Spray nozzle with adjustable arc spray elevation angle and flow

1. An adjustable spray elevation angle nozzle assembly comprising:

a housing having an inlet attachable to a source of pressurized water and an outlet for dispensing a stream of water;

an adjustable flow control element including a moveable spray elevation angle setting member in the path of the stream of water that is axially movable to adjust the elevation angle of the stream;

a metering element located upstream of the outlet; and

a mechanism coupled to the flow control element and the metering element which adjusts the metering element in conjunction with adjustment of the spray elevation angle setting member to maintain a substantially constant precipitation rate for different spray elevation angles.

2. An adjustable spray elevation nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the flow control element is restrained against axial movement in the downstream direction due to the force of water flowing through the housing by a radially extending lip that engages in a snap-fit relationship with a complementary shoulder extending radially inside the housing.

3. An adjustable spray elevation nozzle assembly as in claim 2 , wherein:

the flow control element includes a tubular portion extending from the spray elevation angle setting member in the upstream direction, and terminating at its upstream end in the radially extending lip,

the tubular portion being threadedly coupled with a fixed portion of the housing to move axially when the flow control element is rotated.

4. An adjustable spray elevation nozzle assembly as in claim 3 , wherein:

the deflector is comprised of a flexible resilient material and is disposed at an adjustable angular orientation to the horizontal; and

the tubular portion is coupled to the deflector,

the tubular portion being operable to vary the angular orientation of the deflector as it moves axially.

5. An adjustable spray elevation nozzle assembly as in claim 4 , further including an actuator operable to rotate the tubular portion.

6. An adjustable spray elevation nozzle assembly as in claim 3 , wherein the flow control element includes an actuator operable to rotate the tubular portion.

7. An adjustable spray nozzle assembly for an irrigation system comprising:

a body having an inlet configured and operable for attachment to a source of pressurized water and an outlet opening configured and operable for emitting a stream of water; and

a deflector element mounted in the body such that a stream of water from the outlet deflects off the deflector element at an elevation angle out of the nozzle assembly;

the deflector element further comprising a mechanism configured and operable for axial movement such that the elevation angle of the stream of water leaving the spray nozzle is adjusted:

wherein the deflector element is made of a flexible material such that a deflector surface thereof that deflects the stream of water is mechanically adjustable to change the angle of elevation of the deflected stream of water; and

the deflector element includes a spiral surface adapted to cooperate with a spiral surface of the outlet opening, the deflector element being rotatable relative to the outlet opening to define the peripheral extent of the opening, and thereby to determine an arc of coverage of the nozzle assembly.

8. The adjustable spray nozzle assembly of claim 7 wherein axial movement of the deflector element coincides with rotation thereof such that as the arc of coverage changes, the elevation angle changes to provide a substantially matched precipitation rate.

9. The adjustable spray nozzle assembly of claim 7 , wherein axial movement of the deflector element reduces the outlet opening area such that as the elevation angle changes, a flow rate of the stream of water out of the assembly changes to provide a substantially matched precipitation rate.

10. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 9 , further comprising at least one actuator accessible from a top of the assembly and configured and operable to adjust the elevation angle and the arc of rotation of the spray nozzle assembly.

11. The adjustable spray nozzle assembly of claim 9 , wherein an elevation angle range of the deflector element is indicated by a predetermined color of the deflector element.

12. A spray nozzle assembly for a sprinkler with a fixed arc of coverage comprises:

a body having an inlet configured and operable for attachment to a source of pressurized water and an outlet opening configured and operable for emitting a stream of water;

a flexible deflector positioned on a top of the body with a deflection surface operable to deflect the stream of water at an elevation angle from the assembly;

an actuator operatively connected to the flexible deflector and accessible from a top of the nozzle assembly, the actuator operable to adjust a shape of the deflection surface to adjust the elevation angle; and

a valve element positioned in the body upstream from the outlet opening configured and operable to control a flow of water to the outlet opening.

13. The spray nozzle assembly of claim 12 , wherein the valve element is operably connected to the actuator such that the flow of water to the outlet opening changes with the elevation angle to maintain substantially matched precipitation.