GB1590623A

GB1590623A - Swimming pool cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB1590623A
Application number: GB1889076A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Rowney M H
Current assignee: Rowney M H
Priority date: 1977-08-08
Filing date: 1977-08-08
Publication date: 1981-06-03

Description

(54) SWIMMING POOL CLEANER (71) I, MICHAEL HUGH ROWNEY, a British Subject, of The Highwoods, Litlington, Polegate, Sussex BN26 5RG, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to swimming pool cleaners.

In the past, various devices have been produced to clean leaves, insects, sand and other debris from swimming pools while they are still full of water.

These devices usually operate by means of a current of water flowing into a fine mesh bag, and into which the current carries the leaves and other debris.

However, until now no device has been produced which can satisfactorily remove rubbish from along the lower edges of swimming pool sidewalls, or even from the undulating floor of a pool such as is often found in a pool lined with a flexible sheet plastics material.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a swimming pool cleaning device which operates by drawing debrisladen water into a debris collecting means, the device having a casing with a first opening through which debris-laden water is drawn by an impeller attached to a driving means, said impeller and said driving means being accomodated within the casing, and a second opening through which the debrisladen water flows into the debris collecting means, the casing being constructed of at least two relatively movable parts so that the edge of the first opening has two portions, each of which lies in a plane, the two portions being relatively movable between a first position in which they are substantially coplanar for travel over a swimming pool floor with the edge of the first opening adjacent and parallel to the swimming pool floor, and a second position in which they are substantially perpendicular to one another whereby the first opening can in the first position substantially conform to the floor surface being cleaned and in the second position can fit the angle between the floor and a sidewall of a swimming pool.

Advantageously, one or more brushes is provided within the opening arranged to act on the surface below the opening whereby dirt is agitated under the cleaning device.

The brush or brushes may be removable.

Preferably the debris collecting means is a carbide filter which may be in cartridge form.

Preferably the container is attached to an elongated handle by means of a flexible connecting member which enables the cleaning device to be directed over the floor of a swimming pool by a person beside the pool, the handle having means whereby the impeller driving means may be controlled.

Advantageously the handle has means for controlling the relative movement of portions of the casing.

Preferably the impeller driving means is an engine which is mounted inside the container in such a way that it is easily replaceable.

Preferably there is at least one castor or bearing coplanar with the edge of the first opening in the lower end of the container to facilitate movement of the device over the floor of a swimming pool.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. I is a view of the device seen from one end; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device shown in Fig. 1.

The embodiment comprises a domed casing in three principal parts, a central portion 1 Fig. 1 and two visors 2 and 3. The central portion I is in the form of a quarter of a spherical surface, the side edges 4 and 5 of the central portion lying in two planes which meet at 90' on a line 6 which would form a diameter of the complete sphere. The two visors 2 and 3 are in the form of portions of spherical surfaces of a diameter slightly larger than that of the central portion 1, and are hinged to the central portion 1 with the line 6, Fig. 2, as the axis of rotation. Both visors 2 and 3 are movable continuously between a position with their lower edges 7 and 8 lying in the same planes as the respective side edges 4 and 5 of the central portion I of the casing. to a position in which the edges 7 and 8 are substantially perpendicular to each other.

Thus, by movement of the visors the device is able to fit into a corner between a wall and floor of a swimming pool, or move over an undulating swimming pool floor, all the time maintaining close contact between the pool surfaces and the edges 7 and 8 of the visors.

An electric motor 9 Fig. 2, is mounted within the central portion I of the casing, and has an impeller I 10 mounted on a shaft extending downwardly from the motor 9 to a castor II (Figs. I and 2) coincident with the mid-point of the line 6. Castors 12 and 13, Fig. 1, are also respectively attached to the visors 2 and 3 at the mid-points of their lower edges 7 and 8, so as to facilitate movement across a swimming pool floor.

In operation the impeller 10 draws debrisladen water past the edges 7 and 8 of the visors and into the casing from where it is driven through a circular central aperture 14, Fig. 2, in the central portion of the casing, having a throat 15 leading into a carbide filter cartridge 16 Figs. I and 2, in which any debris is collected.

A flap 17 Fig. 2, allows flow into the cartridge 16 from the casing but not in the reverse direction.

A pair of thin nylon brushes 24 extend across the diameter of the opening between points at which the castors 11, 12 and 13 are fitted. The brushes agitate debris over an area of the surface being cleaned that is covered by the casing, so that the debris disturbed by the brushes is drawn up in to the device.

The device is manoeuvred within the swimming pool by means of an extended handle 18, Fig. 2, attached to the device by means of a flexible connecting member 19, the handle incorporating a a switch 20 for controlling the electric motor 9, the switch 20 and motor 9 being linked by a cable 21.

In order that the visors 2 and 3 may lift up until their lower edges 7 and 8 are in the same plane as the respective side edges 4 and 5 of the central portion of the casing, each visor has cut-out portions 22, in their upper edges so that the upper edges will not abut respectively the throat 15 and the flexible connecting member 19 before the lower edges 7 and 8 of the visors 2 and 3 subtend a right angle on the line 6.

In order that the device may ingest debris which will not pass easily between the swimming pool floor and the side edges 7 and 8 of the visors 2 and 3, the visors 2 and 3 may be independently lifted by cords (not shown), the handle 18 being turned either one way or the other to determine which visor is lifted.

The carriage 16 could be replaced by a fine mesh bag (not shown).

WIIAT I CLAIM 1S:- I. A swimming pool cleaning device which operates by drawing debris-laden water into a debris collecting means, the device having a casing with a first opening through which debris-laden water is drawn by an impeller attached to a driving means, said impeller and said driving means being accomodated within the casing, and a second opening through which the debris-laden water flows into the debris collecting means, the casing being constructed of at least two relatively movable parts so that the edge of the first opening has two portions, each of which lies in a plane, the two portions being relatively movable between a first position in which they are substantially coplanar for travel over a swimming pool floor with the edge of the first opening adjacent and parallel to the swimming pool floor, and a second position in which they are substantially perpendicular to one another whereby the first opening can in the first position substantially conform to the floor surface being cleaned and in the second position can fit the angle between the floor and a sidewall of a swimming pool.

2. A cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein one or more brushes is provided within the opening arranged to act on the surface below the opening whereby dirt is agitated under the cleaning device.

3. A cleaning device according to claim 2 wherein the brush or brushes is/are removable.

4. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the debris collecting means is a cartridge filter.

5. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the container is attached to an elongated handle by means of a flexible connecting member which enables the cleaning device to be directed over the floor of a swimming pool by a person beside the pool, the handle having means whereby the impeller driving means may be controlled.

6. A cleaning device according to claim 5 wherein the handle has means for controlling the relative movement of portions of the casing.

7. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the impeller driving means is an engine removable mounted inside the container.

8. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein there is at least one castor or bearing coplanar with the edge of the first opening in the lower end of the container to facilitate movement of the devicc over the floor of a swimming pool.

9. A swimming pool cleaning device

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

and 8 lying in the same planes as the respective side edges 4 and 5 of the central portion I of the casing. to a position in which the edges 7 and 8 are substantially perpendicular to each other.

Thus, by movement of the visors the device is able to fit into a corner between a wall and floor of a swimming pool, or move over an undulating swimming pool floor, all the time maintaining close contact between the pool surfaces and the edges 7 and 8 of the visors.

An electric motor 9 Fig. 2, is mounted within the central portion I of the casing, and has an impeller I 10 mounted on a shaft extending downwardly from the motor 9 to a castor II (Figs. I and 2) coincident with the mid-point of the line 6. Castors 12 and 13, Fig. 1, are also respectively attached to the visors 2 and 3 at the mid-points of their lower edges 7 and 8, so as to facilitate movement across a swimming pool floor.

In operation the impeller 10 draws debrisladen water past the edges 7 and 8 of the visors and into the casing from where it is driven through a circular central aperture 14, Fig. 2, in the central portion of the casing, having a throat 15 leading into a carbide filter cartridge 16 Figs. I and 2, in which any debris is collected.

A flap 17 Fig. 2, allows flow into the cartridge 16 from the casing but not in the reverse direction.

A pair of thin nylon brushes 24 extend across the diameter of the opening between points at which the castors 11, 12 and 13 are fitted. The brushes agitate debris over an area of the surface being cleaned that is covered by the casing, so that the debris disturbed by the brushes is drawn up in to the device.

The device is manoeuvred within the swimming pool by means of an extended handle 18, Fig. 2, attached to the device by means of a flexible connecting member 19, the handle incorporating a a switch 20 for controlling the electric motor 9, the switch 20 and motor 9 being linked by a cable 21.

In order that the visors 2 and 3 may lift up until their lower edges 7 and 8 are in the same plane as the respective side edges 4 and 5 of the central portion of the casing, each visor has cut-out portions 22, in their upper edges so that the upper edges will not abut respectively the throat 15 and the flexible connecting member 19 before the lower edges 7 and 8 of the visors 2 and 3 subtend a right angle on the line 6.

In order that the device may ingest debris which will not pass easily between the swimming pool floor and the side edges 7 and 8 of the visors 2 and 3, the visors 2 and 3 may be independently lifted by cords (not shown), the handle 18 being turned either one way or the other to determine which visor is lifted.

The carriage 16 could be replaced by a fine mesh bag (not shown).

WIIAT I CLAIM 1S:- I. A swimming pool cleaning device which operates by drawing debris-laden water into a debris collecting means, the device having a casing with a first opening through which debris-laden water is drawn by an impeller attached to a driving means, said impeller and said driving means being accomodated within the casing, and a second opening through which the debris-laden water flows into the debris collecting means, the casing being constructed of at least two relatively movable parts so that the edge of the first opening has two portions, each of which lies in a plane, the two portions being relatively movable between a first position in which they are substantially coplanar for travel over a swimming pool floor with the edge of the first opening adjacent and parallel to the swimming pool floor, and a second position in which they are substantially perpendicular to one another whereby the first opening can in the first position substantially conform to the floor surface being cleaned and in the second position can fit the angle between the floor and a sidewall of a swimming pool.
2. A cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein one or more brushes is provided within the opening arranged to act on the surface below the opening whereby dirt is agitated under the cleaning device.
3. A cleaning device according to claim 2 wherein the brush or brushes is/are removable.
4. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the debris collecting means is a cartridge filter.
5. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the container is attached to an elongated handle by means of a flexible connecting member which enables the cleaning device to be directed over the floor of a swimming pool by a person beside the pool, the handle having means whereby the impeller driving means may be controlled.
6. A cleaning device according to claim 5 wherein the handle has means for controlling the relative movement of portions of the casing.
7. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the impeller driving means is an engine removable mounted inside the container.
8. A cleaning device according to any of the preceding claims wherein there is at least one castor or bearing coplanar with the edge of the first opening in the lower end of the container to facilitate movement of the devicc over the floor of a swimming pool.
9. A swimming pool cleaning device

substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.