GB2282440A

GB2282440A - A water jet arrangement for a fountain

Info

Publication number: GB2282440A
Application number: GB9419796A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clifford Barber
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-10-01
Filing date: 1994-09-30
Publication date: 1995-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-30
Also published as: GB9419796D0; GB2282440B

Abstract

A water jet arrangement for illuminating a fountain comprises light source 5 which transmits light through an optical fibre light guide 1 one end of which is inside a jet orifice formed in a water jacket 3. The colour of the light is varied by transparent disc 7 having differently coloured sectors, interposed between the light source 5 and the other end of the light guide 1, and rotatable continuously or intermittently by electric motor 13. The light source 5 and a pump are located at a point remote from the water jet arrangemenL with underground connections, or in an immersed sealed plinth supporting the water jet arrangement. A fountain comprises a plurality of internally-illuminated water jet arrangements which may be colour-synchronised. Two or more fountains can utilise a single light source 5 transmitting light through several optical fibre light guides. <IMAGE>

Description

"A Water Jet Arrangement for a Fountain" This invention relates to a water jet arrangement for a fountain, and particularly to the illumination thereof.

Illuminated fountains are commonplace, but hitherto their jets have been illuminated by eternal light sources.

The object of the present invention is to provide a water jet arrangement for a fountain which arrangement is illuminated internally so as to be more light efficient, compact, and less prone to accidental or malicious damage.

One aspect of the invention comprises a water jet arrangement for a fountain which arrangement is illuminated from within by light transmitted from a light source through an optical fibre light guide.

Preferably, means are provided for varying the colour of the light transmitted through the optical fibre light guide.

Preferably, also, the means comprise a rotateable transparent disc having differently coloured sectors which is interposed between the light source and that end of the optical fibre light guide remote from the water jet arrangement.

The disc may be rotateable continuously by an electric motor.

Alternatively1 the disc is rotateable intermittently by an electric stepping motor.

The water jet arrangement may comprise a single water jet orifice encompassing the adJacent end of the optical fibre light guide.

Alternatively, the water jet arrangement comprises a plurality of water jet orifices disposed on a circle and so inclined that the water jets which issue therefrom converge at an apex, and a single optical fibre light guide that end of which adjacent to said orifices is disposed within said circle and directed so as to illuminate said apex.

Alternatively, the water jet arrangement comprises a plurality of water jet orifices disposed on a circle, and a single optical fibre light guide that end of which adjacent to said orifices is disposed within said circle and fitted wth a lens adapted to disperse the light so as to illuminate the water jets which issue from said or if ices.

The water jet orifices Lay comprise respective holes formed in a head.

Alternatively, the water jet orifices comprise respective nozzles individually mounted in a head.

The head preferably carries said adjacent end of the optical fibre light guide.

A unit including the light source and a pump may be located at a point remote from the water jet arrangement.

Preferably, connections from said unit run underground.

Alternatvely, a unit including the light source and a pump is located in an immersed sealed plinth supporting the water jet arrangement.

According to another aspect of the invention, a fountain comprises a plurality of water jet arrangements according to any one of the preceding fourteen paragraphs.

In a fountain according to the preceding paragraph, the water jet arrangements may be colour-synchronised.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a plurality of fountains is served by one single unit, in which case light is transmitted from a single light source through a plurality of optical fibre light guides.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of water jet arrangement with parts at the left-hand side shown in cross-section; Figure 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2-2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation of part of another embodiment of water jet arrangement; and.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side elevation of part of a further embodiment of water jet arrangement.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, one embodiment of water jet arrangement for an ornamental fountain comprises a water pump 10 which takes in water from an inlet and delivers it under pressure through a flexible hose 11 to a cylindrical water jacket 3 having a single water jet orifice directed vertically upwards. The inlet is normally connected by way of a filter (not shown) to a pond or basin (not shown) into which the spent water jet falls. An optical fibre light guide 1 is a pressure-tight fit in a carrier 2 which is screwed at its lower end into the water jacket 3 and housed within said jacket with radial clearance. The water jet orifice is large in diameter than the light guide 1 which protrudes slightly through it.This allows the emission of a vertical water jet which encompasses the light guide 1 so as to be illuminated from within and itself becomes â light guide but since, unlike the optical fibre light guide 1, it has no outer coating or sheath to eep the light in, light escapes a'1 the way up the water jet and at its extremity thus causing the whole of the jet to become luminous. A light source 5 is provided in a combined light housing and reflector 4 to which there is connected that end of the light guide 1 remote from the water jacket 3. The housing 4 contains a lens B for focussing light on the end of the light guide 1 so that light is transmitted through said guide.Heans for varying the colour of the light comprises a rotateable transparent disc 7 having differently coloured sectors as shown in Figure 2 which passes through a slot formed in the housing 4 between the lens 6 and the lit guide 1.

The disc 7 is fixed on a shaft 8 whose axis is parallel to the axis of the light source 5. The shaft 8 is journal led in bearings 9 and driven continuously from an electric motor 13 by way of a belt 12 which passes around a small pulley fixed on the motor shaft and a larger pulley fixed on the shaft 8. Thus the colour of the water jet changes continuously. In one modification, the shaft 8 is driven from the electric motor by a gear train or, alternatively, by a friction drive. In another modification, the lens 6 is omitted and the light is directed on to the end of the light guide 1 solely by the reflector. In another modification, the electric motor 13 is a stepping motor which rotates the disc 7 and thus changes the colour of the water Jet intermittently.

Referring now to Figure 3, anther ebjditrent ot water Jet arrangement for an ornamental fountain has the same light source and means for varying the colour of the light as hereinbefore described but is provided with a plurality of water jet orifices disposed on a circle and so inclined that the water jets which issue therefrom converge at an apex. The orifices can comprise either respective holes 15 drilled in a head 16 or respective nozzles 14 individually screwed into said head, and the number and angle of the orifices can be varied to produce different visual effects. The head 16 is screwed into a block 17 to define o water chamber therebetween, and the block 17 is screwed into a basin 19 into which the spent water jets fall. A sealing gasket is interposed between the block 17 and the basin 19.Water is drawn from the basin through an outlet 18 by a pump (not shown) which delivers it under pressure to an inlet communicating with the water chamber. A single optical fibre light guide 20 is connected at one end to a light source and means for varying the colour of the light which are the same as those employed in said one embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, and at the other end is a pressure-tight fit in both the block 17 and the head 16.

3aid other end of the light guide 20 protrudes slightly from the head 16, being disposed in the centre of the circle on which the orifices i1e and directed vertical y as t i l um i nate from with in the apex at which the water jets converge thus causing said apex tu become luminous.

Referring now to Figure 4, a further embodiment of water jet arrangement for an ornamental fountain has the same light source and means for varying the colour of the light as hereinbefore described and i again provided with a plurality of water jet orifices on a circle. In this embodiment, however, said orifices are so inclined that the water jets which issue therefrom are divergent.

A block 32 is secured to the floor of a basin 30 into which the spent water jets fall, a carrier 22 for an optical fibre light guide 23 having a sheaf 29 is screwed into the block 32, and a head 21 is screwed onto the carrier 22. The orifices comprise respective holes 25 drilled in the head 21 so as to communicate with an annular water chamber 26 defined between the head 21 and the block 32, but could equally well comprise respective nozzles individually screwed into said head. The number and angle of the orifices can again be varied to produce different visual effects. A lens 24 fitted at the upper end of the carrier 22 and penetrated by one end of the light guide 23 is adapted to disperse the light over a suitably wide angle so as to illuminate the diverging water jets which issue from the orifices.Respective sealing gaskets are interposed between the head 1 and the block 32, and between said block and the floor of the basin 30. Water is drawn from said basin through an outlet 31 by a pump (not shown) which delivers it under pressure through a flexible hose 28 to an inlet 27 screwed into the block 32 and communicating with the water chamber 26. The light guide 23 is connected at its other end to a light source and means for varying the colour of the light which are the same as those employed in said one embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, and at said one end is a pressure-tight fit in the carrier 22. The lens 24 can also be employed to illuminate converging or parallel water juts, or any combination of converging, parallel and diverging water jets.The screwed connection between the head 21 and the carrier 22 facilitates the removal of said head for cleaning.

It will be appreciated that the optical fibre light guide 1, 20 or 23 can be formed of one or more optical fibres disposed in one guide.

Further embodiments are feasible within the scope of the invention, and it will be appreciated that water jet arrangements according to the invention can be used singly, for example in garden ponds, or can be used en masse, for example in large complex. fountains in which case colour changes can be synchronised.

it will also be appreciated that a unit including the light source, electric motor, pump, pouer supply and control zystem can be located at a point remote from the fountain and the connections to the fountain from said unit can run underground, or that such a unit can be located in an immersed sealed plinth disposed in the pond or basin so as to support the water jet arrangement.

In addition, it is possible for one single unit to serve two or more fountains by utilising inter alia several light guides from a single light source.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A water jet arrangement for a fountain which arrangement is illuminated from within by light transmitted from a light source through an optical fibre light guide.

2. A water jet arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein means are provided for varying the colour of the light transmitted through the optical fibre light guide.

3. A water jet arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein the means comprise a rotateable transparent disc having differently coloured sectors which is interposed between the light source and that end of the optical fibre light guide remote from the water jet arrangement.

4. A water jet arrangement according to Claim 3, wherein the disc is rotateable continuously by an electric motor.

5. A water Jet arrangement according to Claim 3, where: the disc is rotateable intermittently by an electric stepping motor.

6. A water jet arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a single water jet orifice encompassing the adjacent end of the optical fibre light guide.

7. A water jet arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, comprising a plurality of water jet orifices disposed on a circle and so inclined that the water jets which issue therefrom converge at an apex, and a single optical fibre light guide that end of which adjacent to said orifices is disposed witht said circle and directed so as to illuminate said apex.

8. A water jet arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, comprising a plurality of water jet orifices disposed on a circle, and a single optical fibre light guide that end of which adjacent to said orifices is disposed within said circle and fitted with a lens adapted to disperse the light so as to illuminate the water jets which issue from said orifices.

9. h water jet arrangement according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein the water jet orifices comprise respective holes formed in a head.

10. A water jet arrangement according to Claim 7 or Claim werein the water jet orifices comprise respective nozzles individually mounted in a head.

; t, A water Jet arrangement according to Claim 3 or Claim 10, wherein the head carries said adjacent end of the optical fibre light guide.

12. A water jet arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims1 wherein a unit including the light source and o pump is located at a point remote from said arrangement.

13. A water jet arrangement according to Claim 12, wherein connections from said unit run underground.

14. A water jet arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein a unit including the light source and a pump is located in an immersed sealed plinth supporting said arrangement.

15. A fountain comprising a plurality of water jet arrangements according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. A fountain according to Claim 15, wherein the water jet arrangements are colour-synchronised.

17. A plurality of fountains served by one single unit according to Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein light is transmitted from a single light source through a plurality of optical fibre light guides.

18. A water jet arrangement constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore describedwith reference to, and as illustrated by, Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

19. h water Jet arrangement constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A water jet arrangement constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.