FLUME SYSTEM Field of the Invention.

The present invention relates to flume systems and particularly to flume systems adapted for use as animal exercise systems. Background Art.

An excellent discourse on the use of flume systems as animal exercise devices is presented in Australian Innovation Patent No. 2005100128, an extract of the Background Art portion of that document follows verbatim:

"As with humans, animals also need to be exercised, especially racing animals, such as thoroughbred racehorses. The training of racehorses, for example, involves track work and walking of horses. Due however, to the popularity of horse racing there is an ever-increasing demand on the availability of racetracks as a training venue. In order to maximise the use of [racetracks] and the limited time available for trackwork, the horse or horses need to be well exercised before actually running on the track. Typically the exercising of horses is achieved by simply walking horses. There have been a number of ways in which horses can be exercised by walking. The simplest way is by tethering a horse to an end of a rope, the other end of which is held by the trainer who encourages the horse to walk in circles. Another of the most common ways of walking horses involves a circular track with profiled rail runs and rotatable radial screens mounted in the runs between which screens the horses are positioned and driven around the track.

In recent times trainers have been tending to train and exercise horses in order. One of the benefits arising from exercising horses in water is that the horses have to work against the resistance of the water to motion. As the public use of beaches and rivers increases, this is no longer practical or possible in many cases. The need for an economical and cost-efficient method is all too evident. The exercising of horses in water to shoulder depth, working against the resistance of the water, ensures greater levels of fitness, whilst protecting the horses legs from excessive weight and stress levels. One of the current methods involves in pro channel, usually circular, filled with water through which horses are encouraged to be the walk swing. Such a prior art apparatus do not seem however to adequately exercise the horses correctly. This type of method and apparatus as the following disadvantages:

• narrow channels;

• inadequate water resistance for proper exercising of muscles because of the design of the existing water-walkers, the water begins to flow in a "whirlpool" and, which actually carries the horses forward, thus greatly reducing the "resistance" effect needed to exercise horses properly; and

• excess water splashing when changing direction of horses in water-walkers. When changing direction in the existing water-walkers, the horses are faced with a huge wall of water, caused from the "whirlpool" effect of travelling in the previous opposite direction. This causes horses to start "jumping" and not walking through the water, and which is unsafe especially for horses in rehabilitation or recovering from injury."

The apparatus taught in Australian Innovation Patent No. 2005100128, includes a liquid holding means adapted to hold a body of liquid, typically water, a circular raceway, the raceway including an inner fence and an outer fence adapted to define a circular pathway through which animals are directed, a rotatable vertical shaft supported on a support assembly position in the centre of the liquid holding means, drive means adapted to rotate the vertical shaft, and at least one radial arm attached to the vertical shaft, wherein each radial arm is adapted to extend outwardly from the vertical shaft, a grid panel attached to each radial one, wherein each grid panel is adapted to extend into each pathway and to come into contact with an animal as the radial arm and associated grid panel is rotated so as to motivate the animal to move within the pathway and entry/exit means adapted to allow the animals to enter and exit the pathway.

This device, whilst useful, also has continued disadvantages such as waste buildup in the pool and the apparatus does not address the "whirlpool" effect in the pool. Indeed, providing grip panels which are rotatably driven actually compounds the "whirlpool" issue.

Other prior art devices exist. For example, one form of exercise facility is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,995. This patent shows a large swimming pool with no facility for resisting the movement of the horse or other animal using the pool and there are no facilities for cleaning the pool or the water contained therein. hi another form of prior art device, a treadmill was provided in a body of water, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,213. hi general, the animal, and specifically a horse,

had essentially his entire weight rested upon his legs while running on a treadmill 36, the animal's legs being submerged in water, but supporting essentially the entire weight of the animal. Such devices are expensive, difficult to maintain and operate, and present a hazard to the lower legs and hoofs of animals using the apparatus. There is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,543,724 and 3,543,725, an exercise system wherein the animal is permitted to swim while being held in place. The restraint on the animal restricts the full use of its muscles and requires very close supervision and control to be sure that the animal does not drown and is not injured.

Finally, there is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,815, an animal conditioner wherein the animal is maintained in a sling in a body of water for swimming action. The presence of the sling makes it unnecessary for the animal to swim if it does not desire to do so, and again careful continual supervision must be maintained at all times to be sure that the horse does not drown and is not injured.

Therefore, there continues to be a need for a cost-effective solution to providing a flume system for exercising animals that addresses the "whirlpool" problem, and which may also decrease waste build-up in the pool from the animals exercising.

It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.

Summary of the Invention.

The present invention is directed to a flume system, which may at least partially overcome at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice. hi a first form, the invention resides in a flume system including

1. an annular raceway with at least one inner and at least one outer wall and adapted to hold a body of liquid,

2. an entry and exit means associated with the annular raceway, wherein the entry and exit means intersects the annular raceway at an acute angle. In a second form, the invention resides in a flume system including

1. an annular raceway with at least one inner and at least one outer wall and adapted to hold a body of liquid,

2. an entry and exit means associated with the annular raceway, and

3. a plurality of baffles associated with at least one of either the inner or outer walls, each baffle configured as a depression having at least one angled surface extending away from the inner surface of the wall in which the baffle is located. In a third form, the invention resides in a flume system including

1. an annular raceway with at least one inner and at least one outer wall and adapted to hold a body of liquid,

2. an entry and exit means associated with the annular raceway, and

3. a waste removal system associated with the annular raceway including at least an annular overflow drain provided on either the inner or outer wall to remove floating waste, the overflow drain defined between a wall extending into the annular raceway and the inner or outer wall of the raceway.

Typically, this element of the waste removal system will be referred to as a spillway. In a fourth form, the invention resides in a flume system including

1. an annular raceway with at least one inner and at least one outer wall and adapted to hold a body of liquid,

2. an entry and exit means associated with the annular raceway, and

3. a waste removal system associated with the annular raceway including at least one opening in a lower portion of at least one of either the inner or outer wall of the raceway associated with a suction and filtration means to remove submerged waste.

Any one or more of the inventive features, namely:

> the angled entry/exit race; > the depression baffles;

> the waste removal system with the spillway; or

> the waste removal system with the submerged waste removal system may be used in combination with each other and according to the most preferred embodiment, all of the elements will be used to provide a flume system of superior functionality.

Normally, the flume system will be configured as a liquid holding means adapted to hold a body of liquid, typically a tank or similar with the annular raceway, located within a larger liquid holding means. Additionally, the two main

elements of the system, namely the entry and exit means and the annular raceway will typically be referred to as the entry/exit raceway and the exercise raceway.

The flume system of the invention is designed to provide a complete solution to the problems of the "whirlpool effect", animal safety, ease and safety of ingress and egress of the animal from the pool, and waste removal to maintain the water as clean as possible.

The flume system of the present invention is typically for use as an animal exercise pool. The pool of the preferred embodiment will normally be used to exercise horses but the system may easily be adapted to allow for the exercise of other types of animals. Normally, the exercise pool will be used for rehabilitation or conditioning of animals.

Exercise within the pool of the preferred embodiment will normally occur for periods of approximately 20 minutes whereas in prior art pools exercise periods of up to 50 minutes were usually required to due to the decreased resistance provided by the whirlpool effect. Studies have found that exercising or conditioning an animal for periods of over 30 minutes can negatively affect the animal.

The system of the present invention is preferably adapted for use in both directions. For example, exercising an animal in the pool such as the present invention normally involves the animal moving in the first direction for a period of time and then turning the animal and travelling in the reverse of the first direction for an equal period of time.

Animals exercising in the system of the present invention may swim but will preferably walk about the exercise raceway and the depth of the pool (and the depth of liquid in the pool) is preferably appropriate for this purpose. Of course the level of liquid in the pool will be such as to allow for the increase in depth or displacement which will occur with a number of animals at least partially the submerged within the liquid.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the flume system of the present invention normally includes a tank which will typically be located at least partially below ground level.

The system of the invention includes an annular raceway with at least one inner and at least one outer wall and adapted to hold a body of liquid. According to the most preferred embodiment, the annular raceway will typically be circular but

may be provided in other shapes, for example oval. The raceway is preferably not rectangular or possessing sharp corners as these not only make it more difficult for the animal to move about the raceway, but also increase points where waste for example, may accumulate. The annular raceway is typically an annular channel defined between the inner and outer walls.

The inner and outer walls of the raceway are preferably arcuate and appropriately curved to form concentric circular walls. Each of the inner and outer walls are normally formed of a plurality of arcuate wall sections adapted to be attached to one another to form the walls. Further, the raceway, and the tank in general, will normally have a substantially planar floor.

The inner wall is typically a wall with a particular cross sectional shape. In particular, the inner wall is preferably provided with a substantially vertical lower portion which extends approximately perpendicularly to the floor, an angled portion extending upwardly and into the annular channel towards the outer wall, and a substantially vertical upper portion which is located closer to the outer wall than the lower portion.

By providing a wall with this cross sectional shape (or similar), the legs of animals which are located within the annular channel are maintained at a distance from the lower portion of the sidewall of the pool. Normally, the upper portion of the inner wall begins at a height above the floor appropriate to locate the upper portion adjacent (but spaced and appropriate distance from) the animal's body or torso (rather than the animal's legs) once the animal is located in the annular channel.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the lower wall is between approximately 1 to 1.5 m in height, the upper wall is between approximately 50 cm to 1 m in height and the angled portion is typically between 50 cm to 1 m in height.

The outer wall is typically a substantially planar sidewall although the outer wall may have shaped portions provided. The outer wall is substantially vertical and normally extends substantially perpendicularly to the floor of the pool. Typically, the outer wall will be continuous except for a portion removed or absent to allow the entry and exit means to communicate with the annular raceway.

There will typically be a closure means provided to control or preventing entry of the animals from the entry and exit means into the annular

raceway. The closure means will normally be a gate or similar. When closed, the closure means will typically form a part of the outer wall so that animals circling in the annular raceway cannot exit the raceway unless the closure means is open. Normally, the closure means is provided only at an upper portion of the outer wall with the remainder of the entry being clear and will preferably be similar in height to the upper portion of the outer wall.

The system of the present invention is also provided with an entry and exit means associated with the annular raceway. Normally, the entry and exit means will be a ramp which extends downwardly to the raceway with the floor of the entry and exit means being angled and smoothly intersecting with the floor of the annular raceway.

The entry and exit means will typically be provided with a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls that each meet with a portion of the outer wall of the raceway on opposite sides of an entry opening. The floor of the entry and exit ramp is typically provided with grip means in order to minimise slippage of animals upon entry and exit from the pool.

Generally, the entry and exit ramp intersects the annular raceway at an acute angle. This preferably allows entry of the animal through the entry raceway in the direction of travel in the initial direction and allows the animal to more easily enter the exercise raceway. Once the animal has been turned into the opposite direction to that first travelled upon entry into the annular raceway, the animal can exit the exercise raceway simply and easily as the animal is typically facing the entry and exit ramp and are not required to execute a turn in order to access the entry and exit ramp. The entry and exit ramp is normally provided approximately tangentially to the circular or oval exercise raceway.

Cushioning means may be provided at the corners of the entry and exit ramp and the outer wall in order to further minimise the chances of injury to the animals.

The present invention may also be further provided with a plurality of baffles associated with at least one of either the inner or outer walls, each baffle configured as a depression having at least one angled surface extending away from the inner surface of the wall in which the baffle is located. These baffles will normally be referred to as "depression baffles".

Normally, the baffles are provided in the form of substantially V- shaped or Y-shaped depressions with a pair of angled surfaces meeting each other at an apex. Preferably, the apex of the depression is located away from the inner surface of the wall in which the baffles are provided. It is preferred that the baffles will be formed of a rubberised material in order to have sufficient strength but also to be resilient to resist damage or injury to the animals using the pool.

The baffles are normally provided in the outer wall, but it is anticipated that baffles may be provided the inner wall, or in both walls. The depression baffles will normally be provided in a lower portion of the wall. Normally, the depression baffles extend from the floor of the annular raceway upwardly towards the angled portion of a sidewall but not into the angled portion, with a constant cross sectional shape over their height.

Although not wishing to be limited by theory, the inventor of the present invention is found surprisingly that the angled walls of the depression baffles located within the annular raceway operate to reduce the whirlpool effect in each (both) direction(s) of travel, provided that the walls are angled relative to the direction which the animals are travelling within the annular raceway. The angled surfaces are therefore typically oriented at the same angle relative to the surface of the outer wall, but face in opposite directions. The plurality of depression baffles will typically be spaced approximately equally about the outer wall. The number of depression baffles provided in a given flume system will typically be determined according to the size of the system, namely the circumferential dimension of the outer wall.

The depth of the depressions in the outer wall may also vary. The depth of the depressions may be changed by adjusting the angle of the angled surfaces to the outer wall. The angle at which the angled surfaces extend from the surface of the outer wall may vary depending upon the number of depression baffles provided, for example, steeper angles may be provided where fewer depression baffles are present. Alternatively, one or both walls may be provided with a sawtooth pattern wall with a plurality of angled portions to disrupt the liquid flow and the whirlpool effect.

The flume system of the present invention also preferably further includes a waste removal system associated with at least the annular raceway. The waste removal system of the preferred embodiment usually includes a pair of elements, namely a waste removal spillway for the floating waste and a submerged waste removal portion for submerged waste, which may be used either separately or together for increased effectiveness.

The waste removal spillway will normally be located in an upper part of the exercise raceway. Typically, the spillway is located on the outer wall and extends inwardly toward the inner wall, that is into the annular channel of the exercise raceway.

The shape of the waste removal spillway is preferably configured to mirror the shape of the inner wall, that is, the spillway will preferably include an angled wall extending upwardly and from the outer wall toward the inner wall, and a substantially vertical upper portion. Normally, the angled wall and the upper portion will define a channel with the outer wall.

Typically, the waste removal spillway is provided with at least one, and normally a plurality of, removable cover means located in an upper portion of the spillway. The cover means is preferably adapted to allow waste to escape through the cover means but to prevent animals from placing body parts into the spillway. Preferably, the cover means has a plurality of slot openings configured in a grill formation. The cover means will normally be manufactured in sections, typically of approximately 25mm in length which may then be combined to form a flexible cover in order to allow easy placement and removal in the spillway. The cover means or the spillway may be further provided with securing means to prevent accidental dislodgement of the cover means.

Generally, the upper portion of the spillway and the upper portion of the inner wall define an upper zone in the annular raceway, and a lower zone is typically defined between the outer wall and the lower portion of the inner wall.

Preferably, the upper zone is narrower than the lower zone providing increased space in the lower zone of the exercise raceway for the animals legs.

As alluded to above, the spillway is adapted to collect floating waste which will typically overflow into the spillway due to the turbulence created in the liquid generated by the animals movement within the exercise raceway. The waste

will then typically be collected and undergo separation processes in order to remove the waste from the water prior to reintroduction into the pool through the filtration system. Typically, the separation processes will involve one or more filtration steps. There will normally be at least one removal outlet located through the outer wall and in communication with the spillway to remove waste and water from the spillway, and preferably one outlet will be provided per panel, each panel being approximately 2.4m in length.

The waste removal system also typically includes a submerged waste removal portion which will typically be located in through lower zone of the exercise raceway. Normally, the submerged waste removal portion will include a number of openings located through the inner wall. Alternatively, the inner wall may simply include an upper portion including an angled wall and substantially vertical upper portion supported on a plurality of elongate leg members. Typically, the small amount of agitation in the liquid created by the animal's movement will tend to concentrate any submerged waste in the centre of the pool. Provision of openings in the inner wall allows collection and removal of submerged waste through the centre of the pool.

Typically, any openings provided may be associated with suction means or directional liquid return means to assist with the collection of the submerged waste. The openings themselves may be covered by removable cover means such as grates or grills, in order to prevent animals accidentally inserting body parts into the openings and becoming stuck or injuring themselves. Preferably however, the surface area of the inner wall is decreased as much as possible as this both increases the ability of the waste to move to the centre of the pool for collection and reduces drag on the walls. In addition to the openings in the inner wall, one or more depressions may be provided in the floor of either the exercise raceway or the pool itself. One or more radial depressions may be provided inside the inner wall. The depressions may assist with the collection of submerged waste and normally there will be one or more outlets located in communication with the depressions. One or more directional liquid return means will typically be provided toward the centre of the pool, inside the inner wall to assist with the collection and removal of submerged waste through the radial depressions at the centre of the pool. The return means are typically provided through the floor and extending upwardly.

The return means may be radial and oriented to force liquid returning to the pool to the centre of the pool. One or more directional caps or means may be used.

Normally, the inner and outer walls will be modular and typically manufactured of a plastic material although other materials such as moulded fibreglass, or composite material may be used. The inner and outer walls are preferably integrally formed with all sidewalls and spillway walls. Typically, all of the surfaces provided will be smooth with any hard angles minimised and rounded edges on all corners used to minimise the chances that an animal could injure themselves whilst using the pool. According to alternative embodiments, an oval pool or an elongate pool may be provided. When provided in an oval configuration, the pool will normally have a ramp leading downwardly to an oval pool track and a second ramp leading away from the pool track. Normally, the ramps are configured to be tangential to the oval track. When provided in the elongate configuration, there will preferably be a ramp located at either end of an elongate track.

According to a further alternative embodiment, a rotating animal separation means may be provided so that more than one animal can exercise in the raceway at any one time with out impeding any other animal. Preferably, the separation means will include at least one barrier or gate means oriented across the raceway and mounted to be spaced about the raceway. Normally, a plurality of barriers is provided with the space between respective barriers fixed, and the entire barrier assembly rotating around the raceway.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, a plurality of support means are preferably provided about the raceway but on the opposite side of the inner wall to the raceway itself. The support means preferably extend upwardly above the level of the walls. Each of the support means will preferably include guide means.

Preferably, a barrier support ring is provided, the ring being supported by the plurality of support means. Each of the support means provided will preferably be provided with a ring support member, typically one adapted to support rotation of the ring relative to the raceway. Normally, the ring support member will be a substantially circular and bearing member adapted for rotation about a substantially

horizontal axis. The ring support member is typically mounted on an outer surface of each support means and spaced from the upper end of the support means such that the ring can be mounted relative to the support means and its position fixed and but allowing rotation. The ring will preferably be provided with means for imparting rotational force, normally a drive means. The drive means may act on the ring itself or on a mechanism which rotates the ring.

According to other embodiments, the spaced opponent barriers may be provided on a ring which is rotated through a centrally located axle means. Brief Description of the Drawings.

Various embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flume system embodied as a horse exercise pool without water according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view from above of a flume system embodied as a horse exercise pool according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the flume system illustrated in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a further perspective view of a flume system embodied as a horse exercise pool without water according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with outer wall cladding and spillway covers removed.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of the entry/exit means of a flume system embodied as a horse exercise pool with water according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a detailed view of the entry area at the end of the entry/exit means of a flume system illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detailed view of the entry/exit means illustrated in Figure 5 without water. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a flume system embodied as a circular horse exercise pool without water and with separation gates according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a side elevation view of a flume system embodied as an

elongate horse exercise pool without water according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10 is a sectional end view of the flume system illustrated in Figure 9 with baffle. Figure 11 is a sectional end view of an entry and exit ramp used with the flume system illustrated in Figure 9 according to a preferred embodiment.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a flume system embodied as an oval horse exercise pool without water according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.

According to a preferred embodiment, a flume system embodied as a horse exercise pool is provided.

The illustrated exercise pool 10 includes an annular raceway 11 with an inner wall 12 and an outer wall 13 and adapted to hold a body of liquid, an entry and exit ramp 14 associated with the annular raceway 11, the entry and exit ramp 14 intersecting the annular raceway 11 at an acute angle.

The annular raceway 11 of the illustrated embodiment is located within a larger liquid holding tank. The tank is typically located at least partially below ground level. According to the illustrated embodiment, the annular raceway 11 is circular.

The inner 12 and outer 13 walls of the raceway 11 are arcuate and appropriately curved to form concentric circular walls as illustrated in Figure 1. Each of the inner 12 and outer 13 walls are formed of a plurality of arcuate wall sections (best illustrated in Figure 3) adapted to be attached to one another to form the walls.

Further, the tank has a substantially planar floor 15.

The inner wall 12 is a wall with a substantially vertical lower portion

16 which extends approximately perpendicularly to the floor 15, an angled portion 17 extending upwardly and into the annular channel towards the outer wall 13, and a substantially vertical upper portion 18 which is located closer to the outer wall 13 than the lower portion 16.

Normally, the upper portion 18 of the inner wall 12 begins at a height above the floor 15 appropriate to locate the upper portion 18 adjacent (but spaced and

appropriate distance from) the animal's body or torso (rather than the animal's legs) once the animal is located in the annular raceway 11.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the outer wall 13 is a substantially planar sidewall which is substantially vertical and extends substantially perpendicularly to the floor 15 of the pool 10. As illustrated in Figures 5 to 7 in particular, the outer wall 13 is continuous except for a portion removed or absent to allow the entry and exit ramp 14 to communicate with the annular raceway 11.

There is a gate 19 provided to control or prevent entry of the animals from the entry and exit ramp 14 into the annular raceway 11. When closed, the gate 19 forms a part of the outer wall 13 so that animals circling in the annular raceway 11 cannot exit the raceway 11 unless the gate 19 is open. As illustrated, the gate 19 is provided only at an upper portion of the opening of the entry/exit ramp 14 with the remainder of the entry being clear.

The system of the present invention is also provided with an entry and exit ramp 14 associated with the annular raceway 11. Normally, the entry and exit ramp 14 extends downwardly to the raceway 11 with the floor 20 of the entry and exit ramp 14 being angled and smoothly intersecting with the floor 15 of the annular raceway 11.

The entry and exit ramp 14 is provided with a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls 21 that each meet with the outer wall 13 of the raceway 11 on opposite sides of an entry opening 22. The floor 20 of the entry and exit ramp 14 is provided with grip means in order to minimise slippage of animals upon entry and exit from the pool 10.

Generally, the entry and exit ramp 14 intersects the annular raceway 11 at an acute angle. This allows entry of the animal through the entry ramp 14 in the direction of travel in the initial direction and allows the animal to more easily enter the exercise raceway 11. Once the animal has been turned into the opposite direction to that first travelled upon entry into the annular raceway 11, the animal can exit the exercise raceway 11 simply and easily as the animal is typically facing the entry and exit ramp 14 and are not required to execute a turn in order to access the entry and exit ramp 14. As illustrated, the entry and exit ramp 14 is normally provided approximately tangentially to the circular or oval exercise raceway 11.

The pool of the illustrated embodiment is further provided with a plurality of depression baffles 23 associated with the outer wall 13, each depression baffle 23 configured as a depression having angled surfaces extending away from the inner surface of the outer wall 13. The depression baffles 23 are provided in the form of substantially V- shaped or Y-shaped depressions with a pair of angled surfaces 24, 25 meeting each other at an apex (not illustrated). The apex of the depression baffle 23 is located away from the inner surface of the outer wall 13.

The baffles 23 are provided in the lower portion 16 of the outer wall 13, extending from the floor 15 of the annular raceway 11 upwardly, with a constant cross sectional shape over their height.

The plurality of depression baffles 23 are spaced approximately equally about the outer wall, with the number of depression baffles 23 provided in a given pool will typically be determined according to the size of the system, namely the circumferential dimension of the outer wall 13.

The pool of the preferred embodiment also includes a waste removal system associated with the annular raceway 11. The waste removal system of the illustrated embodiment includes a pair of elements, namely a waste removal spillway

24 for the floating waste and a submerged waste removal portion for submerged waste.

The waste removal spillway 24 is located in an upper part of the exercise raceway 11 on the outer wall 13 and extends inwardly toward the inner wall 12, that is into the annular channel of the exercise raceway 11.

The shape of the waste removal spillway 24 mirrors the shape of the inner wall 12, that is, the spillway 24 includes an angled wall 25 extending upwardly and from the outer wall 13 toward the inner wall 12, and a substantially vertical upper portion 26 which define a channel 27 with the outer wall 13.

The waste removal spillway 24 is provided with a plurality of removable covers 28 located in an upper portion of the spillway 24. The covers 28 are adapted to allow waste to escape through the covers 28 but to prevent animals from placing body parts into the spillway 24.

As illustrated, the covers 28 have a plurality of slot openings configured in a grill formation. The covers are manufactured in sections, typically of

approximately 1 m in length, in order to allow easy placement and removal in the spillway 24.

Generally, the upper portion 26 of the spillway 24 and the upper portion 18 of the inner wall 12 define an upper zone 29 in the annular raceway 11, and a lower zone 30 is defined between the outer wall 13 and the lower portion 16 of the inner wall 12 with the upper zone 29 being narrower than the lower zone 30 providing increased space in the lower zone 30 of the exercise raceway 11 for the animal's legs. As alluded to above, the spillway 24 is adapted to collect floating waste which will typically overflow into the spillway 24 due to the turbulence created in the liquid due to the animals movement within the exercise raceway 11. The waste will then typically be collected and undergo separation processes in order to remove the waste from the water prior to reintroduction into the pool. There are removal outlets

31 located through the outer wall 13 and in communication with the spillway 24 to remove waste and water from the spillway 24. The waste removal system of the- illustrated embodiments also includes a submerged waste removal portion which is located in the lower zone 30 of the exercise raceway 11. Normally, the submerged waste removal portion includes a number of openings 32 located through the inner wall. Typically, the small amount of agitation in the liquid created by the animal's movement will tend to concentrate any submerged waste in the centre of the pool 10 or against a lower portion 16 of the inner wall 12. Provision of openings 32 in the inner wall 12 allows collection and removal of submerged waste. hi addition to the openings 32 in the inner wall 12, at least one radial depression 33 can be provided in the floor 15 of either the exercise raceway 11 or the pool 10 itself. The depressions 33 may assist with the collection of submerged waste and normally there will be one or more outlets located in communication with the depressions 33.

Directional liquid return pipes 40 are provided and oriented toward the radial depressions 33 at the centre of the pool 10, inside the inner wall 12 to assist with the collection and removal of submerged waste. The return pipes 40 are provided through the floor and extending upwardly. The return pipes 40 are radial and oriented to force liquid returning to the pool 10 to the centre of the pool.

The inner 12 and outer 13 walls will be modular and typically manufactured of a plastic material although other materials such as moulded fibreglass may be used. The inner 12 and outer 13 walls are usually integrally formed with all sidewalls and spillway walls. Typically, all of the surfaces provided will be smooth with any hard angles minimised and rounded edges on all corners used to minimise the chances that an animal could injure themselves whilst using the pool.

The angled entry/exit ramp 14, the depression baffles 23, the waste removal system with the spillway 24 and the waste removal system with the submerged waste removal system are all used in combination in the illustrated embodiment to provide a flume system of superior functionality.

According to alternative embodiments, an oval pool (illustrated in

Figure 12) or an elongate pool (illustrated in Figures 9 to 11) may be provided. When provided in an oval configuration, the pool has a ramp leading downwardly to an oval raceway and a second ramp leading away from the raceway. The ramps are configured to be tangential to be oval raceway.

When provided in the elongate configuration, there will preferably be a ramp located at either end of an elongate track as illustrated in Figure 9 in particular.

According to a further embodiment, a rotating animal separation means may be provided, as illustrated in figure 8, so that more than one animal can exercise in the raceway at any one time with out impeding any other animal. Preferably, the animal separation means will include a plurality of barriers or gates oriented across the raceway and mounted to be spaced about the raceway. Normally, the entire barrier assembly rotates around the raceway.

According to the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of support means are provided about the raceway but on the opposite side of the inner wall to the raceway itself. The support means extend upwardly above the level of the walls. Each of the support means will preferably include guide means.

A barrier support ring is provided, the ring supported by the plurality of support means. Each of the support means provided are provided with a ring support member, typically one adapted to support rotation of the ring relative to the raceway. Normally, the ring support member will be a substantially circular and bearing member adapted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis. The ring support member is typically mounted on an outer surface of each support means and spaced

from the upper end of the support means such that the ring can be mounted relative to the support means and its position fixed but allowing rotation.

In the present specification and claims (if any), the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.