction until the gasket24 engages an 'innerl surface of the cover 17. Simultaneously; water forced through the nozzle 16 will rotate-the=turbine rotor 45; thus torotate the shaft 44 and, through the'gear train 42, rotate the shaft 34; The shaft 34 next in turn rotates-thehead 22. Water beingdelivered from the plates ofthe turbine rotor 45 will pass outwardly therefrom and through the passage 38into the recess 25 of the-head and outwardly through the nozzles 26 and 27.

It is to be noted" that all of the operating mechanism contained within this particular sprinkler is carried as a compositeunit as far as vertical action is concerned and that this mechanism will all'be moved upwardly together upon application of water'pressure to the interiorof the device. Upon discontinuance of water to the present sprinkler, the entire weight of this internal mechanism will serve to withdraw the sprinkler head from the position shown by the dotted lines to the position shown by the solidlines in Fig. 1, thus to remove any obstruction to machines, such as mowers, that must pass over the sprinkling device.

Additionally, the withdrawal of the sprinkler head may serve to'maintain the appearance of the lawn as being an uninterruptedsurface. Effective use-of the present device is accordingly assured by reason of the-connection of all the mechanism together and the utilization of all of the weight thereof for the purpose defined.

The use of but'a pair ofshafts in the gear train mechanism rather than a plurality of such shafts, promotes a considerably smaller package than would otherwise be necessary and accordingly considerably simpler construction and a simple water travel path that is uninterrupted by multiple bends, thus to lose the force therein". Additionally, the'head 22 will offer little, if any, resistance to rotation due to the fact that the power inputto the gear train is arranged ona'difr'erentshaft than the power output therefrom. Any tendency for the gear'train as-' sembly, together with the plates 35 and 36, to rotate is eliminated by engagement of a rib SSdisposed vertically in an inward direction from the wall of the chamber 12 with a notch 56 formed in one of the tabs 37 carried about the plates 35 and '36;

Having thus described the invention and the present embodiment. thereof, it.is desired to emphasize the fact that many modifications may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sprinkler comprising: a body adapted for disposition below ground level;,a.stepped bore in said body; a swirl nozzle disposed in a lowermost portion of said bore; means for delivering" water' under pressure to an intake for said swirl nozzle; a'turbine wheel disposed adjacent said swirl nozzle, the discharge from said swirl nozzle being adapted for impingement upon said turbine wheel; a rotary member disposed :in an uppermost portion of said bore, said member having an axis of rotation disposed eccentrically from an axis of said turbine; at least one water discharge nozzle carried by said rotary member and directed substantially radially therefrom; a plurality of rotary speed reducing gears defining a gear train and disposed in said bore intermediate said turbine and said rotary member; first coupling means interconnecting a highspeedend'of said gear'train'with said turbine; second coupling means interconnecting a low speed end of said gear trainwith said rotary member; and means responsiveto the pressure of said'water acting upon an axially directed face of said' rotary member, and associated with said second-coupling means for permitting axial movement of said rotary member and said water discharge nozzle to a level above' said ground level.

2. A sprinkler according to claim 1 wherein said turbine includes an axial flow rotor having blade discharge means for directing water toward an outer periphery of said bore and about saidgear' train.

3. A sprinkler according to claim 1 wherein said water discharge nozzles are two in number and of different lengths anddirections whereby to direct water therefrom over annular surfaces of said ground at different radii from said sprinkler; 4. A sprinkler according'to clairn'l wherein means are provided to limit said axialmovement of said rotary member, saidrotary memberhaving sufiicient weight to permit its returnto' an originalposition upon termination of water pressure acting thereupon.

5. A sprinkler'according'toclaim 1 wherein said gears of said gear train are commonly arranged on a pair of shafts; spaced partitions disposed in said bore, said shafts being'journalled in said partitions; and cutouts in peripheral portions of said partitions for permitting passage of water thereabout;

ReferencesiCited in the the of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,646 Burdick d. Apr. 21, 1953 1,753,841 Thompson Apr. 8, 1930 2,187,549 Thompson Jan. 16, 1940 2,209,961 Lacy-Mulhall Aug. 6, 1940

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