The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning pools of liquid of floating debris, and in particular, to an apparatus for skimming the top surface of pools of, e.g., water, and the volume immediately below of floating debris. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a novel bracket for mounting a pool skimming or strainer net alongside an edge of a pool in order to clear the pool of floating debris as the water circulates in the pool.
Applicant is aware of several patents directed to pool skimming apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,364 to LaChance discloses a skimming device for swimming pools comprising a pole having a V-shaped screen disposed over the pole adjacent the surface of the pool for collecting floating debris.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,327 to Heinlein discloses a swimming pool surface debris skimmer which comprises a skimmer bar projecting obliquely toward the direction from which normal circulation of water in the pool takes place such that it directs debris toward a pool skimmer pocket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,634 to Harry discloses a swimming pool skimmer shield for shielding the skimmer mouth in the wall of a swimming pool to prevent the introduction of floating debris from the water surface through the skimmer mouth into the existing water filtration system of the swimming pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,695 to Mikhel discloses a guiding unit for swimming pool cleaners comprising a guide bar disposed along the surface of the water held against lateral deviation by tie bars whose end portions are removably connected to the guide bar and the pool wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,920 to Miller, Jr. discloses a recoil web pool skimmer which retractably recoils when not in use.
The above patents show various types of skimming devices for cleaning pools of water of floating debris. None of these devices, however, disclose or suggest a pool skimming device which utilizes a convenient bracket easily adaptable to various types of swimming pools and employing a conventional pool skimming net of the type normally releasably employed at the end of a long pole for manually skimming a pool, which is attachable to the bracket so that when a conventional skimming net is not being used at the end of a skimming pole for manual cleaning, it can be removed from the pole and employed usefully by affixing it to the bracket to perform a skimming function unattended and passively as the water circulates in the pool.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds