Control mechanism for irrigation system

Claim 2

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and having a plurality of carriages to transport said pipe across a field in either of two directions, said carriages each having a reversible motor to selectively drive the carriage in either of said two directions, mechanism for controlling said motors comprising motor speed adjusting means having an actuating member, a control member for engagement with said actuating member having a point on the control member, means defining a pair of parallel fulcrums for said control member spaced from said actuating member and disposed on opposite sides of said point, movable pivot means associated with said fulcrums, means to pivot said control member about one of said fulcrums and said pivot means in response to bending of the pipe, said pivot means being movable from one fulcrum to the other to permit reversing the relative position of said control member point and said fulcrums relative to the pipe to reverse movement of the valve actuating member in response to bending of the pipe for accommodating controllable movement of the carriage in either direction.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 including means to effect relative shifting between said control member and said actuating member operatively connected to said control member and independent of the bending of the pipe to adjust the motor to an optimum speed.

Claim 4

In an irrigation system having a plurality of carriages with motors to transport said pipe across a field in either of two directions, mechanism to control the speed of each of said motors to maintain the pipe in alignment; each mechanism comprising a valve having an actuating member, said actuating member movable to control the speed of a carriage motor, a control member for engagement with said actuating member at a point on the control member, means defining a first alternate fulcrum spaced from said actuating member on one side of said control member point, means defining a second alternate fuLcrum parallel to the first fulcrum on the opposite side of said control member point, and means to pivot said control member selectively about one or the other of said fulcrums to shift said actuating member in one direction in response to misalignment of the pipe in one direction when the pipe is being driven in a first direction or to shift said actuating member in the same direction in response to misalignment of the pipe in the opposite direction when the pipe is being driven in the opposite direction for thereby accommodating controllable movement of a carriage in either direction.

Claim 5

In an irrigation system having a plurality of carriages with motors to transport said pipe across a field in either of two directions, mechanism to control the speed of each of said motors to maintain the pipe in alignment; each mechanism comprising a valve having an actuating member, said actuating member movable to control the speed of a carriage motor, a control member for engagement with said actuating member at a point on the control member, means defining a first alternate fulcrum spaced from said actuating member on one side of said control member point, means defining a second alternate fuLcrum parallel to the first fulcrum on the opposite side of said control member point, and means to pivot said control member selectively about one or the other of said fulcrums to shift said actuating member in one direction in response to misalignment of the pipe in one direction when the pipe is being driven in a first direction or to shift said actuating member in the same direction in response to misalignment of the pipe in the opposite direction when the pipe is being driven in the opposite direction for thereby accommodating controllable movement of a carriage in either direction.

Claim 6

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and having a plurality of carriages to transport said pipe across a field in either of two directions, said carriages each having a reversible motor to selectively drive the carriage in either of said two directions, mechanism for controlling the motor of a carriage comprising a support member connected to and extending from the pipe, a valve mounted on said support member and having an actuating member, said actuating member movable to control the speed of said motor, a control member for engagement with said actuating member at a point, parallel fulcrum defining means on said support member for said control member and spaced from said actuating member, a rod connected between said pipe and said control member to pivot said control member about said fulcrum in response to bending of the pipe in one direction, and means to permit reversing the relative position of said control member point and said fulcrum to reverse movement of the valve actuating member in response to bending of the pipe in said one direction for accommodating controllable movement of the carriage in either direction.

Claim 7

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and having a plurality of carriages to transport said pipe across a field in either of two directions, said carriages each having a reversible motor to selectively drive the carriage in either of said two directions, mechanism for controlling the motor of a carriage comprising a support member connected to and extending from the pipe, a valve mounted on said support member and having an actuating member, said actuating member movable to control the speed of said motor, a control member for engagement with said actuating member at a point, parallel fulcrum defining means on said support member for said control member and spaced from said actuating member, a rod connected between said pipe and said control member to pivot said control member about said fulcrum in response to bending of the pipe in one direction, and means to permit reversing the relative position of said control member point and said fulcrum to reverse movement of the valve actuating member in response to bending of the pipe in said one direction for accommodating controllable movement of the carriage in either direction.

Claim 8

In an irrigation system having a water pipe supported on a plurality of carriages for movement across a field in either of two directions, each carriage having a water motor, the combination comprising a valve for each carriage to control the speed of the motor thereof, each valve having a movable actuating member, a control member to operatively engage said actuating member at an actuating point, a motion transmitting member connected between the water pipe and a connecting point on said control member to move the control member in response to bending of the pipe, means defining first and second parallel alternative pivot points for said control member spaced from said actuating member, said pivot points straddling said actuating point, said pipe when bent in one direction being effective to cause said control member to move said movable actuating member in one direction when said control member pivots about said first pivot point, and to cause said actuating member to move in the opposite direction when said control member pivots about said second pivot point for accommodating controllable movement of the carriage in either direction.

Claim 9

In an irrigation system having a water pipe supported on a plurality of carriages for movement across a field in either of two directions, each carriage having a water motor, the combination comprising a valve for each carriage to control the speed of the motor thereof, each valve having a movable actuating member, a control member to operatively engage said actuating member at an actuating point, a motion transmitting member connected between the water pipe and a connecting point on said control member to move the control member in response to bending of the pipe, means defining first and second parallel alternative pivot points for said control member spaced from said actuating member, said pivot points straddling said actuating point, said pipe when bent in one direction being effective to cause said control member to move said movable actuating member in one direction when said control member pivots about said first pivot point, and to cause said actuating member to move in the opposite direction when said control member pivots about said second pivot point for accommodating controllable movement of the carriage in either direction.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5 in which the connecting point, actuating point, and first and second pivot points are positioned along the control member and are spaced to render the displacement of the valve actuating member and same when the first pivot point is used and the pipe is bent a given amount in one direction or the second pivot point is used and the pipe is bent the same amount in the opposite direction.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 5 in which the ratio of the distance between the first pivot point and the actuating point to the distance between the first pivot point and the connecting point is the same as the ratio of the distance between the second pivot point and the actuating point to the distance between the second pivot point and the connecting point.

Claim 12

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and having a plurality of carriages to support the water pipe and move said pipe across a field in either of two directions, said carriages each having a motor, and a source of water under pressure connected to one end of said water pipe, the combination for each of said carriages comprising a support, a valve to control The speed of said motor mounted on said support, an actuating member for the valve to regulate the speed of the carriage motor on movement of the actuating member, a control member pivotally mounted on the support to engage the actuating member for movement thereof, first means to pivot the control member in response to bending of the pipe, and second means to pivot the control member independently of bending of the pipe, said second means of each of said carriages being adjusted to progressively increase the speed of said carriage motors with the slowest speed being adjacent the water source and with the fastest speed being furthest from the water source.

Claim 13

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and having a plurality of carriages to support the water pipe and move said pipe across a field in either of two directions, said carriages each having a motor, and a source of water under pressure connected to one end of said water pipe, the combination for each of said carriages comprising a support, a valve to control The speed of said motor mounted on said support, an actuating member for the valve to regulate the speed of the carriage motor on movement of the actuating member, a control member pivotally mounted on the support to engage the actuating member for movement thereof, first means to pivot the control member in response to bending of the pipe, and second means to pivot the control member independently of bending of the pipe, said second means of each of said carriages being adjusted to progressively increase the speed of said carriage motors with the slowest speed being adjacent the water source and with the fastest speed being furthest from the water source.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 in which the second means to pivot the control member independently of bending the pipe includes a handle connected to said control member, and means for locking said handle in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions.

Claim 15

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and having a plurality of carriages to support the water pipe and move said pipe across a field, said carriages each having a motor, the combination comprising a support, a valve to control the speed of said motor mounted on said support, an actuating member for the valve to regulate the speed of the carriage motor on movement of the actuating member, a control member pivotally mounted on the support to engage the actuating member for movement thereof, means to pivot the control member in response to bending of the pipe, and means to pivot the control member independently of bending of the pipe, said means to pivot the control member independently of bending the pipe including a handle connected to said control member, said means to pivot the control member independently of bending the pipe includes a detent to hold the handle when the control member is in a desired predetermined position relative to the valve.

Claim 16

In an irrigation system having a water pipe and having a plurality of carriages to support the water pipe and move said pipe across a field, said carriages each having a motor, the combination comprising a support, a valve to control the speed of said motor mounted on said support, an actuating member for the valve to regulate the speed of the carriage motor on movement of the actuating member, a control member pivotally mounted on the support to engage the actuating member for movement thereof, means to pivot the control member in response to bending of the pipe, and means to pivot the control member independently of bending of the pipe, said means to pivot the control member independently of bending the pipe including a handle connected to said control member, said means to pivot the control member independently of bending the pipe includes a detent to hold the handle when the control member is in a desired predetermined position relative to the valve.

Claim 17

In an irrigation system having a water pipe, a plurality of carriages to support the pipe and move the pipe across a field, each carriage having a motor, a combination comprising an elongated support adjacent each of said carriages extending from the pipe, a valve for controlling the speed of a carriage motor mounted on the support, a control arm pivotally mounted on the support, a plate mounted on the end of the control arm, a handle pivotally connected to the plate, a control rod having one end connected to the pipe and the opposite end connected to the handle in spaced relation to the point at which the handle is connected to the plate, and means for locking said handle to said plate in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions.

Claim 18

In an irrigation system having a water pipe, a plurality of carriages to support the pipe and move the pipe across a field, each carriage having a motor, a combination comprising an elongated support adjacent each of said carriages extending from the pipe, a valve for controlling the speed of a carriage motor mounted on the support, a control arm pivotally mounted on the support, a plate mounted on the end of the control arm, a handle pivotally connected to the plate, a control rod having one end connected to the pipe and the opposite end connected to the handle in spaced relation to the point at which the handle is connected to the plate, and means for locking said handle to said plate in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions.

Claim 19

In an irrigation system having a water pipe, a plurality of carriages to support the pipe and move the pipe across the field, each carriage having a motor, the combination comprising an elongated support adjacent each of said carriages extending from the pipe, a valve for controlling the speed of a carriage motor mounted on the support, a control arm pivotally mounted on the support, a plate mounted on the end of the control arm, a handle pivotally connected to the plate, a control rod having one end connected to the pipe and the opposite end connected to the handle in spaced relation to the point at which the handle is connected to the plate, and a detent to engage the plate to hold the control member in a desired predetermined position for aligned travel of the carriage controlled thereby.

Claim 20

In an irrigation system having a water pipe, a plurality of carriages to support the pipe and move the pipe across the field, each carriage having a motor, the combination comprising an elongated support adjacent each of said carriages extending from the pipe, a valve for controlling the speed of a carriage motor mounted on the support, a control arm pivotally mounted on the support, a plate mounted on the end of the control arm, a handle pivotally connected to the plate, a control rod having one end connected to the pipe and the opposite end connected to the handle in spaced relation to the point at which the handle is connected to the plate, and a detent to engage the plate to hold the control member in a desired predetermined position for aligned travel of the carriage controlled thereby.