US 4,730,355 AGranted

Pneumatic wave generator employing four-way valve arrangement

OwnerMark L. Kreinbihl, Randall L. Mosher +2inventors

InventorsMark L. Kreinbihl, Randall L. Mosher, Kevin D. Pramer, Robert P. Miller

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Abstract

A four-way air directional valve assembly is disclosed in combination with apparatus employed for pneumatically generating waves in a wave pool having a plurality of wave generating chambers arranged side-by-side and extending across the width of a pool at one end thereof. Each of these wave chambers has a below the water passageway in communication with the pool and a sealed portion located above the normal water level of the pool. Each chamber has an inlet-outlet passageway above the water level with the passageway serving in one mode as an inlet for directing forced air into the wave chamber and in a second mode as an outlet for exhausting air therefrom. The air directional valve assembly provides communication between a source of forced air and with associated pair of inlet-outlet passageways communicating with adjacent wave chambers so that the valve assembly can direct air into both chambers simultaneously or direct air into one chamber while exhausting the other chamber or exhaust both chambers while blocking air from the source of forced air.

Claims16

Dependent claims

Apparatus for pneumatically generating waves in a wave pool having water therein, said wave pool having a plurality of wave generating chambers arranged side-by-side extending across said pool at one end thereof wherein each said wave chamber has a below the water passageway in communication with said pool and a sealed portion located above the normal water level of said pool, each said chamber having an inlet-outlet passageway above said water level, said passageway serving in one mode as an inlet for receiving forced air and in the second mode as an outlet for exhausting air from a said chamber, said apparatus comprising:

a source of forced air;
and
valve means communicating with said source and with first and second said inlet-outlet passageways respectively associated with first and second wave generating chambers, said valve means having a first condition for simultaneously providing air flow from said source into both of said first and second chambers, a second condition for providing air flow into said first chamber while exhausting said second chamber, a third condition for providing air flow into said second chamber while exhausting said first chamber, and a fourth condition for blocking air flow from said source while exhausting both said first and second chambers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.