GB2296861A - Swimming pool having circulating water flow - Google Patents

Abstract

A swimming pool comprising a tank portion (1), a water delivery passage (7), water circulating passages (8,9) and motor driven propeller means (11) in the water delivery passage (7). The water circulating passages (8,9) are arranged on either side of the water delivery passage (7) and in the same wall (2) of the tank portion (1). In use water is propelled into the tank portion (1) through the delivery passage (7) in a first flow (16) and is drawn from the tank portion through the circulating passages (8,9) in second flows (17a,17b) counter to the first flow (16). The invention also relates to water flow generating apparatus for generating a flow of water in a pool against which a swimmer can swim.

Description

A Swimming Pool This invention relates to improvements in and relating to a pool and, in particular, to a so-called circulating water flow pool in which a current flow can be created within the pool. The invention is primarily, but not necessarily exclusively, intended to relate to a swimming or fitness pool in which a flow of water can be created which is sufficiently strong to enable a swimmer in the pool to swim against the flow and remain in a substantially stationary position within the pool. The invention also relates to apparatus for producing a controllable flow of water within a pool.

Circulating water flow swimming or fitness pools are well known in the art and generally have a relatively small length compared with conventional swimming pools. However, by generating a strong liquid flow within the pool against which a user can swim, such pools offer some of the benefits of a larger swimming pool without being as expensive to purchase and install. It is known to generate a water flow within a pool by the use of high pressure jets of the type conventionally used in spas or the like in walls of the pool. However such jets tend to create turbulence within the pool which exerts forces sideways and up and down on the swimmer. A better, known solution to the problem of generating a generally smooth, but turbulent, flow in a pool is to employ propellers or screw blades to circulate the water within the pool.Generally known apparatus for circulating water within a pool either forms a permanent or integral part of the pool (see, for example, US-A-4290153, US-A-5005228 and US-A-5207729) or, alternatively, is detachably mounted within the pool (see, for example US-A4352215, US-A-4561133, US-A-466572, US-A-5298003 and EP-A0581997).

With regard to the known prior art pools incorporating permanent or integral water circulating apparatus, US-A-5005228 discloses a tank having opposed first and second ends and a circulating passage extending between the two ends of the tank and beneath the tank. This circulating passage returns water withdrawn from one end of the tank to the other end of the tank. US-A-5207729 discloses a pool having a return circulating passage located at the bottom of a water containing tank. This return circulating passage serves to convey water, drawn from one end of the tank, beneath the main part of the tank to an inlet of the tank at the other end of the tank. In both these known prior art devices, therefore, water is withdrawn from one end of a tank and is circulated back to the other end of the tank before being propelled once again into the tank for recirculation.In US-A-4290153, a simple rotatable propeller is arranged at one end of the pool. The propeller is primarily intended to create waves within the pool and does not incorporate recirculating passages for recirculating the water through the pool.

In known water flow producing apparatus for pools, which apparatus either forms a permanent or removable part of the pool, there is little or no control over the flow of water exiting from outlet nozzles of the apparatus into the pools, although US-A-4352215 does disclose a nozzle element which can be moved between two positions for directing water horizontally or upwardly into the pool.

The present invention seeks to provide improvements in or relating to pools of the circulating water flow type.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a pool comprising a tank portion having opposite first and second walls, a delivery passage passing through said first wall and communicating with the interior of said tank portion, circulating passages passing through said first wall on opposite sides of the delivery passage and communicating with the delivery passage externally of the tank portion and motor driven propeller means arranged in said delivery passage and operable to circulate water through said tank portion and said circulating and delivery passages, whereby water is propelled by the propeller means into the tank portion through said delivery passage in a first flow and is drawn from the tank portion through said circulating passages in second flows counter to said first flow, the water drawn from the tank portion through said circulating passages being recirculated back into the tank portion via the delivery passage.

The invention in said one aspect is preferably intended to enable circulating apparatus to form a permanent or integral part of the pool. However it is intended that conventional pools can be converted into circulating type pools by incorporating circulating apparatus into such conventional pools.

By arranging for the circulating passages to communicate with the delivery passage externally of the tank portion, and by mounting the propeller means in the delivery passage, the propeller means can be mounted externally of the- tank portion to facilitate servicing. Water is circulated in the tank portion so that a swimmer can swim against the first flow generated by water being propelled into the tank portion through the delivery passage by the propeller means. Water is circulated back in the tank portion on either side of the main first flow and in counterflow thereto. Thus space is not wasted by arranging ducting externally of the tank portion for returning water from one to the other end or side of the tank portion. The water in the tank portion is preferably intended to be circulated at or just below the water surface in a generally horizontal plane.This is unlike other known water circulating arrangements where water is circulated generally vertically within the tank portion.

The invention is ideally suited for use in relatively small length pools, e.g. fitness pools, in which the first and second walls provide opposite end walls of such pools.

However the invention can find application in a larger pool in which a number of spaced apart delivery passages are arranged in a side wall or end wall of such a pool.

Conveniently inlets of said circulating passages, i.e. where the circulating passages pass through the first wall and enter the tank portion, are at least partly at substantially the same level as the outlet of the delivery passage, i.e. where the delivery passage passes through the first wall and communicates with said tank portion. However each circulating passage inlet may extend vertically downwards further than the outlet of the delivery passage.

Conveniently two circulating passages are provided which are joined to the delivery passage externally of the tank portion.

Suitably the second wall of the tank portion is at least partly curved or angled. If the first and second walls are end walls, by suitable curving, angling or shaping of the second wall, water in the first flow can be deflected towards side walls of the tank portion to form the second flows.

Preferably the delivery passage includes adjustable outlet nozzle means. The purpose of such nozzle means is to partially split the liquid flow flowing into the tank portion or to influence the liquid flow so as either to cause the first flow to diverge or to be focused within the tank portion of the pool. Furthermore, the nozzle means can be adjustably turned up and down so that the first flow can be angled up towards the surface of water within the tank portion or down towards the bottom of the tank portion.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided water flow generating apparatus for generating a flow of water in a pool against which a swimmer can swim, the apparatus comprising means defining a tubular passage having a main water outlet and at least one subsidiary water outlet, impeller means for propelling water through said tubular passage so as to generate said flow of water as the water exits from the water passage through said main water outlet and movable flow control means adjustably positionable to divert a proportion of the water propelled through said tubular passage by the impeller means through said at least one subsidiary water outlet thereby to control the flow of water exiting from said main water outlet.

By diverting some of the water passing through the tubular passage to exit through said at least one subsidiary water outlet instead of through the main water outlet, the force of the water flow exiting from the main water outlet can be satisfactorily controlled. The water flow generating apparatus according to said another aspect of the invention may form a permanent or integral part of a pool or may, instead, comprise portable apparatus which can be removably mounted in a pool.

Conveniently the flow control means comprises or forms part of an adjustable nozzle device which is provided with said main and subsidiary water outlets. Suitably the nozzle device includes an outlet member providing said main water outlet and having a part spherical portion in which said at least one subsidiary water outlet is provided and at least one rotatable member rotatable relative to the outlet member and having a part spherical surface cooperating with said part spherical portion, the rotatable member having passage means which are positionable to divert water passing through said tubular passage to said at least one subsidiary water outlet.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view from above of a pool according to the invention incorporating water circulating apparatus; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line I-I of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of one end of a tank portion of the pool shown in Figures 1 and 2 looking from inside the tank portion; Figure 4A is an end view of a delivery passage of the pool shown in Figures 1 to 3 and showing nozzle means of the delivery passage; Figure 4B is a side view of the end of the delivery passage showing the nozzle means of Figure 4A; Figure 5 is a schematic exploded view of components of a nozzle device of water flow generating apparatus;; Figure 6A is an end view of the water flow generating apparatus shown in Figure 5 and viewed from the pool; and Figures 6B and 6C are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines B-B and C-C of Figure 6A.

Figures 1 to 3 show a fitness or swimming pool comprising a tank, generally designated 1, having spaced apart end walls 2 and 3, spaced apart side walls 4 and 5 and a bottom 6. Such a pool may typically have a length of from 3.5m to 6.5m and a width of 2.Om to 3.Om although these dimensions are not intended to be limiting in any way since the invention can find application in much larger, e.g. full size, swimming pools. The pool further includes water circulating tubular passages positioned externally of the tank and passing through the end wall 2. These water circulating passages comprise a delivery passage 7 which passes through the end wall 2 and projects into the inside of the tank 1 and circulating passages 8 and 9 passing through the end wall 2 on opposite sides of the delivery passage 7.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the inlets 18 and 19 of the circulating passages 8 and 9 are positioned at least partly at the same level as the outlet or downstream end of the delivery passage 7 which should be arranged beneath the upper level of, but in the upper part of, water contained in the tank 1. However each inlet 18, 19 preferably extends vertically below the delivery passage 7.

The delivery passage 7 is arranged substantially horizontally and has a propeller 10 mounted therein for rotation about a propeller axis coaxial with the horizontal main axis of the delivery passage 7. Ideally, for generating the strongest water flow, the blades of the propeller 10 should be positioned as close as possible to the circular cylindrical inner wall surface of the delivery passage 7. The propeller 10 forms part of a propelling unit, generally designated 11, which includes a vertical drive shaft 12 driven by a motor 13 and driving a horizontal shaft 14 of the propeller 10. The drive connection between the shafts 12 and 14 is by means of suitable gearing 15 (for example meshing bevel gears). The propelling unit 11 may comprise a bow thruster of known type in which the propeller 10 is mounted within a tube forming the, or part of the, delivery passage 7.Alternatively, the propelling unit 11 may comprise an outboard motor or the like. The motor 13 of the propelling unit 11 may be of any convenient type, e.g.

a conventional internal combustion engine or an electric engine.

In use, driving rotation of the propeller 10 causes water to be circulated through the tank 1 and the delivery and circulating passages 7-9. In particular, water is propelled into the tank through the downstream end of the delivery passage so that water is directed in a first flow 16 towards the end wall 3. This first flow is a so-called smooth turbulent flow and is directed generally centrally in a broad band down the centre of the tank 1. On reaching the end wall 3, the first flow is diverted sideways and is returned in the opposite direction to the flow 16 in counterflows 17a and 17b on opposite sides of the flow 16 adjacent the side walls 4 and 5, respectively, before entering inlets of the circulating passages 8 and 9 for recirculation back into the tank 1 via the delivery passage 7.Thus water is continually circulated through the tank 1 and flows in a generally horizontal plane within the tank.

However, since water is circulated within the tank, it is not necessary to provide external water return passages or ducts for returning water from one end of the tank to the other end of the tank. A swimmer is able to swim against the water flowing in the first flow 16 so as to remain substantially in a stationary position in the tank whilst swimming against the flow 16.

The tank 1 is conveniently moulded from reinforced plastics or glass fibre material. In this case it is possible for the delivery and circulating passages 7-9 to be created within a suitably moulded outer end wall portion (not shown) formed outside the end wall 2. In this case the passages may be formed by cooperating channels or the like formed in confronting faces of the end wall 2 and such an outer end wall portion.

The downstream end of the delivery passage 7 is suitably provided with an adjustable outlet nozzle 20 so that flow may be partially split by the nozzle or concentrated to give divergent or focused flow within the tank 1.

Figures 5 and 6A-C show an alternative nozzle arrangement 30 either for the apparatus hereinbefore described or for alternative water flow generating apparatus (not shown). If the nozzle arrangement 30 is merely a replacement of the nozzle 20 it is positioned at the downstream end of the delivery passage 7. In the following description, the nozzle arrangement 30 will be described as if it forms part of different water flow generating apparatus which may form a permanent or integral part of a pool or which may be removably mounted in a pool.

The nozzle arrangement 30 comprises an inlet member 31 having an inlet 32 and a part spherical portion 33, an outlet member 34 having an outlet 35 and a part spherical portion 36, and two rotable members 37 and 38. The inlet member is intended to be connected to the outlet end of a tubular passage (not shown) in which a motor driven impeller device (not shown) is mounted - e.g. in a manner similar to the mounting of the propeller 10 in the delivery passage 7.

The motor driven impeller is operable to propel water from the tubular passage (not shown) through the nozzle arrangement 30 via the inlet 32. The outlet member 34 is turnably mounted on the inlet member 31 for turning about a first axis 39 generally perpendicular to the main axis 40 of the nozzle arrangement 30. The spherical portions 33 and 36 define a part spherical chamber 41.

The two rotatable members 37 and 38 are adjustably turnably journalled on the outlet member 34, being received in the part spherical chamber 41 for turning about a common second axis 42 at least substantially perpendicular to the axes 39 and 40. The rotatable members 37 and 38 have segmental portions 37a and 38a provided with part spherical outer surfaces 43 and 44, respectively, which cooperate, in a substantially liquid sealing manner, with spherical surfaces of the chamber 41. Through passages 45 and 46 are formed in the segmental portions 37a and 38a, respectively, opening into the surfaces 43 and 44, respectively, at their opposite ends.

In use the force of water propelled by the impeller means through the outlet 35 is controlled by adjustably turning the rotatable members 37 and 38. In the position of the rotatable members shown in Figures 6B and 6C, all the water passing through the nozzle arrangement 30 exits through the outlet 35. By turning the members 37 and 38 in opposite directions, the upstream or inlet ends of the passages 45 and 46 are placed in communication with the water flow path of water passing through the inlet 32 and a proportion of the water is diverted through these passages 45 and 46 and through subsidiary water outlets 50 formed in the spherical portion 36. When water is vented or diverted through the subsidiary water outlets 50, the force of the water flow exiting from the main water outlet 35 is reduced.

Thus there is provided a convenient method of adjusting the force of the water flow generated in a pool against which a swimmer can swim. By turning the outlet member 34 about the first axis 39 (which is suitably substantially horizontal) the direction of the water flow exiting the outlet 35 can be controlled.

Claims (14)

1. A pool comprising a tank portion having opposite first and second walls, a delivery passage passing through said first wall and communicating with the interior of said tank portion, circulating passages passing through said first wall on opposite sides of the delivery passage and communicating with the delivery passage externally of the tank portion and motor driven propeller means arranged in said delivery passage and operable to circulate water through said tank portion and said circulating and delivery passages, whereby water is propelled by the propeller means into the tank portion through said delivery passage in a first flow and is drawn from the tank portion through said circulating passages in second flows counter to said first flow, the water drawn from the tank portion through said circulating passages being recirculated back into the tank portion via the delivery passage.

2. A pool according to claim 1, including motor means for driving the propeller means mounted externally of the delivery passage.

3. A pool according to claim 1 or 2, in which inlets of said circulating passages are at least partly at substantially the same level as the outlet of the delivery passage.

4. A pool according to claim 3, in which each circulating passage inlet extends vertically downwards further than the outlet of the delivery passage.

5. A pool according to any of the preceding claims, in which two circulating passages are provided which are joined to the delivery passage externally of the tank portion.

6. A pool according to any of the preceding claims, in which the second wall of the tank portion is at least partly curved or angled.

7. A pool according to any of the preceding claims, in which the delivery passage includes adjustable outlet nozzle means.

8. A pool according to claim 7, in which the nozzle means is adjustably movable so that the first flow can be angled up towards the surface of water within the tank portion or down towards the bottom of the tank portion

9. A pool constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 3 and 4A and 4B or Figures 1 to 3 as modified by Figures 5 and 6A to 6C.

10. Water flow generating apparatus for generating a flow of water in a pool against which a swimmer can swim, the apparatus comprising means defining a tubular passage having a main water outlet and at least one subsidiary water outlet, impeller means for propelling water through said tubular passage so as to generate said flow of water as the water exits from the water passage through said main water outlet and movable flow control means adjustably positionable to divert a proportion of the water propelled through said tubular passage by the impeller means through said at least one subsidiary water outlet thereby to control the flow of water exiting from said main water outlet.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the flow control means comprises or forms part of an adjustable nozzle device which is provided with said main and subsidiary water outlets.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, in which the nozzle device includes an outlet member providing said main water outlet and having a part spherical portion in which said at least one subsidiary water outlet is provided and at least one rotatable member rotatable relative to the outlet member and having a part spherical surface cooperating with said part spherical portion, the rotatable member having passage means which are positionable to divert water passing through said tubular passage to said at least one subsidiary water outlet.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, in which the outlet member is adjustably turnable for controlling the direction of water flow exiting from said main water outlet.

14. Water flow generating apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 5 and 6A to 6C.