GB2274986A

GB2274986A - Boom assembly for a swimming pool

Info

Publication number: GB2274986A
Application number: GB9302931A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Johannes Jacobus Antoni Mooyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-02-13
Filing date: 1993-02-13
Publication date: 1994-08-17
Also published as: GB9302931D0

Abstract

A boom assembly comprises a buoyant boom (1) movable between a raised position in which the boom is partially submerged and acts as a wall to separate one area of a swimming pool from another area of the swimming pool, and a lowered position in which the boom is wholly submerged beneath the water level in the pool. To lock the boom (1) in the raised position, each end of the boom has two locking members which engage and below and above a pin spanning a channel (7) fixed to the pool wall. A cable (5) pulls the boom, against the effect of its buoyancy, to the lowered position. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Boom Assembly for a Swimminq Pool This invention relates to a boom assembly for a swimming pool.

According to the invention a boom assembly for a swimming pool comprises a boom movable between a raised position, in which the boom acts as a wall to separate one area of the swimming pool from another area of the swimming pool, and a lowered position in which the boom is submerged beneath the water level in the pool, the boom being buoyant and being held in its lowered position by restraining means and being locked in its raised position by releasable locking means.

When the boom is rising from its lowered position to its raised position, the locking means preferably engage automatically in order to lock the boom at the raised position which is at a predetermined height on the wall of the swimming pool, the boom when in the raised position continuing to be subjected to an upwards force due to its buoyancy. The boom is preferably made from a rigid frame, for example of stainless steel, clad with glass reinforced plastics panels which impart buoyancy to the boom.

The locking means preferably comprise at least one locking member which is mounted on the boom and which is engageable with a locking formation on the swimming pool wall. In a preferred embodiment, the formation is a horizontal pin spanning a vertical channel which is attached to the pool wall and which acts as a guide for movement of the boom between its raised and lowered positions.

The locking means preferably comprise two locking members, the first of which engages underneath the locking formation, the engagement of the first locking member with the formation limiting upward movement of the boom, and a second locking member which engages above said formation to prevent downward movement of the boom.

The first and second locking members are preferably individually biased, eg by means of buoyant blocks, towards their respective locking positions, the first locking member being shaped, in relation to the pool wall, so as to be moved out of engagement with a camming action when the boom is pulled downwards, and the second locking member being pulled away from the locking formation as a result of downward force on the boom.

The restraining means preferably include cables operated by a ram, winch or similar driving means, the cables being tensioned to pull the boom to its lowered position and to retain it at the lowered position, or optionally at any intermediate position. The application of tension to the cable when the boom is in its raised position preferably acts to disengage the second locking member from the fixed locking formation.

A boom assembly according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view through a swimming pool fitted with a preferred embodiment of boom assembly, the boom being shown in its raised position, Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line II-II of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the boom assembly, showing the boom in the raised position, Figure 4 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 3 but showing the boom in the lowered position, Figure 5 is a sectional view, to an enlarged scale, showing part of Figure 1, Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing part of Figure 5, to an enlarged scale, Figure 7 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 5 but showing the boom in its lowered position, and Figure 8 is a fragmentary view, to an enlarged scale, showing part of Figure 7.

Referring to Figure 1, the boom assembly is fitted in a swimming pool so that the movable boom 1 spans facing walls 2 of the swimming pool, the floor of which is shown at 3. The boom is made from a stainless steel frame which is clad with glass reinforced plastics panels 4 which impart buoyancy to the complete boom 1. In its raised position (Figures 1, 3 and 5) the top surface of the boom 1 is generally level with the swimming pool edge and forms a wall which divides one area of the swimming pool from another area. In its lowered position (Figures 4 and 7) the boom 1 is submerged below the water level, the lower part of the frame of the boom being adjacent the swimming pool floor 3.

The framework of the boom 1 is attached to a cable 5 which runs over pulleys 6 and is attached to a hydraulic ram or winch (not shown) by which the cable 5 can be pulled in or paid out. When the cable 5 is pulled, in the boom 1 is pulled to its lowered position, and the maintenance of tension in the cable 5 retains the boom 1 in its lowered position. The hydraulic ram or winch which pulls in or pays out the cable is positioned in a plant room or on the poolside away from the pool water.

When the cable 5 is released, the natural buoyancy of the boom 1 causes the latter to rise towards its raised position, in which the boom 1 is positively locked with its upper surface just above the water level of the swimming pool, so that the boom can be used to support starting blocks and support the weight of swimmers, judges, timekeepers or other personnel. The raised position is predetermined in relation to the normal water level in the pool so that the boom continues to be subjected to an upward force due to buoyancy.

Respective ends of the boom 1 are guided for vertical movement in channels 7 attached to the opposed walls of the swimming pool. In the drawings, the locking means which retain the boom 1 in the raised position are shown at one end only of the boom 1, although it will be appreciated that in a practical arrangement locking means will be provided at each of the two opposite ends of the boom 1.

Referring particularly to Figures 5 and 7, the locking means comprise a first or lower locking member 9 in the form of an upwardly turned lip or flange mounted at the end of one limb of an L-shaped lever 8 the other limb of which carries a buoyancy block 10. A second or upper locking member 13 is carried at the upper end of a limb of a second L-shaped lever 14 the other limb of which carries a further buoyancy block 15 and is pivoted at 16 on the boom. The end of the cable 5 is attached to the boom at 16.

The first and second locking members 9 and 13 are engageable with a fixed locking formation in the form of a pin 17 (Figure 6) which spans the channel 7 in a recess at a predetermined vertical position.

Considering the boom 1 to be in the lowered position shown in Figure 7, release of tension in the cable 5 causes the boom to rise towards its raised position and during this movement the projecting flange 9 rides up the surface of the channel 7, as a result of the lever 8 being biased counter clockwise due to the buoyancy of the buoyancy block 10.

When the boom 1 reaches a position corresponding to its raised position, the flange 9 moves into the recess and engages under the pin 17, this inter-engagement preventing further upwards movement of the boom 1. Release of tension in the cable 5, which is attached to the end of the lever 14, causes the second locking member 13 to engage above the pin 17 so as to prevent downwards movement of the boom 1, which is thus locked against vertical movement.

Commencing with the boom 1 in the raised position, the application of tension to the cable 5 moves the first locking member 13 out of engagement with the pin 17, freeing the boom 1 for downwards movement. As this occurs, the flange 9 moves downwardly away from the pin 17 and is moved out of the recess by a camming action as a result of the inclined surfaces indicated at 18 and 19 in Figure 6.

Claims

1. A boom assembly for a swimming pool, the boom assembly comprising a boom movable between a raised position, in which the boom acts as a wall to separate one area of the swimming pool from another area of the swimming pool, and a lowered position in which the boom is submerged beneath the water level in the pool, the boom being buoyant and being held in its lowered position by restraining means and being locked in its raised position by releasable locking means.

2. A boom assembly according to claim 1, wherein when the boom is rising from its lowered position to its raised position, the locking means engage automatically in order to lock the boom at the raised position which is at a predetermined height on the wall of the swimming pool, the boom when in the raised position continuing to be subjected to an upwards force due to its buoyancy.

3. A boom assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the boom is made from a rigid frame, for example of stainless steel, clad with glass reinforced plastics panels which impart buoyancy to the boom.

4. A boom assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the locking means comprise at least one locking member which is mounted on the boom and which is engageable with a locking formation on the swimming pool wall.

5. A boom assembly according to claim 4, wherein the formation is a horizontal pin spanning a vertical channel which is attached to the pool wall and which acts as a guide for movement of the boom between its raised and lowered positions.

6. A boom assembly according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the locking means comprise two locking members, the first of which engages underneath the locking formation, the engagement of the first locking member with the formation limiting upward movement of the boom, and a second locking member which engages above said formation to prevent downward movement of the boom.

7. A boom assembly according to claim 6, wherein the first and second locking members are individually biased, eg by means of buoyant blocks, towards their respective locking positions, the first locking member being shaped, in relation to the pool wall, so as to be moved out of engagement with a camming action when the boom is pulled downwards, and the second locking member being pulled away from the locking formation as a result of downward force on the boom.

8. A boom assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the restraining means include cables operated by a ram, winch or similar driving means, the cables being tensioned to pull the boom to its lowered position and to retain it at the lowered position.

9. A boom assembly according to claim 8, wherein the cables retain the boom at any intermediate position.

10. A boom assembly according to claims 6 and 8, wherein the application of tension to the cables when the boom is in its raised position acts to disengage the second locking member from the locking formation.

11. A boom assembly for a swimming pool, the assembly being constructed and arranged substantially herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A swimming pool including a boom assembly according to any of the preceding claims.