4,984,740
1 2
desired pattern determined by the relative radial posi-
WATER SPRINKLER WITH VARIABLE tions of the plurality of sliding blocks. Any pattern of
STREAM-DISTANCE ADJUSTMENT sliding-block orientations may be achieved so as to
conform the water-sprinkling to a desired pattern, so
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 that during any sector of rotation, the nozzle-stream
The present invention is directed to a water sprinkler will water a relatively distant portion of the lawn, and
commonly used for watering lawns, such as that dis- for another sector of rotation, water a relatively near
closed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,997,901-Englehart. The con- portion of the lawn in order to avoid wetting a patio, or
ventional water sprinkler has a main nozzle through the like. The sliding blocks are easily moved inwardly
which the stream of water exits, which nozzle is con- 10 or outwardly relative to each other, and are locked in
nected to a mounting arm that is rotatably mounted on their desired pattern only by means of a lock washer,
a stem via a pivot post, so that the nozzle may be rotated thus ensuring easy resetting of the sliding blocks when
a full 360 degrees to water a lawn. An oscillatory reac- required or desired. Each sliding block is provided with
tion lever arm is also used upon which the stream of radially-inwardly tapering side surfaces such that each
water impinges as it exits from the nozzle, which reac- 15 block is formed from an outer sector-portion of the
tion lever arm causes the slow incremental rotation of circle in which the sliding blocks are arrayed, whereby
the mounting arm about the stationary stem via the the narrower radially-inner end portions or each sliding
energy stored in a spiral spring encircling the main block may slide radially-outwardly between the two
pivot post, the stored energy along with the energy of directly-adjacent blocks, the distances between two
the vacuum created during the return stroke of the 20 adjacent blocks increasing in the radially-outward di-
oscillating lever arm with respect to the flowing water rection. Each sliding block is substantially infinitely
stream developing a torque great enough to overcome positionable relative to its two directly-adjacent sliding
the friction between the mounting pivot post and sta- block for controlling the movement of the other end of
tionary stem, whereby relative rotational movement the control arm. Each sliding block is provided with
between the pivot post and stem ensues, to bring about 25 rounded radially-exterior corner-edges to allow for the
the rotational movement of the stem. It is also known in camming thereby of the radially-inner other end of the
the prior art to provide a water-stream height-deflector control arm as it is moved therepast during the portion
to vary the range of the water-stream exiting from the of the sprinkler-cycle in order to position such other
nozzle so that different radial distances from the sprin- end at the horizontal location determined by the sliding
kler may be watered during one complete cycle of oper- block, the radially-inner other end of the control arm
tion One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. being biased toward the sliding blocks via the impinging
3,960,327-Olson. However these prior-art devices are force of the water-spray on the control-flap.
difficult to reset to suit changing watering patterns, are
relatively difficult to initially set up, cannot provide for BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
a multitude of distance-changes during one complete 35
cycle, and cannot provide the exactness often required The invention will be more readily understood with
for stream-distance settings, but must rely upon a re- reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
peated trial-and-error approach. FIG. 1 is an assembly view, in perspective, of the
water-sprinkler head of the invention showing the vari-
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 40 ous parts and components thereof and their intercon-
nection;
It is the primary objective of the present invention to
provide a water-sprinkler which provides the capability FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in cross-section,
of continually adjusting the water-stream distance-dis- showing the water-sprinkler head of the invention in its
charge from the nozzle thereof in a relatively facile and assembled state;
easy manner, and which allows for the quick and easy 45 FIG. 3 is a top view thereof;
resetting of these distances for one complete cycle of FIG. 4 is a top view similar to FIG. 3 but showing
nozzle rotation. some of the slidable reeds or blocks moved outwardly
It is an objective of the present invention to provide for limiting the water-discharge distance of the sprin-
such an improved water-sprinkler such that the water- kler-head over a given range;
stream distances may be varied during one complete 50 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5
nozzle-rotation cycle to a much greater amount than of FIG. 3; and
hitherto possible. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6
The improved water-sprinkler of the invention has a of FIG. 4.
vertically-pivotal control flap that is adjustably posi- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
tionable with respect to the outlet of the nozzle, which 55 INVENTION
controls the distances the emerging water-stream will
reach The control flap has an inner bracket-end that is Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the
pivotally mounted to a pivot block at the lower end of lawn-sprinkler head of the invention is indicated gener-
the bracket end, the upper part of the bracket-end being ally by reference numeral 10. The sprinkler 10 includes
pivotally connected to a distal end of a control arm that 60 a lower, hollow mounting tube 12 which is affixed to a
is horizontally-adjustable via a series of circularly- conventional mounting base (not shown), typically by
arranged, independently and horizontally-movable slid- screw threads 12', which base allows the sprinkler to be
ing reeds or blocks, the distance of these sliding blocks self-standing. The water for the sprinkler 10 enters
from their radial center determining the horizontal posi- through the bottom of the tube 12, as is conventional.
tion of the other end of the control arm, and, therefore, 65 Mounted within the hollow tube 12 is an upwardly-
the end of the control arm connected to the upper end extending shaft 14 terminating in a upper screw shaft 14'
of the flap, whereby the spacing of the flap from the for mounting the range-adjusting structure of the inven-
nozzle-outlet may be cyclically changed according to a tion, described below. The shaft 14 is of much smaller
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