System for raising and lowering a liner of a fluid bearing receptacle

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6195812
  • Patent Number
    6,195,812
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, June 30, 1999
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 6, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Douglas; Steven O.
    • Huynh; Khoa D
    Agents
    • James Ray & Associates
Abstract
A system (10) for raising and lowering a swimming pool liner (12) includes a plate (22) used to define a spill way (24) for providing fluid communication between an outside surface of the liner and an inside surface (16) of the pool (14). The liner is detached from the surface of the pool in the region behind the plate and reattached along an upper edge (28) of the plate. Conduit (30), having length (30′), extends along back face (32) of plate (22) and below the upper edge (28). Holes (34) cut in the plate provide communication with length (30′). Conduit (36) extends across the back face (32) near its lower edge (38) to provide air to the spill way (24). The length (36′) of conduit (36) is provided with a number of holes (40) for admitting air into the spill way. In order to lift the liner, air is directed through conduit (30) to the outside surface (26) of the liner. The air lifts the liner up and away from the inside surface (16) displacing water held within the pool to flow over upper edge (28) into the spill way so that the water now lies beneath the outside surface.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a system for raising and lowering a liner of a fluid bearing receptacle such as, but not limited to, a swimming pool, aquaculture tank or chemical storage tank. The present invention further relates to a liftable liner system for a fluid bearing receptacle.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




There are many situations where it would be beneficial to access the bottom of a fluid bearing receptacle, for example for cleaning purposes or for recovery of items. In a more specific example in the case of swimming pool, it is often desirable to access the bottom of the swimming pool for the removal of debris. Presently, debris can be removed by way of automatic pool cleaners such as the KREEPY KRAULY pool cleaner or by a manual vacuum system attached with the pool filtering system. However, such methods are particularly slow. In another application, for example in commercial marine animal breeding tanks, it is at times desirable to access the lower portions of the tank in order to remove the marine animals for sale or consumption as well as to clean the bottom of the tank.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention was developed with a view to providing a system for allowing access to the contents of the receptacle without needing to empty the receptacle.




According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for raising and lowering a liner of a fluid bearing receptacle, said liner attached along its peripheral edge to said receptacle, said system including:




a first baffle means adapted for connection to said receptacle in a manner so as to form a spillway which provides fluid communication between an outside surface of said liner and an inside surface of said receptacle, said liner being detached from said receptacle in the region of said baffle means and reattached along its peripheral edge to an upper edge of said baffle means;




first means for supplying a gas to the outside surface of said liner; and,




second means for supplying a gas to said spillway;




whereby, in use, when a fluid is held within said receptacle on the inside surface of said liner so as to hold said liner in a lining position with its outside surface in contact with the inside surface of said receptacle and said first baffle means, a gas can be passed through said first means to progressively lift said liner up and away from the inside surface of said receptacle thereby displacing fluid held on the inside surface of said liner to flow over the upper edge of said baffle means down said spillway and between the outside surface of said liner and the inside surface of said receptacle until substantially all of said fluid is so displaced, raising said liner to a covering position in which it covers said fluid, and a gas can be passed through said second means to lift said fluid up said spillway and over said upper edge of said baffle means onto the inside surface of said liner progressively lowering said liner back to said lining position.




Preferably said first means is in the form of a conduit or manifold having a length which extends along or near the upper edge of said baffle means.




Preferably said second means comprises a conduit or manifold having a length extending along or near a lower edge of said baffle means.




Preferably said first conduit or manifold is formed on a side of said baffle means adjacent the inside surface of said receptacle and said baffle means is provided with one or more openings to provide fluid communication between said conduit or manifold and said outside surface of said liner.




Preferably said baffle means is in the form of a plate shaped or otherwise configured to be spaced from a side wall of said receptacle.




In an alternate embodiment, said baffle means is in the form of one or more plates which extend across and down respective corners of said receptacle.




Preferably said system further includes third means for allowing evacuation of gas entrapped between the outside surface of said liner and said fluid when said liner is in said raised position so that said liner, when in the covering position, can sit on said fluid.




Preferably said system further includes filter means for filtering fluid as it flows through said spillway.




According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a liftable liner system for a fluid bearing receptacle including:




a flexible liner shaped to conform to an inside surface of said receptacle;




first baffle means adapted for connection to said receptacle in a manner so as to form a spillway which provides fluid communication between an outside surface of said liner and an inside surface of said receptacle, said liner being attached along its peripheral edge to said receptacle and an upper edge of said first baffle means;




first means for supplying a gas to the outside surface of said first baffle means; and,




second means for supplying a gas to said spillway;




whereby, in use, when a fluid is held within said receptacle on the inside surface of said liner so as to hold said liner in a lining position with its outside surface in contact with the inside surface of said receptacle and said first baffle means, a gas can be passed through said first means to progressively lift said liner up and away from the inside surface of said receptacle thereby displacing fluid held on the inside surface of said liner to flow over the upper edge of said baffle means down said spillway and between the outside surface of said liner and the inside surface of said receptacle until substantially all of said fluid is so displaced, raising said liner to a covering position in which it covers said fluid, and a gas can be passed through said second means to lift said fluid up said spillway and over said upper edge of said baffle means onto the inside surface of said liner progressively lowering said liner back to said lining position.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:





FIG. 1

is a cross-sectional view of a swimming pool incorporating a first embodiment of the present system for raising and lowering a liner;





FIG. 2

is a isometric view from the front of a baffle incorporated in the system shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a view from the top of the swimming pool shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

is a back view of the baffle shown in

FIG. 2

incorporating a second embodiment of the system;





FIGS. 5

to


7


show schematically the progressive raising of the liner shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 8

shows the liner of

FIGS. 1 and 5

to


7


in a covering position sitting on the water in the swimming pool; and,





FIG. 9

is a top view of the liner in the swimming pool shown in FIG.


5


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




A first embodiment of a system


10


for raising and lowering a liner


12


(shown in broken line) of a swimming pool


14


is illustrated in

FIGS. 1-4

. The liner


12


may be already provided with the swimming pool


14


or may be retrofitted later as part of the system


10


. The liner


12


is attached about its peripheral edge to the inside surface


16


of the swimming pool typically at a level above the normal water line


18


. The attachment of the liner


12


to the inside surface


16


is typically by way of a rib locking strip


20


which does not form part of the present invention.




The system


10


for raising and lowering the liner


12


includes a first baffle means in the form of plate


22


which defines a spillway


24


for providing fluid communication between an outside surface


26


of the liner and the inside surface


16


of the pool


14


. The liner


12


is detached from the inside surface


16


of the pool in the region behind the plate


22


and reattached along upper edge


28


of the plate


22


by use of a conventional locking strip


20


. This detaching and reattaching of the liner


12


and formation of the spillway


24


is most clearly seen in FIG.


3


. The liner


12


is attached to the pool


14


and plate


22


in a continuous air tight manner. In this embodiment, this is achieved by extending the sides


29


of the plate


22


backwardly so that they abut and can be sealed against the inside surface


16


of the pool


14


and extending the locking strip


20


along the sides


29


.




A first means, in the form of a conduit


30


, is provided for supplying a gas, such as air, to the outside surface


26


, and more particularly for supplying air between surfaces


26


and


16


. The conduit


30


has a length


30


′ which extends along backface


32


of plate


22


just below the upper edge


28


. Rectangular holes or slots


34


are cut in the plate


22


to communicate with the length


30


′. Thus, the conduit


30


/


30


′ is able to provide air to the outside surface


26


of the liner.




A second means in the form of conduit


36


having a length


36


′ which extends across the back face


32


of plate


22


near its lower edge


38


is provided for supplying a gas, such as air, to the spillway


24


. The length


36


′ is provided with a number of holes


40


for admitting air into the spillway


24


.




A conduit


42


is provided to allow fluid communication between a front face


44


of the plate


22


and the outside surface


26


of the liner above the normal water line


18


; and, the atmosphere. The conduit


42


has a length


42


′ which extends across the backface


32


of plate


22


above the length


30


′. The length


42


′ is in communication with holes


46


formed along the plate


22


. It is envisaged that the conduit


42


can also be connected with a vacuum source such as a venturi device.




A number of spacers


48


extend between the backface


32


of the plate


22


and the inside surface


16


of the swimming pool. The spacers


48


provide the necessary spacing between the plate


22


and pool


14


to form the spillway


24


. The spacers can also provide a means for connecting the plate


22


to the inside of the pool


14


.




A debris trap/filter


49


is located between back face


23


of plate


22


and the inside surface


16


adjacent the length


36


′. The trap/filter


49


is in the form of a length of mesh which extends for the width of the plate


22


.




The operation of the system


10


will now be described.




Assume, that the swimming pool


14


is empty and has its own liner


12


with the shell of the pool


14


being substantially impervious to water and the system


10


has not yet been installed. To install the system


10


, a length of the liner


12


approximately equal to the length of the plate


22


is detached from the rib locks strip


20


on the inside surface


16


of the swimming pool


14


. Plate


22


is then lowered between the outside surface


26


of the liner


14


and the inside surface


16


of the pool


14


. The plate


22


is then fixed in place by any conventional means. Conduits


30


and


36


is coupled to a fan through a valving system (not shown) for selectively supplying air to respective lengths


30


′ and


36


′. Similarly, the conduit


42


, (if provided) can be coupled with a vacuum device. The portion of the liner


12


detached from the swimming pool


14


is now re-attached along the upper edge


28


of the plate


22


and the pool filled with water in a conventional manner to level


18


.




When the swimming pool is in normal use, water sits on the inside surface of the liner


12


holding it into close conformity with the shape of the inside surface


16


. When it is desired to clean the swimming pool


14


for the purposes of removing debris from the bottom of the pool or for cleaning the liner itself, air is directed through conduit


30


/


30


′ to the outside surface


26


of the liner


12


. The air takes the path of least resistance which is along the rib lock strip


20


. The air progressively lifts the liner up and away from the inside surface


16


forming initially a bulge


50


(refer to

FIGS. 5

,


6


and


9


) around the peripheral edge of the liner


12


immediately below the rib locking strip


20


. The lifting of the liner up and away from the surface


16


displaces the water held within the pool


14


so as to flow over the upper edge


28


into the spillway


24


. This water now lies beneath the outside surface


26


of liner


12


.




As air is continually passed through conduit


30


/


30


′, the size of the bulge


50


increases displacing further water to flow through the spillway


24


. Progressively, the liner


12


is raised as more and more water flows through the spillway (refer FIG.


6


). Eventually, substantially all of the water previously held on the inside of the liner


12


is now held between the inside surface


16


of the pool and the outside surface


26


of the liner as shown in FIG.


7


. Indeed, the liner


12


balloons above the level


18


of the water. At this time, the supply of air to conduits


30


/


30


′ can be stopped.




If desired, the liner


12


can be maintained in this position for a period of time to allow drying and/or radiation with ultraviolet light (from the sun), or for scrubbing and cleaning. However, it may be preferable for the liner


12


to be returned to a position so as to sit on top of the water as shown in FIG.


8


. This can be achieved by opening conduit


42


to the atmosphere so that air entrapped between the water line


18


and outside surface


26


can bleed to the atmosphere. Alternately, to speed up the evacuation of this air, the conduit


42


can be attached to a vacuum device. It will be appreciated that when the liner


12


sits on top of and covers the water, not only can the liner


12


be cleaned but it also prevents additional debris from entering the water. Further benefits include reducing evaporation and acting as a safety barrier. It is envisaged that the liner


12


can be raised to the covering position shown in

FIG. 8

when the swimming pool


14


is not in use.




The debris trap/filter


49


prevents foreign matter which may initially be on the inside surface of the liner


12


from passing to the outside surface


26


.




To return the liner


12


to its lining position in which it sits in close conformity to the inside surface


16


of the pool and against the front face


44


of a plate


22


air is now passed through conduit


36


/


36


′ into the spillway


24


. As the air rises, it carries water up the spillway and over the upper edge


28


of the plate


22


onto the inside surface of the liner


12


. This motion of the water can be enhanced by the provision of an air directing plate


52


across the top of the spillway


24


extending in a horizontal plane and toward the plate


22


to a point adjacent or passed the upper edge


28


. The weight of the water on the inside of the liner


12


assists in lowering or sinking the liner


12


back to its lining position.




Now that an embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts that numerous modifications and variations may be made without departing from the basic inventive concepts. For example, while the specific embodiments have been described in relation to a swimming pool, a system


10


can be applied to any type of fluid bearing receptacle such as chemical storage tanks and drums; ponds or tanks used for breeding marine animals; and water storage tanks. Also, in the embodiment described, the liner


12


was provided as part of the swimming pool


14


. However, the liner can be fitted after the manufacture of the receptacle with, and as part of, the system


10


. For example in the case of a fibreglass swimming pool which is not manufactured with a liner, the liner


12


can be added with the system


10


.




Obviously, the system


10


can be applied to a receptacle of any shape. Further, the plate


22


can be of any desired shape and configuration provided that it can define or form a spillway


24


within the receptacle in which it is installed. For example, in the present embodiment the plate


22


can be made to extend across the full width of the pool


14


. In that event, the sides


29


need not be extended backwardly. Rather the sides can be simply sealed to the inside surface


16


of the pool


14


. (The sealing is only required to a depth below the rib locking strip


20


and need not extend the full depth of the plate


22


). If the system


10


were installed in a cylindrical or round receptacle or tank, the plate


22


can be either planar as shown or can be of arcuate section. Also more than one plate


22


can be incorporated into the system


10


. Further, the plates can take the form of elongate strips which extend across and down respective corners of a polygon-shaped receptacle tank.




The plumbing arrangement for the conduits


30


/


30


′;


36


/


36


′; and


42


/


42


′ can also be rearranged in any suitable form and configuration. Indeed, in one option, the conduit


42


/


42


′ can be dispensed with and the evacuation function performed by these conduits can be transferred to the conduit


30


/


30


′ provided that the openings


34


remain above the level of the fluid within the receptacle. This modification will require valving so as to selectively pass air to the outside surface


26


of the liner for raising the liner and to evacuate air trapped between the outside surface


26


and the water line


18


.




In yet a further variation, the conduits


30


/


30


′,


36


/


36


′, and


42


/


42


′ can be provided as separate integers not physically connected with the plate


22


. In particular, the conduit


42


/


42


′ can be provided at any location along the inside surface


16


of pool


14


at a level above the water line


18


and positioned so that it can evacuate air which may be trapped between the outside surface


26


and water line


18


when the liner


12


is raised. In this way, the upper edge


28


of the plate


22


can be submerged to below the water line


18


. By the providing a conventional skimmer box of pool filtration system within the spillway


24


, the provision of the system


10


would not interfere with the normal filtering cycle. Although, one further modification is required in this event. That being to raise the level of the filtered water returns to a point above the rib locking strip


20


.




In yet a further variation a second baffle can be incorporated into the system


10


to assist in the emptying of the receptacle. The second baffle lies between the outside surface


26


of the liner


12


and the front face


48


of the plate


22


and extends parallel to but spaced from plate


22


. The upper edge of the second baffle is preferably below the level of the rib locking strip


20


on the plate


22


. The liner is simply draped over the second baffle and conduits


30


/


30


′ are configured and/or disposed to feed gas into the space between the plate


22


and second baffle. All other features of the system


10


remain substantially unchanged.




All such and further modifications and variations as would be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.



Claims
  • 1. A system for raising and lowering a liner of a fluid bearing receptacle, said liner attached along its peripheral edge to said receptacle, said system including:a first baffle means adapted for connection to said receptacle in a manner so as to form a spillway which provides fluid communication between an outside surface of said liner and an inside surface of said receptacle, said liner being detached from said receptacle in the region of said baffle means and reattached along its peripheral edge to an upper edge of said baffle means; first means for supplying a gas to the outside surface of said liner; and, second means for supplying a gas to said spillway; whereby, in use, when a fluid is held within said receptacle on the inside surface of said liner so as to hold said liner in a lining position with its outside surface in contact with the inside surface of said receptacle and said first baffle means, a gas can be passed through said first means to progressively lift said liner up and away from the inside surface of said receptacle thereby displacing fluid held on the inside surface of said liner to flow over the upper edge of said baffle means down said spillway and between the outside surface of said liner and the inside surface of said receptacle until substantially all of said fluid is so displaced, raising said liner to a covering position in which it covers said fluid, and a gas can be passed through said second means to lift said fluid up said spillway and over said upper edge of said baffle means onto the inside surface of said liner progressively lowering said liner back to said lining position.
  • 2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said first means is in the form of a conduit or manifold having a length which extends along or near the upper edge of said baffle means.
  • 3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said second means comprises a conduit or manifold having a length extending along or near a lower edge of said baffle means.
  • 4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said first conduit or manifold is formed on a side of said baffle means adjacent the inside surface of said receptacle and said baffle means is provided with one or more openings to provide fluid communication between said conduit or manifold and said outside surface of said liner.
  • 5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said baffle means is in the form of a plate shaped or otherwise configured to be spaced from a side wall of said receptacle.
  • 6. A system according to claim 5 further including said system further includes third means for allowing evacuation of gas entrapped between the outside surface of said liner and said fluid when said liner is in said raised position so that said liner, when in the covering position, can sit on said fluid.
  • 7. A system according to claim 5 further including filter means for filtering fluid as it flows through said spillway.
  • 8. A system according to claim 4 wherein said baffle means is in the form of one or more plates which extend across and down respective corners of said receptacle.
  • 9. A liftable liner system for a fluid bearing receptacle including:a flexible liner shaped to conform to an inside surface of said receptacle; first baffle means adapted for connection to said receptacle in a manner so as to form a spillway which provides fluid communication between an outside surface of said liner and an inside surface of said receptacle, said liner being attached along its peripheral edge to said receptacle and an upper edge of said first baffle means; first means for supplying a gas to the outside surface of said first baffle means; and, second means for supplying a gas to said spillway; whereby, in use, when a fluid is held within said receptacle on the inside surface of said liner so as to hold said liner in a lining position with its outside surface in contact with the inside surface of said receptacle and said first baffle means, a gas can be passed through said first means to progressively lift said liner up and away from the inside surface of said receptacle thereby displacing fluid held on the inside surface of said liner to flow over the upper edge of said baffle means down said spillway and between the outside surface of said liner and the inside surface of said receptacle until substantially all of said fluid is so displaced, raising said liner to a covering position in which it covers said fluid, and a gas can be passed through said second means to lift said fluid up said spillway and over said upper edge of said baffle means onto the inside surface of said liner progressively lowering said liner back to said lining position.
  • 10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said first means is in the form of a conduit or manifold having a length which extends along or near the upper edge of said baffle means.
  • 11. A system according to claim 10 wherein said second means comprises a conduit or manifold having a length extending along or near a lower edge of said baffle means.
  • 12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said first conduit or manifold is formed on a side of said baffle means adjacent the inside surface of said receptacle and said baffle means is provided with one or more openings to provide fluid communication between said conduit or manifold and said outside surface of said liner.
  • 13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said baffle means is in the form of a plate shaped or otherwise configured to be spaced from a side wall of said receptacle.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
P04409 Dec 1996 AU
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind 102e Date 371c Date
PCT/AU97/00891 WO 00 6/30/1999 6/30/1999
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO98/29624 7/9/1998 WO A
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number Name Date Kind
3780385 Dunn Dec 1973
3816859 Mosehauer Jun 1974
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number Date Country
25740 Dec 1978 AU
2046589 Nov 1980 GB