Adjustable sprinkler

Claim 2

A pattern sprinkler comprising: a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit from said housing, and said housing pivoted about said base by said motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for increasing and decreasing the orifice area of said nozzle.

Claim 3

A selectively variable pattern sprinkler comprising: a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a fixed area opening defining an orifice, and a nozzle gate slidably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said nozzle gate capable of variably blocking the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate to effect an adjusted orifice area, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate. 3. A selectively variable pattern sprinkler comprising: a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a fixed area opening defining an orifice, and a nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said nozzle gate capable of variably blocking the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate to effect an adjusted orifice area; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area openIng of said nozzle plate, said means including: follower means including a plurality of pins circumjacently mounted and eccentrically moveable on said base; cam means having at least two pin-engaging surfaces, said cam means reciprocally mounted to said housing to be successively engageable with and reciprocally moveable by each successive pin in response to rotation of said housing about said base; and lever means in association with said follower means and said cam means, for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate.

Claim 4

A selectively variable pattern sprinkler comprising: a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a fixed area opening defining an orifice, and a nozzle gate slidably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said nozzle gate capable of variably blocking the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate to effect an adjusted orifice area, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate. 3. A selectively variable pattern sprinkler comprising: a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a fixed area opening defining an orifice, and a nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said nozzle gate capable of variably blocking the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate to effect an adjusted orifice area; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area openIng of said nozzle plate, said means including: follower means including a plurality of pins circumjacently mounted and eccentrically moveable on said base; cam means having at least two pin-engaging surfaces, said cam means reciprocally mounted to said housing to be successively engageable with and reciprocally moveable by each successive pin in response to rotation of said housing about said base; and lever means in association with said follower means and said cam means, for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate.

Claim 5

The device as claimed in claim 3 and further including a deflector mounted to said housing near the fixed area opening of said nozzle in such a manner as to deflect and distribute the jet stream emitted from said nozzle.

Claim 6

A selectively variable pattern sprinkler, comprising: a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable area orifice, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a plurality of adjacently aligned openings of successively increasing area and a stair-stepped nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said stair-stepped nozzle gate capable of successively blocking and opening each of the adjacently aligned openings to effect an adjusted orifice area, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream and; means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to successively block and open the openings of said nozzle plate. 6. A selectively variable pattern sprinkler comprising: a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable area orifice, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a plurality of adjacently aligned openings of successively increasing area and a stair-stepped nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said stair stepped nozzle gate capable of successively blocking and opening each of the adjacently aligned openings to effect an adjusted orifice area; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to successively block and open the openings of said nozzle plate, including: follower means including a plurality of pins circumjacently mounted and eccentrically moveable on said base; cam means having at least two pin-engaging surfaces, said cam means reciprocally mounted to said housing to be successively engageable with and reciprocally moveable by each successive pin in response to rotation of said housing about said base; and lever means in association with said follower means and said cam means for sliding said nozzle gate to variably blocK the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate. 7. The device as claimed in claim 6 and further including a deflector mounted to said housing near the fixed area opening of said nozzle in such a manner as to deflect and distribute the jet stream emitted from said nozzle.

Claim 7

A popup pattern sprinkler comprising: a shell having a base-receiving chamber with a fluidtight entry and a fluid exit; a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said base reciprocally mounted to be extensible from and retractable into the base receiving chamber with the fluid entry of said base opening into the base-receiving chamber; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit from said housing, and said housing pivoted about said base by said motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for increasing and decreasing the orifice area of said nozzle.

Claim 8

A popup pattern sprinkler comprising: a shell having a base-receiving chamber with a fluidtight entry and a fluid exit; a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said base reciprocally mounted to be extensible from and retractable into the base receiving chamber with the fluid entry of said base opening into the base-receiving chamber; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit from said housing, and said housing pivoted about said base by said motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for increasing and decreasing the orifice area of said nozzle.

Claim 9

A selectively variable popup pattern sprinkler comprising: a shell having a base-receiving chamber with a fluid-tight entry and a fluid exit; a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said base reciprocally mounted to be extensible from and retractable into the base-receiving chamber with the fluid entry of said base opening into the base-receiving chamber; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a fixed area opening defining an orifice, and a nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said nozzle gate capable of variably blocking the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate to effect an adjusted orifice area, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate. 10. A selectively variable popup pattern sprinkler comprising: a shell having a base-receiving chamber with a fluidtight entry and a fluid exit; a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said base reciprocally mounted to be extensible from and retractable into the base-receiving chamber with the fluid entry of said base opening into the base-receiving chamber; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within sAid housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a a fixed area opening defining an orifice, and a nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said nozzle gate capable of variably blocking the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate to effect an adjusted orifice area; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate, said means including: follower means including a plurality of pins circumjacently mounted and eccentrically moveable on said base; cam means having at least two pin-engaging surfaces, said cam means reciprocally mounted to said housing to be successively engageable with and reciprocally moveable by each successive pin in response to rotation of said housing about said base; and lever means in association with said follower means and said cam means, for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate. 11. The device as claimed in claim 10 and further including a deflector mounted to said housing near the fixed area opening of said nozzle in such a manner as to deflect and distribute the jet stream emitted from said nozzle.

Claim 10

A selectively variably popup pattern sprinkler, comprising: a shell having a base-receiving chamber with a fluidtight entry and a fluid exit; a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said base reciprocally mounted to be extensible from and retractable into the base-receiving chamber with the fluid entry of said base opening into the base-receiving chamber; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable area orifice, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a plurality of adjacently aligned openings of successively increasing area and a stair-stepped nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said stair-stepped nozzle gate capable of successively blocking and opening each of the adjacently aligned openings to effect an adjusted orifice area; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to successively block and open the openings of said nozzle plate, said means including: follower means including a plurality of pins circumjacently mounted and eccentrically moveable on said base; cam means having at least two pin-engaging surfaces, said cam means reciprocally mounted to said housing to be successively engageable with and reciprocally moveable by each successive pin in response to rotation of said housing about said base; and lever means in association with said follower means and said cam means, for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate.

Claim 11

A selectively variably popup pattern sprinkler, comprising: a shell having a base-receiving chamber with a fluidtight entry and a fluid exit; a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said base reciprocally mounted to be extensible from and retractable into the base-receiving chamber with the fluid entry of said base opening into the base-receiving chamber; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mounted to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable area orifice, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a plurality of adjacently aligned openings of successively increasing area and a stair-stepped nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said stair-stepped nozzle gate capable of successively blocking and opening each of the adjacently aligned openings to effect an adjusted orifice area; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to successively block and open the openings of said nozzle plate, said means including: follower means including a plurality of pins circumjacently mounted and eccentrically moveable on said base; cam means having at least two pin-engaging surfaces, said cam means reciprocally mounted to said housing to be successively engageable with and reciprocally moveable by each successive pin in response to rotation of said housing about said base; and lever means in association with said follower means and said cam means, for sliding said nozzle gate to variably block the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate.

Claim 12

A selectively variably popup pattern sprinkler comprising: a shell having a base-receiving chamber with a fluidtight entry and a fluid exit; a base having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said base reciprocally mounted to be extensible from and retractable into the base-receiving chamber with the fluid entry of said base opening into the base-receiving chamber; a substantially fluidtight housing having a fluid entry and a first fluid exit, said housing pivotally mountEd to said base at the fluid outlet of said base and at the fluid entry of said housing; a reduction-geared water motor encased within said housing, said motor having a fluid entry in said housing, and a second fluid exit in said housing and said housing pivoted about said base by said water motor; a jet stream producing nozzle, having an adjustable orifice area, mounted to said housing at said first fluid exit, said nozzle including a nozzle plate having a fixed area opening defining an orifice, and a nozzle gate slideably mounted in said housing against said nozzle plate, said nozzle gate capable of variably blocking the fixed area opening of said nozzle plate to effect an adjusted orifice area, the orifice mathematically progressive in area to emit a jet stream of progressive flow rate and trajectory for essentially equal distribution of the jet stream radially away from said nozzle whereby decreasing the orifice area deletes a progressive portion of the jet stream and increasing the orifice area reinstates a progressive portion of the jet stream; and means responsive to rotation of said housing about said base for sliding said nozzle gate to successively block and open the openings of said nozzle plate. 14. The device as claimed in claim 12 and further including a deflector mounted to said housing near the fixed area opening of said nozzle in such a manner as to deflect and distribute the jet stream emitted from said nozzle.