Patent Publication Number: US-9901837-B2

Title: Bucket tipping apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/055,237 filed on Sep. 25, 2014. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bucket tipping apparatuses. Specifically the present invention describes a bucket tipping apparatus wherein a receptacle is continuously filled with fluid until it reaches a tipping point, wherein the receptacle is then configured to actuate downwardly to dump the fluid before returning to a substantially upright position. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many people spend time outdoors at a pool in order to relax and cool off during periods of warm weather. Children in particular enjoy playing and swimming in pools. There are a variety of pool toys for children that can help them to develop their swimming skills, diving skills, and motor skills, while also having fun at the same time. These toys can include inflatable rafts, water slides, and water blasters, among many others. 
     However, children may easily become bored from simply swimming or playing in a pool and require new or additional toys to play with in the pool. Therefore, there exists a need for a tipping bucket apparatus that can be removably attached at a pool to provide amusement and enjoyment for children. The tipping bucket apparatus is particularly advantageous as it periodically dumps water in a waterfall effect, which stimulates children to create a multitude of games revolving around the tipping bucket apparatus. 
     Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to pool toys, such as water squirting and water dumping devices. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. Some of these devices provide a pool ladder with a means for spraying water onto the feet of an individual. Other devices provide a plurality of poles that distribute water into a tipping bucket for pouring water onto the occupants of a pool. These devices, however, fail to provide a device attached to a pool ladder having a receptacle for dumping water onto individuals in a pool. 
     The present invention provides a bucket tipping apparatus configured to fill a receptacle and periodically dump water collected within the receptacle. The bucket tipping apparatus comprises a receptacle pivotally mounted to the upper end of a frame, wherein the frame can be secured to a support surface, such as the ladder of a pool. The receptacle is pivotally attached to each upper end via a spring-biased pivoting rod. A nozzle disposed above the receptacle is fluidly connected to a water pump via a hollow tube attached to the frame. The nozzle is configured to disperse fluid into the receptacle until the receptacle reaches a tipping point, wherein the receptacle is configured to tilt downwardly and dump the water before returning to the original position to repeat the process. 
     It is therefore submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to bucket tipping apparatuses. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bucket tipping apparatuses now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a bucket tipping apparatus that is configured to be removably attached to a support structure and configured to periodically dump fluid from a receptacle for people&#39;s amusement and enjoyment. 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved bucket tipping apparatus that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bucket tipping apparatus comprising a receptacle for collecting fluid that is pivotally connected to the upper end of a frame, wherein the frame is securable to a support surface, such as the ladder or edge of a pool. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bucket tipping apparatus, wherein the receptacle is pivotally connected to the frame via a spring-biased pivoting rod. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bucket tipping apparatus, wherein a nozzle is disposed above the receptacle configured to be fluidly connected to a pump via a hollow tube removably secured to the frame for the purpose of filling the receptacle with fluid. 
     Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bucket tipping apparatus, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive and support fluid therein until a tipping point before dumping the fluid therefrom. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bucket tipping apparatus, wherein the spring-biased pivoting rod is configured to allow the receptacle to actuate downwardly to a substantially horizontal orientation to dump fluid therefrom before returning to a substantially vertical orientation. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bucket apparatus wherein the device may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
         FIG. 1  shows a side perspective view of the bucket tipping apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  shows a front perspective view of the bucket tipping apparatus. 
         FIG. 3  shows a side perspective view of the bucket tipping apparatus as attached to a support structure for use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the bucket tipping apparatus. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for periodically dumping fluid for amusement and enjoyment. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there are shown a side perspective and a front perspective of the bucket apparatus  20 . The bucket apparatus  20  includes a frame  21  having an upper end  22  and a lower end  23 . In the illustrated embodiment, the frame  21  comprises a pair of elongated rods that are aligned in a parallel manner to one another. However, in alternate embodiment, the frame  21  may have any of various other configurations. The frame is adapted to be disposed in an upright or inclined orientation. 
     The lower end  22  includes at least one fastener  24  thereon configured to allow the lower end  22  to be removably attached to a support structure  50 . The support structure  50  may include a ladder for a pool as illustrated, a ledge of a pool, or other structures that may support the bucket tipping apparatus  20 . The fastener  24  includes a threaded fastener, however it is readily apparent that those of ordinary skill in the art will envision a variety of other suitable fasteners that do not alter the spirit and scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. These alterations and variations are deemed within the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, a fastener  61  is configured to removably fasten the frame  21  to the ladder in order to provide further support. In this way, each fastener  61 , preferably a zip tie fastener, is configured to support the bucket apparatus  20  in a substantially upright orientation. 
     A receptacle  25  adapted to hold a volume of fluid therein is pivotally attached to the upper end  23  of the frame  21 . Preferably, the receptacle  25  is pivotally secured via a spring-biased pivoting rod  26 . The spring-biased pivoting rod  26  allows for the receptacle  25  to be actuated along a singular plane. The receptacle  25  is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape having an open upper end and a closed lower end forming an interior volume. The receptacle  25  is configured to receive and support fluid therein in a substantially vertical orientation until the receptacle  25  reaches a tipping point. The spring-biased pivoting rod  26  is configured to actuate the receptacle  25  into a substantially horizontal orientation when the receptacle  25  reaches the tipping point, and return the receptacle  25  into the substantially vertical orientation after dumping the fluids therein. In some embodiments, the spring-biased pivoting rod  26  is positioned on the receptacle  25  in an off-center manner, so that the receptacle  25  preferably tips or leans towards one side thereof. This helps to encourage tipping of the receptacle  25  once the receptacle  25  is filled. 
     An elongated tube  28  is removably secured to a portion of the frame  21  of the bucket tipping apparatus  20 . The elongated tube  28  comprises a hollow interior volume through which fluid may flow. The elongated tube  28  is removably secured to the frame  21  via at least one fastener  60  disposed along the length of the frame  21 . The fastener  60  includes a zip tie fastener, however other suitable fasteners are likewise contemplated. The elongated tube  28  includes an upper end  29  and a lower end  30 , wherein the lower end  30  is fluidly connected to a pump. The pump is configured to force water through the lower end  30  and the elongated tube  28 . The upper end  29  is disposed above of the receptacle  25  and includes a nozzle  31  that disperses fluid from the pump into the interior volume of the receptacle  25 . In this way, the receptacle  25  is configured to support fluid therein until a tipping point, wherein the receptacle  25  rotates downwardly to dump the fluid and returns to a substantially vertical orientation to repeat the process. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a side perspective of the bucket tipping apparatus  20  disposed above a pool for use. The lower end of the frame  21  is removably secured to the ladder  51  of a pool, wherein the frame  21  extends upward therefrom so as to dispose the receptacle  25  on the upper end of the frame  21  at an increased elevation relative to the ladder. As illustrated, each first end  22  is removably attached to the ladder  51  via threaded fasteners. In this way, the second ends  23  of the frame  21  are situated above the pool  50 . The second ends  23  are each pivotally attached to the receptacle  25  via the spring-biased pivot rod  26 . 
     The receptacle  25  is configured to receive and support water dispersed from the nozzle  31  situated above the open end of the receptacle  25 . The nozzle  31  is in fluid communication with a pump  52  via the elongated tube  28  that is attached along the length of the frame  21  and is configured to continuously disperse fluid when the pump  52  is activated. The elongated tube  28  is preferably composed of plastic, such as polycarbonate, however other suitable materials that are rigid enough to dispose the nozzle  31  above the receptacle  25  are contemplated. 
     The receptacle  25  is configured to actuate to a substantially horizontal orientation to dump the fluid supported therein into the pool  50  when it reaches the tipping point at which point the weight of the fluid in the receptacle  25  causes the receptacle  25  to tip. The spring-biased pivoting rod  26  is configured to return the receptacle  25  towards a substantially vertical orientation to repeat the dumping process. 
     It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.