AU697931B2 - Liquid surface skimmer - Google Patents

Description

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 Name of Applicant Address of Applicant Actual Inventors Address for Service SCORNELIA JOHANNA SPRADBURY SPlot 183, Derby Road, Northriding, Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, Republic of South Africa SHENRY PETER SPRADBURY (deceased) GEORGE DANKS SWRAY ASSOCIATES Patent and Trademark Attorneys 6th Floor, Primary Industry House, 239 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6000 Australia 4 4t** 4 *4 0* 0 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "LIQUID SURFACE SKIMMER" The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to us: -1-

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4a a -2- "LIQUID SURFACE SKIMMER" FIELD OF THE INVENTON THIS INVENTION relates to a liquid surface skimmer and more particularly to a surface skimmer for swimming pools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In temperate, sub-tropical and tropical climates, swimming pools are common additions to dwellings.

Unfortunately swimming pools require a considerable

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ii L: amount of maintenance much of which is concerned with the removal of debris, usually leaf litter, which falls into the pool.

Litter falling into a swimming pool can conveniently be divided into matter which sinks to the bottom of the pool and matter which floats on the surface of the pool. A wide range of pool cleaning devices have been developed to clean matter on the submerged surfaces of pools and matter floating on the surface of a pool.

Matter floating on the surface of swimming pools is usually cleaned by draining the water over a trap arrangement which is located near the inlet of the eom swimming pool weir. Thus water pumped through the 15 pool's filters is drawn through the cleaner and an,, skimmer as a by-pass flow into the main flow through the cleaner.

*Because these skimmers are located at the inlet of the weir they have a disadvantage in that they can 20 clog or be rendered ineffective by leaf litter and other floating matter. In both instances the a a. j -4by-pass inlet to the pump can become constricted which can result in the pump overheating or adverse operating conditions for the pool cleaner can occur or both.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a liquid surface skimmer, and particularly to provide a surface skimmer for a swimming pool, which at least partly alleviates the above disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION *o In accordance with this invention, there is provided a liquid surface skimmer comprising an open topped cylindrical housing receiving at least partially therein o.: a positively buoyant open ended, axially movable sleeve, the housing having a first inlet defined by its open top and passing through the sleeve, the buoyancy of the sleeve being such that the first inlet will, in use, be located in the surface film of the liquid in which the skimmer is located, a second inlet and at least one outlet aligned with the second inlet to operatively draw liquid into the housing through the first inlet when the liquid under pressure flows through the second inlet towards the outlet, a collection trap releasably attached to the outlet exterior to the housing and wherein the axes of the second inlet and outlet extend transversely relative to the axis of the housing.

The trap is preferably provided in the form of a net bag. Further and still preferably, the housing is adapted for connection through the second inlet to an outlet into a swimming pool from the pool filtration pump.

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the housing and sleeve are of circular shape in cross-section.

1- I I, 1 'i i;i In accordance with the present invention there is also provided a swimming pool fitted with a skimmer as described above, in which the axis of the second inlet and outlet of the skimmer extend roughly parallel to an adjacent part of a wall of the swimming pool.

Preferably, the skimmer is mounted to an outlet into the swimming pool from a filtration pump by way of one or more pipe fittings selected to provide for any required height adjustment of the housing.

Further and still preferably, the housing is spaced apart from the said adjacent part of the wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention will be described below by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a liquid surface

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Ir S 1!l ;4n v.~ 6 skimmer according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the liquid surface skimmer of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS Referring to the figures a liquid surface skimmer comprises a housing having a first inlet a second inlet and at least one outlet cooperable with the second inlet to draw liquid into the housing through the first inlet when Sliquid under pressure is forced through the second inlet In the embodiment illustrated the 9 housing has a positively buoyant slidable open S's. ;ended sleeve located within the body of the housing to provide the first inlet The sleeve is fabricated from a positively buoyant S: plastics material and arranged so that in use, it :is located in the surface film of a liquid It has cutouts (8a) in the wall thereof so that the *69 9 9 *99 i; -7sleeve can rest on the bottom of housing and lift through its full height while being constrained in the housing The second inlet is connectable to an outlet of a pump (not shown). The inlet has a nozzle with an outlet (11) having a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the inlet. The outlet is located opposite the nozzle (10) so that in use, liquid passing from the nozzle (10) to the outlet acts as an ejector to draw liquid from the surface film into the housing (2) through the first inlet A net bag (12) is secured to the outlet In use, it is arranged that liquid flowing from the 15 second inlet to the outlet will draw liquid from the surface film into the housing through i the first inlet and, in so doing, will draw floating matter into the housing and out through the outlet where said matter will collect in S 20 the bag When the bag (12) is full it can be 1 removed and emptied. In the embodiment illustrated the liquid surface skimmer is generally circular cylindrical and is for use in swimming pools. It is envisaged that because the skimmer is connectable to the outlet of the filtration apparatus the effect of the net clogging with leaf litter on the swimming pool pump will be minimal.

This is because should the net clog, water pumped into the housing can egress the housing through the first inlet.

It will be understood that in use the housing (2) will be secured in position for use of the filter.

This can easily be effected through the connection from the pump outlet at the pool to the housing The housing will be located sufficiently below the pool surface to give the sleeve a floating range ee s15 from the surface of substantially its full length when the pool in which it is placed is filled to Sl maximum level. This enables the skimmer to remain effective until the pool level drops to lower the S..r sleeve its full length into the housing 20 It will be appreciated that variations can be made o to the embodiment of the invention as described 4@ VI 9above without departing from the scope thereof. In particular the arrangement of the second inlet and outlet can be varied as can the shape and configuration of the housing and nozzle.

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Claims (7)

1. A liquid surface skimmer comprising an open topped cylindrical housing receiving at least partially therein a positively buoyant open ended, axially movable sleeve, the housing having a first inlet defined by its open top and passing through the sleeve, the buoyancy of the sleeve being such that the first inlet will, in use, be located in the surface film of the liquid in which the skimmer is located, a second inlet and at least one outlet aligned with the second inlet to operatively draw liquid into the housing through the first inlet when the liquid under pressure flows throu4:i the second inlet towards the outlet, a collection trap releasably attached to the outlet exterior to the S, housing and wherein the axes of the second inlet and outlet extend transversely relative to the axis of the housing.

2. A liquid skimmer as defined in claim 1 wherein ti ib ap is a net bag.

3. A liquid skimmer as definec in claim 1 wherein the housing is adapted for connection through the second inlet to an outlet into a swimming pool from the pool filtration pump.

4. A liquid skimmer as claimed in claim 1 in which the housing and sleeve are of circular shape in cross-section, A swimming pool fitted with a skimmer as claimed in claim 1 in which the axis of the second inlet and outlet extend roughly parallel to an adjacent part of a wall of the swimming pool.

6. A swimming pool as claimed in claim 5 in which the skimmer is mounted to an outlet into the swimming pool from a filtration pump by way of one or more pipe fittings selected to provide any required height adjustment of the housing. I U -11

7. A swimming pool as claimed in claim 5 in which the housing is spaced apart from the said adjacent part of the wall.

8. A liquid skimmer as described herein with reference to figures 1 and 2. Dated this Nineteenth day of August 1998. Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant #0 *i S 0# S 0 *l 0 I N I, 12 12 ABSTRACT EO4H A liquid surface skimmer consisting of a housing securable in a body of liquid and having a first inlet through a buoyant open ended sleeve movable in the housing, a second inlet into the housing adjacent the bottom of the housing and an outlet oppositely disposed to the second inlet such that flow forced through the second inlet and through the outlet will drain liquid through the first inlet and through the outlet. The second inlet 10 can conveniently be a nozzle to form with the outlet an ejector assembly. 9 9 i I 1 1.4