Trickle irrigation system

Claim 2

A trickle irrigation system, comprising: a. an irrigation line; b. a self-flushing irrigating valve forming an outlet from the irrigation line, the irrigation valve being biased toward an open flush flow condition and yieldable to a triggering pressure to collapse to a trickle flow condition; c. and a control valve forming a link in the irrigation line downstream of the irrigating valve, the control valve being biased toward an essentially closed position below the triggering pressure to permit increase of pressure at the irrigating valve until triggering pressure is attained, the control valve being movable above the triggering pressure to open the irrigation line for flow past and downstream of the irrigating valve.

Claim 3

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. a series of control valves form collectively a common elongated tube incorporating the irrigation line, the control valve tube has a collapsed closed position and an expanded open position the control valves being operable in sequence; b. and a plurality of irrigating valves are disposed in spaced relation along the control valve tube, have outlets therefrom, and are operable in sequence.

Claim 4

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 2, wherein: a. the control valve tube, when collapsed, forms a protective chamber encasing the irrigating valves.

Claim 5

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. a series of control valves form, collectively, a common elongated tube incoroporating the irrigation line, the control valve tube having a flattened closed position and a circular open position; b. a plurality of irrigating valves project from one flat side of the control valve tube; c. and supporting means for the irrigating valves extend from the opposite flat side of the control valve tube.

Claim 6

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. a series of control valves form, collectively, a common elongated outer tube incorporating the irrigation line, biased to a collapsed closed position and expandable to an open position, the control valves being operable in sequence; b. an elongated inner tube forms a series of irrigating valves within the outer tube, the inner tube being biased to an expanded condition to form a flush flow condition below the triggering pressure and collapsible above the triggering pressure to form trickle passages, there being openings in the inner tube and outer tube to form inlets and outlets for the irrigating valves.

Claim 7

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. the inner tube includes a pair of wall portions in folded confronting relation and in mutual contact when the inner tube is in trickle condition, and in diverging relation when the inner tube is in flush flow condition; b. and the trickle passage is a labyrinth passage formed by tHe confronting surfaces of the wall portions.

Claim 8

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. a series of control valves are incorporated as links in the irrigation line, each control valve including a normally flat tube forming a flow barrier until the pressure upstream rises to a irrigating valve triggering pressure.

Claim 9

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein: a. sets of irrigating valves are disposed between the control valves.

Claim 10

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the self-flushing irrigating valve is tubular and includes pairs of fold connected walls in confronting relation, each pair occupying a diverging relation when the valve is in flush flow condition and occupying a mutually engaging relation when subject to triggering pressure, the pairs of walls having other folded connections forming collectively the trickle passage.

Claim 11

A trickle irrigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the self-flushing irrigating valve is tubular and includes pairs of fold connected walls in confronting relation, each pair occupying a diverging relation when the valve is in flush flow condition and occupying a mutually engaging relation when subject to triggering pressure, the pairs of walls defining therebetween a labyrinth passage communicating between the ends of the valve and forming the trickle passage.

Claim 12

An irrigation valve for trickle irrigation systems, comprising: a. a housing having an entrance end and an exit end for flow of water therethrough; b. a least one tubular irrigation valve member mounted longitudinally therein in alignment with the exit end, the valve member being formed of elastomeric material and being biased to resist external pressures below a predetermined triggering pressure applied externally of the valve member for form a flush passage in alignment with the exit end of the housing, and yieldable to added external pressure to form a trickle pasage having a jet discharge end in alignment with the exit end of the housing; c. and a flow deflector beyond the entrance end of the housing for engagement by a jet stream discharging from the trickle passage.

Claim 13

An irrigation valve for trickle irrigation systems, comprising: a. a housing having an entrance end and an exit end for flow of water therethrough; b. a least one tubular irrigation valve member mounted longitudinally therein in alignment with the exit end, the valve member being formed of elastomeric material and being biased to resist external pressures below a predetermined triggering pressure applied externally of the valve member for form a flush passage in alignment with the exit end of the housing, and yieldable to added external pressure to form a trickle pasage having a jet discharge end in alignment with the exit end of the housing; c. and a flow deflector beyond the entrance end of the housing for engagement by a jet stream discharging from the trickle passage.

Claim 14

An irrigation valve as defined in claim 11, wherein: a. the flow deflector is conical having an apex aligned with the jet stream; b. and guide means connect the deflector with the housing for axial movement between an open position and a position closing the exit end of the housing.

Claim 15

An irrigation valve as defined in claim 11, wherein: a. a plurality of valve members are arranged in a ring; b. and the housing has a ring of exits in alignment with their respective valve members.

Claim 16

An irrigation valve as defined in claim 13, wherein: a. the deflector includes plug elements for closing selected exits.

Claim 17

An irrigation valve for trickle irrigation systems, comprising: a. a housing having an entrance end and an exit end for flow of water therethrough; b. at least one tubular irrigation valve member mounted longitudinally therein, the valve member being biased to resist external pressures below a predetermined triggering pressure applied externally of the valve member to form a flush passage communicating between the entrance and exit ends of the housing; the valve member including at least a pair of confronting mutually engageable walls formed of elastomeric material, the walls when in mutual engagement, defining therebetween a labyrinth passage communicating between the entrance and exit ends of the housing.

Claim 18

An irrigation valve for trickle irrigation systems, comprising: a. a housing having an entrance end and an exit end for flow of water therethrough; b. at least one tubular irrigation valve member mounted longitudinally therein, the valve member being biased to resist external pressures below a predetermined triggering pressure applied externally of the valve member to form a flush passage communicating between the entrance and exit ends of the housing; the valve member including at least a pair of confronting mutually engageable walls formed of elastomeric material, the walls when in mutual engagement, defining therebetween a labyrinth passage communicating between the entrance and exit ends of the housing.

Claim 19

A self-flushing trickle irrigating valve, comprising: a. a tubular means having an inlet and an exit end and including a region therebetween externally exposed to pressure at the inlet end; b. said region including at least a pair of foldably connected walls movable, in response to the external pressure, between an angularly related condition permitting flush flow of water between the inlet and exit ends, and a mutually contacting condition; c. and the wall pair, when in mutually contacting condition, defining therebetween a labyrinth passage between the inlet and outlet for trickle flow of water therebetween.

Claim 20

A self-flushing trickle irrigating valve, comprising: a. a tubular means having an inlet and an exit end and including a region therebetween externally exposed to pressure at the inlet end; b. said region including at least a pair of foldably connected walls movable, in response to the external pressure, between an angularly related condition permitting flush flow of water between the inlet and exit ends, and a mutually contacting condition; c. and the wall pair, when in mutually contacting condition, defining therebetween a labyrinth passage between the inlet and outlet for trickle flow of water therebetween.

Claim 21

An irrigation line for trickle irrigation systems, comprising: a. a tubular member; b. a flexible membrane joined at its lateral margins to the inner surface of the tubular member to define with a confronting segment of the tubular member an axially extending flow passage; c. inlet openings provide in the membrane in spaced axial relation; d. outlet openings provided in the confronting segment of the tube member in axially spaced relation to the inlet openings; e. the flexible membrane including marginal wall portions biased to diverge from the confronting segment of the tubing member, whereby, when the tubular member is subjected to water pressure below a predetermined value, the membrane and confronting segment form longitudinal water flushing passages between the inlet and outlet openings; f. the flexible membrane being deflectable by water pressure above said predetermined pressure into engagement with the confronting segment; g. and means forming reduced trickle flow passages between the inlet and outlet openings upon deflection of the membrane into engagement with the confronting segment.

Claim 22

An irrigation line for trickle irrigation systems, comprising: a. a tubular member; b. a flexible membrane joined at its lateral margins to the inner surface of the tubular member to define with a confronting segment of the tubular member an axially extending flow passage; c. inlet openings provide in the membrane in spaced axial relation; d. outlet openings provided in the confronting segment of the tube member in axially spaced relation to the inlet openings; e. the flexible membrane including marginal wall portions biased to diverge from the confronting segment of the tubing member, whereby, when the tubular member is subjected to water pressure below a predetermined value, the membrane and confronting segment form longitudinal water flushing passages between the inlet and outlet openings; f. the flexible membrane being deflectable by water pressure above said predetermined pressure into engagement with the confronting segment; g. and means forming reduced trickle flow passages between the inlet and outlet openings upon deflection of the membrane into engagement with the confronting segment.

Claim 23

A trickle irrigation line as defined in claim 17, wherein: a. the flexible membrane further includes a pair of foldably connected central wall portions and foldable junctures joining the central wall portions to the marginal wall portions; b. the marginal wall portions being foldable against the confronting segment, and the central wall portions being foldable into mutual engagement; thereby to cause the junctures to form trickle passage with the opposting portion of the confronting segment.