US2816798A - Reversible sprinkler - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1957 J. A. ROYER 2,816,798

' REVERSIBLE SPRINKLER Filed July so, 1954' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR John H. Raye! BY T'CULLZZ/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent REVERSIBLE SPRINKLER John A. Royer, Fresno, Calif., assignor to Buckner Manufacturing Company, Inc., Fresno, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 30, 1954, Serial No. 446,880

6 Claims. (Cl. 299-71) This invention relates to reversible sprinklers of the type adapted to be mounted in a fixed position and to be supported from fittings on an underground water supply system, and to sprinkle definite areas of large lawns, gardens, etc.

The sprinkler of the present invention has certain features of control and operation similar to, and represents improvements over, the sprinkler shown in the Royer Patent No. 2,606,789 and that shown in the Buckner Patent No. 2,345,030.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a reversible sprinkler of the above recited general character having novel and simplified means to control and effect the reversing movement of the sprinkler head, and which is arranged so that the weight of the different parts is distributed so as to be substantially balanced relative to the axis of rotation of the sprinkler head, and thus avoid any uneven pressure on the turnable spindle of the head such as would tend to cause the same to stick or be subjected to excessive wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler of the type described which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

These objects are accomplished 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 drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the improved sprinkler, with the spoon member partly broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the sprinkler shown at the start of an arcuate or swinging movement in a counterclockwise direction.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but with the spoon member removed to more clearly show the reversing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a similar view, but showing the reversing mechanism after having been actuated to reverse the direction of rotation of the sprinkler head or nozzle, and with the latter at the start of a rotative movement in a clockwise direction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the sprinkler comprises an upstanding tubular base 1 adapted to be mounted in a stationary positionon a suitable watersupply fitting, the base turnably supporting a tubular stem Z'rigid withan upstanding angular passage head 3. Secured in and projecting forwardly at an upward angle from the upper end of the head is a nozzle 4 having a forwardly facing jet opening 5, and from the upper side of which nozzle an elongated arm 6 extends forwardly. At its forward end the arm 6 carries an axially adjustable pin 7 disposed at right angles to, and depending into the path of, the stream issuing from the jet opening when such stream is uninterrupted, so as to cause such stream to be broken up.

A spindle 8 upstands from head 3 parallel to stem 2, preferably forwardly thereof somewhat; said spindle carrying a turnable sleeve 9 on which is fixed a transverse boss 10 disposed behind or rearwardly of the spindle and from which lateral trunnions 11 project.

Swung from the trunnions are the side arms 12 of a rigid spoon member S of generally rectangular form and including a weighted portion 13 connecting the arms 12 at their rear end, back of the trunnions. At its forward end, but rearwardly of pin 7, member S is formed with a pair of laterally spaced spoons 14 and 15 disposed under arm 6, and each in turn normally intersecting the path of the stream issuing from nozzle opening 5. Each spoon is shaped so that the stream striking the same not only tends to depress the forward end of member S, against the resistance of weight 13, but also tends to swing said member about spindle 8 as an axis, in the direction of theother spoon. Back of the spoons a cross bar 16 connects arms 12'just above the stream, and normally bears against the under side of the arm 6 to limit the lifting movement of the forward end of member S by the weight 13, and also acting to jar the head when engaging the same, to prevent possible sticking of the head.

Lateral swinging of the spoon member about spindle 8 and relative to the sprinkler head is limited by means of a depending finger 17 on the boss 10 centrally of its length and which projects between laterally spaced lugs 18 and 18a on the rear side of head 3. The spacing of the lugs is such as to allow a swing of the spoon member on the spindle 8 sufiicient only to dispose one spoon or the other in line with the stream from the nozzle.

A boss 19 is formed with the head 3 at its lower end at the back, in opposed relation to the nozzle, and supports a forwardly projecting ring member 20, disposed about the lower portion of the head 3, and provided with a depending spindle 21 turnable in the boss 19.

The ring is formed with a laterally elongated opening 22 through which said lower portion of the head projects, and arranged to allow of a predetermined arc of swinging of the ring about its spindle 21 and relative to head 3.

At its forward end the ring 20 is provided with a depending fork 23 in which a pin 24 is transversely pivoted for swinging movement between a depending position and a substantially horizontal position. The pin when depending is disposed so that it lies in the path of radial stop arms 25 and 26 turnablymounted on the base 1 and separately adjustable thereon relative to the base and to each other in a circumferential direction.

The ring 20 at its rear end is formed with an upstanding forwardly projecting finger 27 disposed in facing relation to finger 17, and connected thereby by a snapaction spring 28, which normally serves to hold the ring and spoon member at their relatively opposed limits of travel.

From the above description, together with the showing of the drawings, it will be seen that the parts are so arranged relative to the main spindle 2 that their weight is distributed so as to be substantially balanced relative to said spindle, thus avoiding to a great degree any tendency, for .such spindle to bind or be subjected to undue wear.

In the operation of the sprinkler from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, water issuing from the nozzle opening 5 strikes the spoon 14, causing member S to be depressed at its forward end after exerting a rotative impulse to member 3 due to the contact of finger 17 with the corresponding lug 18.

When the member S has been depressed clear of the stream, weight 13 acts to swing said member S up to its original position; cross bar 16 striking arm 6 to limit such upward movement and also jarring the head 3 to prevent any possible sticking thereof, This action is 3 repeated until the nozzle 4, head 3, spoon member S, and ring 20 have been rotated as a unit sufficiently to bring pin 24 into contact with the stop arm 26.

Further rotative movement then imparted to the parts in the same direction causes ring 20, which up to this time has been held stationary with the head 3 due to the fact that one end of opening 22 of the ring abuts against the head 3, to be now held stationary relative to said head, until the snap action spring 28 acts, through its connection with finger 17, to swing sleeve 9 on spindle 8 and thus swing member S to reverse the relationship of the spoons 14 and 15 relative to the nozzle 4, or to the position shown in Fig. 4; the finger 17 then engaging the other lug 1811.

In other words, spoon 15 is then positioned in the path of the stream, and from then on the direction of rotation of the sprinkler is reversed until vpin 24 .engages stop arm 25 and the relationship of .the'fspo'on :rnernber to the nozzle is again reversed, or returned to the starting position of -Figs.,2 and 3.

If uninterrupted rotation is desired ,pin '24 is swung up clear of the arms 25 and 26, as indicated in Fig. 1.

It may be noted that the feature of a vertically swinging spoon member is shown generally in the aforementioned Royer Patent No. 2,606,789, while adjustable stop arms are shown in the Buckner Patent No. 2,345,030.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill 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 the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A reversible sprinkler comprising a fixed base, a sprinkler head turnable on the base andhaving a radially discharging nozzle, a spoon member having a .pair of laterally spaced spoons disposed ahead of the nozzle, 21 unit mounting the member on the head for vertical tilting movement relative to the unit and separate lateral swinging movement with the unit audrelative to the head, cooperating loose-play stop means on the head and unit 'to limit the extent of swinging movement of the unitso as to dispose the spoons alternately in the path of the stream issuing from the nozzle, each spoon being shaped and disposed to cause the stream impinging against the same to tilt the spoon member downwardly and also impart rotation thereto in the direction of the other spoon,

circumferentially spaced stops projecting from the base, and a device mounted on the sprinkler head and coopmating with the mounting unit and including a stop engaging element, functioning upon rotation of the head and spoon member by reason of the engagement of the nozzle stream with one spoon until the stop element engages one stop, to swing the spoon member laterally relative to the head, to dispose the other spoon in a stream engaging position so that such stream will impart rotation to the spoon member and the head in the opposite direction.

2. A sprinkler, as in claim 1, in which thespoon member includes side arms on opposite sides of the head and nozzle and supported by the mounting means; the spoons being connected to the arms ahead of the nozzle, and a weighted portion connecting the arms back of the head and mounting means.

3. A sprinkler, as in claim 2, with an arm rigid with and projecting forwardly from the nozzle, and a cross bar on the spoon member between the spoons and the nozzle and normally engaging said rigid arm.

4. A sprinkler, as in claim 1, in which the spoonmember mounting means comprises an upstanding spindle on the sprinkler head, a sleeve turnable on the spindle, a transverse boss on the sleeve back of the same, and trunnions projecting laterally from the boss, the spoon member including side arms in which the trunnions are journaled.

'5. In a sprinkling device having a rotatable sprinkling head mounted for alternate clockwise and counterclockwise rotation and 'a-nozzle for radially projecting astream of liquid during rotation of said head, a composite impulse element comprising a frame, a deflector head at one end of said frame, a counterweight at the other end of said frame, and means intermediate the said ends of said frame for mounting said impulse element for oscillation on said sprinkling head and for placement of said deflector head in the path of said stream, the said deflector head having a pair of integrally arranged, opposed, deflecting surfaces for selective impingement thereon of said stream, each deflecting surface of said pair curving upwardly and outwardly in a direction away from the line of said stream for distribution thereof in an upward, forward and sidewise sweep while effecting selectively said clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said sprinkling head.

6. In a sprinkling device having a sprinkling head mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and for radially projecting a stream, a spindle mounted vertically adjacent said sprinkling head, an arm having one end hinged on said spindle and the other end movable sidewise, an impulse element mounted for oscillation on an axis positioned horizontally on said arm intermediate said ends, a

deflector head on said impulse element having a pair of opposed deflector surfaces for effecting selectively clockwise rotation and counterclockwise rotation of said sprinkling head by the force of said stream impinging on said deflector surfaces, and means for moving said other end-ofgsaid arm to position the deflector head in the path of the stream to effect the rotation of the sprinkling head in the selected direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,710,107 Orr Apr. 23, 1929 1,798,488 Orr Mar. 31, 1931 2,228,720 Coles Jan. 14, 1941 2,256,737 Englehart Sept. 23, 1941 2,309,782 Orr Feb. 2, 1943 2,345,030 Buckner Mar. 28, 1944 2,421,551 'Dunham June 3, 1947 2,691,547 Campbell Oct. 12, 1954

Images