Abstract:
Sprinkler head spacer systems for preventing a sprinkler head from being positioned too close to a sidewalk or curb. The spacers include a body and attachment fingers for attachment of the spacers to a sprinkler. Various styles are disclosed, including some in which the fingers are detachable from the body. In other versions the spacing between the fingers is adjustable to accommodate sprinklers of different diameters.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is related to my application Ser. No. 10/007,712, filed Nov. 13, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,380, issued Jun. 10, 2003. This application is also related to my pending application Ser. No. 10/626,910, filed Jul. 25, 2003. This application is also related to, and claims the benefit of, my Provisional Application No. 60/416,086, filed Oct. 5, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to sprinkler systems commonly used for sprinkling lawns or other landscaped areas. More particularly, it relates to installation techniques for sprinkler systems and to spacer guides for positioning sprinkler heads.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART  
         [0003]    Typical sprinkler systems used for lawns and other landscaped areas include water supply lines which are placed below ground and extend from a main supply pipe to each sprinkler head. The sprinkler head extends upwardly to the upper surface of the ground. Typical sprinkler heads are of the “pop-up” style which extend upwardly above the grass when pressure is applied to the water in the supply line, and then the sprinkler head retracts when it is no longer in use. The top of the sprinkler head remains exposed at ground level.  
           [0004]    In some installations, the sprinkler head is connected to the water supply pipe with a flexible pipe. Although this enables the installer to more easily position the sprinkler head in a desired place, the flexible pipe provides little, if any, support to the sprinkler head (either lateral or vertical support). As a result, when soil is filled in around the sprinkler head, the sprinkler head can tilt to one side or the other, and the sprinkler head can also sink downwardly. When the sprinkler head is too close to a sidewalk, curb or other such object, the spinning metal blade of an edger can irreparably damage any sprinkler head which is too close to sidewalk, curb, etc. Then the sprinkler head must be replaced, at considerable time and expense.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,181 (Soos), U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,353 (Tsao et al), U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,416 (Jones), and D410,731 (Bowman et al.) describe various types of sprinkler head guards, grass guards and mats for use on or around sprinkler heads. However, there has not heretofore been provided a sprinkler spacer of the types described in the present invention.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In accordance with the present invention there are provided improved sprinkler head spacers for supporting sprinkler heads in lawns or other landscaped areas. When the spacers are attached to sprinkler heads (e.g. during installation in the ground), the spacers prevent sprinkler heads from being positioned too close to a sidewalk, curb, etc. The spacers can be attached to sprinkler heads in a number of different manners, and the spacers are adapted to fit onto sprinkler heads of different diameters.  
           [0007]    In one embodiment, the sprinkler spacer comprises:  
           [0008]    (a) a spacer body member having first and second lateral edges;  
           [0009]    (b) attachment means carried by said body member for attaching said body member to said sprinkler;  
           [0010]    wherein the attachment means is detachably mounted to the body member.  
           [0011]    The attachment means can comprise a pair of opposing spring clips, for example, which can be attached to the spacer body (e.g. by means of raised ribs or tabs on the spring clips which fit into complementary slots in the spacer body).  
           [0012]    In another embodiment, the spacer system comprises two body members which are hinged together. Each body member includes a spring finger portion. The body members are further connected by a length-adjustable rod which controls the spacing between the respective finger portions of the two body members.  
           [0013]    Other features and advantages of the spacer system of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of spacer system of the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a plan view of another embodiment of a spacer system of the invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3A is a plan view of another embodiment of a spacer body portion;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3B is a front elevational view of an attachment member adapted to connect to the spacer body portion of FIG. 3A;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the spacer system of FIG. 1;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a spacer system of the invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a plan view of a further embodiment of a spacer system of the invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a spacer body attached to a sprinkler;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a depth gauge which can be attached to a spacer body; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the depth gauge of FIG. 8 attached to the spacer body of FIG. 7, prior to the spacer body being attached to a sprinkler. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    In FIGS. 1 and 4 there is shown one embodiment of a spacer system  10  of the invention comprising a spacer body portion  12  and a pair of opposing spring finger clip members  14 . Each spring clip finger includes an enlarged end  14 A which is slidably received and retained in a complementary shaped slot  12 A in body portion  12 . This design enables the spacer body to be used with different sizes of spring finger clips. For example, when using large diameter sprinklers, appropriately sized spring finger clips can be attached to the spacer body to accommodate the large sprinkler body. Conversely, if a small diameter sprinkler is used, then smaller spring finger clips can be used on the spacer body.  
         [0025]    Preferably the body portion comprises spaced-apart ribs with vertical openings between them, as shown in the drawings, to enable water and fertilizer, etc. to pass through the spacer after installation. The body portion  12  preferably includes edges  13 A,  13 B and  13 C which are at angles to each other (e.g. edges  13 A and  13 C may be at 45 degrees relative to edge  13 B). The presence of these angled edges enables the spacer to be positioned next to sidewalks, curbs, etc. to maintain a predetermined spacing between the sprinkler head and the concrete material. The presence of these angled edges also enable the spacer to be positioned in a corner (e.g. where two sidewalks meet, or where a sidewalk meets a curb) so that one such edge abuts against the edge of one sidewalk and the other such edge abuts against the edge of another sidewalk (or curb), regardless of the particular angle between the two sidewalks or sidewalk and curb, etc.  
         [0026]    Preferably the spacer body also has attached to it one or more vertical tabs  15  having a length of about 1.5 inches. The presence of the tab(s) is to assure that the spacer body is properly positioned about 1.5 inches below the upper end of the sprinkler body. This arrangement assures that the spacer body will not be impacted by the blade of a metal edger used along a sidewalk, curb, etc. There may be a vertical tab  15  extending upwardly from the upper surface of the spacer and another vertical tab extending downwardly from the lower surface of the spacer. The presence of two such tabs makes the spacer symmetrical (so that it cannot be clipped or attached to a sprinkler upside down). Whichever way the spacer is attached to a sprinkler, one of the vertical tabs will be oriented upwardly. If desired, the tab (depth gauge) may be separate from the spacer body so that the depth gauge is vertically adjustable. This enables the spacer to be positioned lower or higher relative to the sprinkler, as desired.  
         [0027]    Preferably, the spacer body also includes a stake receiver  16  having resilient legs or arms  16 A. In order to provide additional lateral stability to a sprinkler head, a vertical stake can be inserted vertically through the receiver  16  (between arms  16 A) and into the ground when the sprinkler is installed. The length and design of such a stake may vary. Once installed, the spacer and stake assembly holds the sprinkler in place so that the complete irrigation system can be turned on for a pressure test before the sprinkler trenches have been filled. This enables the sprinklers and pipes to be checked for leaks, adjustment, etc. The spray coverage can also be checked to assure there are no dry areas. Necessary adjustments or replacement of sprinklers can be made as required. This a huge advantage and saves a tremendous amount of time because any leaks or other problems with the irrigation system can be corrected before the trenches are filled. The stakes and spacers hold and support the sprinklers in their intended position so that the irrigation system can be fully tested.  
         [0028]    In FIG. 2 there is shown another spacer system utilizing the same spacer body  12  but different types of opposing spring finger clips  17 . As shown, these spring fingers each include an enlarged rib  17 B for sliding engagement in a slot  12 A in the spacer body  12 . Each spring finger also includes an inner end  17 A which extends past the point where the rib  17 A is located in order to provide additional support and rigidity to the spring finger clip mounting.  
         [0029]    In FIGS. 3A and 3B there is shown another spacer system comprising a spacer body  22 A (top plan view) having an inner lateral edge  25  and outer edges  23 A,  23 B and  23 C. On edge  25  there are provided a plurality of spaced-apart, projecting tab members  24 . On spring clip finger portion  22 B (rear elevational view) there are a corresponding plurality of recessed openings or sockets  24 A which are adapted to slidably receive the tab members  24  and thereby hold the spring clip finger portion to the spacer body.  
         [0030]    In FIG. 5 there is shown another embodiment of spacer system  26  comprising complementary shaped body portions  28  which are hinged together intermediate their ends with pin  27 . Each body portion includes a spring clip finger  28 A. At the opposite end of the spacer there is a length-adjustable connector. Elongated receiver connector  29  is fastened to one body portion  28  by means of pin  29 B. The connector  29  includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart recessed areas or sockets  29 A. Elongated connector rod  30  is fastened to the other body member  28  by means of pin  30 B. The opposite end of connector rod  30  includes an enlarged end  30 A which is adapted to be received in a desired one of the recessed areas or sockets  29 A. Depending upon which of the sockets  29 A the enlarged end  30 A is received in, the spacing between the spring finger clips  28 A will be different so as to accommodate sprinkler heads of different diameters. As shown, this spacer system may also include a stake receiver  16  of the type described above which enables an elongated stake to be inserted into, and held by, the receiver  16 . Then the stake will extend downwardly from the spacer to provide lateral and vertical support to the sprinkler held by the fingers  28 A.  
         [0031]    In FIG. 6 there is shown another spacer system  32  of the invention comprising spacer body member  33  and a pair of spring clip fingers  34 A. The fingers  34 A are each pivotably attached to the body portion  33  by means of pins  35 . At the inner end  34 B of each finger there is secured a threaded receiver which is connected to threaded rod  36 . A centrally located rotating knob  37  on rod  36  enables the rod  36  to be easily rotated so as to cause the respective fingers  34 A to be moved selectively closer together or further apart in order to accommodate sprinkler heads of different diameters.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a spacer body  40  of the invention with spring finger clip members  14  attached to one edge of the spacer body. Each spring clip finger includes an enlarged end  14 A which is slidably received and retained in a complementary shaped slot in the body  40 , as shown. The spring clip fingers are adapted to attach the spacer body to a sprinkler  50 , as illustrated.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a depth gauge  42  comprising an elongated strip  43  having two spaced-apart tabs  44  extending outwardly from each side of the strip, as shown. The spacing between each set of two tabs is only slightly greater than the thickness of spacer body  40  such that the spacer body can be slidably received between the tabs and held there with frictional engagement. This is illustrated in FIG. 9 where the depth gauge is attached to spacer body  40  and then spacer body  40  is attached to the sprinkler. The depth gauge prevents the spacer body from sliding too far upwardly on the sprinkler (i.e. the depth gauge assures that the spacer body will be positioned a minimum distance below the top of the sprinkler head). Typically, the depth gauge can be composed of plastic and produced by injection molding techniques. Preferably the tab members  44  are disposed in the center of the depth gauge, as shown, so that the gauge is symmetrical and can be attached to the spacer body with either end of the depth gauge extending upwardly. Of course, it would be possible to position the tabs closer to one end of the gauge, if desired, so as to have a smaller distance between the tabs and one end of the strip.  
         [0034]    Other variants are possible without departing from the scope of this invention.