Quick disconnect mounted programming means for sprinkler

Claim 1

Apparatus for connection with a sill cock for communicating water under pressure from the sill cock with a hose having a lawn sprinkler communicating therewith comprising a female coupler for connection with the sill cock, a male coupler for connection with the hose, valve means between said couplers movable into opened and closed positions with respect thereto so as to permit and prevent respectively communication of the water under pressure from the sill cock when said female coupler is connected therewith with the hose when said male coupler is connected therewith, battery means for providing a source of electrical current, battery operated valve moving means operable in response to the connection of the electric current from said battery means therewith for effecting movement of said valve means from its closed position into its opened position, battery operated programming means for selecting a sprinkling time in the future when it is desired to water with the sprinkler, battery operated display means for displaying the sprinkling time selected by said programming means, a first water control unit including a fixed housing structure containing said male coupler, said valve means, said battery operated valve moving means and said female coupler so as to render said first unit operable to be fixed to the sill cock in supported relation thereby when said female coupler is connected therewith, a manually portable programming unit including a portable housing structure containing said battery operated programming means, said battery operated display means, and said battery means operatively connected with said battery operated programming means and said battery operated display means, mounting means operatively associated with both of said units for interengagement to mount said portable unit in supported relation on said fixed first unit in an operative position and for disengagement to enable the portable unit to be disposed in a remote position with respect to said fixed first unit such that a user can operate said programming means remote from said fixed first unit allowing for observation of said display means at close eye-level proximity, and means operable when said portable unit is mounted on said fixed first unit in said operative position to connect an electrical current from said battery means contained in said portable unit with said battery operated valve moving means contained in said fixed first unit when the sprinkler time selected on said programming means arrives causing said valve means to be moved into its opened position and water under pressure from the sill cock connected with said female coupler to flow into the hose connected with said male coupler, said mounting means comprising a tubular supporting portion of said fixed housing structure and a tubular supported portion of said portable housing structure, said tubular supported portion being open at one end so as to permit the same to be moved through a docking movement in the direction of said open end with respect to said supporting portion in order to dispose said portable unit in supported relation on said fixed first unit in said operative position, said supporting and supported portions including (1) guiding surface means for guiding said supported portion in telescoping relation over said supporting portion during an initial portion of said docking movement and (2) sliding surface means for restricting a final portion of the docking movement to a substantial rectilinear movement, said electrical current connecting means including cooperating male and female electrical connectors interengageable during a final section of the final portion of said docking movement.