US 4,232,705 AGranted

Automatic rotary irrigation system

AssigneeFMC Corporation

InventorJames M. Hait

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Abstract

A rotary irrigation system comprised of an interconnected string of pipe sections having sprinkler heads spaced along the length thereof, which string is connected at one end to a fixed upstanding water supply pipe and which is connected at the other end to a powered vehicle for propelling the pipe sections in circular paths in a field about the supply pipe. The pipe sections are supported by castered wheels which are offset alternately on opposite sides of the pipe string. The powered vehicle is arranged to be intermittently driven so that the string of pipe sections will be intermittently moved to permit adjacent radial segments of the field to be sequentially sprinkled. Means are provided for discharging all water from the string of pipe sections prior to the movement thereof to a new sprinkling position in order to reduce the weight to be pulled by the powered vehicle.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An automatic rotary irrigation system for connection to a source of water for irrigating a relatively large area of land, said source being located at the center of the area to be irrigated, said system comprising a length of tubing for carrying water;

a plurality of irrigation outlets arranged in spaced relationship along said length of tubing for discharging water therefrom;
means for pivotally connecting one end of said tubing to said source;
a power mover connected to the opposite end of said tubing to pivotally move said tubing in a generally circular path around said source;
means for supporting said tubing at spaced points along the length thereof and for permitting it to traverse said area when said power mover moves said tubing;
control means for intermittently actuating said power mover, said control means including valve means for interrupting the flow of water from said source to said tubing, drain means for draining the water from said tubing, said drain means being responsive to said valve means to drain said tubing in response to the interruption of said flow in said tubing, a timing mechanism which periodically actuates said valve means according to a predetermining schedule, said control means actuating said power mover for a predetermined amount of time corresponding to a desired angular advance only while said valve means is actuated so that said tubing will be substantially empty of water when it is moved about said source.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.