Device and method for repeatedly installing drip irrigation emitters

1 . A device for repeatedly installing drip irrigation emitters, the device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a magazine;

c) a sleeve slidably disposed in said housing, wherein said sleeve (i) is adapted to receive a drip irrigation emitter from said magazine, and (ii) comprises at least one notch in a lower surface of said sleeve;

d) a plunger slidably disposed in said sleeve;

e) at least one locking block that is adapted to mate with said at least one notch; and

f) a cradle that is adapted to receive a section of a drip irrigation tubing;

wherein said at least one locking block, once mated with said at least one notch, releasably locks said sleeve in a retracted position within said device.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said magazine is adapted to contain a plurality of drip irrigation emitters, each of said drip irrigation emitters having a spout and an inlet.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein said magazine comprises a channel that is adapted to receive said spouts.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein said channel is adapted to receive spouts that are offset from a center of each of said drip irrigation emitters.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said device further comprises a handle that is adapted to receive said magazine.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein said device has a rear end and a bottom of said handle is slanted towards said rear end.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said plunger is adapted to drive said sleeve towards said cradle.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said plunger is adapted to drive said drip irrigation emitter into said section of drip irrigation tubing when said section of drip irrigation tubing is nested within said cradle.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said sleeve includes an aperture that is dimensioned to retain said drip irrigation emitter when said drip irrigation emitter is received in said sleeve.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said sleeve is adapted to receive said drip irrigation emitter from said magazine at an acute angle.

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said plunger is adapted to rotate said drip irrigation emitter to render a bisecting axis of said drip irrigation emitter perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said sleeve when said plunger drives said drip irrigation emitter towards said cradle.

12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein said device further comprises an ejector that is adapted to eject said drip irrigation emitter when said sleeve retracts into said device with said drip irrigation emitter received within said sleeve.

13 . A method of installing a drip irrigation emitter, comprising:

a) providing a device according to claim 1 ;

b) placing at least one drip irrigation emitter in said device magazine;

c) installing said magazine in said device; and

d) activating said plunger to drive a drip irrigation emitter from said at least one drip irrigation emitter in said magazine into a section of drip irrigation tubing.

14 . A device for repeatedly installing drip irrigation emitters, the device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a magazine that is adapted to contain a plurality of drip irrigation emitters;

c) a sleeve slidably disposed in said housing, wherein (i) said sleeve includes a pair of sleeve arms and an aperture at a forward end of said sleeve, (ii) said aperture is dimensioned and adapted to receive a drip irrigation emitter from said plurality of drip irrigation emitters when said plurality of drip irrigation emitters are housed within said magazine, and (iii) said sleeve comprises at least one notch in a lower surface of said pair of sleeve arms;

d) a plunger slidably disposed between said pair of sleeve arms;

e) at least one locking block that is dimensioned to mate with said at least one notch; and

f) a cradle that is adapted to receive a section of a drip irrigation tubing;

wherein said plunger is adapted to drive said drip irrigation emitter into said section of drip irrigation tubing when said drip irrigation emitter is received within said aperture and said section of drip irrigation tubing is received within said cradle;

g) wherein said at least one locking block, once mated with said at least one notch, releasably locks said sleeve in a retracted position within said device.

15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein (i) said pair of sleeve arms comprise a pair of opposing slots, (ii) said plunger comprises a pin, and (iii) said pin is slidably disposed within said pair of opposing slots.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein said pin contacts a forward end in each of said pair of opposing slots when said device is activated thereby driving said sleeve towards said cradle.

17 . The device of claim 14 , further comprising an ejector slidably mounted within a recess in said housing, wherein said ejector occupies a port at said forward end of said sleeve under a force of a spring that is housed within said recess when (i) said device is in a resting state, and (ii) said aperture is free of said drip irrigation emitter.

18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein said ejector contacts and ejects said drip irrigation emitter from said aperture when said sleeve retracts into said device with said drip irrigation emitter received within said aperture.