Patent Application
20110198420
The present invention relates to irrigation systems and especially to a water bubbler sprinkler head for an irrigation sprinkler system.
The present water bubbler sprinkler head is especially adapted for use in mechanically moved irrigation systems which are commonly used throughout the United States for irrigating agricultural lands. Generally, wheeled line irrigation systems include a plurality of wheeled towers supporting a linear water conduit in a manner that the wheeled towers and water conduit can be moved through an agricultural field for changing the position of irrigation sprinklers coupled to the water conduit. One end of the water conduit is coupled to a water main or well and sprinkler heads are mounted in spaced alignment along the water conduit between the wheeled towers. The current practice in these irrigation systems is to connect the drop hoses from the water main to the field below with the ends thereof having sprinkler heads attached thereto for distributing the irrigation water adjacent the crops.
A LEPA irrigation system (Low Energy Precision Application) is used in these systems to reduce the destructive forces of the water in order to prevent damage and erosion to the furrow and adjacent crops. LEPA irrigation products currently commonly bounce the water spray off different surfaces until the water is directed towards the ground. The water directed towards the ground in this manner has less energy but is still sprayed towards the ground and contains enough energy to erode furrows, wash out seeds and compact the soil.
The present invention is directed towards a water bubbler sprinkler head for a drop hose to produce bubbling water to reduce the destructive force of the water landing on the surrounding land. Prior art sprinklers that utilize bubbler devices may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,438 for a furrow irrigation bubbler device and spray head conversion assembly utilized therewith. A bubbler attachment allows for the conversion of a spray head to a furrow bubbler in the drop tube of an irrigation system. The Pescetto U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,234 teaches an adjustable bubbler sprinkler head while the von Lutzow U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,805 teaches a bubbler type sprinkler head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,026 to Lockwood is for a bubbler head structure for irrigation systems and has a water passageway and an air passageway Air is drawn through the air passageway and mixed with the water in a mixing chamber.
The present bubbler sprinkler head eliminates the destructive energy from sprayed irrigating water by mixing the water with air bubbles prior to the water hitting the ground in a drop line of a central irrigation system.
A bubbler sprinkler head for an irrigation sprinkler system has a sprinkler head frame with a base connectable to a water supply and has a plurality of arms extending therefrom. A nozzle is attached to the sprinkler head frame for receiving water passing therethrough. A bubbler attachment is attached to the sprinkler head frame arms at a predetermined distance from the nozzle output. The bubbler attachment has a bubbler tube positioned axial alignment with the nozzle outlet for receiving water dispensed from the nozzle along with air drawn into the water steam from the space between the nozzle and said bubbler tube. A mixing chamber which may be a bowl having overflow walls is positioned below the bubbler tube outlet for receiving and mixing water and air from said bubbler tube outlet. The mixing chamber has overflow walls for dispensing the mixed water and air thereover, so that an irrigation system bubbler sprinkler head can generate bubbling water for irrigating an area adjacent thereto. The space between said nozzle and bubbler tube is open to atmosphere. The mixing chamber is generally bowl shaped and has walls for the overflow of bubbling water therefrom. The bubbler tube is formed of orifice plate having an opening therein with a short tube extending from the opening.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the written description and the drawings in which:
The present invention is for a water bubbler sprinkler head for use in an irrigation system. The irrigation water bubbler 10, as shown in the drawings, especially in
The bubbler attachment 16 is formed with a plate 23 having an opening or orifice 24 therein, as seen in
As more clearly seen in
The operation of the water bubbler sprinkler head 10, as more clearly seen in
The bubbler attachment 16, plate 23 with the orifice 24 is shaped similar to the orifice plate but with the extending tube 25 extending from the opening 24. The water in the water bubbler attachment is passed from the nozzle 15 through an enlarged or atmospheric area 28 and into the orifice 24. It pulls air from the atmosphere thereinto which is thoroughly mixed and bubbled in the mixing chamber 26.
It should be clear at this point that an irrigation water bubbler has been provided which has proved effective in producing bubbling water which is fed indirectly from the mixing chamber over a wall where it falls gently onto the ground. However, the present invention should not be construed as limited to the forms shown which are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
