Reversible,self-propelled sprinkler system

Abstract

Abstract A SPRIKLER-TYPE IRRIGATION SYSTEM INCLUDING AN ELONGATED, SELF-PROPELLED, REVERSIBLE, SPRINKLING APPARATUS FOR STRUCTURE BIDIRECTIONALLY MOVEABLE ALONG AN ARCUATE SPRINKLING PATH. THE SPRINKLING STRUCTURE COMPRISES AN ELONGATED, SPRINKLER-EQUIPPED PIPELINE COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED, INTERCONNECTED PIPES RELATIVELY PIVOTABLE IN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL DRIVE PLANE. THE SPRINKLING APPARATUS IS PROPELLED ALONG ITS PATH BY A REVERSIBLE PROPELLING MEANS COMPRISING A LEADING CARRAIGE SUPPORTING THE OUTER END OF THE PIPELINE AND DRIVEN BY A REVERSIBLE LEADING MOTOR, AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FOLLOWING CARRIAGES RESPECTIVELY SUPPORTING THE PIPELINE AT THE JUNCTIONS OF THE PIPES AND RESPECTIVELY DRIVEN BY REVERSIBLE FOLLOWING MOTORS. A REVERSING MEANS REVERSES THE CARRIAGE DRIVE MOTORS UPON ARRIVAL OF THE SPRINKLING STRUCTURE AT THE END OF ITS ARCUATE SPRINKLING PATH. A CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO RELATIVE PIVOTING OF THE PIPES IN THE DRIVE PLANE SELECTIVELY ENERGIZES THE FOLLLOWING MOTORS AS REQUIRED TO CAUSE THE FOLLOWING CARRIAGES TO FOLLOW THE LEADING CARRIAGE IN EITHER DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE SPRINKLING STRUCTURE. THE CONTROL MEANS COMPRISES CONTROL DEVICES WHICH ARE LOCATED AT THE RESPECTIVE JUNCTIONS OF THE PIPES AND EACH OF WHICH INCLUDES TWO OPPOSITELY ORIENTED CAMS AND CAM ACTUATING MEANS FOR PIVOTING THE CAMS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE PIVOTING OF ADJACENT ONES OF THE PIPES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN THE DRIVE PLANE. THE CARRIAGES ARE MAINTAINED ON A BOWED LINE FROM THE INNER END AND OF THE PIPELINE TO THE OUTER END THEREOF, IN BOTH DIRECTIONS OF SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE SPRINKLING STRUCTURE ALONG THE SPRINKLING PATH, WITH THE INTERMEDIATE CARRIAGES PROGRESSIVELY FARTHER AHEAD CIRCUMFERENTIALLY THAN CARRIAGES ADJACENT THE ENDS OF THE PIPELINE, WHEREBY THE PIPELINE OPERATES IN A BOW WITH ITS CONVEX SIDE LEADING.

Inventors

• 👤 Harry C Bonds
• 👤 August C Ringe

Bibliographic Details