Irrigating apparatus

Claim 2

In a self-propelled irrigating apparatus for watering an area of ground, said apparatus comprising a linear water transporting conduit supported above the ground by a plurality of movable support members disposed at spaced intervals along said conduit, said conduit having connected thereto a plurality of water sprinkling means at spaced intervals along the conduit for sprinkling water onto the ground, and at least one of said support members having drive means operatively attached thereto for moving said conduit over the ground in a generally perpendicular direction to the line of the conduit, said drive means comprising a movable base, a motor having an output, and transmission means operatively connecting the motor output to the movable base, the improvement comprising, for each of said transmission means, rigid enclosure means pivotally attached to said support member and constructed of oil-resistant and weatherresistant material, said enclosure means substantially completely enveloping said transmission means but being spaced apart therefrom a sufficient distance to provide a space within the enclosure for holding a reservoir of lubricant in contact with said transmission means.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein the apparatus has means for pivotally connecting one end of said linear conduit to a stationary water supply line.

Claim 4

The improvement of claim 2 wherein each of said support members has said drive means.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 3 wherein said motor is electrically powered.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 4 wherein said apparatus has alignment means for automatically maintaining said linear conduit in a substantially straight line during operation of said drive means.

Claim 7

The improvement of claim 5 wherein said transmission means comprises a worm gear and said movable base is a drive wheel.

Claim 8

The improvement of claim 6 wherein said worm gear is connected in driving relationship to a sprocket, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to an endless roller chain, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to a second sproket, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to said drive wheel.

Claim 9

The improvement of claim 7 wherein each of the support members has two drive wheels.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 8 wherein each of the support members has a single motor to drive both drive wheels.

Claim 11

The improvement of claim 9 wherein the enclosure means is constructed of aluminum.

Claim 12

In a self-propelled irrigating apparatus for watering an area of ground, said apparatus comprising a linear water transporting conduit supported above the ground by a plurality of movable support members disposed at spaced intervals along said conduit, said conduit having connected thereto a plurality of water sprinkling means at spaced intervals along the conduit for sprinkling water onto the ground, and at least one of said support members having drive means operatively attached thereto for moving said conduit over the ground in a generally perpendicular direction to the line of the conduit, said drive means comprising a movable base, a motor having an output, and transmission means operatively connecting the motor output to the movable base, the improvement comprising, for each of said transmission means, rigid enclosure means pivotally attached to said support member and constructed of oil-resistant and weather-resistant material, said enclosure means substantially completely enveloping said transmission Means but being spaced apart therefrom a sufficient distance to provide a space within the enclosure for holding a reservoir of lubricant in contact with said transmission means and said space is filled with a lubricant chosen from group consisting of grease and oil.

Claim 13

In a self-propelled irrigating apparatus for watering an area of ground, said apparatus comprising a linear water transporting conduit supported above the ground by a plurality of movable support members disposed at spaced intervals along said conduit, said conduit having connected thereto a plurality of water sprinkling means at spaced intervals along the conduit for sprinkling water onto the ground, and at least one of said support members having drive means operatively attached thereto for moving said conduit over the ground in a generally perpendicular direction to the line of the conduit, said drive means comprising a movable base, a motor having an output, and transmission means operatively connecting the motor output to the movable base, the improvement comprising, for each of said transmission means, rigid enclosure means pivotally attached to said support member and constructed of oil-resistant and weather-resistant material, said enclosure means substantially completely enveloping said transmission Means but being spaced apart therefrom a sufficient distance to provide a space within the enclosure for holding a reservoir of lubricant in contact with said transmission means and said space is filled with a lubricant chosen from group consisting of grease and oil.

Claim 14

The improvement of claim 11 wherein one end of said linear water transporting conduit is pivotally connected to a stationary water supply line.

Claim 15

The improvement of claim 12 wherein each of said support members has said drive means.

Claim 16

The improvement of claim 13 wherein said motor is electrically powered.

Claim 17

The improvement of claim 14 wherein said apparatus has alignment means for automatically maintaining said linear conduit in a substantially straight line during operation of said drive means.

Claim 18

The improvement of claim 15 wherein said transmission means comprises a worm gear and said movable base is a drive wheel.

Claim 19

The improvement of claim 16 wherein said worm gear is connected in driving relationship to a sprocket, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to an endless roller chain, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to a second sprocket, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to said drive wheel.

Claim 20

The improvement of claim 17 wherein each of the support members has two drive wheels.

Claim 21

The improvement of claim 18 wherein each of the support members has a single motor to drive both drive wheels.

Claim 22

The improvement of claim 19 wherein the enclosure means is constructed of aluminum.

Claim 23

In a self-propelled irrigating apparatus for watering an area of ground, said apparatus comprising a linear water transporting conduit supported above the ground by a plurality of movable support members disposed at spaced intervals along said conduit, said conduit having connected thereto a plurality of water sprinkling means at spaced intervals along the conduit for sprinkling water onto the ground, and at least one of said support members having drive means operatively attached thereto for moving said conduit over the ground in a generally perpendicular direction to the line of the conduit, said driving means comprising at least one drive wheel having a wheel shaft, a drive motor and a drive shaft operatively connected to the drive motor, and transmission means operatively connecting the drive wheel with the wheel shaft including a sprocket on said drive shaft and a sprocket on the wheel shaft and an endless chain interconnecting said sprockets for transmitting rotational movement from the drive shaft to the wheel shaft, the improvement comprising a rigid enclosure means pivotally attached to said support member and constructed of an oil-resistant and weather-resistant material, said enclosure means substantially completely enclosing said chain and sprockets in sealed relation from the drive shaft and wheel shaft for sealing the interior, and a lubricant in the enclosure in an amount substantially to fill the same to a level above said chain and sprockets, said lubricant chosen from the group consisting of grease and oil.

Claim 24

In a self-propelled irrigating apparatus for watering an area of ground, said apparatus comprising a linear water transporting conduit supported above the ground by a plurality of movable support members disposed at spaced intervals along said conduit, said conduit having connected thereto a plurality of water sprinkling means at spaced intervals along the conduit for sprinkling water onto the ground, and at least one of said support members having drive means operatively attached thereto for moving said conduit over the ground in a generally perpendicular direction to the line of the conduit, said driving means comprising at least one drive wheel having a wheel shaft, a drive motor and a drive shaft operatively connected to the drive motor, and transmission means operatively connecting the drive wheel with the wheel shaft including a sprocket on said drive shaft and a sprocket on the wheel shaft and an endless chain interconnecting said sprockets for transmitting rotational movement from the drive shaft to the wheel shaft, the improvement comprising a rigid enclosure means pivotally attached to said support member and constructed of an oil-resistant and weather-resistant material, said enclosure means substantially completely enclosing said chain and sprockets in sealed relation from the drive shaft and wheel shaft for sealing the interior, and a lubricant in the enclosure in an amount substantially to fill the same to a level above said chain and sprockets, said lubricant chosen from the group consisting of grease and oil.

Claim 25

The improvement of claim 21 wherein the apparatus has means for pivotally connecting one end of said linear conduit to a stationary water supply line.

Claim 26

The improvement of claim 22 wherein each of said support members has said drive means.

Claim 27

The improvement of claim 23 wherein said motor is electrically powered.

Claim 28

The improvement of claim 24 wherein said apparatus has alignment means for automatically maintaining said linear conduit in a substantially straight line during operation of said drive means.

Claim 29

The improvement of claim 25 wherein said transmission means comprises a worm gear and said movable base is a drive wheel.

Claim 30

The improvement of claim 26 wherein said worm gear is connected in driving relationship to a sprocket, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to an endless roller chain, which is in turn connected in driving relationship to a second sprocket, which is in tuRn connected in driving relationship to said drive wheel.

Claim 31

The improvement of claim 27 wherein each of the support members has two drive wheels.

Claim 32

The improvement of claim 28 wherein each of the support members has a single motor to drive both drive wheels.

Claim 33

The improvement of claim 29 wherein the enclosure means is constructed of aluminum.