Nelson Irrigation Corporation

Micro Irrigation Technologies, Inc.

Nelson Irrigation Company

Meyer, Larry P.

Larry P Meyer

George L Sesser

Frederick J Sweet

Craig B Nelson

Barton R Nelson

Paul D Davisson

Charles R Harrold

David C Dauterman

Leland A Perkins

A sprinkler device comprising a sprinkler body having a longitudinal center axis, an inlet at one end and an outlet nozzle at an opposite end; and a rotor plate supported axially spaced and laterally offset from the outlet nozzle; the rotor plate mounted for orbital motion about the longitudinal axis and for rotation about a second axis offset from the longitudinal center axis, the rotor plate having grooves formed therein arranged to cause the distribution plate to rotate about the second axis when a stream emitted from the nozzle impinges on the plate, which, in turn, causes the rotor plate to orbit about the longitudinal center axis.

Two-axis full-circle sprinkler

A sprinkler head includes a fixed nozzle; and a rotor plate spaced from the nozzle and mounted for rotation about an axis extending through the nozzle, and mounted for tilting movement about a horizontal axis. The rotor plate has adjacent water distribution grooves therein, selectively alignable with the nozzle, the grooves shaped and arranged to cause the rotor plate to rotate in opposite directions. A flow reaction member is secured to the rotor plate. A first flow channel having a first inlet port is arranged to intercept a stream emanating from one of the grooves aligned with the nozzle, and to thereby divert at least a portion of the stream through the flow channel and onto the reaction member to cause the rotor plate to tilt about the horizontal axis and align the other of the grooves with the nozzle, thereby reversing the rotation direction of the rotor plate. A second flow channel has a second inlet port circumferentially offset from the first inlet port is arranged to intercept a stream emanating from the other of the grooves aligned with the nozzle and to thereby divert at least a portion of the stream through the second flow channel and onto another portion of the reaction member to cause the rotor plate to tilt about the horizontal axis and align one of the grooves with the nozzle, thereby again reversing the rotation direction of the rotor plate. The first and second inlet ports are adjustable to change the arcuate coverage of the sprinkling pattern.

Reversible and adjustable part circle sprinkler

A nutating sprinkler assembly includes a sprinkler body having one end adapted to be coupled to a water supply conduit and an opposite end supporting a nozzle. At least one arm extends from the sprinkler body for supporting a removable cap assembly downstream of the nozzle. The cap assembly supports a gimbal bearing that, in turn, supports a rotor plate with off-center grooves for distributing a stream exiting the nozzle and impinging upon the grooves. A shaft has one end supporting the rotor plate for rotation about a center axis of the rotor plate, and an opposite end supported within the gimbal bearing.

Nutating sprinkler with gimbal bearing

Drip tape for below or above ground irrigation includes a sheet of material formed into a tube by overlapping opposite side edges of the sheet and bonding the side edges along a longitudinal seam thereby forming a primary flow path. A strip of transparent material is bonded to an interior surface of the sheet prior to seaming, at a location remote from the longitudinal seam so as to define, in combination with the tape wall, a plurality of secondary flow paths within the primary flow path. Each secondary flow path includes an inlet region, a turbulence inducing region and an outlet region; the inlet region including a plurality of inlets in the second strip connecting the primary flow path to the secondary flow path upstream of the turbulence inducing region; the outlet region including an outlet in the tube connecting the secondary flow path to atmosphere downstream of the turbulence inducing region.

Agricultural drip tape

A sprinkler comprising a body portion having a nozzle at one end and a cap assembly supported thereon at an opposite end, the cap assembly supporting a spray plate located downstream of the nozzle, the spray plate having a plurality of stream distributing grooves formed on one side thereof configured to cause the spray plate to rotate when struck by a stream emitted from the nozzle; and wherein the spray plate includes a mounting shaft extending from the spray plate and having a part spherical head received within a bearing cage in the cap assembly, the bearing cage including a bearing separator holding a plurality of ball bearings in a substantially horizontal array arranged about a longitudinal center axis of the sprinkler, the part spherical head located centrally above and in engagement with the plurality of ball bearings, thereby permitting the spray plate to wobble as it rotates.

Nutating sprinkler

A flow through fluid pressure regulator includes a spring biased plunger which is normally biased away from a plunger seat in the direction of fluid flow to provide maximum flow under normal conditions. In the event of a pressure surge, the movement of the plunger in the opposite direction to decrease flow is controlled by a damper. Specifically, the plunger is formed with a radially outwardly facing groove or damper chamber at its downstream end, and into which a resilient O-ring is loosely fitted. This downstream end of the plunger moves within a reduced diameter bore portion of the regulator housing which, in turn, communicates with a diaphragm chamber formed in a larger diameter portion of the housing. The diaphragm chamber surrounds the plunger and is further defined by a flexible diaphragm fixed at an inner radial edge to the plunger and at an outer radial edge to a stationary sleeve in the housing. The outer diameters of the radially outwardly extending flanges which form the O-ring groove or damper chamber, and the loose fit of the O-ring within the groove, permit water to flow past the groove and into the diaphragm chamber in a controlled manner. In an alternative arrangement, the damper chamber and O-ring are located in the housing surrounding the plunger.

O-ring damped regulator

Apparatus for temporarily accessing water under pressure comprising access structure having a main outlet and a pilot pressure outlet for containing the water under pressure and water accessing structure cooperable therewith to obtain temporary access to the water under pressure. A main interengaging connection is provided for manually establishing a mechanical connection of the accessing and access structures without establishing communication of the water under pressure through the main outlet. A second interengaging connection is provided for manually establishing a controllable pilot pressure flow path through the pilot pressure outlet to the accessing structure for water under pressure contained within the access structure. A power operated assembly is mounted in the pilot pressure flow path for selectively communicating water under pressure to the accessing structure through the pilot pressure flow path. An assembly is provided for utilizing the pilot water under pressure selectively communicated to the accessing assembly as a power source to establish communication of the water under pressure contained in the access structure with the accessing structure through the main outlet.

Apparatus for providing a semiautomatic irrigation system

Drive spoon for a reversible impulse sprinkler

An assembly for irrigating at water pressure below 10 psi comprising a sprinkler head for discharging water at a desired discharge pressure below 10 psi onto a site to be irrigated, a pressure chamber for delivering a supply of water at a supply flow rate and at a supply pressure greater than the discharge flow rate and the discharge pressure, a container structure for containing a volume of water in communication with the sprinkler head having a free surface communicating with atmosphere disposed at a level above the sprinkler head a height generally corresponding to the desired discharge pressure, and a float valve mechanism for introducing water from the pressure chamber into the container structure sufficient to maintain the free surface of the volume of water contained therein generally at the aforesaid level.

Pressure regulated assembly for irrigating at water pressures below 10

Apparatus for enabling a sprinkler head assembly to be detachably mounted on an irrigation system riser pipe containing water under pressure in accessed relation to the water under pressure within the riser pipe. The apparatus comprises an access assembly adapted to be rigidly secured to the riser pipe and an accessing assembly adapted to be rigidly secured to the sprinkler head assembly. The access assembly includes separate main and pilot pressure valve mechanisms containing the water under pressure within the riser pipe. Both assemblies include detachable interengaging connectors for establishing a mechanical connection between the two assemblies by a simple and convenient manual movement. The accessing assembly includes a quick connection fitting for accessing the water under pressure through the pilot pressure valve mechanism which is mounted in a cooperating quick connection fitting. The accessing assembly includes an operating mechanism movable in response to the communication of pilot water under pressure therewith to open the main valve mechanism and provide water pressure rigidification to the mechanical connection between the two assemblies.

Access assembly for underground irrigation systems and accessing

A sprinkler head capable of generally uniform operation under varying local source pressure conditions in a part circle mode wherein reversing directions of movement at the ends of the part circle pattern is accomplished without establishing excessive reversing loads so as to render the sprinkler head acceptable for use as an end gun in a pivot move irrigation system, as well as for use in other systems such as solid set systems and traveling sprinkler systems.

Large volume sprinkler head with part-circle step by step movements in

A large capacity agricultural irrigation sprinkler head of the rotary step by step impulse type operating in a part-circle mode with a step by step reversing movement. The sprinkler head embodies an improved sprinkler body including an elongated barrel leading to the outlet having a longitudinal axis intersecting (1) at an included angle greater than 90.degree. with the rotational axis of the sprinkler body and (2) at an angle of 90.degree. with the pivotal axis of the impulse arm assembly at a position spaced outwardly in a downstream direction from the intersection thereof with the sprinkler body rotational axis. The impulse arm is mounted by a yoke pivotally mounted on the barrel about an axis constituting the pivotal axis of the impuse arm for movement between first and second operating positions corresponding to the first and second operating positions of the impulse arm and pivotally connecting with the impulse arm about an axis constituting the oscillating axis of the impulse arm. The oscillating axis of the impulse arm is disposed above the longitudinal axis of the barrel and spaced outwardly of the yoke pivotal axis in a downstream direction.

A rotary sprinkler head comprising a sprinkler body devoid of any operative dynamic seals for communicating a source of water under pressure with an outlet for directing water under pressure communicated therewith into an atmospheric condition in a primary stream having a generally vertically extending axis. A rotary distributor is provided which has surfaces for engaging the primary stream (1) to establish a reactionary force component acting on the distributor in a direction tangential to the rotational axis thereof so as to effect rotational movement thereof about its axis of rotation and (2) to direct the primary stream engaged thereby in the form of a pattern forming stream or streams including at least one stream moving away from the distributor in a direction having a substantial component extending outwardly from the generally vertical axis of the primary stream so as to define the radius of the circular spray pattern. A speed reducing assembly is operatively associated with the distributor for reducing the rotational speed of the distributor resulting from the reactionary force component from a relatively high whirling speed which would occur without the speed reducing assembly to a relatively slow speed.

Rotary sprinkler head

A water distributing assembly for use with a section of upwardly bowed rigid conduit supported at the opposite lower ends thereof by wheeled towers so that its longitudinal axis is disposed within a vertical plane for movement over a field in a direction transverse to said vertical plane. The water distributing assembly includes an inverted T-shaped pipe assembly for containing water under pressure having a plurality of sprinkler heads fixedly mounted in longitudinally spaced relation. A flexible hose assembly is provided for communicating the water under pressure in the conduit to the pipe assembly and sprinkler heads so as to accommodate five different adjustable movements between the pipe assembly and conduit provided by a clamping assembly.

Water distributing assembly

A sprinkler head assembly rotatable about a generally vertically extending axis, an impulse arm operable in response to the flow of water under pressure for effecting progressive movements of the sprinkler body about said axis, an outwardly facing annular valve seat on the sprinkler body disposed in surrounding relation to the outlet, a poppet valve cooperable with the annular valve seat, a mounting assembly for mounting the poppet valve on the sprinkler body for movement exteriorly of the sprinkler body (1) from an open position disposed out of the path of the stream progressively through the stream and generally inwardly onto the outwardly facing annular valve seat into a closed position with respect to the outlet so as to contain water under pressure within the sprinkler body and prevent flow thereof outwardly of the outlet beyond the annular valve seat and (2) from the closed position generally outwardly from the outwardly facing valve seat and progressively out of the stream into the open position, and an actuator for effecting movement of the poppet valve from the open position into the closed position while the sprinkler body is communicated with the source of water under pressure and the water under pressure is flowing through the sprinkler body outwardly of the outlet and from the closed position into the open position.

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Walla Walla, WA, United States of America

Larry P Meyer