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US 4,223,838 AGranted
Self-flushing, constant flow emitter for a drip irrigation system
OwnerSalvatore Maria-Vittorio-Torrisiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved self-flushing, constant flow emitter particularly suited for use with a drip irrigation system. The emitter includes an internal chamber having a discharge orifice defined therein and a resiliently supported plunger disposed within the chamber adapted to respond to pressure changes for simultaneously metering a flow of water through the orifice and dislodging foreign matter from the orifice.
Claims6
An improved emitter having particular utility in a drip irrigation system comprising:
- A. a tubular casing characterized by an internal pressure chamber;
- B. means for delivering water under pressure to said chamber and means including an orifice for discharging water from said chamber;
- and
- C. means responsive to changes in pressure of water within said chamber for substantially maintaining the rate at which water is discharged from said orifice including a pressure responsive plunger comprising a piston head supported for reciprocating displacement within said chamber in coaxial alignment with said orifice and having a helical rib extended along the surface thereof, disposed in engaged relation with said tubular casing throughout the length thereof defining a multiple-turn path of a constant-length circumscribing the head, a shaft extended from said piston head into said orifice, a spring continuously urging said plunger in axial displacement away from said orifice, flow control means including a first annulus disposed in spaced concentric relation with said shaft having defined therein a metering slot communicating with said chamber and radially extended across one face thereof defining a stream path, and means including a second annulus formed of resilient material mounted on the shaft in concentric relation therewith for engaging the face of said first annulus in response to axial displacement imparted to said plunger against said spring for restricting said stream path.
1 more element
In an emitter, the improvement comprising:
- A. a tubular casing including a first and a second chamber arranged in communicative coaxial alignment, the diameter of the first chamber being substantially less than the diameter of the second chamber;
- B. a metering orifice defined in the casing in coaxial alignment with said chambers;
- C. a metering plunger characterized by a piston head and a metering shaft suspended axially therefrom, said piston head being seated in said second chamber and said shaft being extended into said metering orifice;
- D. means defining an annular member projected axially into the second chamber having a radial groove defining a passage-way extending between the first and second chambers;
- and
- E. means concentrically related to the longitudinal axis of the casing for continuously urging the metering plunger in axial retraction away from the metering orifice comprising an annular body formed of an elastomeric material and having a compound curve at-rest configuration mounted on the metering shaft in interposed relation with said annular member and said piston head adapted to engage the piston head and the annular member simultaneously and achieve a stressed state in response to the piston head being advanced toward the annular member for urging the piston head of said plunger in axial displacement away from said annular member.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.