Swimming Pool Surface Debris Skimmer and Method

This invention relates to new and improved means for removing surface debris from swimming pools.

Various expedients have hertofore been employed for removal of floating debris from swimming pools. Most cmmon of such expedients is a skimmer net which is manually manipulated and depends entirely upon the skill and thoroughness of the user and is generally used merely to remove the more obvious, larger debris, leaving smaller floating particles on the surface. Another expedient comprises a manually operated sweep which may or may not be floatable, and may require two persons to manipulate. All of these expedients are time consuming and less than thorough in removing floating debris.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved swimming pool surface debris skimmer which will overcome the disadvantages, deficiencies, inefficiencies, shortcomings and problems inherent in the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved swimming pool surface debris skimmer and method which will function without personal attention, utilizing normal water circulation action in the swimming pool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved swimming pool surface debris skimmer which can be easily installed and removed as desired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved swimming pool debris skimmer which is readily adaptable for various swimming pool designs and structures and which is simple in construction, is readily adjustable to meet various conditions, and which is rugged and reliable in operation.

According to features of the invention a swimming pool surface debris skimmer comprises a skimmer bar, and means for mounting the bar to project from the side of a swimming pool to define with the adjacent side wall of the pool a debris-receiving pocket having a wide mouth which opens toward inflowing surface water circulating toward the pocket to direct the debris toward an overflow drain in the side of the pool.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of certain representative embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts embodied in the disclosure and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a representative swimming pool equipped with a surface debris skimmer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmental top plan view, partially in section, showing how the surface debris skimmer is mounted in operative relation to a swimming pool.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line III--III of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded assembly view of the skimmer bar and mounting bracket structure.

A swimming pool surface debris skimmer according to the present invention, comprises a skimmer bar 10 which is adapted to be mounted, substantially as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to project from the side of a swimming pool 11 to define with the adjacent side wall of the pool a debris-receiving pocket 12 having a wide mouth which opens toward inflowing surface water which circulates as indicated by the arrow 13 in FIG. 1 toward the pocket 12 to direct debris, representatively identified as 14, toward an overflow drain 15 (FIG. 2) in the pool side wall. In some pools the overflow drain may comprise a trough under a pool rim 17, but in other types of pools the drain 15 may be in the form of a duct for receiving overflow water and debris through a drain port 18 in the pool side wall. Although the pool 10 has been shown as of round configuration, it will be understood that the skimmer will function with equal facility in association with pools of other geometric outlines.

In a preferred construction, the skimmer bar 10 is made from a suitable lighweight non-rusting material. Although it may be constructed as a plastic extrusion, it may be economically fashioned from aluminum strip material such as 20 gauge aluminum with a body web 19 (FIGS. 2 and 3) adapted to lie vertically in service, and provided with upper and lower substantially coextensive rearwardly turned stiffening and reinforcing flanges 20, leaving the front face of the bar unobstructed. By way of example, the body width of the bar 10 may be from 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 1/2 cm) and of a length of about 45 to 50 inches (1 to 1 1/2 m). At its distal tip, the bar 10 is desirably smoothly finished and for this purpose may be provided with a soft plastic tip protector 21 (FIGS. 2 and 4) which may be applied by dipping in fused plastic, or as may be more convenient comprise a molded piece which is assembled by slipping it onto the end of the bar.

Means for mounting the bar 10 in operative surface debris skimming relation on the side of the pool 11, comprise a bracket structure 22. In a preferred form the bracket structure includes a body 23 and a pair of mounting clips 24. In a preferred form, the bracket body 23 is of substantially V-shape in plan and formed up from suitable non-rusting lightweight material which may comprise suitable rigid plastic, but may economically comprise 20 gauge aluminum strip material formed to provide generally divergently related vertically oriented member panels 25 and 27 joined along a vertical reinforcing bend juncture 28 and diverging to a distal end width sufficient to span a drain area of a swimming pool. The panel 25 is adapted for mounting of the proximal end portion of the bar 10 thereto and for this purpose is desirably equipped with a pair of horizontally spaced short bolts which may be permanently affixed to present studs 30 projecting from the outer face of the panel 25 for reception through complementary mounting holes 31 in the form of vertically elongated spaced slots in the proximal end portion of the body web 19 of the bar 10. Fastener means in the form of wing nuts 32 secured on the studs 30 desirably with intervening washers 33 fasten the bar 10 to the panel 25 and thus to the bracket body 23. The vertical slots enable a reasonable range of vertical adjustment of the bar 10 relative to the bracket body 23.

Means for attaching the clips 24 to the bracket body 23 comprise respective oppositely exending attachment flanges 34 on the distal ends of the panels 25 and 27. Each of the flanges 34 is provided with a pair of vertically spaced stud bolts 35 adapted to be received through vertically spaced holes 37 desirably in the form of vertically elongated slots in vertical legs 38 on the clips 24. Fastening of the clips in suitable vertically adjusted position is effected by means of wing nuts 39 fastened onto the studs 35 desirably with intervening washers 40. Each of the brackets 24 is desirably constructed from any suitable material such as 8 gauge aluminum strip. At the upper end of the leg 38 each of the clips 24 has a gripping jaw structure including a horizontal lower flange 41 and upstanding connecting flange 42 and a return bent gripping finger flange 43 overlying the flange 41 in spaced relation and extending obliquely downwardly to a generally upturned oblique tip which is preferably equipped with a soft protective cover 44. In a desirable form the tip protectors 44 may be of preformed plastic slipped into position on the tips of the gripping fingers 43.

After the bar 10 has been assembled with the mounting bracket assembly 22, the bar is adapted to be mounted on the side of the pool 11 by engaging the clip jaws in gripping relation onto the inward overhang of the swimming pool rim 17. By suitable vertical adjustment of the bracket body 23 on the clips 24 and if necessary vertical adjustment of the bar 19 relative to the supporting panel 25 of the bracket, the optimum skimming position of the bar 10 relative to the water level L in the pool is attainable. In order to accommodate reasonable flucatuations in water level, the bar 10 may be partially immersed such as about 1/2 to 2/3 the width of the bar body 19, and with sufficient of the elongate vertical width of the bar projecting above the water level L to reasonably avoid debris carrying surface water sweeping over the bar when the water is riled by wind action or other activity in the pool. By virtue of the oblique angular disposition of the bar supporting panel 25 of the bracket 22 to a vertical plane across the mounting flanges 34, the bar 10 is supported in a similarly oblique relation to the side of the pool 11 on which the bar is mounted, whereby to define the relatively wide mouth pocket 12 with the adjacent side wall portion of the pool.

By having the bracket body 23 detachably mounted on the clips 24, and configured to be flipped over the oblique angular disposition of the bar 10 can be readily altered to accommodate either a clockwise or counterclockwise surface water circulation. In FIGS. 1 and 2 a clockwise circulation is accommodated. By reversing the bracket body 23, a counterclockwise circulation can be accommodated with equal efficiency.

In either the clockwise circulation accommodating position, or the counterclockwise circulation accommmodating position of the bar 10, the panel 27 of the bracket body 23 will face the inner end of the debris trapping pocket 12 so that the debris laden surface water will pass through a discharge opening 45 of substantial vertical and horiziontal dimensions in the panel 27 and escape into the overflow 15, substantially as shown by directional arrows in FIG. 2. By virtue of the clip-on mounting of skimmer device, it is adapted to be easily mounted in skimming position when the swimming pool 11 is not in use. During use of the pool, the bar 10 can be readily removed from the pool and stored in an out of the way position until it is again desired to use the same. While the skimmer device is in service, no special attention need be given to it since it functions automatically to capture and divert the surface debris to the overflow as long as circulation toward the skimmer pocket is maintained.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.