US3874588A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for improving water distribution from rotary sprinklers
Assignee: Anthony Manufacturing Corp
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Filing: 1974-05-28
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Granted: 1975-04-01
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Expires: 1994-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A rotary water sprinkler for irrigation either a part circle or a full circle, the sprinkler comprising a housing within which a tubular water outlet stem is supported for rotation, a discharge nozzle secured to the end of the stem, and a water operated motor for rotating the stem. Means are provided within the housing for imparting a uniform and orderly spinning motion in one direction to the water entering the stem and for periodically reversing the direction of water spin. Within the stem are biased vane means which act to permit water spinning in one direction to pass through the nozzle in the spinning condition and to cancel the spinning motion when the water is spinning in the reverse direction.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles J Flynn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:41
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05B; B05B1/00; B05B1/02; B05B1/08; B05B1/083; B05B1/085; B05B1/0856; B05B15/00; B05B15/70; B05B15/72; B05B15/74; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S239/00; Y10S239/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A rotary water sprinker of the type primarily intended to be used in the irrigation of plants, said sprinkler comprising: a housing adapted for connection to a water supply; a tubular stem mounted for rotation in said housing; a water discharge nozzle coupled to the end of said stem and rotatable therewith; drive means for rotating said stem; means within said housing for imparting a generally uniform and orderly spinning motion in one direction to water entering said stem, and for selectively and alternately reversing the direction of spin of the water entering said stem; and bias means carried by said stem for cancelling the spinning motion of the water spinning in one of said directions in said stem, and for permitting the spinning motion of said water in the other of said directions of spin to continue substantially uninhibited through said nozzle with said spinning motion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A rotary water sprinker of the type primarily intended to be used in the irrigation of plants, said sprinkler comprising: a housing adapted for connection to a water supply; a tubular stem mounted for rotation in said housing; a water discharge nozzle coupled to the end of said stem and rotatable therewith; drive means for rotating said stem; means within said housing for imparting a generally uniform and orderly spinning motion in one direction to water entering said stem, and for selectively and alternately reversing the direction of spin of the water entering said stem; and bias means carried by said stem for cancelling the spinning motion of the water spinning in one of said directions in said stem, and for permitting the spinning motion of said water in the other of said directions of spin to continue substantially uninhibited through said nozzle with said spinning motion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A sprinkler as defined in claim 1 in which said drive means for rotating said stem comprise a water operated motor mounted in said housing and said bias means comprise stationary inclined vanes mounted in said stem adjacent said nozzle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
A sprinkler as defined in claim 2 wherein said water operated motor is a reversible motor for rotating said stem in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, and in which said means for imparting spinning motion include a swirl plate within said motor and which reverses the direction of water spin incident to a reversal of the direction of rotation of said stem.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sprinkler as defined in claim 2 wherein said motor drives said stem in only one direction and said means for imparting spinning motion are coupled between said motor and said stem.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A sprinkler as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for imparting spinning motion comprise a pair of aperatured disks, one secured to said stem and one secured to said motor.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for enhancing the fall out distribution of water from the nozzle of a rotary sprinkler over the area to be irrigated, comprising the steps of: imparting a generally uniform and orderly spinning motion in one direction to water flowing through the sprinkler and prior to entering the nozzle; selectively reversing the direction of the spinning motion imparted to the water prior to entering the nozzle; permitting the water to which the spinning motion in said one direction has been imparted to pass through the nozzle in said spinning condition whereby upon leaving the nozzle, the spinning water will expand rapidly for controlled and early fall out; and cancelling the spinning motion of the water to which said reverse direction of spinning motion has been imparted prior to entering the nozzle is that the water passing through the nozzle is collimated whereby upon leaving the nozzle, the collimated water will tend to remain in a tight stream for maximized distance of throw from the nozzle before fall out.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for enhancing the fall out distribution of water from the nozzle of a rotary sprinkler over the area to be irrigated, comprising the steps of: imparting a generally uniform and orderly spinning motion in one direction to water flowing through the sprinkler and prior to entering the nozzle; selectively reversing the direction of the spinning motion imparted to the water prior to entering the nozzle; permitting the water to which the spinning motion in said one direction has been imparted to pass through the nozzle in said spinning condition whereby upon leaving the nozzle, the spinning water will expand rapidly for controlled and early fall out; and cancelling the spinning motion of the water to which said reverse direction of spinning motion has been imparted prior to entering the nozzle is that the water passing through the nozzle is collimated whereby upon leaving the nozzle, the collimated water will tend to remain in a tight stream for maximized distance of throw from the nozzle before fall out.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
130 words
In a rotary water sprinkler of the type including a housing adapted for connection to a water supply, a tubular water outlet stem mounted for rotation in the housing and terminating in a discharge nozzle, a water operated motor for rotating the stem and nozzle, and means within the housing for directing water from the supply into the stem with, alternately, a clockwise and counter clockwise spinning motion, the improvement comprising: bias means for permitting the water having a spinning motion in one of said alternate directions to pass through and be discharged from the nozzle in the spinning condition, and for cancelling the spinning motion and collimating the flow of the water having a spinning motion in the other of said alternate directions prior to discharge through the nozzle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
130 words
In a rotary water sprinkler of the type including a housing adapted for connection to a water supply, a tubular water outlet stem mounted for rotation in the housing and terminating in a discharge nozzle, a water operated motor for rotating the stem and nozzle, and means within the housing for directing water from the supply into the stem with, alternately, a clockwise and counter clockwise spinning motion, the improvement comprising: bias means for permitting the water having a spinning motion in one of said alternate directions to pass through and be discharged from the nozzle in the spinning condition, and for cancelling the spinning motion and collimating the flow of the water having a spinning motion in the other of said alternate directions prior to discharge through the nozzle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The improvement as defined in claim 7 in which said bias means comprise at least one stationary vane carried by the stem and disposed to permit the water spinning in said one direction to flow substantially uninhibited and smoothly over said vane, and to interact substantially with the water spinning in said other directions to cancel the spinning motion and collimate the flow.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein said vane is positioned adjacent the nozzle and comprises a generally flat sided plate projecting radially inward from the stem and inclined with respect to the axial direction of the stem.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein the sprinkler is a part circle type sprinkler and the water motor is a reversible motor which reverses the direction of spinning motion of the water each time the motor direction is reversed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement as defined in claim 8 wherein the sprinkler is a full circle type sprinkler rotatable in only one direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |