AU620903B2

AU620903B2 - Float

Info

Publication number: AU620903B2
Application number: AU39542/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Galloway
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-15
Filing date: 1989-08-11
Publication date: 1992-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2009-08-11
Also published as: AU3954289A

Description

4 COMMONWEALTH OF ASAT Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: P19835 Class Lodged: 15/8/88 Int. Class S. S

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6 0 6 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICA&NT Name of Applicant: JAMES GALLOWAY Address of Applicant: 26 Koonwarra Close, Kalgan Heights, Albany, in the State of Western Australia, Commonwealth of Australia.

Actual Inventor: JAMES GALLOWAY Address for Service:- Wray Associates Primary Industry House 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth Western Australia 6000.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled:

"FLOAT"

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2 THIS INVENTION relates to water surface barriers which can be placed on the surface of the body of stored water such as water contained by dams, tanks, swimming pools and the like for the purpose of reducing the surface area available for evaporation.

In one form the invention resides in a water surface barrier formed of rigid material for reducing the rate of water loss of water contained in a reservoir comprising an upper wall and side walls extending from the periphery of 10 said upper wall to define a space, the edges of said side S"walls being continuous and define an open face, whereby said open face is received on the surface of the water such that the space is partially filled with water to 15 result in said water surface barrier being sealingly engaged with the surface of the water and comprising regulating means to regulate the water level within the space such that a portion of the side walls are submerged, whereby said portion is provided with resisting means to 20 resist movement of said float in the water in a direction S transverse to the upper wall.

Preferably said resisting means is in the form of a flange.

Preferably said flange extends continuously along the edges of said side walls.

Preferably said flange is located in the region of said open face.

Preferably said water surface barrier is provided with additional buoyant flotation material affixed to the inner face of said upper wall.

t I 1 I 01 I 11 1 F j Preferably said regulating means is located within said side walls.

Preferably said water surface barrier is formed from a buoyant knock resistant material.

In another form the invention resides in water reservoir having a plurality of water surface barriers of the form described above arra:,ged in an edge to edge relationship over the surface of the water.

In yet another form the invention resides in a plurality 10 of water surface barriers of the form described above arranged in an edge to edge relationship over the surfa.ce of the water contained in a reservoir for reducing the rate of water loss therein.

The invention will be better understood by the following 15 description of one specific embodiment with reference to 'the accompanying drawings in which:- *e Figure 1 is a perspective v-ew of a hexagonal water surface barrier according to one embodiment; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the underface of a hexagonal water surface barrier according to one embodiment; Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of the hexagonal water surface barrier according to one embodiment; f 4 Figure 4 is a schematic side elevation of the hexagonal water surface barrier according to one embodiment incorporating additional flotation material; Figure 5 is a plan view of a square water surface barrier according to one embodiment; Figure 6 is a schematic side elevation of a square water surface barrier installed on the surface of a body of water according to a one embodiment; 10 Figure 7 is a schematic side elevation of a water surface barrier installed on the surface of a body of water according to a second embodiment; i S

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Figure 8 is a cross-sectional illustration of an earth reservoir across its inclined sides showing 15 the placement of the pair of barricades with a plurality of water surface barriers positioned between them; and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional illustration of an earth reservoir across its upright sides showing one of the barricades.

The embodiment relates to water surface barriers in the form of floats which can be used collectively to float on the surface of a body of water such as that contained in an earth reservoir, dam, tank, swimming pool or the like, in an edge to edge relationship in order to reduce water loss through evaporation.

The embodiment is directed to a float 10 having an upper wall 11 and side walls 12. The side walls 12 extend from sCRA(, the periphery of the upper wall 11 in the form of a i /30 continuous flange.

I The unattached edge of the side walls 12 define an open face creating a space 15 defined by the upper and side walls.

The upper wall 11 may be configured to forn a regular hexagon (see Figures 1-4) or a square (see ifigtqfes 5 and 6) and may also be configured to form any Suitable geometric shape. The float 10 may also be of any juitable dimension depending on the size of the body of water to be covered.

o110 To permit the stacking of the float 10 on top of a e o similarly dimensional float for ease of transportation and storage, the side walls 12 may be tapered towards its open So face, wherein the magnitude of the taper is the minimum S" required to permit stacking.

The float 10 is formed from any suitable buoyant rigid ilightweight material which is knock resistant and abrasion resistant to prevent chipping or damage to the floats during use when contact with another similar float is made.

Additional flotation material may be fixed to the inner face 13 as shown in Figure 4 to increase the buoyancy properties of the float

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In use the floats are installed on a body of water by initially immersing the floats such that the space 15 of the float 10 is partially filled with water before the float is permitted to float on the surface of the body of water with the outer face of the upper wall 11 uppermost and with the open face of the float in contact with the water such that an air gap 16 is created between the inner face of the upper wall 11 and the surface of the water I IT I 6 contained within the space 15 of the float. Once a number of similar floats have been installed on the water's surface, they will move into an edge to edge relationship with each other to substantially fully cover the surface of the water, to form a water surface barrier 17.

The water surface barrier 17 is held in place on the surface of the water and movement is inhibited due to the difference in the air pressure between the air located in the air gap 16 and the atmosphere.

*o In order for a float to be subsequently dislodged from the surface of the water thereby dismantling the water surface barrier 17 it is necessary for an upward force to be applied to the float which will overcome the weight of the water encompassed within the space 15 of the float. As a result of this force being required to lift the float, the water surface barrier will be resistant to any uplifting forces which may be applied as a result of wind over the surface of the water or wave action.

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The effect produced by the water surface barrier on the 20 water is to reduce the extent of wave action and in the case of an earth reservoir or dam tliis would be considerably reduce the extent of erosion of the side walls of the reservoir. The water surface barrier is also installed in the surface area of water available for evaporation as a result of wind moving over the surface of the water or the sun.

In the case of swimming pools the water surface barrier can serve the further advantage of providing means for heating the water. To facilitate heating of the water the upper face of the floats can be provided with a suitable coating or texture which will enhance the -9 i r III I 7 absorption of solar radiation but minimise the extent of radiation of heat from the surface. Where it is not desired that the body of water be heated the upper surface of the float can be treated to reflect solar radiation from them.

A further embodiment is shown at Figure 7 which is of a similar form to that of the first embodiment except that a side wall 12 of the float is formed with an aperture 18 which extends beyond the interior of the space 15 of the 1 float at an intermediate portion thereof and the exterior of the float.

In addition the lower end of the side wall 12 is formed with a collar 19 which extends radially inwardly from the lower end of the side wall 12. The collar 19 then terminates with an axially upwardly directed flange The further embodiment is applied to the surface of a body of water in a similar manner to the first embodiment whereby the space 15 of the float is partially filled with water to a level above the aperture 18 before the float is allowed to float freely on the water.

In the event that the heat absorbed by the float creates an increase in pressure in the air gap 16 causing the level of the water in the space 15 of the float to' fall to the level of the aperture 18 such that the excess Air pressure can then be vented to the atmosphere through the aperture 18. Therefore it is not possible for the flat. to be raised to a level in the water as a result of heat increasing the air pressure within the space 15 of the float, at which the lower ends of the side walls 12 of the float lie adjacent the surface of the water which would S 8then increase the likelihood of the float being dislodged from the water by wind moving over the water.

In addition the presence of the collar 19 at the lower end of the side walls 12 of the float serves to provide a means which will inhibit the upward movement of the float within the water and therefor dislodgement of the float in the event of strong wind conditions being present.

In yet another embodiment there is provided an earth reservoir 30 which is created by excavating the ground to *oo 10 produce a reservoir which possesses two inclined sides 31 opposite each other and two substantially upright sides 32 o* opposite each other.

So* The reservoir 30 is provided with a pair of barricades 33 which are permeable. The barricades 33 are suspended across the reservoir and affixed to the upright sides 32 of the reservoir. The barricades may comprise an open mesh or netting of any appropriate material.

0.0 Each barricade 33 is positioned opposite and substantially parallel to each of the inclined sides 31 of the reservoir at the junction 34 between the inclined side 31 and the I base 35 of the reservoir. The barricades 33 are spaced apart t) create a region marked The water surface barrier 17 is held between the pair of barricades 33 in the region marked in order to prevent the water surface barrier from contacting the inclined sides 31 of the reservoir when the water level of the reservoir decreases through use. More specifically the barricades prevent the individual floats assembled on the outer edges of the water surface barrier 17 from becoming 9 lodged in the earth of the inclined sides 31 as the level of water decreases.

In use the earth reservoir is created, allowed to fill with water and the pair of barricades 33 erected. The wate': surface barrier 17 comprising the floats 10 are installed on the surface of the water in the manner earlier described.

The water surface barrier is held in place by the barricades 33. The regions of the water's surface which oo :;10 remain uncovered (marked are accessible for utilisation eg grazing animals etc.

The water surface barrier covers the majority of the surface area of the earth reservoir thereby reducing the rate of evaporation.

Various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims

1. A water surface barrier formed of rigid material for reducing the rate of water loss of water contained in a reservoir comprising an upper wall and side walls extending from the periphery of said upper wall to define a space, the edges of said side walls being continuous and define an open face, whereby said open face is received on the surface of the water such that the space is partially filled with water to result in said water surface barrier comprising regulating means to regulate the water level within the space such that a portion of the side walls are submerged, whereby said portion is provided with resisting means to resist movement of said float in the water in a direction transverse to the upper wall.

2. A water surface barrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resisting means is in the form of a flange.

3. A water surface barrier as claimed in claim 2 wherein said flange extends continuously along the edgeis of said side walls.

4. A water surface barrier as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein said flange is located in the region of said open face.

A water surface barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims provided with additional buoyant flotation material affixed to the inner face of said upper wall.

6. A water surface barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said regulating means is l tlocated within said side walls. i 11

7. A water surface barrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims formed from a buoyant knock resistant material.

8. A water reservoir having a plurality of water surface barriers arranged in an edge to edge relationship over the surface of the water wherein each water surface barrier is of the type as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

9. A water surface barrier as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this NINTH day of DECEMBER 1991. JAMES GALLOWAY Applicant. Wray Associates, Perth, Western Australia, Patent Attorneys for Applicant. S* S 9* S* I