Patent · US Expired

Corner watering system for center pivot irrigation machines

US4569481A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
6References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 1982
Grant dateFeb 11, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 29, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA01G25/092
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A center pivot irrigation machine having a swing arm for irrigating corner areas of a field. The swing arm has a steerable support tower which follows a buried cable to guide the swing arm into and out of the field corners. A double hinge connection between the main irrigation boom and the swing arm includes one hinge joint which accommodates pivoting of the swing arm and another hinge joint which controls the operation of the tower drive motors. A cam switch monitors the steering angle of the swing arm tower and turns the sprinklers of the swing tower on and off in accordance with the steering angle to achieve uniform water application. A secondary set of sprinklers on the main boom is deactivated and the entire machine is slowed when the steering angle indicates that the swing arm is covering a rapidly increasing area.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.