Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
105008Z
The invention relates to an apparatus for sprinkling
large areas and of the kind comprising a vehicle provided with
a drum that is rotatable about a horizontal axls, on which drum
a flexible plastic pipe under pressure or a hose may be coiled,
a spray nozzle being mounted on one end of the pipe or hose.
German patent specification 855,053 discloses a fire-
extinguishing vehicle on which hose reels are carried which are
supported by a rotatable part rotatable about a vertical axis on
the vehicle.
The rotatable part is the wing of a door which supports
the hose reel by means of brackets. The reel is therefore rotat-
able about a horizontal axis and about a vertical axis of the
vehicle. The reason for this arrangement is that the hose, after
rotating the door together with the reel to locate the door and
the reel in the desired direction, can easily be uncoiled, without
the necessity of removing the reel from its brackets.
In sprinkling apparatuses of the kind initially
mentioned, to turn the apparatus in one direction, after carrying
out sprinkling, in order to be able to sprinkle in the opposite
direction, the hose drum may be made rotatable about a vertical
axis similarly to the hose reel of the above-mentioned ~erman
patent specification. French patent specifications 2,179,596
and 2,134,753 disclose a hose drum supported by a revolving
turret which is rotatable on a vehicle about a vertical axis.
However, there is present the disadvantage that the danger of the
comparatively tall vehicle tipping over is considerable.
An object of the invention is to avoid or mitigate
the above-mentioned disadvantage of the known apparatus. The
invention, at least in its preferred form, provides apparatus
of the initially mentioned kind in which the centre of gravity
of the vehicle is lowered and the danger of the vehicle tipping
over is reduced to a minimum.
-1-
10C~008Z
According to the invention the vehicle has hoistable
wheels or supports and also has a rotatable foot frame with
which the vehicle is supported on the ground when the wheels or
supports are raised so that the vehicle as a whole rests ro-tat-
ably on the foot frame.
Thus the invention provides an apparatus for sprinkling
large areas, comprising a vehicle provided with a drum rotatable
about a horizontal axis, on which a flexible plastic pipe
under pressure or a hose is coilable, a spray nozzle being
attached to one end of the pipe or hose, the vehicle having
hoistable wheels or a hoistable support, the drum extending
partly between the wheels so as to maintain a low centre of
gravity for the vehicle, and a rotatable foot frame with which
the vehicle is supported directly on the ground when the wheels
are elevated or the support is elevated so that said vehicle
rests rotatably about a vertical axis on the foot frame.
The hose or flexible pipe can be uncoiled just above
the ground from the lowered vehicle in operation, so that a
lower centre of gravity is obtained, and hence a small tipping
moment.
~ loreover, since the vehicle with drum and wheels is
rotated in the desired direction, the latter do not obstruct
the hose which is uncoilable from the bottom of the drum.
A substantial advantage deriving from the presence of
the hoistable wheels of the vehicle lies in the fact that during
travel the vehicle rides rather high off the ground, so that
there is only a minimum of damage to cultivated land over which
the vehicle travels.
Preferably between the foot frame and the bottom of
the vehicle there is an annular ball-bearing mount or the like.
Preferably the foot frame is arranged symmetrically with respect
to the centre of gravity. The rotation of the vehicle is thus
10.S0~8Z
rendered easy and safe. The rotation can be carried out, e.g.
by hand applied to the centre pole of the vehicle, when the
latter is to be turned at the end of an irrigation strip. How-
ever, during travel of the vehicle the annular mount is not
under load.
~referably the wheels or supports of the vehicle are
secured to hydraulically operated telescopic guides connectable
by a pipe to a hydraulic drive device of a towing machine.
An apparatus embodying the invention is described
below by way of example, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figures 1 and 2 show the apparatus in side and front
elevation respectively, the apparatus being in its travelling
position,
Figures 3 and 4 show the apparatus in side and front
elevatlon respectively, the apparatus being in its operating
position; and
Figure 5 shows a schematic perspective view of the
apparatus in operation.
The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a
vehicle 1 provided with wheels 2 and a driven drum 3 extending
partly between the wheels so as to maintain a low centre of
gravity for the vehicle on which drum 3 a flexible plastic pipe
or hose 4 is coilable. At the uncoilable end of the hose 4
there is a spray nozzle 5, which is shown only in Figure 5,
which can be unreeled together with the hose 4 from the vehicle
1 and which during sprinkling is moveable via the hose 4 and
the driven drum 3 towards the vehicle 1 (Figure 5).
The vehicle is movably by means of a towing machine 6
shown in Figure 1.
The wlleels 2 and a support 14 can be hoisted by means
of elbows 7 and hydraulic cylinders 8, or by telescopic guides
_ 3 _
~()soo~z
which are not shown, to a position where the vehicle 1 rests
entirely with a foot frame 9 on the ground 10. The foot frame
9 is rotatably mounted on the underside of vehicle 1 so that
when the vehicle is in the opera~ing position shown in Figures 3
~ 3a -
i~5008Z
and 4, the vehicle is rotatable together with the drum and
wheels 2 or the support 14 about a vertical axis 11 of the foot
frame 9. It can be seen from Figure 3 that the hose 4, which is
uncoilable from the bottom of the drum 3 which is rotatable about
a horizontal axis, is moved just above the ground, where it is
guided by a coiling device 13. The possibility of uncoiling
the hose 4 from the drum at such a low level is absent from known
devices of this kind, because in them the rotating turret sup-
porting the drum is turned oppositely to the wheels of the vehicle
remaining in contact with the ground, so that these wheels and
the centre pole would obstruct the hose or plastic pipe if it
were to be uncoiled from the bottom of the drum. The low centre
of gravity of the apparatus shown in the drawings and the placing
of the foot frame 9 symmetrically with respect to the centre of
gravity are clearly evident from Figures 3 and 4.
For support of vehicle 1 at the side of the centre pole
the vertically adjustable support 14, or even wheels not repres-
ented, may be used, which wheels, like wheels 2, may be hoistable.
The vehicle 1 can be connected by a hose 15 with
the hydraulic drive of the towing machine 6, whereby the cylinders
8 may be actuated. Alternatively, a pneumatic or purely
mechanical drive may be used for the hoisting of the wheels 2.
As is evident from Figure 5, the spray nozzle 5,
when retracted into the apparatus by the hose situated near the
ground will slant only slightly, so that raising it, as in the
known apparatus, is not required.
A substantial advantage of the apparatus shown in
the drawings is it is easily controlled for shifting it into
the operating position, as well as for loading it on well wagons
or railway cars, in spite of its great weight. No dismantling
whatsoever is required, only utilization of the hydraulic drive
equipment of the towing machine 6 via the pipe 15.
--4--
11~5008Z
Retention of a railway loading gauge in the lowered
condition of the apparatus on the railway car is also assured
even for large apparatuses with winches for a pipe or hose of
large diameter and corresponding length.
