Irrigating apparatus

Claim 2

An irrigating system including a liquid supply line and emitters communicating with said line at spaced locations therealong, each of said emitters comprising a. an emitter body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by said body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively movable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at lEast one of the elements toward said flush position e. there being a by-pass formed around said orifice in the flush position of said elements to pass liquid from the inlet to the outlet independently of the orifice, said by-pass being closed in response to element relative movement to metering position.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 including means to supply pressurized water and nutrient solution to said line.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 including means alternately to connect said line to said water supply means and to a vent.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein said first element comprises a plunger movable in said bore relative to said pin element, the plunger having flexible seal engagement with the bore in said flushing position to pass said liquid and any foreign matter between the plunger and bore, the plunger exposed to liquid pressure acting to displace the plunger toward said metering position.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4 wherein said plunger comprises a tubular part and a flexible elastomer washer carried by said part to project radially generally outwardly thereof.

Claim 7

An irrigating system including a liquid supply line and emitters communicating with said line at spaced locations therealong, each of said emitters comprising a. an emitter body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by said body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively movable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position, e. said first element comprising a plunger movable in said bore relative to said pin element, the plunger having flexible seal engagement with the bore in said flushing position to pass said liquid and any foreign matter between the plunger and bore, the plunger exposed to liquid pressure acting to displace the plunger toward said metering position, said plunger comprising a tubular part and a flexible elastomer washer carried by said part to project radially generally outwardly thereof, said part having a bore axially receiving the pin in said metering position and to define an annular orifice with axial taper.

Claim 8

An irrigating system including a liquid supply line and emitters communicating with said line at spaced locations therealong, each of said emitters comprising a. an emitter body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by said body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively movable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position, e. said first element comprising a plunger movable in said bore relative to said pin element, the plunger having flexible seal engagement with the bore in said flushing position to pass said liquid and any foreign matter between the plunger and bore, the plunger exposed to liquid pressure acting to displace the plunger toward said metering position, said plunger comprising a tubular part and a flexible elastomer washer carried by said part to project radially generally outwardly thereof, said part having a bore axially receiving the pin in said metering position and to define an annular orifice with axial taper.

Claim 9

The system of claim 1 including a check valve controlling said outlet to pass liquid from the body interior to the body exterior and to block liquid passage from the body exterior to the body interior.

Claim 10

A self-cleaning liquid emitter, comprising a. a body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by the body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively moveable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position e. there being a by-pass formed around said orifice in the flush position of said elements to pass liquid from the inlet to the outlet independently of the orifice, said by-pass being closed in response to element relative movement to metering position.

Claim 11

A self-cleaning liquid emitter, comprising a. a body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by the body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively moveable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position e. there being a by-pass formed around said orifice in the flush position of said elements to pass liquid from the inlet to the outlet independently of the orifice, said by-pass being closed in response to element relative movement to metering position.

Claim 12

The emitter of claim 8 wherein said first element comprises a plunger movable in said bore relative to said pin element, the plunger having flexible seal engagement with the bore in said flushing position to pass said liquid and any foreign matter between the plunger and bore, the plunger exposed to liquid pressure acting to Displace the plunger toward said metering position.

Claim 13

A self-cleaning liquid emitter, comprising a. a body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by the body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively movable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position, e. said first element comprising a plunger movable in said bore relative to said pin element, the plunger having flexible seal engagement with the bore in said flushing position to pass said liquid and any foreign matter between the plunger and bore, the plunger exposed to liquid pressure acting to displace the plunger toward said metering position, said plunger comprising a tubular part and a flexible elastomer washer carried by said part to project radially generally outwardly thereof.

Claim 14

A self-cleaning liquid emitter, comprising a. a body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by the body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively movable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position, e. said first element comprising a plunger movable in said bore relative to said pin element, the plunger having flexible seal engagement with the bore in said flushing position to pass said liquid and any foreign matter between the plunger and bore, the plunger exposed to liquid pressure acting to displace the plunger toward said metering position, said plunger comprising a tubular part and a flexible elastomer washer carried by said part to project radially generally outwardly thereof.

Claim 15

The emitter of claim 10 wherein said part has a bore axially receiving the pin in said metering position and to define an annular orifice with axial taper.

Claim 16

The emitter of claim 8 including a check valve controlling said outlet to pass liquid from the body interior to the body exterior and to block liquid passage from the body exterior to the body interior.

Claim 17

A self-cleaning liquid emitter, comprising a. a body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by the body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively movable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position, e. said first element being movable relative to the pin, and including adjustable means to controllably move the pin axially in the bore to controllably vary the orifice area in said metering position of the elements, the pin diameter varying along its length.

Claim 18

A self-cleaning liquid emitter, comprising a. a body having a bore, an inlet and an outlet communicating with the bore, b. a first element carried by the body and defining an orifice in said bore, and a pin element projecting in said orifice, c. said elements being relatively movable between a metering position in which liquid flow through the orifice is metered, and a flush position in which the effective orifice area is substantially increased to pass particulate material to said outlet, d. there being structure transmitting yieldable force in a direction to counteract the pressure of said liquid and urging at least one of the elements toward said flush position, e. said first element being movable relative to the pin, and including adjustable means to controllably move the pin axially in the bore to controllably vary the orifice area in said metering position of the elements, the pin diameter varying along its length.