Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FILTER SYSTEM FOR SWIMMING POOL CLEANING
MACHINES
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to a filter system for swim-
ming pool cleaning machines and more particularly to a
filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines which is
easy to clean.
This invention has been assigned to Florida Machine
of Boca Raton which is the owner of United States Patent No. ~-
3,689,908. The filter device of U.S. Patent No. 3,688,908
was intended to improve the cleaning operation of the swimming
pool cleaner described in United States Patent No. 3,551,930.
The filter device of U.S. Patent No. 3~688,908 employed a -
filter which truely filtered all dirt, dust and any
particles larger than 20 microns and did not rely on the --
central filtering system already installed in a majority of
the pools. However, it has been found that where large --~
amounts of debris such as grass, leaves, pine needles, etc. ~-
¦ are present on the pool bottom, the filter rapidly hecomes
clogged which requires that the filter be removed for
cleaning. This cleaning process might have to be repeated
three or four times in the first hour of cleaning a dirty
pool. If the clogged filter is not cleaned, the machine -~
motor can easily become overheated causing serious damage
thereto. ~ -
Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention
to provide an improved filter system for swimming pool clean~
; ing machines.
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A further object of the invention is to provide a
filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines which ~ -~
includes an easily removable debris trap which traps the
larger particles of debris such as grass, pine needles, - -~
leaves, etc.
A further object of the invention is to provide a
filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines including ~ :
means for increasing the traction of the swimming pool
cleaner.
A still further object of the invention is to provide
a filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines which
is easier to clean than existing devices. ~;
A further object of the invention is to provide a
filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines which -~
reduces the possibility of overheating of the pool cleaner ~
motor. ~'
A still further object of the invention is to provide
a filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines which
is centrally positioned with respect to the pool cleaner
to prevent the filter from scratching the pool walls,
stairs, etc. ~`
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A still further object of the invention is to provide -
a filter system for swimming pool cleaning machines which ~
is economical to manufacture, durable in use and refined -
in appearance.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a swimming pool
cleaning machine having the filter device of this invention
mounted thereon;
Figure 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of
the filter device of this invention.
Figure 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view seen
on lines 3 - 3 of Figure 1. -
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Figure 4 i9 a partial sectional view seen on line~
4 - 4 of Figure 3;
Figure S is a sectional view similar to Figure 4;
Figure 6 is an elevational view illustrating the
manner in which the debris trap is secured to the filter
tank cover;
Figure 7 is a side view illustrating the manner in
which the debris trap is removed from the filter tank cover;
Figure 8 is a side view illustrating the deflector
knobs; and
Figure 9 is a side elevational view on a reduced
scale of the device of this invention with portions thereof
shown in cross-section.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment ~
The numeral 10 refers generally to a swimming pool ~ ~
cleaner such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,439,368 and
3,551,930. It is to the cleaner 10 that the filter 12 of this
invention is attached as seen in Figure 1. Cleaner 10 is a
random type cleaner having powered wheels 14 and a sensing
means 16 at the forward end thereof for controlli~g the
operation of the wheels at each side thereof. Cleaner 10
includes a pump means or a vacuum means (not shown) which is ; -
adapted to pick up the dirt and debris particles 18 from the
bottom 20 of the pool. The particles are drawn upwardly `~ ~;
through the device and are discharged from the rearward end
of an exhaust pipe or water discharge conduit 22 together
with the water passing therethrough.
Filter 12 generally comprises a filter tank cover 24
which is secured to the pool cleaner by any convenient means
such as illustrated in the drawings. Filter tank cover 24 -
includes an opening 26 provided at the lower end thereof and
opening 28 provided at the upper central portion thereof.
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Dishcarge openings 30 and 32 are formed in filter tank cover
24 and have the segmented configuration as illustrated in
Figure 3. An opening 34 extends through the cover 24 be-
tween the segments of opening 30 and between the segments of
opening 32 as seen in Figure 3 and which are each adapted
to receive a bolt 36 extending from filter tanks 38. A -
pair of the filter tanks 38 are mounted on the filter tank
cover 24 in the manner illustrated in the drawings. A
filter 40 comprised of a paper material is positioned in
each of the filter tanks 38 as illustrated in the drawings.
Each of the filter tanks 38 has an inlet opening 42 inter-
mediate the ends thereof.
A bolt 36 extends through each of the openings 34 and -
has a deflecting knob 44 threadably mounted on the rearward
end thereof to maintain the filter tank 38 on the cover 24.
As seen in Figure 8, knob 44 includes a forward deflecting
surface 46 which is disposed at approximately a 15 degree ~.
angle relative to the rearward surface of cover 24 for a pur-
pose to be described in more detail hereinafter. The rear-
ward surface of cover 24 has a pair of flow deflector tabs
48 extending therefrom which are positioned adjacent the rear- ~-
ward side of the openings 30 and 32 and the knobs 44 as seen
in the drawings. Conduit 50 extends from opening 28 to the
openings 42 on filter tanks 38.
The numeral 52 refers to a debris trap which is ~ -
removably mounted on cover 24. Debris trap 52 has inlet
and o~tlet conduits 54 and 56 extending forwardly from the
lower and upper ends thereof as illustrated in Figure 2.
Inlet conduit 54 extends through opening 26 of cover 24
and is received by the rearward end of water discharge
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conduit 22. Debris trap 52 has a pair of spaced-apart tabs
58 and 60 extending outwardly from the forward end thereof
adapted to be engaged by the cam clamps 62 and 64 mounted on
the rearward side of the cover 24 to provide a quick means of
securing the debris traps 52 to the cover 24. The numeral
66 refers to a clear or transparent cover which is re-
movably secured to the rearward end of debris trap 52 by
clamps 68 as seen in Figure 4.
Flexible filter valve 70 is positioned in the interior
of debris trap 52 and normally closes the conduit 54 as
illustrated by broken lines in Figure 5. When water is
pumped through conduit 22, the valve 70 moves to the posi-
tion illustrated by solid lines in Figure 5. A plurality
of spaced-apart ports 72 extend through the forward end of
trap 52 and communicate with the outlet or discharge con-
duit 56. Vertically disposed and rearwardly extending
baffles 74 are provided between each row of ports 72
as seen in Figures 3 and 5 to prevent the debris within ;
the trap 52 from sealing or surfacing on the ports 72.
The filter device 12 is mounted on the cleaner 10
as illustrated in Figure 1. The filter location on top of ~ -
the machine distributes the weight of the filter over the
rear drive axles to improve the traction of the pool cleaner.
The improved traction permits the pool cleaner to climb
steeper inclines and to traverse swimming pools having a -
slippery bottom such as those pools having an algae accumu-
lation and in those pools having vinyl or plastic liners.
The location of the filter also prevents the filter fr~m
striking and scratching the pool walls or stairs during
the turning of the cleaner as it raverses the pool bottom.
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Actuation of the cleaner 10 causes the pump on the
cleaner to pump the debris and water from the bottom of
the pool through the water discharge conduit 22 and into
the interior of the debris trap 52. The water flowing
into the debris trap deflects the filter valve 70 which is
molded of a thermo-plastic rubber. When the machine is
deactivated, the filter valve 70 closes due to the gravity
of the water which is above the valve 70. The closing
of the filter valve 70 maintains the debris in the trap
for easy removal while the machine is still in the water.
The opening of the valve 70 during the operation
of the machine sends the leaves and other large debris up
to the outlet portion of the trap. The vertical baffles 74
adjacent the ports 72 stops the leaves and heavy debris from
surfacing or sealing the ports 72. The water and small
debris particles are pumped through outlet conduit 56
into conduit 50 and thence into each of the filter tanks 38
where the filters 40 filter out the debris particles. The
clean water is discharged from the tanks 38 by means of the
discharge openings 30 and 32. The discharging water is de-
flected upwardly by the forward surfaces 46 on knobs 44 and
by the flow deflector tabs 48. It is undesirable to dis-
charge the water downwardly from the filters since such
flow would agitate the dirt on the pool bottom into sus-
pension which defeats the principal purpose of the device.
The upwardly discharging water also serves to create down-
ward pressure or thrust on the rear axle drive thereby
increasing the traction of the machine.
As previously stated, the leaves and debris are
maintained in the position illustrated in Figure 5, which
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facilitates the observation of the debris trap becoming
filled since the debris is visible through the clear cover
66. This observation is made while the machine is in opera-
tion by simply looking down in the water and viewing the
same. If the debris trap appears to be packed, the
machine is deàctivated and the operator may simply reach
down into the water and remove the debris trap by rotating
the two cam clamps 62 and 64 and bringing the debris trap ~-
to poolside. The clamps 68 are then loosened to permit
the interior of the trap to be rinsed and replaced on the
machine without removing the entire machine from the water.
This operation may have to be repeated several times with ~ -
a dirty pool containing large pieces of debris such as leaves
and pine needles. The fact that the larger debris particles
are prevented from entering the main filters prolongs the
time interval between cleaning the two cylindrical filter
elements 40.
If it is necessary to clean the main filters 40, the
knobs 44 are threadably removed so that the tanks 38 may be
removed to permit the washing of the filters 40. The tanks
38 are reinstalled by means of the knobs 44. -
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