Swivel joint assembly
AssigneeLindsay Corporation
InventorsMatthew J. Dudik, Trevis M. Farley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A joint assembly for joining first and second pipes of adjacent elevated spans of an irrigation system, the joint assembly comprising a tower end extension, a pivot end extension, an alignment ring, and an alignment bracket. The tower end extension connects to a tower end of the first pipe. The pivot end extension connects to a pivot end of a second pipe. The alignment ring is connected to the tower end extension and is configured to pivot about a yaw axis. The alignment bracket is connected to the pivot end extension and the alignment ring. The alignment bracket is configured to pivot about a pitch axis relative to the alignment ring and to rotate about a roll axis relative to the pivot end extension.
Claims20
A joint assembly for joining first and second pipes on a tower of an irrigation system, the first pipe having a tower end and the second pipe having a pivot end positioned near the tower end of the first pipe, the joint assembly comprising:
- a tower end extension configured to be connected to the tower end of the first pipe, the tower end extension having a longitudinal axis;
- a pivot end extension configured to be connected to the pivot end of the second pipe and having a longitudinal axis independent from the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension;
- an alignment ring connected to the tower end extension and being configured to pivot relative to the tower end extension about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension;
- and
- an alignment bracket connected to the alignment ring and the pivot end extension, the alignment ring being configured to pivot relative to the alignment bracket about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension, the alignment bracket being further configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the pivot end extension.
A mobile irrigation system comprising:
- a plurality of irrigation spans each including a truss support and a pipe connected to pipes of adjacent irrigation spans;
- a plurality of mobile irrigation towers supporting the irrigation spans, each mobile irrigation tower comprising:
- a tower frame configured to support the irrigation spans;
- a plurality of wheels attached to the tower frame for traversing a field;
- and
- a motor drivably connected to one of the wheels;
- and
- a plurality of joint assemblies for joining first and second pipes of adjacent irrigation spans, each joint assembly comprising:
- a tower end extension configured to be connected to the tower end of the first pipe, the tower end extension having a longitudinal axis;
- structure for supporting the joint assembly on the tower via the tower end extension;
- a pivot end extension configured to be connected to the pivot end of the second pipe and having a longitudinal axis independent from the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension;
- an alignment ring connected to the tower end extension and being configured to pivot relative to the tower end extension about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension;
- and
- an alignment bracket connected to the alignment ring and the pivot end extension, the alignment ring being configured to pivot relative to the alignment bracket about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension, the alignment bracket being further configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the pivot end extension.
An irrigation tower for supporting adjacent irrigation spans including a first pipe having a tower end and a second pipe having a pivot end, the irrigation tower comprising:
- a tower frame configured to support the irrigation spans;
- a plurality of wheels attached to the tower frame for traversing a field;
- a motor drivably connected to one of the wheels;
- and
- a joint assembly for joining the first and second pipes, the joint assembly comprising:
- a tower end extension configured to be connected to the tower end of the first pipe, the tower end extension having a longitudinal axis;
- a tower end connection flange for connecting the tower end extension to a flange of the tower end of the first pipe, the tower end connection flange having a central axis angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension;
- structure for supporting the joint assembly on the tower via the tower end extension;
- a pivot end extension configured to be connected to the pivot end of the second pipe and having a longitudinal axis independent from the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension;
- a pivot end connection flange for connecting the pivot end extension to a flange of the pivot end of the second pipe, the pivot end connection flange having a central axis angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the pivot end extension;
- an alignment ring extending from the tower end extension and being configured to pivot relative to the tower end extension about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension, the alignment ring having an annular gap for allowing the alignment ring to flex slightly;
- an alignment bracket connected to the alignment ring and the pivot end extension, the alignment ring being configured to pivot relative to the alignment bracket about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tower end extension, the alignment bracket being further configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the pivot end extension;
- and
- a bearing positioned between the alignment bracket and the pivot end extension for allowing the alignment bracket to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the pivot end extension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.