Abstract:
A rotary sprinkler in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a riser with a nozzle assembly rotatable mounted thereon. The nozzle assembly includes a pressure regulator and flow control element.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13,327,230 filed Dec. 15, 2011 entitled PRESSURE REGULATOR IN A ROTATIONALLY DRIVEN SPRINKLER NOZZLE HOUSING ASSEMBLY which claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/423,400 entitled PRESSURE REGULATOR IN A ROTATIONALLY DRIVEN SPRINKLER NOZZLE HOUSING ASSEMBLY, filed Dec. 15, 2010, the entire content of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Disclosure 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a rotating sprinkler including both pressure regulation and flow throttling provided in the nozzle assembly. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    The benefits of pressure regulation for sprinklers are well known to the irrigation industry such as discussed in the background sections of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,913,351 and 6,997,393, the entire content of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
         [0006]    Pressure regulation is typically provided at an inlet in the base of the sprinkler as is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,913,351 and 6,997,393, for example. As a result, in order to install or replace such pressure regulation elements, it is necessary to replace the entire sprinkler. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a sprinkler that includes pressure regulation in the nozzle assembly to allow for easy installation and/or replacement. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    A rotary driven, i.e. water turbine, water driven ball drive, or water reaction driven irrigation sprinkler nozzle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a pressure regulator preferably incorporated into the center of the nozzle assembly body and also includes a reference pressure chamber connected to atmospheric pressure with a biasing member enclosed to bias a movable pressure responsive member that is connected to an upstream pressure balanced flow throttling valve. 
         [0009]    The sprinkler includes pressure regulation, flow throttling and flow shut off, if desired. 
         [0010]    A sprinkler assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a riser in fluid communication with a water supply including a flow path for water provided to the sprinkler assembly from the water supply, a nozzle assembly rotatably mounted on the riser and in fluid communication with the riser, the nozzle assembly including a center flow passage in fluid communication with the flow path of the riser, a nozzle mounted in the nozzle assembly and in fluid communication with the center flow passage, the nozzle configured to direct water out of the nozzle assembly, a pressure regulator provided in the nozzle assembly and configured to maintain a desired pressure at an inlet area of the nozzle and a throttling valve provided in the nozzle assembly and operably connected to the pressure regulator to selectively reduce flow to the nozzle when pressure at an inlet of the nozzle exceeds a reference pressure. 
         [0011]    A nozzle assembly for use in a sprinkler assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a riser in fluid communication with a water supply including a flow path for water provided to the sprinkler assembly from the water supply, a nozzle assembly rotatably mounted on the riser and in fluid communication with the riser, the nozzle assembly including a center flow passage in fluid communication with the flow path of the riser, a nozzle mounted in the nozzle assembly and in fluid communication with the center flow passage, the nozzle configured to direct water out of the nozzle assembly, a pressure regulator provided in the nozzle assembly and configured to maintain a desired pressure at an inlet area of the nozzle and a throttling valve provided in the riser and operably connected to the pressure regulator to selectively reduce flow to the nozzle when pressure at an inlet of the nozzle exceeds a reference pressure. 
         [0012]    Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the invention, which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a cross sectional view of a riser assembly and nozzle assembly of a typical water turbine driven sprinkler with a nozzle exit pressure regulator incorporated in the center of the rotating nozzle assembly. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows an expanded view of the upstream pressure balanced flow throttling valve in the riser assembly of  FIG. 1  which may also be used to throttle the range or shut off flow to the nozzle housing outlet passage where a changeable nozzle is shown installed in the exit side passage of the nozzle housing. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2A  illustrates the expanded view of  FIG. 2  with the throttling valve restricting flow to the nozzle housing. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a bottom view of the throttling valve of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 2C  illustrates the axially moving valve element of the flow throttling valve of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 2D  illustrates a center plug element of the throttling valve of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a cross section of the rotating nozzle assembly of  FIG. 1  including the drive shaft and a nozzle discharge pressure regulator mechanism. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an expanded cross sectional line drawing of the upper rotating nozzle assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an expanded cross sectional line drawing of the upper part of the rotary driven sprinkler of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is an expanded cross-section line drawing of the upper part of the rotary driven sprinkler of  FIG. 1  showing the entire nozzle housing assembly and the upper part of the riser with an alternate flow throttling valve configuration in the nozzle housing including a flow turning vane separated into two portions with the lower flow straightener vane part movable axially to interact with the upper turning vane portion to accomplish the flow throttling function with essentially no additional pressure loss or flow components in the sprinkler flow path. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view looking up into the bottom of the nozzle housing through its drive shaft flow supply entry at the axially movable lower portion of the flow throttling valve member removed. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the movable lower portion of the flow throttling valve member. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  illustrates an expanded cross sectional view of the upper part of the rotary driven sprinkler of  FIG. 6  with the movable lower portion of the throttling valve moved axially upward by its center connection to a shaft connected to the pressure responsive member. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a view looking into the nozzle housing through the exit nozzle mounting hole showing the turning vane components of the throttling valve located in the nozzle housing. 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a removable dirt cover that also provides for pressure regulator adjustment and which, when removed, allows viewing of an indication of the pressure setting and allows changing the pressure setting, if desired, for range adjustment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]      FIG. 1  illustrates a cross sectional view of a riser  1  and a nozzle assembly  2  of a typical water driven gear drive sprinkler. The nozzle assembly  2  is rotatably mounted on the riser  1 . The details of this type of sprinkler are generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. A nozzle  3  is provided at the outlet of the nozzle assembly  2  to direct water out of the assembly. An exit pressure regulator  4  is incorporated on the center axis of the nozzle assembly  2 . A nozzle drive shaft  14  is also provided on the center axis of the nozzle assembly  2 . 
         [0029]    The pressure regulator  4  preferably includes a cylindrical chamber  34  with a pressure responsive member  8  slidably mounted for axial movement therein. See  FIG. 4  also. A low friction sliding lip seal  22  may be provided between the member  8  and the sidewalls of the chamber  34 . A bias spring  9  is housed in the pressure chamber  34  above the pressure responsive member  8  and biases the member  8  downward. Any suitable biasing member may be used in place of the bias spring  9 . The chamber  34  is vented to the atmosphere at opening  35 . Atmospheric pressure is the preferred reference pressure for the pressure chamber  34 . If desired, an opening in the threads  36  may be used as an atmospheric vent instead of the separate opening  35 . 
         [0030]    The bias spring  9  may be preloaded by screwing the reference chamber top or cap  10  downwardly via the threads  36  to increase the preload of bias spring  9  against the top of the pressure responsive member  8 . 
         [0031]    Center hole  37  (See  FIG. 3 ) below the pressure responsive member  8  opens into the center flow passage  38  (See  FIG. 4 ) of the nozzle housing  2 . The center flow passage  38  is connected by flow turning vanes  19  to the inlet area  20  of nozzle  3 . 
         [0032]    As shown, the pressure responsive member  8  is preferably connected by shaft  11  to the upstream cylindrical flow throttling valve member  5  (see  FIGS. 2A and 2C , for example). As the pressure at the inlet area  20  of the nozzle  3  rises above a desired level, which may be set by the preload of bias spring  9  on the pressure responsive member  8 , the pressure responsive member will move upward against the force of the bias spring  9 . This will lift the connecting rod  11  and the flow throttling valve member  5  as shown in  FIG. 2A , for example. The flow throttling valve member  5  moves upward to reduce the circumferential flow area  13  that provides flow into internal flow area  40  of the nozzle drive shaft  14 . The flow through the nozzle drive shaft  14  exits into the flow path area  38  of the nozzle housing  2  and then onward to the nozzle  3  where it passes through exit area  15  and out of the rotating nozzle housing  2 . Reducing the flow area  13  reduces the flow of water into the area  40  and the flow area  38  such that the pressure at the inlet area  20  of the nozzle  3  is decreased as desired to maintain a substantially constant nozzle discharge pressure even for fluctuating or high inlet pressures. 
         [0033]    An insert rib (see rib  7 B in  FIGS. 2 and 2D , for example) supports center plug  7  for the cylindrical valve member  5  which forces the flow around the outside circumference at  17  of the cylindrical valve member  5  so that it can be flow controlled at circumferential flow area  13  at the top of the throttling valve member  5 . The cylindrical throttling valve member  5  is thus pressure balanced since its upper and lower axial acting pressure surfaces see approximately the same pressure and their axially exposed pressure area is relatively small (see  FIG. 2C ). The throttling pressure load on the valve member is carried normal (i.e. at an angle of about 90 degrees) to its axis of movement so as to have minimum effect on the pressure responsive member load relative to its bias spring  9 . 
         [0034]    The valve member  5  may also be used as a shut off valve to shut off flow to the discharge nozzle  3  completely. The bias spring  9  is axially attached to the top of the pressure responsive member  8  and also to the underside of the threaded top or cap  10  of the reference pressure chamber  34 . Thus, when the cap  10  is rotated in the threads  36  such that the cap backs up and out of the chamber  34 , the bias of spring  9  will be removed from the pressure responsive member  8 . As a result, the entire assembly including pressure responsive member  8 , the connecting rod  11  and the valve member  5  will be lifted up to close off the flow through the circumferential area at  13 , and thus, shut off flow to the nozzle  3 . This will allow a user to change the nozzle  3 , for example, without getting wet. Further, since the flow to the nozzle  3  may be turned off without shutting off the water supply to the sprinkler itself, the riser  1  will remain popped up and out of the ground such that the nozzle  3  is easily accessible. 
         [0035]    The upstream flow throttling valve  5  includes a cylindrical ring  23  supported by ribs  23 A with a center ring  11 A for connection to the activation shaft  11 . See  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 2C , for example. The lower inside area of this cylindrical sleeve valve member is vented in between its support ribs  23 A as shown at  23 B. Flow throttling occurs between the top of cylindrical edge  26  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the cylindrical valve member, or ring,  23  and the outside circumference of the nozzle drive shaft center hole area  40  at  40 A. 
         [0036]    This cylindrical edge  26  opens and closes the flow area  13  between it and the outer diameter  40 A of the flow area  40 , upstream of the surface  25  through the nozzle drive shaft  14  and has a minimum axially exposed pressure area which is compensated for by pressure applied at its bottom and the cylindrical edge  26 . Thus, there is a minimum axial force applied to the connecting shaft  11  and to the pressure responsive piston  8  of the pressure regulator assembly  4  in the upper nozzle housing, which is referred to atmospheric pressure. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  illustrates an alternate low pressure loss, dirt tolerant configuration of a flow throttling valve  119  which is incorporated on the center axis of the nozzle assembly  2 . The throttling valve  119  utilizes the flow turning vane  19 , which is shown in  FIGS. 1-5  as well, to provide a very low pressure loss throttling valve that is connected with the pressure responsive member  8  of the pressure regulator  4  that includes an atmospheric pressure reference. All components are entirely in the nozzle housing assembly  2 . 
         [0038]    In  FIG. 6 , the throttling valve  119  is shown in an open state. In  FIG. 9 , the pressure regulator  4  is shown with its pressure responsive piston  8  moved upward as if responding to an over pressure condition in the direct flow entry area  20  of the sprinkler discharge nozzle  15 . This moves pressure responsive piston  8  upward against the preset compression force of the spring  9  and atmospheric pressure as vented into the reference pressure chamber  34 . Threads  36  and  35 A interact to allow for adjustment of the force of the spring  9  against the pressure responsive piston  8 . The lower, movable portion  19 B of the valve  119  moves axially with the pressure responsive piston to restrict flow to the nozzle  15 . 
         [0039]    The area directly upstream of the discharge nozzle  15  is connected to and exposed to the same pressure as the pressure side of the pressure responsive piston  8  via channel  37 . The channel  37  connects the inside of the nozzle flow passage  38  to the control cavity  34  of the pressure regulator  4  and pressure responsive piston  8 . The connecting shaft  11  extends through this channel  37  with a space or gap between the shaft  11  and a sidewall of the channel  37 . The space or gap between shaft  11  and the sidewall of the channel provides a self-cleaning nozzle inlet pressure connection passage and provides for pressure fluctuation stabilization for the pressure regulator&#39;s pressure responsive piston  8 . The channel  37  provides a path to connect axially moving shaft  11  and moving valve element  19 B. A lip seal  22  is provided around the piston  8  to limit dirt access to the channel  37  and into the flow path. 
         [0040]    The area immediately upstream of the inlet area  20  of the nozzle  15  is a particularly favorable position for flow throttling which also provides sprinkler range control. As indicated in  FIG. 9  at  38 A, flow velocities are increased by the flow restriction imposed by the ribs  19 C of the axially movable valve element  19 B. When the valve element  19 B moves axially, the ribs  19 C extend up over the ends of the vanes  19 A of the top part of the valve  119 . The axial movement of the ribs  19 C restricts flow in the turning vane pass flow area  38 .  FIG. 6  shows this area fully open with the vanes  19 A and ribs  19 C acting as a minimum pressure loss flow turning vane  19 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the movable valve member  119  in a partially closed position to limit flow to the inlet area  20 . 
         [0041]    The upstream flow restriction causes an increase in velocity shown at  38 B through the area  38 A of the now throttled flow control valve  119 . See  FIG. 9 . This increased velocity is an entry velocity to the discharge nozzle area  15  and adds to the nozzle discharge velocity and stream energy so that the nozzle produces improved stream break-up and uniformity of distribution even at reduced flow rates. That is, providing the flow throttling just upstream of the nozzle  15  in the nozzle housing  2  helps to maintain stream uniformity even when flow rates are reduced. 
         [0042]    The components in the nozzle housing  2  may be used to provide throttling for range control. The cap  50  may be removed and also used to access a hexagon shaped or slot shaped hole  51  ( FIG. 6 ) in the top member  10  and to turn the threaded top member  10 . Turning the top member  10  to move it up provides less compression force by spring  9  of the pressure regulator  4  on pressure responsive member  8  to reduce range. Moving the top  10  downward to increase the force of the spring  9 , causes the throttling valve member  19 B to move down to be more open such that flow is maximized. 
         [0043]    Removing the dirt cover  50  allows a user to see the number of threads  36  that are exposed above the top  10 . If the thread pitch (height between thread points) is adjusted or set relative to the spring rate force change per unit length of the spring  9 , the threads may be used as an indication of the force applied by the top  10 . For example, each thread peak exposed may represent a 15 psi change in the pressure set by the top  10 . That is, if calibrated, the thread count may be used to indicate the precise pressure being applied by the top  10  as well as the amount that this force has been adjusted by rotation of the top  10 . 
         [0044]    The top  10  may also be used as a range setting screw that ensures that the sprinkler produces the desired range for its location in an irrigation system over a range of supply pressure functions. 
         [0045]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the axially movable throttling valving member  19 B. The movable valve member  19 B includes a structural lower outer ring positioned out of the flow path and vertical vanes  19 C, which move upward over the ends of the turning vanes  19 A to limit flow. The vanes  19 A are illustrated in the nozzle housing inlet nozzle drive shaft hole in  FIG. 7 . In this figure, the movable valve member  19 B has been removed. 
         [0046]    The functional assembly of the pressure regulator  4  and throttling valve assembly is shown in  FIG. 6 . Pressure throttling is shown in  FIG. 9  where the pressure regulating and flow throttling components are shown in a pressure controlling throttling position. 
         [0047]    Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art.