Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – With fixed support for or ground installed supply means – Embedded or buried sprinkler
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-19
2004-10-05
Hwu, Davis (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
With fixed support for or ground installed supply means
Embedded or buried sprinkler
C239S200000, C239S201000, C239S203000, C239S204000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06799732
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in water sprinkler heads and, more particularly, to an improved sprinkler head which allows for turning water flow off and on directly at the sprinkler head to enable removal of the spray distributor, or disc, or so-called “insert” and, in some cases, the filtering screen underlying the insert.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Lawn and garden sprinkler systems are common in many parts of the United States and in many other countries where the climate is hot and grass or other vegetation would readily perish if not watered either physically by one or more individuals or through the aid of an irrigation sprinkler system. Sprinkler systems are also more frequently used in periods in which the climate is particularly hot during certain periods of the year.
All irrigation sprinkler systems are connected to a water source, such as a municipal water supply, and contain relatively shallow underground pipes which extend under the ground surface and contain sprinkler heads projecting upwardly from these underground pipes in order to apply water to selected areas of a lawn or garden to be irrigated. Typically, in an average yard or lawn area, a sprinkler head would be designed to apply water to an area of, e.g. approximately four to fifteen feet in diameter, or more, depending upon the water pressure, the type of sprinkler head which is employed and the area which needs to be watered. As a rough average, approximately twelve to twenty-five sprinkler heads are used to irrigate an average yard or lawn, depending upon such factors as valve size, type of head employed, water pressure in the area, and the like.
The water sprinkler system normally employed uses a plurality of underground pipes, as aforesaid, and which are connected to a source of water, as aforesaid, and which is controlled by a master control valve at the head of the sprinkler system. However, if a master control valve is not actually used, the water meter effectively operates as that control valve.
The water which passes through the underground pipes and exits from the sprinkler heads is usually controlled by an anti-siphoning valve which is oftentimes controlled by a time clock and which components are frequently located at a point remote from the actual irrigated area. Moreover, each of the sprinkler valves would be governed by that master processor or master clock. The master clock and associated processor cause the opening of a valve, frequently referred to as a “RCV” (remote control valve) and which is also frequently located at a remote site and which allows for water flow through the various sprinkler heads. The RCV and the time clock are connected electrically. The same master clock and processor will cause a cessation of the water flow through the remote control valve after a predetermined period of time which is programmed into the clock or processor.
Water lines which carry water delivered from sources, such as the municipal water supply, or from wells, frequently carry small particles of dirt, pebbles, organic matter, pipe corrosion accumulations, installation tailings and other debris. This debris, left unchecked, quickly clogs up the orifices and nozzles of sprinkler heads rendering them unoperational. Even more debris enters subterranean sprinkler lines when an upstream head is broken, either by pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or during lawn maintenance operations, e.g. mowing.
Located at the top of the sprinkler head is that part commonly called an “insert” and which is generally screwed into the top of the sprinkler head. The insert is the part which contains the orifice from which the water exits. Inserts are constructed in various configurations, usually full inserts, or one-half or one-fourth inserts, bubblers, etc. The exact form of the insert is not critical in connection with the present invention, although access to that insert is important in the invention.
Hence, sprinkler heads and/or their inserts and nozzles must frequently be cleaned in order to enable a proper spray, that is, in a proper distribution of water, and water application to the ground surface. The problem, is so ubiquitous that virtually every commercially available plastic sprinkler head, both domestic and foreign, is constructed with a built-in screen, or contains a removable screen, in order to filter out debris so as to avoid clogging the orifices of the nozzles and inserts. This holds true for all types of sprinkler heads, including pop-up heads, stationary shrub heads, gear-driven rotor heads, large heads or small. (Only impact heads do not incorporate a screen.) However, inasmuch as the screen collects this debris contained in the delivered water, the screen necessarily requires periodic cleaning.
Insofar as removable screens are concerned, during maintenance operations, it is common for them to become lost or not be replaced due to oversight, which allows the debris to travel directly to the area of the orifices of the insert or nozzle. Even with screens in place, very small pieces of debris often get through the screen and bind together between the screen and the orifice to eventually clog up the orifice.
Sprinkler heads placed at ground level also suffer clogged orifices due to small stones and insects entering the orifices from the area surrounding the heads and then becoming stuck within.
The present method for changing inserts or cleaning sprinkler inserts or nozzles and flushing out the entire sprinkler head or pop-up shaft to ensure all debris is removed from the subterranean lines, requires turning off and on the water at the water source, which may be at the main valve or at the time clock (which electronically controls one or more valves.) For one person to clean just one sprinkler insert requires at least four separate trips back and forth to the valve or controller: one trip to remove the insert and the screen, another to flush out the sprinkler head or pop-up shaft, another to replace the insert and screen, and a final trip to shut off the valve after verifying that there is a proper spray and that the sprinkler is functioning as intended.
Another method of maintenance is to use two-person crews with one doing the cleaning, and the other operating the controller or opening and closing the valve. A third option, occasionally available, when the water volume and pressure is extremely low, is for the maintenance person to remove the insert, clean it out and—maybe—be able to replace it with the water running, but that person will become water saturated. This cannot be accomplished with pop-up shafts, but only on stationary shrub heads. Also, a great deal of water is wasted in this manner.
For purposes of cleaning the sprinkler insert or the underlying screen, or otherwise, replacing the insert, it would be more convenient m, open or close a valve in the field, directly at the location where the problem exists, rather than walk to the irrigation time clock or to the remote control valve, which could be a short distance, e.g., 20 feet, or a long distance away of 200 feet or more. In some cases, time clocks are installed inside of a locked building for which the landscaping is provided, thereby interfering with proper maintenance. As can easily be seen, a great deal of effort must be expended for cleaning out sprinkler heads where the valve or time clock for the project may be located at a somewhat remote point from the sprinkler head being serviced.
At present, there is nothing available in the sprinkler head industry that provides for turning the water supply on and off at the immediate location of the sprinkler head, upstream of the insert or nozzle, in a manner which provides for complete flushing of the water passageway duct after removal of the insert. Virtually all commercially available sprinkler heads are produced with removable inserts or nozzles.
One commercially available sprinkler head includes a valve mechanism for shutting down the water to the nozzle area so the nozzle can b
Hwu Davis
Schaap Robert J.
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