An improved pool cleaner is provided of the type for submerged random travel generally along the floor and sidewalls of a swimming pool to dislodge and collect debris. The pool cleaner comprises an hydraulically contoured housing consisting of a limited number of shell shaped housing portions designed for rapid assembly about an integrated drive assembly having a water-powered drive train encased within the housing and rotatable wheels outside the housing for supporting and driving the pool cleaner. Water under pressure is supplied through a water supply mast detachably mounted on the housing for flow into a pressure manifold from which individual water flows are coupled through appropriately sized nozzles to drive a water turbine of the drive train and through a plurality of jet pump orifices opening generally upwardly about the inner diameter of an open central suction mast through which debris is drawn upwardly into a collection bag. In addition, water from the pressure manifold may be directed through a rearwardly open thrust jet positioned for improved cleaner stability and a rearwardly open sweep hose jet coupled to a flexible sweep hose. A back up valve assembly is mounted within the housing and includes an hydraulic timer responsive to a small bleed flow from the supply mast to periodically divert the pressurized water inflow to a back up jet oriented to drive the cleaner rearwardly and/or upwardly for a short time interval thereby preventing entrapment of the cleaner in a confined region of the pool such as a corner.
An improved automatic pool cleaner of the type having a frame and a supply mast fastened thereto at a lower end, in which a first fastener portion located adjacent to the lower end of the supply mast is removably engageable with a second fastener portion located on the frame. Because the first fastener portion is removably engageable with the second fastener portion, a broken supply mast can be easily separated from the frame and a new supply mast easily installed thereon.
A fluid flow regulator 10 comprises a body 11 defining three converging flow passages A, B and C between inlets 14, 13 and 12 respectively, and outlet 15, which is connectable to a suction source. Passages A and B each includes a valve. Turbine 16 in passage C drives actuating means periodically to operate the valves thereby to cause passages A and B periodically to be opened and closed in tandem. The regulator may be employed to suck predetermined quantities of fluid from two sources connected to inlets 14 and 13, respectively. Another embodiment serves as displacement apparatus for a submersible cleaner. With passage B open to admit water to drive a propeller 34 for displacing the apparatus and cleaner, passage A is closed to reduce suction at the cleaner. With passage B closed, passage A is open to transmit suction to the cleaner for it to be propelled by its own driving mechanism.
A cleaner for a submerged surface (11) comprises a body (15) defining a suction passage (16) and pressure passage (17) therethrough. Suction passage (16) extends between inlet (18) and outlet (19) in the body and is connectable to the inlet of a filtration system by flexible hose (13). Pressure passage (17) extends between inlet (20) and outlet (21). Inlet (20) is connectable to an outlet of the system. Drive means in the form of a water turbine (22) is located in passage (17). Water flow under pressure through passage (17) drives turbine (22) which in turn drives hind wheels (23) to displace the apparatus over surface (11), while debris or the like is sucked up through the suction passage (16).
A suction head useful with a self-propelled submersible pool cleaner having an elevation limiter formed as an inverted, generally U-shaped pipe or bulging body connected to the suction head and being dimensioned and disposed such that when an outward extremity of the limiter breaks a surface of water as the suction head climbs a submerged pool wall, gravitational force diminishes any forward impetus of the suction head.
An apparatus for cleaning tubs filled with a liquid, wherein a suction device which can be moved by a drive communicating with a delivery pipe is arranged on a base of the tub. The drive is operated by a pressurized fluid and drives a water wheel which is non-positively coupled to a displacement device contacting the base of the tub. A filter unit is connected to a suction pipe of the suction device. The suction device has a guide system for to and from movements and a two-way valve is actuated by limit switches for alternative opening of a passage for reversing movement of the water wheel. The apparatus can be used in a washer chamber of an aeration plant.
