. March l2, 1963 J. o'. HRUBY,\\|R v 3,081,036

FOUNTAIN f Filed May 29, 1961 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR rib/wv 0. Hel/BY, fle.

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March l2, 1963 .1.0. HRUBY, JR 3,081,036

FOUNTAIN Filed May 29, 1961 2 sheets-sheet 2 Faa 7l i da 37 3,081,036 Patented Mar. 12, 19763 FOUNTAIN John O. Hruby, Jr., Burbank, Calif., assignor, by mesue assignments,v to Rain Jet Corp., Los Angeles County, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 29, 1961, Ser. No. 113,538 7 Claims. (Cl. 239-17) This invention relates to ornamental water fountains. Ornamental fountains occur in'various forms. The more simple fountain devices, designed for home gardens, for example, send up but a few jets of water. Those in parks and other public places produce more elaborate displays, in some instances of multitudes of jets. There are fountains of active jets alternately shooting high and low, and ,there are fountains in which the jets move in a rotating or oscillating fashion. But, the fountains of this invention produce jets which are livelier and more animated, and to my liking are more pleasing to see, than any others. The fountain jets from devices of this invention consist of discrete water droplets, not solid streams, and they rotate, and appear as a myriad of sparkles playing not heterogeneously, but in a designed pattern. This invention, viewed in a broad aspect, is an improvement in the fountains of my pending application Serial No. 766,803, filed October 13, 1958, nowrPatent No. 3,030,028. The fountains disclosed in said patent application are characterized by a tubular stem which is caused to rotate on its axis and to gyrate, the upper end of the stem having an upwardly directed passage, the outlet4 endof which is eccentric of the stem axis whereby the jet of water from the outlet passage traces an epicycloidal curve around the axis of the stern. It is because of this epicyclic movement of the outlet end of the outlet passage that the jet of water is broken up into discrete droplets. The instant invention teaches forming of concentric groups of jet producing passages, all of which trace epicycloidal curves, to provide fountain sprays of sparkling droplets in a predetermined design.

Fountain devices of this invention may be made small as when intended for use indoors, and in such cases there will be relatively few jets. For outdoor uses, the fountains of this invention will usually contain many jet forming passages to produce a cascade design of high, low and intermediate sprays.

A general object of this invention is to provide improved fountain devices of the above mentioned character, which are simple and rugged in construction, reliable in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture so that they may be supplied at low cost and in various forms for uses indoors and outdoors.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following part of this description wherein the details of construction and mode of operation of presently preferred embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a fountain device of this invention, and of the fountain produced by the device;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the fountain device on a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal section on a still larger scale through the fountain device;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the fountain device of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sections through the fountainl device taken along lines 5-5 and 6-6 on FIG. 5, respectively;

FIG. 7 is a central longitudinal section through another embodiment of fountain devices of this invention; and,

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the fountain device of FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, one form of the fountain devices of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, the same being designated generally by reference numeral 10. It receives water from a vertical riser pipe 11 upon which it is mounted. 'Ihe device 10 produces a fountain of water having a central spire 13, a group 14 of intermediate jets, and a group 15 of lower jets. The water droplets of the fountain fall upon the surface of water 17 contained in a basin, not shown.

Fountain device 10 comprises a hollow body 19 extending axially into the upper end of the riser pipe, and a nipple 20 for securing the body upon the riser pipe. The

body 19 comprises a rigid tube 22 anda collar or nut '23 around the upper end of the tube, the tube being force-V fitted or otherwise suitably secured in the collar. The

collar is screw-threaded at 25 for securing the body in` the nipple, the nipple being internally screw-threaded at 26 for mounting the fountain device on the riser. The body tube 22 is of smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the riser to provide an annular space 28 around the body tube.

`Numeral 30 designates the inside cylindrical surface of the body tube 22, such inside surface defining a `body cavity or bore 31. A water discharge opening 33 in the upper end of the body is defined by a bearing tube 34 which is force-fitted in the upper end portion of the tube 22. A bearing tube 35` is force-fitted in the lower end of the body tube, the bearing tube 35 having a cylindrical bore 36 extending axially therethrough. The lower end face of the bearing tube 35 denes the lower end Vface 37 of the body 19. The bearings '34 and 35 are shown as being formed of laminated phenolic composition.

Formed in the side walls of the body tube 22 is a plurality of apertures 39 for admitting water into the body cavity from the riser pipe. These apertures are formed as narrow slits which extend longitudinally of the body 19. There are two such slits in the illustrated embodiment, they being diametrically opposed. vAs. bestappears in FIG. 6, these slits extend through the wall of the tube,

'22 at an angle with respect to the radii of the body cavity 31, thereby to cause water in the body cavity tovspiral around and upwardly inthe body cavity and out through the discharge opening 33.

The rotary and jet producing member of theifountain device is designated generally by reference numeral 42.

It comprises a tubular stem 43, a head 44 on the upper end of the stem, and acollar 45 on the lower end of the stem.

The stem is arranged longitudinally in the body cavity 31 the upper end of the inside wall surface 47 which defines the discharge opening 33.

The rotary member 42 of the illustrated embodiment is movable axially in the body 19 upwardly to the position thereof shown in FIG. 3 because of the force of water ilowing through the body. The collar 45 limits the extentof upward movement of the rotary member through engagel ment of the collar against the lower annular end surface 37 of the body 19. The collar 45 of the illustrated embodiment is secured upon the lower end of the stern by means of a lset screw 48. Numeral 50 designates the laxially extending passage or bore of the stem, open at its lower end as an inlet opening 51 for reception of water from the riser 11. The head 44 has a plurality of oriceS, to be described in detail later, some of which serve as outlet passages from the stem for producing certain of the jets of the water fountain.

As thus far described, the fountain device is similar to the lawn sprinklers of U.S. Patent No. 2,639,191. A review of the explanation of the mode of operation of the sprinklers of said patent will make it clear that for the fountain device of the instant invention, the swirl of water around and upwardly in the body cavity 31, because of the slant of the Water inlet apertures 39, will cause the rotary member 4Z to gyrate around in the body with the axis of the stem being inclined with respect to the axis of the body cavity 31. In being so gyrated, the stem 43 contacts the surfaces which define the discharge opening 33 and the lower end opening 36 of the body whereby the stem rolls along the surfaces and thus rotates on its axis.

It is the structure of the head 44 of the rotary member which makes the device 10` a fountain producing device instead of a lawn sprinkler. The head 44 of the illustrated embodiment is formed of plastics material and comprises a conical portion 53, a central insert 54, radially extending dividers 55, and an outside skirt 56. To facilitate manufacture of the head, the central portion 53 and the radiating dividers 55 may be molded as a unit integral with the upper end portion of the stem. The central portion 53 is in axial alignment with the stem` and has a cavity 58 which is open to upper end opening 59 of the stem bore 50. Cavity 58 is of larger diameter than the stem bore and is covered by the insert 54 which is force-fitted or otherwise suitably secured integral with the conical portion 53. In the illustrated embodiment, the insert has its upper end surface flush with that of the conical portion 53, making a plain upper surface 60` of the head. The inside surface 61 of the insert is preferably concave as shown, and the insert has a plurality of orifices or passages formed therein, these Ibeing a centrally disposed orifice 63 and a circumaxially extending series of three orifices 64. The central orifice or passage 63 of the fountain device 10 is inclined slightly, about two degrees, with respect to the axis of the stem so that the outlet end opening 65 of the passage 63 is eccentric of the axis of the stem and head. The passages 64 are likewise outwardly inclined, in this case about ten degrees. The central orifice 63 spouts a jet which forms the central spire 13 of the water fountain, and the orifices 64 form the intermediate spray 14 of the water fountain.

The lower part of the water fountain shown in FIG. l is constituted of jets of water originating from water which passes around the stem 43 from the discharge opening 33. The outside surface 67 of the central portion 53 of the head is conical the lower end part 68 thereof preferably being rounded to prevent the head from sticking in the discharge opening 33 of the body when the flow of water to the fountain is shut off and the head drops down to seat on the upper end bearing 34. The water from the discharge opening 33 llows upwardly along the outside conical surface 67 and is separated by the dividers 55 to produce the jets of water which form the lower tier 15 of the illustrated water fountain. In the illustrated embodiment there are six radially extending dividers 55, they being spaced uniformly -apart to define a circumferentially arranged series of six orifices 70. The surfaces of each divider are two diverging surfaces 72 and 73 which meet along an edge 74, and two axially extending surfaces 7S and 76 for the axially extending passages or orifices 70. There is a horizontally extending flat surface 78 which meets the sharp edge 74, it being unnecessary to extend the edge 74 radially outward beyond the extent shown in the illustrated embodiment because water from the discharge opening 33 passing upwardly around the conical surface 67 flows along the surface 67 and little, if any, except for inconsequential splashing, impinges against the flat surfaces 78. What there is of splashing is confined by the cylindrical skirt 56 which directs loose water not passing through the orifices 70', downwardly around the nipple to the basin water 17.

Because of the combined rotary and gyratory motions of the rotary member 42, all of the jets of water, i.e. from central orifice 63, intermediate orifices 64, and outermost orifices 70, break up into discrete water droplets as distinguished from solid streams. With the parts of the device being of the relative sizes shown in the drawing, the device will produce a fountain of great interest and beauty.

It is of interest to note that the rotary member 42 rotates on its longitudinal axis in a direction opposite to the direction of swirl of water in the body cavity 31 determined by the direction of slant of the inlet apertures 39. Inasmuch as the rotary member gyrates in the direction of swirl of water in the body cavity, it follows that the direction of axial rotation is opposite to that of gyration. The leading surfaces 72 or 73, as the case may be, of the outer jet producing dividers 55 move opposite to the direction of swirl of water from the discharge opening. As a result of swirling water impinging on the leading surfaces 72 or 73, the dividers retard rotation of the rotary member. It is important, then, that the parts and their openings be proportional in size so as to provide suicient axial rotation of the rotary member to break up the streams of water from the several orifices into discrete droplets. The breaking or retarding action of the `dividers 55, mentioned just above, is an important facet of this invention, for otherwise the rotary member would rotate so fast that the outermost jets of water 15 would be broken up too ne and would produce a mist.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, another embodiment of fountain devices of this invention is shown, it being designated generally by reference numeral 80. It produces a smaller water fountain than the device 10 of FIGS. 1 to 6. It is similar in construction to the device 10, but its head 81 does not have any intermediate group of jet producing orifices 64 of device 10, nor does it include the cavity 58 of device 10. The central orifice 82 of device 80 is slightly inclined as is the central orifice 63 of device 10, and there is a circumferentially extending series of six jet orifices 83. The body and rotary stem parts of fountain device which correspond with those of device 10 are designated with corresponding reference numerals.

The device 80, being one which produces a smaller water fountain as for indoor use, has an annular flange 86 integral with an extending radially inward from its cylindrical skirt 87, the skirt being adjustable axially around the outside of the radially extending dividers 88 as in the device 10. The flange 86 defines a central opening 90 through which water flows from the discharge opening 33 of device 80 to the jet orifices 83. The flange '86 prevents splashed water in the head from dropping down rupon the body and nipple 20 of the device 80, this feature of catching splashed water in the head being desired for small fountains subject to close view.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to -be accorded the full scope of the claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

l. A water fountain comprising a body having an upper end, a lower end, a cavity, a water inlet opening to the cavity, rand a water discharge opening in the upper end of the body for upwardly directed discharge of water from the cavity, said inlet opening being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening for imparting rotary motion to water in the cavity, a rotary member extending through said discharge opening into said cavity, said member comprising an elongate stern, a head on the stem positioned labove said discharge opening, and means engageable with the body to maintain the rotary member against being driven `out from the cavity, the rotary member being rotatable on the axis of said stern and adapted to gyrate with the axis of the stem being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening, and the head having a circumferentially arranged series of open-ended peripherally closed passages extending upwardly through the head for forming jets of water droplets, said passages -being open at their lower ends and facing said discharge opening to receive water which passes upwardly through said discharge opening and outside the stem. v

2. A water fountain comprising a body having an upper end, a lower end, a cavity, la water inlet opening to the cavity, and a water discharge opening in the upper end of the body for upwardly directed discharge of water from the cavity, said inlet opening being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening for imparting rotary motion to water in the cavity, a rotary member extending through said discharge opening into said cavity, said member comprising a tubular stem having an upper end and a lower end, a head on the stem positioned above said discharge opening, and means engageable with the body to maintain the rotary member against being driven out from the cavity, the stem being open to iiow of water up through the stem and to said head, the rotary member being rotatable on the axis of said stem and adapted to gyrate with the axis of the stem being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening, the head having a centrally located orifice open to the inside of the stem, the outlet end of said orifice being eccentric of the axis of the stem, and the head having a cincumferentially arranged series of open-ended peripherally closed passages extending upwardly through the head for forming jets of Water droplets said passages being open in their lower ends and facing said discharge opening to receive water which passes upwardly through said discharge opening and outside lthe Stem.

3. A water fountain comprising a body having an upper end, a lower end, a cavity, a water inlet opening to the cavity, and a water discharge opening in the upper end of the body for upwardly directed discharge of water 4from the cavity, said inlet opening being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening for imparting rotary motion to water in the cavity, a rotary member extending through said discharge opening into said cavity, said member comprising an elongate'stem, a

, head on the stem positioned above said discharge opening, yand means engageable with the body to maintain the rotary member against being driven out from the cavity, the rotary member being gyratable around in the cavity due to swirl of water in the cavity with its longif tudinal axis being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening, land the rotary member being rotatable on the axis of said stem in a direction opposite to the direction of gyration, the head having an inverted conical outwardly facing surface concentric with the stem, a circumferentially arranged series of dividers extending radially outward from said conical surface and a skirt extending Iaround said series of dividers and spaced from said conical surface to deiine open-ended peripherally closed passages between the dividers respectively for forming jets of water droplets said passages being open at their lower ends to receive water which passes upwardly through said discharge opening and outside the stem.

4. A water fountain comprising a body having an upper end, a lower end, a cavity, a water inlet opening to the cavity, and a water discharge opening in the upper end of the body for upwardly directed discharge of water from the cavity, said .inlet opening being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening for imparting rotary motion to water in the cavity, a rotary member extending through said discharge opening into said cavity, said member comprising a tubular stem having an upper end and a lower end, a head on the stem positioned above said discharge opening, and means engageable with the body to maintain the rotary member against being driven out from the cavity, the stem being open to flow of water up through the stem and to said head, the rotary member being rotatable on the axis of said stem and adapted to gyrate with the axis of the stem being inclined with respect to the axis of said discharge opening, the head having a centrally located orifice open to the inside of the stem, the outlet end of said orifice being eccentric of the axis of the stem, and the head having an inverted conical outwardly facing surface coaxial with the stem, a circumferentially arranged series of projections extending radially from said conical surface and -a skirt extending around said series of projections and spaced from said conical surface, said skirt and said projections defining open-ended peripherally closed passages extending upwardly through said head, said passages being open at their lower ends to receive water which passes upwardly through said discharge opening and outside the stem for forming jets of Water comprising said fountain.

5. A Water fountain according to claim 2 and comprising a circumaxially extending series of jet forming orifices in the head between said central orifice and said circumferentially extending series of passages, said head having a cavity for flow of water from the stem to said central and said circumaxial orifices.

6. A water fountain according to claim 4 in which said skirt has an inwardly extending annular ange which delines an opening around said conical sur-face, said flange serving to direct Water from within the skirt toward said conical surface.

7. A water fountain according to claim 4 in which said skirt is slidably adjustable axially of the rotary member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,248,386 Richardson July 8, 1941 2,494,067 Snowden et al. Jan. l0, 1950 2,639,191 Hruby May 19, 1953 2,854,283 Hruby Sept. 30, 1958 2,954,171 Hruby Sept. 27, 1960