Swimming pool plumbing water/debris barrier device and method

• US 6,595,243 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Shasta Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Tarr, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRINSON, PATRICK F
• Application Number:
  US10/201,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20030098081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 138/96.R, 138/96.T, 285/4, 285/3, 450/1, 450/4
• US Class Current: 138/96.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/115 Caps F16L55/1286 takes precedence

Abstract

A barrier device (1) and technique for use in the plumbing during construction of a swimming pool includes a tubular cylindrical section (2) having an open first end. A pop-out barrier (12) is integral with the cylindrical section, and is disposed to cover a second end of the cylindrical section. In one embodiment, an annular water barrier flange (3) is integral with the cylindrical section, and is disposed about a mid portion of the cylindrical section to prevent water leakage around an outer surface of the cylindrical section (2) when the barrier device is installed on the end of a water return pipe or drain pipe extending through the a wall surface of a swimming pool.

Claims

1. A device for both preventing debris from entering a drain pipe or water return pipe during interior surface finishing of a swimming pool and preventing leakage of pool water through the wall of the swimming pool along a drain pipe or a return pipe of the swimming pool, comprising:

(a) a tubular cylindrical section having an open first end;

(b) a pop-out barrier integral with the cylindrical section, flush with a second end of the cylindrical section, and disposed to cover the second end of the cylindrical section; and

(c) an annular water barrier flange integral with the cylindrical section and disposed about a mid portion of the cylindrical section to prevent water leakage around an outer surface of the cylindrical section when the device is installed on an open end of the water return pipe or drain pipe, wherein the annular water barrier flange includes an outer surface and a ridge extending outward from the outer surface.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the pop-out barrier includes an annular section peripherally connected by a thin first web and a thick hinge portion of the first web to an edge portion of the second end, the pop-out barrier also including an inner section peripherally connected by a thin second web and a thick hinge portion of the second web to an inner edge portion of the annular section.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein an outside diameter of the cylindrical section at the open first end tapers from a first value to a larger second value at the annular water barrier flange to accommodate a range of inside diameter of 2 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the length of cylindrical section is approximately ⅜

inches.

5. The device of claim 4 composed entirely of plastic material.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the plastic material is selected from the group consisting of ABS plastic and PVC plastic.

7. A device for both preventing debris from entering a drain pipe or water return pipe during interior surface finishing of a swimming pool and preventing leakage of pool water through a wall of the swimming pool along a drain pipe or a return pipe of the swimming pool, comprising:

(a) a tubular cylindrical section having an open first end;

(b) pop-out barrier means integral with the cylindrical section and disposed to cover a second end of the cylindrical section; and

(c) annular leakage barrier flange means integral with the cylindrical section and disposed about a mid portion of the cylindrical section to prevent water leakage around an outer surface of the cylindrical section when the device is installed on an open end of the water return pipe or drain pipe.

8. A method of constructing a swimming pool including the steps of:

(a) applying gunite material to form a wall and floor of the swimming pool so that open end portions of a plurality of water return pipes extend beyond a surface of the gunite material;

(b) cleaning debris from the extending open end portions of the water return pipes;

(c) attaching a debris/water barrier device to each extending open end portion, respectively, each debris/water barrier device including

i. a tubular cylindrical section having an open first end,

ii. a pop-out barrier integral with the cylindrical section, flush with a second end of the cylindrical section, and disposed to cover the second end of the cylindrical section, and

iii. an annular water barrier flange integral with the cylindrical section and disposed about a mid portion of the cylindrical section to prevent water leakage around an outer surface of the cylindrical section when the debris/water barrier device is installed on an open end of the water return pipe or drain pipe, wherein the pop-out barrier includes an annular section peripherally connected by a thin first web and a thick hinge portion of the first web to an edge portion of the second end, the pop-out barrier also including an inner section peripherally connected by a thin second web and a thick hinge portion of the second web to an inner edge portion of the annular section;

(d) applying a layer of interior finish material on the gunite material so that the interior finish material is flush with the pop-out barrier;

(e) striking the inner section to break the second web so that the inner section hangs inside a volume bounded by the pop-out barrier; and

(f) inserting a retracting element into a hole left in the annular section by step (e) and pulling the annular section outward so as to break the first web and removing the pop-out barrier from the cylindrical section.