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US3666181A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Sprinkler head apparatus

Assignee: Senninger Irrigation Inc
•
Filing: 1971-04-02
•
Granted: 1972-05-30
•
Expires: 1991-04-02
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Abstract

Abstract A sprinkler head apparatus is provided having a casing adapted to be connected to a water line in which the casing has a tube passing through the top thereof with a nozzle on the end exterior to the casing and a raceway attached to the other end of the tube inside the casing. The raceway has a ball located therein adapted to ride in a generally circular path and a protrusion connected thereto whereby intermittent collision with the ball riding in the raceway will rotate the raceway along with the tube and nozzle of the sprinkler head. The raceway has an inlet for water to enter at an angle generally tangential to the raceway for driving the ball in the raceway. The water entering the raceway may then pass into the tube and out the nozzle of the sprinkler head. The raceway has a second variable water inlet through which water may enter the raceway directly into the tube thereby varying the amount entering the angled inlet for driving the ball so that the rate of rotation of the tube and nozzle can be varied as desired.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mark Healy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 18:55
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05B; B05B1/00; B05B1/02; B05B1/08; B05B1/083; B05B1/085; B05B1/0856; B05B15/00; B05B15/70; B05B15/72; B05B15/74

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 193 words
A sprinkler head apparatus comprising in combination: a. a casing having a water inlet therein adapted to receive water therethrough; b. tubular means having two end portions and being rotatably connected to and extending through said casing; c. nozzle means located on one end portion of said tubular means exterior to said casing; d. raceway means located on the other end portion of said tubular means inside said casing and means adapted for water to pass from inside said raceway into said tubular means; e. ball means located in said raceway means and adapted to move in a circular direction and said raceway; f. protrusion means located in said raceway and attached thereto for intermittent collision with said ball means during movement of said ball means in its circular direction; g. said raceway means having water inlet means for allowing water inside said casing to enter said raceway to drive said ball means in said raceway whereby intermittent collision with said protrusion means will rotate said raceway means along with said tubular means and said nozzle means and water entering said raceway can pass into said tubular means and out said nozzle means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 193 words
A sprinkler head apparatus comprising in combination: a. a casing having a water inlet therein adapted to receive water therethrough; b. tubular means having two end portions and being rotatably connected to and extending through said casing; c. nozzle means located on one end portion of said tubular means exterior to said casing; d. raceway means located on the other end portion of said tubular means inside said casing and means adapted for water to pass from inside said raceway into said tubular means; e. ball means located in said raceway means and adapted to move in a circular direction and said raceway; f. protrusion means located in said raceway and attached thereto for intermittent collision with said ball means during movement of said ball means in its circular direction; g. said raceway means having water inlet means for allowing water inside said casing to enter said raceway to drive said ball means in said raceway whereby intermittent collision with said protrusion means will rotate said raceway means along with said tubular means and said nozzle means and water entering said raceway can pass into said tubular means and out said nozzle means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said raceway means water inlet means includes a second water inlet for allowing water to enter into said tubular means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 69 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said second water inlet to said raceway means has means to vary the inlet size for controlling the amount of water that passes therethrough whereby varying the size of the inlet will vary the water passing throuGh both said first and second inlets to said raceway, thereby varying the rate of rotation of said raceway means, tubular means and nozzle means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 59 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 in which said second inlet to said raceway means is varied by means of a rotating disc having varying sized opening therein adapted to be aligned with the second inlet in said raceway to reduce said second inlet in accordance with said opening in said disc which is aligned with said second inlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 in which said rotatable disc has a closed position for blocking said second inlet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 in which said second inlet is aligned with the bottom of said tubular means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 50 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 in which said sprinkler apparatus has an elongated casing adapted for said raceway means and tubular means to be lifted when water pressure is applied to the inside of said casing whereby said nozzle means may be lifted to an elevated position during operation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 in which said rotatable disc has protrusions for aligning each inlet therethrough with the second inlet to said raceway means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 23 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, in which said inlet to said raceway is angled in a generally tangential line to said raceway.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 in which said inlet sides extend into said raceway means to provide the protrusion means therefor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US25942A Cited
US3127110A Cited
US2009478A Cited
US2990120A Cited
US3103313A Cited
US3334817A Cited
US3602431A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-05-30 1975-11-29 1976-05-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-05-30 1979-11-29 1980-05-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-05-30 1983-11-29 1984-05-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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