Title:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR READY INSTALLATION AND RE-INSTALLATION OF A FLEXIBLE LINER FOR SWIMMING POOLS
United States Patent 3815162
Abstract:
This invention pertains to swimming pools and particularly those above ground pools or in ground pools in which a flexible liner is supported by a wall. In this invention the upper edge of the liner is retained by a clamping means or a lock-in means which is protected by a coping or deck extension. The support structure is provided with a pair of holes spaced one above the other and adapted to receive an adjusting or retaining pin which permits the coping or an attached deck to be lifted sufficiently from its "at rest assembly condition" for the liner to be installed or loosened for replacement without disassembly of the coping and attached deck as well as the support frame of the swimming pool.
US Patent References:
Hanger bracket
Webster - April 1954 - 2674429
SWIMMING POOL COPING
Greene - May 1970 - 3512326
ABOVE GROUND SWIMMING POOLS
Cudney - July 1970 - 3518705
/3553744.html
Gillen - January 1971 - 3553744
POOL AND ENCLOSURE THEREFOR
Diemond - August 1971 - 3600722
Hanger bracket
Webster - April 1954 - 2674429
SWIMMING POOL COPING
Greene - May 1970 - 3512326
ABOVE GROUND SWIMMING POOLS
Cudney - July 1970 - 3518705
/3553744.html
Gillen - January 1971 - 3553744
POOL AND ENCLOSURE THEREFOR
Diemond - August 1971 - 3600722
Application Number:
05/363089
Publication Date:
06/11/1974
Filing Date:
05/23/1973
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
4/506, 248/235
International Classes:
E04H4/00; E04H3/16
Field of Search:
4/172,172.11,172.12,172.19,172.21,DIG.9 52/127,169 248/235
Primary Examiner:
Huckert, John W.
Assistant Examiner:
Levy, Stuart S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Roberts, Ralph R.
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. In a swimming pool assembly whose side wall is retained in a substantially vertical condition by an assembled frame, said side wall supporting a water-retaining flexible liner removably secured at the top of the side wall, said pool assembly including: (a) a plurality of uprights provided as a part of the frame each having a securing and supporting means disposed near one end thereof; (b) a coping carried by and detachably secured to the uprights when the uprights are in an erected substantially vertical condition, this coping having a securing and retaining means adapted to mate with the uprights; (c) cooperative means provided in the forming of the uprights for selectively supporting and securing the coping and the upright at one of two vertically disposed positions whereby at its lower position the coping is positioned to provide a protective and concealing means of and for the top of the side wall and the flexible liner and at its upper position the coping is secured a short distance above the top of the side wall to expose for manipulation the top of the side wall and the liner, and (d) means for removably securing the water-retaining flexible liner to the top of the side wall and when in its secured condition and with the coping in its lower condition water may be stored in the pool to a level substantially to the top of the side wall and liner and with the coping in its second and elevated position the means for securing the liner to the wall as well as the top of the liner and the top of the side wall are exposed so that said securing means may be removed for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
2. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 1 in which the coping has an attached depending member which is slidably retained by the upper end of an upright and in which the depending member and the upper end of the upright have cooperative securing means for retaining the coping at its lower retained position and in which an additional retaining means is provided in one of the cooperative portions provided by the depending member and the upper end of the upright by which the coping may be retained at its upper position.
3. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 2 in which the retaining means is at least one hole provided in a depending portion of this depending member and a mating hole is provided in the upper portion of the upright and in which an additional hole is formed in one of the cooperative portions provided by the depending member and the upright and in which a pin member is placed in aligned holes to support the deck at either of the desired heights.
4. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the depending member extending downwardly from the coping is a T-bar whose stem portion is normal to the coping and includes two holes spaced vertically in this stem and in which the upright has one hole near its upper end, said hole in the upright adapted to mate with either of the holes in the T-bar.
5. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the depending member from the coping is a T-bar whose stem portion is normal to the coping and includes two holes spaced vertically in the upright and one hole formed in the stem of the T-bar, said hole in the stem adapted to mate with either of the holes in the uprights.
6. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the pin member is a bolt and associated therewith is a nut by which the bolt is tightened and retained.
7. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the means for removably securing the water-retaining liner to the side wall is a U-clip.
8. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which a deck is attached to the coping so that as the coping is moved from its lower position to its upper position the deck is moved with the coping.
9. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 8 in which the outer edges of the deck are retained by a rear extrusion carried by a back brace, the lower end of this back brace being carried by the upright which carries the coping, the securing of the back brace to the upright being provided by a clip which is movable up and down the upright and is retained in either of two positions by means of a plurality of holes in the clip and the upright, these holes disposed in a pattern so as to provide two selected height supporting means.
10. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 1 in which the upright is provided with an attaching means at the lower end thereof, said upright being slidably retained on a pool support ring by means of an upright clip, the clip and upright having compatible and cooperative retaining means whereby the upright may be retained in either of two vertical conditions to thereby position the coping as carried by the upright at the selected of the two vertical heights.
11. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 10 in which the upright clip carried by the ring has two vertically spaced holes and the attaching means for the lower end of the upright includes at least one hole through which a pin may be selectively inserted into either one of the two holes in the upright clip.
12. In a swimming pool assembly whose side wall is retained in a substantially vertical condition by an assembled frame, this side wall supporting a water-retaining flexible liner removably secured at the top of the side wall, said pool assembly including: (a) a plurality of uprights provided as a part of the frame each having a securing and supporting means disposed near one end thereof; (b) a deck-like member carried by and detachably secured to the uprights when the uprights are in an erected substantially vertical condition, this deck-like member having a securing and retaining means adapted to mate with the uprights; (c) cooperative means provided in the forming of the uprights for selectively supporting and securing the deck-like member and the upright at one of two vertically disposed positions whereby at its lower position the deck-like member is formed and positioned to provide a protective and concealing means of and for the top of the side wall and the flexible liner and at its upper position the deck-like member is secured a short distance above the top of the side wall to expose for manipulation the top of the side wall and the liner, and (d) means for removably securing the water-retaining flexible liner to the top of the side wall and with the deck-like member in the lower secured condition water may be stored in the pool substantially to the top of the side wall and liner and when the deck-like member is raised to its elevated position the means for securing the liner to the wall as well as the top of the liner and the top of the side wall are exposed so that said securing means may be removed for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
13. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 12 in which the deck-like member in an assembled condition includes a downwardly extending inner flange which in its lower condition conceals the means for securing the water-retaining flexible liner to the top of the side wall.
14. In a swimming pool whose side walls are supported by an assembled frame including a plurality of uprights and in which the water is retained by a flexible liner, the method of maintaining a coping at either of two selected heights one of which provides protection for the securing means by which the flexible liner is attached and supported by the side wall, the other height exposing this securing means for the flexible liner, said method including the steps of: (a) forming the uprights by which an associated coping member is cooperatively supported and retained with at least one securing and positioning means; (b) forming on the cooperative means of the coping at least one securing and positioning means disposed to mate with the securing and positioning means on the upright so as to provide one height relationship of the coping to the top of the upright; (c) forming an additional securing and positioning means in one of the cooperative portions providing the retained support of the coping on the upright, this additional securing and positioning means providing a vertical displacement of the coping at a second position which is a short distance from the first position, and (d) manipulating the securing and positioning means on both the coping and uprights to position and secure the coping in a protective and concealing position above the means for securing the top of the liner to the side wall and with a further manipulation to release the coping from its protective and concealing lower position to a supported condition a short vertical distance above the means for securing the flexible cover to the side wall, the coping in this vertically displaced position exposing the means for the securing of the liner so that said means may be released for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
15. The method of providing a movable coping as in claim 14 which further includes the attaching of a deck to the coping and supporting the outer edges of the deck so that the coping may be raised and lowered without disassembly of the support frame and removal of the deck.
16. The method of providing a movable coping as in claim 15 which further includes securing the outer deck support to a back brace and further removably securing the lower end of the back brace at one of two selected positions as established by securing means as provided on the upright carrying the coping.
17. The method of providing a movable coping as in claim 15 in which there is included the further steps of forming on the lower ring a plurality of substantially vertically extending clips each adapted to engage and mate with the lower end of an upright and in the lower end of each upright and the upstanding clip are formed holes sized to accept and pass a bolt, and in which two holes are vertically arranged and formed in one of the cooperating portions formed on the lower end of the upright and the clip.
18. In a swimming pool whose side walls are supported by an assembled frame including a plurality of uprights and in which the water is retained by a flexible liner, the method of maintaining a coping at either of two selected heights, one of which provides protection for the securing means by which the flexible liner is attached and supported by the side wall, the other height exposing the securing means for the flexible liner, said method including the steps of: (a) forming the uprights so that an associated coping member may be secured to the top portion thereof and with the lower end having at least one securing and positioning means for retaining association with an assembled bottom ring, and the like; (b) forming a plurality of cooperative means on the bottom ring portion of the pool frame assembly each having at least one securing and positioning means provided on a support means disposed to mate with the securing and positioning means on each of the uprights so as to provide one height relationship of the upright to the bottom ring; (c) forming an additional securing and positioning means in one of the cooperative portions providing the retained support of the upright to and on the bottom ring, this additional securing and positioning means providing a vertical displacement of the upright at a second position which is a short distance from the first position; and (d) manipulating the securing and positioning means on both the upright and the securing means on the bottom ring to position and secure the upright and attached coping in a protective and concealing position above the means for securing the top of the liner to the side wall and with a further manipulation of the upright and the securing means on the bottom ring to move the upright and attached coping from its protective and concealing lower position to a supported condition a short vertical distance above the means for securing the flexible cover to the side wall, the coping in this vertically displaced position exposing the means for the securing of the liner so that said means may be released for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
1. In a swimming pool assembly whose side wall is retained in a substantially vertical condition by an assembled frame, said side wall supporting a water-retaining flexible liner removably secured at the top of the side wall, said pool assembly including: (a) a plurality of uprights provided as a part of the frame each having a securing and supporting means disposed near one end thereof; (b) a coping carried by and detachably secured to the uprights when the uprights are in an erected substantially vertical condition, this coping having a securing and retaining means adapted to mate with the uprights; (c) cooperative means provided in the forming of the uprights for selectively supporting and securing the coping and the upright at one of two vertically disposed positions whereby at its lower position the coping is positioned to provide a protective and concealing means of and for the top of the side wall and the flexible liner and at its upper position the coping is secured a short distance above the top of the side wall to expose for manipulation the top of the side wall and the liner, and (d) means for removably securing the water-retaining flexible liner to the top of the side wall and when in its secured condition and with the coping in its lower condition water may be stored in the pool to a level substantially to the top of the side wall and liner and with the coping in its second and elevated position the means for securing the liner to the wall as well as the top of the liner and the top of the side wall are exposed so that said securing means may be removed for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
2. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 1 in which the coping has an attached depending member which is slidably retained by the upper end of an upright and in which the depending member and the upper end of the upright have cooperative securing means for retaining the coping at its lower retained position and in which an additional retaining means is provided in one of the cooperative portions provided by the depending member and the upper end of the upright by which the coping may be retained at its upper position.
3. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 2 in which the retaining means is at least one hole provided in a depending portion of this depending member and a mating hole is provided in the upper portion of the upright and in which an additional hole is formed in one of the cooperative portions provided by the depending member and the upright and in which a pin member is placed in aligned holes to support the deck at either of the desired heights.
4. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the depending member extending downwardly from the coping is a T-bar whose stem portion is normal to the coping and includes two holes spaced vertically in this stem and in which the upright has one hole near its upper end, said hole in the upright adapted to mate with either of the holes in the T-bar.
5. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the depending member from the coping is a T-bar whose stem portion is normal to the coping and includes two holes spaced vertically in the upright and one hole formed in the stem of the T-bar, said hole in the stem adapted to mate with either of the holes in the uprights.
6. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the pin member is a bolt and associated therewith is a nut by which the bolt is tightened and retained.
7. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which the means for removably securing the water-retaining liner to the side wall is a U-clip.
8. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 3 in which a deck is attached to the coping so that as the coping is moved from its lower position to its upper position the deck is moved with the coping.
9. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 8 in which the outer edges of the deck are retained by a rear extrusion carried by a back brace, the lower end of this back brace being carried by the upright which carries the coping, the securing of the back brace to the upright being provided by a clip which is movable up and down the upright and is retained in either of two positions by means of a plurality of holes in the clip and the upright, these holes disposed in a pattern so as to provide two selected height supporting means.
10. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 1 in which the upright is provided with an attaching means at the lower end thereof, said upright being slidably retained on a pool support ring by means of an upright clip, the clip and upright having compatible and cooperative retaining means whereby the upright may be retained in either of two vertical conditions to thereby position the coping as carried by the upright at the selected of the two vertical heights.
11. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 10 in which the upright clip carried by the ring has two vertically spaced holes and the attaching means for the lower end of the upright includes at least one hole through which a pin may be selectively inserted into either one of the two holes in the upright clip.
12. In a swimming pool assembly whose side wall is retained in a substantially vertical condition by an assembled frame, this side wall supporting a water-retaining flexible liner removably secured at the top of the side wall, said pool assembly including: (a) a plurality of uprights provided as a part of the frame each having a securing and supporting means disposed near one end thereof; (b) a deck-like member carried by and detachably secured to the uprights when the uprights are in an erected substantially vertical condition, this deck-like member having a securing and retaining means adapted to mate with the uprights; (c) cooperative means provided in the forming of the uprights for selectively supporting and securing the deck-like member and the upright at one of two vertically disposed positions whereby at its lower position the deck-like member is formed and positioned to provide a protective and concealing means of and for the top of the side wall and the flexible liner and at its upper position the deck-like member is secured a short distance above the top of the side wall to expose for manipulation the top of the side wall and the liner, and (d) means for removably securing the water-retaining flexible liner to the top of the side wall and with the deck-like member in the lower secured condition water may be stored in the pool substantially to the top of the side wall and liner and when the deck-like member is raised to its elevated position the means for securing the liner to the wall as well as the top of the liner and the top of the side wall are exposed so that said securing means may be removed for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
13. A swimming pool assembly as in claim 12 in which the deck-like member in an assembled condition includes a downwardly extending inner flange which in its lower condition conceals the means for securing the water-retaining flexible liner to the top of the side wall.
14. In a swimming pool whose side walls are supported by an assembled frame including a plurality of uprights and in which the water is retained by a flexible liner, the method of maintaining a coping at either of two selected heights one of which provides protection for the securing means by which the flexible liner is attached and supported by the side wall, the other height exposing this securing means for the flexible liner, said method including the steps of: (a) forming the uprights by which an associated coping member is cooperatively supported and retained with at least one securing and positioning means; (b) forming on the cooperative means of the coping at least one securing and positioning means disposed to mate with the securing and positioning means on the upright so as to provide one height relationship of the coping to the top of the upright; (c) forming an additional securing and positioning means in one of the cooperative portions providing the retained support of the coping on the upright, this additional securing and positioning means providing a vertical displacement of the coping at a second position which is a short distance from the first position, and (d) manipulating the securing and positioning means on both the coping and uprights to position and secure the coping in a protective and concealing position above the means for securing the top of the liner to the side wall and with a further manipulation to release the coping from its protective and concealing lower position to a supported condition a short vertical distance above the means for securing the flexible cover to the side wall, the coping in this vertically displaced position exposing the means for the securing of the liner so that said means may be released for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
15. The method of providing a movable coping as in claim 14 which further includes the attaching of a deck to the coping and supporting the outer edges of the deck so that the coping may be raised and lowered without disassembly of the support frame and removal of the deck.
16. The method of providing a movable coping as in claim 15 which further includes securing the outer deck support to a back brace and further removably securing the lower end of the back brace at one of two selected positions as established by securing means as provided on the upright carrying the coping.
17. The method of providing a movable coping as in claim 15 in which there is included the further steps of forming on the lower ring a plurality of substantially vertically extending clips each adapted to engage and mate with the lower end of an upright and in the lower end of each upright and the upstanding clip are formed holes sized to accept and pass a bolt, and in which two holes are vertically arranged and formed in one of the cooperating portions formed on the lower end of the upright and the clip.
18. In a swimming pool whose side walls are supported by an assembled frame including a plurality of uprights and in which the water is retained by a flexible liner, the method of maintaining a coping at either of two selected heights, one of which provides protection for the securing means by which the flexible liner is attached and supported by the side wall, the other height exposing the securing means for the flexible liner, said method including the steps of: (a) forming the uprights so that an associated coping member may be secured to the top portion thereof and with the lower end having at least one securing and positioning means for retaining association with an assembled bottom ring, and the like; (b) forming a plurality of cooperative means on the bottom ring portion of the pool frame assembly each having at least one securing and positioning means provided on a support means disposed to mate with the securing and positioning means on each of the uprights so as to provide one height relationship of the upright to the bottom ring; (c) forming an additional securing and positioning means in one of the cooperative portions providing the retained support of the upright to and on the bottom ring, this additional securing and positioning means providing a vertical displacement of the upright at a second position which is a short distance from the first position; and (d) manipulating the securing and positioning means on both the upright and the securing means on the bottom ring to position and secure the upright and attached coping in a protective and concealing position above the means for securing the top of the liner to the side wall and with a further manipulation of the upright and the securing means on the bottom ring to move the upright and attached coping from its protective and concealing lower position to a supported condition a short vertical distance above the means for securing the flexible cover to the side wall, the coping in this vertically displaced position exposing the means for the securing of the liner so that said means may be released for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established in the United States Patent Office the present invention pertains to the general Class entitled, "Baths, Closets, Sinks and Spittoons" (Class 4) and the subclasses thereunder entitled, "swimming pool" or "cover," "prefabricated wall sections or panels" and "with particularly contoured or resilient coping" (subclasses 172; 172.12; 172.19 and 172.21).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Above ground swimming pools and the like customarily have a support frame which supports a sheet metal wall. This supported wall is usually fixedly attached to the support frame to provide the needed support for the flexible wall of the swimming pool. This basic structure is used for above ground pools even though the pool has been provided with a deck around the upper edge of the pool or the upper edge has been protected by copings and the like. These decks or copings enable the upper edge of the swimming pool to have a protective covering member permitting the user of the pool to enter and leave the pool without engaging or damaging the top of the liner. Since the structure to hold the pool and the liner wall either for round or rectangular pools is assembled prior to the installation of the liner, the adjustment of the liner during the initial installation of the water in the pool or for the replacement of the liner after use, damage and/or normal wear has usually required several workmen to remove the top of the swimming pool assembly and to partially disassemble the pool in order to remove the liner, rearrange an existing liner or replace with a new liner. Such an effort, of course, entails considerable time and expense. The present invention is directed toward means whereby the coping and/or attached deck may be lifted to a degree sufficient to permit the flexible liner to be removed from its support and with the coping and/or deck in a supported condition the liner may be readily removed, rearranged or reinstalled by one person without the disassembly of the swimming pool structure and support.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The swimming pool of this invention may be summarized at least in part with reference to its objects.
It is an object of this invention to provide, and it does provide, a swimming pool structure wherein one workman is able to install or remove a liner of an above ground or similar type pool in which a flexible liner is attached and supported at the upper rim of a swimming pool frame having a coping and/or deck, which coping and/or deck may be lifted and supported at a distance above the frame sufficient to permit the liner to be removed without the disassembly of the swimming pool frame.
It is a further object of the invention to provide, and it does provide, a swimming pool frame in which the coping protecting the securing of a flexible liner to the top of a swimming pool frame may be lifted and supported at a distance above the wall which is sufficient to enable the retention of the liner to be removed, rearranged or replaced by one person without the disassembly of the swimming pool support structure. This structure has the upright members and a mating securing member on the coping formed with one member having a pair of vertically disposed holes into which a securing bolt may be shifted from an upper hole to a lower hole and into a cooperating hole in the other member to permit the coping or deck to be moved upward from the side wall of the swimming pool a distance of approximately two inches enabling a workman to easily manipulate the liner and retaining means for removal and re-installation of the liner without disassembly of the swimming pool frame and/or deck.
This invention, to be more fully described hereinafter and as seen in the drawings, has its upright supports formed so that the swimming pool frame and support wall may be fully assembled and subsequent thereto the coping and/or deck may be lifted in a vertical manner and in a vertical portion of the support frame there is provided a predeterminedly spaced hole. A bracket carried by the coping has a pair of vertically spaced holes, the upper hole of which is used to secure the coping and/or deck in an edge protecting condition. The other and lower hole supports the coping and/or deck which has been lifted by an attendant to position the deck two or three inches above its regularly installed position. In this elevated condition the upper edge of the swimming pool wall whereat the flexible liner is retained is exposed enabling a workman to install, remove and re-install or rearrange the securing of the flexible liner to the upper edge of the swimming pool wall.
In addition to the above summary the following disclosure is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention. This disclosure, however, is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. For this reason there has been chosen a specific embodiment of the swimming pool frame and a coping and a deck support as adapted for use with the frame and showing a preferred means for supporting the coping or deck in two elevations.
This specific embodiment and alternate embodiments thereof have been chosen for the purposes of illustration and description as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 represents an exploded isometric, partly fragmentary, view of the preferred assembly of a frame and deck for use with a swimming pool of an above ground construction;
FIG. 2 represents a fragmentary side view, partly diagrammatic, and showing the framework of FIG. 1 in an assembled condition;
FIG. 3 represents the fragmentary side view of FIG. 2 but with the coping and deck raised to its second or elevated position whereat the flexible water retaining liner may be readily removed and replaced;
FIG. 4 represents a fragmentary side view, partly diagrammatic, of a pool support frame similar to the frame of FIG. 2 but having a modified construction wherein a brace to hold a fence portion as well as a deck is also disposed to permit upward movement of both fence and decking to permit removal and replacement of the flexible liner;
FIG. 5 represents a fragmentary side view, partly diagrammatic, and showing an alternate swimming pool construction in which a coping only is provided on the swimming pool structure and showing means for raising and lowering the coping to permit removal of the flexible liner, and
FIG. 6 represents a fragmentary, partly diagrammatic, side view of yet another alternate construction in which the side frame may be lifted and supported to permit removal and reinstallation of a flexible liner in a swimming pool.
In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.
The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification disclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explantion of the broader aspects of the invention, and that the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3
Referring now to the swimming pool frame construction as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is depicted the framework for an above ground swimming pool having an upper deck identified as 10. This deck may be made of aluminum extrusions usually of U-shape or as a solid planking. These members are supported at both ends by appropriate aluminum or like metal extrusions. The inner end of the deck 10 is retained by an extrusion 12 which also forms the front coping. As shown, this extruded member is an F-shaped piece with its upper horizontal bar portion made shorter in length than the lower horizontal bar portion. The space between these horizontal bars is sized to slidably receive the ends of deck member 10. The downwardly extending vertical bar provides the inward face of the coping providing the protection and concealment of the upper end of a flexible liner 14 and a sheet metal wall member 16. A plastic U-shaped clip 18 conventionally grips and retains the liner 14 against and to the wall member 16.
Regularly spaced around the pool frame whether the pool is made round, rectangular or polygonal are uprights 20 which are shown as rectangular or square hollow extrusions. Slidably and removably carried in these uprights are T-brackets 22 which are disposed to support the deck 10 and also the coping front 12. In the upper bar portion of this bracket 22 are formed two holes 24 which are spaced and sized so as to mate with a hole 26 in shown deck 10 and with the other hole 24 with a like hole 26 as provided in an adjacent deck member 10. A hole 28 is formed in the lower horizontal bar of member 12 and is used with upright 20 to position the bracket 22. A rivet or bolt 30 is passed through aligned holes 26, 24 and 28 and is tightened to secure the deck 10 to one end of bracket 12 and one end of T-bracket 22.
Also formed in the downwardly extending legs of the T-bracket 22 are aligned holes 32 and 34. A pair of aligned holes 36 are formed in opposite side walls of upright 20 and bolt 40 and nut 42 is used in the holes 36 and in either hole 32 or hole 34 to retain bracket 22 in the down position of FIG. 2, or the up position of FIG. 3. When a deck 10 is provided the outer end of this deck is retained by an extrusion 50 which is similar in configuration to the F-shaped member 12 except that the downwardly extending leg is disposed at a slope inwardly at about thirty degrees. This downwardly extending leg has a hole 51 therein which provides means for attaching as by a bolt 52 the leg to a brace post 54 which has aligned cooperating holes 56 formed therethrough in opposite side walls. A hole 58 in the lower bar of extrusion 50 is adapted to align with a hole 60 in deck 10. A bolt or rivet 62 is passed through holes 58 and 60 and is tightened to secure the deck 10 to extrusion 50.
Use and Operation of the Frame Assembly of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3
To assemble the pool frame workmen arrange and connect a bottom ring or frame, not shown, and to this frame uprights 20 and diagonal brace posts 54 are attached. The new deck or coping and the method of attachment to this assembled frame provided by this invention enables the metal side wall 16 to be made longer than is presently customary with prior procedures. This liner supporting wall 16 and the plastic liner 14 with which it is associated may be made as long as the upright 20 which permits, in the present invention, a filled height of the pool which is approximately two inches more than has normally been available in prior known pools. The workmen arrange and assemble the frame and the uprights 20 and brace post 54. The deck 10 is then secured to the uprights 20 and brace posts 54 by T-brackets 22 slidably retained within the formed interior of the uprights 20 and selectively movable up and down therein. Extrusion 50 is bolted to posts 54 with the pool frame and posts assembled but without the liner 14 and the metal wall 16. The plurality of workmen normally required to assemble the pool may then be dismissed since only one person is needed to complete the assembly of the pool and install the water therein.
The metal liner walls 16 are placed in position against the supports 20 while and when the coping front 12 is lifted, the semirigid deck permits the coping front 12 to be brought to the condition of FIG. 3. A bolt 40 is pushed into and through the holes 36 in the upright and also through holes 32 in the T-member 22 to maintain the deck 10 and the coping front 12 in the position of FIG. 3. After the metal liner 16 and the plastic liner 14 have been arranged and smoothed to the condition desired, water may be flowed into the pool to a limited extent. Once the metal wall 16 and the plastic liner 14 have been secured and arranged as desired the plastic cap 18 is applied to retain liner 14 and wall 16 in the selected position. The deck 10 and the front coping 12 are now lowered by removing the several bolts 40 permitting holes 34 to be brought into alignment with holes 36 whereupon the several bolts 40 are re-installed. A nut 42 is installed on and tightened on each bolt to cause the top deck 10 and the front coping 12 to be secured in the pool use position.
To replace, repair or rearrange a flexible lining 14 it is only necessary that a workman remove the nut 42 and bolt 40 and lift the deck 10 upwardly to bring the hole 32 in the T-bracket 22 into alignment with hole 36 in upright 20 whereupon the bolt 40 is re-installed to maintain the deck 10 and front coping 12 in the condition of FIG. 3 and in this position permitting easy access to the top clip 18, wall liner 14 and wall 16. After repair or installation of a new liner 14 has been made bolt 40 is removed and the deck 10 and the coping 12 are lowered and resecured by placing the bolt 40 again through hole 36 and the hole 34 in the T-bracket 22.
It is to be noted that on the outer extrusion support 54 there are provided two holes 56, one of which is adapted to engage and support one of the rear extrusions 50 and the other hole will retain an adjacent like extrusion and an adjacent deck member 10 in a like manner. One of the holes 24 in T-bracket 22 is adapted to mate with one hole 26 of the deck 10 so that one T-bracket 22 will retain two deck sections 10 and will secure and retain the ends of adjacent coping front members 12.
Alternate Embodiment of FIG. 4
Referring next and in particular to FIG. 4 it is to be noted that instead of a back brace post 54 which is disposed to extend all the way to the bottom ring or retaining brace it is contemplated that a back brace 154 is disposed to engage upright 120 intermediate its ends. Upright 120 like upright 20 is disposed to receive a front coping 12 and a T-bar 22 as in FIG. 2. In like manner wall member 16 and flexible liner 14 are similar to those shown in FIG. 2, however, back brace 154 although similar to brace 54 of FIG. 2 in the embodiment of FIG. 4 is formed with a clip portion 155 which is disposed to slidably engage the upright 120 and is slidable up and down on post 120. A bolt 40 engages either hole 157 or 158 formed in bracket 155 and is brought into alignment and through a pair of holes formed in opposite walls in upright 120. To secure the bracket 155 in the desired protective position as in FIG. 4 the hole in leg 120 is brought into alignment with hole 157. When the deck 10 is to be lifted the bolt 40 now in hole 157 and in through the pair of receiving holes in the upright 120 is removed as is also a bolt 40 through the pair of holes 136 in upright 120. The deck 10, the front coping 12 and the support leg 154 is now moved upwardly to bring holes 132 and 136 into alignment. At the same time hole 158 is brought to the height previously provided by hole 157 and a bolt 40 is placed through these aligned holes. When the hole 32 in T-bar 22 is brought into alignment with hole 136 in the upright a bolt 40 placed therethrough causes the deck 10 and front coping 12 to be raised to determined distance sufficient to bring this front coping 12 to a position similar to that as seen in FIG. 3. In this position the liner 14 and support wall 16 may be replaced, repaired or otherwise adjusted. After the desired repair has been completed the bolts 40 are removed to permit the deck 10 and front coping 12 and rear brace 154 and bracket 155 to be brought to the lowered condition now seen in FIG. 4. The bolts 40 are now reinstalled and with nuts 42 are tightened to maintain the deck and coping in the desired use arrangement.
Alternate Arrangement of Coping as Seen in FIG. 5
Referring next to FIG. 5, it is to be noted that on certain pools it may be desired that a deck not be used in which case a coping 212 is provided. This coping is formed as a U-shaped member to which T-bar 22 is attached by means of rivets and the like. Formed in upright 20 is the previously described hole 36 and in the T-bar 22 are the holes 32 and 34 as in FIG. 1. With the coping 212 raised and supported by bolt 40 in aligned holes 36 and 32 the wall 16, liner 14 and clip 18 are exposed and available for manipulation by a workman. With the bolt 40 in holes 36 and 34, the coping 212 protects the assembled wall 16, liner 14 and clip 18 as in the assembled condition of FIG. 5. When the coping 212 is in the raised condition the clip 18 and the upper ends of the liner 14 and flexible wall 16 are exposed for repair or replacement of the wall and/or liner.
The raising and lowering of this coping member 212 is an easily accomplished procedure by one workman and follows in general the procedure as in the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2.
Embodiment of FIG. 6
Referring finally to FIG. 6, it is to be noted that the scope of the invention also includes raising both the upright 20 and an attached coping to expose the side wall 16 and the flexible liner 14 and the attaching clip 18. Assuming that the wall 16 is in an unattached condition to the side frame it is to be noted that the coping as an attached upright may be moved if as a part of a bottom ring member 300 there are upright clips 302 attached to this ring. These clips are formed with a hole 304 which is used to establish the upper limit engagement for an upright 306 having two pairs of vertically spaced holes. This upright tubular member has two pairs of holes 308 and 310 so spaced that when the lower hole 308 is in alignment with hole 304 and a bolt 40 is placed therethrough the side wall support is maintained in a lifted position as shown in FIG. 6. The upper hole 310 when brought into alignment with hole 304 and bolt 40 is inserted and the upright 306 is maintained in its lower position. A bolt similar to bolt 40, as seen in FIG. 1, is adapted and is used to secure the upright 306 in either of the two desired positions by merely placing the bolt in the desired aligned holes 308 or 310 and tightening by a nut 42.
The upright 306 when in the raised condition lifts and retains the attached coping member from in way of the clip 18, the liner 14 and the side wall 16 to permit installation and easy repair. It is assumed that, of course, a coping similar to coping 212 as seen in FIG. 5 or a coping 12 and deck 10 as in FIGS. 1 or 4 will be used, which coping when upright 306 has been brought down into its bottom secured position and the bolt 40 placed through holes 304 and 310 will cause the coping to enclose and protect the edge of the assembled side wall and liner.
In all the above embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 3, as well as the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, it is to be noted that a removable fastening member preferably in the form of a bolt 40 and nut 42 is used to retain a coping in one of two elevated positions. It is to be further assumed that the swimming pool of this invention will utilize a flexible wall of some sort and a waterproof liner which wall and liner are secured at the top of this flexible wall by means such as clip 18. In its fully assembled and used condition a coping or some similar type of cap piece covers this upper edge and protects the clip piece 18 and the assembled upper edge of the liner and the wall used therewith. In its assembled condition both the liner and supporting side wall may be brought to the extreme top of this support frame as exemplified by upright 20 which provides a higher level of water in the pool in relation to the side wall assembly than with the water retaining means of swimming pools provided prior to this invention. To repair, replace or install a liner 14 and/or a portion of a complete supporting side wall 16 of a pool it is only necessary in practicing this invention that the retaining bolts 40 by which the T-bar members and the like by which the cap or base ring are secured to the uprights be removed and that the coping protecting member which selectively conceals the clip 18 and the secured ends of the liner and wall be uncovered by lifting the coping to a height slightly above the assembled condition. In this elevated condition the clip 18, the liner 14 and the wall 16 may be separated and easily removed or rearranged within the swimming pool.
The improvements, above noted, of being able to extend the effective height of the swimming pool by two inches or so without the use of additional materials is, of course, an obvious advantage provided by this pool frame assembly. Another important improvement provided by this invention is that the liner 14, the usually used metal retaining wall 16 and the retaining clip 18 or a similar means may be installed and manipulated for repair or replacement by only one workman. This is an important improvement in that during the filling of the pool necessary changes in the arrangement of the wall 14, the liner 16 and its securing member 18 may be manipulated by only a single workman who may only need to locally raise the coping. This is accomplished by removing the bolts 40 and securing two or three sections of the coping in a raised condition sufficient to permit the upward moving of the coping and exposure of the joining member, the retaining clip 18, the wall 16 and the liner 14.
Although T-bar 22 is shown as having two vertically disposed pairs of holes 32 and 34 and upright 20 with only one pair of aligned holes 36 the opposite arrangement, of course, could be used. In addition the T-bar 22 need not have its downwardly extending portion sized to fit within extrusion 20 but other configurations such as making upright 20 as an angle or T-bar member and member 22 as a member whose downwardly flat leg is disposed to lay against the upright member and by appropriate holes be secured by a bolt and nut. Tongue and groove means, pins and notches and the like may also be formed in the upright and the mating coping member to provide a two height support means for the coping. The economies in the design of the upright and the coping and attachment as well as the pool configuration dictates the construction to be used. The dual height provision of the coping protective member and the ready adjustment to these two heights by one workman is the contribution to the flexible liner swimming pool construction provided by this invention.
Method of Repairing and Installing a Flexible Liner in a Swimming Pool
The present invention also provides an economical and easy method for one workman to move the coping from its protective position to an above height whereat the means for securing of the flexible liner to the support wall is exposed enabling work on the liner or wall to be accomplished. The method of the maintaining and supporting a coping at two selected heights includes the steps of: (a) forming the uprights by which an associated coping member is cooperatively supported and retained with at least one securing and positioning means such as a hole; (b) forming on the cooperative means of the coping at least one securing and positioning means disposed to mate with the securing and positioning means on the upright so as to provide one height relationship of the coping to the top of the upright; (c) forming an additional securing and positioning means in one of the cooperative portions providing the retained support of the coping on the upright, this additional securing and positioning means providing a vertical displacement of the coping which is a short distance from the first position, and (d) manipulating the securing and positioning means on both the coping and uprights to position and secure the coping in a protective and concealing position above the means for securing the top of the liner to the side wall and with a further manipulation to release the coping from its protective and concealing lower position to a supported condition a short vertical distance above the means for securing the flexible cover to the side wall, the coping in this vertically displaced position exposing the means for the securing of the liner so that said means may be released for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
In the above description the coping and deck have been shown as two separate members. It is, of course, possible for a deck to be made as a unitary member with a downwardly extending inner lip which would protect the securing of the side wall and the flexible liner. It is also to be noted that instead of separate uprights a heavier side wall could be used which would serve as the upright and to this wall a coping be attached so as to provide the needed protection of the attached liner and this coping be movable to the two vertical levels. Other alternates could, of course, be provided within the scope of the invention which is to provide a protective member for the securing of the liner to the side wall and then to selectively lift this protective member to expose the retaining means for the liner to the wall.
Terms such as "left," "right," "up," "down," "bottom," "top," "front," "back," "in," "out" and the like are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the swimming pool and its coping member or framework may be constructed or used.
While particular embodiments of the pool frame have been shown and described it is to be understood the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.
1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established in the United States Patent Office the present invention pertains to the general Class entitled, "Baths, Closets, Sinks and Spittoons" (Class 4) and the subclasses thereunder entitled, "swimming pool" or "cover," "prefabricated wall sections or panels" and "with particularly contoured or resilient coping" (subclasses 172; 172.12; 172.19 and 172.21).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Above ground swimming pools and the like customarily have a support frame which supports a sheet metal wall. This supported wall is usually fixedly attached to the support frame to provide the needed support for the flexible wall of the swimming pool. This basic structure is used for above ground pools even though the pool has been provided with a deck around the upper edge of the pool or the upper edge has been protected by copings and the like. These decks or copings enable the upper edge of the swimming pool to have a protective covering member permitting the user of the pool to enter and leave the pool without engaging or damaging the top of the liner. Since the structure to hold the pool and the liner wall either for round or rectangular pools is assembled prior to the installation of the liner, the adjustment of the liner during the initial installation of the water in the pool or for the replacement of the liner after use, damage and/or normal wear has usually required several workmen to remove the top of the swimming pool assembly and to partially disassemble the pool in order to remove the liner, rearrange an existing liner or replace with a new liner. Such an effort, of course, entails considerable time and expense. The present invention is directed toward means whereby the coping and/or attached deck may be lifted to a degree sufficient to permit the flexible liner to be removed from its support and with the coping and/or deck in a supported condition the liner may be readily removed, rearranged or reinstalled by one person without the disassembly of the swimming pool structure and support.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The swimming pool of this invention may be summarized at least in part with reference to its objects.
It is an object of this invention to provide, and it does provide, a swimming pool structure wherein one workman is able to install or remove a liner of an above ground or similar type pool in which a flexible liner is attached and supported at the upper rim of a swimming pool frame having a coping and/or deck, which coping and/or deck may be lifted and supported at a distance above the frame sufficient to permit the liner to be removed without the disassembly of the swimming pool frame.
It is a further object of the invention to provide, and it does provide, a swimming pool frame in which the coping protecting the securing of a flexible liner to the top of a swimming pool frame may be lifted and supported at a distance above the wall which is sufficient to enable the retention of the liner to be removed, rearranged or replaced by one person without the disassembly of the swimming pool support structure. This structure has the upright members and a mating securing member on the coping formed with one member having a pair of vertically disposed holes into which a securing bolt may be shifted from an upper hole to a lower hole and into a cooperating hole in the other member to permit the coping or deck to be moved upward from the side wall of the swimming pool a distance of approximately two inches enabling a workman to easily manipulate the liner and retaining means for removal and re-installation of the liner without disassembly of the swimming pool frame and/or deck.
This invention, to be more fully described hereinafter and as seen in the drawings, has its upright supports formed so that the swimming pool frame and support wall may be fully assembled and subsequent thereto the coping and/or deck may be lifted in a vertical manner and in a vertical portion of the support frame there is provided a predeterminedly spaced hole. A bracket carried by the coping has a pair of vertically spaced holes, the upper hole of which is used to secure the coping and/or deck in an edge protecting condition. The other and lower hole supports the coping and/or deck which has been lifted by an attendant to position the deck two or three inches above its regularly installed position. In this elevated condition the upper edge of the swimming pool wall whereat the flexible liner is retained is exposed enabling a workman to install, remove and re-install or rearrange the securing of the flexible liner to the upper edge of the swimming pool wall.
In addition to the above summary the following disclosure is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention. This disclosure, however, is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. For this reason there has been chosen a specific embodiment of the swimming pool frame and a coping and a deck support as adapted for use with the frame and showing a preferred means for supporting the coping or deck in two elevations.
This specific embodiment and alternate embodiments thereof have been chosen for the purposes of illustration and description as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 represents an exploded isometric, partly fragmentary, view of the preferred assembly of a frame and deck for use with a swimming pool of an above ground construction;
FIG. 2 represents a fragmentary side view, partly diagrammatic, and showing the framework of FIG. 1 in an assembled condition;
FIG. 3 represents the fragmentary side view of FIG. 2 but with the coping and deck raised to its second or elevated position whereat the flexible water retaining liner may be readily removed and replaced;
FIG. 4 represents a fragmentary side view, partly diagrammatic, of a pool support frame similar to the frame of FIG. 2 but having a modified construction wherein a brace to hold a fence portion as well as a deck is also disposed to permit upward movement of both fence and decking to permit removal and replacement of the flexible liner;
FIG. 5 represents a fragmentary side view, partly diagrammatic, and showing an alternate swimming pool construction in which a coping only is provided on the swimming pool structure and showing means for raising and lowering the coping to permit removal of the flexible liner, and
FIG. 6 represents a fragmentary, partly diagrammatic, side view of yet another alternate construction in which the side frame may be lifted and supported to permit removal and reinstallation of a flexible liner in a swimming pool.
In the following description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.
The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specification disclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explantion of the broader aspects of the invention, and that the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3
Referring now to the swimming pool frame construction as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is depicted the framework for an above ground swimming pool having an upper deck identified as 10. This deck may be made of aluminum extrusions usually of U-shape or as a solid planking. These members are supported at both ends by appropriate aluminum or like metal extrusions. The inner end of the deck 10 is retained by an extrusion 12 which also forms the front coping. As shown, this extruded member is an F-shaped piece with its upper horizontal bar portion made shorter in length than the lower horizontal bar portion. The space between these horizontal bars is sized to slidably receive the ends of deck member 10. The downwardly extending vertical bar provides the inward face of the coping providing the protection and concealment of the upper end of a flexible liner 14 and a sheet metal wall member 16. A plastic U-shaped clip 18 conventionally grips and retains the liner 14 against and to the wall member 16.
Regularly spaced around the pool frame whether the pool is made round, rectangular or polygonal are uprights 20 which are shown as rectangular or square hollow extrusions. Slidably and removably carried in these uprights are T-brackets 22 which are disposed to support the deck 10 and also the coping front 12. In the upper bar portion of this bracket 22 are formed two holes 24 which are spaced and sized so as to mate with a hole 26 in shown deck 10 and with the other hole 24 with a like hole 26 as provided in an adjacent deck member 10. A hole 28 is formed in the lower horizontal bar of member 12 and is used with upright 20 to position the bracket 22. A rivet or bolt 30 is passed through aligned holes 26, 24 and 28 and is tightened to secure the deck 10 to one end of bracket 12 and one end of T-bracket 22.
Also formed in the downwardly extending legs of the T-bracket 22 are aligned holes 32 and 34. A pair of aligned holes 36 are formed in opposite side walls of upright 20 and bolt 40 and nut 42 is used in the holes 36 and in either hole 32 or hole 34 to retain bracket 22 in the down position of FIG. 2, or the up position of FIG. 3. When a deck 10 is provided the outer end of this deck is retained by an extrusion 50 which is similar in configuration to the F-shaped member 12 except that the downwardly extending leg is disposed at a slope inwardly at about thirty degrees. This downwardly extending leg has a hole 51 therein which provides means for attaching as by a bolt 52 the leg to a brace post 54 which has aligned cooperating holes 56 formed therethrough in opposite side walls. A hole 58 in the lower bar of extrusion 50 is adapted to align with a hole 60 in deck 10. A bolt or rivet 62 is passed through holes 58 and 60 and is tightened to secure the deck 10 to extrusion 50.
Use and Operation of the Frame Assembly of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3
To assemble the pool frame workmen arrange and connect a bottom ring or frame, not shown, and to this frame uprights 20 and diagonal brace posts 54 are attached. The new deck or coping and the method of attachment to this assembled frame provided by this invention enables the metal side wall 16 to be made longer than is presently customary with prior procedures. This liner supporting wall 16 and the plastic liner 14 with which it is associated may be made as long as the upright 20 which permits, in the present invention, a filled height of the pool which is approximately two inches more than has normally been available in prior known pools. The workmen arrange and assemble the frame and the uprights 20 and brace post 54. The deck 10 is then secured to the uprights 20 and brace posts 54 by T-brackets 22 slidably retained within the formed interior of the uprights 20 and selectively movable up and down therein. Extrusion 50 is bolted to posts 54 with the pool frame and posts assembled but without the liner 14 and the metal wall 16. The plurality of workmen normally required to assemble the pool may then be dismissed since only one person is needed to complete the assembly of the pool and install the water therein.
The metal liner walls 16 are placed in position against the supports 20 while and when the coping front 12 is lifted, the semirigid deck permits the coping front 12 to be brought to the condition of FIG. 3. A bolt 40 is pushed into and through the holes 36 in the upright and also through holes 32 in the T-member 22 to maintain the deck 10 and the coping front 12 in the position of FIG. 3. After the metal liner 16 and the plastic liner 14 have been arranged and smoothed to the condition desired, water may be flowed into the pool to a limited extent. Once the metal wall 16 and the plastic liner 14 have been secured and arranged as desired the plastic cap 18 is applied to retain liner 14 and wall 16 in the selected position. The deck 10 and the front coping 12 are now lowered by removing the several bolts 40 permitting holes 34 to be brought into alignment with holes 36 whereupon the several bolts 40 are re-installed. A nut 42 is installed on and tightened on each bolt to cause the top deck 10 and the front coping 12 to be secured in the pool use position.
To replace, repair or rearrange a flexible lining 14 it is only necessary that a workman remove the nut 42 and bolt 40 and lift the deck 10 upwardly to bring the hole 32 in the T-bracket 22 into alignment with hole 36 in upright 20 whereupon the bolt 40 is re-installed to maintain the deck 10 and front coping 12 in the condition of FIG. 3 and in this position permitting easy access to the top clip 18, wall liner 14 and wall 16. After repair or installation of a new liner 14 has been made bolt 40 is removed and the deck 10 and the coping 12 are lowered and resecured by placing the bolt 40 again through hole 36 and the hole 34 in the T-bracket 22.
It is to be noted that on the outer extrusion support 54 there are provided two holes 56, one of which is adapted to engage and support one of the rear extrusions 50 and the other hole will retain an adjacent like extrusion and an adjacent deck member 10 in a like manner. One of the holes 24 in T-bracket 22 is adapted to mate with one hole 26 of the deck 10 so that one T-bracket 22 will retain two deck sections 10 and will secure and retain the ends of adjacent coping front members 12.
Alternate Embodiment of FIG. 4
Referring next and in particular to FIG. 4 it is to be noted that instead of a back brace post 54 which is disposed to extend all the way to the bottom ring or retaining brace it is contemplated that a back brace 154 is disposed to engage upright 120 intermediate its ends. Upright 120 like upright 20 is disposed to receive a front coping 12 and a T-bar 22 as in FIG. 2. In like manner wall member 16 and flexible liner 14 are similar to those shown in FIG. 2, however, back brace 154 although similar to brace 54 of FIG. 2 in the embodiment of FIG. 4 is formed with a clip portion 155 which is disposed to slidably engage the upright 120 and is slidable up and down on post 120. A bolt 40 engages either hole 157 or 158 formed in bracket 155 and is brought into alignment and through a pair of holes formed in opposite walls in upright 120. To secure the bracket 155 in the desired protective position as in FIG. 4 the hole in leg 120 is brought into alignment with hole 157. When the deck 10 is to be lifted the bolt 40 now in hole 157 and in through the pair of receiving holes in the upright 120 is removed as is also a bolt 40 through the pair of holes 136 in upright 120. The deck 10, the front coping 12 and the support leg 154 is now moved upwardly to bring holes 132 and 136 into alignment. At the same time hole 158 is brought to the height previously provided by hole 157 and a bolt 40 is placed through these aligned holes. When the hole 32 in T-bar 22 is brought into alignment with hole 136 in the upright a bolt 40 placed therethrough causes the deck 10 and front coping 12 to be raised to determined distance sufficient to bring this front coping 12 to a position similar to that as seen in FIG. 3. In this position the liner 14 and support wall 16 may be replaced, repaired or otherwise adjusted. After the desired repair has been completed the bolts 40 are removed to permit the deck 10 and front coping 12 and rear brace 154 and bracket 155 to be brought to the lowered condition now seen in FIG. 4. The bolts 40 are now reinstalled and with nuts 42 are tightened to maintain the deck and coping in the desired use arrangement.
Alternate Arrangement of Coping as Seen in FIG. 5
Referring next to FIG. 5, it is to be noted that on certain pools it may be desired that a deck not be used in which case a coping 212 is provided. This coping is formed as a U-shaped member to which T-bar 22 is attached by means of rivets and the like. Formed in upright 20 is the previously described hole 36 and in the T-bar 22 are the holes 32 and 34 as in FIG. 1. With the coping 212 raised and supported by bolt 40 in aligned holes 36 and 32 the wall 16, liner 14 and clip 18 are exposed and available for manipulation by a workman. With the bolt 40 in holes 36 and 34, the coping 212 protects the assembled wall 16, liner 14 and clip 18 as in the assembled condition of FIG. 5. When the coping 212 is in the raised condition the clip 18 and the upper ends of the liner 14 and flexible wall 16 are exposed for repair or replacement of the wall and/or liner.
The raising and lowering of this coping member 212 is an easily accomplished procedure by one workman and follows in general the procedure as in the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2.
Embodiment of FIG. 6
Referring finally to FIG. 6, it is to be noted that the scope of the invention also includes raising both the upright 20 and an attached coping to expose the side wall 16 and the flexible liner 14 and the attaching clip 18. Assuming that the wall 16 is in an unattached condition to the side frame it is to be noted that the coping as an attached upright may be moved if as a part of a bottom ring member 300 there are upright clips 302 attached to this ring. These clips are formed with a hole 304 which is used to establish the upper limit engagement for an upright 306 having two pairs of vertically spaced holes. This upright tubular member has two pairs of holes 308 and 310 so spaced that when the lower hole 308 is in alignment with hole 304 and a bolt 40 is placed therethrough the side wall support is maintained in a lifted position as shown in FIG. 6. The upper hole 310 when brought into alignment with hole 304 and bolt 40 is inserted and the upright 306 is maintained in its lower position. A bolt similar to bolt 40, as seen in FIG. 1, is adapted and is used to secure the upright 306 in either of the two desired positions by merely placing the bolt in the desired aligned holes 308 or 310 and tightening by a nut 42.
The upright 306 when in the raised condition lifts and retains the attached coping member from in way of the clip 18, the liner 14 and the side wall 16 to permit installation and easy repair. It is assumed that, of course, a coping similar to coping 212 as seen in FIG. 5 or a coping 12 and deck 10 as in FIGS. 1 or 4 will be used, which coping when upright 306 has been brought down into its bottom secured position and the bolt 40 placed through holes 304 and 310 will cause the coping to enclose and protect the edge of the assembled side wall and liner.
In all the above embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 3, as well as the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, it is to be noted that a removable fastening member preferably in the form of a bolt 40 and nut 42 is used to retain a coping in one of two elevated positions. It is to be further assumed that the swimming pool of this invention will utilize a flexible wall of some sort and a waterproof liner which wall and liner are secured at the top of this flexible wall by means such as clip 18. In its fully assembled and used condition a coping or some similar type of cap piece covers this upper edge and protects the clip piece 18 and the assembled upper edge of the liner and the wall used therewith. In its assembled condition both the liner and supporting side wall may be brought to the extreme top of this support frame as exemplified by upright 20 which provides a higher level of water in the pool in relation to the side wall assembly than with the water retaining means of swimming pools provided prior to this invention. To repair, replace or install a liner 14 and/or a portion of a complete supporting side wall 16 of a pool it is only necessary in practicing this invention that the retaining bolts 40 by which the T-bar members and the like by which the cap or base ring are secured to the uprights be removed and that the coping protecting member which selectively conceals the clip 18 and the secured ends of the liner and wall be uncovered by lifting the coping to a height slightly above the assembled condition. In this elevated condition the clip 18, the liner 14 and the wall 16 may be separated and easily removed or rearranged within the swimming pool.
The improvements, above noted, of being able to extend the effective height of the swimming pool by two inches or so without the use of additional materials is, of course, an obvious advantage provided by this pool frame assembly. Another important improvement provided by this invention is that the liner 14, the usually used metal retaining wall 16 and the retaining clip 18 or a similar means may be installed and manipulated for repair or replacement by only one workman. This is an important improvement in that during the filling of the pool necessary changes in the arrangement of the wall 14, the liner 16 and its securing member 18 may be manipulated by only a single workman who may only need to locally raise the coping. This is accomplished by removing the bolts 40 and securing two or three sections of the coping in a raised condition sufficient to permit the upward moving of the coping and exposure of the joining member, the retaining clip 18, the wall 16 and the liner 14.
Although T-bar 22 is shown as having two vertically disposed pairs of holes 32 and 34 and upright 20 with only one pair of aligned holes 36 the opposite arrangement, of course, could be used. In addition the T-bar 22 need not have its downwardly extending portion sized to fit within extrusion 20 but other configurations such as making upright 20 as an angle or T-bar member and member 22 as a member whose downwardly flat leg is disposed to lay against the upright member and by appropriate holes be secured by a bolt and nut. Tongue and groove means, pins and notches and the like may also be formed in the upright and the mating coping member to provide a two height support means for the coping. The economies in the design of the upright and the coping and attachment as well as the pool configuration dictates the construction to be used. The dual height provision of the coping protective member and the ready adjustment to these two heights by one workman is the contribution to the flexible liner swimming pool construction provided by this invention.
Method of Repairing and Installing a Flexible Liner in a Swimming Pool
The present invention also provides an economical and easy method for one workman to move the coping from its protective position to an above height whereat the means for securing of the flexible liner to the support wall is exposed enabling work on the liner or wall to be accomplished. The method of the maintaining and supporting a coping at two selected heights includes the steps of: (a) forming the uprights by which an associated coping member is cooperatively supported and retained with at least one securing and positioning means such as a hole; (b) forming on the cooperative means of the coping at least one securing and positioning means disposed to mate with the securing and positioning means on the upright so as to provide one height relationship of the coping to the top of the upright; (c) forming an additional securing and positioning means in one of the cooperative portions providing the retained support of the coping on the upright, this additional securing and positioning means providing a vertical displacement of the coping which is a short distance from the first position, and (d) manipulating the securing and positioning means on both the coping and uprights to position and secure the coping in a protective and concealing position above the means for securing the top of the liner to the side wall and with a further manipulation to release the coping from its protective and concealing lower position to a supported condition a short vertical distance above the means for securing the flexible cover to the side wall, the coping in this vertically displaced position exposing the means for the securing of the liner so that said means may be released for the replacement, repair, rearrangement and the like of the liner without disassembly of the pool frame.
In the above description the coping and deck have been shown as two separate members. It is, of course, possible for a deck to be made as a unitary member with a downwardly extending inner lip which would protect the securing of the side wall and the flexible liner. It is also to be noted that instead of separate uprights a heavier side wall could be used which would serve as the upright and to this wall a coping be attached so as to provide the needed protection of the attached liner and this coping be movable to the two vertical levels. Other alternates could, of course, be provided within the scope of the invention which is to provide a protective member for the securing of the liner to the side wall and then to selectively lift this protective member to expose the retaining means for the liner to the wall.
Terms such as "left," "right," "up," "down," "bottom," "top," "front," "back," "in," "out" and the like are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the swimming pool and its coping member or framework may be constructed or used.
While particular embodiments of the pool frame have been shown and described it is to be understood the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.