Irrigation system and volume control valve therefor

A device for distributing a constant volume spray of water comprising:

• (a) an enclosed housing defining an internal chamber, a fluid inlet adapted for connection to a source of water for receiving water into the chamber, and an outlet constructed and arranged to issue a jet of water therefrom, the transverse dimension of the internal chamber being large in comparison with the transverse dimension of the inlet and outlet;
• (b) a cylindrical member projecting internally into the chamber from the housing outlet and in general alignment therewith, the cylindrical member defining an open free end through which water is received from the inlet, said cylindrical member at its free end having an internal transverse dimension larger than the transverse dimension of said inlet and outlet, the side wall of the cylindrical member being spaced from the internal wall of the housing to define a dead ended annular space therewith in which air may be caught to act as a shock absorbing cushion to incoming water;
• (c) spray deflector means disposed relative to the housing outlet for intercepting the jet of water and deflecting it into a spray pattern of predetermined shape;
• (d) and volume control means for providing an essentially constant output volume of water from the housing outlet, comprising a resilient washer retainably disposed within the cylindrical member and having a control opening disposed in alignment with the housing outlet, the resilient washer having a normal unstressed state in which the control opening permits the flow of a maximum amount of water, and a flow of stress states in which the control opening becomes progressively restrictive, the resilient washer being disposed within the cylindrical member so that incoming water acts on and stresses the washer as a function of water pressure.

A spray head for distributing a constant volume of water comprising:

• (a) an enclosed housing defining an internal chamber, said housing being comprised of a lower section having an inlet formed through it for receiving water into the chamber and an upper section removably secured to the lower section, said upper section having an outlet formed through it in alignment with said inlet to issue a jet of water therefrom;
• (b) spray deflector means disposed relative to the outlet for intercepting the jet of water and deflecting it into a spray pattern of predetermined shape;
• (c) a wall member formed integral with the upper section of the housing and projecting internally into the chamber from the housing outlet in an encircling relation thereto and in general alignment therewith, the wall member defining an open free end through which water is received from the inlet;
• and
• (d) volume control means for providing an essentially constant output volume of water from the housing outlet, comprising a resilient washer retainably disposed within the wall member and having a control opening disposed adjacent to and in alignment with the housing outlet, the resilient washer having a normal unstressed state in which the control opening permits the flow of a maximum volume of water, and a flow of stress states in which the control opening becoming progressively restrictive, the resilient washer being disposed within the wall member so that incoming water acts on and stresses the washer as a function of water pressure, said wall member extending from said resilient washer toward said inlet a distance several times greater than the thickness of said resilient washer whereby the internal surface of said wall member serves to guide incoming water to said resilient washer and said outlet.