Patent US3484286A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3753527A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3753527A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Drip irrigation system
Assignee: Rocket Research Co
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Filing: 1971-08-06
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Granted: 1973-08-21
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Expires: 1991-08-06
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of drip units or irrigators are attached to a plastic hose. Water flows from the hose to and through a relatively large metering orifice in each irrigator which is sized to easily pass any expected particles which are in the water. A vortex chamber is positioned immediately upstream of the metering orifice and functions to swirl the water ahead of the orifice, giving the orifice the flow determining characteristics of a relatively small orifice. The vortex chamber also serves to increase the velocity of the water at the orifice, providing an scouring action at the orifice working against algae buildup.
Inventors
- 👤 L Galbraith
- 👤 A Harvey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:04
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G25/00; A01G25/02; A01G25/023; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/10; Y02A40/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A drip irrigator comprising means for attaching it to the side wall of a conduit, said irrigator including a vortex chamber having a tangential inlet, an axial control orifice leading from said vortex chamber, and outlet passageway means leading from said control orifice to a relatively large volume settling chamber and from said chamber outwardly from said irrigator to discharge onto the ground, whereby liquid supplied to the iRrigator swirls as it flows through the vortex chamber and in that manner limits the flow through the control orifice, said vortex chamber and said control orifice being dimensioned to limit the flow through the control orifice to such an extent that the liquid substantially only drips or trickles out from the settling chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A drip irrigator comprising means for attaching it to the side wall of a conduit, said irrigator including a vortex chamber having a tangential inlet, an axial control orifice leading from said vortex chamber, and outlet passageway means leading from said control orifice to a relatively large volume settling chamber and from said chamber outwardly from said irrigator to discharge onto the ground, whereby liquid supplied to the iRrigator swirls as it flows through the vortex chamber and in that manner limits the flow through the control orifice, said vortex chamber and said control orifice being dimensioned to limit the flow through the control orifice to such an extent that the liquid substantially only drips or trickles out from the settling chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
A drip irrigator according to claim 1, wherein said irrigator comprises a body having first and second ends and means at its first end for securing it to the side wall of the conduit, wherein a trunk passageway extends through the body from said first end to the tangential inlet for the vortex chamber, wherein said vortex chamber and its tangential inlet are both recesses in the second end of the body, and wherein said irrigator includes a removable member having a wall which when in place provides an outer boundary for both the tangential inlet and the vortex chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A drip irrigator according to claim 2, wherein said outlet passageway means extends from said control orifice longitudinally of the body, and said settling chamber extends laterally of said body and exits through a side portion of said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A drip irrigator according to claim 3, wherein said trunk passageway extends to the second end of said body and the tangential inlet for the vortex chamber extends laterally from said trunk passageway to said vortex chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A drip irrigator according to claim 1, wherein said irrigator is formed to include a plurality of vortex chambers, each having a tangential inlet for receiving a liquid, and selectively usable means for supplying each vortex chamber with either an axial control orifice or a downstream closure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
92 words
A drip irrigator comprising a body having a generally planar downstream end, a trunk passageway extending therethrough to said downstream end, vortex chamber formed as a recess in said downstream end, said vortex chamber having a generally tangential inlet extending laterally to it from said trunk passageway, and a wall member placeable against said outlet end to form an outer boundary for said vortex chamber, said member including at least one control orifice and at least one blank portion which are selectively locatable over or to one side of the vortex chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
A drip irrigator comprising a body having a generally planar downstream end, a trunk passageway extending therethrough to said downstream end, vortex chamber formed as a recess in said downstream end, said vortex chamber having a generally tangential inlet extending laterally to it from said trunk passageway, and a wall member placeable against said outlet end to form an outer boundary for said vortex chamber, said member including at least one control orifice and at least one blank portion which are selectively locatable over or to one side of the vortex chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
A drip irrigator according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of said vortex chambers having centers which are spaced apart angularly about the longitudinal center axis of said body, and said wall member has extending therethrough a control orifice for each vortex chamber, said control orifices also being spaced apart angularly about the center of said wall member, and means for securing said wall member to said body member with one or more of the control orifices in registry with the vortex chambers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
A drip irrigator according to claim 7, wherein the means for securing the wall member to the body member includes a cap having a center cavity for receiving the wall member and downstream end of the body, said cap including outlet passageway means therein leading from the discharge ends of the control orifices outwardly from the drip irrigator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A drip irrigator according to claim 7, further comprising complementary pin and recess means on said wall member and the downstream end of said body for positioning the wall member with either a control orifice or a blank portion of the wall member in registry with each vortex chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
A drip irrigation method comprising delivering water tangentially into a vortex chamber, then through such chamber and through a control orifice leading generally axially therefrom, and then through an outlet to a relatively large volume settling chamber, and on to the ground to be irrigated, including swirling the water substantially as it flows through the vortex chamber so that the swirling water will limit flow out through the control orifice to the extent that the water substantially merely drips or trickles from the settling chamber onto the ground.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
A drip irrigation method comprising delivering water tangentially into a vortex chamber, then through such chamber and through a control orifice leading generally axially therefrom, and then through an outlet to a relatively large volume settling chamber, and on to the ground to be irrigated, including swirling the water substantially as it flows through the vortex chamber so that the swirling water will limit flow out through the control orifice to the extent that the water substantially merely drips or trickles from the settling chamber onto the ground.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A drip irrigation method according to claim 10, compRising adjusting the amount of water dripped onto the ground by varying the number of vortex chambers and control orifices in the flow path leading to the settling chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2650132A
Cited
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Cited
FR1171272A
Cited
US3323550A
Cited
US3586239A
Cited
US3604728A
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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) | 1976-08-20 | 1977-02-19 | 1977-08-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-20 | 1981-02-19 | 1981-08-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-20 | 1985-02-19 | 1985-08-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |