GB2256157A

GB2256157A - An ornamental pond accessory

Info

Publication number: GB2256157A
Application number: GB9210759A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Barry Johnson; George Vincent Hurst
Original assignee: ADVISORY AQUATIC CENTRE LIMITE
Current assignee: ADVISORY AQUATIC CENTRE LIMITE
Priority date: 1991-05-25
Filing date: 1992-05-20
Publication date: 1992-12-02
Also published as: GB9210759D0; GB9111400D0

Abstract

An ornamental pond accessory comprises a moulded plastics shell in two sections 10,11, whose exterior resembles rock and forms a series of pools with waterfalls between them and whose hollow interior conceals a multi-stage filter which receives water pumped from the main pond, via distributor 22, 23, and feeds filtered water to the upper pool 14 over weir 13 to return to the pond. The filter comprises coarse and fine foam plastics sheets 18, 17 followed by a packing 16 of short cylinders designed to treat the water biologically. The treated water flows under wall 19 and up through zone 24 where it is irradiated by ultra-violet tube 25 to kill the algae. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ORNAMENTAL POND ACCESSORY THIS INVENTION concerns an ornamental pond accessory incorporating a device for the biological treatment of pond water.

Such devices are known per se and usually consist of a vessel containing a filter medium over which water pumped from an ornamental garden pond is distributed for passage through and over the filter medium such that a build up of biomass on the latter, once established, will biologically treat the pond water such that it may issue from the device in a treated and partially clarified manner.

The upper region of the filter medium normally consists of one or more sheets of cellular plastics material which serves as a mechanical filter to remove flocculated solids.

Such treatment devices currently available are generally of an aesthetically unattractive nature and must be concealed adjacent the pond either amongst nearby vegetation or by a surrounding wall or screen. Another difficulty is that the filtered water outlet is usually in the form of a simple pipe which must be positioned in such a way as to provide gravity return of the filtered water to the pond.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pond water biological treatment device in which the necessity for concealment is avoided and which includes convenient and aesthetically attractive means for the gravity return of filtered water.

According to the present invention there is provided an ornamental pond accessory comprising a preformed elevated structure configured to provide between upper and lower levels thereof a waterfall or cascade and to house and conceal therewithin a vessel containing filter medium such that pond water pumped to and past through said vessel may return via the waterfall or cascade to the pond.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preformed structure providing a housing in accordance with the invention for the treatment device; and Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the structure in use.

Referring now to the drawings there is provided a preformed structure 10 of moulded plastics and representing, between upper and lower levels thereof, a natural rock waterfall. The structure includes a lid 11 which is removable to provide access to a preformed well or vessel 12.

The interior of the vessel 12, even when lid 11 is closed communicates via a weir edge 13 with a waterfall formation 14 leading to an outlet 15 which may be positioned for use over a pond for the gravity return of filtered water. The remainder of the structure surrounding the waterfall formation 14 is randomly configured to represent a rock formation, as is the upper surface of lid 11. If required, the rock-like surfaces may be provided with a grit coating for realistic effect.

As can be seen from Fig 2 the vessel 12 which in the example illustrated is integrally moulded with the remainder of the structure 10 provides a box to house the filter medium. This includes a mass 16 of loosely packed short cylindrical bodies each of which is approximately 5cm in length and 3cm in diameter and having a corrugated wall formation to provide maximum surface area for the establishment of a biomass coating. Above the mass 16 is a fine open-cellular plastics sheet 17, and above that there is a course open cellular plastics sheet 18. The filter medium comprising components 16, 17 and 18 is maintained by a baffle wall 19 which extends across the entire width of vessel 12 but terminates at 20 just above the vessel bottom.A distribution manifold 22 is mounted above the filter medium and fed by a supply pipe 23 with water pumped from the pond, by a conventional submerged pump.

The position of the baffle wall 19 leaves approximately one third of the width of the vessel as a free zone 24 into which the filtered water flows after passage beneath the baffle wall. From there, the water flows over the weir edge 13 into the waterfall formation 14. The upper edge of baffle wall 19 is positioned at such a height that should the filter medium become blocked the pumped water will simply overflow the wall and return via weir edge 13 to the pond.

As an option, there may be provided within lid 11 and positioned above zone 24 an ultra-violet light tube 25. It is known that ultra violet light serves to destroy the reproductive system of algae within the water, and causes the algae which are normally too small to be caught by the filter medium, to flocculate such that on a subsequent pass through the filter medium it will become entrapped.

Thus, the ultra-violet light source enhances the process of clarifying the pond water.

For electrical safety, if necessary, the ultra-violet light tube 25 and/or its connectors may be contained within a transparent protective housing 26.

The tube 25 may be suitable for connection to a normal mains electrical supply, or to a reduced supply of, say, 12 or 20 volts. If provided, the electrical supply equipment, including inductive choke and a starter may be safely housed in a sealed side compartment 27 away from the water.

If required, the pipe 23, which must be connected to the outlet of the submerged pump, may be concealed beneath the structure 10.

It will be appreciated that the device made in accordance with the invention serves to house and conceal a biological filter whilst providing a decorative cascade or waterfall as required by many pond owners. In addition, if required, the pools in the waterfall formation 14 may include concealed lighting connected to the same concealed power supply as is the ultra-violet light tube 25.

While the vessel 12 has been described and illustrated as integrally moulded with the remainder of the structure, it may alternatively be a separate unit simply housed within or attached to, and concealed by the structure, provided that the filtered water outlet of the vessel can communicate with the waterfall formation 14.

In this way, the structure can be used to house an existing filter device and in some cases where concealment from the front only is required, it may not be necessary for the structure to surround the filter completely.

Claims

1. An ornamental pond accessory comprising a preformed elevated structure configured to provide between upper and lower levels thereof a waterfall or cascade and to house and conceal therewithin a vessel containing filter medium such that pond water pumped to and past through said vessel may return via the waterfall or cascade to the pond.

2. An accessory according to Claim 1, wherein the preformed structure is of moulded plastics material, and configured to represent a natural rock waterfall.

3. An accessory according to Claim 2, wherein the vessel is located within the preformed structure and concealed by a removable lid also preformed to represent a part of the natural rock waterfall.

4. An accessory according to Claim 2, wherein the vessel is integrally moulded with the structure and communicates via a weir edge with the waterfall.

5. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer surface of the preformed structure is provided with a grit coating for realistic effect.

6. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the vessel includes a baffle wall extending across its entire width but terminating just above the vessel bottom thus substantially to divide the vessel into two compartments one of which, in use, contains said filter medium, there being a pond water delivery pipe located above the filter medium.

7. An accessory according to Claim 6 , wherein the other of said compartments represents approximately one third of the total volume of the vessel and communicates at the upper level of the structure with the waterfall or cascade.

8. An accessory according to Claim 3, including an ultra violet light tube attached to the underside of said lid.

9. An accessory according to Claim 8, wherein the ultra violet light tube and/or its electrical connectors are contained within a transparent protective housing.

10. An accessory according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein the preformed structure includes a third and separate compartment to house electrical supply equipment.

11. An accessory according to Claim 6, wherein an upper edge of the baffle wall is positioned at such a height that should the filter medium become blocked, the pumped water may overflow the wall and return via the waterfall to the pond.

12. An accessory according to Claim 1, wherein the structure providing the waterfall or cascade comprises a plurality of separate pools leading successively to the base of the structure for return of filtered water to the pond.

13. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the inlet for pumped water is entirely concealed beneath the preformed structure.

14. An accessory according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the vessel is separate from but within the preformed structure.

15. An ornamental pond accessory substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.