Pool skimmer vacuum adaptor

An adaptor for a pool vacuum hose, which fits over a suction opening in the skimmer well of a swimming pool. The adaptor creates a watertight seal against walls of a skimmer well and has a port that extends upward from a base such that a typical pool vacuum can be connected to the adaptor. The adaptor thus allows for easy connection to a vacuum hose and prevents large particles and debris from reaching the filter. When use of the vacuum is complete, an outer housing is rotated, breaching the watertight seal, and allowing easy removal of the adaptor. The adaptor is readily usable with typical swimming pool skimmer wells.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an adaptor for a pump intake for a pool, and in 
particular, to an adaptor, capable of attachment to a swimming pool vacuum 
hose, that fits into a swimming pool skimmer well. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Water in swimming pools must be mechanically filtered in order to be kept 
free of dirt and debris. To this end, pools have pumps that circulate 
water through a filter. A skimmer removes debris and large particles from 
the pool water prior to pumping the water to the filter. The skimmer is 
typically a well mounted on the side of the pool, with a filter intake at 
the bottom, having a plastic bucket with openings small enough to strain 
out leaves, hair, and other large particles without inhibiting the flow of 
water to the filter. The bucket is usually removable and accessible 
through a cover located near the pool. Water from the pool usually enters 
the skimmer well through a weir located at the water line on a lateral 
wall of the pool. Once water passes into the skimmer well, it flows 
through the filter intake and enters a pipe that leads to the filter. 
Since water is actively drawn into the filter intake by a pump, a suction 
is created at the opening of the filter intake. 
Pool vacuums typically consist of a plastic or vinyl hose that fits into 
the filter intake at the bottom of the skimmer well, after removal of the 
bucket. Pool vacuums use the suction of the filter intake to remove dirt 
and debris that have settled to the bottom of the pool. 
Unfortunately, when the pool vacuum is used in the manner described above, 
the debris and particles vacuumed from the bottom of the pool bypass the 
skimmer and are pumped directly into the filter. Since the filter is 
primarily designed to remove small particles from the pool water, the 
presence of the debris and large particles vacuumed from the pool bottom 
is undesirable. Debris often causes obstructions in the filter line and/or 
reduces the porous membrane area available for filtration. These 
conditions both place additional load on the filter pump, and decrease the 
useful life of the filter itself The prior art teaches complicated and 
aesthetically displeasing attempts at simultaneous skimming and vacuuming. 
For instance, in Haliotis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,352, a vacuum-skimmer 
regulator assembly is disclosed that allows for the simultaneous skimming 
and vacuuming of a pool. However, the invention is a complex and 
specialized unit and does not allow for the use of the existing pool 
skimmer. In addition, the vacuum port is not easily accessible, making it 
difficult to connect and disconnect the vacuum hose. Finally, the 
invention uses two skimmers within the assembly, an approach inherently 
more cumbersome to clean and maintain. 
If a simple plate with a hose connection is placed over the skimmer basket, 
a vacuum hose can be used to vacuum, with the debris being caught by the 
skimmer basket. This is preferable to dumping the debris into the filter, 
but is awkward to use because the strong suction of the pool filter makes 
it very difficult to remove the hose when one is done vacuuming. It is 
necessary to shut down the filter pump to break the suction, disconnect 
the hose, and then restart the pump. This is a nuisance, and otherwise 
undesirable. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides an adaptor that fits over the skimmer well 
of a swimming pool, allowing the vacuum hose to be used to remove dirt and 
debris without the removal of the skimmer basket. The adaptor creates a 
watertight seal over the skimmer well, held in place by the suction of the 
pool pump, and allows for easy connection to a pool vacuum hose. When use 
of the vacuum is complete, an outer housing is rotated, creating openings 
in the adaptor which breach the watertight seal, releasing the suction of 
the pump, and allowing the adaptor to be easily removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The adaptor has a base which fits into a pool skimmer over the skimmer 
well, in the form of a body with a closed side and walls which fit flush 
against sides of the skimmer well, creating a watertight seal with the 
walls of the well. This arrangement preserves the suction of a filter 
intake and allows the skimmer to remain in place while the pool is 
vacuumed. The adaptor has two modes, open and closed. When closed, the 
only path available to water flowing into the filter intake is through a 
vacuum port extending upward from the skimmer well. Since this is much 
smaller than the well, the suction of the pool pump holds the base tightly 
against the well. When in an open mode, the watertight seal is breached 
because water is able to flow in through openings in the adaptor base, and 
the adaptor may be easily removed. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an adaptor base 50 has a lower housing 47 that 
is dimensioned to fit flush within a typical cylindrical swimming pool 
skimmer well (not shown). The contact between an edge 52 of housing 47 and 
the walls of the skimmer well is watertight. A rubber gasket (not shown) 
may optionally be used to ensure the watertight character of the contact 
between edge 52 and the walls of the skimmer well. Base 50 is preferably 
made of material that is lightweight, inexpensive, impermeable to water, 
and impervious to corrosion, such as polyvinyl chloride. 
Housing 47 has housing holes or openings 44 and a central housing opening 
56. A rotatable sealer plate 46 has plate holes or openings 54 and a 
central plate opening 58. Housing openings 44 and plate openings 54 
preferably are dimensioned such that housing openings 44 are of the same 
diameter as plate openings 54. Central housing opening 56 and central 
plate opening 58 are of the same diameter as a lower edge 60 of a sealer 
ring 45. Lower edge 60 fits through central housing opening 56 and rests 
on housing upper edge 62 of housing 47. Thus, sealer plate 46 is held 
flush to housing 47 by the tight fitting mechanical interlock between 
sealer ring 45 and housing 47. The interlocked connection between housing 
44, plate 46, and ring 45 is watertight. 
Plate 46 has tabs 40 that extend orthogonally upward from plate 46. Tabs 40 
provide the means for rotating plate 46 such that plate openings 54 are 
centered over housing openings 44 when the adaptor is in a open position 
i.e., water is able to enter the skimmer through housing openings 44. 
Similarly, when plate 46 is rotated such that no portion of plate openings 
54 is aligned with any portion of housing openings 44, the adaptor is in a 
closed position, i.e. water is unable to enter the skimmer through housing 
openings 44. 
Referring to FIG. 3, a vacuum port 64 has been inserted into the assembled 
adaptor base 50 shown in the closed mode. The mechanical interlock between 
vacuum port 64 and base 50 is tight and waterproof. Vacuum port 64 may 
also be manufactured such that port 64 and base 50 are one-piece or 
integrally molded. A rubber gasket (not shown) optionally may be used to 
further ensure that this connection is waterproof A typical pool vacuum 
mouth end fits over hose connection 66 of vacuum port 64. The assembled 
adaptor 68 is shown in the closed position. No portion of plate openings 
54 are aligned with any portion of housing openings 44. Hence, the suction 
within adaptor 68 is maintained and, once the mouth end of a vacuum pipe 
is attached to hose connection 66, the suction is immediately available 
for vacuuming the pool. 
In FIG. 4, the tabs are rotated such that plate openings 54 are centrally 
aligned over housing openings 44, placing the adaptor in an open mode. In 
this configuration, water is no longer entering adaptor 68 solely through 
vacuum port 64, thus rendering the pool vacuum ineffective and releasing 
the suction to allow removal of the adaptor. Tabs 40 may be rotated such 
that the adaptor is in a closed mode, as described above, if desired. 
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention 
herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the 
principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the 
illustrated embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the 
invention.