Water slide systems

Claim 2

Improvement in water slide recreational installations of the type that include a water chute slide for the participants, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide and a water pumping system that delivers water to the elevated end of the slide for flow down the slide for the occupants thereof, said improvement comprising a generally vertically rising water tower reservoir at some location upstream from the end of the slide, means for directing water from a source of the same into said reservoir, valve means having a valved outlet communicating with a bottom portion of the water tower reservoir for discharging water from said reservoir into said chute and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at selected intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide gushes of water that flow in spaced relation one after the other down said slide.

Claim 3

The improvement as defined in claim 1 including a sensor that detects the presence of an occupant on said slide and in response thereto allows said valve to open.

Claim 4

The improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein said sensor is downstream a selected distance from the beginning of the run of the slide.

Claim 5

The improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein said valve is biased to a normal open position and locked in its closed position and wherein said sensor deactivates said lock as the slide occupant passes the sensor.

Claim 6

The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve is biased to a normally open position by the water in said reservoir and including releasable lock means for holding the valve in a closed position.

Claim 7

The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said reservoir comprises a vessel having an upper overflow and a lower water outflow passage, a base, said vessel being mounted on said base and projecting upwardly therefrom, a water flow passage through said base communicating with the outflow passage from the vessel and discharging into the slide chute at the beginning of the run and wherein said valve is mounted on said base and controls the flow of water through the passage of the base.

Claim 8

Improvements in water slide recreational intallations of the type that include a water chute slide for the participants, of the type that include a water chute slide for the participants, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide and a water pumping system that delivers water to the elevated end of the slide for flow down the slide for the occupants thereof, said improvement comprising a water tower reservoir at some location upstream from the end of the slide, means for directing water from a source of the same into said reservoir, a valved outlet from said reservoir discharging into said chute, said valve being biased to a normally open position by the water in said reservoir and including releasably lock means for holding the valve in a closed position and wherein said valve comprises a pivotally mounted plate having a first and second faces respectively on opposite sides of the pivot axis, said faces preventing water flow from the reservoir in a valve closed position and wherein one of said first and second faces has a greater area than that of the other and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at selected intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide gushes of water that flow in spaced apart relation one after the other down said slide.

Claim 9

Improvements in water slide recreational intallations of the type that include a water chute slide for the participants, of the type that include a water chute slide for the participants, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide and a water pumping system that delivers water to the elevated end of the slide for flow down the slide for the occupants thereof, said improvement comprising a water tower reservoir at some location upstream from the end of the slide, means for directing water from a source of the same into said reservoir, a valved outlet from said reservoir discharging into said chute, said valve being biased to a normally open position by the water in said reservoir and including releasably lock means for holding the valve in a closed position and wherein said valve comprises a pivotally mounted plate having a first and second faces respectively on opposite sides of the pivot axis, said faces preventing water flow from the reservoir in a valve closed position and wherein one of said first and second faces has a greater area than that of the other and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at selected intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide gushes of water that flow in spaced apart relation one after the other down said slide.

Claim 10

The improvement as defined in claim 7 wherein the valve face having the smaller area is upstream of the other face with reference to water flow from the reservoir when the valve is open.

Claim 11

Apparatus in combination with a water slide recreational installation of the type that includes a water chute slide for the participants, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide and water flow down the slide for the occupants thereof, said apparatus comprising a base, a water reservoir mounted on and projecting upwardly from said base, passage means through said base communicating with said reservoir for directing water from said reservoir into said chute, a valve in said passage means selectively operable for suddenly releasing a quantity of water repeatedly at spaced intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide intermittent gushes of water that flow in sequence at spaced intervals one after the other down said slide and means directing a flow of water into said reservoir to replenish water that has been released therefrom.

Claim 12

Apparatus in combination with a water slide recreational installation of the type that includes a water chute slide for the participants, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide and water flow down the slide for the occupants thereof, said apparatus comprising a base, a water reservoir mounted on and projecting upwardly from said base, passage means through said base communicating with said reservoir for directing water from said reservoir into said chute, a valve in said passage means selectively operable for suddenly releasing a quantity of water repeatedly at spaced intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide intermittent gushes of water that flow in sequence at spaced intervals one after the other down said slide and means directing a flow of water into said reservoir to replenish water that has been released therefrom.

Claim 13

The combination as defined in claim 9 including means for actuating said valve from a location remote from the valve to selectively open and close the same.

Claim 14

The combination defined in claim 9 including adjustable support means for said base.

Claim 15

The combination as defined in claim 9 wherein said reservoir is an elongate, vertially disposed tube.

Claim 16

The combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said tube is detachably mounted on said base.

Claim 17

In combination a water slide recreational installation of the type having at least one water slide chute, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide, and means for releasing selected quantities of water to flow down the slide at selected spaced apart intervals, said means comprising a generally vertically rising reservoir at some location upstream from the end of the slide, means for supplying a flow of water to said slide, means for directing water from a source of the same into said reservoir, valve means having a valved outlet communicating with a bottom portion of the reservoir for discharging water form said reservoir into said chute and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide intermittent gushes of water that run in sequence one after the other in spaced apart relation down said slide.

Claim 18

In combination a water slide recreational installation of the type having at least one water slide chute, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide, and means for releasing selected quantities of water to flow down the slide at selected spaced apart intervals, said means comprising a generally vertically rising reservoir at some location upstream from the end of the slide, means for supplying a flow of water to said slide, means for directing water from a source of the same into said reservoir, valve means having a valved outlet communicating with a bottom portion of the reservoir for discharging water form said reservoir into said chute and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide intermittent gushes of water that run in sequence one after the other in spaced apart relation down said slide.

Claim 19

In combination a water slide recreational installation of the type having at least one water slide chute, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide, and means for releasing selected quantities of water to flow down the slide at selected spaced apart intervals, said means comprising a reservoir at some location upstream from the end of the slide, said reservoir comprising a base having a water chamber therein, and a tube detachably mounted on said base and projecting upwardly therefrom, said tube communicating with said chamber in said base and wherein said valve is located in an outlet passage from said chamber, means supplying a flow of water to said slide, means for directing water form a source of the same into said reservoir, a valved outlet from said reservoir discharging into said chute and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide intermittent gushes of water that run in sequence one after the other in spaced apart relation down said slide.

Claim 20

In combination a water slide recreational installation of the type having at least one water slide chute, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide, and means for releasing selected quantities of water to flow down the slide at selected spaced apart intervals, said means comprising a reservoir at some location upstream from the end of the slide, said reservoir comprising a base having a water chamber therein, and a tube detachably mounted on said base and projecting upwardly therefrom, said tube communicating with said chamber in said base and wherein said valve is located in an outlet passage from said chamber, means supplying a flow of water to said slide, means for directing water form a source of the same into said reservoir, a valved outlet from said reservoir discharging into said chute and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide intermittent gushes of water that run in sequence one after the other in spaced apart relation down said slide.

Claim 25

A water slide, comprising: a slide run having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and along which slide run a first flow of water flows; means for providing the first flow of water to the upper end portions; means storage reservoir means containing water and valve connected to a bottom portion of the storage reservoir means and being openable for suddenly releasing a quantity of water from the storage reservoir means to provide a second flow in the slide run in the form of an intermittent gush of water.

Claim 26

A water slide, comprising: a slide run having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and along which slide run a first flow of water flows; means for providing the first flow of water to the upper end portions; means storage reservoir means containing water and valve connected to a bottom portion of the storage reservoir means and being openable for suddenly releasing a quantity of water from the storage reservoir means to provide a second flow in the slide run in the form of an intermittent gush of water.

Claim 27

The water slide of claim 18, wherein said storage reservoir means includes a reservoir extending upwardly from the valve means and containing said water.

Claim 28

The water slide of claim 19, wherein said reservoir structure is an elongate, vertically disposed tube, and further including a base and means for detachably mounting said tube to said base.

Claim 29

lmprovements in water slide recreational installations of the type that include a water chute slide for the participants, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide and a water pumping system that delivers water to the elevated end of the slide for flow down the slide for the occupants thereof, said improvement comprising a generally vertically rising water tower reservoir holding a quantity of water elevated with respect to and at a location upstream from the end of the slide, means for directing water from a source of the same into said reservoir, valve means having a valved outlet located below at least a portion of said generally vertically rising water tower reservoir and communicating with a bottom portion of the water tower reservoir for discharging water from said reservoir into said chute and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at selected intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide gushes of water that flow in spaced relation one after the other down said slide.

Claim 30

lmprovements in water slide recreational installations of the type that include a water chute slide for the participants, a platform at an elevated start end of the slide, a landing pool at the bottom end of the slide and a water pumping system that delivers water to the elevated end of the slide for flow down the slide for the occupants thereof, said improvement comprising a generally vertically rising water tower reservoir holding a quantity of water elevated with respect to and at a location upstream from the end of the slide, means for directing water from a source of the same into said reservoir, valve means having a valved outlet located below at least a portion of said generally vertically rising water tower reservoir and communicating with a bottom portion of the water tower reservoir for discharging water from said reservoir into said chute and means controlling said valve for suddenly releasing a quantity of water at selected intervals from said reservoir into said chute to provide gushes of water that flow in spaced relation one after the other down said slide.