Apparatus and method for protecting wheel move irrigation systems with electrified fence
OwnerThomas S. Walchukinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for protecting assembled wheel move irrigation systems from being damaged by cattle grazing in a field where such a system is located, which includes the clamping of an insulator utilizing an over-center clamping arrangement on the rim of each ground-engaging wheel of the system and electrifying a wire strung along the length of the system and supported by a wire-engaging means on the face of each clamp-on insulator.
Claims8
A protective system for wheel move irrigation systems which include an elongated conduit supported by, and extending through, the hubs of a plurality of ground-engaging sprinkler irrigation wheels, each of said wheels having a rim with a ground-engaging surface, comprising:
- a. a plurality of insulators having support means thereon to releasably engage an electrified fence wire, at least one of said insulators being releasably mounted on each of said sprinkler irrigation wheel rims;
- and
- b. at least a single electrified fence wire extending along the length of said irrigation system, said wire being supported along its length by said support means.
A clamp-on insulator comprising:
- a. an elongated base plate adapted to be mounted on a sprinkler irrigation wheel rim having a ground-engaging surface and a spoke-engaging surface, said base plate having a face portion, and two opposite end portions;
- b. electrified fence wire engaging means on said face portion;
- c. over-center clamping means comprising two cooperative clamping arms, each said arm having outer and inner portions, and a buckle element connected to said inner portions of each said clamping arm, said wheel rim being disposed between said base plate and said clamping means when said insulator is mounted on said wheel rim;
- and
- d. means connecting said outer portion of each of said clamping arms with said respective opposite end portions of said base plate, one of said inner and outer portions of said clamping arms being releasably connected.
A clamp-on insulator for use in a protective system for wheel move irrigation systems which include an elongated conduit supported by, and extending through the hubs of a plurality of ground-engaging sprinkler irrigation wheels, each of said wheels having a rim with a ground-engaging surface and a spoke-engaging surface, comprising:
- a. an elongated, generally U-shaped, base plate having a face portion, a back portion, and two arm portions in planes generally perpendicular to the plane of said face portion with opposite end portions thereon, each said arm portion being of a length generally equal to the distance between the ground-engaging and spoke-engaging surfaces of a sprinkler irrigation wheel rim;
- b. electrified fence wire support means having a wire-engaging slot therein, on said face portion;
- c. an over-center clamping means comprising two cooperating clamping arms, each said arm having outer and inner portions, and a buckle element connected to said inner portions of each said clamping arm, said wheel rim being disposed between said base plate and said clamping means, frictionally engaging said back portion and said arm portions, when said insulator is mounted on said rim;
- and
- d. means connecting said outer portion of each of said clamping arms with said respective opposite end portions of said base plate, one of said inner and outer portions of said clamping arms being releasably connected.
The method of protecting the sprinkler pipes of a wheel move irrigation system, in which a plurality of said pipes are flexibly connected to form a single conduit supported by, and extending through, the hubs of a plurality of sprinkler irrigation wheels having ground-engaging rims, from damage by cattle or other livestock rubbing against said pipes when grazing in a field wherein one of said systems is located, comprising the steps of:
- a. releasably mounting an insulator with a wire-engaging support means thereon on each said ground-engaging rim of each said wheel in said irrigation system on a side of said system from which direction cattle may approach, at such a height that, when a wire is strung along said system, engaging said support means, cattle or other livestock approaching said system come in contact with said wire;
- b. stringing an electric fence wire along said system;
- c. engaging said wire with said wire-engaging support means of each said insulator to support said wire along its length and restrain said wire from movement in relation to said system;
- and
- d. energizing said supported fence wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.