A sprinkler device for fluid distribution

Claim 2

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid, a nozzle for directing the flow of fluid out the sprinkler head, and an interrupter cavity rearward of the nozzle outlet, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, said nozzle having a nozzle outlet with a nozzle inlet positioned rearward of said nozzle outlet, a generally constant fluid flow rate interrupter in said interrupter cavity for varying the direction of fluid flow rearward of said nozzle outlet while generally maintaining a constant exiting fluid flow rate for providing a plurality of controlled bursts of fluid in the direction of the stream of fluid exiting from said nozzle outlet for each revolution of said sprinkler head for controlling fluid fallout along the length of the exiting stream, and drive means for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body.

Claim 3

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for directing the flow of fluid out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, said nozzle having a nozzle outlet with a nozzle inlet positioned rearward of said nozzle outlet, a fluid flow interrupter varying the fluid flow rearward of said nozzle outlet for providing controlled bursts of fluid in the stream of fluid exiting from said nozzle outlet for controlling fluid fallout from the stream along the trajectory of the stream, drive means for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, and said drive means drives said interrupter through the flowing fluid.

Claim 4

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for directing the flow of fluid out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, said nozzle having a nozzle outlet with a nozzle inlet positioned rearward of said nozzle outlet, a fluid flow interrupter varying the fluid flow rearward of said nozzle outlet for providing controlled bursts of fluid in the stream of fluid exiting from said nozzle outlet for controlling fluid fallout from the stream along the trajectory of the stream, drive means for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, and said drive means drives said interrupter through the flowing fluid.

Claim 5

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution as set forth in claim 1 wherein, said drive means includes a interrupter drive cooperative with and timed with said sprinkler head drive.

Claim 6

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution as set forth in claim 2 wherein, said interrupter is driven periodically past the inlet to said nozzle to control the direction of movement of the fluid passing through the nozzle.

Claim 7

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid, a body outlet portion, and a drive cavity with a generally annular configuration about an axis said drive cavity including cavity boundary means including two sloping radially separated means and two axially separated means for limiting movement of an impact body in said cavity and preventing the entire impact body from crossing said axis, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid, a nozzle for directing the flow of fluid out the sprinkler head, and an impact anvil projecting into said drive cavity, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, fluid control means for providing a vortex of fluid in said cavity, and drive means for driving the sprinkler head in a controlled generally recurring stepping movement, including at least one impact body freely movable and driven by the vortex of fluid in said drive cavity, said impact body sized in relationship to the distance separating the two radially separated means and the distance between the two axially separated means to restrict the movement of the impact body to a generally recurring generally annular path, said impact body movable axially into and out of contact with said impact anvil between the two axially separated means.

Claim 8

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid, a body outlet portion, and a drive cavity with a generally annular configuration about an axis said drive cavity including cavity boundary means including two sloping radially separated means and two axially separated means for limiting movement of an impact body in said cavity and preventing the entire impact body from crossing said axis, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid, a nozzle for directing the flow of fluid out the sprinkler head, and an impact anvil projecting into said drive cavity, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, fluid control means for providing a vortex of fluid in said cavity, and drive means for driving the sprinkler head in a controlled generally recurring stepping movement, including at least one impact body freely movable and driven by the vortex of fluid in said drive cavity, said impact body sized in relationship to the distance separating the two radially separated means and the distance between the two axially separated means to restrict the movement of the impact body to a generally recurring generally annular path, said impact body movable axially into and out of contact with said impact anvil between the two axially separated means.

Claim 9

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for directing the flowing fluid out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, a fluid control means for providing a vortex of fluid in said sprinkler device, said control means movable into a first position to provide a vortex of fluid moving clockwise in said sprinkler device and movable into a second position to provide a vortex of fluid moving counterclockwise in said sprinkler device, drive means including at least one freely movable impact body driven by the vortex of fluid, and a reversing means connected to said control means and operated by said sprinkler head to move said control means from one position to another in order to reverse the direction of movement of said sprinkler head, said reversing means including two independently adjustable limit stops located outside said body, said limit stops adjustable relative to said body.

Claim 10

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for directing the flowing fluid out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, a fluid control means for providing a vortex of fluid in said sprinkler device, said control means movable into a first position to provide a vortex of fluid moving clockwise in said sprinkler device and movable into a second position to provide a vortex of fluid moving counterclockwise in said sprinkler device, drive means including at least one freely movable impact body driven by the vortex of fluid, and a reversing means connected to said control means and operated by said sprinkler head to move said control means from one position to another in order to reverse the direction of movement of said sprinkler head, said reversing means including two independently adjustable limit stops located outside said body, said limit stops adjustable relative to said body.

Claim 11

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution as set forth in claim 6 wherein, said control means includes a first vane surface directing the fluid in a clockwise direction, a second vane surface directing the fluid in a counterclockwise direction, and said reversing means includes a resilient member for storing energy.

Claim 12

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution as set forth in claim 7 wherein, said body includes a drive cavity with a generally annular pathway and an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, said impact body sized in relationship to the distance between the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface to restrict the movement of the impact body to provide a generally recurring impact body path from a start position to an impact position against an impact portion of the sprinkler head.

Claim 13

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for forming the fluid stream and for directing the fluid stream out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movable connected to said body, an incremental drive means for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, a fluid flow interrupter rearward of exit outlet of said nozzle for interrupting the direction of the fluid flow while generally maintaining a constant exiting fluid flow rate to control the fluid fallout along the length of the stream exiting the nozzle, and an interrupter control means for operating said interrupter during the time interval between increments of motion of said sprinkler head.

Claim 14

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for forming the fluid stream and for directing the fluid stream out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movable connected to said body, an incremental drive means for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, a fluid flow interrupter rearward of exit outlet of said nozzle for interrupting the direction of the fluid flow while generally maintaining a constant exiting fluid flow rate to control the fluid fallout along the length of the stream exiting the nozzle, and an interrupter control means for operating said interrupter during the time interval between increments of motion of said sprinkler head.

Claim 15

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for forming the fluid stream and for directing the fluid stream out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, a drive means for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, a fluid flow interrupter for interrupting the fluid to control the fluid fallout from the stream along the trajectory of the stream, an interrupter control means for operating said inTerrupter to provide bursts of fluid during minimal operating speed of the sprinkler device and in a timed relation with the relative movement between said sprinkler head and said body, said drive means drives said sprinkler head in step-by-step movement, and said interrupter control means operating said interrupter during the stepping operation.

Claim 16

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body including a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a body outlet portion, a sprinkler head including a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid and a nozzle for forming the fluid stream and for directing the fluid stream out the sprinkler head, said sprinkler head movably connected to said body, a drive means for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, a fluid flow interrupter for interrupting the fluid to control the fluid fallout from the stream along the trajectory of the stream, an interrupter control means for operating said inTerrupter to provide bursts of fluid during minimal operating speed of the sprinkler device and in a timed relation with the relative movement between said sprinkler head and said body, said drive means drives said sprinkler head in step-by-step movement, and said interrupter control means operating said interrupter during the stepping operation.

Claim 17

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body, a sprinkler head movably connected to said body, said sprinkler head movable about a centerline, said sprinkler head including a fixed nozzle receiving pocket with a centerline passing through the centerline of the moving sprinkler head at a fixed point, a nozzle member rotatable in said nozzle pocket, said nozzle member having a nozzle centerline offset from said nozzle pocket centerline and passing through said point, an adjusting member for rotating said nozzle member to raise and lower the elevation of the stream trajectory whereby said point of intersection of the nozzle centerline, the nozzle pocket centerline, and the sprinkler head centerline remains fixed during adjustment of the nozzle.

Claim 18

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body, a sprinkler head movably connected to said body, said sprinkler head movable about a centerline, said sprinkler head including a fixed nozzle receiving pocket with a centerline passing through the centerline of the moving sprinkler head at a fixed point, a nozzle member rotatable in said nozzle pocket, said nozzle member having a nozzle centerline offset from said nozzle pocket centerline and passing through said point, an adjusting member for rotating said nozzle member to raise and lower the elevation of the stream trajectory whereby said point of intersection of the nozzle centerline, the nozzle pocket centerline, and the sprinkler head centerline remains fixed during adjustment of the nozzle.

Claim 19

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body, a sprinkler head movably connected with said body, said sprinkler head including a nozzle for directing the fluid flow out the sprinkler head, a fluid flow interrupter connected to said sprinkler device for providing controlled fluid fallout from the stream along the trajectory of the stream, drive means separate from said interrupter, said drive means includes at least one impact body freely movable for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, and a reversing means connected to said sprinkler device to reverse the direction of relative movement between the said sprinkler head and said body.

Claim 20

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution comprising, a body, a sprinkler head movably connected with said body, said sprinkler head including a nozzle for directing the fluid flow out the sprinkler head, a fluid flow interrupter connected to said sprinkler device for providing controlled fluid fallout from the stream along the trajectory of the stream, drive means separate from said interrupter, said drive means includes at least one impact body freely movable for driving said sprinkler head relative to said body, and a reversing means connected to said sprinkler device to reverse the direction of relative movement between the said sprinkler head and said body.

Claim 21

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution as set forth in claim 12 wherein, said body includes a body inlet portion for receiving the fluid, a body outlet portion, and a drive cavity including an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, said sprinkler head includes a sprinkler head inlet portion for receiving the fluid, said nozzle is rotatable for adjusting the nozzle elevation, said fluid flow interrupter includes an interrupter control means for operating said interrupter when the sprinkler head is in fixed relation to said body, said fluid flow interrupter passes through the flowing fluid for varying the fluid flow rearward of said nozzle outlet, a fluid control means providing a vortex of fluid in said cavity, a drive means includes an interrupter drive means for periodically interrupting the flow of fluid passing through the nozzle, and said impact body is driven by the vortex of fluid and sized in relationship to the distance separating the outer wall surface ans inner wall surface of the cavity to restrict the movement of the impact body to provide a generally recurring impact body path.

Claim 22

A sprinkler device for fluid distribution as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said cavity boundary means includes an outer conical surface, an inner concentric and parallel conical surface, and two planar surfaces separated by said conical surfaces.