Abstract:
A method for cleaning a pool surface is carried out by structure having a protruding nozzle assembly mounted in a side wall of a swimming pool in communication with a source of water for ejecting through a nozzle of a nozzle housing a stream of water at a predetermined angle relative to the adjacent side wall surface. During each erection and retraction of the nozzle housing precipitated by initiation and cessation of water flow to the nozzle assembly, the nozzle housing rotates incrementally to provide a plurality of streams of water defining a fan-like area from each nozzle as such nozzle comes into fluid communication with an opening in a cover enclosing the nozzle housing. Each nozzle is canted to a different angle above the adjacent pool surface to assist in cleaning sloping parts of the side wall/bottom surface junction and to assist in cleaning any adjacent structures extending from the side wall.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a division of and claims priority to an application entitled PARTIALLY ROTATING ABOVE SURFACE NOZZLE, filed Apr. 16, 2003, assigned Ser. No. 10/418,255, which application is directed to an invention made by the present inventors and assigned to the present assignee. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Nozzles used for ejecting water adjacent the bottom surface of a swimming pool are usually flush with the surface when in the retracted position. Often, these flush mounted nozzles are also located on the side walls of a swimming pool. Nozzles protruding from a mounting surface are generally not user acceptable in the bottom surface of a pool as a user may stub his/her foot thereagainst or otherwise come in contact with such nozzle resulting in irritation and sometimes injury. However, protruding nozzles on the side walls of a swimming pool, whether a conventional or a vinyl lined swimming pool, are generally acceptable to a user as the likelihood of a contact therewith by a user is generally remote.  
         [0003]     Many types of cleaning nozzles for swimming pools have been developed over the years. These may be categorized as either flush mounted or protruding from the mounting surface. The nozzles may be continuously rotating or incrementally rotating for a full circle or for an arc of less than 360 degrees (360°). The stream of ejected water may be essentially parallel with the adjacent surface or it may be at an angle from the adjacent surface.  
         [0004]     The side walls of a swimming pool may slope essentially vertically downwardly and thereafter provide a curved surface that ultimately transforms into the bottom surface of the pool. Other types of pools may have a relatively sharp angle between a side wall and the bottom surface. This change in angle between a vertical wall and the bottom surface presents a unique cleaning problem for any pool mounted nozzles. Existing presently used cleaning nozzles, whether flush mounted or protruding, generally provide an inadequate cleaning. Steps and other structures within the pool, and usually abutting or extending from a side wall, present particular cleaning problems unless a fan like stream(s) of water can be oriented to scrub the surfaces at different angles relative to the surfaces.  
         [0005]     Many presently available cleaning nozzles are suitable for initial installation as they will mate with conduits used to convey water thereto. However, a standard conduit used for this purpose is a 1½ inch conduit and few existing cleaning nozzles can be attached thereto as replacements for less adequately functioning cleaning nozzles. Thus, significant expense would be required to excavate the pool attendant the outlet of the conduit in order to attach an adapter fitting that will permit mating of the replacement cleaning nozzle with the conduit.  
         [0006]     Most existing cleaning nozzles, whether of the flush mounted pop-up type or the protruding type incorporate elements that are extended and retracted each time a burst of water is passed therethrough. Usually, one or more springs are employed to effect adequate and repetitive retraction. These springs, particularly for any rotating or partially rotating nozzles very often will tend to “wind-up” due to friction between the spring(s) and the rotating elements acted upon by the spring(s). Such wind-up may cause jamming or poor operation with ultimate irritation to a pool user as well as a compromised cleaning function.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A cleaning nozzle assembly protruding from the surface of a swimming pool includes a cover having a circumferentially elongated opening. A nozzle housing is rotatably mounted within the cover to incrementally rotate within the cover. The nozzle housing includes a plurality of nozzles, each of which is oriented at a specified orientation to eject a stream of water either parallel with the adjacent surface or at an angle upwardly therefrom to about 45 degrees (45°). As the nozzle housing incrementally rotates, a nozzle is in fluid communication with the opening in the cover to eject water therethrough at each step while the nozzle is aligned with the opening. Thereafter, a succeeding nozzle will eject water as it is stepped through the opening while the preceding nozzle no longer ejects water as it is essentially closed by the cover. Upper and lower saw tooth protrusions cooperate with a pair of diametrically opposed pins extending from a stem supporting the nozzle housing to cause rotation of the nozzle housing upon each erection and retraction. A plurality of springs mounted upon each of the legs of a table attached to the nozzle housing urge retraction of the nozzle housing on cessation of water flow into the nozzle. A threaded adapter interconnects the nozzle assembly with a standard 1½ inch conduit for supplying water to the nozzle assembly.  
         [0008]     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a cleaning nozzle assembly for a swimming pool, which nozzle assembly ejects water sequentially at each of a plurality of angles extending from an adjacent surface and through a predetermined arc about the longitudinal axis of the nozzle assembly.  
         [0009]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a protruding nozzle assembly as a replacement for existing nozzles used in the side walls of a swimming pool.  
         [0010]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool cleaning nozzle assembly having incrementally rotating nozzles for ejecting water through a predetermined arc.  
         [0011]     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning nozzle assembly for the side walls of a swimming pool having a plurality of nozzles oriented to eject water at different angles relative to the adjacent side wall.  
         [0012]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning nozzle assembly having an apertured cover for protecting the operating elements.  
         [0013]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide an erectable nozzle housing within a nozzle assembly that rotates incrementally with each erection and retraction.  
         [0014]     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a method for ejecting a stream of cleaning water from a nozzle assembly in a swimming pool at each of different angles relative to the adjacent surface and through a predetermined arc about the longitudinal axis of the nozzle assembly.  
         [0015]     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a swimming pool cleaning nozzle assembly threadedly attachable to a conduit for conveying water thereto;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross section of the nozzle showing the nozzle assembly in a retracted state;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross section of the nozzle showing the nozzle assembly in the erected state;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the nozzle assembly showing the flow of water during rejection of a stream of water;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a representative exploded view of the major components of the nozzle assembly;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  illustrates details of the structure for rotating the nozzle assembly upon each erection and retraction;  
         [0023]      FIGS. 7A, 7B  and  7 C illustrate rotation of the nozzle housing relative to an opening in the cover of the nozzle assembly; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a partial cross sectional view representatively illustrating the different angles at which the water is ejected from the nozzles.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a nozzle assembly  10  with the cover removed and nozzle housing  12  being in the erected position. The lower end of the nozzle assembly includes a threaded section  14  for threadedly mating with an adapter attached to and extending from a standard 1½ inch pipe located in the side wall (or other surface) of a swimming pool. A threaded cylinder  16  encircles nozzle housing  12  and serves as a guide during erection and retraction of the nozzle housing. A table  18  includes four legs in slidable engagement with corresponding passageways in nozzle housing  12 . Each passageway also supports a coil spring about the corresponding leg to provide a retraction force acting upon nozzle housing  12  to bring about retraction upon cessation of water flow into the nozzle assembly.  
         [0026]     The nozzle housing includes a plurality of nozzles, of which nozzles  20 ,  22  are shown. Preferably, four equiangularly displaced nozzles are formed in the nozzle housing. Each of these nozzles is canted at an angle different from the remaining nozzles to provide an ejected stream of water at a different angle relative to and extending from the surrounding side wall of the swimming pool. A translatable stem  24  extends to a greater or lessor degree from the bottom of threaded section  14  as a function of whether the nozzle housing is in the erected or the retracted state.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates nozzle assembly  10  with nozzle housing  12  being in the retracted state. A conduit  30  is in fluid communication with a pump to provide a flow of water therethrough in response to opening and closing of a valve. An adapter  32  is attached to conduit  30  by chemical welding or the like. The adapter includes an internal threaded section  34  for mating with threaded section  14  of body  36  supporting threaded cylinder  16 . The lower end of rectilinearly translatable stem  24  includes a circumferential flange  38 , which flange bears against the lower end of body  36  upon erection of the translatable stem to limit the extent of the erection. The translatable stem supports nozzle housing  12  and includes a central passageway  40  for conveying water to each of the nozzles in the nozzle housing and of which nozzle  42  is shown. A cover  44  includes a skirt  46  in threaded engagement with threaded cylinder  16 , as illustrated. A circumferentially elongated opening  48  is formed in the cover. A table  60  includes a plurality of legs, such as four legs and of which legs  62 ,  64  are shown. Each of these legs penetrably engage nozzle housing  12  through passageways, of which passageways  66 ,  68  are shown. Each of the passageways includes a radially internally extending shoulder, of which shoulders  70 ,  72  are shown. Coil springs encircle each of the legs and extend into corresponding passageways in nozzle housing  12 ; coil springs  74 ,  76  are shown in  FIG. 2  and bear against and are supported by corresponding shoulders,  70 ,  72 , respectively. These springs provide an inwardly directed bias to nozzle housing  12  to urge retraction of the nozzle housing in the absence of a flow of water into the nozzle assembly through conduit  30 . As table  60  will rotate with nozzle housing  12 , a low friction bearing between the table and cover  44  is provided. For example, a button or bearing point  78  may extend downwardly and bear against the top of table  60  to minimize the area of contact between the cover and the table. Thereby, little friction exists when table  60  rotates about its vertical axis with respect to cover  44 .  
         [0028]     A pair of pins  80 ,  82  extend in diametrically opposed directions from translatable stem  24 . These pins slidably engage upwardly pointed and downwardly pointed protrusions generally identified by numerals  84 ,  86 ; these protrusions and their relationship to the pins will be described in detail with respect to  FIG. 6 . For the present time, sufficed it to say that upon each erection and retraction, the interaction between the pins  80 ,  82  with protrusions  84 ,  86  urge translatable stem  24  and its attached nozzle housing and table  16  rotate incrementally.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown nozzle assembly  10  in the erect state, as opposed to the retracted state shown in  FIG. 2 . Nozzle assembly  10 , as it will protrude from the surface, is preferably mounted in a side wall  50  of a swimming pool. Upon introduction of a flow of water through conduit  30 , pressure will be exerted at interior  90  of translatable stem  24 . Such pressure will result in upward movement of the stem and the attached nozzle housing  12  along legs  62 ,  64  of table  60 . Upon upward movement, pins  80 ,  82 , interreacting with protrusions  84 ,  86  will cause the stem to incrementally rotate. Such rotation will rotatably reposition nozzle housing  12  relative to opening  48  (see  FIG. 2 ). Simultaneously, springs  74 ,  76  will become compressed between radially extending flange  58  of table  60  and shoulders  70 ,  72 . Upon erection of nozzle housing  12 , water will be ejected through the one of the nozzles (such as nozzle  42 ) positioned coincident with opening  48  in cover  44 . It is to be noted that as translatable stem  24  is incrementally rotated, each of the nozzles, along with nozzle housing  12  is similarly rotated and the relationship of the nozzles with respect to opening  48  will be incrementally changed.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a representative exploded view illustrating the major components of the nozzle assembly. Adapter  32  is, as shown in  FIG. 4 , chemically welded or otherwise attached to a conduit  30  so as to position the upper end essentially flush with side wall surface  50  (see  FIG. 4 ). Body  36  is threadedly engaged with the adapter. Translatable stem  24  is shown absent the pins extending therefrom and therefore is shown as a simplified form of a sleeve  92  supporting a disc  94 . The disc includes four equiangularly spaced nozzles  20 ,  22 ,  42  and  96 . Nozzle  20  is essentially a straight nozzle for ejecting a stream of water essentially parallel with the surface of side wall  50 . Nozzle  96  is slightly canted to approximately 15 degrees (15°) above the plane defined by disc  94  (and the surface of the side wall). Nozzle  42  is canted approximately 30 degrees (30°) above the plane defined by disc  94  and nozzle  22  is canted approximately 45 degrees (45°) above the plane defined by disc  94 . Thereby, each nozzle during its period of ejecting a stream of water, will cause the stream of water to flow along side wall  50  commensurate with the angular orientation of the nozzle. Such canting is of particular importance when nozzle assembly  10  is located adjacent steps or other structures within the pool that present particularly unique problems in ensuring that the surfaces of the structures are scrubbed periodically by a stream of water to maintain them debris free.  
         [0031]     Table  18  includes four legs  62 ,  64 ,  98  and  100  extending downwardly therefrom into penetrable engagement with corresponding apertures in disc  94 , of which apertures  102 ,  104  are illustrated. The remaining two apertures are located between nozzles  22  and  42  and between  42  and  96 . A coil spring  106  is located about leg  100  and bears against disc  94 , as discussed above. The remaining legs have similar springs, of which springs  74  and  76  are illustrated in  FIG. 2  attendant legs  64  and  62 . Cover  44  is in threaded engagement with body  36 , as particularly illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  4 . The cover includes a circumferentially elongated opening  48  through which water will be ejected from the nozzle located in fluid communication with the opening.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a view of protrusions  84 ,  86  discussed with respect to  FIG. 2 . Protrusions  84  are a plurality of downwardly oriented saw teeth having an essentially vertical side  110  and a sloping side  112 . Similarly, protrusions  86  are a plurality of upwardly oriented saw tooth housing an essentially vertical side  114  and a sloping side  116 . One of pins  80 ,  82 , of which pin  82  is identified, extends into the space between the saw teeth of each of protrusions  84 ,  86 . Upon erection of translatable stem  24 , pin  82  will rise along the corresponding one of vertical sides  114 , as representatively illustrated by arrow  118 . As the pin departs from one of protrusions  86 , it will strike sloping side  112  of protrusions  84  and be guided there along, as illustrated by arrow  120 , to the junction between adjacent saw teeth. As is self evident, the position of the pin will cause translatable stem  24  to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the nozzle assembly commensurate with the circumferential distance between the junction of adjacent saw teeth of protrusions  86  and the corresponding junction between adjacent saw teeth of protrusions  84 . Preferably, the radial angle defined thereby is in the range of 12 to 30 degrees (12 to 30°). Upon cessation of water flow through conduit  30  into the nozzle assembly, the force of the springs (of which springs  74 ,  76  is shown) will urge downward movement of nozzle housing  12 . Upon such downward movement, pin  82  will move downwardly along vertical side  110  of protrusions  84  until it strikes sloping side  116  of protrusions  86 . Thereafter, it will move circumferentially to the junction between adjacent saw teeth of protrusions  86 , these movements are represented by arrows  122 ,  124 . Thereby, nozzle housing is incrementally rotated upon each erection and retraction of the nozzle housing.  
         [0033]     Referring jointly to  FIGS. 7A, 7B  and  7 C, operation of the nozzles relative to the opening in the cover will be described in detail. Opening  48  in cover  44  extends circumferentially approximately 90 degrees (90°). Thereby, at least one of nozzles  20 ,  22 ,  42  or  96  will be in fluid communication with opening  48  at any rotational position of nozzle housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 7A , nozzle  22  is in fluid communication with opening  48  to eject water through the opening at an angle of approximately 45 degrees (45°) with respect to the adjacent surface of the side wall of the swimming pool. During the next step or cycle of retraction and erection of the nozzle housing, nozzle  22  will have rotated to the position shown in  FIG. 7B . It may be noted that the three remaining nozzles are essentially closed by cover  44  and little water, other then seepage, will be ejected therefrom. In the third position illustrated in  FIG. 7C , nozzle  22  will have been relocated close to the end of opening  48 . Again, the remaining three nozzles are essentially closed by cover  44 . As may be noted, arrow  112  in each of  FIGS. 7A, 7B  and  7 C reflects the rotation of the nozzle housing. During the succeeding step of rotation of the nozzle housing, nozzle  20  will be placed in fluid communication with opening  48 , in the same position as shown for nozzle  22  in  FIG. 7A . Thereafter, nozzle  20  will be stepped by three steps in fluid communication with the opening. Remaining nozzles  96  and  42  will similarly be placed in fluid communication with opening  48  during successive steps. The number of steps and the degree of angular excursion of the nozzle housing during each cycle or step is primarily a function of the number of protrusions  84 ,  86  (see  FIG. 6 ) and the radial angles defined thereby.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , there is illustrated in representative form, the different angles at which the streams of water are ejected from nozzles  20 ,  96 ,  42  and  22 . As noted above, these angles are preferably at increments of 15 degrees (15°) from 0 to 45 degrees (0 to 45°). Nevertheless, different angles for each of the nozzles may be employed for special circumstances or for unique locations of the nozzle assembly to ensure that the adjacent surface of the side wall or structures proximate nozzle assembly are adequately scrubbed to remove debris.