Drip irrigation emitter

Claim 2

A drip irrigation emitter for controlling the flow of fluid in an irrigation system comprising: a. a hollow elongated body having a hollow interior and at least one outlet port; b. an inlet connector fitting into an end of said hollow body; c. a pin member fixedly attached to said inlet connector and extending axially within said hollow body; d. a collar member axially movable within said hollow body, said collar member having a center bore with said pin member projecting into said bore to form a varying volume orifice defined as the space between the boundary of the bore and the periphery of the pin member wherein the flow of said fluid through said emitter is controlled by the size of said orifice; e. a seat member extending radially from the interior of the hollow elongated body; f. means for transmitting a yieldable force to said collar member in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of said fluid through said emitter, urging it toward said seat member; and g. adjuster means coupled to said yieldable force transmitting means for adjusting the yieldable force exerted thereby, wherein said adjuster means are positioned on said hollow body such that said adjuster means can be adjusted exteriorly from said hollow body.

Claim 3

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1, wherein said pin member is shaped to continuously vary the orifice volume in response to movement of the collar member relative to the pin member.

Claim 4

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 2, wherein said pin member includes a tapered end portion projecting into the collar bore.

Claim 5

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1, wherein said adjuster means includes an axially adjustable capping member cooperating with said yieldable force transmitting means to control the yieldable force exerted on said collar member.

Claim 6

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 4, wherein said axially adjustable capping member is threadedly connected to said hollow body, whereby the yieldable force on said collar member is continuously varied by varying the penetration of said capping member into said hollow body.

Claim 7

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 5, wherein said yieldable force transmitting means comprises an axially extending spring within said hollow body between the said adjustable capping member and collar member, said adjustable capping member being operative to control the force of the spring on the collar member.

Claim 8

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1, wherein said hollow body further includes multiple outlet ports, said emitter further including detachable flexible tubing coupled to at least one outlet port to carry fluid to a location remote from the emitter.

Claim 9

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 7, further including a reducing tee connected to the free end of said flexible tubing and a second detachable flexible tubing connected to the outlet of the reducing tee, whereby the emitter operates as a master control unit supplying regulated amounts of fluid to multiple locations from a single outlet port.

Claim 10

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 1, wherein said pin member is shaped to ream out foreign matter from the center bore in said collar member when said collar member moves toward said seat member in response to the urging of said yieldable force means, and wherein the foreign matter reamed out is moved toward said outlet port of said bore.

Claim 11

An irrigation system including a fluid supply line and drip irrigation emitters, each of said emitters comprising: a. a hollow elongated body, having at least one outlet port; b. an inlet connector forming an end portion of said hollow body and removably connected to said fluid supply line to allow fluid from said supply line to enter said hollow body; c. a collar member and a pin member projecting into the bore of said collar member, said pin and collar members being within said hollow body between said inlet connector and outlet port, said pin member being fixedly attached to a portion of said emitter, so as to be non-movable relative to the hollow body, said pin member being shaped to form a varying volume orifice between the bore and pin as the said collar moves relative to said pin wherein the flow of liquid through said emitter is controlled by the size of said orifice; d. means for transmitting a yieldable force to said collar member in a direction tending to reduce the orifice volume said direction being opposite to the direction of flow of fluid through said emitter; and e. adjuster means coupled to said yieldable force transmitting means for adjusting the yieldable force exerted thereby, wherein said adjuster means are positioned on said hollow body such that said adjuster means can be adjusted exteriorly from said hollow body.

Claim 12

An irrigation system including a fluid supply line and drip irrigation emitters, each of said emitters comprising: a. a hollow elongated body, having at least one outlet port; b. an inlet connector forming an end portion of said hollow body and removably connected to said fluid supply line to allow fluid from said supply line to enter said hollow body; c. a collar member and a pin member projecting into the bore of said collar member, said pin and collar members being within said hollow body between said inlet connector and outlet port, said pin member being fixedly attached to a portion of said emitter, so as to be non-movable relative to the hollow body, said pin member being shaped to form a varying volume orifice between the bore and pin as the said collar moves relative to said pin wherein the flow of liquid through said emitter is controlled by the size of said orifice; d. means for transmitting a yieldable force to said collar member in a direction tending to reduce the orifice volume said direction being opposite to the direction of flow of fluid through said emitter; and e. adjuster means coupled to said yieldable force transmitting means for adjusting the yieldable force exerted thereby, wherein said adjuster means are positioned on said hollow body such that said adjuster means can be adjusted exteriorly from said hollow body.

Claim 13

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 10, wherein said yieldable force transmitting means is an axially extending spring member and said means for varying comprises a capping bolt threadedly connected to an end of said hollow body, said spring member being retained between said collar member and the base of said capping bolt.

Claim 14

The drip irrigation emitter of claim 11, wherein said inlet connector is removably attached to said hollow body, said hollow body further including multiple outlet ports.