Positive flow swimming pool gutter

Claim 1

In a swimming pool having generally vertical walls and a filter system adjacent said pool, a nonflooding perimeter gutter system for returning water from said pool to said filter system comprising, an open gutter section located adjacent the top of said vertical walls and extending around the perimeter of said pool and having an inner wall, a back wall and a bottom wall, said upper gutter section being operative to accommodate sudden water surges over said inner wall, a suction pipe in said gutter adjacent said bottom wall extending around the perimeter of said pool and having passageways connecting said pipe with said gutter, said passageways consisting of a plurality of holes in the wall thereof spaced along its length, said suction pipe forming a closed lower gutter section around the perimeter of the pool adjacent said upper gutter section, said lower gutter section, at all times during operation, being completely filled with water, a plurality of skimmer openings spaced around the perimeter of said pool and located in said inner gutter wall adjacent the top of said inner gutter wall, means independently and automatically closing each said opening, said closing means including a float located in said gutter and associated with each said opening, said float being located well below said skimmer openings but above said lower gutter section, and effecting the closing of said openings when the level of water in said gutter, lifting said float, rises to a level well below said opening and well above the level of said passageways in said second gutter section, said skimmer openings and said closing means continuously supplying water from said pool to said upper gutter section at locations spaced around the perimeter of said pool to maintain a constant flow of water to said lower gutter section above said passageways during both periods of quiescence and periods of greater pool activity, and suction means connected to said lower gutter section for positively withdrawing water therefrom and directing it to said filter system, thereby continuously withdrawing water simultaneously from all portions of said perimeter gutter through said plural passageways in order to maintain a constant flow of water in said gutters with a constant removal of water from said gutters, without relying on gravity flow to said filter system, thereby creating substantially uniform surge capacity around the perimeter of said pool, the maintenance of water in said upper section preventing air from flowing into said lower gutter section and into said pump.