WHEEL ASSEMBLY FOR AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM

摘要

A wheel assembly for traversing a path along a ground surface having a layer of soil, the wheel assembly comprising a central support and an airless flexible covering mounted on the central support and having a plurality of rigid sections and a plurality of flexible sections. The outwardly protruding spokes urge the rigid sections into the layer of soil when the rigid sections contact the ground surface. The flexible sections flex inwardly when the flexible sections contact the ground surface so that the rigid sections and the flexible sections cooperatively form a corrugated pattern in the ground surface without urging the soil to side margins of the airless flexible covering, the corrugated pattern having a plurality of valleys formed by the rigid sections and a plurality of peaks formed by the flexible sections.

主权项

1. A wheel assembly attachable to a movable support structure for traversing a path along a ground surface having a layer of soil, the wheel assembly comprising:
a central support having a plurality of outwardly protruding spokes that define a plurality of recesses therebetween; and an airless flexible covering mounted on the central support and having a plurality of rigid sections each including an inwardly facing mounting boss for aligning with and engaging the outwardly protruding spokes, and a plurality of flexible sections for aligning with the recesses, the outwardly protruding spokes being configured to urge the rigid sections into the layer of soil when the rigid sections contact the ground surface and wherein the recesses between the outwardly protruding spokes permit the flexible sections to flex inwardly towards the recesses when the flexible sections contact the ground surface so that the rigid sections and the flexible sections cooperatively form a corrugated pattern in the ground surface without urging the soil to side margins of the airless flexible covering such that the corrugated pattern includes a plurality of valleys formed by the rigid sections and a plurality of spaced peaks formed by the flexible sections.