IL25626A - Water distribution system for swimming pools - Google Patents

Description

CI PATENTS AND DESIGNS ORDINANCE SPECIFICATION Water distribution system for swimming pools ma"»*ia may e»© npn n naiyo LIFETIME MBTAIr PRODUC S, IHG. an U.S.A. , of 1329 King Avenue , of Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.

I (we) do hereby -declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to particularly described and ascertained in and by t following statement.: - WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR SWIMMING POOLS This invention relates to a water distribution system for swimming pools and more particularly the invention is an improvement in the conduit system shown in the Ogden patent 2,932,397.

Prior to the Ogden invention, it had been the practice in installing swimming pools to bury in the terrain in the area surrounding the swimming pool a main pipe for carrying water into the swimming pool. From that main pipe, distribution pipes were connected into the swimming pool wall below the water level to convey water into the pool at a number of points spaced around the pool periphery. Although this system had been used for many years, and is still being used today, it had a number of serious disadvantages. Depending upon the corrosive quality of the soil in which the pipes were buried, the pipes might deteriorate to the point of unusability in as short a time as three years. The repair of the pipes required the excavating of the terrain surrounding the pool to provide access to the pipes to permit their repair or replacement.

Additionally, the buried pipes did not admit of continuous inspection which would enable the early detection and economic replacement of deteriorating sections.

The Ogden invention has proved to be a remarkable improvement over the existing distribution systems described above. In accordance with the Ogden invention, the distribution conduit for carrying water around the periphery of the pool is mounted in an exposed position on the pool wall and provision the conduit forms the inner wall of the periphery pool gutter-^* ' < so as to facilitate its fabrication and installation. Obviously, the Ogden structure eliminates the disadvantages attending the burying of pipe in the terrain surrounding the swimming pool and further eliminates the need for connections from that buried pipe into the wall of the pool. Since all conduit except the main drain from the bottom of the pool is exposed, it is easily accessible for regular maintenance and repair.

It has been an objective of the present invention to provide improvements in the Ogden structure for the complete and effective recirculation of water. The first of these is constituted by at least one and preferably a plurality of integral skimming weirs which are mounted in the peripheral conduit. More specifically, a small portion of the top wall of the pool conduit is removed to provide a notch in the conduit and the weir structure is mounted in that notch, thereby sealing the top wall on the conduit. The weir provides a transverse passage through the top portion of the conduit to permit water to flow from the pool to the gutter. A gate is pivotally mounted in the weir for movement between a position in which the transverse passage is blocked and a position in which it is out of the way of the passage. Means are provided for selectively locking the gate in one of its two positions. A weir is preferably mounted in each corner of the pool.

The integral skimming weir structure of the invention permits the proper flow of water into the gutter during the two main conditions ofoperation; namely, the active condition in which the pool is filled with swimmers and the quiescent condition which obtains when the pool is closed. During the the flooding of the gutters. Water is splashed into the gutters through the activity of the swimmers, and, additionally, the minimum amount of water required for the purposes of gutter sanitation and gutter flow direction is supplied by jets connecting tha conduit to the gutters.

During the quiescent periods, the gates are swung open and maintained in an open position by the locking means. During this period, the pool level may be maintained at any level between the upper and lower edges of the weir opening to permit the surface water of the pool to flow through the weirs. By locating the weirs at each corner of the pool, effective skimming action of the surface wall and debris lying on the surface is attained regardless of the direction of any surface winds.

Another feature of the invention which is collateral to the provision of the integral skimming weirs described above resides in the accessibility of the interior of the conduit permitted by the removable weir structure. This accessibility is important in several respects, the most important of which being the ability to introduce sacrificial anodes into the condui interior and to maintain a regular inspection of the anodes.

Through this feature of the invention, coupled with regular inspection and maintenance on the part of pool personnel, the life of the conduit system can be indefinitely prolonged.

Another objective of the invention has been to provide a pool having an integral skimming weir at each corner of the pool, the weirs being oriented relative to each other to permit the introduction of sacrificial anodes so oriented that they provide an improved distribution system, including a pump and filter system, cooperating with the conduit return gutter and main drain which permits the proper handling and filtration of the pool water under varying conditions of flow without requiring a float valve, which is subject to sticking and mechanical failure.

Another objective of the invention has been to provide a pool corner structure incorporating the integral skimming weir described above which admits of prefabrication and ease of installation at the poolside.

Another objective of the invention has been to provide a water distribution system for a swimming pool comprising, a surge tank having filters therein, means forming an open gutter around the periphery of said pool and connected to said surge tank, a pipe extending around the periphery of said pool and forming the inner wall of said gutter, a plurality of outlet nozzles in said pipe directing water downwardly into said pool, at least one transverse passageway through the upper portion of said pipe, means for selectively opening or closing said passage-way, a main drain and conduit connecting the bottom of said pool to said surge tank, a selectively posi ionable v lve in said conduit, and a pump and conduit means connected between said surge tank and pipe to draw water through said filters and into said pipe.

These and other objectives of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view partly in section of a swimming pool employing the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the gutter section taken along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in section showing the weir section, Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a swimming pool 10 has an open gutter 11 around its periphery, the gutter having an inner wall 12 formed by a hollow pipe 13. The gutter 11 and pipe 13 are connected to a filter system 14. The filter system 14 includes a surge tank 15 in which one or more filter units 16 are located. The gutter 11 is connected directly to the surge tank 15 so that the water in the gutter flows under the force of gravity into the surge tank. The filter units 16 are connected by a manifold 17 to a conduit 18 which projects through a wall 19 of the surge tank. A pump 20 and conduit 21 connect the conduit 18 to the pipe 13.

The pool has a main drain 24 connected by a conduit 25 to the surge tank 15. The conduit 25 has a selectively positionable valve 26 with which the flow rate of water from the drain 24 into the surge tank 15 can be varied. The filter system has other plumbing which is used for cleaning the filters draining the pool and the like, but the additional plumbing is conventional and does not form a part of the present invention.

The filter system illustrated is a vacuum system in which the water in the surge tank is drawn through the filters by means of the pump 20 whose low pressure side is connected to the filter. The distribution system of the present invention is substantially equally usable with other well known filter systems, these including the several combinations of an open or a closed balancing tank and a pressure diatomite filter or a pressure sand filter. The open balancing tank is comparable to the surge tank 15 and is installed with its upper level slightly above the level of the pool. Either a pressure diatomite or pressure sand filter is made as a separate unit and connected to it by a pump and conduit, the low pressure side of the pump being connected to the tank and the high pressure side being connected to the filter. The closed balancing tank is similarly connected to either type of pressure filter but is located below the level of the pool. The selectively positionable valve 26 may be used in these systems to connect the main drain of the pool to the tank and to maintain a minimum water level in the tank. With the open and closed balancing tanks, however, it is preferable to use a float valve in the tank to regulate the maximum level of water in the tank by controlling the flow through the main drain.

It can be seen that the surge tank is supplied with water from the main drain and from the open gutter 11. Filtered water is returned to the pool only through the pipe 13 and the conduit 21, which connects the pipe 13 to the pump 20. Around the periphery of the pool, as for example on three foot centers, are a plurality of nozzles 28 (see Fig. 2) by which the water is directed from the pipe 13 into the pool. The nozzles are downwardly directed, preferably at an angle of approximately 45° to the vertical side wall 29 of the pool.

An integral skimming weir 30 is located at each corner of the pool. The weir is formed by a notch in the upper portion of the pipe 13, the notch forming a transverse passage between the pool and the gutter 11. Means are provided for selectively opening or closing the passage for operation under the two principal conditions of operation; namely, the condition of swimming activity with its turbulent water, and the quiescent condition occurring when there are no swimmers in the pool.

Even under the best conditions of maintaining proper pool chemistry, the pool water tends to be corrosive. The outside of the surfaces of the pipe 13 and gutter section are ■ normally painted, thereby preventing the corrosive attack on the outside surface of the metal. However, on the inside surface of the pipe 13, a sacrificial anode 31 is provided to preserve the pipe. Under normal water conditions the sacrificia anode 31 may be disintegrated in a two to five year period and requires one yearly inspection. The disposition of the weirs 30 at the corners of the pool permits the inspection and replacement of the anodes at regular intervals. Each anode extends substantially the full length of the section of pipe in which it is located and can be installed by removing the weir structure and sliding the anode into the section of the pipe 13 through the hole left by the removal of the weir structure.

It will be noted that each weir 30 is similarly located with respect to the corner, that is, as viewed from the center of the pool, each weir appears at the right of the corner. This positioning permits the introduction of anodes into each straight section of pipe 13 so that substantially the entire perimeter of the pool is protected.

One example of a gutter installation is illustrated in Fig. 2 showing the gutter installed on a granite pool. The concrete which forms the pool wall is indicated at 35 and has anchor rods 36 embedded in it, the anchor rods having threaded ends 37 used to level the gutter section during installation. A unitary gutter section is constituted by a back wall 38 forming the pool curbing, a bottom wall 39, and the pipe 13 forming the front wall of the gutter 11. A metal stiffener 40 is welded to the back wall 38 and an angle anchor bracket 41 is welded to the bottom walls and to the pipe 13, the anchor bracket being secured to the anchor bolts 36 by the nuts 42.

A concrete pool deck, shown in part at 43, is filled in behind the back wall 38 of the gutter section up to a barrier 44, which forms an expansion joint between the gutter section and the concrete deck.

The back wall 38 of the gutter section has an inclined inner surface 46 extending above the upper surface of the pipe 13. The surface 46 has an important function of directing water which is splashed over the pipe 13 as indicated by the arrow 47 down into the gutter 11 as indicated by the arrows 48 and 49. Thus, the water which is splashed over the pipe 13 is almost entirely directed into the gutter rather than being splashed back into the pool. This surface water, which is the most highly contaminated of all the pool water, is thus continually taken off the surface of the pool water and directed to the filter system.

Not only does the gutter configuration, particularly including the surface 46, assist in the recirculation of the pool water to the filter system, but additionally the gutter section provides a "fast" pool for competitive swimming. By eliminating the slash back of water against the pool walls, a much smoother surface of the pool water is maintained during competitive swimming.

One method of installing the integral skimming weir is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6. The weir section is mounted in a notch 50 formed in the upper portion of the pipe 13. In a generally rectangular pipe, which is six or eight inches high and four inches wide, for example, the notch is cut to a depth of approximately two inches. The notch creates a top edge 51, side edges 52 and a bottom edge 53 in the pipe. A wall 54 is welded inside the pipe 13 at each end of the notch to provide a seal along the top edge 51 and the side edges 52. The wall 54 has a flange 55 which, along with the bottom edges 53 of the notch, forms a support for a bottom plate 56. A gasket 57 is clamped between the bottom plate 56 and the support formed by the flange 55 and the bottom edges 53 of the notch. A pair of longitudinally extending blocks 58 are welded to the inside surface of the pipe 13 immediately below the bottom edges 53 and have a series of spaced internally threaded holes to receive bolts 59 by which the bottom plate 56 is secured in the notch. When the bottom plate 56 is securely fastened in the notch, clamping the gasket 57 between it and the bottom edge 53 and the flange 55 a seal is formed preventing any escape of the water under pressure from the pipe 13.

A top plate 60 is mounted in the notch with its end edges in abutting engagement with the top edge 51 and side edges 52 of the notch 50. The top plate 60 is secured to the bottom plate 56 by two bolts 61, each of which passes through a collar 62 and is threaded into a threaded hole 63 in the bottom plate 56. The top plate 60 has depending side walls 64 (see Fig. 6), the upper portion of the side walls 64 being bored as at 65 to receive pivot pins 66 by which a gate 67 is pivoted in the weir. The combined top plate 60 and bottom plate 56 form a transverse passageway 68 through which water skimmed from the surface of the pool may pass when the gate is swung upwardly to a horizontal position as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6.

The gate 67 may be held selectively in either the open position or closed position by a retainer arm 70. The retainer arm is Z-shaped and has a leg 71 threaded into an internal bore in a set screw 72, which is threaded into the top plate 60. The attachment of the retainer arm to the set screw 72 permits the arm to be pivoted in a horizontal plane until it extends longitudinally of the weir thereby permitting the gate 67 to be swung between its two positions. After the gate is properly positioned, the retainer arm is swung back to a transverse position in which it holds the gate in a closed position by bearing on the rear surface of the gate (see Fig. 4). Alternatively, the gate is held in opened position as viewed in Fig. 5 by providing a support on which the gate rests in its upward position.

Within the pipe 13 and immediately below each weir, a bolt 75 is welded to the wall of the pipe. The bolt has a nut 76 threaded onto it by which a pigtail 77 may be electrically connected to the wall of the pipe. The other end of the pigtail is welded to the sacrificial anode 31; thereby, completing the electrical circuit. The electrical circuit is, of course, constituted by the anode 31, the pigtail, the pipe 13 and the pool water in the conduit which constitutes a electrolyte.

A gutter wash nozzle 78 is mounted below the weir on the pipe 13 by a bolt 79 threaded into a hole in the wall of the pipe. The wall has two holes 80 communicating with the nozzle to permit a continuous supply of water to the nozzle, thereby assuring a continuous washing of the gutter.

Operation In the operation of the pool, the pool is first filled from a fresh water line indicated at 81 in Figure 1, the water being introduced into the surge tank 15 where it is filtered and pumped into the main distribution pipe 13. During this filling operation, the gates in all weirs are maintained closed so that the level of the water can be brought up to about an inch from the top of the pipe 13. After the pool has been filled to that level, the incoming water is turned off. With the pump running, the valve 26 in the main drain conduit 25 is manipulated to vary the flow from the main drain to the surge tank until a steady state condition is maintained in which the water level in the surge tank 15 is about six inches over the filter elements. The level of the water in the pool may be approximately two feet higher than the level of the water in the surge tank, under these conditions, thereby providing the head necessary to drive the water through the restricted opening of the valve 26. If the level of the water in the surge tank should drop any lower, the head,of course, increases thereby providing greater pressure to drive water into the surge tank. Thus, by preselecting the minimum condition of the level of water in the surge tank through the positioning of the valve 26, an automatic regulation of the level of the water in the surge tank can be maintained without the use of a float valve.

Under normal operating conditions, the level in the surge tank will be maintained about two feet over the top of the filter elements. The additional water required to maintain that level in the surge tank comes from the gutter 11. Under active conditions of pool operation, the weirs 30 are maintained in a closed condition and water is driven into the gutters by the activity of the swimmers in the pool splashing water over the pipe 13. During the active period, it is necessary to close the weir gates in order to prevent the flooding of the gutters, which would cause an improper operation of the circulating system.

When there are no swimmers in the pool, the weirs are opened and the water pours into the gutters from the passage-ways 68 formed by the weirs. By providing a weir at each of the corners of the pool, the direction of the wind has no effect on the successful skimming action of the system. No matter which direction the wind is blowing, it will drive the debris and surface scum toward at least one of the weirs, thereby effectively cleaning the surface scum from the pool during the quiescent night-time operation.

By directing the incoming jets 28 downwardly at an angle of approximately 45°, the filtered water coming into the pool is driven against the bottom of the pool and provides a scrubbing action to raise the sediment from the bottom of the pool toward the upper surface. Further, by bringing the incoming water down to the bottom of the pool, the more contaminated water at the surface of the pool is splashed into the gutters by the activity of the swimmers or moves into the gutters through the weirs during the quiescent stage of operation.

Thus, regardless of the conditions of operation, the system provides for the constant introduction of clean chlorinated water into the bottom of the pool where the chlorine is released slowly and a constant removal of the most contaminated water of low chlorine content from the surface of the pool.

During the regular operation of the pool a minimum of 50% of the pool's filter rate is supplied from the gutter. eweve*, tey vaeyiag the posieiea ©ac i¥Q ¾6, as much as 8d% to 100% of flow can be obtained from the pool surface giving in effect a bottom supply, top take-off recirculation system. 25626/2 φ'

Claims (3)

1. · A swimming pool having a peripheral gutter formed between the side wall of the pool and an enclosed water supply conduit which is arranged to supply filtered water to the pool, the conduit being formed with one or more notches, each of which provides a passage between the gutter and the pool, and each notch being provided with closure means for preventing the water from passing between the pool and the gutter*

2. » A swimmin pool as claimed in Claim 1 in which the notch closure means is provided with a latch for locking it in either the closed or the open position*

3. * A swimming pool as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 in which the notches are formed in removable sections providing access to the interior o the conduit, 4» A swimming pool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the conduit is made substantially of metal* 5· A swimming pool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which a sacrificial anode is provided within at least part of the conduit* 6» A swimming pool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the conduit has a plurality of spaced outlets for discharging the filtered water into the pool. 7· A swimming pool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the filtered water is discharged from the conduit through a number of nozzles. 8· A swimming pool as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims in which the notches are orientated at right agles relative to each other to allow the introduction of anodes into the conduit* 9. A swimming pool as claimed in an one of the preceding claims 25626/2 10 o A swimming pool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the conduit is provided with one or sore outlets into the gutter. I t . A swiauaing pool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the Applicants TNERS