Orbit Irrigation Products, Inc.

Other

Alan John Smith

Kent C Ericksen

Michael Ray Ericksen

Chadwick L Wilson

Rodger Leroy Fulwider

Edwin McAuley

Kim Y Hayes

Mike R Ericksen

An exchange of momentum wind turbine vane having a large area for exchange of momentum which is made rigid with buckleable wing columns capable of automatic self-feathering the vane to protect it from damaging high-speed wind. The large vane area provides very low windspeed startup. In the preferred embodiment the vane is plastic and very inexpensive to manufacture. Four embodiments are described and shown.

Exchange of momentum wind turbine vane

In a fluid system such as irrigation system, fluid conduit attachment is facilitated through the use of a coupling. The coupling may have a body with a first end attached to a component such as an irrigation component, and a second end designed to receive an end of a conduit. The first end may be integrally formed with the component or separately attached thereto. The second end has a bore into which the end of the conduit is inserted. A gripping mechanism is seated in the bore to grip the end of the conduit. A release mechanism slides to release the conduit. The coupling may have a bend and/or branches extending to extra ends. A second coupling may be added to form a rotatable swing joint. An indicator such as a blue color may be used to indicate compatibility of the coupling with the conduit.

Irrigation coupling apparatus

An above-ground sprinkler may have a head that rotates about an angle determined by the relative angles between a pair of arc adjustment rings. Rotation of the head may be driven by a drive mechanism with a rotor rotationally driven by fluid flowing to the head. The drive mechanism may have a valve disposable in two positions to control flow to the rotor to determine the direction in which the rotor rotates. A reduction gear drive may transmit torque from the rotor to the head to cause the head to rotate. The head may have a cover with an outlet aperture and a flow control member that rotates within the cover to dispose any of a plurality of nozzles in alignment with the outlet aperture. A deflection screw or a slider with a plurality of deflectors may be used to provide variable deflection of water sprayed from the outlet aperture.

Above-ground adjustable spray pattern sprinkler

Irrigation coupling apparatus and method

A multifunctional hand tool is disclosed having multiple tool components for use to service and repair sprinkler and irrigation systems. The hand tool includes eight tool implements positioned on four reversible tool couplings. Each one of the four tool couplings are received by an end of one of two reversible servant couplings. The two servant couplings are each received by an end of a master coupling. The master coupling is received by a threaded insert. The insert is then received by a handle. The handle includes a retractable rotary head key for extracting a rotary sprinkler head, a releasable clamp, and a sprinkler nozzle adjustment mechanism for adjusting the spray pattern of a sprinkler nozzle.

Multifunctional irrigation tool

A backflow prevention apparatus and method are provided for use in irrigation systems. An anti-siphoning device may have a housing, a plunger, a plunger retainer, and a cap. The housing has inlet and outlet channels formed therein, with the outlet channel running through the interior of the inlet channel. The plunger has a generally annular shape and is disposed to block water flow from the outlet channel into the inlet channel, but to allow flow from the inlet channel to the outlet channel. When the inlet channel is closed, the plunger permits air to flow into the outlet through the cap, the plunger retainer, and a central opening formed in the plunger. The plunger may have an elastomeric exterior to provide a more effective seal between the plunger and the inlet channel.

Enhanced backflow prevention apparatus and method

A sprinkler valving apparatus and method are provided. An irrigation system has a plurality of valves designed to be electrically activated by a control unit. Each valve may have a first diaphragm that is flexible to control irrigation water flow through the valve. Each of the valves may have a solenoid isolated from irrigation water within the valve by a second diaphragm. The first and second diaphragms are separated by an interior divider with an orifice that can be blocked or unblocked via flexure of the second diaphragm to trigger motion of the first diaphragm. The second diaphragm is actuated by a magnetically actuatable plunger of the solenoid, which extends through an aperture of an interior retainer to reach the second diaphragm. The second diaphragm has a peripheral ring to ensure that it is movable even when negative outlet pressure is applied to the valve.

Enhanced sprinkler valving apparatus and method

The activation and deactivation of an outdoors, hose faucet-mounted valve unit to control the flow of water through a standard garden hose with attached sprinkler is remotely controlled from indoors rather than at the valve unit. This is accomplished without the use of unwieldy and unsightly electrical cables by means of radio frequency (RF) signals. A remote, programmable, controller unit located indoors with attached transmitting unit commands such transmitting unit to send signals in accordance with preprogrammed instructions in the controller unit. A receiver unit attached to the valve unit intercepts the transmitted signals and instructs the valve unit to open or close the water valve and flow of water based thereon. Direct connection of the controller to the valve unit is possible such that the transmitter unit and receiver unit are not used such as during pleasant weather conditions. A hand held transmitter unit can be used in place of the separate controller and transmitter to automatically control the valve unit for specific watering durations.

Growing community of inventors

Bountiful, UT, United States of America

Alan John Smith