Rain Bird Consumer Products Mfg. Corp.

Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.

Rain Bird Consumer Mfg. Corp.

David E Robertson

George H Lockwood

Timothy C Sexton

Joseph D Mason

Mark J Mattson

Robert W Patterson

Hans D Christen

An improved rotary drive sprinkler is provided for rotatably driving a pop-up spray head in a stepwise manner through a full-circle or reversibly within a selected part-circle path. The sprinkler includes a reversing trip mechanism having a pair of spaced-apart stops rotatable with the spray head and defining preset end limits of a part-circle path, wherein a stationary trip wire is engageable with the stops to switch an internal rotary drive assembly, such as a ball drive assembly, between forward- and reverse-drive operation. The trip wire flexes to accommodate forced spray head rotation to a maladjusted position beyond the end limits and, upon subsequent sprinkler operation, rides over ramped surfaces on the stops for automatic return to reversible operation between the preset end limits. Alternatively, the stops can be set in side-by-side relation with their ramped surfaces oriented for the trip wire to ride resiliently thereover without switching of the rotary drive assembly. Positional adjustment of the stops is performed quickly and easily from the exterior of the sprinkler after which a vandal-resistant lock device can be installed to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized stop adjustment. In addition, flow of irrigation water through the sprinkler is regulated to obtain improved control over spray head rotational speed irrespective of water pressure and spray head nozzle size.

Rotary drive sprinkler

A rotating stream nozzle is provided particularly for use as an irrigation sprinkler, wherein the nozzle provides a plurality of outwardly directed and discrete water streams which are rotated in steps through a prescribed arcuate spray path. The rotating stream nozzle is adapted for mounting onto a water supply conduit and includes a swirl plate through which water under pressure flows with a swirling action into a relatively small drive chamber. The swirling water flow forces a drive ball within the drive chamber to move into repetitious impact engagement with raised anvils formed on the inner diameter surface of a cylindrical rotor lining the drive chamber and mounted for rotation within a nozzle cap. The rotor is displaced through a small rotational step each time the drive ball strikes one of the anvils, and the water is discharged from the nozzle as discrete rotating streams passing through small discharge ports in the rotor. An open window in the nozzle cap permits outward projection of some of the water streams within the prescribed arcuate path.

Rotating stream nozzle

An improved rotary drive sprinkler is provided for rotatably driving a pop-up spray head in a stepwise manner through a full-circle or reversibly within a selected part-circle path. The sprinkler includes a reversing trip mechanism having a pair of spaced-apart stops rotatable with the spray head and defining preset end limits of a part-circle path, wherein a stationary trip wire is engageable with the stops to switch an internal rotary drive assembly, such as a ball drive assembly, between forward- and reverse-drive operation. The trip wire flexes to accommodate forced spray head rotation to a maladjusted position beyond the end limits and, upon subsequent sprinkler operation, rides over ramped surfaces on the stops for automatic return to reversible operation between the reset end limits. Alternatively, the stops can be set in side-by-side relation with their ramped surfaces oriented for the trip wire to ride resiliently thereover without switching of the rotary drive assembly. Positional adjustment of the stops is performed quickly and easily from the exterior of the sprinkler after which a vandal-resistant lock device can be installed to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized stop adjustment. In addition, flow of irrigation water through the sprinkler is regulated to obtain improved control over spray head rotational speed irrespective of water pressure and spray head nozzle size.

Sprinkler drive arm

Growing community of inventors

Covina, CA, United States of America

David E Robertson