US4226366A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Irrigation systems
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-05-25
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Granted: 1980-10-07
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Expires: 1998-05-25
Abstract
Abstract A field irrigator of the movable type, adapted to move slowly through a long irrigation zone and comprising a rotary water gun mounted on a drive chassis and receiving water through a hose from a supply source at one end of the irrigation zone. The irrigator is connected or provided with a control system causing the chassis to move stepwise along the zone and wait at the end of each short step until an irrigation detector, preferably a timer, has registered the attainment of a predetermined irrigation in or along the step. A truly constant irrigation along the entire zone is obtained when the steps are of uniform lengths and the irrigation is set to be the same by each step, while a differentiated irrigation along the zone is obtainable when the control system includes a memory unit for storing selective irrigation requirements for the various steps or groups of steps.
Inventors
- 👤 Gunnar P. Nortoft
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 05:28
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G25/00; A01G25/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
An agricultural irrigation apparatus of the type having a flexible water supply hose, one end of which is connectable with a stationary water supply source and another end of which is connected to an irrigation device that is operable to be moved along an irrigation zone and spray water therealong, driving means for advancing the irrigation device along consecutive partial lengths of said irrigation zone, and control means for controlling the operation of said driving means along each of said partial lengths of the irrigation zone, characterized in that an advancement measuring means is provided for measuring the actual displacement of the irrigation device along the irrigation zone independent of the time of operation of said driving means, said advancement measuring means being operatively connected to said control means for producing a displacement control signal at the end of each partial length, and in that irrigation control means are provided for producing an irrigation control signal in response to the attainment of a predetermined amount of irrigation in each respective partial length, said control means being operable to stop or substantially slow down the speed of said driving means from an advancement speed thereof in response to said displacement control signal and being operable to return said driving means to said advancement speed in response to said irrigation control signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
An agricultural irrigation apparatus of the type having a flexible water supply hose, one end of which is connectable with a stationary water supply source and another end of which is connected to an irrigation device that is operable to be moved along an irrigation zone and spray water therealong, driving means for advancing the irrigation device along consecutive partial lengths of said irrigation zone, and control means for controlling the operation of said driving means along each of said partial lengths of the irrigation zone, characterized in that an advancement measuring means is provided for measuring the actual displacement of the irrigation device along the irrigation zone independent of the time of operation of said driving means, said advancement measuring means being operatively connected to said control means for producing a displacement control signal at the end of each partial length, and in that irrigation control means are provided for producing an irrigation control signal in response to the attainment of a predetermined amount of irrigation in each respective partial length, said control means being operable to stop or substantially slow down the speed of said driving means from an advancement speed thereof in response to said displacement control signal and being operable to return said driving means to said advancement speed in response to said irrigation control signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said control means comprise an adjustable memory element for indication of a predetermined or desired irrigation per movement step of the irrigation device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving means is mounted on the irrigation device and comprises a hydraulic motor driven by a partial flow of the irrigation water as supplied to the motor through a branch conduit, characterized in that the control means comprises a valve mounted in said branch conduit and adapted to be closed or throttled down in response to the displacement control signal and to be reopened in response to the irrigation control signal.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claims 1 or 3, in which the advancement measuring means comprises a wheel rolling passively along the ground and connected with sensor means for registering the rotation of the wheel, said sensor means being operatively connected with said control means for supplying thereto informations indicative of the real advancement of the irrigation device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the irrigation control means comprises a timer for producing said irrigation control signal and memory means for the desired amount of irrigation per each partial length, said memory means setting said timer for a respective predetermined period of operation for each of said partial lengths at the start of each respective partial length.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the water supply system of the hose comprises a security valve for interrupting the flow of water to said irrigation device in response to reception of an emergency control signal, characterized in that means are provided for producing said emergency control signal in response to detector means detecting the continued presence of the irrigation device in any of said partial lengths substantially later than said irrigation control signal is produced for that partial length.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, in which said security valve is operable to produce a pronounced pressure drop in the water supply hose system by providing a free water exhaust from the hose system, a further water supply control being provided for terminating the supplying of water to said hose system in response to said pressure drop.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claims 1 or 7, in which the irrigation control means comprises a water meter mounted in an irrigation conduit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the irrigation control means comprises means for defining predetermined irrigation requirements per length unit of the irrigation zone and includes memory register means operable to effect individual presetting of individual irrigation requirements for each of said partial lengths or groups of such lengths.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a presettable selector means operable to automatically control the rate of irrigation according to individual predetermined irrigation requirements along respective various partial lengths of said irrigation zone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
75 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the selector means comprises detecting means operable to register the advancement of the irrigation device along the irrigation zone and selectively presettable memory means referring to predetermined respective irrigation requirements along the various partial zone lengths, said selector means cooperating with said memory means so as to effect irrigation control by way of irrigation rate control in accordance with conditions given by the respective memory means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
108 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, in which the detecting means is connected with a drive register means operatively indicative of the respective positions of the irrigator device along the zone, said memory means being connected with said drive register means such that the setting or resetting of the memory means at any time or place during the travel of the irrigation device along the zone, at one end of a respective partial length thereof, will be responded to by the irrigation control means when the device is later moved past the respective front end of said partial length, e.g., by a reverse travel at generally reduced speed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, in which for specifically meeting the extreme requirement of the irrigation along all the individual partial lengths being identic, said memory means comprises a single memory unit which cooperates repeatedly with said irrigation control means at an end of each respective partial length, said memory unit being adjustable to suit various irrigation requirements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 or 10, in which delay means are provided for causing the irrigation device to remain in a position at the beginning and/or end of the irrigation zone during a time interval longer than required for effecting the predetermined irrigation of the corresponding length of the irrigation zone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the selector means comprises detecting means operable to register the advancement of the irrigation device along the irrigation zone and selectively presettable memory means referring to predetermined respective irrigation requirements along the various partial zone lengths, said selector means cooperating with said memory means so as to effect irrigation control by way of average advancement speed control in accordance with conditions given by the respective memory means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
144 words
In an agricultural irrigation apparatus of the type having a flexible water supply hose, one end of which is connectable with a stationary water supply source and another end of which is connected to an irrigation device that is operable to be moved along an irrigation zone and spray water therealong, driving means for advancing the irrigation device along consecutive partial lengths of said irrigation zone, and control means for controlling the operation of said driving means along each of said partial lengths of the irrigation zone, the improvement comprising measuring means associated with the control means for individually controlling the advance of said irrigation device during each of said partial lengths in response to measurements of both the actual distance travelled and amount of irrigation supplied by said irrigation device to insure that individual irrigation requirements of the respective partial lengths are met.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
144 words
In an agricultural irrigation apparatus of the type having a flexible water supply hose, one end of which is connectable with a stationary water supply source and another end of which is connected to an irrigation device that is operable to be moved along an irrigation zone and spray water therealong, driving means for advancing the irrigation device along consecutive partial lengths of said irrigation zone, and control means for controlling the operation of said driving means along each of said partial lengths of the irrigation zone, the improvement comprising measuring means associated with the control means for individually controlling the advance of said irrigation device during each of said partial lengths in response to measurements of both the actual distance travelled and amount of irrigation supplied by said irrigation device to insure that individual irrigation requirements of the respective partial lengths are met.
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) | 1983-10-07 | 1984-04-07 | 1984-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-10-07 | 1988-04-07 | 1988-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-10-07 | 1992-04-07 | 1992-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |