Sprinkler

Claim 2

In an oscillating lawn sprinkler of the type having: a fluid motor having a drive shaft rotated by an incoming stream of water directed to the sprinkler; a perforated spray pipe pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the axis of the drive shaft; and a rotatable crank assembly operatively connected between the motor drive shaft and the spray pipe for converting constant rotational movement of the motor drive shaft to oscillating angular movement of the spray pipe; the improvement comprising: energy-absorbing means interposed in said crank assembly for cyclically absorbing a portion of the energy output from said motor during angular movement of the spray pipe and subsequently releasing the stored energy during reversal of direction of the spray pipe angular movement to thereby accelerate movement of the crank assembly overcenter.

Claim 3

A sprinkler as set out in claim 1 wherein said energy-absorbing means comprises: a first rotatable element mounted coaxially with the axis of the motor drive shaft and integrally rotatable therewith; a second independently rotatable element mounted coaxially with said first rotatable element; a rigid link pivotally connected to said second element about a pivot axis parallel to and spaced from the axis thereof, said connecting link being operatively connected to said spray pipe, whereby angular oscillating movement is imparted to the spray pipe in response to rotational movement of said second element about its axis; and a coiled spring having one end connected to said first element and its remaining end connected to said second element in such fashion as to wind the spring during transmission of power from said first element to said second element.

Claim 4

A sprinkler as set out in claim 1 wherein said energy absorbing means comprises: a spring-loaded crank for absorbing a portion of the energy otherwise transmitted through a connecting link operatively connected between the motOr and spray pipe and for cyclically releasing such stored energy to shorten the period during which the link moves overcenter relative to the crank axis.

Claim 5

A sprinkler as set out in claim 1 further comprising: means on said frame operatively engaged with the drive for said spray pipe for frictionally resisting angular movement of the spray pipe about its axis.

Claim 6

A sprinkler as set out in claim 1 further comprising: an adjustable drag brake mounted on said frame and operatively engaged with said spray pipe for frictionally resisting angular movement of the spray pipe about its axis.

Claim 7

A sprinkler as set out in claim 5, wherein said drag brake comprises means for varying the frictional resistance at preselected positions along the stroke of the spray pipe during angular movement thereof about its axis.

Claim 8

In an oscillating lawn sprinkler of the type having: a fluid motor having a drive shaft rotated by an incoming stream of water directed to the sprinkler; a perforated spray pipe pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the axis of the motor drive shaft; and a rotatable crank assembly operatively connected between the motor drive shaft and the spray pipe for converting constant rotational movement of the motor drive shaft to reversible oscillating angular movement of the spray pipe; the improvement comprising: adjustable frictional brake means on said frame operatively engaged with an element subjected to angular movement coincident with angular movement of the spray pipe for frictionally resisting movement of the spray pipe about its axis.

Claim 9

In an oscillating lawn sprinkler of the type having: a fluid motor having a drive shaft rotated by an incoming stream of water directed to the sprinkler; a perforated spray pipe pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the axis of the motor drive shaft; and a rotatable crank assembly operatively connected between the motor drive shaft and the spray pipe for converting constant rotational movement of the motor drive shaft to reversible oscillating angular movement of the spray pipe; the improvement comprising: adjustable frictional brake means on said frame operatively engaged with an element subjected to angular movement coincident with angular movement of the spray pipe for frictionally resisting movement of the spray pipe about its axis.

Claim 10

A sprinkler as set out in claim 7, wherein said brake means is varied in application over the angular path of movement of the spray pipe to exert greater resistance to movement thereof as the spray pipe approaches a vertical position.