US 4,747,538 A · Water wall

Abstract

A combined decorative object for household decoration and humidification is disclosed. The device makes use of the aesthetic qualities of flowing water, and comprises an inclined panel having discontinuities formed therein such that water flow thereover is interrupted in a manner which is pleasing to the eye. The panel may comprise a number of panes of glass in edge-overlapping, abutting relation to one another such that water flowing over the panels essentially adheres to the panels, such that splashing is avoided in favor of burbling. In this way, excessively large water droplets are not released to the atmosphere, which tends to damage other household goods in the vicinity of the device. In the preferred embodiment, the device is a free-standing construction comprising a base member for containing a pool of water and support members for supporting a multiple-paned panel assembly, the lower edge of which is disposed in the pool of water, so that the splashing at the lower edge of the panel assembly is similarly avoided. A trough member provides a laminar flow of water over the panel assembly; a pump refills the trough continually. Temperature control of the water may also be provided.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A water wall comprising:

base means, comprising means for containing a pool of water having a pool surface;
pump means for pumping water from said pool;
water dispersal means for providing an essentially laminar flow of water at a flow rate;
piping means, connected between said pump means and said water dispersal means;
a waterfall panel assembly comprising a number of essentially smooth members in edge-overlapping, abutting relationship to one another, the smooth members of said assembly being generally parallel to one another and having respective lower edges, surfaces for receiving said laminar flow of water, the surfaces of said smooth members being non-enclosed;
and
support means for maintaining the members of said assembly at a predetermined angle of inclination with respect to the vertical, and for supporting said water dispersal means generally above said panel assembly;
wherein the flow rate of water, horizontal distance between the lower edges of ones of said smooth members of said panel assembly and the surfaces of next lower smooth members of said panel assembly, and angle of inclination of said smooth members being such that water flowing over said smooth members of said panel assembly tends to adhere thereto, whereby splashing of said water is largely avoided.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Water wall

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Water wall

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Abstract

Claims31