Wheel and drive means for irrigation sprinkler system

Claim 2

In an irrigation system in which a waterline is moved across an area to be irrigated, a plurality of towers spaced along and supporting said waterline, a beam forming an integral part of each said tower and positioned at right angles to the waterline, wheels positioned at the ends of said beams supporting said beams and towers and thereby said waterline, the wheels being selectivEly adjustable to a first position perpendicular to said waterline to enable it to be moved in a direction normal to its length and wherein the wheel at one end of said beam tracks exactly in the track of the wheel at the other end of said beam, and a second position parallel to said waterline to enable it to be towed lengthwise, and means on each of said towers connecting the wheels thereof for adjusting them simultaneously to either of the sad positions with a single actuating member.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 in which each beam has a bearing adjacent each end thereof, a fork pivotally associated with and extending downwardly from each bearing, a said wheel in each fork, a rod connecting the forks and pivoted to them and a lever for moving the rod to adjust the forks and wheels between said two positions.

Claim 4

An irrigation system in which a waterline is moved across an area to be irrigated comprising, spaced towers supporting said line and having wheels adapted to be adjusted between positions perpendicular to the line to enable it to be moved in a direction normal to its length and positions parallel to the line to enable it to be towed lengthwise, means on each of said towers connecting the wheels thereof for adjustment simultaneously with a single actuating member, power drive means for each wheel including gears in mesh when the line is being moved normal to its length, and means to disengage said gears automatically upon adjustment of the wheels for lengthwise movement of the line.

Claim 5

An irrigation system in which a waterline is moved across an area to be irrigated comprising, spaced towers supporting said line and having wheels adapted to be adjusted between positions perpendicular to the line to enable it to be moved in a direction normal to its length and positions parallel to the line to enable it to be towed lengthwise, means on each of said towers connecting the wheels thereof for adjustment simultaneously with a single actuating member, power drive means for each wheel including gears in mesh when the line is being moved normal to its length, and means to disengage said gears automatically upon adjustment of the wheels for lengthwise movement of the line.

Claim 6

An irrigation system in which a waterline is moved across an area to be irrigated comprising, spaced towers supporting said line, each said tower including a beam with a bearing adjacent each end, a fork pivotally associated with and extending from each bearing, a ground-engaging wheel in each fork, a rod connecting the forks and pivoted to them, a lever for moving the rod to adjust the forks and wheels between a first position wherein said wheels are perpendicular to said line and a second position wherein said wheels are parallel to said line, power drive means for each said wheel including a shaft extending downwardly through each bearing, a shaft extending transversely in the fork above the wheel, gears forming a driving connection between said shafts when the wheels are in said first position, means for separating the gears when the wheels are in said second position, and a driving connection between the transverse shaft and the wheel.

Claim 7

An irrigation system in which a waterline is moved across an area to be irrigated comprising, spaced towers supporting said line, each said tower including a beam with a bearing adjacent each end, a fork pivotally associated with and extending from each bearing, a ground-engaging wheel in each fork, a rod connecting the forks and pivoted to them, a lever for moving the rod to adjust the forks and wheels between a first position wherein said wheels are perpendicular to said line and a second position wherein said wheels are parallel to said line, power drive means for each said wheel including a shaft extending downwardly through each bearing, a shaft extending transversely in the fork above the wheel, gears forming a driving connection between said shafts when the wheels are in said first position, means for separating the gears when the wheels are in said second position, and a driving connection between the transverse shaft and the wheel.

Claim 8

The system of claim 4 in which the gears are bevel gears one of which is slidable on the transverse shaft, a lever engaging the gear to slide it into and out of mesh with the other gear and a member fixed with respect to the support and engageable by the lever upon pivoted movement of the fork.

Claim 9

The system of claim 4 in which the lever is spring biased toward the positions of gear engagement.

Claim 10

In an irrigation system in which a waterline is moved across an area to be irrigated including a plurality of towers spaced along and supporting said line and geared drive means on each said tower connected to wheels thereon and wherein said wheels are adapted to be adjusted between a first position perpendicular to the waterline and a second position parallel to the waterline, the improvement comprising means to automatically disengage said geared drive means from each said wheel when said wheels are positioned parallel to said waterline and to automatically engage said geared drive means to each said wheel when the wheels are positioned perpendicular to the waterline.

Claim 11

In an irrigation system in which a waterline is moved across an area to be irrigated including a plurality of towers spaced along and supporting said line and geared drive means on each said tower connected to wheels thereon and wherein said wheels are adapted to be adjusted between a first position perpendicular to the waterline and a second position parallel to the waterline, the improvement comprising means to automatically disengage said geared drive means from each said wheel when said wheels are positioned parallel to said waterline and to automatically engage said geared drive means to each said wheel when the wheels are positioned perpendicular to the waterline.

Claim 12

The irrigation system of claim 7 wherein said geared drive means includes at least two pairs of bevel gears and wherein one of said pairs of bevel gears is disengaged upon positioning the wheels parallel to said waterline.