US3786991A

US3786991A - Water sprinkler

Info

Publication number: US3786991A
Application number: US00302554A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ingham L Allister
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-10-31
Filing date: 1972-10-31
Publication date: 1974-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-22

Abstract

An oscillating tube is mounted in a frame and connected to a hose. The tube is oscillated by a water motor which drives a shaft carrying a plurality of cams for different patterns of water coverage. A wheel is connected to a carrier which in turn is secured to the tube and the wheel can be slid along a pin to engage any one of the fixed cams thus varying the pattern readily and easily and eliminating all linkage, crankshafts, connecting rods and the like normally present.

Description

United States Patent [191 lngham Jan. 22, 1974 WATER SPRINKLER [76] Inventor: Lawrence Allister Ingham, Box 112,

Lanigan, Saskatchewan, Canada [22] Filed: Oct. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 302,554

[52] US. Cl. 239/236, 239/242 [51] Int. Cl B05b 3/08 [58] Field of Search 239/242, 236, 240

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,063,646 11/1962 Ballard 239/242 2,999,643 /1961 Kennedy 239/236 v Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stanley G. Ade

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT An oscillating tube is mounted in a frame and connected to a hose. The tube is oscillated by a water motor which drives a shaft carrying a plurality of cams for different patterns of water coverage. A wheel is connected to a carrier which in turn is secured to the tube and the wheel can be slid along a pin to engage any one of the fixed cams thus varying the pattern readily and easily and eliminating all linkage, crankshafts, connecting rods and the like normally present.

4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures FATE-MED JAN 2 2 I974 SHEEI 1 8F 2 6 HORIZ. DIST. FROM SPRINKLER FIG.

FIG. 6

lb 6 HORIZ. DIST. FROM SPRINKLER PAFE'NFED JAN 2 2 i974 SHEEI 2 BF 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 4

WATER SPRINKLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to new and useful improvements in water sprinklers, particularly the type known as oscillating water sprinklers.

Conventionally such sprinklers are relatively complicated inasmuch as they include a crankshaft and connecting rod assembly together with linkage to enable the user to vary the arc through which the oscillating tube rotates. However, it is somewhat difficult to obtain accurate or uniform water coverage by this means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing an arcuate perforated tube oscillating within a framework and being oscillated by a wheel engageable with any one of a selection of cams mounted on a cam shaft driven by the water motor.

This means that the arc through which the tube oscillates can be controlled very accurately by the shaping of the cam profile.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore to provide a device of the character herewithin described which includes a plurality of cams any one of which is selectively engageable by a wheel which in turn is operatively secured to the tube for oscillating same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which enables the water coverage to be accurately controlled by the shaping of the cam profiles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which it is extremely easy to change the coverage merely by sliding the wheel along a shaft so that it may engage any one of the cam profiles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is extremely simple in construction, has relatively few moving parts and is otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and other such objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the sprinkler.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the sprinkler assembly.

FIG. 3 is a section along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of FIG. 6 but showing only the head end of the framework.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation from the head end of the sprinkler.

FIGS 7 to 10 show representative shapes of the four cams, said drawings being schematic.

FIG. 11 shows a graph of coverage by conventional sprinklers.

FIG. 12 shows a graph of coverage obtained by the present invention.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, a main framework is provided generally designated 10. This main framework consists of a pair of spaced and parallel runner members 11 having upturned ends 12 with the other ends curving upwardly and over to form the end arch configuration 13 all of which is relatively conventional in construction.

A main housing or head end 14 is secured between the runners 11 adjacent the ends 12 by means of screws 15 and this main housing consists of a hollow based portion 16 within which a conventional water motor 17 is mounted. This water motor is shown schematically as it is not believed necessary to describe the details of operation thereof.

A hose connection l8is formed through the wall of the portion 16 by which means the sprinkler assembly may be attached to a source of water under pressure in the usual way.

The main housing 14 narrows in cross section above the water motor 17 as indicated by reference character 19 and then extends substantially horizontally and terminates in a down turned portion 20, the horizontal portion 21 being shown in cross section in FIG. 4.

The portion 20 terminates in a bearing assembly 22 for an arcuately curved perforated tube 23A which is journalled for oscillation between the bearing assembly 22 on one end and between a further bearing assembly 23 fored at the underside of the arch portion 13 of the plate 24 which in turn carries a bearing 23 within whichone end of the arcuate tube 23A is journalled for rotation.

The bearing assembly 22 is shown in detail in FIG. 3 and it will be noted that the end 25 of the arcuate tube 23A is belled outwardly and a plate 26 together with a gasket 27 is secured by screws 28 to the end of the portion 22 of the housing 14. An O-ring 29 engages between the belled end 25 of the tube and the gasket 27 thus giving a bearing assembly which enables the tube to oscillate but which prevents water from leaking thereby.

A cam shaft 30 is driven by the water motor 17 and extends from the portion 16 of the housing 14 and a plurality of cam plates 31 are secured to this cam shaft in spaced and parallel relationship as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

These cam plates control oscillation of the tube 23A to satisfy varying conditions of water coverage which may be desired and FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 show cam plates for these different conditions being marked for full coverage in FIG. 7, partial coverage in FIG. 8, left coverage only in FIG. 9 and right coverage only for FIG 10. The profiles of these cams will of course be dependent upon the exact type of coverage required and the profiles shown are illustrative only.

For clarity the cams in FIGS. 7 to 10 are identified as 31A, 31B, 31C and 31D.

Means are provided to operatively connect the relevant cam to the arcuately curved tube 23A in order to oscillate same and this means is collectively designated 32.

It consists of a bracket assembly 33 which extends around the end 34 of the arcuate tube and is secured thereto. A disc type manipulable portion 35 extends from the upper end of this bracket and a right angled portion 34' extends inwardly towards the housing 14 and carries a drive shaft 35 fixed thereto and lying substantially spaced and parallel to the above mentioned cam shaft 30 as clearly shown in drawings.

A wheel 36 is mounted freely for rotation upon the drive shaft 35 and is provided with a grooved periphery 37 and this grooved periphery is adapted to engage the profile of any one of the cams mounted on the cam shaft 30.

Therefore rotation of the cam shaft with the cam engaged by the wheel causes the arcuate arm or tube 23A to oscillate and this oscillation is controlled by the profile of the cam engaged by the wheel 36.

A coiled torsion spring 38 with one end 39 fixed to the arched portion 13 and the other end 40 being fixed to the arcuate tube 23A. This coil spring is designed to bias the tube 23A in a direction opposite to arrow 41 (FIG. 1) thus biassing the wheel 36 into engagement with the profile of the cam engaged thereby and maintaining contact between the wheel and the profile of the cam at all times.

when it is desired to change cams, the disc like manipulative portion 35 is pressed and thus rotates the tube 23A in the direction of arrow 41 against pressure of spring 38 thus raising the wheel 36 clear of the cams so that the wheel can be slid along the shaft 35 and reengaged with any desired cam.

It is therefore relatively simple to change the pattern of coverage of the arcuate tube 23A which of course is perforated as at 42 in the usual way.

It will therefore be seen that there are relatively few moving parts and no linkage which can upset the pattern of coverage due to looseness and wear and the like.

It will be appreciated that it is impossible to obtain uniform water coverage by conventional means due to the inherent geometry of crankshaft-connecting rod arrangements. Consequently the water coverage of conventional oscillating sprinklers is as shown in FIG. 11, with the result that outer areas are flooded while inner areas are still relatively dry.

The present invention allows complete choice of water pattern simply by design of cam profile, which allows uniform patterns as shown in FIG. 12 to be obtained.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What l claim as my invention is:

l. A water sprinkler comprising in combination a main framework, an arcuate perforated tube journalled for oscillation in said framework, means connecting said tube to a source of water under pressure, a water motor in said framework, a cam shaft rotatable by said water motor, at least one cam on said shaft rotatable therewith, and means operatively connecting said cam to said tube whereby said tube oscillates through an are controlled by the profile of said cam, said means operatively connecting said cam to said tube including a bracket secured to said tube adjacent one end thereof, a drive shaft secured to said bracket and extending therefrom substantially spaced and parallel to said cam shaft, a grooved wheel journalled for rotation on said drive shaft and adapted to engage with the profile of said cam.

2. The water sprinkler according to claim 1 which includes a plurality of cams of different profiles mounted on said cam shaft, said means operatively connecting said cams to said tube being selectively engageable with the profiles of any one of said cams.

3. The water sprinkler according to claim 1 which includes spring means co-operating between said framework and said tube to bias said means operatively connecting said cam to said tube, into contact with said cam.

4. The water sprinkler according to ciaim 2 which includes spring means co-operating between said framework and said tube to bias said means operatively connecting said cam to said tube, into contact with said

Claims

1. A water sprinkler comprising in combination a main framework, an arcuate perforated tube journalled for oscillation in said framework, means connecting said tube to a source of water under pressure, a water motor in said framework, a cam shaft rotatable by said water motor, at least one cam on said shaft rotatable therewith, and means operatively connecting said cam to said tube whereby said tube oscillates through an arc controlled by the profile of said cam, said means operatively connecting said cam to said tube including a bracket secured to said tube adjacent one end thereof, a drive shaft secured to said bracket and extending therefrom substantially spaced and parallel to said cam shaft, a grooved wheel journalled for rotation on said drive shaft and adapted to engage with the profile of said cam.

4. The water sprinkler according to claim 2 which includes spring means co-operating between said framework and said tube to bias said means operatively connecting said cam to said tube, into contact with said cam.