Patent GB-707325-A (GB)
Title: Travelling sprinkler
Inventor: JEPSON IVAR
IPC: A01G25/09
Filed: 1952-02-18
Abstract: 707,325. Spray-producers. SUNBEAM CORPORATION. Feb. 18, 1952, No. 4286/52. Class 69 (3) A travelling sprinkler includes a base 28 housing a reel of flexible line or tape 99; one end of the line is secured to the reel and the other end is attached to a fixed support so that when the wheel is rotated the sprinkler is drawn towards the support. The reel is rotated by a rotatable sprinkler element driven by jet reaction, and is connected to the reel by reduction gearing mounted on the base, and the base, reel, reduction gearing and sprinkler element form a compact unit. The sprinkler includes tubular nozzle members 32, 33, Fig. 3, with outlet orifices 36-39 of different sizes to provide a uniform distribution. Members 32, 33 are rotatably mounted in a hollow head 30, and are turned about their axes by a knob 45 acting through a pinion 42 and a gearing segment 41 to adjust the angle and extent of the spray discharge. Water is admitted at 56 and passes from a valve controlled chamber 55 to a chamber 53, and through a hollow stud 31 to the nozzle members. The reaction of water discharge rotates the head 30 which drives, through the hollow stud 31, shafts 49, 141, and reduction gearing, the reel 96. The reduction gearing includes a worm gear 149, Fig. 5, driven by the shaft 141 which, via a worm section 148, drives a worm gear 152. The latter drives, via a clutch member 160, a shaft 161 and a pinion 162, Fig. 6, and this pinion engages an annular gear 101 on the reel. A compression spring 163 normally holds the clutch out of engagement with the gear 152. The chamber 55 contains an automatic cut-off valve 50, which is biased to its closing position by a spring 62. During spraying the valve is held open by an L-shaped latch 51, pivoted at 73, which engages a pin 66a of a valve slide 66. The latch is held in this position by a latch member 77 which engages a trigger 124, and in this position the latch 51 acts on a head 165 to force the gear 152 into engagement with the clutch, so that the reel is rotated. The tape 99 is guided under a roller 122 and passes through the trigger to the fixed support, e.g. a stake, the trigger being pivoted about a pin 123 and biased by a spring against a projection 77a on the latch member. When the line has been wound up, a connector 113 thereon strikes the trigger and rotates it clockwise to release the latch member 77. The latch 51 then pivots about its pin, under the action of the clutch spring 163, to allow the valve 50 to close and to stop the sprinkler. The device may be used as a stationary sprinkler by holding the valve open by means of a pivoted lever 80 which engages the end of the pin 66a. Similarly by the use of this lever the sprinkler need not be shut off at the end of its travel. By passing the tape around one or more stakes in the ground the sprinkler may travel along a non-linear path. Alternatively, the tape may be used as a timing device for a stationary sprinkler by unwinding a certain length of the tape from the reel and operating the latch mechanism as described. The free end of the tape, not being connected to a support or stake, will shut off the device. The pressure in the valve chamber 55 may be released by a relief valve 175, Fig. 8, and the tape may be manually wound on the reel by a handle 104 Fig. 3. A second embodiment is described in which the reduction gearing is of modified construction and housed in a casing which is not defined by any part of the casting comprising the sprinkler support. Specifications 549,456 and 665,423 are referred to.