GB2177582A - Control system for a plurality of irrigation sprinklers - Google Patents
Control system for a plurality of irrigation sprinklers Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2177582A GB2177582A GB08616867A GB8616867A GB2177582A GB 2177582 A GB2177582 A GB 2177582A GB 08616867 A GB08616867 A GB 08616867A GB 8616867 A GB8616867 A GB 8616867A GB 2177582 A GB2177582 A GB 2177582A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- controller
- control system
- pressure
- valve
- sprinklers
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G25/00—Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like
- A01G25/16—Control of watering
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
- Y02A40/10—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in agriculture
- Y02A40/22—Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
Abstract
An electrical control system for a plurality of irrigation sprinklers supplied by a water distribution pipe-line from a common pump 2. Each sprinkler 1 or group of interconnected sprinklers 1,1', 1'' is supplied through an individual branch pipe 4 from a main supply pipe 3 leading from the common pump 2. Each branch pipe 4 contains a solenoid-operable on/off valve 5 controlled by electrical controller 6. This may be a solid state electronic type. A pressure responsive switch 8 is set override opening of the valve 5 by the controller 6 when the delivery pressure in branch pipe 4 falls below the predetermined pressure for efficient sprinkling. With this system there is only a need for electrical cables between each solenoid valve 5 and the respective controller 6, there being no electrical cables between the controllers 6 and the pump 2. Thus long lengths of cable and consequent loss of control signals are avoided. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Control system for a plurality of irrigation sprinklers
The invention rel ates to a control system for a pl ural- ityofirrigation sprinklers our a plurality of groups of interconnected sprinklers.
The invention is particularly concerned with switching the sprinklers on and off at timed intervals so that automatic irrigation can be performed ata plurality of separate locations, for example, the greens on a golf course.
According to the invention, a plurality of separate locations to be automatically irrigated, each have a sprinkler, ora group of interconnected sprinklers, supplied by a pipe-line distribution system from a common pump, the pipe-line distribution system including a branch pipe leading to the sprinkler, or group of interconnected sprinklers, at each location, each branch pipe including in series an individual on/offvalve and a water pressure-responsive device which is set to operate to override opening of the valve at a pressure below a predetermined delivery pressure, the control system including a controllerfor opening and closing the on/off valve at pre-settime periods, each pressure-responsive device being operableto overridethe opening of the respective on/off valve by the controller when the delivery pressure falls below said predetermined pressure.
Preferably the on/offvalves are solenoid-operable andthe controller is an electrical controller.Acom- mon electrical controller may operate one or a plurality ofthe on/off valves and may be locatable at a position adjacent or remote from the valves. The controller may be of a solid state electronic kind.
By employing solenoid-operable on/offvalves, it is only necessary to have wiring leading from a control lerto the or each of the on/off valves operable by the controller. The pump is not controlled by the control ler and so there is no control circuitry between the controller or controllers and the pump. This avoids the need for long electrical circuitry with consequent loss of electrical control signalsto the solenoid- operable valves.
The pressure-responsive devices are provided to ensure that in the event of pump delivery pressure below said predetermined pressure or pump failure, the on/offvalves cannot be opened by the controller and so waterwill not flow from the pipe-line distribution system.
Where the on/off valves are solenoid-operable, each pressure-responsive device would be an electrical switch which would prevent the controllerfrom opening the solenoid-operable valve or valves. Thus when the pump pressure falls below the predetermined pressure for any reason, the controller cannot open the solenoid-operable valve orvalves and so water cannot run out from the pipe-line distribution system and flood the green. The predetermined pressure to which the pressure-responsive valves are set is chosen to be more than the static pressure which would occurinthedistribution pipestoa sprinklerorgroupofsprinklers,forexample,ata green on a golf-course.
Each solenoid-operable valve can be manually adjustable so thatthe controller can be over-ridden buy a local operator, for example, a golf-course greenkeeper.
Each on/off valve may also be connected in series with an upstream manually-operable closable valve, wherebythe supply of waterto any sprinkler orgroup of interconnected sprinklers can be interrupted, for example,toenablerepairormaintenanceto be performed.
Byway of example, an embodiment of a control system in accordance with the invention,forasprink- ler or group of interconnected sprinklers at a plurality of locations is now described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a combined water and electrical circuit diagram.
Referring to the drawing, each sprinkler or group of interconnected sprinklers 1,1 1" is supplied through a pipe-line distribution system from a common pump 2. The pipe-line distribution system includesa main pipe3anda pluralityofbranch pipes4, of which only two are shown by way of example.
There may be a large number of branch pipes 4. Each sprinkler 1 or group of sprinklers 1,1', 1" is supplied through an individual branch pipe 4. Each branch pipe 4 includes an on/offvalve 5. Each ofthe valves 5 is of a solenoid-operable type and is opened and closed by a solid-state electronic controller 6to operate at pre-selected time intervals and for pre-selected periods. There may be a controller 6 for each sole- noid-operable valveS or for several valves 5. Each controller 6 has its own power pack and so the only electrical cables 7 needed would run between a solenoid-operable valve 5 and its controller 6. Thus cables 7 can be kept short and so do not have to be laid over considerable distances of a golf course, as hitherto.
Long cables are expensive and could lead to loss of electrical operating signals. In accordance with this invention,there is no requirementforthesolenoid valves 5 and the controllers 6 to be connected to the pump2.
In series with the solenoid-operable valve 5 in each branch pipe 4, there is a pressure-responsive switch 8. This is connected to the controller 6 and overrides the pre-settimed opening of the solenoid-operable valve 5 in the event of a fall in pump pressure. The switch 8 is set to operate at a pressure below a pressure in the branch pipe 4; but above the static pressure due to the position of the sprinkler 1, that if the pump 2 is switched off orfails or the pump pressure falls to the set pressure, the pressure-responsive switch 8will override the control ler 6 and thesprink- ler 1 will remain closed during the pre-setopening time dictated by the controller 6. This prevents flooding of the green on a golf-course by water in the branch and main pipes when the pump 2 is switched offorfails.
The solenoid-operable on/offvalves 5 are also adjustable manually so that an operator in the vicinity of an on/off valve Scan adjust or override the timed opening and closing of the sprinkler 1 or sprinklers 1, 1', 1" regardless of the setting of the control ler 6.
Amanually-operablevalve9, such as gatevalve, is provided upstream of the solenoid-operable valve 5 in each branch pipe4to enable the sprinkler 1 or sprinklers 1, 1', 1" and the associated pipescommuni- cating with the branch pipe 4 to be isolated from the remainder of the branch pipe4toenablerepairof maintenance to be performed.
With the control system provided by this invention, sprinklers 1 or 1,1', 1" at each locaiity,for example, at each ofthe greens on a golf-course, can be set by the respective controller 6 or by individual controllers to be operated to a required time pattern. For example, all the controllers 6 can be set at the beginning of a season. Once setthe irrigation at its preset intervals and periods will automatically occur, except when the pump 2 is shut down or fails. When there is insufficient pump pressure, the sprinklers cannot open and so flooding of the greens and emptying of the pipe system will not occur.
Although the irrigation times and periods are pre set the controller 6 or controllers, the individual solenoid-operable on/off valves 5 can be adjusted for time and period by local operation from the vicinity of the respective on/offvalve 5, for example, by the golf-course green-keeper.
Claims (10)
1. A control system for providing automatic irrigation at a plurality of locations each having a sprinkler, or a group of interconnected sprinklers, supplied by a pipe-line distribution system from a common pump, the pipe-line distribution system including a branch pipe leading from the pump to the sprinkler, or group of interconnected sprinklers, at each location, each branch pipe including in series an individual on/offvalve and a water pressure-responsive device which issetto operate to override opening of the valve at a pressure below a predetermined deliv- ery pressure, the control system including a controllerfor opening and closing the on/offvalve at pre-set time periods, each pressure-responsive device being operable to override the opening ofthe respective on/offvalve by the controllerwhen the delivery press ure falls below said predetermined pressure.
2. A control system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the on/off valves are solenoid-operable and the controlley is an electrical controller.
3. Acontrol system as claimed in Claim 2 in which a common electrical controller is connected to operate one or a plurality of the on/offvalves.
4. A control system as claimed in Claim 3 in which the controller is located ata position adjacentthe valves it controls.
5. A control system as claimed in Claim 3 in which the controller is located at a position remote from the valves it controls.
6. A control system according to any of Claims 2-5 in which the or each controller is of a solid state electronic kind.
7. Acontrol system according to any of Claims 2-6 in which each pressure-responsive device is an electrical switch connected to prevent the controller from opening the respective solenoid-operable valve or valves.
8. A control system according to any one of
Claims 2-7 in which each solenoid-operable valve is manually adjustable whereby the controller can be overridden by local manual operation.
9. A control system according to any preceding claim in which each on/off valve is connected in series in the respective branch pipe with an upstream manually-operableclosablevalve.
10. Acontrol system for a sprinkler, or group of interconnected sprinklers, at each of a plurality of locations, constructed and arranged substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB858517711A GB8517711D0 (en) | 1985-07-13 | 1985-07-13 | Control system for irrigation sprinklers |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8616867D0 GB8616867D0 (en) | 1986-08-20 |
| GB2177582A true GB2177582A (en) | 1987-01-28 |
Family
ID=10582236
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB858517711A Pending GB8517711D0 (en) | 1985-07-13 | 1985-07-13 | Control system for irrigation sprinklers |
| GB08616867A Withdrawn GB2177582A (en) | 1985-07-13 | 1986-07-10 | Control system for a plurality of irrigation sprinklers |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB858517711A Pending GB8517711D0 (en) | 1985-07-13 | 1985-07-13 | Control system for irrigation sprinklers |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB8517711D0 (en) |
Cited By (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2334071A (en) * | 1997-09-01 | 1999-08-11 | Long Reach Irrigation Ltd | Apparatus for the distribution of a liquid under pressure |
| US8108078B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2012-01-31 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated actuator coil and decoder module for irrigation control |
| US8260465B2 (en) | 2009-07-17 | 2012-09-04 | Rain Bird Corporation | Data communication in a multi-wire irrigation control system |
| US8295985B2 (en) | 2008-12-22 | 2012-10-23 | Rain Bird Corporation | Latching solenoid energy reserve |
| US8659183B2 (en) | 2009-07-17 | 2014-02-25 | Rain Bird Corporation | Variable initialization time in the charging of energy reserves in an irrigation control system |
| US8840084B2 (en) | 2009-07-27 | 2014-09-23 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US8851447B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2014-10-07 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US10871242B2 (en) | 2016-06-23 | 2020-12-22 | Rain Bird Corporation | Solenoid and method of manufacture |
| US10980120B2 (en) | 2017-06-15 | 2021-04-13 | Rain Bird Corporation | Compact printed circuit board |
| US11234380B2 (en) | 2018-09-27 | 2022-02-01 | Rain Bird Corporation | Irrigation controller with relays |
| US11503782B2 (en) | 2018-04-11 | 2022-11-22 | Rain Bird Corporation | Smart drip irrigation emitter |
| US11721465B2 (en) | 2020-04-24 | 2023-08-08 | Rain Bird Corporation | Solenoid apparatus and methods of assembly |
-
1985
- 1985-07-13 GB GB858517711A patent/GB8517711D0/en active Pending
-
1986
- 1986-07-10 GB GB08616867A patent/GB2177582A/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (29)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2334071A (en) * | 1997-09-01 | 1999-08-11 | Long Reach Irrigation Ltd | Apparatus for the distribution of a liquid under pressure |
| GB2334071B (en) * | 1997-09-01 | 2001-12-12 | Long Reach Irrigation Ltd | Apparatus for the distribution of a liquid |
| US10070596B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2018-09-11 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US9681610B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2017-06-20 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US8108078B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2012-01-31 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated actuator coil and decoder module for irrigation control |
| US10390502B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2019-08-27 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated actuator coil and decoder module for irrigation control |
| US11337385B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2022-05-24 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US8793025B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2014-07-29 | Rain Bird Corporation | Irrigation control device for decoder-based irrigation system |
| US10842092B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2020-11-24 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US8851447B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2014-10-07 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US11805739B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2023-11-07 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated actuator coil and decoder module for irrigation control |
| US9665106B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2017-05-30 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated actuator coil and decoder module for irrigation control |
| US11185023B2 (en) | 2005-09-15 | 2021-11-30 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated actuator coil and decoder module for irrigation control |
| US8295985B2 (en) | 2008-12-22 | 2012-10-23 | Rain Bird Corporation | Latching solenoid energy reserve |
| US8909381B2 (en) | 2009-07-17 | 2014-12-09 | Rain Bird Corporation | Data communication in a multi-wire irrigation control system |
| US8260465B2 (en) | 2009-07-17 | 2012-09-04 | Rain Bird Corporation | Data communication in a multi-wire irrigation control system |
| US8659183B2 (en) | 2009-07-17 | 2014-02-25 | Rain Bird Corporation | Variable initialization time in the charging of energy reserves in an irrigation control system |
| US8532831B2 (en) | 2009-07-17 | 2013-09-10 | Rain Bird Corporation | Data communication in a multi-wire irrigation control system |
| US10058042B2 (en) | 2009-07-27 | 2018-08-28 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US10842091B2 (en) | 2009-07-27 | 2020-11-24 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US11330770B2 (en) | 2009-07-27 | 2022-05-17 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US8840084B2 (en) | 2009-07-27 | 2014-09-23 | Rain Bird Corporation | Integrated control circuitry and coil assembly for irrigation control |
| US10871242B2 (en) | 2016-06-23 | 2020-12-22 | Rain Bird Corporation | Solenoid and method of manufacture |
| US10980120B2 (en) | 2017-06-15 | 2021-04-13 | Rain Bird Corporation | Compact printed circuit board |
| US11917956B2 (en) | 2018-04-11 | 2024-03-05 | Rain Bird Corporation | Smart drip irrigation emitter |
| US11503782B2 (en) | 2018-04-11 | 2022-11-22 | Rain Bird Corporation | Smart drip irrigation emitter |
| US11793129B2 (en) | 2018-09-27 | 2023-10-24 | Rain Bird Corporation | Irrigation controller with relays |
| US11234380B2 (en) | 2018-09-27 | 2022-02-01 | Rain Bird Corporation | Irrigation controller with relays |
| US11721465B2 (en) | 2020-04-24 | 2023-08-08 | Rain Bird Corporation | Solenoid apparatus and methods of assembly |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8616867D0 (en) | 1986-08-20 |
| GB8517711D0 (en) | 1985-08-21 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |