As stated in the above-referenced parent application, the objective of the invention is to provide a less costly and more practical and simplified crop irrigator for use in situations where huge and extremely costly truss irrigators measuring one-quarter mile or more in length are not economically justifiable.
The present invention adds to the capability of the irrigator disclosed in the parent application by the provision forwardly of the two driving or traction wheels of a single guiding and stabilizing wheel which is self-steering and able to follow small furrows produced immediately ahead of it with the aid of a trailing steering arm having a steering shoe which rides in and follows the small furrows. The entire structure is characterized by simplicity and comparative low cost of manufacturing. The irrigator can be built in various sizes and heights to irrigate low or tall standing crops of all kinds.
Other features and advantanges of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.
To comply with the duty of disclosing known prior art under 37 C.F.R. 1.56, the following prior patents are made of record herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,176,856 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,784,251 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,122,596 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,573 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,974,876 PA1 German Pat. No. 332,308 (1921)