Abstract:
A pool chlorinator connectable to a water inlet conduit of a swimming pool having a housing with a supply conduit and outlet conduit. The supply conduit terminates with a flexible connector which is adapted to press tightly against the wall surface of the swimming pool and suction cups are employed to mount the housing to the wall of the swimming pool.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     The subject matter of this invention pertains to a device for introducing a chemical into a pool of liquid and more particularly to a chlorinator for a swimming pool. 
     2) Description of the Prior Art 
     In order to keep a swimming pool sanitary and to keep algae from growing within the swimming pool, it is necessary to add chlorine on a regular basis to the swimming pool water. The vast majority of swimming pool chlorinators are designed to supply chlorine on an automatic basis by adding chlorine over a period of time. One way in which chlorine can be added over a period of time is by utilizing of a tablet that is designed to dissolve at a certain rate. Normally, these tablets take a period of days in order to be completely dissolved. 
     There are several different types of chlorinators that uses dissolving tablets. One particular type of chlorinator comprises a floating chlorinator where the dispenser floats around the swimming pool with the tablet or tablets contained within the dispenser and with the dissolving of the tablet to chlorinate the water of the swimming pool. However, one problem with the floating dispenser that it commonly moves to one particular location in the swimming pool and stays in that location. The result is that the chlorine concentration within the swimming pool near the chlorinator is substantially greater than other regions of the pool. Commonly, a floating dispenser type of chlorinator is used as a secondary form of chlorinator with the primary form of chlorinator comprising another type of chlorinator that works in conjunction with the water circulation system of the swimming pool. 
     A common form of primary chlorinator is one that is integrated in conjunction with the water circulation system of the swimming pool. This type of chlorinator provides for injecting of controlled amounts of chlorinating chemicals into the circulating water has intended to achieve a uniform distribution of chlorine throughout the pool. Chemicals are often solid tablets or sticks of chlorine containing salts. This type of chlorinator causes the recirculating water to flow over the tablets or the sticks with the tablets or sticks to gradually dissolve. The chlorine concentration can be regulated by controlling the flow rate of the circulating water past the sticks or tablets. One of the disadvantages of this type of chlorinator is that it has to be mounted in conjunction with the water circulation system of the swimming pool. Another disadvantage of this type of chlorinator is that even chlorination throughout the swimming pool is almost never achieved. There always seems to be at least one area of the swimming pool that is not receiving an adequate amount of chlorine. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to construct a chlorinator that can be substituted for a chlorinator that is connected to the water circulation system of a swimming pool. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a chlorinator that can be quickly and easily mounted in conjunction with a swimming pool not requiring any modification of the swimming pool structure or the swimming pool equipment. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a chlorinator that works in conjunction with the water inlet conduit of a swimming pool that is not fixedly mounted in relation to the water inlet conduit. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a chlorinator where a separate chlorinator can be mounted in conjunction with each water inlet conduit of a swimming pool with the result that there is several different chlorinators used within a swimming pool to achieve even distribution of chlorine throughout the swimming pool. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a chlorinator that can be easily regulated to vary the amount of chlorine that is being dissolved within the swimming pool water and also can be easily manipulated so as to vary the direction of flow of the water so the water can be directed to an area of the swimming pool that contains a low chlorine content. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to construct a chlorinator that can be manufactured at a relatively inexpensive price and therefore sold to the ultimate consumer at an inexpensive price. 
     The chlorinator of the present invention comprises a housing which is generally cylindrical in configuration and has an exterior surface on which is mounted at least one suction cup. Connected with the housing is an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit. A chlorine tablet is to be contained within the housing. The inlet conduit terminates at a flexible connector. The suction cup is to be mounted onto the wall surface of the swimming pool with the flexible connector surrounding the water inlet conduit When the suction cup is pressed tightly against the wall surface of the swimming pool, the flexible connector deflects and compresses forming a relatively tight contact also with the wall surface of the swimming pool. The housing includes a valve, and this valve can be adjusted so that the bulk of the water is conducted through the housing and into the outlet conduit (minimum level) with only a minimal contact with the chlorine tablet or can be adjusted so that all the water that is conducted through the housing is conducted into contact with chlorine tablet prior to exiting the outlet conduit (maximum level). Also, the valve can vary the amount of the water between the previously mentioned minimum and maximum levels. The conduit can be adjusted to vary the direction of the flow from the outlet conduit so the chlorinated water can be directed to different areas of the swimming pool and to an area of the swimming pool that is low in dissolved chlorine. A lanyard is connected to the suction cup at the exterior surface of the surface cup with the outer end of the lanyard being connected to a float ring which is to float on the surface of the water of a swimming pool. Grasping of the float ring and yanking therein will cause the suction cup to disengage from the wall surface and effect removal of the chlorinator when such is desired from the swimming pool. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view depicting usage of the chlorinator of the present invention in conjunction with a swimming pool; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the chlorinator of the present invention showing it in position mounted on the wall surface of the swimming pool; and 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring particularly to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 a swimming pool  10  that is formed within a cavity  12  within the ground. The swimming pool  10  has a wall surface  14  and a floor  16 . Surrounding the swimming pool  10  is a coping  18 . The swimming pool  10  is to be filled with water  20  which has a surface  22 . The chlorinator  24  is to be installed on the wall surface  14  beneath the surface  22 . The swimming pool  10  also includes a water outlet conduit  26  and a water inlet conduit  28 . It is to be understood that the conduits  26  and  28  connect with appropriate swimming pool filtering and heating equipment, which is not shown in the drawing. 
     Chlorinator  24  comprises a cylindrically shaped housing  30 . The housing  30  is generally constructed of thin walled sheet material generally of plastic. It includes a bottom  32  and a top  34 . The bottom  32  has a series of protrusions  36  which are located within the internal chamber  38  of the housing  30 . A chlorine tablet  40  is to be placed on the protrusions  36 . It is the function of the protrusions  36  is to maximize the surface area of the chlorine tablet that will come into contact with the water that is contained within the internal chamber  38 . This will maximize the dissolving rate of the chlorine tablet  40 . 
     It is to be understood that access into internal chamber  38  will be necessary for the insertion of the chlorine tablet  40 . The housing  30  could be constructed of two parts (not shown) that would be connectable as by screw threads. Also, the top  34  could be separable from the housing  30  (not shown) by turning of the top  34  relative to the housing  30  with there being some form of locking detent arrangement therebetween. 
     Mounted in conjunction with the housing  30  directly adjacent the top  34  is an inlet conduit  42  and an outlet conduit  44 . Contained within the housing is a passage  46 . The passage  46  is located directly adjacent the top  34 . The flow through the inlet conduit  42  is capable of being substantially conducted straight through the passage  46  to the outlet conduit  44 . Mounted in conjunction with the passage  46  is a valve plate  48 . The valve plate  48  is mounted on a connecting rod  50  which is conducted through the top  34  and connects to a handle  52 . Manual turning of the handle  52  can cause the valve plate  48  to either be located crosswise within the passage  46  which would require that all flow through the passage  46  to be conducted through opening  54  into the main body of the internal chamber  38  and then through opening  56  back into the passage  46  bypassing the valve plate  48 . This bypassing of the valve plate  46  causes the water to be forced into contact with the chlorine tablet  40  prior to exiting through the outlet conduit  44 . However, if the valve plate  48  is adjusted so as to be longitudinally oriented within the passage  46 , substantially all of the water that is being conducted through the inlet conduit  42  would merely pass straight through to the outlet pipe  44  with only a minimum amount of water being forced down into the main portion of the internal chamber  38  and hence in contact with the chlorine tablet  40 . With the valve plate  48  in the closed position within the passage  46 , the maximum dissolving rate of the chlorine tablet is achieved within the water that is being discharged through the outlet conduit  44 . However, if the valve plate  48  is in the longitudinally oriented position, which is shown in FIG. 3, only a minimal amount of chlorine from the chlorine tablet  40  is being dissolved into the water prior to being discharged through the outlet conduit  44 . Actually, it would probably be normal practice to have the valve plate  48  occupy some intermediate position between the maximum and the minimum chlorine dissolving rates. It is to be understood that the valve plate  48 , connecting rod  50  and handle  52  comprise a manually operated valve assembly. It is to be understood that even with the valve plate  48  in the longitudinally oriented position, there will always be a small amount of water flowing into and out of the internal chamber  38  through the openings  54  and  56  so that there will always be some amount of chlorine dissolved from the chlorine tablet  40  that is being discharged in the water through the outlet conduit  44 . 
     The inlet conduit  42  includes a flexible connector  58  mounted at its outer end. A typical material of construction of the flexible connector  58  would be a rubber or a plastic material. The flexible connector is larger in diameter than the water inlet conduit  28  through which water is to flow in the direction of arrow  60 . Fixedly mounted on the exterior surface of the housing  30  are a pair of suction cups  62  and  64 . Suction cup  62  is mounted by connector  66  to the housing  30 . Suction cup  64  is fixedly mounted by connector  68  to the housing  30 . 
     Fixedly mounting of the chlorinator  24  onto the wall surface  14  causes the suction cups  62  and  64  to be squished assuming a somewhat flattened configuration. Simultaneously, the flexible connector  58  will be pressed tightly and be squished (deflected) against the wall surface in essence forming a substantially watertight connection with the water outlet conduit  28 . This will result in substantially all the water flowing from the water outlet conduit  28  directly into the passage  46 . 
     The outlet conduit  44  includes a transverse opening  70 . Mounted in conjunction with the transverse opening  70  is an outlet elbow  72 . The outlet elbow  72  can be pivoted in the direction as depicted by line  74  to vary the direction of the discharge of the water from the outlet elbow  72  between the dotted line position and the solid line position shown in FIG.  2 . In essence, the direction of flow from the outlet elbow  72  can be varied one hundred eighty degrees. Also, the outlet conduit  44  can be adjusted three hundred sixty degrees as indicated by line  76  relative to the housing  30 . These two degrees of adjustment are so that the outlet from the outlet elbow  72  can be directed to a portion of the swimming pool  10  that possibly contains a low content of chlorine. The flow from the outlet elbow  72  is in the direction of arrow  78 . The direction of flow of the water through the outlet conduit  26  is in the direction of arrow  80 . 
     Fixedly mounted on the exterior surface of suction cup  62  is a protruding tab  82 . A similar protruding tab  84  is mounted on the exterior surface of the suction cup  64 . Connecting with the protruding tabs  82  and  84  is a lanyard  86 . The outer end of the lanyard  86  is connected to a float ring  88 . The float ring  88  is to float on the surface  22  of the water  20 . The purpose of the float ring  88  is to facilitate manual grasping of the ring  88  by giving it a yank will cause the suction cups  62  and  64  to be disengaged from the wall surface  14  of the swimming pool  10 . This will permit the chlorinator  24  to be removed from the swimming pool  10  when such is desired. 
     Some of the features of the chlorinator of the present invention are that (1) It is less in cost; (2) A user can install as many chlorinators  24  as there are water inlet conduits  28  within the swimming pool  10 ; (3) The user can direct the water that is being discharged from the chlorinator  24  to any desired location within the swimming pool  10 ; (4) The chlorinator  24  installs without any modification of existing pool equipment; (5) The chlorinator  24  installs in a matter of seconds; and (6) The amount of chlorine that is being dissolved within the water can be varied through the use of the valve assembly by manually turning of handle  52 . 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof. Reference should be made to the appending claims rather than the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.