SWIMMING POOLS

THIS INVENTION relates to swimming pools. In particular, the invention relates to a pool accessory, to an intake arrangement and to a kit for use in combination with a swimming pool having a water circulation pumping system. The invention extends also to a method of utilising water from a swimming pool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The inventor is aware that not all houses and buildings have access to water which is supplied at high pressure. Often residential dwellings only have access to water which is supplied at a low pressure which is adequate for residential purposes. Such low pressure water supplies are inadequate to combat a fire in event of an emergency. Although some residences have swimming pools, there is often no practical way to deliver the water in the pool to a fire, in case of emergency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a swimming pool accessory, which includes a coupling arrangement having at least two coupler attachment formations in flow communication with each other, one coupler attachment formation arranged for removable attachment to a water return port terminating into an interior of the swimming pool, the water return port being downstream of a high pressure water circulation system, the other coupler attachment formation arranged for removable attachment to an end of a utility hose.

The coupling arrangement may include an elongated coupling body defining through it a flow passage having a coupling body inlet opening at a coupling body inlet end, and a coupling body outlet opening at an opposed coupling body outlet end.

One coupler attachment formation may be provided at the coupling body inlet end for removable attachment of the coupling body to the water return port and the other coupler attachment formation may be provided at the coupling body outlet end for removable attachment of the coupling body outlet end to a mating connector provided at an end of the utility hose.

The coupler attachment formation at the body inlet end may include a resilient sleeve shaped and dimensioned to fit coaxially longitudinally over at least part of the elongated coupling body and retaining means provided at the coupling body inlet end for retaining one end of the resilient sleeve on the coupling body inlet end, an opposite free sleeve end being free to slide longitudinally over the elongated coupling body towards the one sleeve end, the sleeve being shaped and dimensioned so that when the free end of the sleeve is displaced in a direction towards the one end, then a sleeve wall of the resilient sleeve bulges radially outwardly, the bulging sleeve, in use, frictionally gripping an interior surface of a conduit which defines the water return port of the swimming pool.

The coupler attachment formation at the body inlet end may include a screw thread defined on an outer surface of the elongated coupling body, and an annular displacement member screwthreadingly receivable over the elongated coupling body, the free sleeve end abutting a major face of the annular displacement member so that the resilient sleeve is compressed or sandwiched between the annular displacement member and the retaining means when the displacement member is screwthreadingly displaced towards the retaining means.

The coupler attachment formation at the coupling body outlet end may include any one of a screw thread, a bayonet receptacle and a quick disconnect receptacle for receiving a matched connector at one end of a utility hose.

It is to be appreciated that a variety of connecter arrangements for connection of the coupling body to the fire hose can be used, and that the coupling arrangement may be suitably selected to operate under a water pressure of the water which is delivered from the water circulation pumping system of the swimming pool.

The coupler arrangement may include a pressure release valve assembly which is in flow communication with the flow passage of the elongated coupling body, the pressure release valve assembly arranged to prevent undesirable pressure built-up inside the flow passage when water flow is restricted downstream of the coupling body outlet end.

The pressure release valve assembly may include a pressure relieve conduit having a flow passage in flow communication with the water flow passage of the elongated body, and a pressure displaceable closure member for closing off a pressure release opening of the pressure release conduit.

The pressure displaceable closure member may include biasing means for urging the pressure displaceable closure member to its closed position, the biasing means being selected to permit displacement of the pressure displaceable closure member in event of pressure built-up inside the water flow passage when water flow is restricted downstream of the coupling body outlet end.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an intake arrangement having an intake attachment formation for removable attachment to an intake end of a swimming pool suction hose or pipe, an opposed end of the suction hose or pipe being attachable to a water outlet port of the swimming pool water circulation system, the water outlet port being upstream of a suction or low pressure side of the swimming pool water circulation system.

The intake arrangement may include a non-planar cover defining a plurality of apertures for preventing the suction hose inlet opening from sucking onto a side of the pool, when in use. The apertures defined by the cover may be shaped and dimensioned to match the diameter of the suction hose.

The intake arrangement may include a screwthreaded portion for attachment to a threaded suction hose connecter provided at the intake end of the suction hose.

The intake attachment formation may be shaped and dimensioned to define a friction fit connection with a conventional swimming pool hose, such as an automatic pool cleaner hose.

The intake arrangement may include a weighting arrangement having a weight selected, in use, to suppress buoyancy of the intake arrangement thereby to maintain the intake arrangement, and thus the remote end of the suction hose or pipe, submersed in water inside the swimming pool.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit which kit includes an accessory as described and an intake arrangement as described.

The kit may include at least one water return flow blocking arrangement for blocking one or more additional water return ports of the water circulation pumping system.

The kit may include a fire hose having a connector for connection to the coupler body attachment formation at the coupling body outlet end.

The kit may include an alternative power source to power the pump in the event of a power failure. For example the kit may include an electrical generator for powering the water circulation pumping system.

The kit may include a suction hose or pipe having a connector for connection to the intake attachment formation of the intake arrangement.

The invention extends to a method of utilising water from a swimming pool, which method includes removaby attaching a utility hose to a water return port of a swimming pool, the water return port being downstream of a high pressure or delivery side of a swimming pool water circulation pumping system.

The method may include activating the swimming pool water circulation pumping system and delivering water from a swimming pool via the utility hose.

The method may include removably attaching a suction hose to a water outlet port of the swimming pool, which water outlet port is upstream of a suction or low pressure side of the water circulation system.

The method may include providing an intake end of the extension suction hose with a weighting arrangement to resist buoyancy of the intake end, in use to maintain the intake end submersed under the water.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the follow diagrammatic drawings.

DRAWINGS

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a three-dimensional view of a kit, in accordance with the invention, in use in a swimming pool;

Figure 2 is sectional side elevation view of a coupling arrangement forming part of the kit of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation view of an intake arrangement forming part of the kit in Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation view of an adapter forming part of the kit in Figure 1.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally refers to a kit in use in a swimming pool 12. The swimming pool 12 includes a water circulation pumping system

14 having a suction or low pressure side and a delivery or high pressure side. The suction side of the water circulation pumping system 14 includes a low pressure conduit

15 (shown in broken lines) which extends between the pumping system 14 and a swimming pool weir 26, which defines a swimming pool water outlet port. Similarly, a high pressure conduit 17 (shown in broken lines) extends between the water circulation pumping system 14 and a swimming pool 12, which defines a water return port 29 into a swimming pool.

The kit 10 includes a pool accessory for fighting a threatening fire in the proximity of the swimming pool 12. Referring to Figure 2, the accessory includes a coupling arrangement, generally indicated by reference numeral 16, having two coupler attachment formations 53 and 71. One coupler attachment formation 71 is for removable attachment to the water return port 29 of the swimming pool 12, the water return port 29 being downstream of the high pressure or delivery side of the water circulation pumping system 14 as described above. The other coupler attachment formation 53 is for removable attachment to one end of a fire hose 22. The normal flow of water is indicated by arrow 44.

The coupling arrangement 16, in this embodiment of the invention, includes an elongated coupling body 31 which includes a cylindrical pipe 32 defining through it a flow passage 72, the elongated coupling body 31 having a coupling body inlet opening at a coupling body inlet end 34, and a coupling body outlet opening at a coupling body outlet end 36. The inlet end 34 receives water flowing in the direction of arrow 40.

In the embodiment of the invention described, the one coupler attachment formation 71 is adapted for removable attachment of the coupling body inlet end 34 to a conventional ball-and-socket formation (not shown) which is mounted on a side wall of the swimming pool 12, the ball-and-socket formation defining the water return port 29 of the swimming pool 12. The other coupler attachment formation 51 is adapted for removable attachment of the coupling body outlet end 36 to the fire hose 22.

The one coupler attachment formation 71 includes a resilient sleeve 70 which fits loosely coaxially longitudinally over at least part of the cylindrical pipe 32. Retaining means in the form of a radially outwardly projecting shoulder 76 is provided at the coupler body inlet end 34 for securing one end 77 of the resilient sleeve 70 to the coupler body inlet end 34.

The opposite sleeve end 79 is free to slide longitudinally toward the one sleeve end 77. The sleeve 70 is shaped and sized so that when the free end 79 of the sleeve 70 is displaced slidingly in a direction of arrow 78 towards the one end 77 of the sleeve 70, then the sleeve wall bulges radially outwardly in the direction of arrows 73, to

grip an interior surface of the socket or the inside surface of the high pressure conduit 17 at the water return port 29.

The one coupler attachment formation 71 also includes a screw threaded portion 64 on its outer surface. An annular displacement member 68 is provided in the form of an annular collar having a screw treaded portion 66 matched to the screw threaded portion 64. The free sleeve end 79 abuts a major face of the collar 68 so that the resilient sleeve 70 is compressed or sandwiched between the collar 68 and the shoulder 76 when the collar 68 is screwthreadingly displaced towards the shoulder 76 in the direction of arrow 78.

The other coupler attachment formation 53 includes a hollow circular cylindrically nipple 50 which projects transversely from the cylindrical pipe 32, the nipple 50 having a screw threaded portion 51 to engage a matched screw treaded connecter provided at the one end of the fire hose 22. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that a variety of connecters can be used to connect the coupler arrangement 16 to the one end of the fire hose 22.

The coupler arrangement 16 includes also a pressure release valve assembly 74 which is in flow communication with the water flow passage 72 of the cylindrical pipe 32, for preventing undesirable pressure build-up inside the flow passage

72 when water flow is restricted downstream of the pressure release valve assembly 74.

One end 38 of the cylindrical pipe 32 is closed.

The pressure release valve assembly 74 includes a pressure relief conduit 48 in the form of a hollow circular cylindrical stub which projects radially outwardly from the cylindrical pipe 32 diametrically opposite the socket 50, the cylindrical stub 48 having a flow passage in flow communication with the water flow passage 72 of the cylindrical pipe 32. The pressure release valve assembly 74 includes a pressure displaceable closure member 52 for closing off a pressure release end opening of the pressure release conduit or stub 48. The pressure displaceable closure member 52 is connected by a hinge 54 to the stub 48. Biasing means 62 in the form of a helical coil spring 60 is provided for urging the pressure displaceable closure member 52 to its closed position. Opposite ends of the coil spring 60 is attached to the closure member 52 and a sidewall

of the stub 48 respectively by way of attachment means 58 and 56. The biasing means or coil spring 60 is selected to have a spring factor which permits displacement of the pressure displaceable closure member 52 and thus opening of the stub 48 for releasing of water when the pressure inside the flow passage 72 rises to an undesirable level, for example when the water flow is restricted downstream of the pressure release valve assembly 74.

Referring to Figure 3, the kit also includes an intake arrangement 18 having an intake attachment formation 86 for removable attachment to an intake end of a suction hose or pipe 20 of which the other end is attachable to the weir 26. The intake arrangement 18 includes a hollow body having a roughly semi-spherical portion 88 and a circular cylindrical termination socket 82 which projects coaxially in flow communication from the semi-spherical portion 88. The normal flow of water is indicated by reference numeral 92.

The intake arrangement comprises a plurality of apertures 90 defined in a side wall 89 of the semi-spherical portion 88. The number of apertures and their dimensions are matched to the diameter of the hose 20.

The intake arrangement 18 also includes a weighting arrangement 84 having a weight selected to maintain the intake arrangement 18 submersed in the water inside the swimming pool 12. The weighting arrangement is in the form of an annular weight or mass which fits coaxially over the stub 82.

In another embodiment of the invention, not shown in the drawings, the intake attachment arrangement or stub 82 includes a screw threaded portion defined near an end of the stub 82 for screwing onto a hose connecter provided at the suction hose end.

In Figure 4 there is shown an adapter 94 for connecting the intake attachment formation 86 to a conventional swimming pool hose normally used with an automatic swimming pool cleaner device. The adapter 94 has two tapered ends 96, 98 for connecting to the pool hose and the intake attachment formation 86.

The kit also includes the fire hose 22 having a connector for connecting to the accessory.

In addition, the kit includes at least one plug member (not shown) for blocking additional water return ports of the swimming pool, to increase water flow and pressure through the water return port 29.

In use, and in accordance with the methodology of the invention, if a user wants to combat a threatening fire near the swimming pool 12, the user connects the coupler arrangement 16 in flow communication with the water return port 29, by inserting the coupler inlet end 34 into the high pressure water return port. The user then rotates the collar 68 screwthreadingly to displace the collar 98 longitudinally towards the shoulder 76 so that the sidewall of the resilient sleeve 70 bulges radially outwardly to frictionally and sealingly grip the inside surface of the high pressure conduit near the water return port.

The user then attaches the one end of the fire hose 22 to the stub 50 by screwing the hose connecter onto the stub 50.

If the swimming pool 12 has other water return ports, then the user can block the other return ports by deploying the plugs as described above.

In the case of a swimming pool having a weir and skimmer, as opposed to a bottom drain, the user attaches a conventional swimming pool hose, which will serve as the suction hose 20, to the water outlet port located inside the weir 26 or skimmer unit. A pool hose (not shown) may be provided as an optional extra for users that do not use an automatic pool cleaner. The intake arrangement is then attached to the one end of the adapter 94 and the other end of the adapter 94 is inserted into the stub 82 spigot- socket-fashion.

The user then submerses the intake arrangement 18 in the deep end of the swimming pool 12. At this stage, the user sets the water circulation pumping system 14 on a bypass mode or free circulation mode and starts the circulation pumping system to pump water into the fire hose 22 to combat a fire in proximity of the swimming pool 12.

Closing of a hose valve 25 near a fire hose nozzle 24 results in a pressure build-up of water in the coupler arrangement 16 under pressure from the by the water circulation pumping system 14, in which case, the pressure displaceable closure member 52 is displaced when the pressure against it exceeds a threshold of the biasing means or coil spring 60, so that water is released out of the pressure conduit 48 as indicated by arrow 42.

Advantageously, the kit, in accordance with the invention, provides a convenient way of using the water inside the swimming pool as a reservoir for fighting a fire proximate a swimming pool. The invention can be used for other applications such as draining the pool, using the water in case of water shortage, or the like. Further, the kit, in particular the coupling arrangement 16 and the intake arrangement 18 is removabley attachable, advantageously, portable so that it is easily man handled and movable from one swimming pool to another swimming pool.

The inventor believes that the invention as described provides a new accessory, a new kit and a new method of fighting a fire, and a method of using the water of the pool for other applications.