GB1459853A - Automatic swimming pool cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

1459853 Swimming pool cleaner M L HENKIN and J M LABY 19 Feb 1974 7515/74 Heading A4F A swimming pool cleaner comprises a car 32 adapted to travel underwater on the surface of a pool container and which includes a frame 34 supported on traction means, e.g. wheels 36a, 36b and 36c, the car 32 carrying water supply means 66 having an inlet and at least one outlet, and means coupled to the or at least one water supply outlet for propelling the car along the container surface and for directing a water flow so as to thrust said traction means against the pool container surface. The propulsion means is preferably separate from the thrust means and may comprise a nozzle 90 coupled to manifold 66, and a turbine 44 which is supplied with water via tube 62 to drive wheels 36a, 36b via a shaft 50 having gears 54, 56 which engage respective racks 58, 60 or the wheels 36a, 36b. A third wheel 36c is not driven, being pivotally mounted on the car, which mounting may Fig. 8, (not shown) be coupled to one end of a link (220) whose opposite end has a gear (224) which engages a worm gear (226) on the shaft 50 so as to introduce randomness into the car movement. The thrust means may also incorporate the nozzle 90 which may be pivoted so as to produce a component of thrust normal to the pool surface. A thrust may also be produced by a suction unit 91 comprising a Venturi tube 116 and a nozzle 118 supplied with water from the manifold 66. Debris is directed either to a mesh bag 124 as shown or collected within the car in which case a rotating vane system (210) Fig. 9, (not shown) may be incorporated within the car to reduce the debris size, the smaller debris travelling through a mesh surface of the car to be removed by conventional filtering means in the pool. One or more hoses 96 may be connected to the manifold 66, water flowing through the open end of the hose(s) 96 causing a whipping motion thereof to release fine debris from the pool surface for filtering.