Title: Portable swimming pool construction

Description: PORTABLE SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION

This invention relates to a portable swimming pool framework. In this connection, the term "portable" is intended to refer to the fact that the pool framework is of such a nature that it can be erected and/or dismantled with comparative ease, for example by an owner, without the assistance of heavy machinery, complex tools or specially trained personnel. The pool will normally be of the "above ground" type, although clearly a pool according to the invention could be located in a depression in the ground with its upper edge flush with a surrounding ground surface.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a portable pool construction that can be readily erected and/or dismantled by unskilled labor and with only the use of normal household tools. There should be no requirement for such construction features as welding, rivetting or the like. Indeed, in the preferred embodiment of pool construction illustrated and described below, there are no bolts or screws employed whatsoever.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a structurally sound framework that will be rugged and durable, displaying resistance to distortion or the setting up of undesirable localized stresses arising from the very substantial forces to which any pool filled with water is subjected.

Other desirable features in a portable pool framework, which features are provided by the specific embodiment described below, are:

A. an absence of all forms of fastening devices of the bolt, screw and rivet variety;

B. a flexibility of design that enables the size of the pool to be enlarged by the addition of extra segments;

C. an ease of erection and dismantling, including dismantling into sections that are of a size convenient for storage or shipment;

D. a construction solely from sheet metal components, except for a plastic liner and any foundations required;

E. a pleasing asthetic appearance;

F. a design that is inherently susceptible to variations of shape in order to meet varying demands; and

G. a design that is capable of withstanding subfreezing winter temperatures without need for draining.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that this embodiment is shown by way of example only, and that the broad concepts of the invention are limited only by the appended claims.

IN THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a relatively small scale, top perspective view of a pool embodying features of the invention, a portion of this view having been cut away to reveal otherwise hidden features;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the pool of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a section on an enlarged scale taken along the line IV--IV in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on the plane V--V in FIGS. 4 and 6;

FIG. 6 is a section on the line VI--VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view on the line VII--VII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a locking member employed in the construction of FIGS. 1 to 7;

FIG. 9 is an underside view of the locking member of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a section on the line X--X in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of a portion of a strut beam used in the construction;

FIG. 12 is a similar fragmentary top perspective view of a strut beam cleat used in the construction;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a base beam used in the construction;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary, end perspective view of an upper coping member used in the construction;

FIG. 15 is a similar view of a lower coping member used in the construction;

FIG. 15a is a fragmentary view of the left hand corner of FIG. 15 seen from above;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a wall panel;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a connector;

FIG. 18 is a perspective top view of a coping cap; and

FIG. 19 is an underside perspective view of the coping cap of FIG. 18.

OVERALL CONSTRUCTION (FIGS. 1 TO 3).

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 3, the pool framework will be seen to be essentially polygonal in shape and to consist of a series of flat, sheet metal wall panels 10 connected together at their side edges in a manner described in detail below. The wall panels slope upwardly and outwardly from a base beam assembly shown generally at 11 to a coping assembly shown generally at 12. A waterproof vinyl or similar liner 13 lines the interior of the metal framework formed by the wall panels 10 and their associated parts.

The outward slope given to the wall panels 10 prevents damage by ice in winter. In a pool subjected to sub-freezing temperatures ice will tend to form at the sides and on the top surface. Due to the relatively high thermal conductivity of the metal of the framework, most ice formation will take place at the sides. Ice formed down the sides will tend to rise, being lighter than water. Ice around the top edge and across the top may result in outward lateral expansion and can generate pressure sufficient to rupture the framework. The sloping sides of the present construction avoid this difficulty by virtue of the fact that ice formed encounters a greater pool diameter as it rises and hence has room for free expansion.

BASE BEAM ASSEMBLY (FIGS. 1, 4 AND 13)

The base beam assembly 11 is formed from a series of base beam members 20, one of which is shown individually in FIG. 13 and assembled with the other parts in FIG. 4. These base beams 20 which form the peripheral foundation for the structure can be placed directly on the ground, if this is sufficiently flat and hard. Alternatively, in a more permanent installation, or when the ground is insufficiently flat or hard, the beams 20 can be laid on a prepared concrete slab. Such a slab, if used, need not underlie the entire pool, but can take the form of an annulus supporting merely the base beam members 20. In FIG. 4, the base beam member is assumed to be seated on the ground or slab 21. The space within the closed polygon defined by the base beams 20 can be provided with a bed of sand 22 to form a convenient and non-injurious support for the central or horizontal portion 13a of the vinyl liner 13.

As clearly shown in FIG. 4, each base beam 20 consists of bent sheet metal formed with spaced-apart outer and inner foot portions 23 and 24. (References throughout to "inner" refer to parts nearer the interior, i.e., pool area defined by the polygonal framework, while references to "outer" refer to parts nearer the outer periphery of the assembly.) The inner foot portion 24 has an elongated slot 25 that receives a horizontal tongue 26 extending along the lower edge of the associated wall panel 10. The base beams 20 are each triangular in cross-section, having a wall 27 that slopes upwardly and outwardly contiguous with a lower surface of the wall panel 10 to support the same and prevent it from bowing outwardly, and a gently outwardly and downwardly sloping wall 28 which extends to the outer foot portion 23. As seen in FIG. 13 the ends of the wall 27 are formed with flanges 29 the purpose of which will be described below. The end edges 30, 31 of each base beam 20 are cut back for a purpose that will also become apparent.

JUNCTION ASSEMBLIES (FIGS. 5, 11, 12, 13 & 16)

The main member interconnecting each adjacent pair of side edges of the wall panels 10 to form a junction assembly is a strut beam member 40 which, as seen in FIG. 11, is a sheet metal member bent to an approximately triangular shape. Each member 40 has a pair of diverging side walls 41 each formed at its free end with an inwardly projecting flange 42 that is turned back on itself to form a slot 43. The upper edges of the side walls 41 are formed with outwardly projecting rectangular tongues 44.

Associated with each strut beam 40 is a strut beam cleat member 45 (FIG. 12) which is essentially an elongated sheet metal member bent to form inturned flanges 46.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the strut beam 40 and the strut beam cleat 45 serve to interconnect adjacent wall edges of a pair of wall panels 10 to form a junction assembly. Each side edge of the wall panels 10 is formed with a flange 47 (FIG. 16) defining a slot into which a respective one of the turned-back flanges 42 of the strut beam 40 is inserted. A flange 46 of the strut beam cleat 45 is then introduced into each slot 43 formed within each flange 42 whereby to expand the parts thereof firmly outwardly against the surfaces of the wall panel 10 and its associated flange 47. These parts are assembled by longitudinal insertion one into the other from the top: first the strut beam 40 is moved downwardly with its flanges 42 between the wall panels and their associated flanges 47. The strut beam cleat 45 is then introduced longitudinally down into this assembly and driven firmly into position.

The flanges 29 of the base beams 20, as best seen in FIG. 13, act as extensions of the flanges 47 of the wall panels 10, the lower ends of the strut beam 40 and the cleat 45 extending down into a similar engagement with the flanges 29 thus joining the base beams 20 end-for-end at the same time as joining the wall panels side-to-side. The downward limit of travel of the strut beam 40 and cleat 45 is determined by these parts engaging the foot portions 23 & 24 of the base beams 20. The cutting back of the edges 30, 31 (FIG. 13) permits the side walls 41 to fit snuggly in the triangular space defined by these edges. This fit prevents spreading apart of the lower ends of the walls 41.

The resulting junction assembly is an especially satisfactory one from the viewpoint of symmetrically resisting the outward loads exerted on the wall panels by the water in the pool. At the same time it is essentially simple to assemble and disassemble.

LINER SECURING (FIGS. 4 & 16)

As appears from FIGS. 16 and 4, each wall panel 10 is formed at its upper edge with a multiply-bent flange construction 50 that consists of a first flange portion 51 defining an upwardly projecting slot 52 between itself and the wall panel 10, and a second flange portion 53 extending outwardly and upwardly from the bottom edge of the flange portion 51 and into a third flange portion 54 projecting upwardly parallel to the wall panel 10. This third portion 54 in turn extends into a downwardly projecting fourth flange portion 55 that is bent over again at its edge 56. The first and fourth flange portions 51, 55 define between them an upwardly facing slot consisting of a narrow neck 57 that widens into a larger space 58. The vinyl liner 13 is formed with an edge bead 13b wider than the neck 57, such bead being forced, by springing the metal, through the neck 57 into the space 58 to be retained therein.

LOCKING MEMBER (FIGS. 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10)

Referring again to FIG. 5, force experienced by a strut beam 40 tending to spread its side walls 41 apart is resisted at the upper end of such beam by the engagement over its upper edges of a locking member 60 shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. This locking member 60 is also formed of sheet metal and consists of a central spine 61 with turned over ends 61a and a pair of triangular wing portions 62 bent to form underside turned-back flanges 63 defining slots 64 and upper turned-back flanges 65 defining upper slots 66 with the main wing portions 62. The upper flanges 65 have edges 67 extending substantially parallel to the spine 61, whereas the underside flanges 63 have edges 68 extending substantially parallel to the outer edges 69, such edges 69 diverging from the spine 61 and from each other.

One locking member 60 is slid over the top of each strut beam 40, in the manner best seen in FIG. 6, the upper tongues 44 of the strut beam 40 occupying the underside slots 64 of the member 60, these underside locking flanges 63 having basically a similar shape and orientation to that of the tongues 44.

COPING ASSEMBLY (FIGS. 4, 6, 14, 15 & 15a)

The structure is now ready for erection of the upper and lower coping members 70 and 80 shown individually in FIGS. 14 and 15 respectively.

The upper coping member 70 consists of sheet metal bent to provide a double layer, main horizontal panel 71 formed along one edge with a bent-back flange 72 defining a slot 73. Along its opposite edge the upper layer of the member 70 is bent downwardly to form a vertical wall 74, the metal being further bent back at 74a and 74b to terminate at 74c between the two layers of the panel 71 (see FIG. 4). Outwardly of the wall 74, 74a the lower layer of the member 70 is bent down to form a flange having successive portions 75, 76, 77. Turned around lips 78 are provided along each side edge of the member 70.

As seen in FIG. 4, when the member 70 is in position, the flange portions 75 to 77 embrace the portions 54, 53 and 51 respectively of the flange 50 of the wall panel 10, the flange portion 77 engaging in the upwardly projecting slot 52 between the flange portion 51 and the panel 10 itself, whereby to hold the inner edge of the coping member 70 firmly in position against upward movement. The lower edge of the vertical wall 74 either can rest gently against the liner 13 or can be slightly spaced therefrom as shown. In either case, such wall 74 provides a finished edge and appearance to the inside upper perimeter of the coping assembly of the pool.

Next in the assembly process, the lower coping member 80 is introduced. As FIG. 15 shows, this member consists of a main panel 81 with up-turned walls 82, 83 inner and outer. The inner wall 82 terminates in a bent-over flange 84 further bent at 84a, while the outer wall 83 terminates in a horizontal flange 85 (FIG. 15a). A portion of the wall and flange is cut out at each end, as shown at 87. Bent-around lips 86 are provided along each side edge, and the wall 83 has a downward extension 83a.

When inserted from left to right in FIG. 4 beneath the upper coping member 70, the lower member 80 engages the flange portions 75, 76 with its flange portions 84, 84a. The main panel 81 of the member 80 rests at each end on the upper surface of a locking member 60, as best seen in FIG. 6, its edge lips 86 each sliding into one of the upper slots 66 of such locking member. Finally, the lower member 80 is sprung into a locked position beneath the upper member 70 by engagement of its rear flange 85 into the slot 73 (FIG. 4).

CONNECTOR AND COPING CAP (FIGS. 6, 7, 17, 18 & 19)

The assembly is completed by a connector 90 and a coping cap 100, shown individually in FIG. 17 and FIGS. 18 and 19 respectively. The connector 90 has a main panel 91 with turned-back edge flanges 92 that engage the bent-over lips 78 (FIG. 6) when the connector is slid into place to connect a pair of upper coping members 70. This sliding movement takes place from inside to outside, i.e., from right to left in FIG. 7, the connector 90 having at its inner end a multiply-bent flange having main portions 93, 94 & 95. The flange portion 95 includes an angulated extension 96 which, together with the flange portion 93 defines a locking space into which there is introduced a similar angulated flange 101 formed on the end of a multiply-bent flange structure 102 provided centrally of the inner surface of the coping cap 100, as shown in FIG. 19. This flange structure forms an extension of a bent over portion 103 of an inner vertical wall 104 extending down from the main panel 105 of the coping cap 100. This locking flange arrangement (95, 96, 101) is brought together by forcing the coping cap 100 downwardly onto the assembly, after first engaging a turned-around lip 106 at the other end of such cap around and underneath the two coping members 70 and above the rear end of the main panel 91 of the connector 90. Space for the lip is provided be means of a recess 72a formed at each end of the flange 72 of the upper coping member 70 (FIG. 14) by crimping together of the panel 71 and flange 72 to close the slot 73, and by the cutout portions 87 of the lower coping member 80 (FIGS. 15, 15a).