Contour control device for rotary irrigation sprinklers

A contour controlled rotary irrigation sprinkler for connection to a pressurized water source comprising:

• a sprinkler body having a downwardly extending, vertically disposed tubular stem having a lower end and adapted for rotation about a generally vertical axis;
• a radially opening inlet at the lower end of said stem;
• an outlet nozzle coupled with said body;
• a water passageway extending through said body and said stem between said inlet and said outlet;
• an oscillating drive arm assembly mounted on said body for rotating said body and said stem about said axis;
• a housing having a generally cylindrical chamber formed therein;
• means for mounting said sprinkler to said housing for relative rotation with said inlet disposed within said chamber;
• means for coupling said housing to said pressurized water source for admitting water to said chamber;
• a deformable band having a generally vertically oriented wall extending peripherally about said chamber within said housing and normally disposed in radially spaced, confronting relation with said inlet;
• and
• means for adjusting the radial spacing of said wall relative to said inlet to control the flow of water from said chamber into said inlet in accordance with the rotary position of said body and said stem relative to said housing.

A contour control device for use with a rotary irrigation sprinkler of the type including a body having a downwardly and generally vertically extending tubular stem adapted for rotation about a generally vertical axis with an axially opening inlet at the lower end, said contour control device comprising:

• a housing having a generally cylindrical chamber of circular horizontal cross-section formed therein;
• means for mounting said sprinkler to said housing for relative rotation with said inlet disposed within said chamber;
• a tubular elbow having an axially directed opening coupled with said sprinkler inlet and a radially-extending portion terminating in a face having a radially opening inlet to said chamber, said tubular elbow being fixed for rotation together with said stem relative to said housing;
• a continuous deformable band having a generally vertical wall extending peripherally about said chamber and normally disposed in radially-spaced, confronting relation with said face and said radially-opening inlet, said wall extending both above and below said radially opening inlet;
• and
• a plurality of pins having inner ends abutting said wall and outer ends projecting radially from said housing, each of said pins being mounted to said housing for radial movement between a first inner position with said inner end deforming said wall into sliding contact with said face and a second outer position with said wall in said normally disposed spaced relation with said face and said radially-opening inlet.

A contour controlled rotary irrigation sprinkler comprising:

• a housing having a generally cylindrical chamber formed therein;
• means for coupling said chamber with a source of pressurized water;
• an irrigation spray head coupled to said housing for rotation relative thereto about a generally vertical axis, said spray head including a water inlet disposed in said chamber and a water outlet through which water is discharged from said spray head, said inlet opening radially to said, chamber and rotatable with said spray head about said axis;
• and
• adjustable throttling means comprising a continuous deformable band of flexible, elastic material and having a wall extending peripherally about said chamber normally disposed in radially-spaced, confronting relation with said radially opening inlet and a plurality of pins engaging said band disposed within said chamber for selectively controlling the volume of water flowing from said chamber into said inlet in accordance with the rotary position of said spray head relative to said housing.

For use with a rotary irrigation sprinkler having a body adapted for rotation about a generally vertical axis, the body including a water inlet for receiving water from a pressurized source and a water outlet through which water is discharged radially from the sprinkler, a contour control device comprising:

• a housing having a chamber formed therein;
• means for coupling said chamber to said pressurized water source;
• means for mounting said sprinkler body to said housing for rotation relative thereto and with said inlet disposed within said chamber;
• means coupled with said inlet for forming a radially-extended passageway having an inlet opening through which water from said chamber is admitted to said inlet;
• and
• adjustable throttling means disposed within said chamber for selectively controlling the flow of water from said chamber into said inlet opening of said radially-extended passageway in accordance with the rotary position of said body relative to said housing, said adjustable throttling means including a deformable band having a wall extending peripherally about said chamber and normally disposed in radially-spaced confronting relation with said inlet opening of said radially-extended passageway, and means for adjusting the radially spacing of said wall relative to said inlet opening.