Sprinkler arc adjustment mechanism
The present invention is directed to a rotor or sprinkler that allows its watering arc to be rotated, increased, or decreased by user-rotation of the sprinkler's rotating nozzle base.
1. A sprinkler, comprising:
a sprinkler body;
a nozzle base disposed at a top of said sprinkler body;
a gear drive assembly driving rotation of said nozzle base relative to said sprinkler body;
a trip assembly connected to said gear drive assembly and having a trip arm switch selectively reversing a direction that said gear drive assembly rotates said nozzle base;
a bull gear having a first trip dog member extending away from said bull gear and rotationally aligned to contact said trip arm switch;
a first clutch member connected to said nozzle base and releasably engaged with said bull gear; and,
an adjustable stop member having a second trip dog member that is rotationally aligned to contact said trip arm switch; said adjustable stop member being releasably engaged with said nozzle base via a second clutch member.
2. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein said bull gear has a cylindrical shape with a plurality of gear teeth along an inner surface.
3. The sprinkler of claim 2 , wherein said first clutch member is position within said bull gear.
4. The sprinkler of claim 3 , wherein said first clutch has a plurality of radially extending fingers that are releasably engaged with said plurality of gear teeth of said bull gear.
5. The sprinkler of claim 4 , further comprising an arc adjustment shaft engaged with said adjustable stop member.
6. The sprinkler of claim 5 , wherein said second clutch member is an o-ring disposed on said arc adjustment shaft and releasably engaged with said nozzle base.
7. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein user-rotation of said nozzle base in a first direction rotates a direction of a watering arc of said sprinkler and wherein user-rotation of said nozzle base in a second direction increases a size of said watering arc.
8. The sprinkler of claim 7 , wherein fast-forwarding rotation of said nozzle base in said first direction, then user-rotating said outer nozzle base housing in said second direction decreases a size of said watering arc.
9. A sprinkler, comprising:
a sprinkler body;
a nozzle base disposed at a top of said sprinkler body;
a gear drive assembly driving rotation of said nozzle base relative to said sprinkler body;
a trip assembly connected to said gear drive assembly and having a trip arm switch selectively reversing a direction that said gear drive assembly rotates said nozzle base;
a first trip member positioned to periodically contact said trip arm switch during operation of said sprinkler; said first trip member being connected to said nozzle base via a first clutch; and,
a second trip member positioned to periodically contact said trip arm switch during operation of said sprinkler; said second trip arm member being connected to said nozzle base via a second clutch.
10. The sprinkler of claim 9 , wherein said first clutch comprises a cylindrical gear having an inner surface and a plurality of gear teeth disposed on said inner surface.
11. The sprinkler of claim 10 , wherein said second clutch comprises an O-ring located on an arc adjustment shaft and frictionally engaging said nozzle base; said arc adjustment shaft being engaged with said second trip member so to cause rotation thereof.
12. The sprinkler of claim 9 , wherein user-rotation of said nozzle base in a first direction rotates a direction of a watering arc of said sprinkler and wherein user-rotation of said nozzle base in a second direction increases a size of said watering arc.
13. The sprinkler of claim 12 , wherein fast-forwarding rotation of said nozzle base in said first direction, then user-rotating said outer nozzle base housing in said second direction decreases a size of said watering arc.
14. A sprinkler, comprising:
a sprinkler body;
a nozzle base disposed at a top of said sprinkler body;
a gear drive assembly driving rotation of said nozzle base relative to said sprinkler body;
a trip assembly connected to said gear drive assembly and having a trip arm switch selectively reversing a direction that said gear drive assembly rotates said nozzle base;
a first trip member positioned to periodically contact said trip arm switch during operation of said sprinkler; said first trip member being connected to said nozzle base via a first clutch; and,
a second trip member positioned to periodically contact said trip arm switch during operation of said sprinkler; said second trip arm member being connected to an arc adjustment shaft exposed on said nozzle base; and wherein said arch adjustment shaft is releasably connected to said nozzle base via a second clutch.
15. The sprinkler of claim 14 , wherein user-rotation of said nozzle base in a first direction rotates a direction of a watering arc of said sprinkler and wherein user-rotation of said nozzle base in a second direction increases a size of said watering arc.
16. The sprinkler of claim 15 , wherein fast-forwarding rotation of said nozzle base in said first direction, then user-rotating said outer nozzle base housing in said second direction decreases a size of said watering arc.