Dual direction water surface skimmer and pool side docking device

Abstract

A water skimmer vessel has two hulls (12, 14) between which a debris collection net or basket-like catcher (22) is arranged. Hinged flaps (68) are provided at each end of the catcher and operate to allow inflow but block outflow of debris from the catcher. Each hull of the vessel is equiped with amoter covered by a guard (28). The vessel may move in either direction and is equipped with sensors (30) on each hulll for effecting the turning and reversing of the vessel upon contact with pool skimmer box inlet (206) and the vessel can be controlled to enter the dock and permit the contents of the catcher to be discharged into the current of pool water flowing into the skimmer box.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This invention relates to floating self-propelled devices for skimming oil and other slicks, and / or flotsam and other floating debris, from on or near the surface of water. The skimmers of this invention can be used on confined bodies of water, such as swimming pools, lakes and harbors, as well as on unconfined waters such as the open sea or coastal waters. [0002] In particular, but not essentially, the invention is concerned with water skimmers of the automatic or self-steering type, which are able to traverse an area of water in a random or systematic fashion. [0003] For convenience, the material to be removed by the skimmer will be generically referred to as ‘debris’, even though it may comprise oil, leaves, insects or the like in addition to litter. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0004] In my prior Australian patent 723519 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,553, I disclosed a solar-powered water skimmer of catamaran form that dragged a debris collection mesh bag to coll...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Though of value in swimming pools for leaf and blown-litter collection, this device did not cover the surface of the pool or pond in a very efficient manner, in part because it could not be reversed effectively because of the danger of entangling the propeller and bag.

While this skimmer was provided with a separate steering motor to turn the vessel when it contacted an object, it can readily get stuck in a pool corner because the paddle wheel and steering motors only turn in one direction.

Indeed, reversal of the paddle wheel to back the vessel off from an object would probably result in the emptying of the litter collection chamber.

This device also suffered from the danger that reversal of the paddle wheel would empty the collection compartment.

This steering arrangement tends to make the vessel follow the wall until it gets to a corner, where it is likely to remain stuck.

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