AU515552B2 - Flexible seal - Google Patents

Description

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APPLQATTN FiL 'lPAR i Form 1

T DANIFl. J11AN VALERE DENlTS CHAUVIER OF 8 Hertzol- Road,

Shatron Park, Dunniottar Transv-aal Provinco. Pepuiblic of South

Af'rica, horceby apply Ifor the grant of' a Standard Patent for

an iniventi on enltitle'd 'FLEXIBLE SEAL f (t

wh ieli is described in the accomp)anying compilete specification.

For an app~lica tion3 made by vii tue of Section 51

Original Application No. 27788/77 by Daniel Jeanfiadm-re

S S. S ChjauVier.- f'ijl 10thl Angjs t 1977. S 0

5 My addres-s f'or service is care G.R. CUJLLEN &COM 1 S

*0 0 289) Queen Street, Brisbane, Queetnsland, 4000, Aiistra1J$ S S.

0O*@ S 0 DATED this twventy-second dlay of' Augus t, 1979. 6O TWO DOLLARS 0S S 0 6

DANIEL JEAN VALERE DENIS CHAUVIER

By his Patent Attorneys, 00 0

G CUJLLEN COMPANY *0i"

0

*0 0*

50 0 SO SO TO:

The Commissi oner of Patents.

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Form 7

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1952

50205/7 DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF AN APPLICATION FOR A PATENT

In support of the Application made by DANIEL JEAN VALERE

DENIS CHAUVIER for a patent for an invention entitled

"FLEXIBLE SEAL"

I, DANIEL JEAN VALERE DENIS CHAUVIER of 8 Hertzog Road,

Sharon Park, Dunnottar, Transvaal Province, Republic of

South Africa, do solemnly and sincerely declare as a follows:-

I am the applicant for the patent.

2. FERNAND LOUIS OSCAR JOSEPH CHAUVIER is (ctual

inventor of the invention, and the facts upon which the said applicant is entitled to make the application are as follows:- The said applicant is the assignee of the said inventiop from the said Declared at this day of inventor,

1979.

CHAUVIER)

FREDERICK JOHANNES MAREE VAN WYK P.O. BOX 601 SPRIN3S TVL. Commissioner of Oaths by virtue of my office as Manager of Barclays National Bank Limited

Bra ch TO:

The Commissioner of Patents.

I

I pm

FATE-7 ABRIDGU-B1-50 205/79 (1A2) JLMA 19 AU AUSTRAI.IA..-:

(54) POOL CLEANING DISC (71) CHAUVIER, DANIEL JEAN VAIEPE DENIS (21) 50 205/79 515 552 (22) 22.8.79 (23) 22.8.79 (24) 22.8.79 (43) 20.12.79 (44) 9.4.81 2 (51) EO4H 3/20 (62) 27 788/77 (72) Chauvier, (74) CU (56) 27 788/77 505 209 E04H 3/20 (57) Claim 1. A disc for an apparatus for cleaning a surface submerged in a liquid, which apparatus has a member defining a mouth that is engageable with the surface to be cleaned, the disc comprising a substantially planar circular annular disc of a resiliently flexible material having a central aperture defined by an inner perimetral portion of the disc which is engageable with the mouth defining member about the mouth; the disc having radially extending concertina-like folds in an outer annular portion thereof with an inner annular portion thereof between the outer portion and the inner perimetral portion not having any folds; and having, in one surface, which in use engages the surface to be cleaned, radially extending grooves which extend from the outer periphery of the disc through the outer annular portion into the inner annular portion.

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Nanmi of I \ppl cant CIIHAUVIER, D)aniel J aii Valere Denis

Addrcs.,; c %pplirimt:t 8 llertzog Road, Sharon Park, Dunlottar, Transvaal Province, Republic of' South Africa.

Act uia1 Inveitom CII XUVTTER,

@0 *r 0 Adlr('ss Vor .1-4(-,vice: G CU1iLILEN COMPANY, CS 1-atent rrrde Mark Attorneys, 28) Quen Street, Brisbane, in t1(e State of' Queensland, S. S Commonweal th of Australia. 05 *0 0 *o S ('OMPIEA> SPhCIFICATION FOR TIUl INVENTION ENTITLED: S.

SFLEXIBLE SEAL'

The following stat maeCnt is a full desceription of' the invention including the best method of' Perfcrting it known to us;

I

TIS 11T- IN F3(:N 1Vel air. f to a dl.; loi an apparatus

cloai.'nq ;tbar:dw co.lreparLi cii]larly the

.1~~-iit nn ela asto rip 'aratii- that~ automatically displaces

itsol i: across hri:o a1and upright siirfaces thereby to

a FDAA clean thec 2;urf'aces. In L3 Particular use of the apparatus see*

e :~Vm ii yc 'nic~hfor -1o: and

,talls of a swimmi~ng 1-,ool.

Acc,-ortdJ.ngL to th~invonti on there is provided a **disc 1for an iqppar-itus for clea~ln n a surface submerged

A: in a liquid, whicd: apparillis has i member defining a mouth that

I on~jqebiewit h the nuti-face to be cl eaned, the disc

*00 omris uga ata 1 yplanar circular annul ar disc of a

I ::esi liently I I xibhi a teri a 1 having a cceitral aperture defi nod by an i nner i oritnottral port ion ofi the disc which is

engagoahlIc vn h I he wtonth definiing member about the mouth;

thcu disc, hct2 lia -1x c tnd7o conicer i na- Like folds in

Io)u Le2rf anvu an Iay Ia J LO ;nl ti ho riioofA i th anr inner -)nnular

poto -o 'fJr tv, an ille outei porLi1on and the inner

permera potionnot havji nc ,Iny 11olds;; and hacving, in one

sur face, whlic! onqa qes I het; rfa to 1he c-leaned,

rad~ illy exteniding olrooves wih!1 m 1-1( h liwe.1f ter

periphery of the disc through theic outer aninular portion into

2 the inner annular portion.

ThuC 1 2 la t. j Cs

in i: ,r i aI aii1n'n lie (1r~ 14 1 i V1, 1;ii c,1o d

e 1 7 111 12 -11 Ie ci e~i e aaunrn

a P_ urFaC co I) ,ii ru I i'l, I 7 Ci nO!.'I3 a di as

i!IriJ (I aa rv o

ThIo~ I 1-G1 -1:1ow desF;cri la by way of examples

wiith 1 copniqdraw4ings in which:

1-igure- 1. fshows a perspVective view of an apparatus for

automatically ,,Icaning the -walls and flooT of a swimming

p00 h h22i nowitli thrC inv~cnLi on; and

.igure, 2 qhows a uinlerneath plan view of the cleaning a* 0 head and disc of the nparatus shown i~n Figurre 1.

Refrriaao thi' draowirns, an apparatus for

autmoticaflly cIlearni the walls and floor of a swimming

poo.L_ is rt',!i1 qna Led goneralily by re C-orence numeral. 10 The

a ppara Lu,, .1.0 has3 a ,Ly V,1.,Ylicli r'omprises two pipes 14 .1

and 14.2 ;ec-uredl at mie otid toa a hie.*d 16 arid at their other

end Fo a -juncl:ion member 18 which iias a coupling 20 whereby

the apparatus m ay Le couplied to a flexible hose to be con-

nected Lo a sutin (noI lvw) 'rho bead 16 is

hallIow havi31( a, mo(_uith copening !2 1ain it! nderneath side 24

c-nd- main inflow oponings 26 in ts side wialls 28. In use,

the uinderneath sie24 is kept zacJ,-inst the floor or wall of

the SWIMming11 pool a- -will he exp lal nod h~elow. Around the

moulth 22 is a FliexibIro adherinl d isc '30 wilich ivssists in

retaining the mouth 22 against the wall or floor. Within

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p t. 1V I ;II I'.~iIsf. h Ir nsfcr of

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i l' ll '1 (ti U P a r Iow

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111;113 11 which 'sh1e apparatus

0 in 1loa7 bIs 34 that are Oe e

,il pjvotal axis 36 and r* e I f~ 4 p rA alo;TUt

4@OC1( ay- cehUr to )ne e. -11i oli i r 1. n i ij -r 'Ils oif whi el are pivotally

thnIgIslrouqhl a bracket 46

i f loat. 33 to the pipe 14.1.

r; jvclo~ for securing the

j 1. i~1t Ia,,U4.1 S@( *e 8I 8' h( Ipipf I 1, ;o Tt. TIh tilting float

J. 1 The, ijkcts 46 and 48

Ihnve outwadrdly exteinrlw Y) w i-chi arr' ngagcable with

I lie 'er p1 pe 14.2 W ImiL inhi of' the tilting float 38.

!Pho 1).ve3 p in 14 is cued in Ih)re provicded in the arms

i he I, hiackot 46). It vvi ll 1 e appreciated, that as the 0 0*ee t ill in 1tloa[ 318 P-,v't s :bout ti e pipe 14 the pivot pin 44

Is'annI to pivo out tie t i eq ;,xj 40. The main floats

34 are sciuai'' i)oqether 1)y tco Ii' hped connectors 52. As

shown in Figur 1, I whun i h, Iwad 1 6 enqaqes the floor of the

swimming pool, the p,.Lvt pin 44 and the- pivotal axis '1 are

horizontally located. The floats 34 and the l!\rr arms 42

will then adopt the position shown in Figure 1.

-I i V)ill '1 J!"jyn' ol r;I( I (I are s.oc1-t ot.s inl Th i('1h il ye a 12f_"-VAI 'so u ife l iii-7-. H s 7 The o Insor i i. LL ar 1~ A s r Ingto the iutfarofe i he 11 ;or ;11 I 'I j i lier,~ nn p'iei so that h e is~ u I i f lj Y'r i (2io etwc-uii the ins erts

11 ar Itoe wil I Ild 1 our of th Si riinqpol Thus, the

I L~ 4sui'A 1 u: aprt 1 ar _.wimminy pool are inserted

ii, h'11- l inu I Zcm-H rd to thre hefad 16, Instead of provid- e;w i1(T e:1.I 54 Of 17:.u i 3F nai-cori al aind f-,rurinq the desired

rt 54hea 1 ,the headl 6 i'r Ie provided with

of

gO:i~is rtn54 f 1 I~ mai o: Ii thereb ro a tho caer forteta

Sawa

.00. 25 peLas1.in Ur 1 u i on Df i he(I ias i i i e i:o ashowu Th o discn

of is o i s 30 rnu~ia v ,tl dsubtzonsibl.a (yplnath untenist f~urther ye i ts -30 h ii1 ads number of crne 0aepovrined-

1 kerci ouIe:nL is arip I -o ~h fntlio ethnd of

aa20ceing head 16, vonioth coic n hosier annther portion4.

and 14. 2. This causes %ate!r to filiow inito thle head 16, prim-

arily throligh the main i nflowi or..eni nos 26. A certain amoUnt

of water f.1oWis into the head 3 6 thv' )tioh temouth opening 22,

but i.r- the under~neath :irin 24 of the head 1.6 is against the

floor or wiall of the s-%imminq pool this inflow is restricted

a miinimal amount of water fl1owinug troughl Lhe. grooves 60. Due

to the ,;uction pressur-e within the head 16, and the surface

area off the disc 30, the head 16 is kept against the floor or

.wall of' the swimnming pool Due to the transfer of flow be- tween the pipes 14.1 and 14.2, the flow of water into the head

*16 is automati cally ilitermittently haltLed or decreased. when

the flowov wia t:e I .a zc r ea E t he s-;u ct i on pr ess ur e in the heoad 16 1ece.i oh.di erqa3.gingU the head 16 friction-

ally from the wall or flooT and then kinetic energy of the

water flow-ing in the pipes 14.1 and 14.2 is transferred to the

~*apparatu, 10, displacing it across the wall or floor. When

the watzer acain start..- flowingq thinugh the.o head 16, it is

pulled against the wall. floor ard Mhe inserts 54 fric-

1ciigage tionall [Ahn wall or floor, in a desired manner, so

that the appar--iLus 10 is not. displaced in the opposite direc- Cc Lion.

When the apparatus 10 negotiates a translition region

between the wall and floor, the outer annular region of the

disc 30 extends, keeping the inflow of water into the mouth

opening 22 to a minimum, and !ansuring that the apparatus

is kept against the floor or wall as required. Due to the

restricted cross-sectional cirea of' the qroocres 60, any water

flowing through them. flows at a substantial speed, assisting in removinig dust O 1:-Ile lloor dadwa.13 particu I arl.y any

Clu~ t lo)Cated in I eo'jei:', ',I(,ee3 ()oir an (IWa1 I

The,( -uro iAd ope- ration of the floats 34 and 38

will now be described. As tLhe apparatus l-o displaces itself

across tho floor of a swimming pool, the main floats 34 will

remain in thbe position shown in Figure 1. As the apparatus

then moves onoa wall portion the lever arms 42 will pivot S S till eventually Ilie rain floats 34 lie between the pipes 14.1 0S S 10 and 14.2, futhler displacement of the floats 34 and their *0 S. lever arms 42 being pro-vented by engagement of the connectors S *0*5

S. 52 -071th the pipe .14. 1. Tf thef til3ting float 38 was not pro- B S

vided, the float~s 34 would remrain in this position until the

coupling 20 is below the head 16. However, due to the buoy-

S 15 ant force experienced by the tilting float 38, it is caused

S 5@ S to pivot about the pipe 14.1, thereby tilting the pivot pin *5

44 about the tilting axis 40. It will. be appreciated, that 0

t~

S the more Elio pipes 14.1, 14.2 are canted the greater will be t~ 0 0 the pivoting force exerted on the tilting float 38. At a

20 predetermined canting angle, the main floats 34 and their S. S

00 lever ai~ms 42 will be free to pivot and the main floats 34

will pivot away fr~m the pipe 14.1. This causes the effec-

tive centre of qravitvy of the apparatus 10 to be displaced

towards the coupling 20 thus causing the apparatus 10 to be

canted over further. Eventually, when the coupling 20 is

located below the head 16, the main floats 34 will pivot

right over until. the lever arms 42 engage the head 16. The

apparatus 10 then migrates down the wall back onto the floor,

whereupon the main floats 34 return to the position shown in

~y3 0 Figure 1.

It will fur-tiiur YI Imder:f l'c'v if t1hc apparatus

losns adhesion with thc w;ill1 and Ifal-I! Ic the floor, the action

of the main flo ats 4 and the Liltinq fl ai 38 will cause the

body 12 to aisurm I he thi re at ti tude that the mouth 22

of, i hcl head i1 ''l61 je like- floor.

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A disc 'iI an p II clea IIg a suffICe

r-;ublortj ed( in I liqu i d, vAii rg i a Ileinbetr of 1.ninvg

a iuo)ut II LII I I kc1b'~ I e WAjI.I i hs IeI ;i I e I r! c: Ic(--,neod,

I he disc comprising a Fulaitan Li.a I I y p1 ana r ci cu I ar annular

dise of a reusilintly f.1cxibi 1 mat(.nrial havinug a central

*Iper ul~ti ldo titied by in ininf:. periwuct.a7 Iportion of the disc

whiclh- io e. 1- -h the inou h (1fininq member about the

C. mouth; U:in disc havinq radially extending concertina-like 0.. folds in an outer annular portion thereof with an inner

0:anIJIuh. al pm() I ion IY thL) (V -a ~rI I T1 an (1 -e

r porimnecral portion not having, any folds; ana having,

c ;ur face, which in use engjage; the surface to be 0es tJcleand, radially extending grooves which extend from the

outui: periphery ot the djsc through the outer annular portion

"see: 1-1into -h i1ner annul l por t. ion C

2 .A disc as-; claimed ill (-:J1imm 1, which is of a suit-

Se abll'YIX w1.icC' pl ai CS 1l~ltor.1

3. A disc as c1aimfed in claaim 1,or which has been

moul ded llia a A1 i~ I mon 1(1I

4. A disc foxj appa a c1,w rii i. ig a -rface sub-

werge'd in11 a 11in1i0, subs I Unl a 1 i' er ibed in lyas the specifi-

cation andI(I j1luustiaiaed in tlix' ;wn-c ,mxyinyinq draw-Vings

An apparatus as hereinbefore described for

cleaning a surface submerged in a liquid, which includes a

disc as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

DATED THIS 10TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1981.

DANIEL JEAN VALEPE DENIS CHAUVIER

By his Patent Attorneys,

G.R. CULLEN COMPANY.

50,205/79

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