US3481541A

US3481541A - Fountain

Info

Publication number: US3481541A
Application number: US604795A
Authority: US
Inventors: John O Hruby Jr
Original assignee: Rain Jet Corp
Current assignee: Ris Irrigation Systems; James Hardie Irrigation Inc
Priority date: 1966-12-27
Filing date: 1966-12-27
Publication date: 1969-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 1986-12-02

Description

Dec. 2, 1969 1.0. HRUBY, JR 3,481,541

FOUNTAIN Filed Dec. 27. 1966 2 Sheet s-S`neet 1 if if l G9 if f4 INVENTOR. L/MA/ #Pz/n( MZ Dec. 2, 1969 J. QHRUBY, JR 3,481,541

FOUNTAI N Filed Dec. 27, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/U f www@ United States Patent O Int. Cl. Bb l 7/ 08 U.S. Cl. 239-17 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a rotary pendulum fountain in which an elongate stem is disposed centrally through a chamber and projects above the upper open discharge end of the chamber where the stem carries a water disperser head, in which the stem is mounted for rotation and gyration relative to the chamber, and in which water is introduced substantially tangentially into the chamber to spiral around and along the stem to the chamber discharge end so as to drive the stem in such rotary and gyratory motion, means are provided in cooperation with the stem for reducing the dynamic head of water flowing therepast so that water flowing past the disperser head has a velocity which is low relative to the velocity of water introduced k into the chamber to drive the stem.

This invention relates to ornamental water fountains.

My prior Patent 3,081,036 describes a water fountain which produces a particularly `beautiful array of sepaarte water droplets, the droplets having the appearance of crystals or prisms in the fountain pattern. Fountains produced in accord with this patent have been found, however, to produce non-uniform droplet patterns. For best eifect, particularly at night when the fountain is articially lighted, it is desired that the fountain pattern be composed of droplets of as uniform size and distribution as possible. Also, the presence of fog or mist in the fountain pattern should be avoided as fog or mist can be blown easily by a slight wind into areas adjacent the fountain where people may be present, and it detracts from the aesthetic appeal of the fountain.

The present fountain is constructed to provide improved control over the water flowing through it. As a result, the presence of desired relatively large drops of uniform size in the discharge pattern is increased, as is the uniformity of the distribution of such drops. Also, the eiciency of the fountain is improved. IFurther, the present fountain is constructed so that the presence of line fog or mist in the discharged water pattern is minimized, if not altogether eliminated. The benefits provided by this invention are most strikingly realized in a two-tier fountain, although the invention has benefits when used in oneor three-tier fountains.

Generally speaking, the invention provides an improved water fountain. The fountain includes a body which defines an elongate chamber having an upper open water discharge end and a lower end. An elongate stem is disposed in the chamber and extends through the chamber. Means are provided for mounting the stem to the body for rftation of the stem about its axis and for gyration of the stem about a point along its axis. The chamber has water inlet openings into it, the inlet openings being arranged so that water introduced into the chamber spirals along and about the axis of the chamber to the open end of the chamber. This motion of the water in the chamber induces the stem to rotate and gyrate. The fountain also includes means for connecting the body to a source of Water so that the chamber inlet openings communicate with water flowing from the source. A water distributor head is secured to the stem above the chamber upper end ice for receiving water from the chamber and for directing received water upwardly and outwardly of the stem axis. The body and the stem are cooperatively congured to dene means for reducing the dynamic head of water owing from the chamber along the stem to the distributor head so that such water ows past the distributor head with a velocity which is low relative to the water flowing from the chamber inlet openings to the chamber discharge end.

The above-mentioned and other features of the invention are more fully set forth in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, the description being presented with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a fountain head;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-section view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-section elevation view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing another ernbodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a schematic elevation view of a fountain discharge pattern produced by this invention; and

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of a water distributor head in another embodiment of the invention.

An ornamental fountain head 10, shown in FIG. 1, includes a body 11 having an axial bore 12. The bore has a lower, relatively greatly enlarged diameter portion 13 surrounded by internal threads 14 formed in the body. The bore also has a central, relatively small diameter portion 15 and an upper portion 16 of intermediate diameter. In use, the body is engaged via threads 14 with corresponding external threads defined at the upper end of a vertical, or substantially vertical, riser pipe 17, the riser pipe being a component of a source of pressurized Water for the fountain head.

An elongate, cylindrical hollow motor tube 18, having an outer diameter substantially smaller than the inner diameter of riser pipe 17, is disposed coaxially of the body and has its upper end tted in bore portion 15. The motor tube defines an inner chamber 19 which is open to bore portion 16 at an open upper end 20 of the tube. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper end of the motor tube is coextensive with the upper end of bore portion 15 and cooperates with the lbody to define an upwardly open annular shoulder 21 at the bottom of bore portion 16. An annular chamber 22, having a closed upper end, is formed around the exterior of the motor tube within the riser pipe.

A bearing member 23 having an axial bore 24 is received in the lower end of the motor tube. Preferably the bearing member is made of a plastic material such as reinforced phenolic resin. Also, it is preferred that the bearing member have a peripheral radial flange 25 abutted against the lower end of the motor tube for preventing the bearing member from being driven upwardly of the motor tube.

An elongate, cylindrical, hollow, open-ended stem 26, having an outer diameter substantially smaller than the inner diameter of the motor tube, extends through -bearing member 23 and through the motor tube to an upper end 27 located above the body. A collar 28 is secured to the lower end of the stem below bearing member 23 to keep the stem from being driven upwardly out of the mo- 3 tor tube and the body during operation of the fountain head.

Four water inlet openings 29 are formed through the side walls of the motor tube into chamber 19 at regularly spaced locations around the tube. The inlet openings are in the form of slots elongated along the tube and angled relative to the axis of the tube in planes normal to the axis of the tube, as shown in FIG. 2. The total area provided by openings 29 is less than the area within the motor tube around the stem. Because the inlet openings are angled relative to the axis of the tube, water flowing through the openings from chamber 22 to chamber 19 spirals around and upwardly along the stem to emerge from the body through the open upper end of bore 12, the open upper end of the bore defining a water discharge opening in the body.

A bearing collar 31 is secured circumferentially to the stem at such a location along the stem that when stop collar 28 is engaged with the underside of bearing member 23, the bearing collar is located within bore portion 16. The bearing collar preferably is made of the same material as bearing member 23 and is so sized relative to the adjacent portion of bore 12 that the area within bore portion 16 around the collar is greater than the area within motor tube 18 around the stem. Also, the diameter of the bearing collar is such that the collar may be engaged with the surface of bore portion 16, yet the stem below the collar clears the upper inner surface of the motor tube. The lower end of the bearing collar defines a shoulder 32 normal to the axis 33 of the stem.

Stem 26 is loosely journalled in bore 24 of bearing member 23 so that the stern is both rotatable and pivotable in the bearing member. The clearance between the stem and bore 24 is considerably less than the clearance which exists between bearing collar 31 and bore portion 16 when stem axis 33 is aligned with motor tube axis 30. As water flowing through chamber 19 spirals around the stem, such Water, because of the viscous drag of the Water on the stem, causes the stem to rotate about its axis. Because the stem is more loosely journalled at the upper end of the body than at the lower end of the motor tube, the stem also gyrates about a point on the stem axis as its rotates. It is this rotary and gyratory action of the stem which produces the beautiful and unusual fountain discharge characteristic that is a feature of the present type of fountain.

A water directing distributor head 34 is secured to the upper portion of the stem in abutment with collar 31 below the upper end of the stem and receives and directs upwardly and outwardly the water which emerges from the motor tube. Additional water fiows axially through the stem. As a result, a fountain discharge pattern 35, shown in FIG. 9, is produced by fountain head 10. The fountain pattern has an upper conically shaped tier 36 of discrete water droplets, this tier being produced by the water which flows through the stem. The pattern has a lower conical tier 37 of discrete water droplets, this tier being produced by the water which iiows through the motor tube.

Pattern is most beautiful when the top of upper tier 36, which can also -be described as the central cone of the pattern, is considerably higher than the top of the lower tier or outer water cone of the pattern, and when the droplets falling from the upper tier merge with the droplets falling from the lower tier to a fountain pool 38 in which the fountain head is located, as shown in FIG. 9. These desirable characteristics of discharge pattern 34 are provided by the structure described above to an extent not previously obtained because of the cooperative effect of bearing collar 31 and body bore portion 16 upon the water which is used to define lower tier 37 of the fountain pattern.

Collar 31 and bore portion 16 cooperate to define a water head reducing chamber 39 for the water emerging from the motor tube. In order that the stern may be rotated and gyrated in the manner desired, it is best that the water spiralling upwardly around the stem move with a relatively high velocity, particularly where the fountain head is of relatively large size. For this reason, the slot openings into chamber 19 from chamber 22 are made of restricted area, as described above. The water leaving chamber 19, therefore, has a high dynamic head (also known as velocity head) relative to the water in chamber 22, and the high dynamic head of this water would normally be refiected in tier 37 being higher than desired relative to tier 36 in fountain pattern 35. The dynamic head of the water forming tier 37 could be reduced by extensive bafliing in distributor 34, but such an expedient would reduce the efficiency of fountain head 10 and would also produce undesirable mist or fog in the fountain pattern, as well as produce non-uniform droplet distribution in the lower tier of the fountain pattern.

Shoulder 32 cooperates with body 11 to define what is in effect a pressure reducing orifice at the upper end of motor tube 18. Accordingly, the dynamic head of water in chamber 39 is reduced relative to the dynamic head of water in the motor tube. Further, because chamber 39 has a greater cross-sectional area relative to bore portion 16 than chamber 19 relative to the stem, the dynamic head of water in chamber 39 is further reduced. As a result, water leaving chamber 39 flows relatively gently and with a minimum of turbulence through the distributor head 34, and any tendency of the distributor to produce fog in the lower tier of pattern 35 is minimized.

The dynamic head of water emerging from the upper end of the stem may be regulated by inserting a constricting sleeve 40 into the upper portion of the stern. By this means, the height of tier 36 can be regulated. In order that fog or lmist in this portion of pattern 35 may be eliminated, it is preferred that the upper end of the sleeve define a sharp corner relative to the bore of the Sleeve, and that the upper end of the sleeve register with or be disposed above the upper end of the stem.

The structure described above is presently regarded as the best mode of practicing this invention as it relates to the regulation of the dynamic head of water supplied to the distributor head. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate other modes of practicing the invention. As shown in FIG. 6, a fillet 41 may be provided between shoulder 32 of collar 31 and the stem to fair the outer surface of the collar into the surface of the stem. This construction reduces the orifice effect produced by the structure shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 7, a body 11' may be provided in which bore portion 15 extends t-o the upper end of the body. No collar 31 is provided; instead, a bearing sleeve 42 having a relatively large axial bore 43 is fitted into the upper end of bore 15, the motor tube 18 terminating short of the lower end of sleeve 42. The sleeve has squared ends to define an orifice in the path of water fiowing from the motor tube. The construction shown in FIG. 7 retains the orifice effect of the structure shown in FIG. 1, but has no supplemental dynamic head reducing chamber.

This invention also provides improvements in the distributor head which is secured to the upper portion of the stern of a fountain head of the type described above. These improvements result in the production of a lower tier in fountain pattern 3S which has a characteristic different from the upper tier. Also, the improvements result in most efiicient usage of the water passed through the fountain head, and provide the desired uniformity of droplet size and distribution in the fountain pattern.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, distributor 34 includes a generally conical core 45 and a cylindrical sleeve-like circumferential shroud 46. The core has a solid conical central portion 47 which increases in diameter proceeding upwardly along stern 26 away from body 11. The lower end of the core central portion is abutted against the upper end of bearing collar 31, and at the collar the diameter of the core central portion is equal to the diameter of the collar.

In broad terms, viewed in another light, the distributor core has a shape resembling the shape produced by the combination of a cone abutted coaxially at its base against a short cylinder of diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the cone at its base; in this respect, see FIG. which shows a distributor headcore 45'. The exterior surface of the cone is defined by surface 48 which extends from the upper end of bearing collar 31 partially toward the upper end of the core. Each element of surface 48 makes an angle A with the axis of the stem, as shown in FIG. 3.

A plurality of grooves 49 are formed in distributor core 45 from adjacent the lower end of the core to the upper end thereof. The base element of each groove is that line along the groove which, at any given point along the groove, is closest to stem axis 33. As shown best in FIG. 3, each groove has a lower' portion 50 from the lower end of the groove to somewhat beyond its midpoint and along which the groove base element makes an angle B with the stem axis. 'Ihe lower end of each groove is blended smoothly into surface 48. Each groove also has an upper portion 51 extending from the groove lower portion to the upper end surface 52 of the distributor head and along which the groove base element makes an angle C relative to the stem axis. Angle C is greater than angle B, and angle A is greater than either ofangles B or C.

As shown in FIG. 4, each groove has a bottom portion, as the groove is viewed in a plane normal to stern axis 33, which has a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration. Depending upon the depth of the groove in such a plane, the cross-sectional configuration of the groove varies from a shallow depression in the distributor core, to a pronounced U having parallel opposite surfaces along the midportion of the groove, to a semi-circle at surface 52.

Preferably eight to twelve grooves are provided around the distributor core. The grooves preferably have a width (dimension circumferentially of the stem) which is greater than the distance between the proximate surfaces of adjacent grooves. In other Words, the grooves preferably each have a width greater than the thickness of the ribs 53 which result in the core between the grooves. A small included angle between corresponding points of adjacent grooves is desired. As a result, water from the motor tube is free to ow without restriction, and thus Without the generation of undesired turbulence in the water, past the distributor head through the grooves to become a part of pattern 35.

Each rib 53 has an outer surface 54 (see FIG. 5) which is a portion of a right circular cylinder, and the lowermost extent of each of these surfaces is below the uppermost extent of conical surface 48. In other words, the lower ends of the ribs are undercut by surface 48. Each rib has a lower end surface 55 which is essentially at and is angled across the rib both outwardly and downwardly of the stem axis and upwardly relative to the groove to the right of the rib.

As will be apparent from an inspection of FIGS. l and 2, water owing through motor tube 18 spirals counter-clockwise about the stem, and the stem rotates in the same direction about its axis. This water spirals around the stem faster than the stem rotates; End surfaces 55 of each rib, together with the adjacent surface of the next adjacent rib toward which each surface 55 opens, function to channel Water flowing upwardly along and around surface 48 into grooves 49, as shown by the heavy arrows in FIG. 5. The water is then directed upwardly and outwardly of the head over the upper edge of shroud 46, which edge is spaced below the upper end of the distributor head. The upper edge surface of the shroud lies in a plane normal to the stem axis. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower edge of the shroud lies below the lower ends of ribs 53. As a result, grooves 49 are enclosed by the shroud over a major portion of their lengths.

The pendency of the shroud below the lower ends of the ribs serves to gather and direct any spray originating in the vicinity of the opening of bore 15 into the grooves where such spray water becomes a part of the water stream from which tier 37 of pattern 35 is produced.

It has been found that best results are obtained in a fountain of the type here under consideration when the length of each groove is at least about equal to the diameter of the distributor head; itis preferred that the grooves be as long as possible. The head, however, should be as light as possible to reduce the power required to drive it and the stem at a given speed. Power required to rotate the stem is derived from the velocity of the water moving along and around the stem and, as seen above, high velocity in the water in the motor tube is not desired. Merely making the stem and its associated rotary structure of light weight material, as is done in preferred fountains according to this invention, is not a wholly satisfactory solution to the problem of reducing the rotary mass of the stem and the distributor head. The best way to reduce this rotary mass is to reduce the size, particularly the diameter, of the distributor head, but such a tactic causes the length of the grooves to be reduced if the preferred ratio of groove length to distributor head diameter is maintained.

'I'he use of the double angle of inclination of grooves 49 relative to stem axis 33 permits the distributor head diameter to be reduced without a corresponding reduction in the desired length of the grooves. This is accomplished while improving the efficiency of the fountain and improving the aesthetic appearance of the fountain pattern.

Preferably angle A in distributor head 34 is about 25, angle B is in the range of from about 8 to about 13 inclusive, and angle C is in the range of from about 12 to about 18 inclusive. In a fountain constructed for use on a nominal 1/2 inch diameter riser pipe, angle B is 12 and angle C is 14; the same angles are advantageously provided in a fountain constructed for use on a nominal two inch diameter riser pipe. In a fountain constructed to mate with a nominal one inch riser pipe, it has been found that angle B should be 81/z and angle C should be 14.

Also, it is preferred that the minimum total water flow area of grooves 49 within and above the shroud be greater than the water flow area through motor tube 18 and around bearing collar 31. Preferably, this areal relationship is such that the minimum water ow area through the grooves is about 1.5 times the area around the bearing collar.

The distributor head structure described above results in the water forming the lower tier in pattern 35 being moderately aerated because of its exposure to the atmosphere along a portion of its ow through head 10, whereas the water in the droplets of the upper tier are relatively nonaerated. This produces a distinctive characteristic of the fountain pattern. The moderate aeration of the lower tier renders this tier more visible in daylight, yet the water is not sufficiently aerated to detract from the prism effect of the Water drops when the fountain pattern is artificially lighted.

Fountain 10 described above is remarkably eicient in that about 98 percent of the water introduced into the head is -utilized in Water pattern 35 as the desired large drops. There is substantially no spray downwardly adjacent the fountain head, and there is little or no mist in the discharge pattern.

As noted above, the structure shown in FIGS. 1-5 is presently regarded as being the best mode of practicing the invention. The distributor head structure described can also -be used with the structures previously described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 illustrates that the small end of conical central portion of core 45 can be truncated with a minor diameter less than the outer diameter of collar 31 against which the distributor core is abutted.

FIG. 10 illustrates another distributor head core 45 which is identical to core 45 except that each rib 53 is provided with an additional end surface 65 which is symmetrical with surface 55 about a plane radially through the head and bisecting the angular extent of the rib. The presence of surfaces 65, however interferes somewhat with the smooth fiow of water over the core and through the grooves, and this interference manifests itself in pattern 35 as mist and nonuniform size drops.

With respect to the structure shown in FIG. 7, a presently preferred embodiment of such structure, bore has a diameter such as to make a press fit with a nominal one-half inch O.D. tube. Sleeve 42 has a bore 43 having a diameter of 0.368 inch. The outer diameter of stem 26 is a nominal one-quarter inch. The sleeve is one-half inch long and is spaced three-eighth inch from the adjacent end of the motor tube. The presence of the enlarged diameter chamber between the motor tube and the sleeve has been found to be desirable. It is believed that the beneficial results obtained in such structure involves both an orifice effect across sleeve 42 and a focusing of the water moving along the outside of the stem into proper engagement with the distributor cone.

Each of the features described above has its own effect upon the character of pattern 35. In combination, these features result in a greatly improved fountain which produces a profusion of heavy discrete drops which move gently through pattern 35 and fall into a fountain pool without objectionable splash. The drops falling from the upper tier of the pattem merge with the drops falling from the lower tier to produce a balanced, aesthetically pleasing fountain pattern. These benefits are obtained in a fountain which can handle a large volume of water at low supply pressures. Fountains in accord with this invention operate quite satisfactorily with water at 6 pounds per square inch gage pressure in a riser pipe adjacent the fountain.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fountain including a body defining an elongate chamber having an upper open discharge end and a lower end, the chamber having an enlarged diameter portion at and adjacent the discharge end thereof, an elongate stem having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the chamber disposed in the chamber and extended through the chamber ends, means mounting the stem to the body for rotation of the stem about its axis and for gyration relative to the body, the chamber having water inlet openings thereinto arranged so that water introduced into the chamber spirals along and around the stem to the chamber discharge end, means for coupling the body to a source of water so that the inlet openings communicate with Water flowing from the source, and a water distributor head secured to the stem externally of the chamber adjacent said discharge opening for receiving and directing water emerging through the chamber discharge opening outwardly of the stem, the improvement comprising means in cooperation with the stem and the body defining structure effective to reduce the dynamic head of water fiowing therepast without appreciably aerating such water so that water passing from the distributor head has a velocity which is low relative to that of water flowing from the chamber inlet openings to the chamber discharge end, such structure including a shoulder defined by the body between said enlarged diameter portion and the remainder of the chamber and a collar circumferentially of the stem in said enlarged diameter portion, the water ow area of the chamber about the collar being greater than the Water fiow area in the remainder of the chamber about the stern.

2. A fountain according to claim 1 wherein the collar defines a shoulder circumferentially of the stem at the end of the collar toward the lower end of the chamber, the means mounting the stem to the body being arranged so that said collar shoulder is positioned proximate to the body shoulder and toward the discharge end of the chamber from the body shoulder during operation of the fountain.

3. A fountain according to claim 1 wherein the end of the collar toward the lower end of the chamber is faired circumferentially of the stem into the surface of the stem.

4. In a fountain including a body defining an elongate chamber having an upper open discharge end and a lower end, an elongate stem having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the chamber disposed in the chamber and extended through the chamber ends, means mounting the stem to the body for rotation of the stem about its axis and for gyration relative to the body, the chamber having water inlet openings thereinto arranged so that water introduced into the chamber spirals along and around the stern to the chamber discharge end, means for coupling the body to a source of water so that the inlet openings communicate with water flowing from the source and a water distributor head secured to the stem externally of the chamber adjacent said discharge opening for receiving and directing water emerging through the chamber discharge opening outwardly of the stem, the improvement comprising means in cooperation with the stem and the body defining structure effective to reduce the dynamic head of water owing therepast without appreciably aerating such water so that water passing from the distributor head has a velocity which is low relative to that of water tiowing from the chamber inlet openings to the chamber discharge end, such structure including a core comprising a portion of the distributor head secured to the stern and having a conical lower portion tapering toward the chamber discharge end and a substantially cylindrical upper portion, and a plurality of grooves formed in the core at regular intervals around its circumference, the grooves extending from adjacent the lower end of the core to the upper end of the core, each groove having a lower portion along which the bottom of the groove extends upwardly and outwardly of the stem to a location intermediate the ends of the groove at a first acute angle relative to the stem axis and an upper portion along which the bottom of the groove extends to the upper end of the groove upwardly and outwardly of the stem axis at a second greater acute angle relative to the stem axis.

I5. A fountain according toclaim 4 wherein the taper angle of the core lower portion is about 25 relative to the stem axis, the first angle is in the range of from about 8 to about 13 inclusive, and the second angle is in the range of from about 12 to about 18 inclusive.

6. A fountain according to claim 4 including a shroud secured to the core circumferentially thereof and extending from below the upper end thereof along the cylindrical upper portion thereof to a lower end of the shroud below the cylindrical portion of the core for enclosing said grooves along an intermediate portion of the lengths thereof.

7. A fountain according to claim 6 wherein the core defines a rib between each adjacent pair of grooves, each rib having a lower end between the ends of the shroud and defining a substantially planar terminal surface angled outwardly and downwardly of the stem axis and upwardly relative to the groove adjacent thereto in the direction of rotation of the stem.

t8. A fountain according to claim 7 wherein each rib terminal surface extends across the width of the rib.

9. A fountain according to claim 6 wherein the minimum total open area of said plurality of grooves within the length of the shroud is greater than the area of said chamber discharge end about the stem.

A10. A fountain according to claim 9 wherein said minimum total open area of the grooves is at least about 1.5 times greater than the area of the chamber discharge end about the stem.

11. A fountain including a body defining an elongate chamber having an upper open discharge end and a lower end, an elongate stern having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the chamber disposed in the chamber and extended through the chamber ends, means mounting the stem to the body for rotation of the stem about its axis and for gyration relative to the body, the chamber having water inlet openings thereinto arranged so that water introduced into the chamber spirals along and around the stern to the chamber dis charge end, means for coupling the body to a source of water so that the inlet openings communicate with water :llowing from the source, and a water distributor head secured to the stem externally of the chamber adjacent said discharge opening for receiving and directing water emerging through thechamber discharge opening outwardly of the stem, and characterized in that the distributor head includes a core secured to the stem and having a conical lower portion tapering toward the chamber discharge end and a substantially cylindrical upper portion, a plurality of grooves formed in the core at regular intervals around its circumference, the grooves extending upwardly along and outwardly of the stem from adjacent the lower end of the core to the upper end of the core, each groove having a lower portion along which the groove is disposed at a rst acute angle relative to the stem axis and an upper portion along which the groove is disposed at a second greater acute angle relative to the stem axis.

12. A fountain according to claim 11 wherein the lower end of the core conical portion extends to the stem.

13. A fountain according to claim 11 including a collar secured to the stem circumferentially thereof in abutment with the lower end of the core conical portion, the collar comprising the means mounting the stem to the body.

14. A fountain according to claim 13 including means fairing the lower end of the collar into the stem.

15. A fountain according to claim 13 wherein the 10 lower end of the collar defines a shoulder normal to the axis of the stem.

16. A fountain according to claim 11 including a shroud secured to the core circumferentially thereof and extending from an upper end below the core upper end to a lower end below the core cylindrical portion for enclosing the grooves along an intermediate portion of the lengths thereof, the core defining a rib radially of the stem between each adjacent pair of grooves, each rib having a lower end between the ends of the shroud dening a substantially planar terminal surface which is angled outwardly and downwardly of the stem axis and upwardly relative to the groove adjacent thereto in the direction of rotation of the stem.

17. A fountain according to claim 16 wherein each ri-b has an extent angularly of the stem less than the extent of the adjacent grooves angularly of the stem.

18. A fountain according to claim 16 wherein the minimum total open area of said plurality of grooves between the ends of the shroud is greater than the area of the chamber discharge end about the stem.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,357,643 12/1967 Hruby 239-210 2,823,952 2/1958 Hruby 239--17 2,954,171 9/1960 Hruby 239-231 l3,030,028 4/1962 Hruby 239-17 3,082,957 3/1963 Semple 239-17 3,081,036 3/1963 Hruby 239--17 EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.