Patent ID: 7182274

Claim:
A traveling sprinkler apparatus comprising: a wheeled frame; a hose reel rotatably mounted on the frame; a rotatable sprinkler head; a transmission for communicating the rotation of the sprinkler to the hose reel such that the hose reel rotates; a flow control valve; supply piping having an inlet end and extending to the flow control valve; sprinkler piping extending between the flow control valve and the sprinkler head; and discharge piping extending from the flow control valve to an outlet end; wherein the valve is movable at least between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, fluid communication is permitted substantially exclusively between the supply piping and the discharge piping, whereby a fluid enters the discharge piping and is discharged from the outlet end of the discharge piping such that the sprinkler apparatus does not travel, wherein, in the second position, fluid communication is permitted substantially exclusively between the supply piping and the sprinkler piping, whereby a fluid enters and is discharged from the sprinkler head such that the sprinkler head rotates, which, by way of the transmission, causes the sprinkler apparatus to travel.