Gear drive sprinkler

An irrigation sprinkler for controlled distribution of irrigation water over surrounding terrain, comprising:

• a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water under pressure;
• a spray head rotatably carried by said housing, and including nozzle means for projecting at least one stream of irrigation water outwardly from said housing;
• a water driven gear drive transmission for rotatably driving said spray head to sweep said at least one stream of irrigation water over the surrounding terrain;
• a reverse assembly including a shift mechanism movable between forward and reverse drive positions for respectively shifting said gear drive transmission between forward and reverse drive rotational directions for correspondingly reversing the direction of rotatable driving of said spray head;
• said reverse assembly further including a trip unit having a pair of end trip stops rotatable with said spray head and defining the opposite end limits of a predetermined part-circle path of reversible spray head rotation, each of said end trip stops being adjustable relative to said spray head for individually and selectively setting the positions of said opposite end limits of part-circle spray head rotation;
• and
• further including means for selectively disabling at least one of said end trip stops to permit continuous full circle spray head rotation.

In an irrigation sprinkler having a sprinkler housing with at least two water inlets each adapted for connection to a supply of water under pressure, and a spray head including nozzle means for projecting at least one stream of irrigation water over surrounding terrain, the improvement comprising:

• an internally threaded adapter sleeve mounted within a selected one of said water inlets;
• and
• an externally threaded plug seal member threadably installed into said adapter sleeve;
• said adapter sleeve further including a pliant seal lip formed generally at a leading end thereof for pressure activated sealing engagement with a leading end of said plug seal member when water under pressure is supplied into said sprinkler housing.

In an irrigation sprinkler having a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water under pressure, a spray head rotatably carried by said sprinkler housing and including nozzle means for projecting at least one stream of irrigation water outwardly from said sprinkler housing, and a water driven turbine mounted within said sprinkler housing for rotatably driving said spray head to sweep said at least one stream of irrigation water over the surrounding terrain, the improvement comprising:

• a pressure regulator unit mounted generally at an upstream side of said turbine and including at least one turbine drive jet port for passage of at least a portion of the irrigation water under pressure through said jet drive port into driving communication with said water turbine;
• and
• a bypass valve normally spring-loaded to a position closing a bypass port and responsive to a predetermined water pressure for movement to an open position to open said bypass port to permit bypass flow of a portion of the irrigation water under pressure around said jet drive port and said water turbine;
• said bypass port having a generally multi-legged configuration.

An irrigation sprinkler, comprising:

• a sprinkler housing adapted for connection to a supply of irrigation water under pressure;
• a spray head rotatably carried by said sprinkler housing and including nozzle means for projecting at least one stream of irrigation water outwardly from said sprinkler housing;
• and
• a pop-up riser having said spray head mounted thereon, said pop-up riser being mounted within said sprinkler housing for movement between a normal spring-loaded position retracted substantially within said housing and an elevated spraying position with said spray head elevated above said sprinkler housing in response to connection of said housing to the supply of irrigation water under pressure;
• said sprinkler housing having an internal vertically elongated rib formed therein, and said pop-up riser having a flange thereon with a gap formed therein for sliding reception of said internal housing rib upon movement of said riser between said retracted and elevated positions, whereby said rib slidably guides said pop-up riser between said retracted and elevated positions substantially without rotation with respect to said sprinkler housing;
• said internal housing rib further defining a gap therein formed generally at a mid-height location to permit rotation of said riser relative to said housing at a mid-height position with said riser flange aligned with said rib gap so that said housing rib engages said riser flange to support said riser at said mid-height position.