Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Mobile distributor – Irrigation device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-18
2001-02-13
Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Mobile distributor
Irrigation device
C239S201000, C405S037000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186423
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an irrigation system for a field area and more particularly to an irrigation system for watering the corners of a field which is irrigated by a center pivot irrigation machine or system. More particularly, the irrigation system of this invention employs a plurality of spaced-apart, in-line emitters imposed in distribution water lines which are buried beneath the surface of the field in the corners of the field.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are an estimated 62.4 million acres of land irrigated in the United States. Of this area, about 30 million acres are irrigated with sprinkler irrigation. There are also 4.3 million acres irrigated by low flow techniques. Of the 30 million acres irrigated by sprinklers, some estimates show about 20 million acres are irrigated by center pivot irrigation machines or systems. Most center pivot fields do not have a corner system. If all of the center pivot irrigated land were in square quarter sections, there would be approximately 4.4 to 5.4 million acres in the corners. Most of these acres lay barren, or are farmed in a dry land manner; therefore, there is a need to irrigate these corners.
The center pivot industry has elected to solve the corner irrigation problem with a highly complex, short-life, and expensive corner attachment. While corner systems have been effective in some locations, and on some crops, corner systems have not been widely adopted in the central part of the United States. Nebraska, with its 8 million acres of irrigated land; Texas, with its 6.5 million of irrigated land; and California, with its 9.6 million acres of irrigated land, do not employ an abundance of corner systems which may be dependent upon the unreliability of the systems and the lack of uniformity of water pattern. Further problems are the fact that the corner systems get stuck and create wheel tracks in the corners of the fields. A further possible disadvantage of the corner irrigation systems is that the installed cost of a corner system (to the grower) is approximately $29,000, or a per acre cost of about $1,100 for each irrigated acre under the hardware. The cost of corner systems compares approximately to the cost of low flow technology systems.
Certain drip tape manufacturers are promoting use of varied drip tape in the corners of the field. Buried drip tape in the corners of the field have been researched and rejected (in most cases) because of the problems that the tape industry has with buried tape. The tape may plug and the grower may not realize the same, thus leading to reduced yields. The buried drip tape may need replacing in a short time if it cannot be unplugged. Some persons are of the belief that buried drip tape will not work on sandy fields. It is believed by some that the inability of the drip tapes to function properly is the inability of the same to adequately supply water to the areas adjacent the discharge openings and to prevent plugging or clogging of those discharge openings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An irrigation system for a field, wherein a circular central portion of the field is irrigated by a center pivot irrigation machine, is described for irrigating the corners of the field. A buried primary water line extends from a source of water to the vicinity of the field area to be irrigated. At least one, and normally several, header water lines are in fluid communication with the primary water line and extend therefrom with a three-way pulse valve being imposed in each of the header water lines. A plurality of distribution water lines are in fluid communication with each of the header water lines and extend therefrom downstream of the pulse valve. A plurality of spaced-apart, in-line pulse emitter valves are imposed in each of the water distribution lines and have a water discharge orifice associated therewith for discharging water outwardly from the water distribution line to the area immediately adjacent thereto. The primary water line, header water line and distribution water lines are buried below the surface of the field. The pulse valves cause the in-line pulse emitters to pulse in a manner which does not require radical, pre-filtering of debris from the water or algae control. The emitter discharges under pressure and creates a hollow cavity in the soil profile. The emitter has a very coarse filter at its exit to reduce the possibility of plugging due to the siphon effect, when a shutdown on a slope occurs. When the system is started, the system is brought to pressure and the pulse valve automatically starts pulsing. This action primes the distribution water lines and allows the same to pulse and distribute water. Since the distribution lines are at static pressure, before the pulse occurs, and the spacing of the distribution emitters is uniform, the uniformity of distribution is assured.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a method for irrigating the corners of a field.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an irrigation for a field system including spaced-apart, in-line emitters imposed in distribution water lines which are buried in the soil.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a system of the type described above including in-line pulse emitters which do not require radical pre-filtering of the irrigation water.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a system of the type described above including in-line pulse emitters which does not require that the irrigation water be subjected to algae control.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an irrigation system of the type described which uniformly waters the field area being irrigated.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive system for irrigating the corners of a field.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
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Intertec Corporation brochure entitled “Pulse Irrigation”, undated, published in USA.
Drip In Irrigation Company flyer entitled “Introducing the Drip-In 0.62″ (18mm) Emitter”, undated, printed in USA.
Brinson Patrick
Hwu Davis
Thomte Dennis L.
Zarley McKee Thomte Voorhees & Sease
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