US2902705A

US2902705A - Pool cleaner

Info

Publication number: US2902705A
Application number: US614689A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eistrup Joseph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-10-08
Filing date: 1956-10-08
Publication date: 1959-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1976-09-08

Description

P 1959 J. EISTRUP 2,902,705

POOL CLEANER Filed 0612.v 8, 1956 INVEN TOR. JOSEPH EISTRUP BY @411, %%:%J

ATTORNEYS United States Patent POOL CLEANER Joseph Eistrup, San Mateo, Calif.

Application October 8, 1956, Serial No. 614,689

4 Claims. ((11. 15-246.5)

This invention relates 'to a device for removing'leaves and other foreign solids from the floor of a'swimming pool and the like.

One of the objects of this invention'is the;provision of a'simple, economically made, rugged, and easily manipulated device for removing leaves, and other foreign solids from the bottom of swirnming pools, and which device does not require any power driven parts nor water or air under pressure, in order to operate it for accomplishing the desired results.

At the present time expensive vacuum type cleaners are employed for removing the silt andrelatively fine foreign matterfrom the floors of swimming pools. Large leaves and many other solids are too "bulky to readily pass through the restricted'throat of a 'cleaner'of this type, and the throat and other parts of the cleaner tend to: become clogged, thus rendering'thecleaner inoperative, orv else noticeably impairing its efficiency.

'One of the objects of this invention is theprovision of a relatively cheap and simple device that is adapted to quickly and easily remove from the floor of a pool such solids as would impair the efliciency ofthevacuum cleaner type of cleaner. Since cleaners of the vacuumactuated type are now used more frequently thanis required, in order to remove certain larger solids that may quickly be removed with the cleaner of this invention, the provision of the present cleaner will reduce the necessity for using the vacuum type cleaner, except at such rare inter vals as may occur when very fine silt or the likesettles out of the water. -Such silt usually .comesfrom dust, hence is slow in accumulating.

The difficulty of using a mechanical device for removing leaves and other solids from a pool,is.mainly due to the fact that the leaves on-the floor of the pool, when influencedby the current produced in moving'the device through the water tend to float awayfrom the device, or to swirl into the-current that follows the .device .in its movement through the water.

The present invention overcomes the above difliculties. The user merely moves the device over the floor. of thepool to the leaves or materialto be removed andthe leaves will readily enter the device and be caught, and-any leaves or other material onthe floor and at the sides of .thepath of the device will remain undisturbedfor beingquickly caught upon moving thedevice to them.

One ofvthe objects of the inventionis fthe provision of arcleaner that will have the advantagesabove described. .Otherobjects and advantageswill:appearin the;descrip- .t-ionland .drawings, one .of whichi-s the provision of :a cleaner that is quickly and easily adjustable for eflicient ly removing; difierent sized leaves .and. the. like, from a pool. Where a swimming pool is located -nnder or near trees,.-;such as sycamore trees,-the leaves falling :intothe poolwill be many, times larger: than the, leaves. from many other typesoftrees, such as elm etc.

:Inzthe drawings:

:Eig. .1; is aperspectiveivie-wof. the cleaner, with.the.handle broken away to accommodate the view to the sheet.

Kit?

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the cleaner .of Fig. 1.

'Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view ofzthe cleaner of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the bag on the cleaner, only part of the cleaner being shown with said partin section and the bag being in section where it isconnectedwith the cleaner.

In detail, the cleaner illustrated in the drawings comprises what may be called a scoop, and which sscoop has a bottom 1, top 2 and opposedside walls generally designated 3, 4, (Fig. 3 The front or leading :end of the scoop is open, and the rear or trailing end-is a1so open, thusproviding a through open ended passageway,

The words front, rear, leading, and .trailingand words .of similar meaning are used with reference :to the normal movement of the device, in which the front" or leading end, is'theend'that leadsduring-snchmovement, while the rear and trailing-end is the opposite end.

The top and bottom 'walls are preferably similar in outline with their side edges along the side walls extending convergently from the leading marginal portions of the said top and bottom walls. Said leading marginal portions 5, 6 (Fig. 1) arepreferably :substantiallyhori- 'zontal and opposed, except that the leading marginal portion 6 of the bottom-wall is a blade adaptedto slide overthefloor of the poolalong its leading e dge,=:and.to slant slightly upwardly from such floor in a rearward direction from theleading edge thereof.

,The'rear' or trailing ends of the upper end lower walls preferably terminate in marginal portions 7, is having flanges 9 extending downwardlyfrom the side vedges of thetop wall 2, and flanges 10 extending upwardly ,,from theside edgesof the bottom wall 1. These flanges also extendalong the side edges'of the leading and trailing marginal portions of the top and bottomwalls.

The top and bottom walls 2, lrpreferablyextend diver gently relativevto each other in direction-from the from marginal portions 5, 6 toward the ;rear marginal sportions- 7 8 so'thatthe open rear end of the ,scoopiissubstantially greaterin vertical width'thanthe spacing :between the forward edges of thetop andxbottom Walls when the walls are at their minimum distance apart. The .spacingbetween the side walls ;at the rear :end of.the scoop is preferably no less than-the vertical spacing,:and it may-be greater if desired.

The maximum vertical width 'of'theflanges :at"the;for- Ward end of the: scoop is preferably substantially :equal'to the-minimum vertical spacing between the;for ward'marginal; portions, .which,-in a practical example, may-be; approximately twoinches, and the width of the flanges is -suflicient to insure their lapping at opposite .sides 'ofit-he scoop when the forward ends ofthetop andbottom-walls arernoved apart to their maximum "spacing, :as 'will be described.

The flanges 9, 10 atteach of the sides io'f-thescoopgare pivotally connected at their rear ends by horizontal coaxial pivots 12 (Fig.2) to permit the front er leading ends of thetop and bottom .walls to be spaced apart different distances. The flanges 9 are formed with arcuate slots :13 concentric'with said pivots .and through which bolts .14 carried by the flanges v10 extend. .A wing nut.15-.on

each .nut clamps the flanges together to .hold thetop and bottom walls spaced apart thedesireddistanee when the nuts 15 are tightened.

Therear end of the scoop is supported in elevatedposi .tionfor movement o'fthe scoop over the 'floor o'f a pool by means of wheels 16 on the ends of an axle 1'7'that,'in

turn, is secured to the bottom wall 1. The blade 6 at the leading end of the bottom wall will rest on the floor of the pool when the scoop is moved over the floor so as to enable, the blade to slide under leaves and other foreign material on said floor.

The inclination of the bottom wall 1 is relatively slight when the blade 6 is against the floor so that the forward movement of the scoop is suflicient to cause leaves and the like to readily slide over the bottom wall 1 and out of the rear end thereof.

The rear or trailing end of the scoop provides an outlet, the walls of which are the rear marginal portions 7, '8 of the top and bottom walls, and the parallel opposed rear end portions of flanges 9, 10. The top and bottom walls of the outlet may be formed with ridges 18 (Fig. 4) and the forward end of a horizontally elongated open work mesh bag 19 extends over the rear end of the scoop and past said ridges. Any suitable means may be provided for releasably, yet snugly, securing the forward end of bag '19 over the walls of the scoop outlet. One such means would be a relatively heavy elastic cord 20 around the mouth of the bag and carried by the bag.

The mesh openings of bag 19 are relatively large so as to permit water to pass therethrough with very little resistance, but sufficiently small to catch and to hold leaves, twigs etc. A bag 22 having smaller mesh openings is preferably over the rear end of bag 19, so that bag 22 will catch and hold much finer particles than will be held by bag 19. While the mesh openings in bag 22 are sufficiently small to catch and to hold some silt, it is not the intent that the present device remove the fine silt from the fioor of the pool. But it will remove the larger particles.

Both bags 19, 22 are preferably of buoyant material, hence will not scrape on the bottom of the pool in a manner that would tend to cause objectionable wear on their lower sides. They could, of course, be made of metal cloth, if desired, and in such instance would tend to hold their open shape.

Secured to the forward marginal portion of the top wall 2, at a point centrally between its ends is an elongated handle 24. The joint 25 connecting the handle with said marginal portion is a universal joint permitting swinging of the handle relative to the scoop in any direction. This joint may be a ball and socket joint or any other type of joint permitting universal pivotal movement of the handle relative to the scoop.

At each outer side of the forward end of the scoop is a vertically positioned, rearwardly extending plate 26, each plate being pivoted at its lower forward end to the scoop at the lower forward end of the latter. Coaxial pivots 27 so secure the plates 26 to the scoop for vertical swinging of the plates rearwardly of the pivots. Plates 26 preferably extend slightly divergently relative to each other in direction rearwardly of the pivots, and their lower edges are substantially straight so they will ride on the floor of the pool. The pivots permit the plates to accommodate themselves to irregularities in the surface contour of the pool, and they extend rearwardly from the pivots 27 a substantial distance to insure against leaves and the like along the sides of the path of travel of the scoop from swirling to positions behind the scoop and below the latter as the scoop is moved forwardly. Usually this distance is substantially less than the horizontal length of the scoop, but past the point where the bottom of the scoop leaves the floor when the wheels support the scoop on the floor with blade 6 against the floor.

In operation, when leaves or any other foreign material is observed on the floor of a filled pool, it is merely necessary to lower the scoop to the fioor and to scoop the leaves into the leading open end of the cleaner. If this operation were to disturb leaves alongside the path of travel of the scoop, the operator would be compelled to wait until the. leaves so disturbed were to again settle to the bottom before making the attempt to again scoop them up. Such a delay could well run into many minutes, and the advantages derived from the use of the cleaner would be lost. However, by reason of the plates 26, the leaves are not disturbed and the cleaner can be freely moved over the floor of the pool in any direction to eificiently pick up foreign solids.

The detailed description of the device is not intended to be restrictive of the invention, but it merely describes a preferred form thereof.

I claim:

1. A pool cleaner comprising a scoop having top, bottom and side walls and open front and rear ends providing a generally horizontally extending through passageway, the forward edge of said bottom wall being straight and horizontal, means supporting said scoop for movement over the floor of a pool with said forward edge leading and in engagementwith said floor, a relatively open mesh bag secured to the rear end of said scoop over said open rear end of said passageway for receiving'foreign solids passing over said forward edge and through said passageway while permitting water to pass freely through the mesh openings in the walls of said bag, said side walls extending convergently rearwardly from the forward end portions thereof adjacent to said forward edge to substantially said rear open end and each side wall comprising a pair of lapping flanges respectively on the top and bottom wall separable for telescopic relative movement to enable moving said top wall upwardly from said bottom wall while maintaining the sides of said scoop closed, means pivotally connecting the pair of flanges along each side of said scoop at their ends remote from said forward edge for swinging said top wall vertically about said means to different adjusted positions to thereby increase or decrease the size of said forward open end of said passageway as desired, and means connected with said flanges for releasably securing the flanges of each pair together against movement thereof out of any of such adjusted positions.

2. A pool cleaner comprising a generally horizontally disposed scoop having horizontally extending top, bottom and lateral side walls and oppositely horizontally directed, open, leading and trailing ends and ground wheels on said scoop supporting said scoop for movement in one direction over the floor of a pool with said leading end foremost and with said trailing end rearmost, a porous bag secured over the open trailing end of said scoop, a pair of vertically disposed, horizontally elongated opposed plates at opposite lateral sides of said scoop at said leading open end having leading ends pivotally connected with said scoop at said leading end of said scoop and extending rearwardly in a direction generally toward said trailing end of said scoop for swinging of the portions of said plates extending rearwardly from their said leading ends about a horizontal axis substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said scoop extending through said open leading and trailing ends of said scoop, pivots so connecting said plates with said scoop and supporting said plates with their lower edges in engagement with the floor of a pool when the leading end of said scoop is adjacent to such floor in cleaning position, said plates being free from obstruction to free swinging of the portions of said plates extending rearwardly from their said leading ends under the influence of gravity whereby said plates will automatically follow irregularities in the upper surface of the floor upon moving said scoop thereover in a direction with its leading open end foremost.

3. A pool cleaner comprising a generally horizontally disposed scoop having horizontally extending top, bot tom and lateral side walls and oppositely horizontally directed, open, leading and trailing ends and ground wheels on said scoop supporting said scoop for movement in one direction over the floor of a pool with said leading end foremost and with said trailing end rearmost, a porous bag secured over the open trailing end of said scoop, a pair of vertically disposed, opposed plates at opposite lateral sides of said scoop at said leading open end pivotally connected with said scoop for swinging about a horizontal axis substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said scoop extending through said open leading and trailing ends, pivots so connecting said plates with said scoop and supporting said plates in positions for supporting said leading end on said floor during said movement of said scoop over the floor of a pool, said plates extending divergently relatively to each other in a direction from the leading end of said scoop generally toward said trailing end.

4. A pool cleaner comprising a generally horizontally disposed scoop having horizontally extending top, bottom and lateral side walls and oppositely horizontally directed, open, leading and trailing ends and ground wheels on said scoop supporting said scoop for movement in one direction over the floor of a pool with said leading end foremost and with said trailing end rearmost, a porous bag secured over the open trailing end of said scoop, a pair of vertically disposed, opposed plates at opposite lateral sides of said scoop at said leading open end pivotally connected with said scoop for swinging about a horizontal axis substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said scoop extending through said open leading and trailing ends, and adapted to support said leading end on said floor during said movement of said scoop over the floor of a pool, said plates extending from points adjacent to said open leading end in direction generally toward said trailing end, said bottom Wall terminating in a free edge defining the lower side of said leading open end and said edge being substantially in engagement with the said floor of a pool when said plates are on said floor, said scoop being swingable about said axis when said plates are in engagement with said floor whereby a construction is provided to enable swingably supporting said scoop on said plates during movement of said scoop and plates over the floor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,562 Mock Jan. 15, 1924 1,703,402 Matsuoka Feb. 26, 1929 1,707,010 Hermann Mar. 26, 1929 2,018,146 Herrington May 25, 1937 2,241,252 Garland May 6, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 578,354 Great Britain June 25, 1946 599,030 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1948 916,849 Germany -q, Aug, 19, 1954