Safety drain

Abstract

Safety devices comprising axially elongated fittings having a plurality of relatively small channels extending therethrough are placed in the drain entry of drains for fluid containers such as swimming pools, wading pools, spas and the like to reduce or eliminate body entrapment, hair entanglement and the like.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A drain for a fluid container comprising: 
 (a) a first tubular conduit having an inlet end opening and an outlet with the inlet end opening adapted to drain fluid from a fluid container and the outlet communicating with a drain line;    (b) a first safety fitting comprising an axially elongated body having an inlet face and an outlet face positioned within said first conduit with said inlet face substantially defining the inlet end opening of said first tubular conduit; and    (c) a plurality of channels extending through said axially elongated body, each channel having an entrance opening in said inlet face and an outlet in said outlet face, wherein: 
 (i) the length of each channel extending through said axially elongated body is at least approximately sixteen inches; and  
 (ii) the entrance opening of each channel is shaped to prevent the entry of an object which is substantially circular in cross-section and has a cross-sectional dimension of approximately one-half inch.  
   
     
     
         2 . A drain as defined in  claim 1  including: 
 (a) a second tubular conduit having an inlet end opening and an outlet with the inlet end opening adapted to drain fluid from said fluid container at a location spaced from the inlet end opening of said first tubular conduit and the outlet communicating with said drain line;  
 (b) a second safety fitting comprising an axially elongated body having an inlet face and an outlet face positioned within said second conduit with said inlet face substantially defining the inlet end opening of said second tubular conduit; and  
 (c) a plurality of channels extending through said axially elongated body, each channel having an entrance opening in said inlet face and an outlet in said outlet face, wherein: 
 (i) the length of each channel extending through said axially elongated body is at least approximately sixteen inches; and  
 (ii) the entrance opening of each channel is shaped to prevent the entry of an object which is substantially circular in cross-section and has a cross-sectional dimension of approximately one-half inch.  
 
 
     
     
         3 . A drain as defined in  claim 2  wherein: 
 (a) said first tubular conduit and said second tubular conduit each extend substantially vertically from the bottom of said fluid container;  
 (b) the outlet ends of said first and second tubular conduits communicate with said drain line; and  
 (c) said drain line is positioned intermediate the bottom of said fluid container and the outlet ends of said first and second conduits and substantially equidistant from the inlet end opening of said first tubular conduit and the inlet end opening of said second tubular conduit.  
 
     
     
         4 . A drain as defined in  claim 2  wherein: 
 (a) said first tubular conduit and said second tubular conduit extend from the bottom of said fluid container at an angle inclined with respect to the bottom of said fluid container;  
 (b) the outlet ends of said first and second tubular conduits communicate with said drain line; and  
 (c) said drain line is positioned substantially equidistant from the inlet end opening of said first tubular conduit and the inlet end opening of said second tubular conduit.  
 
     
     
         5 . A safety fitting for a drain which includes a tubular conduit with an inlet end opening defining the drain inlet comprising: 
 (a) an axially elongated body having an inlet face and an outlet face;    (b) a plurality of inlet openings in said inlet face, each said inlet opening shaped to prevent entry of an object which has a cross-sectional diameter of approximately one-half inch;    (c) a plurality of outlet openings in said outlet face; and    (d) a plurality of individual channels extending through said elongated body, each channel having an axial length of approximately sixteen inches and connecting one of said inlet openings in said inlet face with an outlet opening in said outlet face.    
     
     
         6 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 5  wherein said inlet openings are in the shape of arcs arranged to form concentric circles in said inlet face.  
     
     
         7 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 5  wherein said inlet openings form substantially circular orifices in said inlet face.  
     
     
         8 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 5  wherein said inlet face is inclined with respect to the central axis of said axially elongated body.  
     
     
         9 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 5  wherein said inlet face lies in a plane substantially normal to the central axis of said axially elongated body.  
     
     
         10 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 5  wherein said inlet face defines a contoured surface.  
     
     
         11 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 5  wherein said axially elongated body is positioned within the inlet end of a tubular conduit which defines a drain inlet so that said inlet face is substantially coextensive with said drain inlet.  
     
     
         12 . A drain for a fluid container including a first drain safety fitting having an inlet end and an outlet end with the inlet end defining a drain inlet face adapted to drain fluid from the fluid container and the outlet end communicating with a drain line, said first drain safety fitting comprising: 
 (a) an axially elongated body having an inlet face and an outlet face; and    (b) a plurality of channels extending through said axially elongated body, each channel having an entrance opening in said inlet face and an outlet in said outlet face, wherein: 
 (i) the length of each channel extending through said axially elongated body is at least approximately sixteen inches; and  
 (ii) the entrance opening of each channel is shaped to prevent entry of an object which is substantially circular in cross-section and has a cross-sectional dimension of approximately one-half inch.  
   
     
     
         13 . A drain as defined in  claim 12  wherein said inlet face is substantially co-planar with the bottom of said fluid container.  
     
     
         14 . A drain as defined in  claim 12  wherein said inlet face is not coplanar with the bottom of said fluid container.  
     
     
         15 . A drain as defined in  claim 12  wherein said inlet face is substantially hemispherical.  
     
     
         16 . A drain as defined in  claim 14  wherein at least part of said inlet face extends above the plane of the bottom surface of said fluid container.  
     
     
         17 . A drain as defined in  claim 12  wherein said inlet face defines a contoured surface.  
     
     
         18 . A drain as defined in  claim 12  including at least one open-faced groove in said inlet face extending between and connecting the entrance openings of at least two of said channels.  
     
     
         19 . A drain as defined in  claim 18  wherein said open-faced groove extends from at least one of said channels to a location on the periphery of said inlet face.  
     
     
         20 . A drain as defined in  claim 12  including a second drain safety fitting having an inlet end and an outlet end with the inlet end defining a drain inlet face spaced-apart from the drain inlet face of said first safety drain fitting adapted to drain fluid from the fluid container and the outlet end communicating with said drain line, said second drain safety fitting comprising: 
 (a) an axially elongated body having an inlet face and an outlet face; and  
 (b) a plurality of channels extending through said axially elongated body, each channel having an entrance opening in said inlet face and an outlet in said outlet face, wherein: 
 (iii) the length of each channel extending through said axially elongated body is at least approximately sixteen inches; and  
 (iv) the entrance opening of each channel is shaped to prevent the entry of an object which is substantially circular in cross-section and has a cross-sectional dimension of approximately one-half inch.  
 
 
     
     
         21 . A drain as defined in  claim 20  wherein: 
 (a) said first drain safety fitting and said second drain safety fitting each extend substantially vertically from the bottom of said fluid container;  
 (b) the outlet ends of said first and second tubular conduits communicate with a common drain line; and  
 (c) said common drain line is positioned intermediate the bottom of said fluid container and the outlet ends of said first and second drain safety fittings and is substantially equidistant from the inlet end of said first drain safety fitting and the inlet end of said second drain safety fitting.  
 
     
     
         22 . A drain as defined in  claim 20  wherein: 
 (a) said first drain safety fitting and said second drain safety fitting extend from the bottom of said fluid container at an angle inclined with respect to the bottom of said fluid container;  
 (b) the outlet ends of said first and second safety drain fitting communicate with a common drain line; and  
 (c) said common drain line is positioned substantially equidistant from the inlet end opening of said first safety drain fitting and the inlet end opening of said second safety drain fitting.  
 
     
     
         23 . A safety fitting for a drain comprising: 
 (a) an axially elongated body which defines a tubular conduit having an inlet face and an outlet face;    (b) a plurality of inlet openings in said inlet face, each said inlet opening shaped to prevent entry of objects which have a predetermined cross-sectional diameter;    (c) a plurality of outlet openings in said outlet face; and    (d) a plurality of individual channels extending through said elongated body, each channel having an axial length of approximately sixteen inches and connecting one of said inlet openings in said inlet face with an outlet opening in said outlet face.    
     
     
         24 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 23  wherein said inlet face is substantially hemispherical.  
     
     
         25 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 23  including at least one open-faced transverse groove extending between and connecting the inlet openings of at least two of said channels.  
     
     
         26 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 25  wherein said open-faced groove extends to the periphery of said inlet face.  
     
     
         27 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 23  having at least one open-faced groove in said inlet face which extends from the inlet opening of at least one of said channels to the periphery of said inlet face.  
     
     
         28 . A safety fitting as defined in  claim 23  wherein said inlet face defines a contoured surface.