Collecting device for a swimming pool

Apparatus for collecting debris floating upon the surface of a body of water in a swimming pool with a water inlet located in an upper portion of a wall thereof which causes water entering said swimming pool through said inlet to cause the water at that surface to flow continuously through a predetermined path that is substantially parallel to a section of one wall of said swimming pool, the flowing water thereby carrying said debris along said predetermined path and hence adjacent to said pool wall section, said apparatus comprising float means for supporting a readily removable net, said float means comprising spaced-apart longitudinal floats with the ends of said floats connected by first and second elongated members constructed and arranged to define an open rectangular area defined by said elongated members and said floats, said float means having spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces thereon, means for flexibly connecting one of said elongated floats with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pool wall section and hence substantially parallel to said predetermined path, while holding said float means substantially stationary relative to said pool wall section and substantially stationary relative to said flowing water, rigid frame means removably supported by said spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces on said float means, said frame means being constructed and arranged to be approximately the same rectangular shape as said open rectangular area, a flexible net supported by said frame means, said net having a downwardly-extending shape defined by a bottom wall, opposed side walls, and a rear wall, an edge of said bottom wall supported by the leading edge of said frame means, said bottom wall depending downwardly from and extending below the level of said leading edge of said frame means, an upper edge of said rear wall supported by the trailing edge of said frame means, said net having a capacity greater than the horizontal projection of said frame means multiplied by the distance between said water surface and the lower surface of said leading edge of said frame means, said float means and said frame means being free of interacting fasteners whereby said frame means and said net can easily be lifted upwardly from said float means while said float means continues to float on said water, and said longitudinal floats and said elongated members leaving the front and the top of said open rectangular area substantially unobstructed at all times to permit unobstructed entry of said floating debris into, and to permit the unobstructed substantially-vertical separating movement of said frame means and said net from, said float means, said spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces being inclined to said water surface, said spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces coacting with said water surface to subtend angles that are small acute angles and that are smaller than the angle of rest, said frame means resting upon said spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces, whereby said spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces hold said frame means inclined to said water surface to said leading edge of said frame means is below said water surface but a rearwardly-displaced portion of said frame means is above said water surface.

Apparatus for collecting debris floating upon the surface of a body of water in a swimming pool with a water inlet located in an upper portion of a wall thereof which causes water entering said swimming pool through said inlet to cause the water at that surface to flow continuously through a predetermined path that is substantially parallel to a section of one wall of said swimming pool, the flowing water thereby carrying said debris along said predetermined path and hence adjacent to said pool wall section, said apparatus comprising float means for supporting a readily removable net, said float means comprising spaced-apart longitudinal floats with the ends of said floats connected by first and second elongated members constructed and arranged to define an open rectangular area defined by said elongated members and said floats, said float means having spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces thereon, means for flexibly connecting one of said elongated floats with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pool wall section and hence substantially parallel to said predetermined path, while holding said float means substantially stationary relative to said pool wall section and substantially stationary relative to said flowing water, rigid frame means removably supported by said spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces on said float means, said frame means being constructed and arranged to be approximately the same rectangular shape as said open rectangular area, a flexible net supported by said frame means, said net having a downwardly-extending shape defined by a bottom wall, opposed side walls, and a rear wall, an edge of said bottom wall supported by the leading edge of said frame means, said bottom wall depending downwardly from and extending below the level of said leading edge of said frame means, an upper edge of said rear wall supported by the trailing edge of said frame means, said net having a capacity greater than the horizontal projection of said frame means multiplied by the distance between said water surface and the lower surface of said leading edge of said frame means, said float means and said frame means being free of interacting fasteners whereby said frame means and said net can easily be lifted upwardly from said float means while said float means continues to float on said water, and said longitudinal floats and said elongated members leaving the front and the top of said open rectangular area substantially unobstructed at all times to permit unonbstructed entry of said floating debris into, and to permit the unobstructed substantially-vertical separating movement of said frame means and said net from, said float means, and an elongated floating barrier which is secured to said float means at a point which is displaced outwardly of said one elongated float and hence is displaced outwardly of said pool wall section, said elongated floating barrier extending forwardly of said float means to guide said debris toward said front of said open rectangular area and to coact with said pool wall section to define a harbor for holding additional debris.

Apparatus for collecting debris floating upon the surface of a body of water in swimming pool with a water inlet located in an upper portion of a wall thereof which causes water entering said swimming pool through said inlet to cause the water at that surface to flow continuously through a predetermined path that is substantially parallel to a section of one wall of said swimming pool, the flowing water thereby carrying said debris along said predetermined path and hence adjacent to said pool wall section, said apparatus comprising float means for supporting a readily removable net, said float means comprising spaced-apart longitudinal floats with the ends of said floats connected by first and second elongated members constructed and arranged to define an open rectangular area defined by said elongated members and said floats, said float means having spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces thereon, means for flexibly connecting one of said elongated floats with its longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pool wall section and hence substantially parallel to said predetermined path, while holding said float means substantially stationary relative to said pool wall section and substantially stationary relative to said flowing water, rigid frame means removably supported by said spaced-apart frame-supporting surfaces on said float means, said frame means being constructed and arranged to be approximately the same rectangular shape as said open rectangular area, a flexible net supported by said frame means, said net having a downwardly-extending shape defined by a bottom wall, opposed side walls, and a rear wall, an edge of said bottom wall supported by the leading edge of said frame means, said bottom wall depending downwardly from and extending below the level of said leading edge of said frame means, an upper edge of said rear wall supported by the trailing edge of said frame means, said net having a capacity greater than the horizontal projection of said frame means multiplied by the distance between said water surface and the lower surface of said leading edge of said frame means, said float means and said frame means being free of interacting fasteners whereby said frame means and said net can easily be lifted upwardly from said float means while said float means continues to float on said water, and said longitudinal floats and said elongated members leaving the front and the top of said open rectangular area substantially unobstructed at all times to permit unobstructed entry of said floating debris into, and to permit the unobstructed substantially-vertical separating movement of said frame means and said net from, said float means, and an elongated floating barrier which is secured to said float means at a point which is displaced outwardly of said one elongated float and hence is displaced outwardly of said pool wall section, said elongated floating barrier extending forwardly of said float means to guide said debris toward said front of said open rectangular area, and said floating barrier having openings therein to permit water to pass therethrough, whereby water will tend to carry debris into the space between said floating barrier and said pool wall section rather than to be diverted around and past said space.