Patent ID: 6041453
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: E04H,Y10T

Abstract:
An active debris collector, floatable on the surface of a swimming pool having a return line to the pool from a pool water circulation pump, for gathering solid debris floating on the pool surface, the collector comprising a body floatable on the surface of a swimming pool, a foraminous debris collection receptacle releasably connectable to a rear end of the body, and a water supply conduit connectable between a swimming pool return line and the body for supplying water under pressure to the body and for positioning the body on the pool surface, the body defining a shallow floway from an inlet thereto at a front end of the body to a discharge therefrom at the rear end of the body, the floway having a substantially smooth and horizontal bottom surface substantially continuously therealong, duct means carried by the body to which the conduit is connectable and defining adjacent the floway inlet at least one discharge opening oriented to discharge water into and along the floway toward the discharge therefrom and to create a water current effective to draw into the floway solid debris floating adjacent thereto on a pool surface and to move the same toward and past the floway discharge, the conduit including a resiliently biased pressure regulating and flow diverting valve assembly mountable to a discharge end of a return line, the valve assembly operating over and in response to a range of return line flow conditions to supply water at a controlled rate to the body and to direct to the pool return line water flow in excess of that controlled rate.