Abstract:
A housing for an underwater lighting fixture includes a wet niche formed from plastic and provided with three alternative grounding pathways. A conductor strap is attached to the niche by a threaded lug which extends through the strap and an adjacent wall of the niche to permit an internal ground wire and an external ground wire to be connected to the strap. As a further grounding assurance, the lighting fixture is grounded through a bracket which attaches to the conductor strap. The bracket also serves as a current collector to receive electrical charge from the surrounding water.
Abstract:
A skimmer for skimming water from a swimming pool or spa is provided with entraining means for entraining additional water from the pool or spa to thereby increase the flow of water into and out of the skimmer. The entraining means includes two nozzle members which cooperate with each other to jet an entraining stream of water through the skimmer. The skimmer is also provided with isolating means for isolating the entraining stream of water from the rest of the water flowing through the skimmer. The isolating means includes actuating means for selectively actuating and deactuating the isolating means such that the skimmer can be operated at a normal flow rate when the isolating means is actuated and at an increased flow rate when the isolating means is deactuated.
Abstract:
A hydromassage fitting employs a directional nozzle to inject an aerated jet of water into the interior of a water receptacle, such as a bathtub, spa, therapy tank or swimming pool. The directional nozzle is mounted in the fitting so as permit water to drain around the nozzle and into the water receptacle when the fitting is not in use, thereby inhibiting the collection of water in the fitting. Pockets and voids within the fitting are eliminated or sealed in order to further inhibit the collection of water in the fitting.
Abstract:
A housing for an underwater lighting fixture includes a wet niche formed from plastic and provided with a grounding strap. The grounding strap is attached to the niche by a threaded lug which extends through the strap and an adjacent wall of the niche to permit an internal ground wire and an external ground wire to be connected to the strap. As a further grounding assurance, the lighting fixture may be grounded through the grounding strap, which mechanically and electrically attaches the lighting fixture to the niche.
Abstract:
An outlet assembly for a water receptacle, such as a swimming pool, spa or the like, includes a pair of interchangeable discharge nozzles, one being a rotary discharge nozzle and the other being a linear discharge nozzle. A user may selectively interchange the rotary discharge nozzle and the linear discharge nozzle by withdrawing and inserting them through an outlet port sized and shaped so as to permit the user's hand to fit therein.
Abstract:
A hydrotherapeutic jet for a hydrotherapeutic receptacle employs three nozzels and two separate mixing chambers. A primary stream of water flows through the first nozzel to create a low pressure condition which sucks air into the first mixing chamber, causing the primary stream to be mixed with the air. The primary stream is discharged through the second nozzle into the second mixing chamber, thereby creating another low pressure condition which sucks a secondary stream of water from the hydrotherapeutic receptacle into the second mixing chamber and hence causes the aerated primary stream to be entrained with the secondary stream. The air/water mixture is then discharged from the second mixing chamber into the hydrotherapeutic receptacle by te third nozzle.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method are disclosed which operate to automatically deliver liquid to a plant growing medium in a pot from a receptacle positioned above the plant growing medium. The liquid flows from the receptacle under the influence of gravity and is supplied to the plant growing medium at predetermined drip rate, which may be manually adjusted.
Abstract:
A device for creating a waterfall effect and a fountain effect in an adjacent swimming pool spa or the like, has a tubular manifold with spray orifices which produce streams of water. The manifold is positionable so that the streams of water can be aimed away from the housing at an inclined angle, thereby producing a fountain effect, or so that the streams of water can be directed to fill a reservoir located within the housing and adapted to discharge water in the form of a waterfall.
Abstract:
An underdrain assembly contained within a swimming pool filter has a plurality of laterals, each of which is pivotable between a non-operating position and an operating position. Each of the laterals is threadedly attached to the underdrain assembly so that they can be replaced individually by unscrewing them from the underdrain assembly without removing the underdrain assembly from the filter. The laterals can be locked in their operating positions by either a reversible locking mechanism or an irreversible locking mechanism. With the laterals in their non-operating positions, the underdrain assembly and the laterals can be inserted into the filter as a unit.