The Toro Company

Gregory B Holcomb

James W Zimmerman

Stephen L Tyler

Gerald E Peterson

Glendale Grizzle

A fluid flow control valve has a resilient diaphragm that engages a valve seat. A line contact is formed between the diaphragm and the valve seat at or closely adjacent the outer diameter of the valve seat. This enhances the ability of the valve to seal under low fluid pressures. The diaphragm is reinforced by a plastic reinforcing member which is formed separately from the diaphragm. The reinforcing member and the diaphragm are inserted together in a press fit, and barbed posts on the reinforcing member hold the two together.

Irrigation valve

A fluid flow control valve has a diaphragm for sealing against a valve seat. The diaphragm includes a bleed hole for passing fluid from one side of the diaphragm to the other. A debris arrestor comprising a one-piece flexible tag is inserted into the bleed hole by deforming the tag to pass therethrough. The tag after insertion expands to retain itself in the bleed hole.

Debris arrestor for valve bleed hole

An improved valve includes an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat. A flexible diaphragm assembly seals against the valve seat. A bleed assembly extends into a pressure chamber located above the diaphragm for bleeding fluid pressure out of the chamber, thereby opening the valve. The bleed assembly includes a hollow tube inserted into a plastic plunger seat that is carried on the cap of the valve beneath the plunger of an actuating solenoid. Such a bleed assembly does not need a bleed tube having a precisely controlled length, and is not sensitive to flexure of the cap.

Valve having improved bleed assembly

An improved sprinkler (2) includes a body (4) which includes a pop-up nozzle (10). Nozzle (10) is sufficiently smaller than body (4) to create a gap therebetween as nozzle (10) rises out of body (4). An annular guard (30) separate from nozzle (10) is located in the upper end of body (4) and is normally urged out of body (4) by a spring (34). Guard (30) is normally engaged by a cover (18) on nozzle (10) so that nozzle (10) normally keeps guard (30) retracted within body (4). However, as nozzle (10) rises from body (4), guard (30) will be projected upwardly substantially as soon as nozzle (10) rises to immediately seal the gap. Stops (40) and (42) are provided on guard (30) and body (4) for limiting the upward movement of guard (30) to an amount less than the upward movement of nozzle ( 10).

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Diamond Bar, CA, United States of America

Gregory B Holcomb