Apparatus for generating a current in a pool

Abstract

An apparatus for generating a current in a pool, the apparatus including: a) a shell including an upwardly extending intake chamber in fluid communication with the pool, the intake chamber having a liquid intake zone located in a lower end of the intake chamber; b) an axial pump having an upstream suction-side and a downstream discharge-side, the pump located at an upper end of the intake chamber, the pump having a guide means arranged to direct liquid to flow longitudinally in the discharge-side channel substantially without swirling, the guide means being located downstream of the pumping element; and c) drive means adapted to drive the drive shaft, wherein driving the drive shaft produces a discharge of liquid through the discharge-side outlet, to create a current in the pool for a swimmer to swim against.

1 . Apparatus for generating a current in a liquid-containing vessel having an exercise zone for a swimmer, the apparatus including:
 a) a shell, the shell including an upwardly extending intake chamber in fluid communication with the vessel, the intake chamber having a liquid intake zone located in a lower end of the intake chamber;   b) an axial pump having an upstream suction-side and a downstream discharge-side, the pump located at an upper end of the intake chamber, the pump having:
 i) a pump housing having a suction-side inlet in fluid communication with the intake chamber, a substantially horizontal discharge-side channel having an open front end forming a discharge-side outlet, and a suction-side end wall remote from the suction-side inlet and discharge-side outlet; 
 ii) a substantially horizontal drive shaft defining a longitudinal axis of the pump; 
 iii) a pumping element for expelling liquid via the discharge-side channel and discharge-side outlet into the exercise zone; 
 iv) a guide means arranged to direct liquid to flow longitudinally in the discharge-side channel substantially without swirling, the guide means being located downstream of the pumping element; 
   c) drive means adapted to drive the drive shaft, wherein driving the drive shaft produces a discharge of liquid through the discharge-side outlet, to create a current in the exercise zone for a swimmer to swim against.   
   
   
       2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pump housing is of generally hollow tubular form having a circumferential wall and having the discharge-side outlet at one tubular end and the suction-side end wall at the other tubular end, with the suction-side inlet located on the circumferential wall at a longitudinal position between the pumping element and the suction-side end wall. 
   
   
       3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the suction-side inlet extends longitudinally for a length greater than the radius of the pump housing. 
   
   
       4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the suction-side inlet extends for 180 degrees of the circumferential wall. 
   
   
       5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the fluid flow from the discharge-side outlet is substantially horizontal and the centre of the discharge-side outlet is located 230 mm to 530 mm below an in-use level of liquid in the vessel. 
   
   
       6 . Apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the pump housing internal diameter is between 150 mm to 450 mm. 
   
   
       7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the intake chamber extends the same width as the vessel. 
   
   
       8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the intake chamber extends the same width as the pump housing. 
   
   
       9 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the intake chamber extends the same height as the vessel and the intake zone is a generally vertical inlet. 
   
   
       10 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the drive means is an electric drive motor, wherein the drive shaft extends substantially horizontally through the suction-side end wall to connect the pumping element to the electric drive motor. 
   
   
       11 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the guide means are a plurality of guide vanes. 
   
   
       12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the guide vanes extend substantially radially in the discharge-side channel. 
   
   
       13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the guide means is a pump stator member. 
   
   
       14 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the intake chamber further includes intake guide means. 
   
   
       15 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an intake safety guard is provided for the liquid intake zone or an outlet safety guard is provided for the discharge-side outlet. 
   
   
       16 . Apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the intake safety guard or the outlet safety guard is a grid or grate member having openings therein to allow liquid to pass therethrough. 
   
   
       17 . Apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the intake safety guard or the outlet safety guard is a grid or grate member of louvered form. 
   
   
       18 . Apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the intake safety guard includes at least one pressure sensitive switch operable to disable the drive means when the safety guard is touched. 
   
   
       19 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  further including the vessel. 
   
   
       20 . Apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the vessel includes at least one sensor to detect at least one of a presence or absence of fluid in the vessel and to send an output signal to enable or disable the drive means to prevent drive operation when the vessel contains no fluid.