Patent ID: 8948979
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: A01G,B05B

Abstract:
1. An irrigation system comprising: a plurality of interconnected spans; a plurality of tower structures for supporting the interconnected spans, each one of the plurality of tower structures including a variable-speed drive unit for selectively driving a tower structure at a selected speed; a plurality of sensors, each one of the plurality of sensors associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of interconnected spans and configured to determine an alignment of a corresponding one of the plurality of interconnected spans; and a plurality of variable-drive control units, each variable-drive control unit of the plurality of drive control units in communication with a corresponding variable-speed drive unit and a corresponding sensor, each variable-drive control unit configured to control the selected speed of the corresponding variable-speed drive unit to maintain the plurality of interconnected spans in a substantially linear orientation with respect to adjacent ones of the plurality of interconnected spans along a generally longitudinally oriented axis, wherein the selected speed of the corresponding variable-drive control unit is based upon the alignment.