Apparatus and method for irrigation using two sequential nozzles at different rates for reduced water volume
An apparatus for irrigation includes an elongate pipe carried on support carriages at longitudinally spaced positions to move in transverse to its length. The pipe carries water dispensing arrangements spaced along the pipe each including a first nozzle and a second nozzle carried on arms projecting forwardly and rearwardly of the pipe so that the nozzles dispense together an amount of water required at the location of the ground aligned with nozzles. The first and second nozzles are arranged such that the first dispenses at a higher rate and both dispense water onto the portion of the ground sequentially at a rate which is less than an amount which exceeds the infiltration rate of the soil, so that a total rate can exceed the infiltration rate of the soil. The arms can be flipped in height between high crop position and low crop position.
1 . Apparatus for irrigation comprising:
a pipe for carrying irrigation water and arranged to extend along an area to be irrigated;
a plurality of support carriages at spaced positions along a length of the pipe arranged to carry the pipe forwardly in a direction of travel transverse to its length;
a plurality of water spray dispensing arrangements spaced along the length of the pipe so that each dispensing arrangement acts to deposit a water spray of the irrigation water on the ground in a spray pattern at a respective one of a plurality of spray positions along the length of the pipe;
each dispensing arrangement comprising;
a first nozzle and a second nozzle where the first and second nozzles are arranged one in advance of the other as the pipe moves in the direction of travel;
a first support arm attached to the pipe at one end of the first support arm and extending forwardly from the pipe so as to carry the first nozzle at an opposed end of the first support arm;
the first nozzle thus being carried by the first support arm in advance of the pipe;
a second support arm attached to the pipe at one end of the second support arm and extending rearwardly from the pipe so as to carry the second nozzle at an opposed end of the second support arm;
the second nozzle thus being carried by the second support arm rearwardly of the pipe;
so that the first nozzle dispenses the irrigation water onto the ground in advance of the pipe and in advance of the second nozzle as the pipe moves forwardly in the direction of travel;
each of the first and second nozzles of each of the dispensing arrangements being adjustable to vary a rate of the irrigation water dispensed thereby;
the first and second nozzles having the rate of irrigation water dispensed thereby adjusted so as to dispense together a required total amount of the irrigation water at a portion of the ground aligned with the respective spray position along the pipe;
the first and second nozzles having the rate of irrigation water dispensed thereby adjusted such that the first nozzle dispenses a greater rate of the required total amount of the irrigation water and such that the second nozzle dispenses a lesser rate of the required total amount of the irrigation water and such that the greater and lesser rates together make the required total amount.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the first and second support arms is tubular so as to provide a conduit for the irrigation water from the pipe to the respective one of the first and second nozzles.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the first and second support arms is pivotal around a longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to adjust a height of the respective one of the first and second nozzles relative to the pipe.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of the first and second support arms is supported by a respective one of a pair of wires each of which extends from a position adjacent the pipe to provide support for the respective one of the first and second support arms in at least two adjustment positions of the height of the first and second nozzles.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of the first and second support arms is cantilevered from the pipe;
wherein the first support arm is supported by a first linkage, where a length of the first linkage can be adjusted to provide raised and lowered positions of the height of the first nozzle;
and wherein the second support arm is supported by a second linkage, where a length of the second linkage can be adjusted to provide the raised and lowered positions of the height of the second nozzle;
and wherein the first and second linkages are operable to move both the first and second nozzles to the raised position simultaneously and to move both the first and second nozzles to the lowered position simultaneously.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each of the pair of the linkages is manually actuated to flip between said raised and lowered positions.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each of the first and second the linkages includes an over-center link which can be manually actuated to flip between said at least two adjustment positions.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the first and second nozzles of each of the dispensing arrangements is adjustable to vary a rate of the irrigation water dispensed thereby and are adjusted such that the second nozzle dispenses onto the ground a rate of the irrigation water where the ratio of the rate of the first nozzle to the second nozzle lies in the range 60/40 up to 80/20.
9 . Apparatus for irrigation comprising:
a pipe for carrying irrigation water and arranged to extend along an area to be irrigated;
a plurality of support carriages at spaced positions along a length of the pipe arranged to carry the pipe forwardly in a direction of travel transverse to its length;
a plurality of water spray dispensing arrangements at spaced along the length of the pipe so that each dispensing arrangement acts to deposit a water spray of the irrigation water on the ground in a spray pattern at a respective one of a plurality of spray positions along the length of the pipe;
each dispensing arrangement comprising;
a first nozzle and a second nozzle where the first and second nozzles are arranged one in advance of the other as the pipe moves in the direction of travel;
a first support arm attached to the pipe at one end of the first support arm and extending forwardly from the pipe so as to carry the first nozzle at an opposed end of the first support arm;
the first nozzle thus being carried by the first support arm in advance of the pipe;
a second support arm attached to the pipe at one end of the second support arm and extending rearwardly from the pipe so as to carry the second nozzle at an opposed end of the second support arm;
the second nozzle thus being carried by the second support arm rearwardly of the pipe;
so that the first nozzle dispenses the irrigation water onto the ground in advance of the pipe and in advance of the second nozzle as the pipe moves forwardly in the direction of travel;
wherein each of the first and second support arms is cantilevered from the pipe;
wherein the first support arm is pivotal around a longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to adjust a height of the first nozzle relative to the pipe between raised and lowered positions of the first nozzle;
wherein the second support arm is pivotal around a longitudinal axis of the pipe so as to adjust a height of the second nozzle relative to the pipe between raised and lowered positions of the second nozzle;
wherein the first support arm is supported by a first linkage, where a length of the first linkage can be adjusted to provide the raised and lowered positions of the height of the first nozzle;
and wherein the second support arm is supported by a second linkage, where a length of the second linkage can be adjusted to provide the raised and lowered positions of the height of the second nozzle;
and wherein the first and second linkages are operable to move both the first and second nozzles to the raised position simultaneously and to move both the first and second nozzles to the lowered position simultaneously.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of the first and second linkages is manually actuated to flip between said at least two adjustment positions.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each of the first and second linkages includes an over-center link which can be manually actuated to flip between said raised and lowered positions.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each of the first and second support arms is tubular so as to provide a conduit for the irrigation water from the pipe to the respective one of the first and second nozzles.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each of the first and second support arms is supported by a respective one of a pair of wires each of which extends from a position adjacent the pipe to provide support for the respective one of the first and second support arms in said at least two adjustment positions of the height of the first and second nozzles.