초록 ▼

A rotating stream sprinkler of the type having a rotatable deflector for sweeping small streams of irrigation water in a radially outward direction to irrigate adjacent vegetation, wherein the sprinkler includes a speed control brake for maintaining a substantially constant deflector rotational spee

A rotating stream sprinkler of the type having a rotatable deflector for sweeping small streams of irrigation water in a radially outward direction to irrigate adjacent vegetation, wherein the sprinkler includes a speed control brake for maintaining a substantially constant deflector rotational speed throughout a range of normal operating pressures and flow rates. The deflector includes an array of spiral vanes engaged by one or more water jets for rotatably driving the deflector which converts the jets into a plurality of relatively small irrigation streams swept over the surrounding terrain. A friction plate rotatable with the deflector engages a brake pad retained against a nonrotating brake disk. The brake pad includes tapered contact faces for varying the friction contact radius in response to changes in water pressure and/or flow rate to maintain deflector rotational speed substantially constant.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A rotating stream sprinkler, comprising:a rotatable deflector defining an array of spiral vanes;nozzle means for directing at least one water jet into driving engagement with said vanes for rotatably driving said deflector, said at least one water jet being subdivided by said vanes into a plurali

1. A rotating stream sprinkler, comprising:a rotatable deflector defining an array of spiral vanes;nozzle means for directing at least one water jet into driving engagement with said vanes for rotatably driving said deflector, said at least one water jet being subdivided by said vanes into a plurality of relatively small water streams distributed generally radially outwardly therefrom and swept over a surrounding terrain area by rotation of said deflector;a speed control brake coupled to said deflector and including friction means for resisting rotation of said deflector variably in response to fluctuations in water supply pressure and flow rate to maintain deflector rotational speed substantially constant throughout a normal operating range of water pressures and flow rates; andsaid friction means including a first friction member mounted for rotation with said deflector and a second friction member nonrotatably mounted to said sprinkler and engageable by said first function member, said first and second friction members being moveable axially relative to each other in response to said fluctuations in water supply pressure and flow rate. 2. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said speed control brake comprises a friction plate carried by said deflector for rotation therewith, a nonrotational brake disk, and a resilient brake pad interposed between said friction plate and said brake disk. 3. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 2 wherein said brake pad is formed from a silicone rubber. 4. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 2 wherein said brake pad includes axially opposed contact faces for friction bearing engagement respectively with friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk. 5. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 4 wherein said brake pad contact faces are coated with a lubricant. 6. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 5 wherein said brake pad contact faces are textured. 7. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 5 wherein at least one of said brake pad contact faces and said friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk is textured. 8. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 4 wherein said friction plate is urged upon increased water pressure in an axial direction compressing said brake pad against said brake disk, and further wherein at least one of said brake pad contact faces and said friction surfaces on said fiction plate and said brake disk is tapered for increased friction radius engagement between said brake disk and at least one of said friction plate and said brake disk upon such in increased water pressure. 9. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 2 further including a shaft having said deflector rotatably carried thereon, said brake disk being mounted on an constrained against rotation relative to said shaft, said brake pad comprising a generally annular disk carried on said shaft and defining a pair of axially opposed and generally annular faces for friction bearing engagement respectively with said friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk. 10. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 9 wherein said friction plate is urged upon increased water pressure in an axial direction compressing said brake pad against said brake disk, and further wherein said brake pad contact faces are tapered to extend radially outwardly and axially away from said friction plate and said brake disk, respectively, for increased friction radius engagement therewith upon such increased water pressure. 11. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 1 further including means defining a substantially closed chamber having said speed control brake mounted therein. 12. A rotating stream sprinkler, comprising:a rotatable deflector defining an array of spiral vanes;nozzle means for directing at least one water jet into driving engagement with said vanes for rotatably driving said deflector, said at least one water jet being subdivided by said vanes into a plurality of relati vely small water streams distributed generally radially outwardly therefrom and swept over a surrounding terrain area by rotation of said deflector; anda speed control brake coupled to said deflector and including friction means for resisting rotation of said deflector variably in response to fluctuations in water supply pressure and flow rate to maintain deflector rotational speed substantially constant throughout a normal operating range of water pressures and flow rates;said speed control brake including a friction plate carried by said deflector for rotation therewith, a nonrotational brake disk, and a brake pad interposed between friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk, said brake pad includes axially opposed contact faces for friction bearing engagement respectively with said friction plate and said brake disk;said deflector and said friction plate being axially movable in response to increased water pressure acting on said deflector for compressing said brake pad against said brake disk, and further wherein at least one of said brake pad contact faces and said friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk is tapered for increased friction radius engagement of said brake pad with at least one of said friction plate and said brake disk upon such increased water pressure. 13. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 12 wherein said brake pad is formed from a resilient material. 14. A rotating stream sprinkler, comprising:a nozzle base defining at least one nozzle port formed therein and oriented for discharging at least one generally upwardly directed water jet upon connection of the sprinkler to a supply of water under pressure;a generally vertically extending shaft supported by said nozzle base;a deflector rotatably mounted on said shaft and having an underside surface defining an array of spiral vanes forming intervening spiral channels having upwardly extending upstream ends disposed in closely spaced relation above said at least one nozzle port, said upstream ends spirally curving and merging smoothly with downstream channel ends extending generally radially outwardly, whereby said deflector is rotatably driven by said at least one water jet impinging upon said spiral vanes and further whereby said at least one water jet is subdivided into a plurality of relatively small water streams flowing through said spiral channels for distribution generally radially outwardly therefrom and rotatably swept over a surrounding terrain area upon rotation of said deflector; anda speed control brake coupled to said deflector and including friction means for resisting rotation of said deflector variably in response to fluctuations in water supply pressure and flow to maintain deflector rotational speed substantially constant throughout a normal operating range of water pressures and flow rates;said speed control brake including a friction plate rotatable with said deflector and disposed at an upper side thereof, a brake disk mounted on and constrained against rotation relative to said shaft, and a generally annular brake pad carried on said shaft in a position interposed axially between said friction plate and said brake disk, said brake pad including axially opposed contact faces for frictionally engaging friction surfaces formed respectively on said friction plate and said brake disk;said deflector and said friction plate being axially movable in response to increased water pressure and flow rate acting on said deflector for compressing said brake pad against said brake disk, and further wherein at least one of said brake pad contact faces and said friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk is tapered for increased friction radius engagement between said brake pad and at least one of said friction plate and said brake disk upon such increased water pressure and flow rate. 15. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 14 wherein said brake pad is formed from a resilient material. 16. T he rotating stream sprinkler of claim 15 wherein at least one of said brake pad contact faces is coated with a lubricant. 17. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 16 wherein at least one of said brake pad contact faces and said friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk is textured. 18. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 14 wherein said brake pad contact faces being tapered to extend radially outwardly and axially away from said friction plate and said brake disk, respectively for increased friction radius engagement therewith upon increased water pressure and flow rate. 19. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 14 wherein said tapered annular contact faces have inner diameter margins, and further including comparatively steeper-tapered countersinks formed in said brake pad and extending radially inwardly from said inner diameter margins of said contact faces. 20. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 14 further including cap means cooperating with said deflector for defining a substantially closed brake chamber having said speed control brake mounted therein. 21. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 20 further including seal means for substantially sealing said brake chamber against particular ingress. 22. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 14 further including water inlet means including a water inlet passage disposed upstream relative to said at least one nozzle port, a flow adjustment collar carried by said shaft and including a flow port for variably overlying said inlet passage upon rotation of said shaft to correspondingly and selectively vary water flow rate to said at least one nozzle port, said shaft having an upper end exposed through said cap means for variably setting the rotational position of said shaft to select the water flow rate. 23. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 22 wherein said exposed upper end of said shaft is slotted. 24. The rotating stream sprinkler of claim 14 further including means for mounting said nozzle base onto a sprinkler riser. 25. In a rotating stream sprinkler having a rotatable deflector defining an array of spiral vanes, and nozzle means for directing at least one water jet into driving engagement with said vanes for rotatably driving said deflector and for subdividing said at least one water jet into a plurality of relatively small water streams swept over a surrounding terrain area, the improvement comprising:a speed control brake coupled to said deflector and including friction means for variably resisting rotation of said deflector to maintain deflector rotational speed substantially constant throughout a range of normal water supply pressures and flow rates;said friction means including a first friction member mounted for rotation with said deflector and a second friction member nonrotatably mounted to said sprinkler and engageable by said first friction member, said first and second friction members being moveable axially relative to each other. 26. The improvement of claim 25 wherein said speed control brake comprises a friction plate rotatable with said deflector and disposed at an upper side thereof, a brake disk mounted on and constrained against rotation relative to said friction plate, and a brake pad interpose axially between said friction plate and said brake disk, said brake pad including axially opposed contact faces for frictional engagement with friction surfaces formed respectively on said friction plate and said brake disk, said deflector and said friction plate being axially movable in response to increased water pressure and flow rate acting on said deflector for compressing said brake pad against said brake disk, and further wherein at least one of said brake pad contact faces and said friction surfaces on said friction plate and said brake disk is tapered for increased friction radius engagement between said brake pad and at least one of said friction plate and said brake disk upon such increased water pressure and flow rate .