1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water sprinklers.
The present invention relates to rotary oscillatory water sprinklers.
The present invention relates, more particularly, to rotary oscillatory water sprinklers used for spraying water onto lawns or gardens, for irrigation purposes.
2. Prior Developments
An oscillating water sprinkler is often used for spraying water onto lawns for irrigation purposes. A typical oscillating water sprinkler can comprise a flat base seatable on the ground surface, and a rotary sprinkler head mounted on a spindle projecting upwardly from the base. The base has a threaded inlet fitting that is connectable to a standard garden hose, whereby a pressurized stream of water is supplied to the inlet fitting and the hollow spindle.
A spring-biased paddle is mounted on the spindle to pass across a nozzle opening in the rotary sprinkler head, such that water pressure forces are utilized to rotate the sprinkler head in a horizontal plane. Adjustable stops are provided on the stationary part of the sprinkler, to permit the sprinkler head to oscillate back and forth, or to rotate continuously in a single direction.
As the sprinkler head rotates in a horizontal plane, a pressurized stream of water is discharged through the nozzle opening in the sprinkler head at an inclination angle of about thirty degrees. The discharged stream of water has a divergent spray-like character, comprised of multiple water droplets that diverge from one another as the droplets move further away from the sprinkler head.
The divergent water spray has an arcuate trajectory, wherein gravitational forces cause the water droplets to be deposited on the target surface, i.e., lawn or other vegetation, at varying distances from the sprinkler. The rotary motion of the sprinkler head enables a specific target area to be covered with a relatively uniform water concentration across the target area.
However, the described conventional rotary oscillation sprinkler has some disadvantages or limitations. For instance, the sprinkler does not work very well when the vegetation has an appreciable height above the ground surface. If the sprinkler is placed on the ground in the vegetation area, the foliage near the sprinkler will obstruct the water stream before it can acquire the necessary divergence to provide a desired coverage of the target area.
If the sprinkler is placed in an unobstructed area the divergent spray of water discharged from the sprinkler head may not achieve a sufficient height to descend at an optimum angle onto the target vegetation. Vegetation protruding a significant distance upwardly from the ground surface may intercept some of the water droplets before such droplets can reach the ground surface. Further, the target area may not receive full water coverage.