GB2222073A - Swimming pool - Google Patents

Abstract

A circulating swimming pool comprises upper water passage (4), lower water passage (5), connected thereto by passages (6,7) to form a loop, at least one partition within the upper water passage extending parallel to its length to divide the passage into two or more channels over at least a portion of its length, and motor-driven propeller(s) (11) for circulating water around the loop. A window (9) may be provided in at least one side wall and the partition(s) may be made from transparent material and may be perforated to equalise water levels in each channel. Display devices (17) may be provided to display the rate of flow or speed of the circulating water, total distance swum and the distance between two swimmers. The speed of motors (12) may be adjusted independently to vary the flow rate in each channel. The pool may also be used for model boats or industrial testing. <IMAGE>

Description

SWIMMING POOLS The present invention relates to so-called circulating swimming pools in which the water is caused to circulate around a closed loop comprising upper and lower passages enabling a person to swim against the flow and remain stationary. Such pools may be used for instructional purposes, contests and intensified training and instruction.

A swimming pool is known in which the water flows around a closed loop, the loop lying in a vertical plane. Such a pool will be briefly described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, which are a diagrammatic side elevation of the pool and a sectional view on the line II-II in Figure 1, respectively.

The pool has an outer casing 1 which is mounted on a foundation 2 and is divided by a horizontally disposed partition plate 3 into an upper water passage 4, a lower passage 5 and a front and rear curved water passages 6 and 7, each connecting the upper and lower water passages 4 and 5.

A side wall 8 of the pool outer casing 1 has an observation window 9 through which one can observe the upper water passage 4. A portion of the top of the casing 1 is cut away to expose a free water surface in the upper passage 4. Thus a swimmer within the exposed portion 10 of the upper water passage 4 may be observed from the top and from the side.

Disposed within the lower water passage 5 is a water circulation propeller 11 which is driven by a motor 12 disposed outside of the pool outer casing 1.

When the propeller 11 is driven, the water is forced to flow around the loop defined by passages 4,5,6 and 7.

A swimmer swimming against the flow of water in section 10 of the upper passage 4 can match his speed with the speed of flow of the water and thereby remain stationary.

In a circulating water pool of the type described above, only one swimmer may swim at a time, making direct comparison between the techniques of two swimmers difficult. It is also of course impossible to hold a side by side swimming race in such a pool.

In view of the above, a primary object of the present invention is to solve these problems, and furthermore, to reduce the cost of producing a circulating swimming pool.

According to the present invention a circulating swimming pool comprises an upper water passage, a lower water passage connected thereto to form a loop, water circulating means arranged to circulate water around the loop and at least one partition within the upper water passage and extending parallel to its length which divides the upper water passage into two or more parallel channels over at least a proportion of its length, at least a portion of the length of the upper water passage being visible from the exterior of the swimming pool. Thus the upper water passage, that is to say the portion of the loop which is actually used by one or more swimmers, is divided into two or more channels, each of which is sufficiently wide to accommodate a swimmer whereby two or more swimmers may use the pool simultaneously side by side.

In the preferred embodiment the pool is partially defined by two side walls extending parallel to the partition(s), at least one of the side walls, and preferably both the side walls, including a transparent portion through which the upper water passage is visible. It is preferred that the or each transparent portion is positioned so that, in use, it is partially or wholly below the normal water level whereby a swimmer in the channel adjacent the transparent portion may be readily viewed under water from the exterior of the pool. It is preferred also that the upper water passage is upwardly open to the atmosphere over a proportion of its length. In the preferred embodiment the upper water passage is covered by an outer casing of the pool at its ends but upwardly open over its central portion so that the swimmer or swimmers in the pool may be viewed from above.Thus in the preferred embodiment the swimmer or swimmers in the pool may be viewed both from above through the open portion of the roof of the pool casing and also from below through the transparent portion or portions in the side walls whereby the swimmer's technique may be precisely evaluated by a viewer.

The partition or partitions may extend only over the central portion of the upper water passage or over its entire length but in the preferred embodiment the or each partition extends over the entire length of the loop and divides it into two or more separate channels, each of which includes respective water circulating means. Whilst the water circulating means in the different channels may be operated to produce water to flow at the same speed in each channel it will be appreciated that this construction opens up the possibility of providing different water speeds in the different channels. It is preferred that the or each partition is made of transparent material or includes a transparent portion, at least at that area at which it extends through the upper water passage and this permits the swimmer in each channel to see the swimmer in the adjacent channel.

It is preferred that the pool includes display means associated with each channel arranged to display the speed of the water in that channel and possibly also further information such as the distance between swimmers in adjacent channels.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a description of a preferred embodiment of a circulating pool according to the invention, which is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 3 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a circulating water pool according to the present invention; and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the pool in Figure 3 viewed in the direction of the arrows IV.

The same reference numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the Figures.

The swimming pool shown in Figures 3 and 4 includes a vertical partition wall 13 located between and parallel to the side walls 8 of the outer casing 1 of a circulating swimming pool. The partition wall is welded to the inner surfaces of a bottom plate 14 and front and rear curved plates 15 and 16 and is positioned at an equal distance from each side wall 8 so that it lies along the longitudinal centre line of the swimming pool.

The partition wall is of the same size as the side walls 8 and thus the swimming pool is divided into two pools or channels 1' which are each defined by the partition wall 13, one side wall 8 and the outer casing 1, and are thus identical and completely sealed from one another. Each pool 1' is sufficiently wide to enable a person to swim in it.

Each pool 1' is divided into an upper passage 4, a lower passage 5 and front and rear passages 6 and 7 by a horizontally disposed partition plate 3 which extends in each pool 1' between the common partition wall 13 and one of the side walls 8.

Disposed in each pool 1' is a propeller 11 which is driven by a respective motor 12 located outside the outer casing 1.

A window 9, of transparent material may be provided in each side wall 8 to facilitate the observation of a swimmer using the swimming pool. The partition wall 13 may be made from the same material as the outer casing 1, or from a transparent material, or may be made in the same manner as the side walls 8 with a window similar to the window 9. In a modified construction the partition wall 13 is perforated, allowing the water levels in the pools 1' automatically to be kept the same.

Each water pool 1' is associated with a display device 17 which displays the rate of flow or speed of the water within the pool 1' or at the surface of the water in the pool 1'. It may also display the distance between two simmers in the pools 1'. It is preferable that such display device 17 is mounted so that the swimmer in each pool 1' can observe the data displayed.

The mode of operation is as follows: Each pool 1' is filled to the same level with water by introducing the same volume of water into each of them unless the partition wall 13 is perforated in which case the required amount of water to fill both of them may be introduced into either of them. When the motors 12 are energised, water flows independently around the loop of each pool 1'.

The two pools 1' are parallel to one another and may accommodate respective swimmers at the same time who swim in the direction opposite to that of the flow of the water.

When the whole partition wall 13 is transparent or the partition wall 13 is formed with an observation window, the two swimmers can easily compare each others' swimming technique with their own.

Furthermore, a trainer may simultaneously compare the techniques of the two swimmers and give appropriate coaching. This is of course much easier than comparing two swimmers indirectly using a conventional circulating swimming pool with room only for one person.

The speeds of the two motors 12, and consequently the flow rate in each pool 1', may be adjusted independently.

The flow rates in the two water pools 1' are displayed on the display devices 17, which are disposed above the water surface or in the water in section 10 of the upper passage 4, so that the difference in flow rate between the two water pools 1' can be seen easily.

The display devices 17 may display not only the total distance swum by each swimmer calculated from the water speed and the elapsed time, but also the distance between two swimmers in a race.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and that various modifications may be effected within the scope of the present invention. For instance, two or more partition walls may be installed to define three or more pools. The water speed in the two pools need not be the same but may be different to compensate for differing speeds of the two swimmers.

It will be appreciated that since the water level is the same on both sides of the partition(s) there is no pressure differential across it. The partition may thus be of very light construction. Whilst the pool in accordance with the present invention has been described as a swimming pool it will be appreciated that it may be used for other purposes, such as for model boats or industrial testing, and the term swimming pool is to be interpreted accordingly.

Claims (7)

1. A circulating swimming pool comprising an upper water passage, a lower water passage connected thereto to form a loop, water circulating means arranged to circulate water around the loop and at least one partition within the upper water passage and extending parallel to its length which divides the upper water passage into two or more parallel channels over at least a proportion of its length, at least a portion of the length of the upper water passage being visible from the exterior of the swimming pool.

2. A pool as claimed in claim 1 which is partially defined by two side walls extending parallel to the partition(s), at least one of the side walls including a transparent portion through which the upper water passage is visible.

3. A pool as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the upper water passage is upwardly open to the atmosphere over a proportion of its length.

4. A pool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the or each partition extends over the entire length of the loop and divides it into two or more separate channels, each of which includes respective water circulating means.

5. A pool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the or each partition is made of transparent material or includes a transparent portion at that area at which it extends through the upper water passage.

6. A pool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which includes display means associated with each channel and arranged to display the speed of the water in that channel.

7. A circulating swimming pool substantially as specifically herein described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.