Patent ID: 8091934
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: E04H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A swimming pool skimmer maintenance apparatus for servicing a swimming pool skimmer adapted to a swimming pool vessel, the skimmer including a skimmer mouth defining a mouth opening into the swimming pool vessel, a throat defining a passageway in fluid communication with the skimmer mouth, a skimmer body defining a bore in fluid communication with the swimming pool vessel through the throat, said skimmer maintenance apparatus comprising: an elongate handle having a first end and an opposed hook end, said hook end supporting a hook extending longitudinally from said handle, said hook comprising an elongate hook stem having a retained end and a snag end, said retained end being in supported engagement with said handle and said snag end comprising a snag extending substantially perpendicularly from said stem, and wherein said snag includes a tapered snag point formed opposite said hook stem; a retaining assembly for retaining said retained end of said stem in telescopic engagement with said handle, said retaining assembly being adapted to support said hook so that said snag extends outwardly from the hook end of said handle in a first operating mode and resides adjacent to said handle end in a second operating mode, wherein said retaining assembly includes tension means for supporting said snag in a desired operating position relative to said handle after said snag is urged into the desired operating position; and said handle is a tubular handle comprising a handle sidewall having an outer handle surface and an inner handle surface defining a bore extending along a portion of said handle, and wherein said retainer assembly includes a spool having first and second opposed ends, each of said opposed ends defining an end surface thereat, a stem receiving bore extending between said opposed ends and opening into said end surfaces and an annular groove extending about said spool body, and wherein said tension means includes a tension tube adapted to reside within said annular groove, said retained end of said hook stem being disposed within said stem receiving bore and maintained in engagement therewith and further, wherein said spool is adapted and configured to be disposed within said bore of said handle such that said tension tube compressively engages portions of said inner handle surface and said spool when said retainer assembly is disposed within said bore of said handle, such that said hook extends telescopically from said hook end of said handle so that said snag of said hook can be maintained at a desired placement from the hook end of said handle.