Abstract:
A decorative pond which includes a pond area, a water feature for discharging water into the pond and a skimmer construction for receiving pond water, separating debris from the pond water and recirculating filtered water to the water feature. The skimmer construction includes: a housing which defines a fixed pond-water receiving aperture, an internal assembly positioned adjacent the fixed aperture defines a movable pond water receiving aperture that is selectively positionable relative to the fixed aperture. The combination of the fixed and movable apertures define an inlet opening to the skimmer for receipt of pond water in said housing. A debris collection member is positioned rearwardly of the inlet opening to receive incoming pond water from the inlet opening so as to collect debris. A controllably positionable discharge assembly is provided in association with the skimmer construction so as to permit control of water levels in the skimmer.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a skimmer construction, and more particularly to a skimmer construction of the type used in connection with decorative ponds and having an adjustably positionable inlet opening.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Decorative ponds have become very popular. Such ponds are formed by an excavation and include a body of pond water which fills the excavation and into which a water feature discharges recirculated, filtered and oxygenated water. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,991. This can be accomplished with a waterfall-like construction. A unit known as a Biofalls is frequently used to recirculate pond water, filter the same and discharge the filtered water in a falling or water-fall style back into the pond.  
         [0003]     A skimmer assembly as seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,584,991 and 6,054,045 has also been provided to receive water from the pond upon which debris (such as leaves and twigs) may be floating, remove the floating debris from the pond water, provide some filtration and recirculate the received pond water to the water feature. A pump is positioned in the skimmer assembly on the bottom wall for the recirculation.  
         [0004]     In general, the skimmer assembly includes a housing or box which is positioned in an excavation, defines an inlet opening that is rectangular and fixed in position with its upper surface spaced slightly above the incoming water so as to provide a space through which floating debris can enter the skimmer housing for subsequent separation and filtration. This space or gap has been on the order of ¾ of an inch. If the space is less, then the floating debris may not enter the skimmer and if the space is greater, then the inlet may be too high and can impact the volume of water flowing into the skimmer assembly.  
         [0005]     Proper positioning of the inlet opening has been achieved using a surveyor&#39;s transit or other leveling device. If the top of the inlet opening was determined to be too low, the entire skimmer assembly was raised by removal of the skimmer assembly from its excavation, backfilling of the space under the skimmer assembly and repositioning the skimmer assembly in the excavation on the backfilled material so as to achieve the correct spacing. On the other hand, if the top of the inlet opening is too high, (e.g., the bottom of the inlet opening is too low) the skimmer assembly would be removed, the skimmer assembly space re-excavated to lower the skimmer assembly and the skimmer assembly replaced in the excavation at the correct height. This leveling, repositioning and releveling of the skimmer assembly can be a complex and time-consuming operation.  
         [0006]     Thus, it is desirable to provide a skimmer assembly which does not require repositioning of the skimmer assembly to properly position the inlet opening.  
         [0007]     Moreover, the skimmer assembly usually includes a fixed discharge or overflow where the water level in the skimmer assembly and thus the pond is limited to a particular level, depending upon the position of discharge.  
         [0008]     It is also desirable to provide a variable and controllable discharge or overflow mechanism which permits control of the water level in the skimmer assembly.  
         [0009]     In addition, skimmers also include a filter mat which filters incoming water which is then delivered to a pump that in turn directs the filtered water to the water feature. The filter is thus positioned between the incoming pond water and the pump. The pump may be positioned either at a horizontal or vertical orientation or may be at some orientation therebetween.  
         [0010]     It is another object of this invention to provide a skimmer assembly which can accommodate a filter in a horizontal, vertical or angular position.  
         [0011]     These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     There is provided by this invention, a skimmer construction which includes an adjustably positionable inlet opening so as to eliminate the need to reposition the entire skimmer construction in order to position the opening. In general, the opening is defined by several apertures which include a fixed aperture in the skimmer housing and an internal assembly that defines a vertically movable and positionable aperture which is positioned adjacent the fixed aperture. The combination of the fixed aperture and the movable aperture defines the inlet opening and the position of the inlet opening. A filtration basket associated with the internal assembly is positioned relative to the opening to receive incoming pond water and filter debris therefrom.  
         [0013]     A variably positionable discharge opening is provided in the housing. The opening is positioned above the top of the fixed inlet aperture. A “J” shaped elbow is secured to the discharge opening and is generally movable, about a horizontal axis, between a horizontal and a vertical position. The portion of the elbow attached to the discharge port is the outlet and the inlet is defined by the other end of the elbow.  
         [0014]     Moreover, the skimmer is capable of cooperating with a filter mat in a horizontal, vertical or angular orientation so as to receive incoming pond water, filter the same for delivery to a pump which then expels the filtered water from the skimmer and to the water feature. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic and partially sectional view showing a decorative pond system;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the exterior of a skimmer construction showing the inlet opening;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective and exploded view showing components of the skimmer construction;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective and exploded view showing components of the internal assembly;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective style view showing the internal assembly for moving the movable aperture;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary, sectional and vertical view of the interior of the skimmer construction;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary, sectional and perspective view of the interior of the skimmer construction;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary and vertical sectional view of a portion of the skimmer construction showing the movable aperture in a raised position;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a fragmentary and vertical sectional view of a portion of the skimmer construction with a movable aperture in a lowered position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a fragmentary and vertical sectional view of the top portion of the skimmer construction showing the discharge assembly in a raised position; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is a fragmentary and sectional view of the top portion of the skimmer construction showing the discharge assembly in a lowered position. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 1  there is shown a decorative pond system  10  generally which includes a body of water  12  which fills an excavation. The excavation is provided with a liner  14  and appropriate rocks or gravel  16  and  18 . Appropriate vegetation,  20  and  22  is also provided. The pond system includes a waterfall filtration system such as  24  and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,991. An inlet pipe  26  is shown whereby pond water is recirculated to the bottom of the waterfall  24 . A skimmer construction  28  (which is sometimes referred to as the skimmer box and rests in an excavation), is shown, and includes an inlet opening  30  whereby pond water enters the skimmer construction, is filtered and recirculated therefrom. A skimmer recirculation pipe  32  directs incoming pond water into the waterfall pipe  26 . It will be appreciated that this system provides a closed recirculation system whereby undesirable materials can be filtered from the water and refiltered water returned to the pond.  
         [0027]     The exterior of the skimmer construction is shown in  FIG. 2 . The construction includes a shaped and somewhat box-like housing  34  that defines a fixed inlet aperture  36  in the front wall  37  of the housing. A bottom wall  38  is also provided. The housing is hollow or box-like shaped and includes an open top which is covered by faux stone cover  40  which is intended to hide or camouflage skimmer in the vegetation-like setting. A frame  42  is provided for bolting to the housing about the fixed inlet aperture  36 . The plastic liner  14  is positioned about the aperture  36  and is trapped and bolted in place using the frame  42 . open top which is covered by faux stone cover  40  which is intended to hide or camouflage skimmer in the vegetation-like setting. A frame  42  is provided for bolting to the housing about the fixed inlet aperture  36 . The plastic liner  14  is positioned about the aperture  36  and is trapped and bolted in place using the frame  42 .  
         [0028]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the construction  28  is shown with a fixed inlet aperture  36  and the frame  42 . A filter frame  44  is provided to rest on an interior ledge  45  (see  FIG. 6 ) that is molded in the housing between the bottom wall  38  and the bottom edge of the fixed opening  36 . A filter mat  46  which is slightly shorter than the filter frame  44  rests on the frame. The mat is shorter than the frame at its front end. The filter frame defines a slot at its front end.  
         [0029]     It will be appreciated that in addition to components (i.e., ledge, filter frame and filter mat) that define a horizontal position for the mat, those components can be modified or other components can be provided to permit the mat to be positioned vertically or at an angular position between the horizontal and vertical.  
         [0030]     The internal assembly  48  is shown in  FIG. 3  and is shown disassembled in  FIG. 4 . The faux cover  40  is shown and is fabricated of a foam material in the shape of faux stone so as to enhance the camouflaging of the skimmer construction in the vegetation setting.  
         [0031]     The internal assembly  48  is shown in exploded fashion in greater detail in  FIG. 4 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the internal assembly includes the following major components. The front face and basket assembly  52 , the adjustable or movable aperture plate  54 , the hinged weir plate  56 , the adjustment plate  58  and the adjustment or thumb screws  60  or  62 .  
         [0032]     The front surface and basket assembly includes a front face  64  or portion which has a back surface which defines an aperture  66  and a skimmer housing engaging lip  68  at the top thereof. A debris-receiving basket  70  integral with the front face is provided below the lip  68 , behind the front face  64  and surrounds the aperture  66  on three (3) sides.  
         [0033]     The adjustable aperture plate  54  defines a vertically adjustable or movable inlet aperture  72  which is smaller than each of the fixed aperture  36  and the aperture  66 . The plate  54  and the movable aperture  72  are positioned relative to the back surface of the front face  64  so as to be movable vertically  
         [0034]     The adjustment plate  58  has along each side edge, a stepped shoulder-like construction  76  or  78 . A pair of edges  80  and  82  are provided for engagement with the back surface of the front face  64  by a screw-like system. The plate also defines a large fixed aperture  86  and a plurality of vertically elongated adjustment slots  88  and  90  which are generally parallel to the edges  80  and  82 .  
         [0035]     A pair of adjustment holes  73 A and  73 B are provided on the back of the adjustable aperture plate  54  for engagement by the adjustment or thumb screws  60  and  62 . It is seen that the apertures or bosses  73 A and  73 B are open at the back end of the adjustable aperture plate, extend toward the front thereof and are closed at the front thereof. In the alternative, threaded sleeves or bosses can be positioned at the holes  73 A and  73 B to receive thumb screws  60 ,  62 . The thumb screws  60 ,  62  include a shank portion such as  60 A and a head portion such as  60 B. The shank portion fits through the slot such as  88  and engages an hole such as  73 A and the head engages the back of the adjustment plate so as to permit the aperture plate  54  to be moved relative to the adjustment plate  58 .  
         [0036]     When assembled, the weir plate  56  fits within the aperture  72  in the adjustable aperture plate and the adjustable aperture plate is held in position by the adjustment plate  58  which is secured (i.e., screwed) to the front face along the edges  80  and  82 . The adjustable aperture plate  54  is vertically movable with respect to the front face  64  and the aperture  66  by virtue of loosening the screws  60 ,  62 , moving the aperture plate  54  relative to the adjustment plate and resecuring the aperture plate by tightening the screws  60  and  62 . It is appreciated that the entire inlet assembly  48  is removably positioned in the skimmer as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  and relative to the inlet  36  by the skimmer lip construction  68 . In other words, the assembly  48  hangs by the lip  68  on the skimmer housing. This is best seen in  FIG. 5 . The inlet assembly  48  can also be removed by lifting the inlet assembly and disengaging the lip.  
         [0037]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the skimmer construction  28  and internal inlet assembly  48  are seen and a horizontal pump  92  is shown resting on the skimmer bottom wall  38 . The pump outlet pipe  94  is shown exiting the pump, extending upwardly through the filter mat and out of the skimmer construction  28 . It will be appreciated that the pump outlet is connected to the skimmer pipe  32 . Power is supplied to the pump  92  via line  93 .  
         [0038]     The foregoing structure describes a horizontal pump positioned on a bottom wall with a horizontal filter mat positioned horizontally above the pump. However, the skimmer can be appropriately modified and constructed for use with a vertical pump where the pump is vertically positioned. The filter mat is vertical and positioned between the incoming pond water and the pump so as to filter the incoming water before it is received by the pump. Of course, angular orientations of the filter mat between the horizontal and vertical can be accommodated.  
         [0039]     In operation, pond water, indicated by arrows  96 , enters the skimmer from the pond. The water flows through the frame  42 , the fixed opening  36 , the movable or adjustable inlet aperture  72  against the weir plate  56  and the adjustment plate aperture  86 , into the debris basket  70 . At the debris basket, large floating debris such as twigs, leaves, etc., are collected and the received pond water is filtered to some extent. The initially filtered water is indicated by arrows  98  and flows from the basket through the filter mat  46 . There the water  100  enters the horizontal pump and then exits via outlet  94 .  
         [0040]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , which is similar to  FIG. 6 , but viewed at a different angle. The same components as in  FIG. 6  are seen in  FIG. 7 . In addition there is shown the discharge assembly  102 . The discharge assembly includes a discharge port  104  in the sidewall of the skimmer housing  34  and a rotatable “J” shaped elbow  106  that is fitted to the aperture  104  and is rotatable between substantially horizontal and vertical positions. The aperture  104  is circular and positioned such that the bottom of the aperture  104  is about ¾ inch above the top of the fixed inlet aperture  36 . The purpose of the discharge is to permit draining of the skimmer construction and the pond in the event the water fills to an undesirably high level, such as the top edge of the housing  34 . Thus, water above the top edge of the aperture  104  will flow into the discharge aperture and exit therefrom. In order to provide some control as to the water level, the rotatable or “J” shaped pipe  106  is provided. In the substantially horizontal position shown by the dotted lines, reference numeral  106 A, the pipe will receive water which is at or above the top of the inlet aperture. However, the elbow can be rotated to a substantially vertical position, as shown in solid line and by reference numeral  106 B. There entry to the elbow has been raised to a higher position and overflow water is permitted to rise above the top edge of the inlet aperture and exit via the discharge.  
         [0041]     As indicated above, the filter frame  44  includes a front slot defined by the peripheral frame member  44 A and the cross member  44 B. The frame thus defines a small slot-like opening between the front edge of the frame and the cross member  44 B. The slot is positioned to receive the bottom edge  108  of the front face. This stabilizes the entire internal assembly so as to hang by the lip from the housing  34  and be positioned against the front of the housing  34  and the aperture  36 . This is done by the bottom edge  108  fitting within the slot formed by  44   a  and  44   b  of the filter frame.  
         [0042]     Turning now to  FIG. 8 , the skimmer construction  28  includes the skimmer housing  34  and internal assembly  48 . The internal assembly  48  is mounted to the skimmer housing  34  by the lip  68 . The housing fixed aperture  36  and the aperture plate or frame  42  are seen. The inlet assembly plate aperture  66  is shown and is approximately the same size as the frame  42 . The movable plate  54  is against the front face  64 . The movable plate defines the movable aperture  72  which is seen in a raised position in  FIG. 8 . The adjustment plate  58  engages the movable plate  54  and is secured to the rear of the front face  64 . The aperture for the adjustment plate  58  is shown with numeral  86 . It will be appreciated that the movable plate  54  and thus the aperture  72  can be moved up and down against the front surface and inside the skimmer construction. The bottom section  108  of the front surface  64  and basket  70  form a trough-like section that fits within the slot of the filter frame  44  and receives the movable plate  54  as it moves up and down.  
         [0043]     In the event a vertical pump and filter mat were used, the skimmer housing would be appropriately modified so as to maintain the functionality of the internal assembly.  
         [0044]     In  FIG. 8 , plate  54  is shown in a raised position near the top of the trough/bottom edge  108 .  
         [0045]     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the movable aperture  72  is shown in a lowered position. There the plate  54  extends down into the bottom section or trough  108  so as to effectively lower the aperture  72 . Thus, it is appreciated that the aperture can be raised or lowered as needed and with respect to the water level of the pond itself so as to permit floating debris to enter the skimmer construction and be filtered by the basket  70 .  
         [0046]     Referring now to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , skimmer construction  28  is again shown along with the housing  34 . The assembly  48  is shown mounted to the skimmer housing  34  by the lip  68 . The controllable discharge  102  is shown in  FIG. 10 . There the discharge is shown as including the aperture or port  104  and the “J” shaped elbow  106 . The elbow  106  is in the upright or vertical position. It will be appreciated that the water level in the skimmer  28  and the pond cannot be higher than the top or inlet  106   a  of the elbow.  
         [0047]     Turning now to  FIG. 11 , the discharge assembly and particularly the discharge elbow  106  is shown as rotated from a vertical position, as in  FIG. 10 , to a horizontal position as in  FIG. 11 . Thus, the water level in the skimmer basket and in the pond cannot be higher than the top of the inlet  106   a.    
         [0048]     Thus, by rotating the elbow  106  between the vertical and horizontal position, the water level in the pond and in the skimmer can be controlled between the vertical position as shown in  FIG. 10  and a horizontal position as shown in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0049]     Numerous changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments shown herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.