Spa and pool filter

1. The combination of a swimming pool, a filter, a filter container open to swimming pool water, a swimming pool water circulation system that includes a pump and piping connected to the pump, and a filter for the swimming pool water, wherein the filter includes:

a filter body disposed in the filter container, such filter body having a swimming pool water inlet opening at its upper end, a water discharge opening at its lower end and auxiliary water inlet openings in its sides;

a filter bag releasably arranged in the cylinder for upward removal therefrom, the filter bag having a cylindrical sheath which extends from the upper end of the filter body downwardly to the lower side of the filter body and encompasses the exterior of the filter body, such filter bag also being formed with a pocket that extends concentrically downwardly from the upper end of the sheath into the filter body from the upper end of the filter body; and

piping between the filter body discharge opening and the suction end of the water circulation system pump whereby upon operation of the pump swimming pool water is continually drawn from the filter container downwardly into the water inlet opening and the auxiliary water inlet openings and then out of the water discharge opening of the filter body into the piping to be returned to the swimming pool.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 , which further includes a retainer removably securing the filter bag upon the filter body.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 , where an O-ring is removably positioned around the upper outer portion of the filter bag to removably secure the filter bag upon the filter body.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the filter bag includes a handle for removing the filter bag upwardly off of the filter body.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the filter body water discharge orifice is smaller than the water inlet opening whereby upon operation of the water circulation system water flowing through the filter body form a vortex that traps debris within the pocket.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the swimming pool is of the above-ground type and the filter container is a skimmer box removably secured to the edge of the pool to receive swimming pool water that enters the water inlet opening of the filter body and the filter body discharge orifice is connected to the piping.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the swimming pool is of the above-ground type and the filter container is a casing attached to the swimming pool, the casing being formed with a swimming pool water-receiving window above the upper end of the filter body and the filter body discharge orifice is connected to the piping.

8. The combination set forth in claim 1 , wherein the swimming pool is of the in-ground type having a skimmer bay, such skimmer bay is the filter container, the filter body is positioned in the skimmer bay with its upper end in communication with swimming pool water entering the skimmer bay and the filter body discharge opening is connected to the piping.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 , wherein an O-ring is removably positioned around the upper outer portion of the filter bag to removably secure the filter bag upon the filter body.

10. The combination set forth in claim 7 , wherein an O-ring is removably positioned around the upper outer portion of the filter bag to removably secure the filter bag upon the filter body.

11. The combination set forth in claim 8 , wherein an O-ring is removably positioned around the upper outer portion of the filter bag to removably secure the filter bag upon the filter body.