# Sprinkler Head Blueprints **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572 "2007-06-27T01:49:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/1 "2007-06-27T01:49:11Z")
Or detailed info about a specific type of sprinkler head will do. The kind I’m looking for information about looks basically like a high hat cymbal and the top part of it moves up and down rapidly, dispersing the water in a pulsing manner. Presumably such a design has a name and there’s probably the kind of info I’m looking for on the web, if I can find out what it’s called. Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/2 "2007-06-27T02:20:52Z")
There is allot that goes into calculating the area sprinkler head will cover and how much water it will put into that area. Size and pressure of the line feeding it is required info to match up specs. I rarely deal with sprinklers but have gotten stuck with a few systems to maintain. I use this company’s sprinklers [http://www.hunterindustries.com/](http://www.hunterindustries.com/) Their distributors tend to be very helpful in meeting my needs I tell them what is wanted and they give me the appropriate head for the area. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/3 "2007-06-27T02:22:41Z")
Have you looked at [USPTO](http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html)? A quick search for “sprinkler head” and ‘fire’ in patent titles turned up these two [4108247](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=20&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22sprinkler+head%22.TI.&s2=fire.TI.&OS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire&RS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire) [4618002](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=15&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22sprinkler+head%22.TI.&s2=fire.TI.&OS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire&RS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire) Both supply links to patents from the early 1900’s. Those patents are viewable as images. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/4 "2007-06-27T02:40:47Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Have you looked at [USPTO](http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html)? A quick search for “sprinkler head” and ‘fire’ in patent titles turned up these two [4108247](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=20&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22sprinkler+head%22.TI.&s2=fire.TI.&OS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire&RS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire) [4618002](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=15&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22sprinkler+head%22.TI.&s2=fire.TI.&OS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire&RS=TTL/%22sprinkler+head%22+AND+TTL/fire) Both supply links to patents from the early 1900’s. Those patents are viewable as images. [/QUOTE] What I’m looking for is more along the lines of a lawn type sprinkler (though the final application _won’t_ be for that, and it’ll have to be modified, I’m sure) and the up and down motion has to be rapid, on the order of at least a couple of times a minute (probably faster). The two you linked to appeared to be one shot spring up dealies, and it doesn’t appear that the ones **boytyperanma** linked to have the feature I need, either. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/5 "2007-06-27T03:14:34Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] a lawn type sprinkler [/QUOTE] I don’t know where I read ‘fire sprinkler’. :smack: Here’s a recent [variable flow, pulsing sprinkler head patent](http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22sprinkler+head%22.TI.&s2=pulsing&OS=TTL/). It too contains links to prior art. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/6 "2007-06-27T03:23:04Z")
You can’t use a Langstrom seven-inch gangley wrench on a Finley sprinkler head! Check volume XIV of the Kinsly manual. It says sprocket not socket! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/7 "2007-06-27T04:36:56Z")
Perhaps a Rain Bird [LF head?](http://www.rainbird.com/ag/products/LFseries/LFSeries.htm) That’s about the only irrigation sprinkler I’ve seen that doesn’t look like a plain old [pop-up spray](http://www.rainbird.com/diy/products/sprays/1800series.htm) or [impact head.](http://www.rainbird.com/diy/products/impacts/25pjdac.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/8 "2007-06-28T00:27:31Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] Perhaps a Rain Bird [LF head?](http://www.rainbird.com/ag/products/LFseries/LFSeries.htm) That’s about the only irrigation sprinkler I’ve seen that doesn’t look like a plain old [pop-up spray](http://www.rainbird.com/diy/products/sprays/1800series.htm) or [impact head.](http://www.rainbird.com/diy/products/impacts/25pjdac.htm) [/QUOTE] Hmm. That’s somewhat close, I might able to do something with that. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/9 "2007-06-28T01:53:23Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] I don’t know where I read ‘fire sprinkler’. :smack: [/QUOTE] If it’s any consolation, I made the exact same error and it wasn’t until I read your second post that I realized my mistake. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/10 "2007-06-28T05:43:10Z")
Is it a [Maxi Paw](http://www.rainbird.com/landscape/products/rotors/2045a_maxipaw.htm)? The housing lives underground and the top pops up and dances like a cymbal. We live by these things out here in the desert so they sound like music to me … ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sprinkler-head-blueprints/409572/11 "2007-06-28T10:45:26Z")
No Steve Martin fans ehh? ☹