US2974872A - Illuminated fountain - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1961 J. P. RODMAN ILLUMINATED FOUNTAIN Filed Dec. 19, 1958 INVENTOR. JAMES P. RODMAN By KL/ F/GZ ATTORNEY U s. Patent Q ILLUMINATED FOUNTAIN James P. Rodman, 1125 Fernwood Ave., Alliance, Ohio Filed Dec. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 781,563 1 Claim. (Cl. 239-20) This invention relates to an ornamental fountain. More particularly, it relates to a fountain in which a transparent spray head is fastened to a transparent globe which may be illuminated from One form of the fountain is adapted to float in a swimming pool or other body of water.

The fountain is constructed of a pump, preferably operated electrically. It includes a transparent globe which may be of any color, and preferably also includes means for illuminating the globe. The spray head is preferably held to the globe by springs so that it may be easily removed to give access to the globe for replacement of the light bulb within the globe and for cleaning the openings in the spray head, etc.

In one form of the invention, a float is attached to the fountain so that it will float on water. This float is preferably located above the center of gravity of the fountain so that the fountain will not be top heavy. The float is preferably removably fastened to the fountain so that it can be dispensed with if the fountain is to rest on a solid surface. For instance, the fountain may rest on the bottom of a shallow pool or a basin which collects the sprayed water for reuse. For this purpose the base of the fountain is preferably flat, and the water intake is located near the base.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the fountain floating in a pool;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the fountain, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and V V Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the spray head.

Figure 1 shows the fountain 1 floating in a pool 2, which may be a swimming pool. Power for the pump is supplied through the connection 3. It also supplies current to illuminate the fountain if illuminating means is provided. In the preferred form of the invention this connection 3 includes a ground wire so that the plug 4 not only supplies current to the fountain but also provides a ground, so that the fountain does not become a hazard in the event an electrical short circuit develops within the fountain while it is in a swimming pool or other body of water.

The cylindrical housing 5 is flanged at 6 at its base. This fits on the cylindrical base 7 provided around its bottom with flange 8 to which the cup-shaped sieve 9 is attached. The pump 10 inside the base 7 takes in water through the sieve. An O-fing (not shown) provides a tight seal between the flange 6 and base 7.

The pump 10 is supplied with current from the electric cord 3 which enters the fountain through bushing 12. The circuit also supplies current to the electric light bulb 13, when the fountain is illuminated. This bulb 13 is fastened in a conventional porcelain socket 14. The bulb is enclosed in the globe 15 the base .of which forms a water-tight seal with the top of the housing 5 of the fountain by means of a gasket (not shown) or the like, as required.

Bolts 17 pass through openings in the flange 6 and are 2,974,872 Patented Mar. 14,1961

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threaded in the flange 8, or pass through the flange and are provided with heads or nuts on their bottom ends. The nuts 18 hold the housing 5 on the base 7.

The spray head 20 is of transparent material, either glass or an organic plastic such as Plexiglas or Lucite (methylmethacrylate). Its circular base fits flush against the ring-shaped gasket 21 which forms a water-tight seal with the top of the globe 15. The gasket may be of neoprene or the like. The spray head is pulled to the globe and gasket by the coil springs 22, the bottom ends of which are attached to the flange 6 in any suitable fashion.

The tube 24, which may be of transparent plastic or other suitable material, supplies water from the pump 10 to the spray head through a suitable opening in the side of the head. In the drawing the upper end of the tube 24 is shown inserted into a close-fitting hole in the spray head, but not necessarily fastened to it.

The fountain as shown, is provided with floats 30 to buoy it up in water. It may be used without the floats by supporting it on any flat surface; for instance, it may rest in a shallow pan which collects the spray which is continuously recycled by the pump to the spray head. The water inlet for the fountain is below the water level in the pan. The fountain, particularly if the globe is colored, produces an attractive effect for use either out- Side or inside of a house or other building, as in the lobby of a hotel, the courtyard of a motel, the garden of a private home, etc.

A fountain when equipped with the floats can be used in a swimming pool or the like. The floats 30 may be rigid hollow members or inflated. They may be lowgravity blocks of cork, hard plastic foam formed with non-communicating air-tight cells, etc. Two such blocks, annular in shape, are shown in Fig. 2, although it is to be understood that any desirable number may be employed. These blocks are provided with three indentations 32 (Fig. 3) around their inner circumference to accommodate the springs 22. They are also provided with openings to accommodate the three rods 35 which pass through both of the floats 30 and are anchored in the flange 6. In the embodiment shown, nuts 36 space the floats 30 with respect to the housing 5. The floats 30 are of sufficiently low specific gravity to support the fountain in water. They are located above the center of gravity of the fountain. They advantageously shield all but the top ofthe spray head from view, as in Fig. 2, while at the same time permitting light from the bulb 13 to attractively illuminate from beneath the surface, whatever body of water contains the fountain.

The fountain may be constructed of any suitable material. The housing 5 need not be cylindrical, but may be hexagonal or square, etc. Instead of a single spray head, the globe 15 may accommodate several spray heads. Instead of being circular in outline, the spray head 20 may be angular or any other desired shape. Other means may be employed for supporting the fountain from one or more floats. The pump may be located in a housing immediately below the light bulb. Thus, the drawing and description of preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrative, and various modifications may be made such as will suggest themselves to the man skilled in the art.

The invention is covered in the claim which follows.

What I claim is:

The combination of a housing, an electric light bulb attached to the housing, a transparent globe over the light bulb with the bottom of the globe in water-tight contact with the housing, a transparent spray head with spray openings therein which spray head has an open base sealed in water-tight contact with the surface of the globe, springs anchored to the housing which hold the spray head to the globe, a water feed line opening into 4 the spray head near its base, and a pump in the housing connected with said feed line. t

v Refex'en c es (Cited in the file of this'patent 5 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 490,378 Trouve V m, '24, 1893 4 Ziener Oct. 16, 1917 Stabler Dec. 22, 1931 Profiatt Jan. 5, 1932 Taslitt July 3, 1934 Pearse May 15, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Fiance Dec. 21, 1925 I 1 l t

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