US1811171A - Oscillating sprinkler - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1931. w. A. BUCKNER 1,311,171

OSCILLATING SPRINKLER Filed Jan. 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W A B u vlcner i PatentedJune 23, 1931- WILLIAM A.. nucx'nnn, or rnnsno, CALIFORNIA 'OSGILLATI-NG SPRINKLER Application filed January 25, 1930. Serial Ho. 423,885.

This invention relates to sprinklers intended to be mounted in connection with under:

ground piping systems as used on golf courses, parks and the like; and particularly 6 deals with a sprinkler to be used in cases where it is desired that the sprinkler shall turn so as to distribute water over a considerable area surrounding the sprinkler, but where it is not desirable that the sprinkler 10 shall make a complete revolution. .Co1idi-' tions where such sprinklers are of value are in the watering of putting greens for instance, where it is desired to waterthe green without throwing water into the surrounding sand traps; or for watering lawns adjacent walks or roads without wetting the latter.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler for this purpose so 0011'- structed that the sprinkler head will be kept constantly and automatically oscillated through an arc of predetermined length by the action of the pressure of the water passing through and emerging from the nozzle of the sprinkler. T

A further object is to provide a simple means whereby the are through whichthe sprinkler head may turn and oscillate may be easily adjusted to suit different conditions.

Sprinklers of this or the full-turn slowmotion type develop a tendency to occasionally stick so that the sprinkler head turns alternately fast and slow, or whips, and the sprinkler will not then of course give the even distribution of water over the area .being sprinkled which is desired. I have determined that this sticking and consequent whipping action is due to the distortion of the water sealing gasket or washer necessarily used between the relatively fixed and rotating parts of the sprinkler. A further object of the invention therefore is to provide a novel washer for the purpose, which, while having the desired and necessary water sealing properties, cannot become distorted in shape with wear or under the pressure to which it is subjected in service. An even speed of rotation of the sprinkler at all times is therefore assured.

A further object of the invention is to proin the above position.

duce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will'be exceedingly effective for the urpose for which it is designed.

T ese objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the 'drawingssimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: a

lfig; -1 is'a side elevation of my improved spr nkler partly in section shown at one end of its oscillating stroke.

F g. 2 IS a top plan view of the sprinkler Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the sprinkler when at the other end of its oscillating stroke.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a special nondist-orting washer.

F g. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the same.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the sprinkler structure itself is mounted and driven or rotated in a similar manner to the mod fied form of sprinkler shown in my copendlng application for Patent, Serial No. 352,380, filed April 4, 1929. It comprises a member 1 serving as a fixed connection between the intake pipe 2 depending from said member, and a hollow spindle 3 upstanding from the same; all these parts being mounted so as to be rigid and immovable relative to each other. Turnable and slidable on the spindle is a cup 4 provided on its inner time with vertical circumferentially spaced vanes 5.

and spindle-engaging bore of the cup as the latter rises and engages said washer when water under pressure enters the cup through the outlets 7 As indicated in the preamble of this specification this washer is of special form and comprises a central ring 8 of leather or similar flexible material so as to make a good seal, and outer and inner rigid rings 9 of a metal such as brass, and which closely engage-the outer and inner peripheries of the leather ring. The leather is initially made so that it is slightly deeper than the metal rings, so that only the leather will en-' gage the head and cup surfaces. As the washer wears in service however the brass of which the rings are made wears down faster than the leather, thus always keeping the leather exposed for proper engagement with said surfaces. By reason of this special construction the leather can never wear or be distorted so as to be out of round and thus pinch the spindle and induce an uneven speed of rotation of the cup to be had.

Fixed on the cup in a water-tight manner is a cap 10 from one side of which a hollow nozzle arm 11 projects radially and upwardly. On the outer end of this arm is the main nozzle 12, whose axis is slightly offset from a line radially of the cup and spindle in a direction such that the reactionary effect of the stream 13 of water issuing from said nozzle will aid in the rotation of the sprinkler had by the action of the water emerging from the outlets 7 and impinging against the cup vanes.

An additional nozzle 14 disposed on a somewhat higher level than the nozzle 12 but substantially parallel thereto is secured on the outer end of a pipe 15 which is connected to the top of the cap 10 by an elbow fitting l6. This fitting can be adjustably rotated in the cap, and the pipe in the fitting, so as to alter the horizontal angular setting of the nozzle 14 relative to the nozzle 12 if desired. This nozzle 14 is arranged so as to water an area closer to the sprinkler than the nozzle 12 and by adjusting the same in the manner above. indicatedthe speed of rotation of the sprinkler head may be altered. The cup and parts mounted thereon constitute the rotary sprinkler head as a whole and to cause the same to rotate and oscillate through an arc of predetermined length, I provide the following mechanism.

Extending lengthwise and under the arm 11 is a lever 17, pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said arm. The end of the lever nearest the cap 10 rides freely in the crotch of a yoke 18 which is pivoted on a pin 19 projecting radially from the cap below the plane of the lever. This yoke has an arm 20 depending below the pivotal pin 19 and adapted to move between and alternately engage radial stops 21 projecting outwardly from a flange 22 formed on the member l concentric with the spindle. These stops are preferably in the form of cap 5 screws removably mounted in the flange so as to be plac-eable at a movement of different circlunferentially spaced positions, the said flange being tapped to receive the screws at a number of such positions, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. This adjustment of the stops enables the length of the stroke through which the sprinkler head may turn between the engagement of the arm 20 with the spaced stops to be altered to suit diiferent conditions.

If one stop is removed entirely the sprinkler head will rotate nearly through a complete revolution and if both are removed, the head will continue to rotate in a single direction. The sprinkler may therefore be used for oscillating or continuous rotation.

purposes, as may bedesired. The upper end of the yoke is arranged to engage the arm 11 at the limits of a somewhat short rocking movement of the yoke and its arm so that the engagement of the yoke arm with either stop will positively prevent further rotation of the sprinkler head. The outer end of the lever 17 extends beyond the outer end of the nozzle 12 some distance and is there provided with an upstanding deflector vane 28 rigid therewith. This vane is disposed so that when the arm yoke has engaged one of the stops and the yoke is at its limit of movement in a corresponding direction, the vane will be clear of the stream 13 issuing from the nozzle 12, asshown inFig. 2. On the other hand when the yoke arm engages the other stop and the yoke is at its limit of movement in the corresponding and opposite di rection. the vane will then project across the path of the stream and will be disposed at an acute angle thereto, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The angular setting of the deflector is such that the force of the water issuing from the nozzle and impinging against the deflector causes the lever, and consequently the sprinkler head, to be rotated in a direction such as will move the yoke arm away from the stop with which it was just engaged and toward the other stop. This direction also is opposite to that in which the sprinkler head is normally rotated by the direct and reactionary drive means; the pressure of the water issuing from the nozzle and impinging against the deflector having a greater rotative effect than that of the positive drive means, so that the action of the latter is temporarily overcome or negatived.

' lVith the rotation of the head in the above direction the yoke arm finally approaches and engages the other stop, and due to the force or momentum of rotation the yoke will swing to its opposite limit of momement, such swinging being aided by a weight 24 formed on one of the yoke arms. This weight prevents a possible sticking of the yoke and lever which would prevent the deflector from being moved out of the water stream, since the pressure of the water against said deflector has a tendency to hold the lever and yoke against movement in the opposite direction. This last named swin 'ng of the yoke rocks the lever so-that the eflector vane moves clear of the path of the stream 12 issuing from the nozzle. The normal direction of rotation of the sprinkler is then resumed, since the negativing driving force has been eliminated and the head then rotates in such direction until the yoke arm again reaches and engages the other stop, whereupon the yoke swings over so that the deflectorvane is again moved into the path of the nozzle stream. The head is then again reversed in its direction of rotation and the oscillating movement of the sprinkler through the definite are established by the setting of the stop pins therefore continues as long as the water is turned on.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a -device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sprinkler including a rotatable sprinkler head having a substantially radial nozzle arm terminating at its outer end in a radial discharge opening, means tending to constantly rotate the head in one direction, a deflector vane mounted in connection with the arm and movable into and out of the path of the stream issuing from the opening; said vane when in the stream being positioned to cause the water impinging against the same to rotate the head in the direction opposite to that imparted thereto by said first named rotating means, fixed stops spaced circumferentially relative to the axis of the head, a member mounted on the head for engagement with the stops, and means between said member and vane for alternately moving the latter into and out of the path of the stream as said member alternately engages the stops.

2. A sprinkler including a rotatable sprinkler head, having a substantially radial nozzle arm terminating at its outer end in a radial discharge opening, means tending to constantly rotate the head in one direction, a deflector vane movable into and out of the path .of the stream issuing from the opening, a lever extending lengthwise of and alon the arm and pivoted thereon, the vane being fixed on the outer end of the lever and when in the stream being positioned to cause the water impinging on the vane to turn the lever and head in the direction opposite to that imparted thereto by the first named rotating means, a yoke member mounted on the head for limited rocking movement and engaging the lever to control the swinging movement of the lever and vane to positions where said vane is in or out of the stream, and means governed by the arrival of the head at the limits of an arc of predetermined length for causing the yoke to be rocked in opposite directions alternately.

3. A sprinkler including arotatable sprinkler head, having a substantially radial nozzle arm terminating at its outer end in a radial discharge opening, means tending to constantly rotate the head in one direction, a deflector vane movable into and out of the path of the stream issuing from the opening, a lever extending lengthwise of and along the arm and pivoted thereon, the vane being fixed on the outer end of the lever and when in the stream being positioned to cause the Water impinging on the vane to turn the lever and head in the direction opposite to that imparted thereto by the first named rotating means, a yoke member mounted on the head for limited rocking movement and engaging the lever to control the swinging movement of the lever and vane to positions where .said vane isin or out of the stream, fixed stops spaced circumferentially relative to the axis of the head, and a member depending from the yoke and movable between the stops with 1 the rotation of the head whereby to cause the yoke to be rocked in" one direction or the other as the said member engages one or the other of the stops.

4. A structure as in claim 2, with a weight provided on the yoke and positioned to aid in the rocking of the same in that direction which will move the vane out of the path of the stream.

5. A sprinkler having a rotatable sprinkler head which includes a nozzle positioned to discharge in a substantially horizontal direction, means actuated by the pressure of the water flowing through the head-toward the nozzle tending to constantly rotate the head in one direction, separate means actuated by the flow of water from the nozzle for rotating the head in the opposite direction only after the rotative tendency of the first named means has been overcome, and means functioning with the rotation of the head in one direction or the other for alternately rendering said second named means active or inactive.

6. A structure as in claim 5, in which said separate means includes a deflector vane arranged, only when said means is functioning, to project into the stream issuing from and adjacent the nozzle whereby to break up the stream.

7 A sprinkler having a rotatable sprinkler head which includes a nozzle positioned to discharge in a substantially horizontal direction, means to rotate the head in one direction, the flow from the nozzle being then unobstructed, separate means to rotate the head tion, and at a certain speed, separate means in the opposite direction, saidseparate means including an element then projecting into the stream issuing from and adjacent the nozzle whereby to break up the stream, and means automatically functioning torender the head rotating means alternately eflective.

8. A sprinkler having a rotatable sprinkler head which includes a nozzle positioned to discharge in a substantially horizontal direction, means to rotate the head in one directo rotate the head in the opposite direction and at a lesser speed, and means functioning with the rotation of the head torender the head rotating means alternately effective.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature;

WILLIAM A. BUCKN ER. v

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