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US 7,597,273 B2Granted
Speed control apparatus for a rotary sprinkler
AssigneeRain Bird Corporation
InventorsMichael A McAfee, Cesar A Gomez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbine for a sprinkler is disclosed for self-governing its rotational velocity. As a rate of fluid through the sprinkler increases, particularly when air is used to flush the sprinkler system, a portion of the turbine shifts outwardly so as to decrease alignment of vanes located thereon with directed water streams for controlling the rotation of the turbine.
Claims13
A sprinkler comprising:
- a sprinkler head including a nozzle;
- a housing for communicating with a water source and defining a flow passageway;
- and
- a turbine at least a portion of which is located in the flow passageway, the turbine operably coupled to the sprinkler head for rotational driving thereof, wherein the turbine includes vanes for communicating with flow through the passageway, the vanes being oriented to receive a directed flow through the passageway to drive the turbine and sprinkler head, the vanes further being arranged on a deflectable portion configured to have a first position, in which the vanes are aligned with the directed flow when the turbine is rotating in an acceptable range of revolutions per minute and configured to shift from the first position to a second position, in which at least a portion of the vanes are shifted outwardly to decrease alignment with the directed flow, to prevent the turbine from rotating in an unacceptable range of revolutions.
1 more element
A sprinkler comprising:
- a reversing mechanism having a first member and a second member, the first member located in a rotating sprinkler head, the second member located in a stationary housing, and the first and second members operably coupled with a connection member;
- and
- a turbine positioned around and rotatable relative to the connection member, the turbine including:
- a hub,
- a split ring connected to and spaced from the hub, and
- vanes radially located on the split ring, wherein the split ring has a first position having the vanes generally aligned with at least one port in the sprinkler for directing flow against the vanes for driving the turbine, and the split ring is shiftable from the first position to a second position to shift at least a portion of the vanes outwardly and to decrease alignment of the at least a portion of the vanes with the flow from the at least one port.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.