Valmont Industries, Inc.

Flint & Walling, Inc.

Owen W Sherwin

John A Chapman

Buddy S Stuckey

Don Newbold

Roy L Merkling, Jr

A motor and pump assembly having an intermediate mounting bracket adapted to conveniently join and support the separate motor housing and pump housing. The bracket is configured to accommodate the mounting of either a partial motor or a full motor design to the pump assembly. In the partial motor assembly, the mounting bracket is combined with a bearing housing to form the end wall of the motor housing and the support bearings for the motor shaft which extends therethrough into the pump assembly. Conversely, the bracket may be used to connect the pump to a full motor having an end wall structure. Thus, the mounting bracket may be combined with a partial motor during initial assembly and subsequently connect to a full motor upon failure of the partial motor.

Motor and pump assembly

An irrigation system, such as of the self-propelled type with a series of self-propelled support towers for supporting and moving an irrigation conduit over a field to be irrigated, the conduit comprised of a series of conduit sections supported by the towers. The system is for use on sloping or uneven terrain causing tension or compression loads in the system, and includes a control for sensing such a load and for controlling the movement of selective support towers to relieve the load. Included is a coupling for joining adjacent conduit sections which senses the relative displacement of said sections caused by said load. Also included is a steerable support tower which is steered in response to the coupler sensing said displacement to relieve said load.

Irrigation system

An average speed spinner water drive system for a center pivot irrigation system has a first group of sprinklers spaced along the main conduit which are continuously on, and a second group of pairs of sprinklers, each pair having an associated spinner drive which is sequenced on to drive the system. By sequencing sprinklers in combination with spinner drives, applicant's average speed system delivers an amount of water which is directly proportional to the speed of the system through the field. Each support tower is provided with a totally mechanical and hydraulic alignment control for sensing when it is behind the next outermost section of conduit and sequencing on its spinner drive to bring it into alignment. A percentage timer is used to set the speed of the system and thus the amount of water applied to the field. The percentage timer has a hydraulic motor turning a shaft with two individually adjustable cams to operate hydraulic start and stop valves. An overwatering timer mounted on the next to outermost support tower measures the time delay between 'on' intervals of the master spinner drive and stops the system if the delay exceeds a predetermined period. The overwatering timer includes a cylinder with a free floating piston and water is applied to opposite ends of the cylinder with a mechanically operated valve at one end to shut off the system when the piston is driven to that end.

Spinner water drive system and control

A towable center-pivot irrigation system having a liquid conduit communicating with a liquid source and extending generally radially from a center-pivot location. The conduit is supported along its length by spaced support towers which move in generally circular paths about the pivot location. Liquid dispensers are spaced along the conduit. At the pivot location, the system has a pivot assembly which structurally supports the end of the conduit near the pivot location above the ground. During operation of the system the structural support turns with the system about the pivot location.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America

Owen W Sherwin