Method of and mechanism for generating waves suitable for surfing

• US 4,062,192 A
• Filed: 02/18/1975
• Issued: 12/13/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Offshore Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Offshore Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Biewer, Frank N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shapiro, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US05/550,531
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 61/1 R, 4/171, 4/172.16, 4/178, 4/16, 272/26, 272/32, 272/17
• US Class Current: 405/79
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/0006 Devices for producing waves in swimming pools generating current of water in swimming pools A63B69/125

Abstract

Mechanism which provides a method and apparatus for constantly and cyclically generating, within a body of water remote from a shoal, series of waves of different lengths, which waves merge and cooperate with a shoal to form a single wave in an area that lies substantially above the shoal. The power generated by the merging of the waves is sufficient to form that single wave into one that functions as a surfing wave.

The invention further provides for the forming of a shoal and beach if natural shoal and beach are not present. An artificial shoal is constructed and in cooperation with the generated waves, those waves will travel up the slope of the shoal to form waves suitable for surfing.

Claims

1. The method of generating waves suitable for surfing, along a shoal in a body of water, which method comprises the steps of:

generating constantly and cyclically, within an area in a body of water that is remote from the shoal, series of waves of increasing wave lengths and longer periods on a timing schedule wherein the later in time generated and faster travelling, longer period waves overtake the earlier in time generated and slower travelling, shorter wave length waves above the shoal and merge during each cycle to form a substantially single wave within a substantially confined area that lies substantially above the shoal.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized to include the step of,

4. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized to include the step of,

generating constantly and cyclically, within an area lying adjacent to one side of the first mentioned area, series of waves of increasing wave lengths and longer periods on a timing schedule such that the faster travelling longer period waves overtake the shorter wave length waves at the shoal and which are out of phase with the first mentioned waves and which merge during each cycle to form a substantially single wave within said substantially confined area that lies substantially above the shoal.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the generating is effected by moving a flap toward and away from the shoal.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, characterized to include the step of,

creating an off-shore shoal having the characteristic of creating a surfing wave when subjected to waves of the type that cooperate with the shoal to form surfing waves.

10. The steps in the method as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the generating is effected by moving a flap toward and away from the shoal, and further characterized to include the step of:

minimizing the turbulence of water that returns to the rear side of the flap, as the flap returns from its wave-creating function, by placing obstacles in the path of the flow of water that returns to the rear side of the flap.

3. generating constantly and cyclically, within an area lying adjacent to one side of the first mentioned area, series of waves of increasing wave lengths and longer periods on a timing schedule such that the faster travelling longer period waves overtake the shorter wave length waves at the shoal which merge to form a substantially single wave within said substantially confined area that lies substantially above the shoal.

6. The method as defined in claim 6, characterized to include the step of,

minimizing the turbulence of water that returns to the rear side of the flap, as the flap returns from its wave-creating function, by placing obstacles in the path of the flow of water that returns to the rear side of the flap.

8. The steps in the method as defined in claim 6, characterized to include,

generating constantly and cyclically, within an area lying adjacent one side of the first mentioned area, series of waves of increasing wave lengths and longer periods on a timing schedule such that the faster travelling, longer period waves overtake the shorter wave length waves at the shoal during each cycle, which waves merge during each cycle to form a substantially single wave within said substantially confined area that lies substantially above the shoal.

9. The steps in the method as defined in claim 6, characterized to include,

generating constantly and cyclically, within an area lying adjacent one side of the first mentioned area, series of waves of increasing wave lengths and longer periods on a timing schedule such that the faster travelling, longer period waves overtake the short wave length waves at the shoal during each cycle, which waves are out of phase with the first mentioned waves and which merge during each cycle to form a substantially single wave within said substantially confined area that lies substantially above the shoal.

11. The method of generating waves suitable for surfing, along a shoal in a body of water, which method comprises the steps of,

generating a first wave within an area in a body of water that is remote from the shoal, which wave has a first wave length,

at a given time delay thereafter, generating a second wave within the body of water remote from the shoal that has a wave length with a longer period set to cause the second wave to overtake the first wave and merge therewith to form a substantially single wave within a substantially confined area that lies substantially above the shoal,

and at a given time delay after generating the second wave, generating a third wave within the body of water remote from the shoal that has a wave length with a longer period set to cause the third wave to overtake the first and second waves and merge therewith to form a substantially single wave within a substantially confined area that lies substantially above the shoal.

13. A device as defined in claim 11, characterized to include:

means for causing said first and second control means to move said first and second wave-generating members in out-of-phase relationship with one another.

12. A device for artificially creating waves at a shoal, which waves simulate surfing waves, said device comprising,

a reciprocating wave-generating member,

means for supporting the wave-generating member in the water spaced from the shoal,

mechanism means for cyclically moving the wave-generating member in the water and creating waves,

said mechanism means including programmed control means for controlling said mechanism means to move the wave generating member at different speeds a given number of times in the water during each cycle for sequentially creating separate waves of coordinated increasing period wave lengths during each cycle with the period of each longer wave length and the time of spacing between each wave set for the longer wave length waves to overtake the shorter wave length waves and merge all the separate waves at the shoal for each cycle,

a second reciprocating wave-generating member,

means for supporting the second wave-generating member in the water spaced from the shoal,

second mechanism means for cyclically moving the second wave-generating member in the water and creating waves,

and said second mechanism means including second programmed control means for controlling said second mechanism means to move the second wave generating member a given number of times in the water during each cycle for sequentially creating separate waves of increasing period wave lengths during each cycle with the period of each longer wave length and the time of spacing between each wave set for the longer wave length waves to overtake the shorter wave length waves and merge all the separate waves at the shoal for each cycle.