WO2007000674A1

WO2007000674A1 - Fountain for supplying chilled water

Info

Publication number: WO2007000674A1
Application number: PCT/IB2006/002399
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Liccioni
Original assignee: Mistral Constructeur
Priority date: 2005-05-12
Filing date: 2006-05-11
Publication date: 2007-01-04
Also published as: FR2885612A1; EP1881942A1; ATE421483T1; DE602006004985D1; FR2885612B1; EP1881942B1; ES2321558T3

Abstract

The invention relates to a water fountain for supplying drinking water at two different temperatures. The water dispensing bottle is set upside down on the opening cover (2) of a stand (1) containing the functional elements. The lines defining the water circuits extending up to two tap valves (8, 10) that can be accessed from the outside of the stand for supplying the chilled water and the water at room temperature respectively are replaceable, and are all supported by fixed elements of the stand. The water is chilled preferably in a worm (18) introduced through an opening (4) which is empty for this purpose through a fixed horizontal plate (13) on which a replaceable distribution part (14) can be placed, said part integrating the connection lines which conduct the chilled water obtained at the outlet of the chilling line or the water tapped upstream of the chilling line up to the corresponding tap.

Description

Fountain deliyrant chilled water

The present invention relates to water dispensing fountains, including drinking water, of the type that is supplied with water packaged in cylinders or interchangeable bottles, delivered filled ready for use.

Such fountains operate autonomously, without the need to be connected to a fixed drinking water supply network. As they are commonly installed in public places, they are designed to deliver water called at two different temperatures. This is generally a part of temperate water, at room temperature, that of the supply bottle, secondly of cooled water, produced by heat exchange with a cooling system integrated in Fountain. However, as described below, the invention also applies to the production of water heated by heat exchange with a heating system of water from the feed bottle, coming to the place of temperate water or cooled water, or coming in addition.

In current industrial productions, the interchangeable bottle which supplies the fountain with water, usually of large capacity, is arranged in an inverted position on the fountain, the neck of the bottle being engaged in the upper part of the fountain, through its cover, to that the water flows by gravity into the internal circuits at the fountain that lead water to taps accessible from the outside. In addition, fountains of this type are equipped, for good sanitary conditions, with removable parts defining the water circuits internal to the fountain, which makes it possible to replace them periodically.

The present invention aims essentially to facilitate the operations of replacing the internal parts that are in contact with the water and, because of this and thanks to the other features of the fountains according to the invention in its preferred embodiments, to reduce the costs of maintenance at the same time as manufacturing prices. It also aims to improve the conditions of thermal exchanges, in particular to avoid untimely variations in temperature and to increase the efficiency of heat exchange, which also leads to a decrease in operating costs. By allowing the use of more suitable materials, compared to what is known about the use of flexible pipes between a water sampling finger in the feed bottle and a tank where the water cools, it brings a reduction of costs and a better security of operation. In this regard, the importance of food hygiene requirements for the distribution of drinking water is emphasized.

The invention proposes for this purpose a bottle fountain for dispensing water under two different temperatures from water taken by gravity from an interchangeable bottle, characterized in that it comprises a removable water cooling circuit being in a heat exchange situation with the walls of a fixed refrigerant chamber made to withstand its weight when it is full of water, and a fixed support plate on which rest the other removable organs of the fountain, among which the two externally controlled taps and a dispensing piece providing connection between a water sampling finger in the bottle and an uncooled water inlet compartment at the inlet of said cooling circuit, between said compartment and a tube directing the uncooled water directly to one of the valves delivering temperate water, and between an outlet end of the cooled water produced in the cooling circuit and the other valve delivering cooled water, an empty opening being formed in said support plate for the passage of said cooling circuit during its withdrawal through it.

According to a secondary characteristic of the invention, the cooling circuit internally has a serpentine shape organizing a unidirectional circulation of the water from said intake compartment to a cooled water outlet, advantageously located at the level of the plate. fixed support. Said intake compartment is advantageously itself located in the upper part of the circuit at the support plate.

A dispensing piece, original in itself, for bottle fountain for dispensing water under two different temperatures from water taken by gravity from an interchangeable bottle, is made in one piece comprising a sampling finger of water in the bottle, an uncooled water inlet compartment, connected to the sampling finger and forming channeling means adapted to connect the sampling finger to the inlet of a water cooling circuit of the fountain, and two water outlet ducts, one of which is connected to the intake compartment for the outlet of the fountain. uncooled water of the distribution piece and the other is adapted to be connected to a cooled water outlet of the cooling circuit.

In its preferred embodiments, the dispensing piece on the one hand forms a vertical collar for the tight connection between the sampling finger penetrating the neck of the feed bottle and a cooperating collar which protects the inlet compartment of the feed bottle. uncooled water at the head of the cooling circuit, and secondly two conduits guiding the water to the outlet of the valves, namely a first cooled water outlet duct which connects the cooled water outlet of the circuit cooling system to a first valve supplying cold water and a second water outlet pipe not yet cooled which connects the uncooled water inlet of the cooling circuit directly to a second valve, delivering the temperate water.

The distribution piece may advantageously also provide a connection duct between the water intake compartment in the cooling circuit and a hot water production circuit whose outlet is connected by said distribution piece to one said faucets. The support plate then has another vacuum for the passage circuit for producing hot water through it. In this way the hot water production circuit can be easily replaced by the top of the fountain when its lid is open.

This third conduit for the distribution of heated water is advantageously constituted to functionally combine with the second and direct to the second valve is the tempered water withdrawn directly from the intake compartment of the cooling circuit, or the heated water having previously circulated in a heat exchange situation with a heating device. The second circuit may advantageously be configured to form for this purpose a horizontal leg whose rear end is closed by a removable shutter opposite the valve and a vertical leg also provided with a removable shutter which opens into the compartment receiving the uncooled water. In this embodiment, it is desirable for the second duct to open into the intake compartment of the cooling circuit, advantageously of the serpentine type, at a level lower than that of the valves. This prevents the defusing of the heater when replacing the bottle.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the dispensing piece comprises a cup which surrounds the sampling finger and which comprises, in its bottom, a discharge orifice. This receptacle makes it possible to collect the losses of water that may occur during the introduction or removal of the bottle and to evacuate them.

Advantageously, the serpentine cooling circuit is of generally planar shape and extends, in the rear part of the box, parallel to the vertical plane containing the terminal valves of the two valves, which are accessible from the outside of the box, in front part of it, for manual control by the user. This makes it possible, in particular in the case of a cylindrical box, to make room for making an external recess in the front wall of the box in which the outlet port of the valves is placed and a grid on which the valves can be placed. cups.

The fact of making the unidirectional circulation circuit in the form of a coil makes it possible to improve the heat exchange in the cooling device by increasing the exchange surfaces, the water being cooled all along its course, to arrive at a low temperature at the outlet of the unidirectional flow circuit. Advantageously, the unidirectional circulating circuit fits in a removable manner in a cooling chamber which is also generally flat and on the bottom of which it rests.

The removable assembly integrating the cooling circuit and the distribution piece with its various connecting ducts, this assembly can advantageously be completed by an annular piece of thermally insulating material forming a removable plug for the vacuum of the fixed support plate. This part is pierced with a central passage for the lower part of the distribution piece, at its connection with the cooling circuit. It provides thermal insulation of the water treatment circuits, in particular that of the cooling device.

The same removable assembly preferably incorporates the valves themselves, although alternatively they may comprise sections of tubes. separable from the corresponding connecting ducts, which can facilitate the establishment of the dispensing piece, while maintaining a completely rigid structure. In both cases, it is advantageous to give these valves a bent shape, comprising a main part placed horizontally on the support plate of the assembly, inside the box, and an end part where the control valve is located. exterior that opens vertically outside the box.

The invention will now be more fully described in the context of preferred features and their advantages, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9, in which: FIG. 1 shows a water fountain seen in perspective with partial section, the lid of the box being in open position; Figure 2 shows a vertical section of the fountain, in which all the elements it comprises are assembled with each other, the opening lid of the box being in the closed position; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the entire cooling device, on which in particular the support plate of the elements internal to the fountain is seen; Figure 4 shows various elements of Figure 3 before assembly in the factory; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the dispensing piece that includes the fountain described; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the part of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a view from below, in perspective; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the integrated support assembly inside the casing of the fountain, which shows in particular that the control devices of the valves are mounted on the support plate; FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the complete fountain, seen along a vertical sectional plane perpendicular to that of FIG. 2. The invention as described in the particular embodiment chosen to illustrate the invention concerns a new water fountain. which distributes, on the one hand, fresh water, or cold or chilled water, cooler than the ambient temperature, and on the other hand water at a different temperature, which in general, may be tempered water at room temperature or hot water heated to a higher temperature. The water dispensed is produced from water contained in a large interchangeable bottle, or bottle, which is it at room temperature. It is delivered at the request of a user, who maneuvers for this purpose one or other of two handles 56 and 57, accessible from outside the fountain to control two different valves, depending on the temperature of the water. available that he wishes to obtain. Of course, when the industrial implementation involves three different temperatures the fountain has three taps accessible from the outside, each assigned to one of the temperatures.

In a manner known per se, the feed bottle is arranged in an inverted position on the opening lid of a box enclosing the functional elements, among which in particular a cooling system which ensures the cooling of the water taken from the bottle to produce cooled water. According to the invention, the conduits defining the water circuits to the two outlets of the taps outside the box for delivering cooled water and water at room temperature respectively are removable and they are all supported by fixed elements of the box. The cooling of the water is itself ensured in a serpentine duct which is introduced through an opening provided for this purpose in a fixed horizontal plate on which rest removable tubes which conduct cooled water obtained at the outlet of the duct. coil or uncooled water drawn at the top of the inlet of the latter to the corresponding faucet.

As can be seen in particular in Figures 1 and 2, the functional organs of the fountain according to the invention, apart from the feed bottle (not shown) and dispensing valves that deliver drinking water on call of the user, are enclosed in a protective box 1. This box is closed by an opening lid 2, which is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis on the upper rim of the box 1. The latter is supposed to rest by its bottom on a horizontal floor in the normal use position of the fountain. The lid 2 is pierced with a central hole 9, whose diameter is in correspondence with that of the neck of a water supply bottle. This bottle is interchangeable, so that every time a bottle is empty it is replaced by a full bottle. The bottles are large in relation to the amount of water consumed at each pick by a user. The current bottle is arranged in the inverted position, its neck directed downwards, and it rests on the cover 2 of the box, at the bottom of a bowl which contributes to its stability. In this position, its neck is inserted through the central hole 9. The water called for each use flows through gravity.

The casing 1 is of cylindrical general shape. It contains a refrigeration system type thermodynamic compression / relaxation cycle, which clearly shows in Figure 1 the condenser radiator 5 and the evaporator 6. These parts are fixed in the box. The condenser 5 is in the form of a vertical plate extending substantially over the entire height of the box. The evaporator constitutes a refrigerating chamber 6 suitable for receiving and wrapping the cooling circuit of the water. Its bottom is closed to support this circuit when it is full of water. FIG. 1 also shows that the cylindrical wall of the caisson 1 laterally has an external recess 24 at the bottom of which is a surplus liquid recovery tank 76, surmounted by a gate 7, below the two taps 8 and 10.

Partially in Figure 1, more fully in Figure 3, there is shown the support structure of the removable members. It is a plate or horizontal plate 13, which is fixedly mounted in the box. It occupies an elongated surface, extending in the middle of the box, horizontally across it from its rear part at the taps. It leans forward on the wall of the box at the upper level of its recess welcoming glasses or drinking cups under the taps. At the rear it engages with tabs 71 over the frame of the condenser 5. It also rests fixedly on the cooling chamber 6, itself supported by the box, for example by means of a bracket that we can see 75 in Figure 9.

The plate 13 fits around the entire periphery of this enclosure, around an empty opening that it has to provide access from above to the inside of the enclosure. This empty opening, visible at 4 in FIG. 8, covers a rectangle with rounded angles whose length is oriented transversely to the plate 13, thus parallel to the condenser 5, as is the section of the enclosure 6. Another empty opening 46 is provided further aft, in the case where the fountain is completed by a heating device and a removable circuit of heated water inserting therein into a heating jacket located in the caisson. The plate 13 receives on its upper face a distribution piece 14, on which are connected the different ducts defining the water circuits. This piece integrates in particular the tubes of the valves 8 and 10 which are themselves removable and which rest on the plate 13 to the front wall of the box 1. It is also on this piece that connects the finger 15 which penetrates vertically in the neck of the feed bottle to ensure that water is taken in equilibrium with the water consumed with each use.

To prevent heat loss, the vacuum 4 formed through the plate 13 above the refrigerating chamber 6 is filled by an insulating plug 52 around the dispensing part 14 under the connections to the valves. This removable cap is placed in said vacuum on an internal shoulder of the plate provided for this purpose (reference 74 in Figure 8).

In the context of the embodiment shown in the figures, the heat exchanger for cooling the water is produced on the water side by a unidirectional circuit 18, describing a continuous serpentine path 17. walls of semi-rigid plastic material, the water is guided to flow always in the same direction, from an inlet compartment located in the upper part of the circuit, just under the support plate 13, to an outlet end d cooled water which is connected by the distribution piece 14 to the tube leading to the valve delivering the chilled water. In a particularly advantageous manner, the cooling circuit provided in the embodiment described here comprises a descending coil path, occupying a parallelepipedal volume between the two long sides of the refrigerating chamber 6, which is extended by a rectilinear duct going up 16, still at the inside of the cooling chamber, from the bottom of this chamber to the dispensing part 14. Thanks to these provisions according to the invention, we obtain an optimal performance in the heat exchange, especially because the walls defining the cooling circuit have a large contact area with the walls of the cooling chamber, and it is ensured that the temperature water drawn off at the outlet of the cooling circuit remains constant and uniform. By favoring a laminar flow mode, along a path where the circuit does not present angular zones where the water 9 could stagnate, the sanitary conditions are further improved, which is important when it comes to here to distribute drinking water. Note also that the weight of this circuit is fully supported by the box of the fountain, since it rests on the bottom of the cooling chamber 6.

In a manner known per se, the sampling finger 15 is associated with an air intake 11 (FIGS. 4, 5, 6), which ensures a pressure equalization by introducing into the bottle the air sucked from the surrounding atmosphere. by an elbow tube 60 through a filter 12. In addition, a cup 31 overlying the dispensing piece 14 is formed around the finger 15 to collect water leaks that may occur during the introduction of a bottle new power supply. The drips collected in this cup are discharged into a manifold 78 (FIG. 9), on the front of the refrigerating chamber, from which they are discharged through a tube 77 to the tank 76. It can be seen from FIG. the bottom of the refrigerating chamber 6 is also connected to this tank, to eliminate the condensate or for the case where the seal would not be perfect at the different connections made on the dispensing part 14. In the removable assembly that form the different parts whose walls are in contact with water, the distribution piece 14 is mechanically connected to the walls of the coil circuit 18 by a set of cooperating tabs 79, which function by elastic engagement and determine a fixed relative position of the two rooms relative to each other. The sealing of the connection between them, as regards the admission of water, is provided by an O-ring 23, which is housed in a groove of the inner wall of a cylindrical collar 21, in which s' a cooperating collar formed in the dispensing part 14 is inserted below the level of the upper face of the support plate 13.

According to the invention, the zone at the top of the cooling circuit 18 in which the water coming from the finger 15 is admitted constitutes an uncooled water intake compartment 22 which is common to the two distribution circuits of water at different temperatures, one passing through the cooling circuit 18, the other going directly to the tap delivering the temperate water. Inside the distribution piece, at the connection limited by the collar 21, the compartment 22 of the cooling circuit is separated from the cooled water circuit by the sealed wall of a tubular connector fitting into a hole 19 (FIG. 4) formed through the wall of the circuit at the outlet of the vertical branch 16.

As already indicated, and as can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, the entire cooling circuit 18 has, as well as the refrigerating enclosure 6 in which it takes place, a generally planar shape which extends vertically parallel to the plane containing the two valves to their terminal valves. This makes it possible to clear, in the casing 1, a sufficient space to provide the recess 24 in which cups can be placed below the vertical end portions of the taps 8 and 10. These taps are removable with the dispensing part 14. They present a bent shape, between their end portion opening vertically through the outlet orifice and their main horizontal part. The valves are in fact located at the end of straight tubular parts which rest on the support plate 13, as well as the other ducts forming part of the dispensing part 14, when it is in place in the vacuum 4 of the support plate .

The constitution of the dispensing part 14 is clearly apparent from the exploded representation of FIG. 4, supplemented by FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

It shows in particular the circular collar 25 which engages in the corresponding collar of the cooling circuit. Its upper part is closed except for an opening 26 which communicates with a conduit 27 internal to the sampling finger 15, and from there, through a passage 28 pierced at the top of the finger 15, with the inside of the bottle, the assembly serving take water to admit it into the upper compartment of the cooling circuit. The finger 15 is an integral part of the dispensing part 14. It is crossed by an air duct which is isolated from the inner duct 27 through which the air intake tube 11 opens into 33 in the bottle. The same figures show the cup 31 which has already been mentioned, which collects the water leaks that may occur during the withdrawal of a finished feed bottle or when opening a new bottle by the finger 15, to pour them through a hole 32 in the evacuation tube 77 to the bin 76 (Figure 9).

As connecting ducts integrated in the distribution piece 14, which is a generally rigid piece, the figures show two external ducts 34 and 35 which are arranged symmetrically on either side of the cup 31 and which connect respectively, the first tube 8 terminated by the valve delivering uncooled temperate water, coming directly from the compartment 22, the second to the tube 10 to connect the outlet end of the cooling circuit to the valve delivering water cooled. The connection with the valves can advantageously take place via separable sections 41 and 39, visible in Figure 4. O-rings 36 provide sealing at the removable connection.

At its opposite end, toward the rear of the fountain, the connecting duct 35 is closed by a plug 38 (see also FIG. 3). Between the two ends, but there within the area of bulk of the collar 25, and no longer outside, the connecting pipe 35 has a derivation branching oriented vertically downwards. This tapping 40 passes through the upper wall of the collar 25 and is connected to the refrigerated water outlet 19 at the end of the cooling circuit. The end 42 of the duct 34, also oriented vertically downwards, passes through the same wall of the collar to open directly into the compartment 22, internal to the collar 25, into which the internal duct of the sampling finger opens through the opening. 26. In the particular embodiment described, it is provided that this inlet in the duct 34 can be closed by a plug.

In this same embodiment, not limiting of the invention, the dispensing part 14 comprises a third connecting pipe 44, which is intended to be used in combination with another water treatment device, in particular with a heating system. The horizontal branch of this conduit is shown closed by a removable plug 37, which can be removed to connect it to the inlet of a water reheater located inside the fountain box. Its vertical branch passes through the upper wall of the circular collar 25 and opens into the compartment 22 in the upper part of the cooling circuit. Advantageously, the lower end of the vertical leg 45 opens into this compartment at a level below the horizontal plane in which valves 8 and 10 are. This avoids a defusing of the heating device when removing the supply bottle to make its change.

As shown in detail in FIG. 8, the support plate 13 is shaped to allow the passage, not only of the cooling circuit 18 through the vacuum 4, but also to allow the passage through the vacuum 46 of a another removable water circuit, thus including a heating circuit by heat exchange with a heating device. When this circuit is used, the fountain delivers hot water, whose distribution comes either in addition to the other two, or to replace the temperate water in addition to the chilled water produced in the cooling circuit 18. For the distribution of hot water, for example, the third connecting duct 44 is put into service, by removing its cap 37 to connect it to the inlet of the heating circuit, and parallel by closing the vertical branch 42 of the duct. temperate water 34. The stream of heated water is led to the valve 8 previously reserved for the temperate water by adding a conduit (not shown) connecting the output of the heating circuit to the valve 8.

At the front of the plate 13, holes are bored which form housings 47 and 48 intended to receive respectively the vertical end portions of the valves 8 and 10. Each is placed next to one of two levers 49 and 50, operable manually by the user using the external levers 56 and 57, respectively, to control the temporary opening of the corresponding valve, by pressing on the pusher 53 or 54 associated therewith (FIGS. 8). Where appropriate, provision is made for the valve 8 a safety device equipping the associated external lever 56 to prohibit its opening command by children, especially in the case where the fountain is arranged to deliver hot water through the tap. Also in the interest of safety, the support plate 13 includes an electrical contact 51 (Figures 3 and 8) for providing an authorization signal indicating that the dispensing part 14 is correctly in place in the fountain.

Or from the point of view of the operation of the fountain according to the invention, it will be noted that the control levers 49 and 50 are pivotally mounted permanently on the front face of the casing 1, whereas the taps themselves are removable. with other parts in contact with water, including their end parts and valves. Note also that if these pieces have been described and shown separate from each other, they actually form a set that is introduced and withdraws from one piece. Their positioning is assured with precision thanks to the complementary shapes of the elements in relation to the fixed parts supporting them. The withdrawal of the assembly carries the plug 52 covering the vacuum 4 of the horizontal support plate, the distribution piece 14 being connected through it with the cooling circuit 18.

The foregoing description clearly explains how the invention proceeds in a manner that can not be predicted by those skilled in the art and how it achieves the goals it has set for itself. In particular, because the dispensing piece is made in a single relatively rigid piece, it comes to an overall cost of producing the fountain which is substantially reduced compared to that generated by the presence of several flexible pipes ensuring the routing of water in fountains of conventional type. Among the advantages obtained thanks to the invention, it also appears the fact that for all the elements which are in contact with the water, and which are thus made removable to be able to be cleaned or renewed periodically, the constituent material of their walls can be freely chosen to present good characteristics from the point of view of food.

Nevertheless, it follows from the foregoing that the invention is not limited to the modes of implementation which have been specifically described in the course of the examples above and that it extends on the contrary to any variant passing through the equivalent means. In particular, there can be provided a water treatment device other than a water heating device. It is also possible to obtain operation of lesser performance and yet satisfactory in a number of particular cases of application, by carrying out the cooling circuit in a manner different from that which has been described as being characteristic of a preferred embodiment. of the invention. By way of example, it is possible to provide a unidirectional circulation cooling circuit configured by a set of staggered baffles inside a receptacle occupying the interior volume of the cooling chamber. In other embodiments of the invention, it will be the vertical return branch of this circuit which will not necessarily be located inside the cooling space.

Claims

1. Bottle fountain for dispensing water under two different temperatures from water taken by gravity from an interchangeable bottle, characterized in that it comprises a removable water cooling circuit which is in a position of heat exchange with the walls of a fixed refrigerating chamber made capable of supporting its weight when it is full of water, and a fixed support plate on which rest the other removable organs of the fountain, among which two taps (8, 10) with external control and a dispensing piece (14) providing the connection between a finger (15) for taking water from the bottle and a compartment (22) for admitting uncooled water at the inlet of said cooling circuit between said compartment and a tube directly leading uncooled water to one of the valves delivering temperate water, and between an outlet end of the cooled water produced in the cooling circuit. cooling and the other valve delivering cooled water, an empty opening (4) being formed in said support plate (13) for the passage of said cooling circuit during its withdrawal through it.

2. Fountain according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling circuit internally has a serpentine shape organizing a unidirectional flow of water from said inlet compartment to a cooled water outlet, preferably located at the fixed support plate, said inlet compartment being advantageously itself located in the upper part of the circuit, at the support plate.

3. Fountain according to claim 2, characterized in that the distribution piece further comprises a connecting duct between the water inlet compartment in the cooling circuit and a hot water production circuit whose output is connected to a hot water tap, and in that said support plate has another empty opening (46) for the passage of said hot water production circuit.

4. Fountain according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the unidirectional flow circuit is generally planar and extends parallel to the vertical plane containing the two valves.

Fountain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispensing piece comprises a cup which surrounds the sampling finger and which comprises a discharge orifice of any water leaks.

6. Fountain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fixed support plate is disposed horizontally above said cooling chamber resting on its upper edge.

7. Fountain according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises an annular piece of thermally insulating material forming a plug (52) for said vacuum (4) of the support plate, said part comprising a central passage for the lower part of the distribution piece which connects with a collar limiting said intake compartment at the head of the cooling circuit.

8. Fountain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support plate comprises an electrical safety contact (51) which is actuated by the establishment of the dispensing piece on the support plate.

9. Fountain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting ducts that comprises the dispensing part to the valves comprise a separable section of the corresponding connecting ducts.

10. Fountain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said valves have a bent shape, comprising a main part lying horizontally on the support plate of the assembly, inside the box, and a terminal part where is an externally controlled valve that opens vertically outside the box.