MOBILE IRRIGATING DEVICE

Abstract: Mobile irrigating device comprising a reel (2) on which a hose (3) is wound, that conveys water to a sprinkler (41), wherein hydraulic devices are provided which are actioned by the pressure of the water used for the irrigation; they transmit an alternating motion to a jaw (15) which, during movement in one direction, acts on a perimetral edge (16) of the reel. This causes the reel to rotate.

Description: Mobile irrigating device Background of the invention This invention relates to a mobile irrigating device which features a reel onto which, during operation, a hose is wound which conveys the water to the sprinklers which are mounted onto a sliding frame. The winding of the hose takes place by means of hydraulic devices actioned by the water used for the irrigation, working constantly and regularly even at minimum pressures, same as those which are usually applied in acqueducts. This is why the mobile irrigating device according to the invention is suitable for greenhouses, gardens, or sport grounds, as it is easily transportable and of minimum overall size. There are on the market irrigating devices with a motor-driven reel onto which a hose is slowly wound, to which end is fitted a sprinkler. Unfortunately this type of irrigator is not only cumbersome, complicated and costly, " but it also needs an electric supply for the motor, which is not always locally available. Furthermore there are irrigators where the winding is activated via a hydraulic system, utilizing the water necessary for irrigation. But these irrigators do need water under very high pressure and are therefore not suitable for domestic applications, greenhouses, and in places where the water coming from the acqueduct has a low pressure, varying only between 2 and 3 atm. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A purpose of this invention if that of providing an irrigator as above described, simply built and therefore more economical and not liable to damages and wear. Another purpose of this invention is that of providing an irrigator hydraulically operated and working at low water pressure same as those which are usually applied in acqueducts. To this end the invention provides an irrigator wherein a hydraulic piston operates a jaw which, by moving by alternate motion, acts on a perimetral edge attached to the reel onto which the hose is wound, thus making it rotate. Brief description of the drawings This invention will be now described in details, referring to the attached drawings, wherein: - Fig. 1 illustrates the perspective view of an irrigator according to the invention; - Fig. 2 illustrates the perspective view of the system which operates the irrigator reel according to the invention; - Fig. 3 illustrates the details of the system in Fig. 2 including hydraulically controlled devices that can be connected to the waterworks feeding the irrigator; - Fig. 4 illustrates a detail of the hose guide device, during the winding in a preferred different embodiment of the irrigator according to the invention; - Fig. 5 illustrates a particular of a different embodiment of the devices of fig. 2. -Figs. 6 and 7 schematically illustrate the device of fig. 5 during operation. Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention The irrigator according to the invention includes a frame substantially made up by a U-shaped tubular or section bar, between whose arms, indicated with (1), is mounted a reel (2) onto which a hose (3) is wound, fitted to a trolley (40) or the like onto which a sprinkler (41) is mounted. A couple of vertical rods (4) are then welded to the arms (2) to which extreme lower part are fitted wheels (5) that allow the equipment to move. On one side of the frame is fitted a fixed drawbar draft (6), while on the other side of the arms points or anchorage means (7) are provided for. A lever (8) is hinged to one of the arms (1) having a mobile weight (9) and moved by a piston (10) which is fed, via an inlet (11), by the water which reaches the irrigator hose (3) through a connector (12). The hose (3) can be made of different materials, but preferably, for small diameters (30-60 mm). it is made of polyethylene, as it is flexible enough to be wound onto the reel without difficulties, and rigid enough as not to tamp down during winding. The lever (8) is fitted with a fixed arm (13) equipped with a chain (14) or similar, that can be inserted into several notches. The chain is connected on the opposite side to a jaw (15) which acts on a "lip" or edge (16) which perimetrally projects out of the reel (2). A valve (17) of a known type acts on the piston (10) allowing the water to drain externally. The opening and the closing of the valve (17) are controlled by a lever (18) operated by a balance weight (19) onto which a couple of tabs (20) are attached, which in their turn, are hinged to a support (21) such as a pin, a bolt or the like (Fig. 3). The balance weight (19) is placed on top of the support (21) and tends to fall downwards, on either side of the support, thus overcoming of a dead centre. The partial rotations of the weight (19) around the support (21) enables the tabs (20) to operate the valve (17) control lever (18). A threaded rod (22) is hinged to the lever (8) and the rod slides inside an opening of a tab (23) hinged or joined to the weight (19). A couple of nuts (24) form adjustable end of stroke elements acting on the tab (23) on the final stroke of the rod (22). The operation of the above described system is as follows: entirely unwound the hose (3), the connector (12) is joined to the water tap. The water reaches the sprinkler (41) through the hose (3). Through the inlet (11) and the valve (17) part of the water reaches the piston (10) pushing it upwards. The movement will hoist the lever (8) in opposition to the strenght exerted by the adjustable weight (9). During the lever stroke (8), the bar (22) will freely slide in the slot of tab (23). Near the final stretch, the lower bolt (24) acts on the tab (23) causing the counter-clockwise rotation of the weight (19) (Fig. 3). After having overcome the dead centre, the weight (19) cotinues its path, by gravity, and moves to the position illustrated in fig. 2 while the tab (20), acting on the lever (18), controls the opening of the valve (17) thus allowing the drainage of the water from the piston (10) . Hence the lever (8) is free to go down again by effect of the weight (9), thus shifting upwards the jaw (15) by means of the arm (13) and the chain (14). The jaw (15) acts on the edge of the reel, which partially rotates winding a small stretch of the hose (3). When the return stroke of the lever (8) is over, the upper bolt (24) acts again on the tab (23), rotating the weight (19) in a clockwise direction and bringing it back again to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 and the tab (20), acting on the lever (18) on the opposite side, controls the closing of the valve (17). A new cycle can now start. To avoid that the reel unwinds due to the weight of the hose while the lever (8) is hoisted again and the jaw (15) goes downwards, a support for a second jaw (26), similar to the first one, is attached onto the frame. The second jaw 26 acts on the edge (16), preventing the reel from rotating in the direction opposite to taht of the hose winding. The hose (3), during the winding on the reel (2) acts on a guide placed in the front part of the frame and made of a tubular element, a section bar or the like, suitably shaped and hinged to the frame arms (1) . The guide (27) can be shaped as a semi-circle as shown in fig. 1 or, as shown in fig. 4, it can include a central stretch parallel to the axis of reel (2), and two lateral stretches (29) which form an angle with the central part (28). In both cases the guide ends are inserted in as many seats (30) attached to the arms (1) and, near one of the ends, a small arm (31) is welded to the guide. To the end of this small arm a helical spring is fixed which, on the opposite side, is hooked onto a toothing (33) which is welded to the arm (1) . The guide (27) lies on a horizontal plane, and the hose (3) that during winding around the reel turns upwards, acts on the lower part of the guide tending to rotate it in a clockwise direction. However this rotation holds up the strenght exercised by the spring (32), which can be adjusted by changing the hooking of the same spring on the teeth (33) and which tends to keep the guide in a horizontal position. The reaction exerted by the guide (27) on the hose (3), while it winds on the reel, drives it in such a manner as to obtain regular and well distributed coils. Several tests have enabled to ascertain that the optimal distance of the guide (27) from the reel of axis (2) is roughly equal to the reel width (L) and that the distance of the guide from the ground is preferably shorter than the minimum distance of the hose wound around the reel, from the ground. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic devices which operate the lever (8) can be made up with a vane pump that through suitable reduction devices start the rotation of an eccentric which is hinged to the lower end of the rod (22). The hose (3) winding speed can be modified either by moving the point of attachment of the chain (14) on the arm (13) or by modifying the lever (8) stroke, suitably acting on the end stroke bolts (24). According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, near two opposite walls of valve (17) there are two bars (30, 31), freely movable and connected by helicoidal springs (32). Springs (32) slightly press the bar (30) and (31) against the walls of the valve. Rod (22) can slide inside an opening in the bar (30), while the lever (18) is inserted in an opening in the bar (31). The movements of rod (22) are transmitted to the bar (30) which, through springs (32), moves the bar (31) acting in this way on the lever (18) . Figs. 6 and 7 show the device in the positions of the opening and closure of valve (17) .

Claims: CLAIMS 1.) A mobile irrigating device of the kind comprising means apt to wind on a reel, during the operation, a hose connected to a sprinkler mounted onto a mobile support, characterized in that means are provided for 5 setting on a jaw in alternating motion, which acts, during the motion in one of the two directions, on an edge perimetrally projecting from the reel, for rotating it. 2.) The irrigator of claim 1, wherein said jaw is set in motion by the pressure of the water used to irrigate. 103.) The irrigator of claims 1 or 2, wherein said jaw operating device comprises piston (10) which rod acts on a lever (8) equipped with a mobile weight (9) and connected to the jaws, said jaws acting on the edge (16) of the reel (2). 4.) The irrigator of claim 3, wherein said piston pushes upwards the 15 lever (8) the return of the said lever occurring by effect of the weight (9) , by gravity. 5.) The irrigator of claims 1 or 4, wherein said irrigator comprises a second jaw (26) mounted on the irrigator frame, said jaw setting by gravity to a position in which it acts on the edge (16) of the reel (2), 0 thus preventing said reel from rotating in the same direction as the hose (3) unwinds. 6.) The irrigator of claims 3 or 4, wherein end stroke means are provided for acting on a valve (17), said means connecting the piston chamber (10) to the external, to drain the water when the lever (8) is 5 completely hoisted. 7.) The irrigator of claim 6, wherein said means are made up with matching elements (24) placeable at different heights on a rod (22) hinged to the lever (8), said elements acting on a balance weight (19) moving it from a position where it closes the valve (17) to a position 0 where it opens the valve. 8.) The irrigator of claim 1, wherein said reel (2) is mounted between the arms (1) of a frame made up with a U-bented section bar and equipped with means of ground-support, said extreme of the arm comprising means apt to get inserted in the ground in order to stop the irrigator. 9.) The irrigator of claims 1 to 4, further comprising guide means (27) of the hose that conveys the water to the sprinkler, said means being made up with a semi-circle shaped bar, hinged to the frame near the 5 ends, said bar being able to rotate around an axis passing through said ends in opposition to elastic means. 10.) The irrigator of claim 9, wherein the distance of guide means (27) from the winding reel axis (2) is substantially equal to the reel width. 11. ) The irrigator of claim 9, wherein the distance of the guide means 10 from the ground is inferior to the minimum distance of the hose (3) from the ground, when said hose (3) is wound on the reel (2). 12.) The irrigator of claim 9, wherein said guide of the hose (3), comprises a central part substantially parallel to the reel (2) axis and "cwo lateral slanting stretches, adjustable elastic means being provided 15 for maintaining said hose substantially horizontal, with the strecht parallel to the axis near the reel itself. 13.) The irrigator of claim 3, wherein said means which operate the motions of the lever (8) comprise a vane pump which operates an eccentric connected to said lever by means of a connecting rod (22). 20 14. The irrigator of claim 6, wherein said means acting on the valve (17) comprise two bars (30, 31) placed near opposite sides of the valve and connected by elastic means (32), each of said bars having a bore, the lever (18) of the valve being inserted in the bore of one of said bars, the rod (22) sliding in the bore of the other bar. 25 30

Inventors: ZANNONI ANGELO, ZANNONI, ANGELO
Applicants: NUOVA CIERRE SRL
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A01G25
IPC codes: A01G25