Power-assisted docking station for mobile irrigation apparatus
AssigneeNelson Irrigation Corporation
InventorsJoseph D. Sinden, Rex D. Ness, Chad D. Leinweber, Craig Nelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mobile irrigation apparatus includes a frame assembly supporting at least one sprinkler and adapted for movement in a first direction along a path in a field to be irrigated; a docking station suspended from the frame assembly and adapted to engage and open one or more supply valves in a hydrant located in or adjacent the path for movement in a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction, and at least one power actuator arranged to move the docking station in the second direction in response to at least one sensor to thereby facilitate lateral alignment of the docking station with the hydrant.
Claims23
A mobile irrigation apparatus comprising:
- a frame assembly supporting at least one sprinkler and adapted for movement in a first linear direction along a path in a field to be irrigated;
- a docking station resiliently suspended from said frame assembly for floating movement in at least three mutually perpendicular directions and including in a first lateral direction substantially transverse to said first linear direction, said docking station adapted to automatically align with and, as said frame assembly moves along the path, engage a hydrant located in or adjacent the path and open a supply valve in said hydrant a first lateral alignment power actuator arranged to move said docking station in said first lateral direction in response to at least one lateral alignment sensor to thereby facilitate lateral alignment of said docking station with the hydrant;
- a second lateral alignment power actuator opposed to said first lateral alignment power actuator for moving said docking station in a second and opposite lateral direction in response to another lateral alignment sensor;
- and wherein said docking station includes a frame that mounts a first pair of substantially vertical guide wings on respective opposite sides of said docking station, extending forwardly of, and angling laterally away from said docking station, and wherein said one lateral alignment sensor is mounted on one of said first pair of vertical guide wings and said another lateral alignment sensor is mounted on the other of said lateral guide wings.
A mobile irrigation apparatus comprising:
- a wheel-mounted frame assembly supporting at least one sprinkler operated by a main control valve and adapted for movement in a specified direction across a field to be irrigated;
- a hydrant docking station supported in a frame, said docking station incorporating a valve actuator adapted to open a valve in a water hydrant located along the path;
- a first substantially horizontal guide wing extending forwardly of and angling upwardly away from said docking station;
- a second substantially horizontal guide wing extending rearwardly of and angling upwardly away from said docking station;
- and
- at least one vertical alignment power actuator arranged to move at least one side of said docking station in a vertical direction relative to said docking station frame in response to a height guide sensor mounted on said first or second substantially horizontal guide wings.
Linear water feed apparatus for use in agricultural irrigation comprising:
- a wheel-mounted truss assembly supporting a plurality of individual sprinklers and adapted for movement in a specified direction across a field to be irrigated, the truss assembly oriented transverse to the specified direction;
- a supply pipe arranged in said specified direction along or within the field to be irrigated, said supply pipe mounting a plurality of water supply hydrants at spaced locations along said pipe, each of said hydrants enclosing a water supply valve;
- and
- a docking station supported on said truss assembly and adapted to engage and open successive ones of said water supply valves in said plurality of hydrants;
- wherein said docking station is supported for at least linear, vertical and lateral movement relative to said truss assembly, at least said vertical and lateral movement implemented by plural power-assist actuators;
- and wherein said docking station further comprises a first pair of substantially vertical guide wings on respective opposite sides of said docking station, extending forward of and angling laterally away from said docking station, each of said first pair of vertical guide wings including at least one lateral alignment sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.