Laterally moving automatic irrigation system

Claim 2

An irrigation system comprising a long water line, a tractor supporting and adapted to move the line at one position along said line, mobile towers supporting the line at spaced intervals throughout its length, drive means at each tower and operated by pressure of water from within the line, a valve at each tower controlling said water and means responsive to bending of the line adjacent each tower for opening said valve, a tower drive means near an end of said line remote from said tractor, the valve on the tower at the remote end of the line being opened in response to a water pressure actuated device adjacent the tractor responding to a predetermined forward movement of the tractor, said drive means moving its tower at least as fast as the tractor to cause intermittent movement of the line toward alignment in a position normal to its direction of movement.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 in which the device is a hydraulic cylinder with a retractable piston, a valve to admit water to the cylinder to retract the piston, and a flexible member connecting the piston with the valve for the motor at the opposite end of the line.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 in which said valve to admit water to the cylinder is actuated upon forward movement of the line caused by movement of the tractor.

Claim 5

An irrigation system comprising a long water line having a first end and a remote second end thereof, water dispersing members affixed to and spaced along said line, a water source supplying water to the line, tractor means at one position therealong and adapted to move the line in a predetermined direction, mobile tower means supporting the line at spaced intervals along its length, drive means at each tower adapted to move the tower and supported line in a predetermined direction, alignment means at each tower for starting and stopping said drive means, at least one master mobile tower means adjacent the line ends remote from said tractor means and adapted to move the line in a predetermined direction, means connecting the tractor to the water line, control means connected to said tractor and adapted to detect misalignment of said line away from a position normal to the tractor''s direction of travel, and signal means responsive to said control means causing said master tower to stop and start its movement to align said water line to a position normal to The tractor''s direction of movement.

Claim 6

An irrigation system comprising a long water line having a first end and a remote second end thereof, water dispersing members affixed to and spaced along said line, a water source supplying water to the line, tractor means at one position therealong and adapted to move the line in a predetermined direction, mobile tower means supporting the line at spaced intervals along its length, drive means at each tower adapted to move the tower and supported line in a predetermined direction, alignment means at each tower for starting and stopping said drive means, at least one master mobile tower means adjacent the line ends remote from said tractor means and adapted to move the line in a predetermined direction, means connecting the tractor to the water line, control means connected to said tractor and adapted to detect misalignment of said line away from a position normal to the tractor''s direction of travel, and signal means responsive to said control means causing said master tower to stop and start its movement to align said water line to a position normal to The tractor''s direction of movement.

Claim 7

The system of claim 4, in which the tractor has a power driven winch to reel in a cable anchored ahead of the tractor in the direction that the system is to be moved.

Claim 8

The system of claim 5 in which the tractor pulls a flexible hose which directs water under pressure to said line.

Claim 9

The system of claim 4 in which the means responsive to bending of the line comprises a rigid rod on each side of each tower, said rods converging to a member on the tower to move the member to and away from the line as it bends, and linkage between said member and the valve which controls the drive means.

Claim 10

The irrigation system of claim 4, wherein said tractor means moves at a preselected speed in the predetermined direction said master tower, when moving, proceeds at a speed at least faster than the speed of said tractor means.

Claim 11

The irrigation system of claim 4 in which the drive means are operated by water pressure from within the line.

Claim 12

The irrigation system of claim 4 wherein the control means includes a reference device affixed to said tractor, and an actuator for the reference device affixed to said water line at a position to contact the reference device when said line is misaligned away from a position normal to the tractor''s direction of travel.

Claim 13

The control means of claim 10 wherein the reference device comprises a valve positioned with respect to said tractor and the actuator is a valve contacting means affixed to said pipe.

Claim 14

The irrigation system of claim 4 wherein the means connecting said tractor to said line includes a swivel joint in the water line.

Claim 15

In an irrigation system which includes a long line carried on spaced sets of wheels and support structures therefor, drive means for each set of wheels, and adjusting linkage actuated by bending of the line to actuate the drive means to cause the line to advance in a substantially straight condition, said linkage including a lever pivoted intermediate the ends thereof to said support structure and actuating the drive means, the improvement which comprises two separate links for connection alternately to said lever at respective alternate ends thereof in said linkage for use when the line is advancing in opposite directions.

Claim 16

In an irrigation system which includes a long line carried on spaced sets of wheels and support structures therefor, drive means for each set of wheels, and adjusting linkage actuated by bending of the line to actuate the drive means to cause the line to advance in a substantially straight condition, said linkage including a lever pivoted intermediate the ends thereof to said support structure and actuating the drive means, the improvement which comprises two separate links for connection alternately to said lever at respective alternate ends thereof in said linkage for use when the line is advancing in opposite directions.

Claim 17

In an irrigation system including a long line of pipe with water outlets disposed therealong and mobile propelling members supporting said pipe at spaced intervals including a tractor member at one end of the line and a master mobile member remote from said tractor member, all adapted to move the pipe in a predetermined direction, the improvement comprising control means referenced to said tractor member and adapted to detect deviation of said pipe away from a direction normal to the tractor''s direction of travel, and signal means responsive to said control means communicating with said master mobile member to vary its movement to align said pipe to a position normal to the tractor''s direction of travel.

Claim 18

In an irrigation system including a long line of pipe with water outlets disposed therealong and mobile propelling members supporting said pipe at spaced intervals including a tractor member at one end of the line and a master mobile member remote from said tractor member, all adapted to move the pipe in a predetermined direction, the improvement comprising control means referenced to said tractor member and adapted to detect deviation of said pipe away from a direction normal to the tractor''s direction of travel, and signal means responsive to said control means communicating with said master mobile member to vary its movement to align said pipe to a position normal to the tractor''s direction of travel.

Claim 19

In a mobile irrigation system comprising a double ended line of irrigation pipe with means supporting said pipe and adapted to move said line laterally across a field, first mobile means connected to said pipe at one end thereof and powered to move continuously in said lateral direction, and second mobile means at another position along said pipe remote from said first mobile means, said second mobile means responsive to the angular relationship of said irrigation pipe to said first mobile means to intermittently move said pipe in cooperation with said first mobile means whereby said entire line of pipe moves in a direction laterally across said field.

Claim 20

In a mobile irrigation system comprising a double ended line of irrigation pipe with means supporting said pipe and adapted to move said line laterally across a field, first mobile means connected to said pipe at one end thereof and powered to move continuously in said lateral direction, and second mobile means at another position along said pipe remote from said first mobile means, said second mobile means responsive to the angular relationship of said irrigation pipe to said first mobile means to intermittently move said pipe in cooperation with said first mobile means whereby said entire line of pipe moves in a direction laterally across said field.

Claim 21

The mobile irrigation system of claim 15 wherein said second mobile means, when moving, proceeds at a speed greater than the speed of said first mobile means.

Claim 22

In an irrigation system including a long line of pipe with water outlets disposed therealong and mobile propelling members supporting said pipe at spaced intervals including a tractor member at onE position on said line, all said members adapted to move the line of pipe in a predetermined direction, the improvement comprising control means connected to said tractor member and adapted to detect deviation of said line of pipe next adjacent said tractor member away from an angle of approximately 90* from the tractor member''s line of movement.

Claim 23

In an irrigation system including a long line of pipe with water outlets disposed therealong and mobile propelling members supporting said pipe at spaced intervals including a tractor member at onE position on said line, all said members adapted to move the line of pipe in a predetermined direction, the improvement comprising control means connected to said tractor member and adapted to detect deviation of said line of pipe next adjacent said tractor member away from an angle of approximately 90* from the tractor member''s line of movement.