US3928947A

US3928947A - Pressurized water powered sanding device

Info

Publication number: US3928947A
Application number: US440674A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dennis A Millett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-02-08
Filing date: 1974-02-08
Publication date: 1975-12-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-12-30

Abstract

A pressurized water powered sanding device intended primarily for the cleaning of swimming pools, and comprising a supply of water under pressure, such as a pump, to the high pressure side of which a conduit is connected. This conduit extends to a water powered motor of the positive displacement type which is mounted in a suitable body. A hand operated control valve is included in this conduit to regulate the pressure and/or quantity of water delivered to the motor. A drive shaft depends vertically from the motor and drivably connected to the lower end thereof is a cleaning device such as a sander which is driven with an orbital, oscillatory or rotary motion. A skirt is adjustably mounted on the body and encloses the space below the body about the cleaning element. This skirt is formed with an outlet port to which a conduit extends to the low pressure side of a pump to provide a so-called vacuum condition within the skirt which causes the water therewithin to be at a pressure lower than that of ambient water. A control valve is included in this conduit and the adjustment thereof, together with adjusting the gap between the lower edge of the skirt and the surface to be cleaned, affords accurate control of the low pressure condition within the skirt. A manual handle has one end connected to the body.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Millett Dec. 30, 1975 PRESSURIZED WATER POWERED SANDING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Dennis A. Millett, 4601 S. Rita Lane, Tempe, Ariz. 85282 [22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No.2 440,674

[52] US. Cl 51/170 T; 15/1.7; 15/385; 15/387 [51] Int. Cl. B24B 23/00 [58] Field of Search..... 51/170 T, 170 TL, 170 MT, 51/273; 15/l.7, 321, 387, 385, 383

Primary Examiner.lames L. Jones, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Jonn A. Robertson [57] ABSTRACT A pressurized water powered sanding device intended primarily for the cleaning of swimming pools, and comprising a supply of water under pressure, such as a pump, to the high pressure side of which a conduit is connected. This conduit extends to a water powered motor of the positive displacement type which is mounted in a suitable body. A hand operated control valve is included in this conduit to regulate the pressure and/or quantity of water delivered to the motor. A drive shaft depends vertically from the motor and drivably connected to the lower end thereof is a cleaning device such as a sander which is driven with an orbital, oscillatory or rotary motion. A skirt is adjustably mounted on the body and encloses the space below the body about the cleaning element. This skirt is formed with an outlet port to which a conduit extends to the low pressure side of a pump to provide a socalled vacuum condition within the skirt which causes the water therewithin to be at a pressure lower than that of ambient water. A control valve is included in this conduit and the adjustment thereof, together with adjusting the gap between the lower edge of the skirt and the surface to be cleaned, affords accurate control of the low pressure condition within the skirt. A manual handle has one end connected to the body.

15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Shee t10f2 US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,928,947

?'7 PIN PRESSURIZED WATER POWERED SANDING DEVICE The present invention relates to water powered motor cleaning devices and is concerned primarily with a device of this character which is particularly adapted to the cleaning of swimming pools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the present time, the known art is replete with numerous examples of brushes which are activated by water powered motors. Moreover, certain of such cleaning devices are intended squarely for the cleaning of swimming pools. All of the now known devices of this character for cleaning swimming pools include one or more brushes as the cleaning element. While brushes may be effective to remove foreign matter of a coarse nature from the surface of the pool, it is almost totally ineffective to remove fine particles of dirt and pther matter which has entered the interstices of the plaster with which swimming pool surfaces are ordinarily lined. Such fine particles become embedded in the interstices and it is totally impossible to remove them with a brush. Thus, an abrasive cleaning device such as a sander or grinder is indicated as being desirable if not necessary to literally grind off or remove an outer film or layer from the plaster lining so as to take with the film the particles which are embedded therein.

If a sander is to be effective to achieve the desired grinding action, it must be biased against the work surface with an appreciable degree of pressure. When a cleaning implement of any type is immersed in water, it displaces an amount of water equal to its volume and the effective weight of the cleaning implement is reduced by the weight of the water which it displaces. Thus, considerable pressure must be applied to the cleaning implement if the sander is to perform its grinding functions. The known art is lacking in any structural arrangement for applying such pressure other than a handle which applies the pressure manually. Thus, a cleaning implement which is structurally designed to generate a vacuum or low pressure condition which biases the sanding device against the work surface is indicated as being highly desirable.

In the known swimming pool cleaning apparatus, the water motors which drive the brushes are turbines. When the cleaning element encounters a work surface which results in an increased load on the turbine, the latter is effective to generate a torque which is only slightly greater than that normally generated thereby. This is in marked contrast to the increase in torque which is provided by a positive displacement motor when an increased load is placed thereon.

Another defect in the known swimming pool cleaning devices in which the cleaning element is driven by a water motor is that the turbine of such a motor is driven by water that is sucked or drawn through the turbine. Thus, the turbine casing is connected to a low pressure side of a pump. This means that there is a decided limitation on the power which can be supplied by such a turbine because it is limited by atmospheric pressure. This is in marked contrast to the power which may be derived from the high pressure side of the pump. In the latter case, the limit is determined only by the structural characteristics of the motor and the pressure source.

In cleaning a swimming pool surface, the motion of the cleaning element should be of the type which is particularly adapted to the work surface. Thus, under some conditions, the cleaning element should operate with a rotary motion. Under other conditions, with an oscillatory motion, and still others, with an orbital motron.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing conditions in mind, the present invention has in view the following objectives:

1. To provide a swimming pool cleaning device which includes a positive displacement water powered motor which drives a cleaning element.

2. To provide, in swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the type noted, a positive displacement water powered motor which is connected to the high pressure side of a pump.

3. To provide, a swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the character aforesaid, a conduit which connects the water powered motor to a source of water under pressure such as a pump and which includes a hand operated valve for controlling the supply of water to the motor.

4. To provide, in swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the kind described, a body in which the motor is mounted and from which a drive shaft depends, with the lower end of the drive shaft being drivably connected to a cleaning element, together with a skirt which. is adjustably mounted on the body, depends therefrom and encloses a space about the cleaning element.

5. To provide swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the type noted in which the skirt is formed with an outlet port and a conduit is connected to this port and extends to a device for creating a vacuum or low pressure condition therein.

6. To provide, in swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the kind described, a control valve in said conduit which, together with the adjustable skirt, constitutes means for controlling the pressure condition within the skirt.

7. To provide, in swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the character aforesaid, a cleaning element in the form of an abrasive device such as a sander or grinder.

8. To provide, in swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the type noted, mechanism for moving the cleaning device with either a rotary, oscillatory or orbital motion.

9. To provide swimming pool cleaning apparatus of the kind described which includes a handle extending from the body which is adapted for manual manipulation.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention, such as arise in connection with carrying out the above ideas in a practical embodiment, will, in part, become apparent and, in part, be hereafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing objects are achieved by providing swimming pool cleaning apparatus comprising a body which is preferably circular and to which an elongate handle is pivotally connected. Mounted in this body is a positive displacement water motor together with a conduit which is connected at one end to the inlet of the motor and at the other end a source of water under pressure such as the high pressure side of a pump. A

3 manually operable control valve is included in this conduit. The body is formed with a passage extending from the outlet of the motor to the external surface of the body.

A drive shaft depends from the motor by which is it driven and extends beyond the lower surface of the body. Drivably connected to the lower end of this drive shaft is a cleaning element such as a sander. This connection may be the direct keying of the sander in disc form to the drive shaft. It also may be achieved by mechanism providing an oscillatory motion of the sander or by connections providing orbital motion of the sander.

Adjustably mounted on the body and depending therebelow is a skirt which extends substantially to the level of the sander and in operation will be slightly spaced from the work surface to provide a small gap between the work surface and the lower edge of the skirt. The skirt is formed with an outlet opening and connected thereto is one end of a conduit which extends to the lower pressure side of a pump.

In a refined embodiment of the invention, the operating member for the valve which controls the supply of water to the motor takes the form of an arm which is pivotally mounted in the body, together with means for holding the arm in an adjusted position.

In operation the sander is imparted movement by the water motor and a vacuum condition is created with the skirt above the sander by the suction in the conduit connected to the skirt outlet. Water is drawn into this area through the gap between the lower edge of the skirt and the work surface and carries away particles removed by the sander. The vacuum or low pressure condition within the skirt biases the sander against the work surface with the degree of such biasing being controlled by the gap aforesaid and the control valve for the suction conduit.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of swimming pool cleaning apparatus made in accordance with the precepts of this invention as immersed in the water of a swimming pool;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale, being taken on the plane of the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view diagrammatically depicting the essential elements of the subject cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustrating a portion of the connections between the sander and the drive shaft which impart an oscillatory movement to the sander;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, being taken on the plane of the lines 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective depicting the connections imparting an orbital movement to the sander.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding elements throughout the several views, and first more particularly to FIG. 3, the subject swimming pool cleaning apparatus is shown as comprising essentially a body 10 in which is mounted a positive displacement water motor 11. Extending from the inlet of motor 11 is a flexible conduit 12 which is connected to the high pressure side of a pump 13. From the latter the conduit extends to a suitable source of water supply which may be the water in the swimming pool being cleaned. Included in conduit 12 is a control valve 14. Depending from motor 11 and extending below body is a drive shaft 15 which is driven by motor 11. Drivably mounted on the lower end of drive shaft 15 is a cleaning element in the form of a sander 16 which is illustrated as a disc. A skirt l7 depends from body 10 on which it is adjustably mounted and extends to a point where its lower edge is slightly spaced from a work surface which is designated 18. Skirt 17 is formed with an outlet 19 to which one end of a flexible exhaust conduit 20 is connected. The other end of conduit 20 is connected to the low pressure side of pump 13 which delivers the water which passes therethrough to any appropriate point of disposal. This disposal may be the swimming pool and the conduit from the high pressure side of pump 13 will in such case include a filter or screen for removing particles from the water which is delivered back to the swimming pool.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 2, body 10 is shown as circular and presents an outer cylindrical surface 22 and a lower surface 23. Body 10 is formed with a central socket or recess 24 in which motor 11 is positioned.

At this point it is well to note that the water motor 1 1 is a positive displacement motor as compared to a turbine. There are at least three types of positive displacement motors which are now well known and available to the public. Hence, it is deemed unnecessary to herein illustrate and describe details thereof. The types referred to are gear motors, rotary vane motors and piston motors.

An inlet for motor 1 1 is indicated at 25 and extending from this inlet 25 is a passage 26 which is formed in body 10. Conduit 12 is connected to the outer end of this passage 16.

The valve shown at 14 in FIG. 3 is removed an appreciable distance from body 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1. It is intended that this valve be adjusted at only infrequent intervals. FIG. 2 illustrates a second valve 27 which is included in passage 26 and which is operated by an arm 28 that is pivotally mounted on the body as indicated at 29. Arm 28 is positioned within a space or recess provided by a hand grip 30 which is formed integral with body 10. The end of this grip 30 remote from pivot 29 is formed with a series of teeth or notches 31, any of which is adapted to receive one end of a pin 32 which is reciprocal in the end of arm 28 and biased outwardly by a spring 33. The notches 31 and pin 32 constitute means for holding the arm 28 in an adjusted position and hence an adjusted position of valve 27. If desired, an operating member for moving pin 32 against the bias of spring 33 may be provided by a member having one end connected to pin 32 and passing through a slot in grip 30 with a finger-engaging tab 34 on its outer end. The outlet for motor 11 is indicated at 35 and extending therefrom is a passage 36 which opens onto the cylindrical surface 22 of body 10 as indicated at FIG. 2.

A drive shaft 37 depends from motor 11 by which it is driven. It extends an appreciable distance below the lower surface 23 of body 10 and at its lower end carries a cleaning element which in FIG. 2 is shown as a sander disc 38 which is keyed to shaft 37 as indicated at 39.

At this point it is well to note that while the present invention indicates that a sander is the preferred cleaning element, other novel features of the invention are susceptible of use when the cleaning element takes the form of a brush. Also, disc 38 may be replaced by sanders of rectangular formation as illustrated in FIGS.

4, and 6 to be later described.

The skirt 17 includes a cylindrical collar 41, which may be split to permit expansion and contraction thereof, and a conical portion 42. This skirt 17 may be of a rigid material, such as metal or plastic, or may be of a flexible material, such as leather or a flexible plastic. In either case, it is secured in position on body by a clamping ring 43 which is tightened by brackets 44 and a screw or bolt 45 in a well known manner. It is evident that skirt 17 may be adjusted so that its lower edge 46 is at a required distance from work surface 18 and the adjustment secured by tightening screw 45.

The conical portion 42 is formed with an outlet opening 47 to which conduit 20 is connected. A valve 48 is included in conduit 20. It is evident that with pump 13 creating a suction or low pressure in conduit 20, water will be withdrawn from the space within conical portion 42 of skirt 17. This creates low pressure condition within the skirt which causes water to be drawn from the ambient space through the gap between edge 46 and work surface 18.

An elongate handle 49 has one end pivotally mounted on body 10 as indicated at 50 and its other end deformed into a hand grip 51.

FIRST MODIFICATION Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, a modified form of the sander and its connections to drive shaft 37 will be described. The sander is shown as being rectangular in shape and is designated 52. Projecting from the upper surface of sander 52 is a rib structure 53 of elongate shape having rounded ends and arranged transversely of sander 52. Rib structure 53 defines a transverse recess 54 which receives the lower end portion of a stud 55. The latter is carried at one end of an arm 56, with the other end of arm 56 being keyed to the lower end of drive shaft 37.

Projecting above the upper face of sander 52 are two

additional rib structures

57 and 58. Each of these

rib structures

57 and 58 defines an elongate recess 59, with the recess 59 receiving the lower ends of guide pins 60 which depend from body 10. Four flexible struts 61 have their upper ends secured to bottom surface 23 of body 10 and their lower ends to the upper surface of sander 52. While the mode of operation of the mechanism disclosed in FIGS. 4 and 5 is believed to be obvious, it is noted that as drive shaft 37 rotates, arm 56 rotates. As this latter rotation occurs, stud 55 will move back and forth in recess 54, while sander 52 will oscillate in a so-called longitudinal direction, with such movement being controlled by slots 59 and guide pins 60.

SECOND MODIFICATION FIG. 6 illustrates the connections between the sander and drive shaft 37 for imparting orbital motion to the sander. Thus, sander 62 is formed with a central cylindrical projection 63 presenting a bore 64 which receives a pin 65, the upper end of which is connected to an arm 66, with the other end of arm 66 being keyed to drive shaft 37. Four vertical flexible struts which are identical to the struts 61 shown in FIG. 5 connect sander 62 with body l0.

OPERATION While the mode of operation and manner of using the subject swimming pool cleaner is believed to be obvious from the illustration of the drawings and description of parts given, they may be briefly described as follows.

FIG. 1 illustrates, somewhat diagrammatically, a swimming pool 9 containing water 8 and presenting surfaces 7 to be cleaned by the subject cleaner.

Valve 14 is first availed of to adjust the pressure and amount of water coming from pump 13. Skirt 17 is also adjusted to provide a desired extent of the gap between its edge 46 and work surface 18. Valve 48 is also adjusted to provide a required low pressure condition in Inoperation, as the drive shaft 37 rotates, arm 66 is rotated to impart an orbital motion to sander 62.

conduit 20. The operator now grasps hand grip 51 of handle 49 to immerse body 10 into the water 8 so that any of the

sanders

38, 52 or 62 engages a work surface 7. Just before this is done, arm 28 may be availed of to operate valve 27 and give a finer adjustment of the water pressure that is supplied to motor 11. As motor 11 operates, drive shaft 37 is rotated, which in turn rotates sander disc 38 or imparts an oscillatory motion to sander 52 or an orbital motion to sander 62. With pump 13 in operation, a low pressure condition is created within conical portion 42 of skirt 17 which performs two functions. In the first instance, it draws water through the gap between edge 46 and work surface 18 to entrain particles of matter which are removed by the sanding operation. These particles are removed as the water is sucked out of outlet 47. This low pressure condition within the skirt 17 also biases the sander against the work surface 7 to the degree of such biasing depending on the pressure condition within the skirt. This latter function is a decided advantage because it relieves the operator of the necessity of applying undue pressure by way of handle 49., and it is to be remembered that an effective sanding operation requires a proper degree of pressure of the sander against the work surface.

With the motor 11 being :a positive displacement motor, it will readily generate any torque which is necessary to accommodate increased loads created by variations in the work condition. Also, by having conduit 12 connected to the high pressure side of pump 13, there is for all practical purposes no limit on the water pressure which may be applied to motor 11.

While preferred specific embodiments are herein disclosed, it is to be clearly understood that the inven tion is not to be limited to the exact constructions, mechanisms and devices illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for cleaning swimming pool surfaces while said surfaces are under water,

a. a body presenting a peripheral surface and a bottom surface;

b. a water powered motor carried by said body and having a water inlet and a water outlet;

c. a pump having a low pressure side and a high pressure side provided by said pump;

d. a flexible conduit having one end connected to said pump at the high pressure side thereof, with the other end of said conduit being connected to the water inlet of said motor;

e. a skirt mounted on said body, depending below said bottom surface thereof and presenting an edge 7 which is spaced from a swimming pool surface a slight distance to provide a narrow gap between said edge and said pool surface;

f. a drive shaft having one end operatively connected to said motor by which it is driven and extending beyond said bottom surface of the body substantially to the plane of said skirt edge;

g. a cleaning element;

h. mechanism drivably connecting said cleaning element to said drive shaft at the end of the latter remote from said motor;

i. a water outlet in said skirt;

j. a source of low pressure;

k. a flexible conduit having one end connected to said source of low pressure, with its other end being connected to the water outlet of said skirt, and

l. a handle connected to said body, whereby a low pressure is created in the water within said skirt as compared to the pressure of ambient water as water is supplied therefrom through said outlet, and ambient water is drawn through said gap and entrains particles removed from the pool surface being cleaned by said cleaning element.

2. The apparatus of claim.l, together with means to adjust the skirt relative to the body and thereby adjust the gap between the edge of the skirt and the surface being cleaned.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said body is circular, said peripheral surface is cylindrical and said skirt includes'a cylindrical portion that is clamped to the cylindrical surface of said body and a conical portion presenting the edge which cooperates with the pool surface in providing said gap.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the cleaning element takes the form of a sander.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the cleaning element is circular and the mechanism which drivably connects the cleaning element to the drive shaft includes means for imparting a rotary motion to the cleaning element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the mechanism which drivably connects the cleaning element to the drive shaft includes means for imparting oscillatory motion to the cleaning element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the mechanism which drivably connects the cleaning element to the drive shaft includes means to impart ortibal motion to the cleaning element.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the water powered motor is a positive displacement motor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, together with a control valve included in the conduit from the high pressure side of said pump to said water powered motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, together with a control valve in the conduit between the source of low pressure and the outlet of said skirt.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the source of low pressure is the low pressure side of said pump.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 in which the valve which controls the flow of water to said motor has an operating arm that is pivotally mounted in said body, together with means for holding said arm in an adjusted position.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the sander is rectangular in shape.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the sander is rectangular in shape.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, together with a control valve in the conduit between the source of low pressure and the outlet of the skirt.

Claims

1. In apparatus for cleaning swimming pool surfaces while said surfaces are under water, a. a body presenting a peripheral surface and a bottom surface; b. a water powered motor carried by said body and having a water inlet and a water outlet; c. a pump having a low pressure side and a high pressure side provided by said pump; d. a flexible conduit having one end connected to said pump at the high pressure side thereof, with the other end of said conduit being connected to the water inlet of said motor; e. a skirt mounted on said body, depending below said bottom surface thereof and presenting an edge which is spaced from a swimming pool surface a slight distance to provide a narrow gap between said edge and said pool surface; f. a drive shaft having one end operatively connected to said motor by which it is driven and extending beyond said bottom surface of the body substantially to the plane of said skirt edge; g. a cleaning element; h. mechanism drivably connecting said cleaning element to said drive shaft at the end of the latter remote from said motor; i. a water outlet in said skirt; j. a source of low pressure; k. a flexible conduit having one end connected to said source of low pressure, with its other end being connected to the water outlet of said skirt, and l. a handle connected to said body, whereby a low pressure is created in the water within said skirt as compared to the pressure of ambient water as water is supplied therefrom through said outlet, and ambient water is drawn through said gap and entrains particles removed from the pool surface being cleaned by said cleaning element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, together with means to adjust the skirt relative to the body and thereby adjust the gap between the edge of the skirt and the surface being cleaned.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said body is circular, said peripheral surface is cylindrical and said skirt includes a cylindrical portion that is clamped to the cylindrical surface of said body and a conical portion presenting the edge which cooperates with the pool surface in providing said gap.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the sander is rectangular in shape.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the sander is rectangular in shape.