Wheel for irrigation system

An irrigation wheel for supporting an irrigation system and for moving the system across muddy terrain comprising:

• a central hub plate having a central opening therethrough and adapted to be mounted concentrically around the axis of rotation of the irrigation wheel;
• a pair of spaced, substantially parallel, annular rim plates concentrically positioned around the axis of rotation of the wheel, the rim plates being spaced from each other along lines extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and each of said rim plates having an outer peripheral edge lying in a first plane extending substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and having an inner peripheral edge lying in a second plate extending substantially parallel to the first plane containing the outer peripheral edge, and said inner peripheral edges of said rim plates lying radially closer to said axis of rotation than said outer peripheral edges of said rim plates;
• a plurality of generally L-shaped spoke rods connected between said central hub plate and each of said rim plates for collectively spacing said rim plates radially outwardly from the central hub plate, said L-shaped spoke rods each having a radially outer portion terminating in a radially outer end, and an inner end portion connected to said radially outer portion and defining therewith an obtuse angle, said inner end portion terminating in an inner end, said L-shaped spoke rods being arrayed in two groups located on opposite sides of said hub plate, each of said L-shaped spoke rods having its radially outer end connected to one of said rim plates, and having its inner end connected to said hub plate on one side thereof, said spoke rods being arranged in pairs so that each pair is in a substantially U-shaped array, and said rim plates being interconnected to each other only by said spoke rods and said central hub plates whereby mud and soft earth can pass freely radially inwardly between said rim plates at all points therearound, and can then pass freely axially between said spoke rods.