Abstract: Pop-up cleaning heads of the type used in intermittently operated water delivery systems for cleaning pools and the like are provided with a decorative cover, removably attached to the upper surface of the pop-up cleaning head and extending beyond the edge of the cleaning head to overlie the top of the sleeve in which the cleaning head reciprocates. The decorative cover bears indicia and coloring on its upper surface selected to match the appearance of the pool floor surrounding the water delivery system.

Abstract: A recirculating pump system is connected to either skimmers, or a catch basin for a vanishing edge of a swimming pool, to supply water to the suction inlet of the pump system. A water distribution valve operated by an electric control system distributes water from the outlet side of the recirculating pump system to pool cleaning heads normally in accordance with a preprogrammed timed sequence. As part of each programmed cycle of operation of the water distribution valve, water is supplied to one or more pool return jets located on a side opposite the skimmer or catch basin. The return jets create moving surface currents on the water to sweep debris floating on or near the water surface to the skimmer or catch basin. An electric wind speed detector located in the vicinity of the pool and coupled to the electric control system causes the control system to override the programmed sequence in response to wind exceeding a pre-established threshold to operate the pump system to supply water to the pool return jets.

Abstract: A recirculating pump system is connected to either skimmers, or a catch basin for a vanishing edge of a swimming pool, to supply water to the suction inlet of the pump system. A water distribution valve operated by an electric control system distributes water from the outlet side of the recirculating pump system to pool cleaning heads normally in accordance with a preprogrammed timed sequence. As part of each programmed cycle of operation of the water distribution valve, water is supplied to one or more pool return jets located on a side opposite the skimmer or catch basin. The return jets create moving surface currents on the water to sweep debris floating on or near the water surface to the skimmer or catch basin. An electric wind speed detector located in the vicinity of the pool and coupled to the electric control system causes the control system to override the programmed sequence in response to wind exceeding a pre-established threshold to operate the pump system to supply water to the pool return jets.

Abstract: A water distribution valve, ideally suited for distributing water from a recirculating pump of a swimming pool to selective outlet lines, is designed with a main housing in the form of an outer cylindrical section. This main housing has outlet ports located through the peripheral surface thereof at equal angular spaced intervals. These outlet openings are located in a plane which is perpendicular to the central axis of the main housing. A fluid distribution member, in the form of a T-shaped body, is rotatably mounted inside the main housing member. The base or stem of the T is connected with a water inlet; and one arm of the T has a fluid delivery opening in it for delivering water from the inlet through the opening.

Abstract: A perimeter monitoring system is arranged to detect passage across a perimeter of an area. The system primarily includes an emitter, a retroreflector, a detector and an alarm. The emitter provides a modulated visible laser beam. The retroreflector is arranged to direct the beam along a segment of the perimeter and return the beam along the segment. The detector includes a device that blocks reception of light outside an angle of less than 5 degrees. One or more local or remote alarms are activated in response to the signal. For example, a remote alarm is located on the inside of a residence window where it is activated by another visible laser beam. Alignment of the peripheral monitoring system is less costly and false alarms are less likely than with known systems.

Abstract: A fitting, in the form of a mounting collar for installation of a water input nozzle, such as a cleaning head in the floor and walls of a swimming pool, is designed to permit the fitting to be rocked from side to side a limited amount relative to the central axis of a water supply pipe in which the fitting is inserted during initial installation. This is done to allow for installation discrepancies where the water supply pipe is not perpendicular to the surface of the pool where the pipe opens into the pool. By allowing this amount of movement in the installation of the mounting collar, the orientation of a pop-up cleaning head, for example, with respect to the pool floor or wall, is ensured to be perpendicular; so that optimum cleaning of the pool surface during subsequent use of the system occurs.

Abstract: A swimming pool aerator is designed with a base member secured to the end of a water return pipe above the water surface in the side of a pool or water feature basin. The base member carries a retractable spray nozzle, which normally is biased to retract into the wall of the pool through the base member. When water is applied to the supply line under pressure, an aerator nozzle is moved from a rest position to an extended position against the action of a biasing spring to spray water into the pool. When the pressure or supply is turned off, the aerator nozzle is retracted back into the base portion by the biasing spring to a position safely out of the way of swimmers or users of the pool.

Abstract: An improved filtration system for swimming pools and the like is disclosed, in which none of the water passing through the filter passes through the recirculating pump for the swimming pool. This is accomplished by connecting the water inlet of the filter directly with the floor drain and surface skimmer. The outlet from the filter is interconnected with an entrainment nozzle supplied with water under pressure from the recirculating pump for the pool. The pump withdraws water directly from the pool, and supplies that water under pressure to the entrainment nozzle, which then draws water through the filter from the outlet to mix such filtered water with the water supplied by the pump to the entrainment nozzle for return to a return outlet in the pool. As a consequence, water flowing through the filter is drawn through it by means of suction, rather than by supplying the water under pressure.

Abstract: An improved leaf removal system is disclosed for removing leaves and the like through the floor drain of a swimming pool. conventional recirculation system for the pool. This is accomplished by providing a leaf removal chamber adjacent the pool, with a water outlet from the bottom of the chamber to the pool. The floor drain is interconnected by means of a pipe to a water inlet near the upper end of the chamber, and this inlet is located beneath the water level of the pool. A strainer basket is removably placed between the water inlet and the water outlet in the chamber. Return water for the pool is supplied to an entrainment nozzle connected to the water outlet in the chamber to cause a venturi effect to draw water, along with leaves and other debris, from the floor drain into the water inlet of the chamber, from which such water is returned to the pool, along with return water supplied to the entrainment nozzle.

Abstract: A fitting assembly for use in swimming pools, spas, and the like with vinyl liners, comprises a fitting member which is mounted in an opening in the wall of the pool, either flush with the pool wall or with a flange extending over the interior of the pool wall near the opening. The fitting member has a recess in it about its periphery. The vinyl liner then is placed over the fitting member; and a clamp member, which has a predetermined thickness not greater than the depth of the recess, is secured in the recess of the fitting member over the vinyl liner to clamp the vinyl liner between the clamp and the recess of the fitting member. This provides a flush mount or nearly flush mount of the fitting member with the vinyl liner of the pool.

Abstract: An anti-vortex, flush-mounted floor drain for swimming pools consists of a main housing, which is in the form of a hollow cylinder of a first predetermined diameter A drain opening is located in the top of the hollow cylinder; and the edges of the top of the cylinder are mounted flush with the floor of the swimming pool. A downwardly sloped lip extends from the top edge of the main housing and terminates in a circular opening in the top of the main housing. A solid circular cover is centrally mounted in this opening in the main housing, and is movable toward and away from the opening in the main housing to vary the size of the water inlet from the pool between the edge of the circular cover and the edge of the opening in the main housing. A drain pipe is connected to the main housing for withdrawing water from the housing. The large circular cover at the center of the drain prevents a vortex from occuring as a result of the suction of water passing outwardly through the drain pipe in the drain housing.

Abstract: A retaining ring of an eyeball return fitting of the type used in swimming pools and spas is provided with a releasable or breakaway cover cap. The cap closes the end of the return fitting during construction. This permits the finish work for the cement and plaster stages of the pool construction to be effected without the danger of cement or plaster getting into the fitting during construction. After construction has been completed, the cap is released and drops away, carrying with it any cement or plaster which may have hardened on it during construction.

Abstract: A retaining ring of an eyeball return fitting of the type used in swimming pools and spas is provided with a releaseable or breakaway cover cap. The cap closes the end of the return fitting during construction. This permits the finish work for the cement and plaster stages of the pool construction to be effected without the danger of cement or plaster getting into the fitting during construction. After construction has been completed, the cap is released and drops away, carrying with it any cement or plaster which may have hardened on it during construction.

Abstract: A skimmer is provided for a swimming pool and is constructed in a manner similar to conventional skimmers for a pool so far as the water inlet and filter basket is concerned. Instead of pulling water through the filter basket to the recirculating pump for the pool, however, a water outlet is provided from the bottom of the basket holding cavity of the skimmer; and return water for supply back to the pool is provided by the recirculating pump to an entrainment nozzle device located at the bottom of the filter cavity to pull additional water through the filter cavity to mix with the return water, all of which is supplied to the water outlet located beneath the pool water surface level. Consequently, even if the filter basket should be completely clogged, the water flow through the recirculating system for the pool is not impeded, since the filter basket is not in the primary recirculating path of the pool system.

Abstract: A replaceable rotatable therapy head is disclosed wherein the operating mechanism including an impeller and a gear train between the impeller and a ring gear on the housing is supported by a ring which is integral with the emitting nozzle and the supporting ring is held to the body of the structure by means of the flange ring also bonded to the body of the therapy head. The gear train is at the downstream end of the housing and the impeller blades are at the upstream end of the housing spaced from the gear train. A water diversion means is disposed between the gear train and the impeller blades. A friction reducing ring or the like is disposed between the support ring and the housing. The system utilizing the heads, which may be at a selected acute angle, includes aerators in the supply lines for mixing the water with air.

Abstract: A rotary indexing nozzle head is provided wherein a dome like structure includes a rotating nozzle part supported by bearings interiorly thereof. The exit portion of the nozzle member includes a flexible bellows like structure which expands under the influence of water pressure and causes a lip thereon to engage an appropriately spaced wall for holding the nozzle in a specific location until the water pressure is relieved whereupon the bellows structure contracts and removes the engaging lip from the adjacent wall. A nozzle is caused to index by the jet of water impinging upon the curved surface of the lip 34 thereby causing the nozzle member to move sidewise, that is to say rotationally, until the lip is moved out far enough by the water pressure to cause the lip to engage the adjacent wall of the dome. The walls of the dome are spaced around its periphery so as in effect to provide openings for the jet of water to come through.