Apparatus for maintaining the water level within a swimming pool to predetermined limits

Claim 1

In a system for automatically maintaining the water level in a swimming pool having a suction line, a pump and a return line, and including a makeup water line connecting the return line to a source of makeup water under pressure, a normally closed, electrically actuated valve disposed in said makeup water line, a level sensing chamber positioned with respect to the swimming pool such that a normal range of pool water level falls intermediate the ends thereof, said sensing chamber having a fluid sealed lower end, an upper end thereof having a vent aperture for communicating with the atmosphere, means for placing the interior of said sensing chamber in direct liquid communication with said return line, a plurality of vertically separated level sensing probes extending into the interior of said sensing chamber, said plurality of level sensing probes including at least a lowermost common probe, a low water level probe positioned above said common probe, and a high water level probe positioned above said low water level probe, control means connected to said plurality of probes and to said valve for sensing a first condition in which no conductive path exists between said common probe and said low water level probe and responding to said first condition by energizing said electrically actuated valve to initiate the introduction of makeup water in the pool, said control means further sensing a second condition in which a conductive path exists between said common probe and said high water level probe and responding to said second condition by de-energizing said electrically actuated valve to terminate the introduction of makeup water into the pool, the improvement comprising in combination: a. means for directing the flow of makeup water from the end of said makeup water line in a downward vertical direction; b. an apertured base being vertically downwardly displaced from the end of said makeup line and having an aperture in general vertical alignment with the end of said makeup line for channelling the makeup water flowing from said makeup line through said apertured base; c. a connecting pipe disposed intermediate said apertured base and said return line for conveying the makeup water to the return line; and d. a float valve disposed within said connecting pipe and responsive to the water level therein for sealing said aperture when the water level within said connecting pipe nears said aperture; whereby, said flOat valve in combination with the air gap intermediate said apertured base and the end of the makeup line impedes the flow of water from said pool through said return line and said connecting pipe into said makeup water line.