GB2128269A - Fountain - Google Patents

Abstract

A display fountain is provided comprising a pedestal base (10, 11) mounting a water catchment apron (12) in the form of a shallow-dished element. Water-spraying means, for example an electric pump (30), serve to spray water upwardly such that it falls on the apron (12). The fountain is dismantleable into several components for storage and, to this end, the apron (12) can be made separable from the base (10, 11) which itself can be separated into upper (11) and lower (10) parts. The fountain is suitable for decorative purposes or for displaying products such as, for example, fresh- cut fruit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fountain The present invention relates to a fountain and, in particular, but not exclusively, to a dismantlable fountain suitable for decorative purposes or for displaying products such as, for example, fresh-cut fruit.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fountain comprising a pedestal base, water-spraying means operative to spray water upwardly such that it falls over a predetermined area, and a water catchment apron mounted on said base and arranged to collect the water falling over said predetermined area, the fountain being dismantlable and/or the apron being pivotally carried on the base.

Preferably, the water catchment apron is a shallow-dished element arranged to return water falling thereon back to a water reservoir tank from which the water-spraying means draws water.

Advantageously, the tank is integral with the apron and the water-spraying means includes a submersible pump seated in the tank. Where the fountain is arranged to be dismantlable, the component constituting the apron and tank is arranged to lift off the top of the pedestal base and the pump is removable from the tank; furthermore, the base is preferably constituted by upper and lower base parts releasably couplable together.

Pivoting of the apron on the base can be achieved by forming the central bottom part of the apron with a part spherical surface arranged to seat in a circular opening in the upper end of the base. Alternatively, or additionally, the apron (or base) can be provided with two diametrically- disposed pivot pins arranged to engage with the base (or apron) to define a horizontal (or near horizontal) axis of pivoting for the apron on the base.

Various other novel aspects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example, of a dismantlable fountain, reference being made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fountain; Figure 2 is a vertical section through the fountain during operation using a first form of fountain head; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of part of the upper end of the fountain base; Figure 4 is a vertical section similar to Figure 2 but with a second form of fountain head in position; and Figure 5 illustrates the stackability of component parts of the fountain.

The fountain comprises a two-part pedestal base 1 a saucer-like display tray 1 2 integrally formed with a water-reservoir tank 1 3 which seats in the upper end of the upper base part 11, and water-spraying means 1 5 arranged to spray water upwardly and outwardly from the central zone of the display tray 12 towards the peripheral portions 14 of this tray.

One possible use of the fountain is to display fruit in an attractive manner under a continual shower of water which keeps the fruit both cool and clean. In this case, the fruit to be displayed is placed on the peripheral portion 14 of the tray 11 so that during operation of the water-spraying means 15, the fruit is continually drenched with a shower of water. Owing to the saucer shape of the tray 12, water falling on the peripheral portion 14 of this tray drains back towards the water reservoir tank 1 2 from where it is taken up again by the water-spraying means 1 5.

A more detailed description of the fountain will now be given.

The three main structural components of the fountain (that is, the lower and upper base parts 10, 11 and the tray-and-tank component) are all made from fibreglass and are readily assembled and disassembled. The mating ends of the lower and upper base parts 10, 11 are formed with connecting flanges 16 enabling the part 11 to be seated on the part 10 and to be connected thereto by means of nut and bolt combinations 1 7. The upper end of the upper base part 11 defines a circular opening arranged to seat the tray-andtank component 12, 13.

The form of the tray-and-tank component 12, 1 3 can be seen from the cross-sectional view of this component given in Figure 2. As can be seen, the tank 1 3 includes a well portion 1 8 surrounded by a ledge 1 9. Intermediate the upper end of the tank 13 and the sloping portion 14 of the tray 12, the tray-and-tank component is formed with a locating shoulder 20 and a part-spherical seating portion 21. This seating portion 21 is arranged to engage the upper end of the base part 11 to seat the tray-and-tank component 12, 1 3 on the pedestal base.

The seating portion 21 rigidly mounts two diametrically opposed pins 22 which are arranged to engage in L-shaped slots 23 provided in the upper edge of the base part 11 (see Figures 3 and 5). The engagement of the pins 22 in the slots 23 serves to prevent accidental dislodgement of the tray-and-tank component 1 2, 1 3 from the pedestal base. The pins 22 also serve to define a horizontal axis of pivoting of the tray-and-tank component 12, 13 on the base.

The tray 12 is formed with four strengthening ribs 24 which, in cross section, have an inverted U-shaped profile.

The water-spraying means 1 5 of the fountain comprises a submersible pump 30 located within the tank 13, and a fountain head 31 fed with water under pressure from the pump 30. The pump 30 will generally be an electrically powered pump supplied via a lead 29 which passes through a water tight seal 32 in the bottom of the well portion 18 to a power supply unit 33. This latter unit may either be a self contained power source or maybe a transformer unit fed with mains electricity.

In order to conceal the pump 30 and minimise evaporation of water from the tank 30, a tank cover 25 is preferably seated on the locating shoulder 20. The tank cover 25 is dome-shaped and is formed with a central aperture through which the fountain head 31 passes. The tank cover 25 is arranged to allow water which falls on the portion 14 of the tray 12 to drain back freely into the tank 13. If desired, the tank 25 can be formed to represent an ice-berg, snow-capped mountain or rocks.

The purpose of the well portion 18 and ledge 1 9 is to enable different types of fountain head 31 to be used with the pump 30. Thus in Figure 2, the pump 30 is used with a standard fountain head for which the pump is required to be seated at the level of the ledge 19; to this end, a dished tray 26 is seated on the ledge 1 9 and used to support the pump 30 at the desired height. In Figure 4, a more complex form of fountain head 31 is used with the pump 30 (for example, this fountain head may include electric lights); in the case illustrated, the pump 30 is required to be seated in the bottom of the well portion 18 so that the member 26 is no longer required.

Once the fountain has been assembled, the tank 13 and bottom of the tray 12 are filled with water and the pump 30 is energised. Water is ejected upwards and sideways from the fountain head 31 and falls on the portion 14 of the tray 12 from where it drains back into the tank 13 to be recycled. The fountain can be used decoratively or may be used for the display of goods such as, for example, fresh-cut fruit (in this latter case, the fruit would be placed on the peripheral portion 14 of the tray 1 2 so as not to be continuously submerged in water).

Due to the provision of the pins 22 and the part-spherical seating portion 21, the tray 12 can be tilted on the base to enable a better display of goods carried thereby.

The diameter of the tray 1 2 is typically 0.95 metres and the capacity of the tank 13 is of the order of three gallons.

To dismantle the fountain, the water is first drained from the tank 1 3. This may be done either simply by tipping the tray-and-tank component or a drain piug could be provided in the wall of the well portion 1 8 (the seal 32 could serve as such a drain plug. Once the water has been drained, the pump 30 and 31 are removed, the supply lead 29 being either unplugged at the pump 30 or at the power supply unit 33. Thereafter, the tray-andtank component 1 2, 13 is disengaged from the upper base part 11 and the nut and bolt combinations 1 7 are undone to disconnect the base parts 10 and 11. The shape of the base parts 10 and 11 is preferably made such that the upper base part 11 can be inverted and stacked on the lower base part 10 as illustrated in Figure 5.The tank cover 25 can be stored beneath the lower base part 10.

Various modifications to the described fountain are of course possible. Thus, for example, where food is to be displayed, the tray 12 can be covered by a transparent protective dome, part of which is hinged to enable access to the displayed food.

Furthermore, instead of providing for pivoting of the tray-and-tank component 1 2, 1 3 about a single axis, a universal type connection can be provided between this component and the upper base part 11; this can be achieved by dispensing with the pins 22 and giving the tank 13 a hemispherical form.

Although in the described fountain the water used is recycled through the pump 30, if a mains water supply was available to which the pump 30 could be connected, the water collected by the tray 12 could be fed to a drain outlet thereby dispensing with the need for the tank 1 3 (although the latter may be physically retained in order to provide a universal type connection between the tray 11 and base 10).

Where food is to be displayed, instead of this food being placed directly on the tray 12, it could be carried on a grid-like or perforated structure arranged above the tray. With such an arrangement, the tray 12 can be used as a reservoir tank for the pump unit 30 since the food will be supported clear of the water in the tray; the tray can then be given any convenient shape and the tank 13 can be dispensed with entirely. The structure carrying the food being displayed can, if desired, be made tiltable to better display the food.

Claims (12)

1. A fountain comprising a pedestal base, water-spraying means operative to spray water upwardly such that it falls over a predetermined area, and a water catchment apron mounted on said base and arranged to collect the water falling over said predetermined area, the fountain being dismantlable into two or more separate components for storage.

2. A fountain according to Claim 1, wherein the pedestal base and apron are of a fibre-reinforced synthetic resin construction.

3. A fountain according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the water catchment apron is a shallow dished element arranged to return water falling thereon back to a water reservoir tank of the fountain, the water-spraying means being arranged to draw water from this tank.

4. A fountain according to Claim 3, wherein the apron and tank are integral with each other and can be lifted off the top of the pedestal base as a single said component.

5. A fountain according to Claim 4, wherein the base is dismantlable into upper and lower components.

6. A fountain according to Claim 3, wherein the water-spraying means includes a submersible pump seated in said tank.

7. A fountain according to Claim 6, wherein the pump is removable from the tank upon dismantling of the fountain.

8. A fountain according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein the pump is covered by a removable cover which serves both to hide the pump from view and to minimise the evaporation of water from the tank.

9. A fountain according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apron is pivotal on the base.

10. A fountain according to Claim 9, wherein the central bottom part of the apron is formed with a part-spherical surface arranged to seat in a circular opening in the upper end of the base.

11. A fountain according to Claim 9, or Claim 10, wherein one from the apron and base is provided with two diametrically-disposed pivot pins while the other from the apron and base is provided with pin-receiving means arranged to receive said pins.

12. A fountain comprising a pedestal base, water spraying means operative to spray water upwardly such that it falls over a predetermined area, a water catchment apron mounted on said base and arranged to collect the water falling over said predetermined area, a water-reservoir tank into which water is arranged to drain from the apron, and a removable cover extending over the top of the tank and operative to minimise evaporation of water therefrom without unduly obstructing the draining of water from the apron into the tank.

1 3. A fountain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.