Irrigation system with disalignment-sensing device

Claim 2

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a carriage to support the pipe, b. a shaft supported by the carriage and extending parallel to said pipe, said shaft having two connected sections and having a joint between said sections, c. a speed change mechanism mounted on one section of the shaft, said speed change mechanism operable when actuated to alter the speed of the carriage, d. a link having one end mounted on the other section of the shaft, said link extending across the joint to the speed change mechanism to actuate said mechanism in response to relative movement between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft at the joint, e. means to rotate the shaft in one direction and the other to move the carriage in one direction and the other, said link angularly shifting from one side of the shaft to the other on each reversal of rotation of the shaft to actuate the speed change mechanism in accordance with the direction of movement of the carriage.

Claim 3

The mechanism of claim 1 in which said carriage has a drive wheel and in which said speed change mechanism includes a sheave having flanges with internal inclined faces, one of said flanges secured in fixed axial position on the shaft and the other flange shiftable axially on the shaft in response to relative movement between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft at the joint, and in which means including a belt received on the sheave connects said speed change mechanism to the drive wheel.

Claim 4

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, b. a shaft to drive the carriages, said shaft supported by the carriages and exteNding parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of connected sections and having joints between said sections, at least some of said joints adjacent carriages, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint at one of the carriages, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated to alter the speed of a carriage, and d. a link for each carriage, each link having one end mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint and on the opposite side thereof to each speed change mechanism, each link extending across the joint to the speed change mechanism to actuate said mechanism in response to relative movement between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft at the joint, the link for each speed change mechanism rotatably mounted on the shaft and angularly turned to a first predetermined position with respect to the shaft when the shaft rotates in one direction to drive the carriages in one direction, said link angularly turning to a second predetermined position with respect to the shaft when the shaft rotates in the opposite direction to drive the carriages in the opposite direction.

Claim 5

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, b. a shaft to drive the carriages, said shaft supported by the carriages and exteNding parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of connected sections and having joints between said sections, at least some of said joints adjacent carriages, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint at one of the carriages, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated to alter the speed of a carriage, and d. a link for each carriage, each link having one end mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint and on the opposite side thereof to each speed change mechanism, each link extending across the joint to the speed change mechanism to actuate said mechanism in response to relative movement between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft at the joint, the link for each speed change mechanism rotatably mounted on the shaft and angularly turned to a first predetermined position with respect to the shaft when the shaft rotates in one direction to drive the carriages in one direction, said link angularly turning to a second predetermined position with respect to the shaft when the shaft rotates in the opposite direction to drive the carriages in the opposite direction.

Claim 6

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, b. a rotatable drive shaft supported by the carriages and extending parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of sections connected at joints, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism connected to the shaft, d. means connecting each speed change mechanism to a carriage to run the carriage in one direction or the other on rotation of the drive shaft in one direction or the other, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated in one direction to increase the speed of the carriage and operable when actuated in the opposite direction to decrease the speed of the carriage, and e. a pair of stops mounted adjacent the shaft, f. a speed control member rotatably mounted on the shaft and angularly shiftable between said stops in accordance with the direction of rotation of said shaft, said speed control member operable in one position to actuate the speed change mechanism in one direction in response to bending of the shaft in one direction at a joint adjacent the carriage and to actuate the speed change mechanism in the opposite direction in response to bending of the shaft in the opposite direction at said joint, said speed control member operable in the opposite position to actuate the speed change mechanism reversely.

Claim 7

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, b. a rotatable drive shaft supported by the carriages and extending parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of sections connected at joints, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism connected to the shaft, d. means connecting each speed change mechanism to a carriage to run the carriage in one direction or the other on rotation of the drive shaft in one direction or the other, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated in one direction to increase the speed of the carriage and operable when actuated in the opposite direction to decrease the speed of the carriage, and e. a pair of stops mounted adjacent the shaft, f. a speed control member rotatably mounted on the shaft and angularly shiftable between said stops in accordance with the direction of rotation of said shaft, said speed control member operable in one position to actuate the speed change mechanism in one direction in response to bending of the shaft in one direction at a joint adjacent the carriage and to actuate the speed change mechanism in the opposite direction in response to bending of the shaft in the opposite direction at said joint, said speed control member operable in the opposite position to actuate the speed change mechanism reversely.

Claim 8

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, b. a shaft supported by the carriages and extending parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of connected sections and having joints between said sections, each joint adjacent a carriage, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated in one direction to increase the speed of the carriage and operable when actuated in the opposite direction to decrease the speed of the carriage, and d. a link for each carriage, each link having one end mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint and on the opposite side thereof to each speed change mechanism, each link extending across the joint to actuate said mechanism to increase the speed of the carriage adjacent the joint in response to relative movement in one direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in one direction at the joint and to actuate said mechanism to decrease the speed of the carriage adjacent the joint in response to relative movement in the other direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in the other direction at the joint, said links angularly shiftable on the shaft on reversal of the carriages to reversely actuate the speed change mechanisms.

Claim 9

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, b. a shaft supported by the carriages and extending parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of connected sections and having joints between said sections, each joint adjacent a carriage, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated in one direction to increase the speed of the carriage and operable when actuated in the opposite direction to decrease the speed of the carriage, and d. a link for each carriage, each link having one end mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint and on the opposite side thereof to each speed change mechanism, each link extending across the joint to actuate said mechanism to increase the speed of the carriage adjacent the joint in response to relative movement in one direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in one direction at the joint and to actuate said mechanism to decrease the speed of the carriage adjacent the joint in response to relative movement in the other direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in the other direction at the joint, said links angularly shiftable on the shaft on reversal of the carriages to reversely actuate the speed change mechanisms.

Claim 10

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, each carriage having a drive wheel, b. a rotatable drive shaft supported by the carriages and extending parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of connected sections and having universal joints between said sections, each joint adjacent a carriage, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism connected to a section of shaft adjacent a joint, d. means connecting each speed change mechanism to a carriage drive wheel to run the carriage in one direction or the other on rotation of the drive shaft in one direction or the other, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated in one direction to increase the speed of the carriage and operable when actuated in the opposite direction to decrease the speed of the carriage, e. a pair of stops mounted adjacent the drive shaft, f. a link for each carriage, each link having one end rotatably mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint and on the opposite side thereof to each speed change mechanism, each link angularly shiftable to one position against one stop when the shaft is rotated in one direction and angularly shiftable to an opposite position against the other stop when the shaft is rotated in the direction, said link when in one position extending across the joint to actuate said speed change mechanism in one direction in response to relative movement in one direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in one direction at the joint and to actuate said speed change mechanism in the opposite direction in response to relative movement in the opposite direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in the opposite direction at the joint, said link when in the opposite position actuating said speed change mechanism reversely to the actuation when in said one position

Claim 11

In an irrigation system having an elongated water pipe, the combination comprising: a. a plurality of carriages to support the pipe, each carriage having a drive wheel, b. a rotatable drive shaft supported by the carriages and extending parallel to said pipe, said shaft having a plurality of connected sections and having universal joints between said sections, each joint adjacent a carriage, c. a speed change mechanism for each carriage, each speed change mechanism connected to a section of shaft adjacent a joint, d. means connecting each speed change mechanism to a carriage drive wheel to run the carriage in one direction or the other on rotation of the drive shaft in one direction or the other, each speed change mechanism operable when actuated in one direction to increase the speed of the carriage and operable when actuated in the opposite direction to decrease the speed of the carriage, e. a pair of stops mounted adjacent the drive shaft, f. a link for each carriage, each link having one end rotatably mounted on a section of shaft adjacent a joint and on the opposite side thereof to each speed change mechanism, each link angularly shiftable to one position against one stop when the shaft is rotated in one direction and angularly shiftable to an opposite position against the other stop when the shaft is rotated in the direction, said link when in one position extending across the joint to actuate said speed change mechanism in one direction in response to relative movement in one direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in one direction at the joint and to actuate said speed change mechanism in the opposite direction in response to relative movement in the opposite direction between the link and the shaft due to bending of the shaft in the opposite direction at the joint, said link when in the opposite position actuating said speed change mechanism reversely to the actuation when in said one position

Claim 12

In an irrigation system having a plurality of carriages and having an elongated member supported by the carriages, said member rotatable in one direction as the carriages move in one direction and rotatable in the opposite direction as the carriages move in the opposite direction, a speed control member rotatably mounted on said elongated member, means to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a first fixed angular position on one side of the elongated member and in the horizontal plane of the elongated member as the elongated member rotates in one direction and to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a second fixed angular position on the opposite side of the elongated member and in the horizontal plane of the elongated member as the elongated member rotates in the opposite direction, said speed control member in said first fixed angular position operable in response to bending of the elongated member in one direction in the horizontal plane to slow the speed of the carriages and in response to bending of the elongated member in the opposite direction in the horizontal plane to increase the speed of the carriages, said speed control member in said second fixed angular position operable in response to bending of the elongated member in said one direction in the horizontal plane to increase the speed of the carriages and in response to bending of the elongated member in the opposite direction in the horizontal plane to decrease the speed of the carriages.

Claim 13

In an irrigation system having a plurality of carriages and having an elongated member supported by the carriages, said member rotatable in one direction as the carriages move in one direction and rotatable in the opposite direction as the carriages move in the opposite direction, a speed control member rotatably mounted on said elongated member, means to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a first fixed angular position on one side of the elongated member and in the horizontal plane of the elongated member as the elongated member rotates in one direction and to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a second fixed angular position on the opposite side of the elongated member and in the horizontal plane of the elongated member as the elongated member rotates in the opposite direction, said speed control member in said first fixed angular position operable in response to bending of the elongated member in one direction in the horizontal plane to slow the speed of the carriages and in response to bending of the elongated member in the opposite direction in the horizontal plane to increase the speed of the carriages, said speed control member in said second fixed angular position operable in response to bending of the elongated member in said one direction in the horizontal plane to increase the speed of the carriages and in response to bending of the elongated member in the opposite direction in the horizontal plane to decrease the speed of the carriages.

Claim 14

In an irrigation system having a plurality of carriages and having a water pipe carried by the carriages, a drive shaft rotatable in one direction to drive the carriages in one direction and rotatable in the opposite direction to drive the carriages in the opposite directions, a speed control member rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first stop to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a first fixed angular position in the horizontal plane of the shaft and in a predetermined relation relative to the shaft with respect to the direction of movement of the carriages as the shaft rotates in one direction to move the carriages and the shaft thereon in one direction, a second stop to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a second fixed angular position and in the horizontal plane of the shaft and in said predetermined relation relative to the shaft with respect to the direction of movement of the carriages as the shaft rotates in the opposite direction to move the carriages and the shaft thereon in the opposite direction, said control member responsive to bending of the shaft in the horizontal plane in one direction relative to the direction of motion of the carriages to slow the speed of the carriages and responsive to bending of the shaft in the horizontal plane in the opposite direction relative to the direction of motion of the carriages to increase the speed of the carriages.

Claim 15

In an irrigation system having a plurality of carriages and having a water pipe carried by the carriages, a drive shaft rotatable in one direction to drive the carriages in one direction and rotatable in the opposite direction to drive the carriages in the opposite directions, a speed control member rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first stop to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a first fixed angular position in the horizontal plane of the shaft and in a predetermined relation relative to the shaft with respect to the direction of movement of the carriages as the shaft rotates in one direction to move the carriages and the shaft thereon in one direction, a second stop to arrest rotation of said speed control member in a second fixed angular position and in the horizontal plane of the shaft and in said predetermined relation relative to the shaft with respect to the direction of movement of the carriages as the shaft rotates in the opposite direction to move the carriages and the shaft thereon in the opposite direction, said control member responsive to bending of the shaft in the horizontal plane in one direction relative to the direction of motion of the carriages to slow the speed of the carriages and responsive to bending of the shaft in the horizontal plane in the opposite direction relative to the direction of motion of the carriages to increase the speed of the carriages.

Claim 16

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and a plurality of reversible carriages to support the water pipe, rotating drive means, means for continuously rotating said drive means in one direction for driving said carriages in such one direction and for continuously rotating said drive means in the opposite direction for driving said carriages in such opposite direction, speed control means rotatably mounted on said drive means, a pair of fixed stop members on said carriage alternately engaged by said speed control means for positioning the same in fixed angular positions depending upon the direction of rotation of said drive means, said speed control means being constructed and arranged on said drive means for automatic reversing movement from one fixed stop to the other upon rotation of said drive means in the opposite direction, thereby to condition said speed control means for controlling said carriages as they move in said opposite direction.

Claim 17

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and a plurality of reversible carriages to support the water pipe, rotating drive means, means for continuously rotating said drive means in one direction for driving said carriages in such one direction and for continuously rotating said drive means in the opposite direction for driving said carriages in such opposite direction, speed control means rotatably mounted on said drive means, a pair of fixed stop members on said carriage alternately engaged by said speed control means for positioning the same in fixed angular positions depending upon the direction of rotation of said drive means, said speed control means being constructed and arranged on said drive means for automatic reversing movement from one fixed stop to the other upon rotation of said drive means in the opposite direction, thereby to condition said speed control means for controlling said carriages as they move in said opposite direction.