STEPHEN B ROWE
Vehicle Board in Du Bois, PA

4632494, Dec 30, 1986

Mar 17, 1986

6/840539

Stephen D. Newell - DuBois PA
Stephen B. Rowe - DuBois PA
John M. Bukousky - Sykesville PA

Alco Industries, Inc. - Valley Forge PA

B05B 318

239184

A self-propelled, linear-forwardly, relatively slow-moving irrigating apparatus has a main frame and master drive unit carrying a rotating, water-supplying, pipe-like, axle shaft that provides a side-extending wheel-line along which are spaced what may be termed power, booster and wheeled spray units that enable a large area of ground crop to be irrigated at one time. Longitudinally spaced-apart hydrants are provided along the length of the field that is to be irrigated to detachably receive a flexible water-supplying hose that is also detachably carried by the main frame. The apparatus has automatic means for maintaining the main frame and the wheel-line in an aligned forwardly advancing relation, for stopping forward movement when a serious obstruction is encountered and when the desired full extent of its advance along a side-extending anchored guide cable has been attained. Combustion engine and coupling means is provided for the main frame and a wheel-line power unit to drive the apparatus backwardly towards its starting position without the need for auxiliary drag-back tractor or other equipment.