NON-PERMANENT WHITEWATER WATER COURSE

Abstract

The invention relates to a white-water river, comprising a river bed capable of guiding a current of water between an upper inlet of the bed and a lower outlet of the bed, and including water-feeding means for injecting a stream of water at the upper inlet of the bed. The river bed is made up of a series of individual bed modules, adjacent to one another, and assembled via respective transverse contact surfaces. The individual bed modules are supported via a lower surface by a modular lattice bearing structure.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An assembly for forming a white water river having a river bed for guiding a flow of water, the assembly comprising; a modular lattice support structure; a plurality of bed modules each bed module having a lower surface adapted to be supported by the lattice support structure, each bed module having at least one contact surface disposed adjacent to a contact surface of another of the plurality of bed modules when in an assembled position on the lattice support structure, the plurality of bed modules defining an upper bed inlet and a lower bed inlet; and a water supply for delivering a flow of water at the upper bed inlet which flows to the lower bed inlet.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein each of the plurality of bed modules are molded components of a plastic material such as polyethylene or polyester.

18. The assembly of claim 16 wherein at least one of the modules comprises an upper surface guiding the flow of water, the upper surface having a plurality of blind holes extending downwardly from the upper surface; and at least one obstacle component having a body mounted to a fixation shaft, the shaft adapted to be received in one of the plurality of blind holes.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein each of the blind holes are identical to each other, and wherein each fixation shaft is identical to another to enable free positioning of the obstacle component in any one of the plurality of blind holes in the bed modules.

20. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the lattice support structure comprises: a plurality of lower components which, when assembled, form a load distribution sole designed to rest on the ground; a plurality of upper groundways, distributed under the lower surface of the individual bed modules; and a lattice structure that connects the plurality of load distributing sole to the plurality of upper groundways.

21. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the lattice structure comprises telescoping mountings for height adjustment.

22. The assembly of claim 16 further comprising; an upper basin positioned at the upper inlet to receive the supply water; two lateral bed branches which are generally parallel to each other and apart from one another, and which connect the upper basin to an intermediate basin located at an intermediate level between the level of the upper bed inlet and the level of the lower bed outlet; and a central bed branch, which connects, between the lateral bed branches the intermediate basin to a lower basin that forms a lower bed outlet.

23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the central bed branch has a width that is greater than the width of the lateral bed branches.

24. The assembly of claim 16 where the bed modules each form a bed segment that occupies the entire width of the river bed, and whose length is less than or equal to the maximum authorized width of a typical ground transport vehicle.

25. The assembly according to claim 24 wherein each bed module has two opposing transverse contact surfaces which are generally flat, and have a seal to provide watertightness at the jointure between the respective transverse contact surfaces of the adjacent individual bed modules when they are assembled, forming a bed segment of the whitewater river.

26. The assembly of claim 24 wherein each individual bed module has a shape that is selected from a limited series of individual bed module shapes, where the limited series of individual bed module shapes consists of at least one lateral bed branch individual module shape, and at least one central bed branch individual module shape.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein the lateral bed branch individual module shapes comprising of at least one straight individual module shape, with transverse contact surfaces that are parallel to each other, and a curved individual module shape, with transverse contact surfaces that are at angles relative to each other.

28. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the individual bed modules comprise lateral individual bed modules, with a transverse L-shaped profile, and occupy all or part of a half-width of the riverbed, and having a lower branch having two opposing transverse contact surfaces and a longitudinal contact surface, and having a lateral branch having two opposing transverse contact surfaces.

29. The assembly of claim 28 wherein lateral individual bed modules comprise straight lateral individual modules with transverse contact surfaces that are parallel to each other, and curved lateral individual modules have transverse contact surfaces that are angled relative to each other.

30. The assembly of claim 28 further comprising that leakproof modules, made of elastically compressible material, are placed between the contact surfaces of the adjacent individual bed modules, providing a seal between the adjacent individual bed modules and making it possible to vary the orientation between adjacent individual bed modules.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates, in a top view, a whitewater water course according to one manner of embodiment of the present invention, of the whitewater stadium type;

[0055] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the side of the whitewater water course in FIG. 1;

[0056] FIG. 3 is a partial transverse section view of the whitewater water course in FIG. 1, according to vertical plane A-A;

[0057] FIG. 4 is a top view showing the assembly of two successive individual bed modules, according to a first manner of embodiment adapted for a bed's lateral branch;

[0058] FIG. 5 is a front view showing an individual bed module with a means of leakproofness, according to this first manner of embodiment;

[0059] FIG. 6 is a partial transverse section view of the whitewater water course in FIG. 1, according to vertical plane B-B; and

[0060] FIG. 7 is a perspective schematic view showing the assembly of multiple successive individual bed modules, according to a second manner of embodiment adapted for a lateral branch of the bed.

[0061] In the manner of embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a whitewater water course according to the invention comprises a river bed 1 that is able to guide a flow of water 12 between an upper bed inlet 2 and a lower bed outlet 3, and comprises a means of water supply 4 to introduce the flow of water 12 to the upper bed inlet 2.

[0062] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the river bed 1 comprises, at the upper bed inlet 2, an upper basin 5 that receives the water supply. Upper basin 5 is connected to two lateral bed branches 6 and 7, which are generally parallel to each other and separated from each other. Each lateral bed branch 6 and 7 connects one of the lateral ends of upper basin 5 to a respective lateral end of an intermediate basin 8, which itself is connected via its central part to a central branch of bed 9. The central bed branch 9 connects the intermediate basin 8 to the central part of a lower basin 10, forming the lower outlet of bed 3. Upper basin 5 is arranged above the lower basin 10, and at a distance L1 from the intermediary basin 8. Each of the lateral bed branches 6 and 7 has a mean width L2, whereas the central branch of bed 9 has a mean width L3 that is greater than the mean width L2 of the lateral bed branches 6 and 7.

[0063] Considering FIG. 2, we see that the intermediate basin 8 is located at an intermediate level H2 between the upper level H1 of the upper basin 5, forming the upper bed inlet 2 and the lower level H3 of the lower basin 5, forming the lower outlet of bed 3.

[0064] This type of whitewater water course illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is particularly well adapted for construction of a whitewater stadium, limited by a polygonal contour 11 around which spectators may be distributed; these spectators will then all have good visibility of the events taking place on the whitewater course.

[0065] As an example, we can give the whitewater course the following dimensions: H1=5 m; H2=2 m; H3=0 m; L1=50 m; L2=2.50 m; L3=6 m. Simultaneously, we can plan for a flow of water 12 of from 5 to 6 m3/s.

[0066] Let us consider FIG. 3, which illustrates the river bed in a transverse section view according to the lateral branch of bed 6, we see that the flow of water 12 is guided into an individual bed module 6a according to a first manner of embodiment, which is generally U-shaped facing upwards. The individual bed module 6a comprises a bottom wall 60 whose lower surface 61 is flat and whose upper surface 62 comprises blind holes such as holes 13, 14 and 15. Bottom wall 60 is connected to two lateral walls 63 and 64.

[0067] Blind holes 13, 14 and 15 are each designed for the selective attachment of a removable obstacle component 100. This type of obstacle component 100 comprises an obstacle body 100a that is connected to an attachment shaft 100b, where the attachment shaft 100b can be engaged selectively and tightly into one of the blind holes 13, 14 or 15 in an individual bed module 6a.

[0068] The individual bed module 6a is supported on its lower surface 61 by a modular lattice support structure 16. The modular lattice support structure 16 comprises lower components which, when assembled, form a load distribution base 17 that is designed to rest on the ground. The modular lattice support structure 16 also comprises upper groundways 18 that are oriented in the direction of the length of the lateral branch of bed 6, and which are distributed under the lower surface 61 of the individual bed module 6a. A lattice structure 19 connects the load distribution sole 17 to the upper groundways 18.

[0069] Telescoping mountings 20 make it possible to adjust the height of the lattice structure 19, in order to adjust the height of the individual bed module 6a.

[0070] As illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, the bed of river 1, for example in the lateral branch of bed 6, consists of a succession of individual bed modules, which are adjacent to each one after the other, and are assembled using the respective contact transverse surfaces. We can distinguish, for example, the two individual bed modules 6a and 6b, which are adjacent to each other when seen from above.

[0071] For further such ills, we now consider FIG. 4, which illustrates, in a larger scale, the individual bed modules 6a and 6b according to the first manner of embodiment. The individual bed module 6a is limited by two transverse contact surfaces 65 and 66, which are generally flat, and which are opposite each other.

[0072] In FIG. 5, is illustrated in a front view, this same individual bed module 6a, and we can distinguish, on its transverse contact surface 66, a means of leakproofness 67 that ensures water tightness of the jointure between the respective transverse surfaces of the two adjacent bed modules when they are assembled to form the whitewater water course, for example as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0073] The means of leakproofness 67 can, for example, be made of a continuous groove that connects the upper areas of the lateral walls 63 and 74, and in which an elastic [[tire]] seal or bead is inserted to form a water tightness joint that is compressed when two individual bed modules 6a and 6b are pressed against each other.

[0074] Returning to FIG. 4, we see that the individual bed module 6a seen from above is generally rectangular in shape, i.e. that its transverse contact faces 65 and 66 are parallel to each other. This type of individual bed module 6a is a straight individual module, i.e. it is adapted so that it constitutes a straight riverbed segment. On the other hand, the individual bed module 6b comprises transverse surfaces 68 and 69 which are at angles relative to each other, i.e. which are not parallel, but which form an angle C between them where C is not zero. One such individual bed module 6b is a curved individual module, i.e. it is adapted to produce a curved riverbed segment.

[0075] Let us now consider FIG. 6, which illustrates, in a transverse section view, the central bed branch 9 of FIG. 1. In a manner similar to that used to produce the lateral bed branches 6 and 7, central bed branch 9, in this first manner of embodiment, consists of a succession of individual bed modules such as module 9a. This individual bed module 9a comprises a bottom wall 90 with a flat lower surface 91 and with an upper surface 92, and consists of two lateral walls 93 and 94, which together form a structure in the shape of an open U with the opening at the top, to guide the flow of water 12. Similarly, as illustrated, we also provide blind holes that discharge onto the upper surface 92 and in which obstacle components 100 can be affixed; these obstacle components are moveable and interchangeable.

[0076] We also find, in FIG. 6, the lattice modular support structure 16, with the load distribution sole 17, upper groundways 18, lattice structure 19 and telescoping mounts 20 for regulating height.

[0077] Referring once again to FIGS. 1 and 2, we also distinguish, in the manner of embodiment illustrated, two start [[toboggans]] kayaks 21 and 22 which descend from a start platform 23 to an upper basin 5 respectively to the vicinity of the inlet of the two lateral bed branches 6 and 7.

[0078] We shall now consider the second manner of embodiment illustrated schematically in FIG. 7.

[0079] In this second manner of embodiment, the individual bed modules consist of lateral individual bed modules, which have an L-shaped profile. For example, the individual bed module 6c consists of a lower branch 70 that is limited by two transverse contact surfaces 71 and 72 that are opposite each other, and by a longitudinal contact surface 73, and comprises a lateral branch 74 that is limited by two transverse contact surfaces 75 and 76 that are opposite each other. The lateral individual bed module 6c occupies all or part of the half-width of the riverbed to be made.

[0080] In FIG. 7, assembling the two lateral individual bed modules 6c and 6d which are identical and arranged symmetrically, making it possible to construct a riverbed segment, with each of the lateral individual bed modules 6c and 6c occupying the half-width of the riverbed.

[0081] It is possible, moreover, to introduce a parallelepiped separation module between the longitudinal contact surfaces 73 of the lateral individual bed modules 6c and 6d, so that the width of the riverbed made in this way can be adjusted as desired.

[0082] The lateral individual bed modules 6c and 6d, which comprise transverse contact surfaces 71 and 72 that are parallel to each other, are straight lateral individual modules that make it possible to produce straight riverbed segments.

[0083] In this second manner of embodiment, the curved riverbed segments may be made using curved lateral individual modules such as module 6e, whose transverse contact surfaces 77 and 78 are angled relative to each other.

[0084] In FIG. 7, we also see illustrated another manner of embodiment for the means of leakproofness between the different individual bed modules. This other manner of embodiment of the means of leakproofness may be used in either one of the manners of embodiment of the individual bed modules described previously.

[0085] In this case, leakproofness is assured by one of the leakproofness modules 80, made of elastically compressible material, and placed between the contact surfaces of the adjacent individual bed modules 6e and 6f. By compression, the leakproofness modules 80 provide leakproofness between the adjacent individual bed modules 6e and 6f, and they also offer the advantage of enabling variations in orientation between the adjacent individual bed modules 6e and 6f, without compromising leakproofness. In principle, the leakproofness modules 80 may, advantageously, be thin, in particular they may be thinner than what is shown in FIG. 7 which is schematically illustrated as an example. The contact surfaces of the adjacent individual bed modules 6e and 6f are structured so that they oppose the vertical displacement of the leakproofness modules 80 under the effect of the weight of the water.

[0086] The present invention is not limited to the methods of embodiment that were explicitly described above, but rather they include the diverse variations and generalizations contained in the claims below.