GB2187640A

GB2187640A - Water agitator

Info

Publication number: GB2187640A
Application number: GB8605904A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Shamus Wareing Gorton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-03-11
Filing date: 1986-03-11
Publication date: 1987-09-16
Also published as: GB8605904D0

Abstract

A water agitator comprising a body (1) adapted to fit inside a bath, the body defining a plurality of outlets spaced apart across its surface, an inlet, and distribution passageways connecting the inlet to each outlet. Pressurised fluid is supplied to the inlet and issues from each of the outlets. A remote pump (4) controlled by string (5) provides the pressurised fluid. The agitator may be held in position by weight or by suckers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Water agitator The present invention relatesto a wateragitator.

Baths incorporating water agitators have become increasingly popular in recent years. Baths ofthis type are usually referred to by the term "jacuzzi".

Known baths incorporating wateragitatorsare generally large enough to receive several adults and are purpose built. A number of horizontally directed inlets are provided around the periphery of the bath and high pressure jets of air and water are directed through these inlets.

The known baths are very expensive due to their size and complexity and for this reason are generally only installed incommunalfacilitiessuchassports clubsorthe like. Many people would like to have such a bath in their own homes and to meet this demand proposals have been made to convert existing conventional domestic baths by finding to them water jets. The conversion of a domestic bath does however involve considerable expense as holes have to be cut in the bath to enablethe connection thereto of appropriate jets. Furthermore a converted bath cannot be returned to its former condition and accordingly if a purchaser is not satisfied with a converted bath major expenditure including the purchase of a brand new bath is necessary if the water agitating equipment is to be removed.

It is an object ofthe present invention to obviate or mitigate the above problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a water agitator comprising a body adapted to fit inside a bath, the body defining a plurality of outlets spaced apart across its surface, an inlet, and distribution passageways connecting the inlet to each outlet, whereby pressurised fluid supplied to the inlet can be caused to issue from each ofthe outlets.

The agitator can be connected to a supply of pressurised fluid such as air by a simple pipe extending overthe side ofthe bath. For example an air pump could be provided above the ceiling of a bathroom and connected by a relatively small diameter pipe to the body inlet. The pumpcould be controlled bya ceiling switch actuable by pulling a string. The whole assembly can thus be manufactured at relatively small expense and requires no modification to the existing bath and the associated plumbing. There is no risk of electrocution as the only components to which an electrical supply is provided are remote from the bath. Air delivered from the pump agitates water in which the body is immersed when the bath is filled.The Venturi effect can be used to entrain water in the air travelling from the inlet to the outlets so that the fluid issuing from the outlets is not simply air but a mixture of air and water.

The agitator body may be fabricated from rubber or any other suitable flexible material so that it can be a relatively close fitto the bottom of the bath. The agitator body may be held in position on the bath by for example suckers of the type used in conventional anti-slip bath mats or alternatively the body may simply be suitablyweighted so asto keep it in position.

The body may be in the form of a simple relatively flat member with the outlets all provided in one side of the member so as to be directed substantiallyver- tically upwards in use. Alternatively the body may be so shaped that it extends part-way up the sides ofthe bath with the apertures being located so as to produce jets with a significant horizontal component.

A drain tap may be provided to facilitate drainage ofthe agitator body when it is removed from the bath for storage, cleaning or the like.

An embodiment ofthe present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa schematic sectional viewthrough a bath into which an agitator in accordance with the invention has been placed; Figure2 is a plan view of the body of the agitator illustrated in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an end view of the agitator body of Figure 2 taken on the lines Ill-Ill of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the agitator comprises a body 1 which as shown in Figure lisa fairly close fit to the bottom of a bath 2. The agitator is connected byan air line 3to an air pump4controlled by an electrical switch operated by a string 5.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the body 1 comprises an inlet 6 which is connected by passageways (not shown) to a plurality of outlets 7 distributed around the upper surface of the body 1. Fluid introduced into passage 6 is distributed in equal quantities to each of the outlets 7. A drainage tap 8 is provided to facilitate drainage of the passageways within the body 1.

As shown in Figure 3 the cross-sectional shape of the body 1 corresponds to the general crosssectional shape of a bath. The body 1 may be fabricated from a flexible material however so that it can fit a variety of bath shapes. For example the body 1 could be produced from two sheets of moulded rubber with the facing surfaces of the sheets shaped such that when the two sheets are secured together the necessary passageways interconnecting the inlet 6andtheoutlets7 are formed.

When air under high pressure is introduced through pipe 3to the inlet 6, the air issues from the outlet7 and agitates any water which fills the bath and covers the body 1. AVenturi device (not shown) can be provided adjacent the inlet 6 such thatwater is entrained in the stream of air injected into the body 1 so thatthe fluid issuing from the body is a mixture of air and water. This enables the nature of the agitation ofthe bath to be determined so as to meet particular requirements.

When it is desired to either remove the agitator from the bath permanently or simply to remove it for cleaning purposes it is simply necessary to dis connecttheair line3and liftthe body 1 outofthe bath. The bath is then returned to its former condition. No interconnections need to be made other than an electrical connection to the air pump 4. Accordingly a system can be installed very cheaply and can be removed equally easily if it is no longer required.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Water agitator The present invention relatesto a wateragitator. Baths incorporating water agitators have become increasingly popular in recent years. Baths ofthis type are usually referred to by the term "jacuzzi". Known baths incorporating wateragitatorsare generally large enough to receive several adults and are purpose built. A number of horizontally directed inlets are provided around the periphery of the bath and high pressure jets of air and water are directed through these inlets. The known baths are very expensive due to their size and complexity and for this reason are generally only installed incommunalfacilitiessuchassports clubsorthe like. Many people would like to have such a bath in their own homes and to meet this demand proposals have been made to convert existing conventional domestic baths by finding to them water jets. The conversion of a domestic bath does however involve considerable expense as holes have to be cut in the bath to enablethe connection thereto of appropriate jets. Furthermore a converted bath cannot be returned to its former condition and accordingly if a purchaser is not satisfied with a converted bath major expenditure including the purchase of a brand new bath is necessary if the water agitating equipment is to be removed. It is an object ofthe present invention to obviate or mitigate the above problems. According to the present invention there is provided a water agitator comprising a body adapted to fit inside a bath, the body defining a plurality of outlets spaced apart across its surface, an inlet, and distribution passageways connecting the inlet to each outlet, whereby pressurised fluid supplied to the inlet can be caused to issue from each ofthe outlets. The agitator can be connected to a supply of pressurised fluid such as air by a simple pipe extending overthe side ofthe bath. For example an air pump could be provided above the ceiling of a bathroom and connected by a relatively small diameter pipe to the body inlet. The pumpcould be controlled bya ceiling switch actuable by pulling a string. The whole assembly can thus be manufactured at relatively small expense and requires no modification to the existing bath and the associated plumbing. There is no risk of electrocution as the only components to which an electrical supply is provided are remote from the bath. Air delivered from the pump agitates water in which the body is immersed when the bath is filled.The Venturi effect can be used to entrain water in the air travelling from the inlet to the outlets so that the fluid issuing from the outlets is not simply air but a mixture of air and water. The agitator body may be fabricated from rubber or any other suitable flexible material so that it can be a relatively close fitto the bottom of the bath. The agitator body may be held in position on the bath by for example suckers of the type used in conventional anti-slip bath mats or alternatively the body may simply be suitablyweighted so asto keep it in position. The body may be in the form of a simple relatively flat member with the outlets all provided in one side of the member so as to be directed substantiallyver- tically upwards in use. Alternatively the body may be so shaped that it extends part-way up the sides ofthe bath with the apertures being located so as to produce jets with a significant horizontal component. A drain tap may be provided to facilitate drainage ofthe agitator body when it is removed from the bath for storage, cleaning or the like. An embodiment ofthe present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa schematic sectional viewthrough a bath into which an agitator in accordance with the invention has been placed; Figure2 is a plan view of the body of the agitator illustrated in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an end view of the agitator body of Figure 2 taken on the lines Ill-Ill of Figure 2. Referring to the drawings, the agitator comprises a body 1 which as shown in Figure lisa fairly close fit to the bottom of a bath 2. The agitator is connected byan air line 3to an air pump4controlled by an electrical switch operated by a string 5. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the body 1 comprises an inlet 6 which is connected by passageways (not shown) to a plurality of outlets 7 distributed around the upper surface of the body 1. Fluid introduced into passage 6 is distributed in equal quantities to each of the outlets 7. A drainage tap 8 is provided to facilitate drainage of the passageways within the body 1. As shown in Figure 3 the cross-sectional shape of the body 1 corresponds to the general crosssectional shape of a bath. The body 1 may be fabricated from a flexible material however so that it can fit a variety of bath shapes. For example the body 1 could be produced from two sheets of moulded rubber with the facing surfaces of the sheets shaped such that when the two sheets are secured together the necessary passageways interconnecting the inlet 6andtheoutlets7 are formed. When air under high pressure is introduced through pipe 3to the inlet 6, the air issues from the outlet7 and agitates any water which fills the bath and covers the body 1. AVenturi device (not shown) can be provided adjacent the inlet 6 such thatwater is entrained in the stream of air injected into the body 1 so thatthe fluid issuing from the body is a mixture of air and water. This enables the nature of the agitation ofthe bath to be determined so as to meet particular requirements. When it is desired to either remove the agitator from the bath permanently or simply to remove it for cleaning purposes it is simply necessary to dis connecttheair line3and liftthe body 1 outofthe bath. The bath is then returned to its former condition. No interconnections need to be made other than an electrical connection to the air pump 4. Accordingly a system can be installed very cheaply and can be removed equally easily if it is no longer required. CLAIMS

1. Awater agitator comprising a body adapted to fit inside a bath, the body defining a plurality of outlets spaced apart across its surface, an inlet, and distribution passageways connecting the inlet to each outlet, whereby pressurised fluid supplied to the inlet can be caused to issue from each ofthe outlets.

2. Awater agitator according to claim 1,comprises ing an air pump connected by a pipe to the body inlet.

3. A water agitator according to claim 2, compris- ing means for entraining water in the airtravelling from the inletto the outlets so thatthefluid issuing from the outlets is a mixture of air and water.

4. Awateragitatoraccording to claim 1,2or3, wherein the agitator body is fabricated from a flexible material.

5. Awater agitator according to claim 4, wherein the agitator body comprises suckers for retaining the body in position.

6. Awater agitator according to any preceding claim, wherein the agitator body is suitablyweighted so as to keep it in position.

7. Awater agitator according to any preceding claim, wherein the agitator body comprises a substantiallyflat memberwith the outlets provided in one side so as to be directed substantiallyvertically upwards in use.

8. Awateragitatoraccording to anyone of claims 1 to 6, wherein the agitator body is shaped such that it extends part-way up the sides ofthe bath with the apertures being located so as to produce jets with a significant horizontal component.

9. A water agitator according to any preceding claim, comprising a drain tap for draining the agitator body.

10. Awater agitator according to any preceding claim, wherein the agitator body is constructed from two sheets of moulded material which are secured together, the facing surfaces of the sheets being shaped such that when the sheets are secured together the distribution passageways are defined therebetween.

11. Awater agitator substantially as hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying drawings.