[0001] This invention relates to filters and more par-ticularly to filters used for filtering swimming pool water.[0002] Swimming pools require that their waterbe fil-tered in order to assure water of sufficient cleanlinessfor bathing. Existing swimming pools, both above andbelow ground, require complicated and expensive filtersof sufficient sizeto efficiently filter pool water. Sincethewater fromthe swimming pools mustbe forced throughthese filters, pumps used for swimming pool filters re-quire relatively large motors, commonly in the 1-hp..range, which consume relatively large amountsof elec-tricity. Furthermore, most prior art swimming pool filtersrequire backwashing periodically. Sincethe water usedfor backwashing must be drawn from the pool and thendischarged, backwashing the filter consumesa signifi-cant quantity of water which must be replaced. Manyswimming pools are used in sections of the countrywhich impose water restrictions on residents and/orwhich normally experience drought conditions in whichthe water required for backwashing isa significant con-sumption of water. Furthermore, existing swimming poolfiltering systems require complicated plumbing, in whichpipes run betweenthe skimmer, and the main drain, thepump, the filter, and the pool inlets, and further requirea strainer separate from the filter at the pump inlet.[0003] According to the present invention, a filterhousing mounted adjacent to the pool is providedaskimmer inlet and/oran inlet connectedtothe main drainofthe pool, both of which receive pool waterfor filtering.A removable perforated basket is mounted within thehousing beMeenthe inlet fromthe skimmerandthe inletfrom the main drain so that the water passing throughthe skimmer also passes through the strainer. Water isthen communicated througha filter bag which is sup-ported away fromthe walls ofthe housing bya perforat-ed liner. The basket and filter bag are accessible froman opening abovethe water level ofthe pool, so the filtermay be serviced without shutting off valves, etc. Afterpassing through the filter bag, the water passes toanoutlet chamber which is communicated throughthe inletofa pumptoan outlet port ofthe housing. In the caseofthe above-ground pools, in whichthe entire assemblyis mounted above ground level,a pump maybe mount-ed directly on the filter housing and connected directlyto the outlet port. The sizeofthe pumpmaybe relativelysmall, such as about 1/15 hp.The small pump is satis-factory becausethe filter bag is at the inlet of the pump.Adjustable legsare provided on the filter housingto pro-videa supportforthe filter. Instead of backwashing, thefilter bag is changedand discarded periodically.A strain-er atthe pump inlet separate fromthe filter is eliminated.In below ground pools, the filter housing is belowground, and the pump is mounted away from the hous-ingand onlya single inlet line and a single return lineneed tobe connected tothe pump, thereby simplifyingplumbing.10203040502be described with referencetothe accompanying draw-ings, in which:Figure1 isa side elevational view, partly in section,of an above ground swimming pool anda filteringsystemforthe swimming pool made pursuanttotheteachings ofthe present invention;Figure2 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-section-al viewofthe filtering system illustrated in Figure1 ;andFigure3 isa cross-sectional view taken substantial-ly along lines 3-3 of Figure 2.f5[0005] Referring now to the drawings,a swimmingpool generally indicated by the numeral 10 is filled withwatertoa water line indicated at12. The pool 10 is pro-vided witha main drain indicated at 14 anda skimmeroutlet indicated at 16. According toa preferred embod-iment ofthe invention,a filter assembly generally indi-cated by the number 18 includesa cylindrical housing20 havinga inner circumferential surface 22 and outercircumferential surface24. Filter assembly 18 further in-cludesa skimmer housing 26 mounted onthetopofthe25cylindrical housing 20 and which includes an open side28 that extends acrossthe water level in the pool 12,sothat both the skimmer housing and the cylindrical hous-ingare filled by gravity to the level 12 of the pool 10.Aconventional weir door30 is hinged to open and closein manner well knownto those skilled in the artto allowsurface water to move from the pool 10 into skimmerhousing 26, additionally, the weir door prevents waterfrom flowing in the reverse direction. The skimmer hous-ing26 is provided witha lid 32, which is removable to35allow access into the skimmer housing 26.[0006] An inlet 34 is provided on the cylindrical hous-ing20 adjacent the upper end 36 thereof upon whichthe skimmer housing 26 is mounted, such that the inlet34 is belowthe water line 12. The inlet 34 is communi-cated to main drain 14 via conventional plumbing 38.Accordingly, boththe skimmer housing 26 and the maindrain 14 are communicated to inlet chamber40 definedwithin housing 20.A perforated strainer basket gener-ally indicated by the numeral 42 is supported at upper45end 36 of cylindrical housing 20.The strainer basket42collects leaves and other debris floating on surface 12which is received within strainer housing 26, while al-lowingthe waterto drain into inlet chamber40.The inlet34 allows water from main drain 14 to bypassthe strain-er basket42.The strainer basket 42 is emptied period-ically by removal ofthe lid 32, which allows access tothe strainer basket42, which is merelysupportedon thehousing 20 and may be manually moved through theopening closed by lid 32, emptied, and replaced within55cylindrical housing 20.[0007] The cylindrical 20 includes an outlet opening44 atthe lower end 46 thereof viewing the drawings.Outlet opening44 communicates directlytothe inlet port
