Improvements in and relating to Fountains.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1899-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Fountains.
I, FREDERIC WILLIAM DARLINGTON, of 937, Spruce Street, in the City and
County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to the class of fountains generally known as electrical
fountains, that is to say, fountains in which, in addition to the water spraying
mechanism, provision is made for the projection of light rays, into and through
the water. The object of my invention is to provide simple and efficient means for
rapidly changing the colour of the light of the various rays projected into the
spray of the fountain, and the nature of my improvements will be best understood
as described in connection with the drawings in which they are illustrated, and in
which
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of a fountain embodying some of my
improved features of construction, and of the kind to which all features of my
invention are applicable.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism for supporting and actuating the
coloured glass plates through which the light ray is projected.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.
Figure 4 is a plan view on an enlarged scale, and partly in section, of an actuating
cylinder and its connected mechanism for operating one of the glass plates.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, and
Figure 6 a plan view of one of the valves used in connection with the actuating
cylinders, and
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively plan views of alternative forms of plate actuating
mechanism
A indicates the pit or chamber formed beneath the fountain, B being the roof
of the pit or cave, CC etc., opening formed through the roof for the passage of
light rays, C C etc., being tubular extensions of the openings C and A¹ indicating
lights situated in the pit or cave in proper relation to the opening C. D D D etc.,
are the water distribution pipes of the fountain d d etc., being the jets supplied
by these distribution pipes. E E etc., indicate framings for supporting the
coloured plates of glass or other transparent material which are interposed between
the lights A and the hole C in order to colour the rays. Preferably these frames
are supported entirely from the roof B of the cave so as to leave the body of the
cave free. As shown the frames are made up of angle iron E secured to the top of
the roof and from which depend other angle irons E2 E2 supporting the lower
cross-bar E3. F indicates a shaft extending between the plates or bars E¹ and E³
and upon which are pivotally supported the series of levers F1 F1 etc., carrying at
one the frame Fe in which the glass plates G are held and having on the.
other side of the pivoted shaft F extensions F to which counter-weights are
attached to balance the weight of the glass and frame on the other end of the

page_text: lever. As shown a threaded rod F3 extends out from the end of the arm F2 and
supports adjustable counterweights F; as shown also the arm F2 is slotted at F5
to receive the actuating connecting rod H pertaining to each particular lever.
HH etc., are actuating cylinders which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, are supported
between one pair of angle irons E2 E2. H¹, see Fig. 4, is a piston working in the
cylinder H and connected with a piston rod H2 having at its end a head H³ to
which the connecting rod H4 is attached. I³ is a conduit leading from a source of
fluid pressure and connecting through branch conduits I with each of the cylin-
ders H. As shown in Fig. 4, I is a valve controlling an exhaust port from the
conduit I. The particular kind of valve shown in the drawings is illustrated
in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, in which i indicates the passage for fluid in which is
situated a cock valve, indicated at it, this valve being controlled by lever extension 2
and a connecting rod connected with a pivoted armature plate, indicating
the pivots upon which the plate it turns and 6 and 7 electromagnets arranged in
pairs, one pair on each side of the plate it, the arrangement being such that when
the electromagnets are energised they turn the valve downward and close it,
while, when the electromagnets are energised, they turn the valve upward and
open it. The electrical connections to the magnets are illustrated in Figs. 6 and 4.
In Fig. 6 it will be seen that current entering through the wire J will energise
the magnets while a current entering through the wire K will energise the
magnets, and in Fig. 4 it will be seen how the connections J and K may be led
to two valves and be coupled by wires J¹ and K¹ each having a switch as J2 and K³
with a wire K6 connecting with the battery or other electrical generator K³, the
return circuit being through a wire K and contact K5 to a metallic part as pipe I³
in electrical connection with the wires J and K. Thus by pressing the button Je
the valve 12 is opened and the valve I closed while by pressing the button K² the
valve 12 is closed and the valve I opened. M M M etc., indicate a series of
springs, one for each lever F connected thereto as by a cord M' the action of the
spring being to draw the lever to the position shown in Fig. 3 which will remove
the glass G from beneath the opening C. The operator by opening the valve 12
and closing the valve I¹ of any particular actuating cylinder H forces the piston H¹
outward and through its connection with the arm F2 of a lever F¹ tilts the glass G
until it comes between the light generator and the opening C. When a change in
the colour of the ray is desired the operator closes the valve 12 and opens the exhaust
valve I whereupon the strings M will draw the glass G away from the opening C
and force piston H' back to the position shown in Fig. 4.
While I much prefer the device above described and by which each of the
glasses is secured to an independent pivoted lever, excellent results can be obtained
by the modifications of the mechanism shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Thus in Fig. 7
a series of glass frames F6 are arranged to slide in a frame L, spring M being con-
nected with each sliding frame to draw it back away from the opening C and
cords L L³ winding on drums L serve to draw the frames F6 forward until they
cover the opening C. The drums L² are each pivoted on a shaft L and as shown
are provided with gear wheels L¹ with which engage toothed extensions H4 of the
piston rods H³.
In the other modifications illustrated in Fig. 8 two actuating cylinders HH are
supplied for each sliding frame F6 and the frames are directly secured to the piston
rods H at each end. In this modification a single inlet and exhaust valve are
supplied for each pair of cylinders arranged to actuate a single glass holding frame.
The particular mechanism shown and above described is well adapted for the
purposes in view. I do not however wish to be understood as limiting myself to
any particular construction of valve, or to any particular arrangement of glass
holding frames, except in so far as I have definitely limited myself to particular
constructions in the claims hereto appended.
A particular advantage of my construction lies in the fact that any two or more
glasses of each set can be simultaneously interposed in the light ray and almost
any blend or shade of colour thus secured.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. In a fountain adapted to throw jets of water and project thereon rays of light,
the combination with a light ray generator of a series of pivoted arms each carrying
a plate of transparent material through a path which intersects that of the light ray
and does not interfere with or cross that of the other plates, and means for inde-
pendently actuating said arms to project these plates into or withdraw them from
the path of the light ray.
2. In a fountain adapted to throw jets of water and project thereon rays of light,
the combination with a light ray generator of a series of pivoted arms each carry-
ing a plate of transparent material through a path which intersects that of the light
ray and does not interfere with or cross that of the other plates, and each carrying
a counterbalance, and means for independently actuating said arms to project theso
plates into or withdraw them from the path of the light ray.
3. In a fountain adapted to throw jets of water and project thereon rays of light,
the combination with a light ray generator of a series of coloured plates of glass
or other transparent material arranged one above the other and each independently
interposable in the path of the ray, a series of cylinders and pistons working
therein, one piston connected to each plate and arranged to move it into and out
of the path of the light ray, a source of fluid pressure, connections from said source
to each cylinder and valves arranged to govern the admission and exhaust of the
fluid pressure to each cylinder.
4. In a fountain adapted to throw jets of water and project thereon rays of light,
the combination with a light ray generator of a series of colored plates of glass
or other transparent material arranged one above the other and each independently
interposable in the path of the rav, a series of cylinders and pistons working
therein, one piston connected to each plate and arranged to move it into and out.
of the path of the light ray, a source of fluid pressure, connections from said
source to each cylinder, valves arranged to govern the admission and exhaust of
the fluid pressure to each cylinder and electromagnets arranged to actuate said
valves
01
R T
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton. Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.