In-line emitter for hose

Claim 1

A flow restricting emitter of the kind used in irrigation, said emitter comprising, a one-piece tubular member having a relatively large diameter inner bore, a first end insertable within the end of a first hose section, a second end insertable within the end of a second hose section, a radially extending stop flange on the outer surface of the tubular member at the juncture of the first and second ends and having a first side surface engageable with the end of the first hose section and a second side surface engageable with the end of the second hose section to thereby prevent the hose sections from being pushed too far over either end of the tubular member, hose retaining means on the outer surface of the tubular member for retaining the first and second hose sections in place on the tubular member, radially extending flow restricting means formed on the outer surface of said first end and having an outer periphery engageable with the inner surface of the first hose section to define a flow passageway of extended length and restricted cross-sectional area between the outer surface of the first end of the tubular member and the inner surface of the first hose section, inlet means for conducting fluid from the first hose section to the inlet of the passageway, and outlet means for conducting fluid from the outlet of the passageway and between the adjacent ends of the hose sections, said outlet means including a slot extending radially through the stop flange, said hose retaining means include first barb means on said first end and second barb means on said second end and wherein the first barb means are located at the downstream end of the flow passageway between the end of the flow passageway and said stop flange and including a radially extending slot formed in the first barb means and aligned axially and radially with the slot in the stop flange.