US4643881A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Swimming pool chemical dispenser
Assignee: Olin Corp
•
Filing: 1984-12-11
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Granted: 1987-02-17
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Expires: 2004-12-11
Abstract
Abstract A pool chemical dispenser is provided that comprises a rotatably adjustable top, a container and a ballast disk cooperative with the top such that the specific gravity of the material of the top and the container is less than 1.0 and the specific gravity of the material of the ballast disk is greater than 1.0 thereby permitting the dispenser to float off the bottom of the skimmer in which it is immersed in water when less than about 10% of the pool chemical remains in the container and invert, remaining on the top of the surface of the water to indicate the pool chemical is exhausted.
Inventors
- 👤 Roy P. Alexander
- 👤 J. Philip Faust
- 👤 Alan H. Milford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:26
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/68; C02F1/685; C02F1/688; B; B01; B01F; B01F21/00; B01F21/20; B01F21/22; B01F33/00; B01F33/50; B01F33/503; C02F1/72; C02F1/76; C02F2103/00; C02F2103/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A dispenser for dispensing a swimming pool chemical into surrounding water while the dispenser is immersed in the water, comprising in combination: (a) a container for holding the pool chemical, the container being open-topped with a closed bottom and formed of a material with a specific gravity of less than 1.0; (b) an adjustable top with openings therein moveably cooperative with the open-topped container to be moveable through a plurality of positions, the adjustable top also being formed of a material with a specific gravity of less than 1.0; and (c) ballast means cooperative with and connected to the adjustable top, the ballast means being cooperative with the openings in the adjustable top to form at least one opening in the dispenser to permit the pool chemical to be dispensed from the container at a selectively controlled rate, the ballast means further being formed of a material such that the combined specific gravity of the adjustable top and the ballast means is greater than the specific gravity of the container so that the dispenser becomes top heavy when less than about 10% of the pool chemical remains in the container and the dispenser inverts thereby dispensing the remainder of the pool chemical from the container and signaling that the dispenser is empty.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A dispenser for dispensing a swimming pool chemical into surrounding water while the dispenser is immersed in the water, comprising in combination: (a) a container for holding the pool chemical, the container being open-topped with a closed bottom and formed of a material with a specific gravity of less than 1.0; (b) an adjustable top with openings therein moveably cooperative with the open-topped container to be moveable through a plurality of positions, the adjustable top also being formed of a material with a specific gravity of less than 1.0; and (c) ballast means cooperative with and connected to the adjustable top, the ballast means being cooperative with the openings in the adjustable top to form at least one opening in the dispenser to permit the pool chemical to be dispensed from the container at a selectively controlled rate, the ballast means further being formed of a material such that the combined specific gravity of the adjustable top and the ballast means is greater than the specific gravity of the container so that the dispenser becomes top heavy when less than about 10% of the pool chemical remains in the container and the dispenser inverts thereby dispensing the remainder of the pool chemical from the container and signaling that the dispenser is empty.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the ballast means is formed of a material with a specific gravity greater than about 1.0.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the ballast means is cooperative with the openings in the adjustable top to selectively vary the size of the openings to thereby control the rate at which the pool chemical is dispensed from the container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the open-topped container has a neck portion with locking means thereon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the ballast means has receiving means for the locking means to hold the ballast means in a fixed position while the adjustable top moves relative thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the ballast means is a circumferential disk with at least one opening therein and a circumferential lip extending about the disk with the receiving means in the lip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the adjustable top is circumferential and rotatably adjustable with respect to the container and the ballast disk to thereby vary the size of the openings in the adjustable top with respect to the at least one opening in the ballast disk.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the top has a circumferential inner lip and a spaced apart circumferential outer lip, the inner lip having a retaining thread extending at least partially therearound.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the neck portion of the container is generally circumferential with an inner and an outer surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the neck portion has a locking lip extending about the outer surface which is cooperative with the retaining thread to hold the top in place on the neck and to permit rotational movements relative between the top and the neck.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the outer lip is serrated about at least a portion of its periphery to facilitate gripping and rotating the rotatable top.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the ballast disk is rotatably mounted within the inner lip.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the container has a flotation means attached to the bottom to permit the dispenser to float before the container is emptied of pool chemical.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the dispenser is placed within a skimmer with a support base in a pool flow circuit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the flotation means helps to raise the dispenser off of the support base as the dispenser begins to invert.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the flotation means is a foam pad.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the container is made of polyethylene.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the top is made of polypropylene.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the ballast means has a specific gravity of about 1.25.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the dispenser floats in the surrounding water after the container inverts.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
171 words
A dispenser having a combined specific gravity for dispensing a swimming pool chemical into surrounding water while the dispenser is immersed in the water, the dispenser further having a bottom container formed of a material with a first specific gravity for holding the pool chemical and a top formed of a material with openings therein to dispense the pool chemical, the improvement comprising in combination: (a) ballast means cooperative with and connected to the top and formed of a material with a second specific gravity such that the combined specific gravity of the top and the ballast means is greater than the first specific gravity of the bottom container so that the dispenser becomes top heavy when less than about 10% of the pool chemical remains and inverts, thereby dispensing the remainder of the pool chemical from the bottom container; and (b) flotation means affixed to the bottom container to permit the container to float and invert, when cooperative with the ballast means, to dispense the remainder of the pool chemical.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
171 words
A dispenser having a combined specific gravity for dispensing a swimming pool chemical into surrounding water while the dispenser is immersed in the water, the dispenser further having a bottom container formed of a material with a first specific gravity for holding the pool chemical and a top formed of a material with openings therein to dispense the pool chemical, the improvement comprising in combination: (a) ballast means cooperative with and connected to the top and formed of a material with a second specific gravity such that the combined specific gravity of the top and the ballast means is greater than the first specific gravity of the bottom container so that the dispenser becomes top heavy when less than about 10% of the pool chemical remains and inverts, thereby dispensing the remainder of the pool chemical from the bottom container; and (b) flotation means affixed to the bottom container to permit the container to float and invert, when cooperative with the ballast means, to dispense the remainder of the pool chemical.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the combined specific gravity of the dispenser is less than about 1.0.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the flotation means is a foam pad.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the combined specific gravity of the dispenser without the flotation means affixed to the bottom container is greater than about 1.0.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the ballast means is formed of a material with a specific gravity greater than about 1.0.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the dispenser floats in the surrounding water after the container inverts.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the top and the ballast means have a combined specific gravity that is greater than about 1.0.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-02-16 | 1990-08-18 | 1991-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-02-16 | 1994-08-18 | 1995-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-02-16 | 1998-08-18 | 1999-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |