Valmont Industries, Inc.

Andrew T Olson

Jacob L LaRue

Jerry D Gerdes

Jacob L Larue

The present invention provides a system and method for irrigation management and, more particularly, to a system and method for managing and controlling flow rate within an irrigation corner assembly. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention teaches a method comprising the steps of: recording irrigation system and irrigation field data; performing a simulated pass around a field and executing a simulated irrigation plan along a selected guidance path; determining the current and maximum sprinkler areas for at least one corner sprinkler at selected points/increments along the selected guidance path; determining the current and maximum extension ratios for the selected sprinklers at the selected increments; calculating the duty cycle for each sprinkler at each selected increment along the corner guidance path based on the determined sprinkler areas and extension ratios; recording calculated duty cycles in a look-up table for each corner sprinkler at each referenced pivot angle; executing the irrigation plan; and setting the valve duty cycles for each corner sprinkler to the tabulated values at each referenced pivot angle.

System and method of flow rate management and control within an irrigation corner assembly

The present invention provides an irrigation boot assembly for securing span pipes. According to a preferred embodiment, an irrigation boot assembly of the present invention may preferably include a center body portion formed as a laterally extending, hollow tube having a first side opening and a second side opening for receiving and securing connected span pipes. According to a further preferred embodiment, the irrigation boot assembly of the present invention preferably further includes securing straps extending around the first and second side openings. According to a further preferred embodiment, the center body portion of the present invention preferably further includes a plurality of bellows which each include a ridge portion extending above the surface of the center body portion.

Irrigation boot assembly

The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for spraying the leaf and root areas of plants. According to an exemplary preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a foliar chemical application package which is designed specifically to deliver a chemical solution to the leaf area of plants in which the chemical will primary enter the plant through the foliar area rather than the root zone. According to a further preferred embodiment, the present invention teaches a system, method and apparatus for providing a specialized foliage spraying application in which water supply lines and chemical supply lines are individually controlled so that applicants, such as different chemicals received from different chemical tanks, may be simultaneously applied to a given crop.

System, method and apparatus for spraying the leaf and root areas of plants

The present invention provides a pull-out force compensating gearbox mount for an irrigation machine. According to an exemplary preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a system to counteract pull-out forces by inducing camber into the wheel gearbox and thus the tire. According to a further preferred embodiment, the tire of the present invention preferably begins to camber as a result of excessive pull-out force, with the bottom of the tire moving outwards relative to the top of the tire. This camber action is preferably applied to mitigate the pull-out forces. According to a further preferred embodiment, when excessive pull-out forces are reduced, the tire is then returned to its original position.

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Omaha, NE, United States of America

Andrew T Olson