Pool owners who don’t rely on automated pool cleaners are few and far between, and with good reason. The benefits of operating an automated pool cleaner to remove dirt and debris from your pool far outweigh any alternative, as you not only have a consistently clean pool, but you have very little work to achieve it.
Automated pool cleaners are an ingenious form of technology, and just like everything, they have come a long way since their inception. Automated pool cleaners have experienced many changes to better enhance their functionality, practicality, and overall value. They continue to be updated, and better suited to the workings of modern technology, but even from the beginning they have been revolutionary.
The initial invention
The eventual creation of automated pool cleaners stemmed from two areas of science: one being the development of the water filter and the other being early cistern cleaners. In earlier times, when swimming pools were not as affordable or sustainable as they are now, many people used to swim in large cisterns.
As early as 1883, a cistern and tank cleaner was created, by John E. Pattison of New Orleans. The device swept and scraped the bottom of a tank and through a combination of suction and manipulation of the water pressure, it separated sediment without removing water. Over the following years the initial invention was improved upon on numerous occasions to adapt with evolving technology.
The changing designs
In 1937, Roy B. Everson of Chicago invented the first suction-side pool cleaner. In 1959, Andrew L. Pansini of California created and patented the first truly automatic pool cleaner. And then, in 1967, the first cleaner to use electricity was designed by Robert B. Myers of Florida. What is generally accepted as the final original automated pool cleaner design – the pressure-side cleaner – was invented in 1972 by Melvyn Lane Henkin of California. The design travelled underwater along a random path on the surface of the pool to dislodge debris. This type of innovation is what current automated pool cleaners are best known for.
The continuous evolution
Automated pool cleaners will continue to evolve and change, just as modern technology does. We want our devices to work smarter and harder, so we can continue to do less manual handling. While the style, form and design of automated pool cleaners will differ over the coming years, their initial idea and intended use will always remain the same.
If you would like to upgrade your automated pool cleaner or learn about the most recent styles we have available at Perth Pool Professionals, please get in touch with our team.