US1865906A - Water sprinkler - Google Patents

Description

Jllly 1932- J. K. HARFORD 1,365,906

WATER SPRINKLER Filed April 15, 1931 \immil L/UH/V KHAN/"0 0 v I Inventor A llor ney Patented July 5, 1932 JOHN K. HARFORD, OF GLARKSTON, WASHINGTON WATER SPRINKLER Application filed April 15,

' My present invention relates to improvements :in water sprinklers of the fountain type and automatically operated for sprinkling lawns, gardens, and other places where r. the water is required. 'In the exemplified structure disclosed in the drawing, the sprinklers are employed with a net work of underground water supply pipes, and the sprinklers are located at desirable points,

" substantially flush with the lawn, and mounted in housings provided therefor. The housings are provided with lids or closures that prevent access to the housings of toys, dbris, and any other foreign matter, and the housings and lids are arranged with relation to the surface of the lawn in such manner as not to interfere with the lawn mower, and also to present an inconspicuous appearance on the lawn. The sprinklers, which are normally retracted in their housings, are projected to active or operative position above the surface of the lawn, by hydraulic pressure, as the water is released from the supply pipe and passes through the sprinkler device. Thus the water in the net work of underground pipes may be controlled by a single manually operated valve, and the released water pressure opens the lids or closures of the housings and projects the sprinkler heads in order that they may perform their functions in the nature of fountains. The water sprinkler is provided with a spring-operated device which becomes active, I when the hydraulic pressure is turned off, to retract the sprinkler head and close the lids or closures for the housings. In the present invention the lids or closures, arranged in a pair, are equipped in such manner that the n two-piece lid'will fly open, and the pair of lid elements or plates will swing, aided by gravity,'to open position, leaving the sprinkler head free'to perform its required functions. L The invention consists, in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts involving the sprinkler head, its housing and two-piece closure lid, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing I have il- 50 lustrated one complete example of the physi- 1931. Serial No. 530,290.

cal embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the sprinkler with the lid open and the head in active position. Figure 2 is a topplan viewof the device with the lid closed. F igure 3 is a sectional detail view showing the projected sprinkler head and the opened closure, as seen from the right or left in Figure 1. Figure 4; is a perspective view of the twopiece lid or closure. Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the check valve in the piston. Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing the construction of the two-piece lid.

The sprinkler, as shown in Figure 1, is fashioned with a'cylinder 1 which at its lower end is provided with a collar 2 and attaching nipple 3, the latter being adapted to receive the connection with the underground water supply pipe. Above the cylinder is fashioned an integral housing 4, also of cylindrical shape for convenience, and the housing is fashioned with an exterior horizontal flange 5 which is situated flush with the ground level, or in position so that it will not interfere with the operations of the lawn mower. The bottom 6 of the housing forms a partition between the housing and the cylinder, and an air vent pipe 7 opening at its lower end in the cylinder is secured in the partition and extends to the upper part of the housing, to vent the upper part of the cylinder.

The sprinkler head or nozzle 8 is threaded on the upper end of a tubular stem 9, which stem passes through a central opening 10 in the, partition, and at its lower end the stem is provided with a piston head 11 fashioned with a packing gasket 12 and a check valve of the ball type, designated 13, to prevent accumulation of water in the cylinder above the piston head. Between the lower 9 face of the partition and the upper face of the piston head, a spring 14 is coiled about the stem, which spring retracts the sprinkler head into its housing 4 in the absence of water pressure from below that would pro ject the sprinkler head. When the control valve is opened the water rises through nipple 3, thence into the lower end of the cylinder and against the lower face of the piston head, as well as into the stem. The stem and the piston head form a plunger that is lifted by the water pressure against the tension of the spring 14, and the latter is compressed as the plunger is lifted to posi-' tion of Figures 1 and 3 where the head or nozzle is above ground and in position to spray the water similar to a fountain or shower.

As the sprinkler head or nozzle and the stem or plunger rise, they automatically open the top closure of the housing before the head is projected, or simultaneously with the projection of the head through the upper end of the housing. For this purpose a cross head 15 is rigidly mounted at the upper end of the stem just beneath the nozzle or sprinkler head, and this horizontal cross head is provided with spaced vertical perforated ears 16 and 17 in which the plates 18 and 19 of a two-piece lid are pivoted. The plates, which are semi-circular in shape and divided diametrically are provided with comparatively long arms 20, and 21, and these arms, at their ends are pivoted at 22 on the ears. As best seen in Figure 2, the circular lid is divided on a diametrical line, and the integral arms 20 and 21 of the semi-circular plates are located at opposite sides of the diametrical division line, thereby providing each arm with a maximum weight which insures a maximum leverage on each arm. Thus, when the sprinkler head is elevated, the plates are spread apart, or made to fly open, and the weight of the plates at the extremities of the arms is instrumental in causing the plates to swing down to position on the flange 5 as indicated in Figure 1. In this position, as will be apparent, no part of the closure can interfere with or obstructthe activities of the sprinkler head, and it is free to perform its functions.

The semi-circular edges of the lids or plates are beveled as at 23 to fit neatly in the beveled annular seat 24 at the top of the housing, and to assist the hydraulic pressure in opening the closed lids, or imparting to them their initial swinging motion, the straight edge of each plate is recessed as at 25 to form a central recess in the underside of the circular closure, directly above the nozzle or sprinkler head, when the latter is in retracted position. Thus the stream of water issuing from the nozzle impinges against the recessed portions of the two-piece lid, thereby spreading the lids or causing them to swing on their fulcrums, and then, by gravity the two-piece closure is swung wide open as described.

Any leakage of water falling into the hous 5 ing is drained therefrom by means of outlets or drain ports 26 in the bottom of the housing, as indicated in Figure 1.

As shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, when the water is turned OK at the control valve, not shown, the spring 14: expands to shove the piston head down in the cylinder, the stem is pulled downwardly, the nozzle 8 is retracted in the housing, and the semi-circular plates are closed in their beveled seat 24.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.. In a sprinkler of the hydraulically operated type, the combination with a housing having a seat, a reciprocable plunger, and a cross head on the plunger, of a two-piece closure adapted to fit the seat and comprising a pair of complementary plates, pivot arms on the plates, and said arms pivoted to the cross head at opposite sides of the dividing line of the two-piece closure.

2. In a sprinkler of the hydraulically operated, spring-retracted type, the combination with a housing having a circular seat, a reciprocable plunger, and a cross head on the plunger, of a two-piece closure adapted to fit the seat and comprising a pair of semi-circular plates provided with a diametrical dividing line, an arm rigid with each plate, a pivot connection between each arm and the cross head, said pivot connections being located at opposite sides of the dividing line.

3. In a two-piece closure for hydraulically operated sprinklers, the combination with a plunger of a pair of arms pivotally connected with the plunger, a plate rigid with each arm, and said pivotal connections being located at opposite sides of the two-piece closure.

l. In a sprinkler of the hydraulically operated, spring retracted type, the combination with a housing having an annular seat, of a reciprocable, tubular plunger having a sprinkler head, a cross arm on the plunger, a two-piece closure adapted to fit said seat, pivotal connections between said closure and the plunger, and said closure having a recess directly above the sprinkler head against which a stream issuing from the head may impinge for opening the closure.

5. In a sprinkler of the hydraulically operated, spring retracted type, the combination with a housing having an annular seat, of a reciprocable plunger having a sprinkler head, and a cross arm on the plunger, a pair of semi-circular plates having beveled edges to fit said seat, said plates having complementary diametrically arranged edges and recesses in said edges located directly above the sprinkler head, pivot arms on said plates, and pivotal connections between said arms and the cross arm at opposite sides of the diametricaledges.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

JOHN HARFORD.

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