Boom irrigation system

Claim 2

A boom irrigation system permanently positioned in a field comprising a mast having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion and defining a vertical axis of rotation, a pair of elongate wings having inner ends secured to said rotatable portion of said mast and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, each wing including an outer tubular structural member and a small diameter inner water conducting member, a plurality of water spray nozzles connected to said inner water conducting member of each wing with the nozzle discharge openings on one wing facing in one tangential direction relative to a circle concentric with the vertical axis of the mast and the nozzle opening on the other wing facing an opposite tangential direction, and means for supplying water at irrigation pressure to said inner water conducting members and nozzles for causing the reaction force of water discharge from said nozzles to rotate said wings slowly about said mast axis and without exceeding the infiltration rate of the soil being irrigated.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said boom has a span of between about 40 and 200 feet and rotates at a rate within the range of about 3/4 to 1 revolution per minute to apply water to a circular area at a low application rate of a range of about 1/12 to 1/2 of an inch of water per hour.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said stationary portion of the mast forms a part of said water supplying means and includes an upwardly opening water supplying sleeve, wherein each inner water conducting member of said wings includes an upwardly opening water receiving sleeve, and additionally comprising a screen housing having three downwardly opening ports each provided with annular sealing means whereby said screen housing ports can easily be lowered over said sleeves and be sealed thereto by said sealing means, a screen in said housing through which water must flow when moving between said first mentioned and second mentioned sleeves, and means for clamping said screen housing to said stationary mast portion.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein spray nozzles on one wing are positioned to spray water on the soil in spaced concentric rings and wherein the spray nozzles on the other wing are positioned to spray water on the soil in rings between the first mentioned rings with a certain amount of overlap to assure complete coverage of the area below said wings.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a guy wire assembly is provided to support sAid wings, said guy wire assembly comprising a pair of beams connected to the rotatable portion of said mast and directed upwardly and outwardly from both sides of said mast in a vertical plane extending transversely of said wings, a plurality of triangular supports connected to each wing, and a plurality of cables interconnecting the upper ends of said beams with said triangular supports and said outer structural tubular members for prestressing said wings in an upwardly bowed configuration.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for maintaining said wings in an upwardly bowed position, and a pressure responsive water drain valve included in said water supply means at a point adjacent said mast for rapidly draining water from said wings in response to a water pressure less then said irrigation pressure.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein at least the annular sealing means associated with said water receiving sleeves are chevron seals having upwardly opening legs.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein means are provided for maintaining said wings in an upright bowed position, and a pressure responsive water drain valve connected to said screen housing and operable to open and drain water from said wings in response to a substantial reduction of the pressure of water in said water conducting wing members relative to said irrigation pressure.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 2 and additionally comprising a range nozzle on the outer end of one of said wings for increasing the irrigated area to that of a circle having a diameter of about 250 feet.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1 and additionally comprising boom alignment means connected in flow communication with said water supply means, said alignment means being responsive to a water pressure less than the irrigation pressure for holding said boom in a predetermined position of alignment and responsive to water at irrigation pressure to release said boom for rotation.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 1 and additionally comprising a boom alignment stand connected in flow communication with said water supply means, said alignment stand including a pair of boom engaging restraining arms movable between an upstanding boom restraining position in the path of movement of said boom wings and an inactive position disposed below said path of movement, and water pressure responsive means for moving said restraining arms from said inactive position to said restraining position in response to water pressure in said water supply means equal to that required for irrigation.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 11 and additionally comprising resilient means connected to each of said boom engaging restraining arms for allowing each arm to pivot toward the other arm upon being contacted by a wing of said boom when windmilling for stopping said wing in a position between said arms.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said water supply means includes an elongated supply pipe, a plurality of said boom irrigation systems being permanently positioned in a row parallel to and adjacent said pipe, a boom alignment stand associated with each boom, each alignment stand being connected in flow communication to said supply pipe and being permanently positioned adjacent said pipe in alignment with said booms, each alignment stand including a pair of boom engaging restraining arms movable between an upstanding boom restraining position in the path of movement of said boom wings and an inactive position disposed below said path of movement, and water pressure responsive means for moving said restraining arms from said inactive position to said restraining position in response to water pressure in said water supply means equal to that required for irrigation.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said water supply means includes an elongated supply pipe, a plurality of said boom irrigation systems being permanently positioned in a row parallel to and adjacenT said pipe, a boom alignment stand associated with each of said booms and being connected in flow communication to said pipe and disposed in alignment with said booms, each alignment system comprising a post driven in the ground for permanently supporting the stand, an upstanding water containing conduit communicating with said elongated pipe and having an upper open end, a mounting plate rigidly connected to the upper end of said upstanding water containing conduit, a piston received in the open end of said conduit, a carriage secured to the upper end of said piston, resilient means normally urging said carriage downwardly, a pair of boom restraining arms pivotally mounted on said carriage and having curved camming surfaces engaging said mounting plate, said camming surfaces allowing said arms to pivot downwardly out of the path of movement of said boom when water at irrigation pressure raises said carriage against the urging of said resilient means, said resilient means being effective for lowering said carriage upon termination of said irrigation pressure causing said camming surfaces to engage said mounting plate and cam said retaining arms into the path of movement of the boom, and resilient means connected to each arm for allowing one arm to pivot toward the other arm in response to being contacted by the windmilling boom for allowing the boom to come to rest between said arms in a position substantially parallel to said elongated water supply pipe.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 2 and additionally comprising upright pivot means connected to each wing, a vertically disposed wind engaging flap pivoted to each pivot means for movement within a pivotal range of about 180* relative to the associated pivot means, each flap being pivoted from a position wherein the wind will cause one side of said flap to contact the associated outer tubular structure member of said associated wing to aid in rotating the boom when said flap is on the up wind side of said associated wing, to a plurality of weather-vaning positions when said flap is on the downwind side of said associated wing.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the area of each of said flaps is in excess of about 1 square foot and wherein each flap is positioned beyond about 20 feet outwardly from the axis of rotation of the boom.

Claim 18

A boom irrigation system positioned in a field comprising a mast having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion defining a vertical axis of rotation, a pair of elongated water conducting wings having inner ends secured to said rotatable portion of said mast and extending outward therefrom in opposite directions, a plurality of water spray nozzles connected to said water conducting wings with the nozzle discharge openings on one wing facing in one tangential direction relative to a circle concentric with the vertical axis of the mast and the nozzle openings on the other wing facing an opposite tangential direction, means for supplying water at irrigation pressure to said inner water conducting members and nozzles for causing the reaction force of water discharged from said nozzles to rotate said wings slowly about said mast axis, and a wind engaging flap pivoted to each wing for movement within a pivot range of about 180* relative to the associated pivot means, each flap being pivoted from a position wherein the wind will cause one side of the flap to be held in a position substantially parallel to the associated wing to aid in rotating the boom when said flap is on the upwind side of said associated wing, to a plurality of weather-vaning positions when said flap is on the downwind side of said associated wing.

Claim 19

A boom irrigation system positioned in a field comprising a mast having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion defining a vertical axis of rotation, a pair of elongated water conducting wings having inner ends secured to said rotatable portion of said mast and extending outward therefrom in opposite directions, a plurality of water spray nozzles connected to said water conducting wings with the nozzle discharge openings on one wing facing in one tangential direction relative to a circle concentric with the vertical axis of the mast and the nozzle openings on the other wing facing an opposite tangential direction, means for supplying water at irrigation pressure to said inner water conducting members and nozzles for causing the reaction force of water discharged from said nozzles to rotate said wings slowly about said mast axis, and a wind engaging flap pivoted to each wing for movement within a pivot range of about 180* relative to the associated pivot means, each flap being pivoted from a position wherein the wind will cause one side of the flap to be held in a position substantially parallel to the associated wing to aid in rotating the boom when said flap is on the upwind side of said associated wing, to a plurality of weather-vaning positions when said flap is on the downwind side of said associated wing.

Claim 20

An irrigation system positioned in a field comprising an elongated water supply pipe, means for directing water at high pressure into said supply pipe, a plurality of irrigation booms being permanently positioned in a row parallel to and adjacent said pipe, each irrigation boom including a rotatable portion having parAllel elongated wings directed outwardly in opposite directions from its axis of rotation, spray nozzles on each wing for discharging water on the field, means for rotating the rotatable portion of each boom, and boom alignment means associated with each boom for holding the wings of each boom in a position generally parallel to said supply pipe when the irrigation system is not irrigating a field.

Claim 21

An irrigation system positioned in a field comprising an elongated water supply pipe, means for directing water at high pressure into said supply pipe, a plurality of irrigation booms being permanently positioned in a row parallel to and adjacent said pipe, each irrigation boom including a rotatable portion having parAllel elongated wings directed outwardly in opposite directions from its axis of rotation, spray nozzles on each wing for discharging water on the field, means for rotating the rotatable portion of each boom, and boom alignment means associated with each boom for holding the wings of each boom in a position generally parallel to said supply pipe when the irrigation system is not irrigating a field.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said boom alignment means is connected in flow communication with said water supply pipe, said alignment means being responsive to a water pressure less than the irrigation pressure for holding said boom wings in alignment with said supply pipe, and responsive to water at irrigation pressure to release said booms for rotation.