US3707164A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Line move
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-06-24
•
Granted: 1972-12-26
•
Expires: 1990-06-24
Abstract
Abstract In one embodiment, individually powered tractors carrying a pipe are individually stopped to cause the other still traveling tractors to swing the line toward a baseline in case of excess tension on the pipe or to swing the line away from the baseline in case of excess compression on the pipe, thereby eliminating drift of the line. In another embodiment, a first tractor is guided along a baseline ditch and wheels of other tractors helping to carry a pipe are turned somewhat toward the baseline in case of tension and are turned outwardly from the baseline in case of compression, the line being swingable about the first tractor at each end of the baseline so as to travel along one side of a field, around an end portion of the field back along the other side of the field and around the other end portion of the field. Tension and compression of the pipe may be detected by feeler structure movable along a ditch forming the baseline or by feelers on loose ball-and-socket joints, mechanically connecting sections of the pipe together.
Inventors
- 👤 Victor G Clemons
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:18
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G25/00; A01G25/09; A01G25/097
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
In an irrigation apparatus, baseline means extending along a field, a line move including a pipe extending generally transversely from the baseline means and a plurality of individually driven tractor means spaced along the pipe and adapted to move the line move along the baseline means in a direction substantially parallel to the baseline means, sensing means responsive to tendency of the line move to drift transversely of the baseline means, and correcting means responsive to the sensing means for controlling the several tractor means to move the several tractor means individually toward or away from the baseline means to correct drift.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
In an irrigation apparatus, baseline means extending along a field, a line move including a pipe extending generally transversely from the baseline means and a plurality of individually driven tractor means spaced along the pipe and adapted to move the line move along the baseline means in a direction substantially parallel to the baseline means, sensing means responsive to tendency of the line move to drift transversely of the baseline means, and correcting means responsive to the sensing means for controlling the several tractor means to move the several tractor means individually toward or away from the baseline means to correct drift.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein line move includes a pipe and the tractor means includes a plurality of tractors carrying the pipe and spaced therealong, the tractors including frames, wheels, fork means mounting the wheels and pivotal on the frames to turn the wheels and power means responsive to the sensing means for turning the wheels relative to the frames to drive the tractors toward or away from the baseline means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the baseline means comprises a water ditch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 3 including a flexible water intake extending into the ditch and guided therealong and carried by the tractor means, the sensing means including feeler means carried by the tractor means and engaging the water intake.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
137 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tractor means includes a plurality of individually driven tractors spaced along the line move including a first tractor adjacent the baseline means and a second tractor spaced outwardly along the line move from the baseline means and the first tractor, the first and second tractors normally being driven at the same speed, the correcting means including first means for slowing the first tractor relative to the second tractor when the line move tends to drift away from the baseline means to swing the line move somewhat toward the baseline means, the correcting means also including second means for slowing the second tractor relative to the first tractor when the line move tends to drift toward the baseline means to swing the line move somewhat away from the baseline means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first means serves to stop and inch the first tractor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first means includes a timer intermittently actuating the drive of the first tractor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the line move includes a plurality of pipe sections and coupling means connecting the pipe sections together and permitting limited longitudinal movement between the pipe sections, the sensing means including a plurality of means movable with the sections to detect when the coupling means is placed under tension and also detect when the coupling means is placed under compression.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 8 wherein the coupling means includes a ball secured to one of the pipe sections, an elongated, generally ellipsordal socket secured to a second one of the pipe sections and an elastic sleeve coupling the last mentioned pipe sections, the sensing means including a feeler engaging the ball and switch means operable by the feeler carriEd by the second one of the pipe sections.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
147 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the line move includes a first tractor closest to the baseline means, a second tractor farther from the baseline means than the first tractor, other tractor means spaced farther the baseline means than the second tractor, individual drives for the first tractor, the second tractor and the tractor means, and a pipe carried by the tractors and the tractor means, the sensing means and the correcting means including means for slowing the travel of the first tractor relative to that of the second tractor to swing the second tractor somewhat toward the baseline to correct drift away from the baseline, the sensing means and the correcting means also including means for slowing the travel of the second tractor relative to that of the first tractor to swing the tractor somewhat away from the baseline to correct drift toward the baseline.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 10 including alignment control means serving to control the relative speeds of travel of the second tractor and the tractor means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an irrigation apparatus, baseline means extending along the central portion of a field, a line move including a pipe, tractor means carrying the line move and including at least one outer tractor spaced substantially from the baseline means and a reversible inner tractor movable along the baseline means and carrying the pipe pivotally thereon, and control means for directing the tractor means in one direction along one side of the field, around one end portion of the field and back along the other side of the field, the control means including means stopping the inner tractor at one end of the baseline means and continuing to drive the outer tractor to pivot the pipe 180* about the inner tractor, and means for driving the inner tractor back along the baseline means when the pipe has been so pivoted 180* and continuing to drive the outer tractor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an irrigation apparatus, baseline means extending along the central portion of a field, a line move including a pipe, tractor means carrying the line move and including at least one outer tractor spaced substantially from the baseline means and a reversible inner tractor movable along the baseline means and carrying the pipe pivotally thereon, and control means for directing the tractor means in one direction along one side of the field, around one end portion of the field and back along the other side of the field, the control means including means stopping the inner tractor at one end of the baseline means and continuing to drive the outer tractor to pivot the pipe 180* about the inner tractor, and means for driving the inner tractor back along the baseline means when the pipe has been so pivoted 180* and continuing to drive the outer tractor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 12 wherein the inner tractor straddles the baseline means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 13 including a stop at said end of the baseline means for positively stopping the inner tractor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 14 including latching means on the inner tractor for latching the pipe to the inner tractor to prevent pivoting of the pipe relative to the inner tractor, and means operable by the stop for releasing the latch means when the inner tractor reaches said end of the baseline means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
75 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 12 including water supply means for controlling flows to the sprinklers to supply substantially uniform coverage while the line is moved along said sides of the field and for creating progressively less flows to the sprinklers proceeding along the pipe toward the baseline means when the line is moved around said one end portion of the field to supply substantially uniform coverage to said one end portion of the field.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 16 wherein the water supply means includes a plurality of auxiliary sprinklers, and trusswork piping serving to truss the pipe and to supply water to the auxiliary sprinklers when the line is moved around said end portion of the field.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
100 words
In an irrigation apparatus, a tractor frame, a sprinkler pipe mounted on the frame, wheel means, fork means carried by the wheel means, means mounting the fork means pivotally on the frame, motor drive means mounted on the fork means in line with the wheel means and coupled to the wheel means for driving the wheel means, reversible power means for turning the fork means relative to the frame, baseline means, and remote control sensing means responsive to drift of the frame relative to the baseline means for actuating the power means in a direction tending to correct such drift.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
100 words
In an irrigation apparatus, a tractor frame, a sprinkler pipe mounted on the frame, wheel means, fork means carried by the wheel means, means mounting the fork means pivotally on the frame, motor drive means mounted on the fork means in line with the wheel means and coupled to the wheel means for driving the wheel means, reversible power means for turning the fork means relative to the frame, baseline means, and remote control sensing means responsive to drift of the frame relative to the baseline means for actuating the power means in a direction tending to correct such drift.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 18 wherein the wheel means Comprises a pair of wheels, the fork means comprises a pair of forks and including a link coupling the forks.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The irrigation apparatus of claim 18 wherein the reversible power means comprises a fluid pressure cylinder drive mounted on the frame.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-26 | 1976-06-26 | 1976-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-26 | 1980-06-26 | 1980-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-26 | 1984-06-26 | 1984-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |