A water slide

Abstract

 © A water slide (1, 2) includes a chute of substantially U-shaped cross-section. The chute is formed by a pliable web (21) which is suspended at its longitudinally extending edges from two substantially, mutually parallel support bars (18, 19) extending along the chute.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a water slide which comprises a chute of U-shaped cross-section.

[0002] Such water slides are known to the art, e.g. through Swiss Patent No. 626 812, and are to be found at such waterside locations as seaside bathing locations, waterplay areas, swimming baths and similar locations. In principal, a water slide comprises a chute which slopes downwardly from a frame or staging structure, possibly while changing its direction a number of times, and terminates at a point slightly above the surface of the water. The level at which the chute begins is reached by means of a staircase, possibly a moving staircase, or by means of one or more lifts. In order to reduce friction between the person using the slide and said chute, water is caused to run down the chute to the end thereof. This water is transported to said level by means of a suitable pump. In one known embodiment the chute comprises reinforced-plastic sections, e.g. fibreglass-plastic sections, each of which is provided at either end with means, e.g. a flange, for connecting respective sections end-to-end to form a continuous chute, said chute being supported by stirrup-like supports, mounted on the upper parts of suitably positioned support posts. One disadvantage with using reinforced plastic sections of U-shaped cross-section to build the chute of a water slide, is that a transverse groove is formed at the junction where two sections are joined together, resulting in a plurality of friction-increasing locations along the chute causing abnormal wear. In order to obtain the requisite mechanical strength, the reinforced-plastic sections must be relatively thick, and consequently a relatively large amount of material is used in constructing the chute, causing the sections to be relatively expensive.

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a water slide which offers a low friction to persons using the slide, while constructing the chute of the slide from components which are both strong and economic with respect to the amount of material consumed. A further object is to provide a slide in which the chute, which is subjected to wear, can be readily replaced.

[0004] In accordance with the invention, these objects are realised with a water slide of the aforementioned kind in which the chute is formed by a pliable web, which is suspended at its longitudinally extending edges from two substantially mutuallly parallel support bars extending along the chute.

[0005] The support bars may to advantage be carried by stirrup-like holders, which in turn are adjustably secured to support posts positioned along the chute.

[0006] In order to steady the chute laterally, if so required, the pliable web may be connected to attachment rods at positions between the longitudinally extending edges thereof, said attachment rods being located beneath the support bars. Said attachment rods may be secured to and carried by said stirrup-like holders.

[0007] In the embodiment of the water slide in which attachment rods are provided, the pliable web adjacent the attachment rods preferably exhibits outwardly projecting flange-like parts, which are parallel with said attachment rods and which serve as means for attaching the web to-the nearest attachment rod. Suitably, the flange-like parts are provided with holes and the web is secured to the nearest attachment rod with the aid of a rope, which rope is passed alternately through one such hole and around the periphery of the attachment rod and then through a next hole, and so on.

[0008] In order to secure the pliable web to the support bars, the longitudinally extending edges of the web may be passed around the upper sides of respective support bars and attached to the undersides thereof, or in the proximity of the underside, by some suitable means.

[0009] In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, the chute has a least one curve along its length, which curve may be a right-hand or a left-hand curve, and, in order to introduce a camber in said curve, the support bar on the outside of said at least one curve may be located at a higher level than the support bar on the inside of the curve.

[0010] The web suitably comprises a plastics material, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene and other thermoplastic resins, and preferably comprises a reinforced plastics material. In practice, a continuous reinforced plastics web of soft polyvinyl chloride having a thickness of 0,8 mm has been found suitable for the construction of the chute of a water slide according to the present invention.

[0011] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a top-plan view of two parts of a supported pliable web forming a water slide chute, said parts being located at different levels;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II in Figure 1 illustrating the manner of attaching the chute to a support post;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified embodiment in which a water slide chute is suspended at a location along its length;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of one of the chute parts illustrated in cross-section in Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a side view which illustrates the chute in greater detail and the manner in which it is..attached to a support post.

[0012] In Figure 1 there is shown two parts 1, 2 of a water slide chute formed by a thin pliable web and attached to a number of different support posts 3, 4 positioned at a bathing site or by the side of a swimming pool, to support the chute along its length. The chute may be arranged to extend from the top floor of a staging structure arranged at the bathing site, of which staging structure a part can also be used as a diving platform or the like, and may be provided with curves, and may also form loops, and terminates above the level of the water at the bathing site or pool. Persons wishing to use the slide, climbs to the top platform of the staging structure, optionally after parsing though a stile or the like where payment is collected, by means of a staircase,and seat themselves at the top of the chute, holding firmly to the sides of the chute. As soon as the person releases his grip, he begins to slide down the chute, to the terminal end thereof, where the kinetic energy of the person using the slide causes him to be thrown over the surface of the water and down thereinto.

[0013] As illustrated in Figure 1 the parts 1 and 2 of the chute are supported by a number of support posts 3, 4 each of which is provided with a foot 5 which rests against the ground 6. Each support post 3 and 4 carries a holder 7 which can be raised and lowered along the post and swung around the periphery thereof, and the holder 7 can be fixed at selected levels by means of stop screws 8. Each holder 7 includes a sleeve-like tubular part 9 which can be rotated relative to the support post 3, and a tubular arm part 10, which is fixed to the tubular part 9, thus enabling the arm part to be swung around the post 3. Rotatably inserted in the tubular arm part 10 is a longitudinally displaceable second arm part 11, which can be locked in a selected position in the arm part 10 by means of stop screws 12. In order to strengthen the holder 7, a reinforcing plate 13 may be welded to the sleeve-like tubular part 9 and the tubular arm part 10 asLillustrated in Figure 4. The arm part 11 carries a stirrup-like holder 14, which comprises a cross-piece 15, two intermediate pieces, of which one is referenced 16, and two upwardly extending side pieces, of which the side piece associated with the intermediate piece 16 is referenced 17.

[0014] The stirrup-like holders 14 provided with upwardly turned side pieces 17 form supports for two mutually parallel support bars 18, 19 which extend along the chute portion of the slide and which are more clearly apparent from Figure 5, which shows that the side piece 17 is connected at 20 to the support bar 18.

[0015] The support bars 18, 19 carried by the stirrup-like holders 14 form seats for a chute comprising a thin and pliable web 21 of reinforced plastics material curved to a U-shape. The side edges of the reinforced plastics web 21 are folded around the support bars 18, 19 and fixed to the underside thereof with fixing pins, each of which has a head 22. The web i1 is provided with holes at the relevant locations, which when attaching the web to the bars are passed over a respective head 22, so that part of the web material around the edge of the holes is held beneath the head 22. In order to strengthen the edges of respective holes, said edges are suitably strengthened with eyelets (not shown).

[0016] For the purpose of steadying the plastics web 21 laterally and holding said web outwardly stretched, the water slide of the illustrated embodiment is provided with mutually parallel attachment rods 23, 24, which are also parallel with the support bars 18, 19 and arranged on a level therebeneath and secured to the stirrup-like holders 14. In this case, there is arranged on each side of the reinforced plastics web 21 an outwardly projecting flange-like part which is allotted one of the attachment rods 23, 24, the flange-like part allotted attachment rod 23 being referenced 25 and the flange-like part allotted attachment rod 24 being referenced 26. As will best be seen from Figure 5, the flange-like part 26 is secured to the attachment rod 24 with the aid of a rope 27, which is passed alternately through holes 29, each strengthened with an eyelet 28, and out around the attachment rod 24, and then in towards and through an adjacent hole 30 in the flange-like part 26, and so on until a longitudinally extending retaining tie is obtained. Because the upper part of the reinforced plastics web 21 is fixed to the support bars 18, 19 and the sides of the web are fixed to the attachment rods 24, 25 there is obtained a chute which will substantially retain its shape and which presents but few obstacles, so as to offer the least possible friction to persons sliding therealong.

[0017] One important advantage afforded by the water slide according to the invention is that the reinforced plastics web 21 or portions thereof can be readily exchanged when excessively worn. All that is needed to be done in this respect is to loosen the side edges of the web 21 folded around the support bars 18, 19 from the pin heads 22, and to loosen the rope 27, when present, from the associated attachment rods 23 or 24 beneath each side of the web 21.

[0018] Another advantage afforded by the water slide according to the invention is that the stirrup-like holders 14 can be adjusted, both with respect to the level above the surface of the ground, by loosening the stop screws 9, and with respect to the angle at which they are inclined to said ground surface, by loosening the stop screws 12 and rotating the stirrup-like holder 14 around the arm part 10 to a suitable angle.

[0019] Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the stirrup-like holders 14 are suspended from suitable suspension means, which in the illustrated case comprise two longitudinally extending beams 31 of laminated wood, which are mounted on the ceiling of a swimming bath. Arranged between the two beams is a cross-beam 32. The stirrup-like holder part 14 is attached through a first attachment arm 33 to one beam 31 and through a second attachment arm 34 to the cross-beam 32.

[0020] As indicated in Figure 1, the chute web 21 has incorporated therein a curve, which in the illustrated embodiment is assumed to be a left-hand curve. In order to facilitate movement of persons down the slide and through the curve, it is possible to introduce a camber into the curve. To this end the support bar 18 or 19 on the outside of the curve is arranged to be located on a high level than the support bars on the inside of the curve, in the manner indicated in chain lines in Figure 3, thereby to produce the desired degree of camber.

[0021] Although the invention mainly has been described with - reference to one specific embodiment, it is not limited thereto. For example, it is not necessary to steady the chute laterally, in which case the attachment rods can be omitted, as also shown in Figure 3.

Claims

1. A water slide comprising a chute of U-shaped cross-section, characterised in that the chute is formed by a pliable web (21), which is suspended at its longitudinally extending edges from two substantially, mutually parallel support bars (18, 19) extending along the chute.

2. A water slide according to claim 1, characterised in that the support bars (18, 19) are carried by stirrup-like holders (14), which in turn are adjustably secured to support posts (3,4) positioned along the chute.

3. A water slide according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the pliable web (21) at positions between the longitudinally extending edges thereof is connected to attachment rods (23,24) in a manner to steady the chute laterally, said attachment rods being located beneath the support bars (18,19).

4. A water slide according to claims 1-3, characterised in that the attachment rods (23,24) are secured to said stirrup-like holders (14).

5. A water slide according to claim 4, characterised in that the pliable web (21) adjacent the attachment rods (23,24) exhibits outwardly projecting flange-like parts (25,26), which are parallel with said attachment rods and which serve as means for attaching the web (21) to the nearest attachment rod (23 or 24).

6. A water slide according to claim 5, characterised in that the flange-like parts (25,26) are provided with holes (29,30) and in that the web (21) is secured to the nearest attachment rod.(23,24) with the aid of a rope (27) or the like, which rope is passed alternately through one such hole (29) and around the periphery of the attachment rod and then through the next hole (30), and so on.

7. A water slide according to claims 1-6, characerised in that the longitudinally extending edges of the web (21) are passed around the upper sides of respective support bars (18, 19) and attached to the underside thereof.

8. A water slide according to any one of claims 1-7, characterised in that the chute has at least one curve along its length, and in that the support bar (18,19) on the outside of said at least one curve is located at a higher level than the support bar on the inside of the curve.

9. A water slide according to any one of claims 1-8, characterised in that said web (21) comprises plastics material.

10. A water slide according to claim 9, characterised in that said plastics web (21) comprises a reinforced plastics.

Drawing