Operating mechanism for swimming pool skimmer

Claim 1

In a swimming pool skimmer apparatus including: a housing having a lower end and an open upper end, a skimming inlet through said housing intermediate said ends for receiving water from said pool, a drain inlet proximate the lower end of said housing for receiving water from said pool, and an outlet proximate the lower end of said housing communicating with a source of vacuum for discharging water from said housing, an improved operating mechanism for controlling water flow through said skimmer apparatus and for operative connection with the hose of vacuum cleaning equipment, said operating mechanism comprising: (a) a divider plate sealingly engaging said housing intermediate said skimming inlet and said lower end; (b) a water passage extending through said divider plate in axial alignment with said drain inlet; (c) a coupling member sealingly receivable through said water passage and having a closed lower end sealingly engagable within the upper end of said conduit, an open end engagable with the hose of said vacuum cleaning equipment, and a water exit extending through said coupling member intermediate said divider plate and the upper end of said conduit; (d) a strainer basket depending from said divider plate and having side and bottom sections; (e) a conduit extending through said basket in axial alignment with said water passage and having a lower end communicating with said drain inlet and an upper end intermediate said divider plate and the bottom section of said basket; and (f) valve means for selectively closing water passage.