Timer activated irrigation system control

A timer activated irrigation system which comprises:

• a timing mechanism adapted to activate one or more valves on a timed basis to deliver irrigation water;
• and
• a control apparatus comprising:
• a catch pan, the catch pan having a vertically extending wall portion and a floor, the wall portion extending a selected distance above the floor to define a top of the wall portion, the wall portion and the floor defining a basin adapted to receive water, the catch pan having an overflow construction having an open top above the floor into which water from the basin can flow, a first portion of the catch pan being pivotally mounted for pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis and a second portion of the catch pan being spaced apart from the first portion;
• a biasing structure adapted to bias the second portion of the catch pan upwardly, the biasing structure being of a construction such that when water in the basin is below a selected depth the second portion of the catch pan rotates upwardly into a first orientation and when water in the basin is at least the selected depth the second portion of the catch pan rotates downwardly into a second orientation;
• a rain collecting structure adapted for collecting rain from a portion of a selected region and for delivering the rain to the basin;
• an irrigation water collecting structure adapted for collecting a portion of irrigation water during delivery of irrigation water to the region when it is being irrigated and for delivering the portion of the irrigation water to the basin;
• a cover structure of a construction sufficient to prevent rain water from flowing into the basin other than via the rain collecting structure;
• and
• a switching structure having a first mode which permits activation of the irrigation system and a second mode which prevents activation of the irrigation system, the switching structure being switched into the first mode in response to the second portion of the catch pan being rotated upwardly into the first orientation and into the second mode in response to the second portion of the catch pan being rotated downwardly into the second orientation.

A timer activated irrigation system which comprises:

• a timing mechanism adapted to activate one or more valves on a timed basis to deliver irrigation water;
• and
• a control apparatus comprising:
• a catch pan, the catch pan having a vertically extending wall portion and a floor, the wall portion extending a selected distance above the floor to define a top of the wall portion, the wall portion and the floor defining a basin adapted to receive water, the catch pan having an overflow construction having an open top above the floor into which water from the basin can flow, a first portion of the catch pan being pivotally mounted for pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis and a second portion of the catch pan being spaced apart from the first portion;
• a biasing structure adapted to bias the second portion of the catch pan upwardly, the biasing structure being of a construction such that when water in the basin is below a selected depth the second portion of the catch pan rotates upwardly into a first orientation and when water in the basin is at least the selected depth the second portion of the catch pan rotates downwardly into a second orientation;
• a rain collecting structure adapted for collecting rain from a portion of a selected region and for delivering the rain to the basin;
• an irrigation water collecting structure adapted for collecting a portion of irrigation water during delivery of irrigation water to the region when it is being irrigated and for delivering the portion of the irrigation water to the basin;
• a cover structure of a construction sufficient to prevent rain water from flowing into the basin other than via the rain collecting structure;
• and
• a control structure adapted to control the amount of irrigation water delivered by the system as a function of the actual evapotranspiration at an irrigation site, the control structure operating in response to the positioning of the second portion of the catch pan.

A control apparatus for controlling a timer activated irrigation system, the control apparatus comprising:

• a catch pan, the catch pan having a vertically extending wall portion and a floor, the wall portion extending a selected distance above the floor to define a top of the wall portion, the wall portion and the floor defining a basin adapted to receive water, the catch pan having an overflow construction having an open top above the floor into which water from the basin can flow, a first portion of the catch pan being pivotally mounted for pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis and a second portion of the catch pan being spaced apart from the first portion;
• a biasing structure adapted to bias the second portion of the catch pan upwardly, the biasing structure being of a construction such that when water in the basin is below a selected depth the second portion of the catch pan rotates upwardly into a first orientation and when water in the basin is at least the selected depth the second portion of the catch pan rotates downwardly into a second orientation;
• a rain collecting structure adapted for collecting rain from a portion of a selected region and for delivering the rain to the basin;
• an irrigation water collecting structure adapted for collecting a portion of irrigation water during delivery of irrigation water to the region when it is being irrigated and for delivering the portion of the irrigation water to the basin;
• a cover structure of a construction sufficient to prevent rain water from flowing into the basin other than via the rain collecting structure;
• and
• a switching structure having a first mode which permits activation of the irrigation system and a second mode which prevents activation of the irrigation system, the switching structure being switched into the first mode in response to the second portion of the catch pan being rotated upwardly into the first orientation and into the second mode in response to the second portion of the catch pan being rotated downwardly into the second orientation.