Mobile Irrigation Machine With Underground Water Application

Abstract

An irrigation assembly has a main pipeline supported at intervals by mobile towers, a plurality of drop tube assemblies at spaced intervals along the pipeline and a collector positioned to receive water from the drop tube assembly. A plurality of targets are positioned on the ground in the paths of motion defined by the movement of the collectors. The targets may be dishes. Each dish preferably has a perforated drain that penetrates beneath the surface of the ground. Interaction between the collector and the target causes the water stored within the collector to be released into the target. The irrigation assembly may provide for underground irrigation without a collector where a dish or trough receives water from the drop tube assembly and underground drains allow for water to be dispersed below the ground.

1 . An irrigation assembly comprising a main pipeline connected to a water supply, the pipeline being supported at intervals by mobile towers, and a plurality of collectors in fluid communication with the pipeline for receiving water from the pipeline, each collector having walls defining a water inlet and a water retaining cavity and being pivotally mounted to the irrigation assembly about a top end of the collector. 
   
   
       2 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of drop tube assemblies attached to main pipeline and extending downwardly therefrom, the drop tube assemblies being in fluid communication with the main pipeline. 
   
   
       3 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 2  wherein the drop tube assembly comprises a drop tube attached to the main pipeline on one end, a pressure regulator on the other end of the drop tube, a nozzle attached to the downstream end of the pressure regulator, and wherein the collector is attached to one of the drop tube or the nozzle. 
   
   
       4 - 5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 1  wherein the collector top end is mounted on a spindle. 
   
   
       7 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 1  wherein the movement of the collectors over the ground defines a plurality of collector paths and further comprising a plurality of stationary targets positioned on the ground in at least one collector path. 
   
   
       8 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 7  wherein the target is a dish, each dish having an open upper end and a drain, the drain being positioned at least partially within the ground. 
   
   
       9 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 8  wherein the drain has a plurality of holes therein. 
   
   
       10 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 8  wherein the dish forms a funnel. 
   
   
       17 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 8  wherein the dish holds approximately 3 gallons. 
   
   
       18 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 2  wherein a moisture probe assembly is mounted to the drop tube assembly to provide for testing the moisture level of the ground when the irrigation system is in use. 
   
   
       19 . An irrigation assembly comprising a main pipeline connected to a water supply, the pipeline being supported at intervals by mobile towers, a plurality of drop tube assemblies downwardly extending from the main pipeline, a collector associated with each drop tube assembly and in fluid communication therewith for receiving water from the pipeline, each collector having walls defining a water inlet and a water retaining cavity, the movement of the collectors over a ground surface defining a respective plurality of collector paths and a plurality of stationary targets positioned on the ground with at least one target in each collector path for receiving water from the collector and with each collector being pivotally mounted to the irrigation assembly about a top end of the collector. 
   
   
       20 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 19  wherein collector top end is mounted on a spindle. 
   
   
       21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 20  wherein the target is a dish, each dish having an open upper end. 
   
   
       23 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 22  wherein each dish has a drain which is positioned at least partially within the ground. 
   
   
       24 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 23  wherein the dish drain has a plurality of holes located therein and positioned underground. 
   
   
       25 . The irrigation assembly of  claim 19  wherein a moisture probe assembly is mounted to the irrigation assembly. 
   
   
       26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . A method of operating an irrigation assembly of the type having a main pipeline connected to a water supply and supported at intervals by mobile towers, comprising the steps of:
 positioning a plurality of collectors in fluid communication with the pipeline for receiving water from the pipeline and selectively discharging it, each collector having walls defining a water inlet and a water retaining cavity and being pivotally mounted to the irrigation assembly about a top end of the collector;   controlling at least one of the flow rate into the collector and the flow rate out of the collector such that during a first mode of operation there is a net flow into the collector;   controlling at least one of the flow rate into the collector and the flow rate out of the collector such that during a second mode of operation there is a net flow out of the collector.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein during the first mode the flow rate out of the collector is substantially zero. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein during the second mode the flow rate out of the collector is increased above the flow rate into the collector such that the collector is substantially emptied in about a minute or less. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising the steps of positioning a plurality of stationary targets in the ground at locations over which the collectors will pass and operating in the second mode when the collectors are aligned over the targets. 
   
   
       31 . (canceled) 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein during the first mode the flow rate out of the collector is substantially zero and wherein during the second mode the flow rate out of the collector is increased above the flow rate into the collector such that the collector is substantially emptied in about a minute or less. 
   
   
       33 - 44 . (canceled)