Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
1 F D OF INVENTION
This invention relates to water mass~ges for massaging the legs of
four legged animals, and finds particular application to water massages for
horses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INV~TION
Because o-f the vulnerability of the legs of horses, it is essential
that all minor leg irritations or problems are immediately attended to, to pre-
clude further deterioration. In fact, because of their vulnerability, the legs
must be attended to after every workout. To this end, a hydromassage and whirl-
10 pool bath is proposed. Particularly, the jets ejecting the mixture of water andair are applied to the points of most strain on the horse's legs. However, the
application must not be such as to overpower in any one area and underapply in
another.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide such hydro-
15 massage and ~hirlpool bath which ensures effective treatment under allcircumstances.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a bath which
is readily portable and accessible for use.
Further and other objects of the invention will be realized by those
skilled in the art from the following summary of the invention and detailed
description of a preferred embodiment thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, a hydromassage and whirl-
pool bath for massaging the legs of a four legged animal is provided, comprising:
(a) a bath conta;ner having a center~ a bottom and a peripheralupstand-
ing wall formation made from yieldable plastics material~ the wall formation
upstanding from the bottom and enclosing the bath container;
(b) four jets secured in the bath, two proximate the bottom and two
proximate the top of the wall formation, the jets for directing a mixture of
water and air into the bath, the two lower jets being substantially
.~
1 diametrically opposed on the peripheral wall formation for massaging the pastern,
ankle and tendon extending from the ankle to the back of each knee, the two
upper jets being circumferentially disposed between the two lower jets, the
circumferential distances between one of the upper jets and the lower jet closest
to it and the other upper jet and the lower jet closest to it being about e4ual,the upper jets forming together with the center of the bath, an angle of about
90, the upper jets for massaging the area of the leg proximate the cannon bone,knee and forearm;
(c) a pump;
10 (d) a water suction outlet from the bath for returning water to the pump;
(e) an air injector for injecting air into the water;
(f) tubing secured to the air injector, pump, suction outlet and jets for
pumping the mixture of air and water through the jets;
-and-
15 (9) a motor for operating the pump.
Preferably, the bottom jets are larger than the upper jets and pre-
ferably each of the jets comprises multi-directional "eye ball" outlets to
direct the water where desired.
Preferably, the bath comprises two suction outlets, one above the
20 other with the lower outlet proximate the bottom of the container. When the
pump is located proximate the bath, tubing connecting the pump and the bath are
secured to the upper suction outlet. When the pump is located farther from
the bath, (for example, about ten(10) feet), the lower suction outlet is securedby tubing to the pump rather than the upper outlet. The use of this lower out-
25 let ensures an adequate flowrate of water through the bath by compensating forthe expected decrease in the flowrate of the water if the upper suction outlet
had been used by initial greater force on the water entering the tubing from
the bath.
In use, the horse is brought to the end of the bath remote that portjon
30 of the bath wall in which the jets are not mounted, and the horse is "walked"
1 into the bath (the front legs stepping over the portion of the peripheral bath
wall without the jets or the rear legs stepping over the portion oF the peripheral
bath wall without the jets as the case may be.
_RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following
drawings of preferred embodiments in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ~Iydromassage and whirlpool bath
according to the preferred embodiment of the invention being used to massage and
sooth the front legs of a horse.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Figure 1, with
component parts spaced from one another and connected by tubing of greater length
than that used in Figure l.
Figures 1 and 3 are side sectional views of part of the structure shown
in Figure 3.
Figure 4 is a top view of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 3.
Figure 5 is a close-up view of part of the structure shown in Figure
4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference to FIgure 1, there is shown hydromassage and whirlpool
20 bath 10, comprising inverted truncated conically shaped low density polyethylene
tub 12, having upstanding side wall formation 14 and bottom 16, pump 18 (Model
SP-1605 manufactured by Hayward Manufacturing Co. Inc.) with lint and hair
strainer, (not shown), operated by etectric waterproof motor 20, four way valve
22 secured to pump 18 to control water flow and having inlets secured to flexible
25 lengths of PVC pipe 24 and 26 secured by connectors 28 and 30, in turn secured by
tubing 32 and 34 respectively,-(See Figure 2) to upper hydro jets 36 and 38 and
by tubing 40 and 42 to lower hydrojets 44 and 46 (See also Figure 4).
Suction fitting assembly 48 (air control valve) is secured to suck air
through air con-trol assembly 50 through T-connector 51, tubing 52 and 54 and
30 secured to hydro jets 36,38,44 and 46 for mixture with the water pumped through
,i~J~
1 the pump.
With reference to Figures 1 and 4, the configuration of the hydro jets
36, 38, 44 and 46 are such that jets 44 and 46 are diametrically opposed one
another adjacent to the bottom to direct the air-water mixture at the horse's
pastern, ankle and tendon extending from the ankle to the back of the knee, and
that upper jets 36 and 38 forming with the center(C) of the container an angle
of 90, the circumferential distances between jets 44 and 36 and jets 38 and 46
being about equal. Both the upper and lower jets comprise directional "eye balls"
(See Figure 5) for multi-directional use. The lower jets 44 and 45 are larger
10 (5/16") than the upper jets 36 and 38 ~") permitting a greater volume of flow therethrough.
Water suction outlets 56 returns fluid through P~C tubing 58 through
two-way control valve 60 to pump 18 (through filter (not shown) as shown in
Figure 1. When it is desired to space the pump and motor assembly from the bath,15 (See Figure 2) larger P~C tubing 58 is then secured to water suction outlets 62
secured to pump 18 by tubing 58. In this case, the use of lower suction outlets
62 ensures the adequate flow rate of the water from the bath when the pump is
spaced a greater distance from the bath as in Figure 4. When suction outlets
56 and 62 are not in use, one or the other is appropriately capped. Drain 70 is
20 provided for draining the bath when not in use.
In use, a horse is walked to the bath, the front or back legs put into
the container over the wall portion not containing the jets, and the bath turnedon. The "eye balls" are appropriately adjusted and the flow controlled.
For electrical security, ground faultinterrupter 72 is provided.
As many changes could be made to the structure of the preferred
embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended
that all matter contained herein be interpreted as illustrative of the inventionand not in a limiting sense.
