Abstract:
The present invention relates to a decorative waterfall apparatus and more particularly to a decorative waterfall having a decorative image on a backboard which can be rapidly changed by removing the removable mounted backboard and changing a polymer film having a decorative image thereon extending thereover.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a decorative waterfall and more particularly to a decorative waterfall having a decorative image on a backboard which can be rapidly changed by removing the removable mounted backboard and also by changing a polymer film covering thereover having a decorative image thereon. 
     Moving water or waterfalls used as decorative elements in a home or public building are well-known. These include various types of fountains which can be small fountains placed on a table, large permanently installed fountains, or decorative waterfall devices attached to a building to produce the pleasant effects of falling water within the building. In some buildings, these are seen as water falling between two transparent glass plates. Typically, the water is collected in a pool at the bottom of the artificial waterfall and is pumped through a pipe for dispersion at the top of the waterfall to provide a continuous circulation of water. The freefalling water can be falling directly to the pool below or over a backboard into the pool. 
     The present invention relates to a decorative waterfall having an image displayed on a backboard behind the falling water and which backboard is rapidly removable from the decorative waterfall for changing the image thereon. The image may be changed by attaching a polymer film over the backboard with snaps or fasteners, which polymer film has a decorative image thereon. This allows the decorative image of the waterfall to be rapidly replaced and can, for instance, have a different image for different holidays, such as Christmas, Halloween or the like. 
     Prior art decorative waterfalls may be seen in the Nash U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,368 in which a decorative waterfall has a housing with a reservoir of water at the bottom of the housing and a pump for conveying water from the bottom reservoir to a top reservoir where the water overflows the top reservoir and flows down a front wall. The Dunn et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,538 is a decorative waterfall and also provides humidification in the building and uses a plurality of overlapping panels for the water to flow across. The Hones U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,070 is a decorative waterfall having a continuous flow of water which is illustrated having the water flowing over potted plants. Similarly, the Katzman U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,138 has a self-sustaining indoor waterfall planter. 
     The Formhals et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,322 is an apparatus for projecting water to form an insubstantial screen for receiving images thereon and thus includes a vertical sheet of water and an image projector directing an image onto the water. In the Wheeler U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0023032 and the A. J. Grossniklaus U.S. Pat. No. 2,503,945 and the Coughlin U.S. Pat. No. 6,901,925, each show a decorative waterfall combined with a fireplace. Decorative waterfalls which produce a water curtain can be seen in the Hayden U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,785 and in the Hones U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,382,520 and 6,152,381 and in the Hayden U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,124. Other decorative waterfalls may be seen in the Stukenberg U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,937 for a system of modular rocks with a waterfall and in the Maxwell U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,144 for a decorative waterfall system and in the Duback U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,142 for an aquarium and waterfall system. 
     The present invention, in contrast to the prior art systems, is for a decorative waterfall with a decorative image on a backboard behind the falling water. The backboard can be quickly and easily removed and replaced or the image on its surface changed. This allows for the changing of the image from time to time during the year. The image may be changed by simply replacing a removable polymer film cover having an image formed thereon which can be attached with fasteners. The polymer film can be attached to the backboard in a manner to direct the dispersed water over the backboard. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A decorative waterfall has a waterfall housing having a top and bottom portion and having a base having a water reservoir therein and a pair of sidewalls extending generally vertically from the base to the top portion of the housing. A water dispersion tube is located in the top portion of the waterfall housing and a pipe extends between the water reservoir and the dispersion tube for conveying water in the water reservoir to the dispersion tube. A pump is connected to the pipe for pumping water from the water reservoir. A removably mounted decorative backboard is removably attached between the side walls of the housing and positioned for water from the dispersion tube to flow thereover. The backboard has a pair of side edges and a decorative image on the surface thereof so that the waterfall has a changeable decorative backboard for easy changing of the image behind the water flowing thereover. 
     The backboard decorative surface includes a polymer film cover having a decorative image to cover the one side of the backboard and is removably attached to the backboard for rapidly changing the image displayed on the backboard behind the falling water. The backboard is supported with pegs protruding from each edge thereof which can be rapidly positioned in slots in the sidewalls of the housing which positions and supports the backboard. The backboard has a plurality of fastener portions thereon for removably attaching a polymer film thereto, which polymer film has a decorative image thereon. The polymer film can be attached to the backboard with snap fasteners or the like. 
     The backboard has a top edge which has an elongated ledge extending thereacross for attaching the polymer film thereover to provide a sloping surface to the top edge of the backboard for directing water from the dispersion tube over the backboard decorative surface. A lamp is mounted in the base for directing light onto the backboard to light the decorative image and flowing water. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the written description and the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a cut-away perspective view of a decorative waterfall in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial cut-away perspective of a corner of the decorative waterfall of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a portion of the waterfall of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the removable backboard and polymer film covering of the waterfall of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings  FIGS. 1 through 3 , a decorative waterfall  10  is provided with a base  11  having a pool of water  12  therein and having sidewalls  13  and  14  attached to the base  11  and extending generally vertically therefrom. A top cover  15  covers the top portion of the waterfall  10  and covers the dispersion tube  16  which has a plurality of openings therein for dispersing water therefrom. A pump  17  may be located in the base and pumps water through a tube  18  from the water pool  12  to the dispersion tube  16  where the water is dispersed into a waterfall over a backboard  20  where it flows into the water pool  12  in the base  11 . The base  11  also has a lamp  21  mounted therein and is directed towards the flowing water  22  and the backboard  20 . The backboard  20  can be seen to have a polymer film cover  23  placed thereover and attached over the backboard  20  with a plurality of fasteners  24 . The polymer film  23  is a waterproof film which has a decorative image  25  as seen in  FIG. 4 . The backboard  20  can be seen as having protruding pegs  26  protruding from the sides thereof which may be steel pegs or may be made of any material desired. The pegs are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  snapped into the upper slots  27  for supporting the backboard  20  in a generally vertical position. The backboard  20  may also have protruding pegs  28  on the bottom thereof which may be spring loaded for insertion into an opening in the sidewalls  13  and  14 . This allows the backboard to be rapidly removed by simply unhooking the protruding pegs  28  on the bottom and raising the backboard to raise the pegs  26  from the slots  27  in the sidewalls  13  and  14  to remove the backboard from the waterfall  10 . The backboard  20  can also be seen having a protruding ledge  30  positioned back from the front of the backboard to allow the polymer film  23  to overlap to form a generally angled surface  31  which directs the water being dispersed by the dispersion tube  16  thereonto and over the front of the backboard  20 . The elongated ledge  30  can have the polymer film  23  attached to the back thereof with fasteners  32 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of the backboard having a decorative design  34  thereon is shown removed from the waterfall housing by the lifting of the backboard  20  to raise the pegs  26  from the slot  27  in the sidewalls  13  and  14  after loosening the pegs  28  from the openings  35  in the bottom of the sidewalls  13  and  14 . Once the backboard is removed, a polymer cover  23  having a decorative design  25  is placed over the face of the backboard  20  and the snap portions  35  snapped over the opening  37  and onto the snapped portions  36  to form a waterproof film over the backboard  20 . The top of the waterproof film  23  extends over the elongated ledge  30  to form a water path for the water flowing over the backboard  20  with the film cover  23  attached thereto. The backboard can then be rapidly reattached to the waterfall  10  housing allowing a user to change the image for a special event. 
     The image on the polymer film  23  can be of a Halloween scene, as shown in  FIG. 4 , or it can be a Christmas scene or any other decorative image desired. The image is then seen behind the falling water in the waterfall which is lighted by the lamp  21 , lighting the falling water, and the image displayed behind the falling water. Images can also be seen painted onto the backboard  20 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , but this would require repainting the image for each change while the images  25  on the film  23  can be printed thereon and numerous images printed onto different film covers provided with the waterfall. 
     It should be clear at this time that a decorative waterfall has been provided which advantageously allows the rapid removal of the backboard of the waterfall and the rapid changing of the image displayed on the backboard. However, the present invention is not to be construed as limited to the forms shown which are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.