GB2362097A

GB2362097A - Liquid containing enclosure

Info

Publication number: GB2362097A
Application number: GB9929733A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Roger Fronda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-17
Filing date: 1999-12-17
Publication date: 2001-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-17
Also published as: WO2001044601A1; GB2362097B; AU2197201A; GB9929733D0

Abstract

A liquid containing enclosure (1), in particular a swimming pool, which comprises a plurality of side-by-side prefabricated wall sections (2) which are located by lower channel means (6) and upper channel means (7). The wall sections (2) comprise a sandwich of a central foam layer (3) and two hard outer layers (4a, 4b). The inventive enclosure is installed by placing the lower channel means (6) in an excavated hole in the ground with the open side facing upwards and locating the lower margins of the wall sections into the channel means. The wall sections advantageously ensure high heat retention properties and the inventive enclosure allows for easy and rapid installation.

Description

2362097 LIQUID CONTAINING ENCLOSURES The present invention relates to

liquid containing enclosure assemblies and in particular, but not exclusively, to swimming pools set into the ground.

According to the invention there is provided a liquid containing enclosure assembly, the assembly comprising pre-fabricated wall sections for standing substantially upright, and locating channel means, the wall sections being so constructed as to have substantial heat insulation properties, the wall sections being adapted to be located in position by the locating channel means.

Preferably the assembly comprises lower locating channel means which, in situ, accommodate the lowermost marginal portions of the wall sections.

Preferably the assembly further comprises upper channel locating means which accommodate the uppermost marginal portions of the wall sections.

Preferably the wall sections each comprise a layer of foam material. Most preferably the foam material comprises expanded polystyrene.

Preferably the liquid containing enclosure assembly is a swimming pool set into the ground, either outdoor or indoor. It will be appreciated however that the inventive liquid containing enclosure may be assembled above ground.

The wall sections desirably comprise two relatively hard outer layers which sandwich the layer of foam material.

2 According to a second aspect of the invention a method of constructing a liquid containing enclosure assembly in accordance with the first aspect of the invention comprises excavating a hole in the ground, laying the locating channel means around the base of the hole with the open side of channel means facing upwards, and locating the lower margins of a series of side-by-side pre-fabricated wall sections in the channel means.

The wall sections are preferably secured at their upper ends by assembling an upper channel means onto the top of the wall sections, the upper channel means extending around the perimeter of the upper margins of the assembly of side-by-side wall sections.

The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a swimming pool in accordance with the invention; is Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of an upper locating channel and; Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a dividing member which is used between neighbouring wall sections.

Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a section of a swimming pool 1.

The pool 1 comprises a plurality of vertical wall sections 2 and a base 12.

The wall sections 2, of generally oblong-rectangular shape, are prefabricated and comprise a central layer 3 of expanded polystyrene onto each side of which there is affixed a sheet 4a and 4b of galvanised steel.

3 On each outer surface of each sheet 4a and 4b there is affixed an outer layer of a plastic coating material, in this case, HP200 material.

The wall sections 2 are available from L & R Insulations, Macadam Way, West Portway Industrial Estate, Andover, Hampshire, England.

The uppermost and lowermost marginal portions of the wall sections 2 are accommodated by a plurality of upper and lower U-shaped locating channels 7 and 6 respectively. The locating channels are made from galvanised steel. The lower locating channels 6 comprise a series of elongate locating channels and four L-shaped corner locating channels (not illustrated) to form a continuous channel of rectangular shape. The base of the swimming pool 1 is provided by a screed floor 12 onto which there is laid an underlay layer 22 and a PVC liner material 14.

Having excavated a suitably sized hole in the ground the lower locating channels 6 are put into place on subsoil 30. Each lower locating channel 6 is provided with a tongue 31 which is welded to a distal end of the roof of each lower channel 6 and extends outwardly therefrom. When the lower locating channels are laid in position the tongue 31 of each lower channel sits on the inner surface of the roof of adjacent lower channel. A number of securing plates 20, which are of oblong- rectangular shape and which are provided with an aperture towards the distal ends thereof are slid under the lower channels 6 so that an aperture in the securing plate is directly underneath an aperture provided in each lower channel. A pin 21 is then passed through the aligned apertures and forced into the subsoil 30. A pin 28 is passed through the other aperture in the securing plate and driven into the subsoil 30. The wall sections 2 are then positioned in the lower locating channels 6. This is done by first lowering a wall section 2 into a lower corner locating channel and ensuring that the end of the wall section is against the back surface of the 4 corner locating channel. A second wall section is then urged into the corner locating channel so that the two wall sections are in contact. An upper corner locating channel is then partially fitted over the two wall sections so as to temporarily hold the two wall sections together.

Working anti-clockwise a further wall section 2 is lowered into the lower locating channels 6 and at the same time ensuring that the end surfaces of the adjacent wall sections abut. An upper locating channel 7 is then pushed over the uppermost marginal portion of the adjacent wall sections. An upper locating channel 7 is shown in Figure 2. Each upper locating channel 7 also comprises an outwardly extending tongue 31 which is welded to the roof of the channel. Each upper channel 7 further comprises a lug 24 which is positioned on a side wall of a channel 7 and extending generally perpendicular thereto, the lug 24 being provided with a central aperture 35. The roof of a channel 7 is provided with a metal mesh 19 which, when a channel 7 is in situ, is located towards the outer edge of the channel 7. The metal mesh 19 is spot welded to the roof of a channel 7. Further wall sections are lowered into position in turn and in so doing ensuring that an upper channel 7 which is to be fitted is positioned over the tongue 31 of a fitted upper channel 7. After having lowered the final wall section into position the tongue 31 of the final upper locating channel is tucked under the partially fitted upper corner locating channel and the corner section is then fully pushed down to complete the upper channel.

A number of brace rods 26 are forced into the soil in a number of holes 37 which are provided around the main excavated hole, the brace rods are located so as to be radially aligned with a particular lug 24. Each lug 24 is secured to the respective brace rod 26 by means of a brace 25 which is attached at one end to a lug 24 and at the other to the respective brace rod 26. Concrete 34 is poured into the hole 37 so as to encapsulate both a brace rod and part of a brace 25. Once this procedure has been completed for all the brace rods, braces and lugs, and the concrete 34 has set, concrete is poured into the space between the wall sections 2 and the inner surface of the excavated hole so as to form a lower concrete ring beam 15 which encircles the wall sections 2. A layer 27 of pea shingle is then poured onto the lower ring beam 15 up to a level of about 20Omm below the level of the roofs of the upper locating channels 7. Onto the layer 27 of pea shingle concrete is poured to form an upper ring beam 33.

A layer of concrete, 11 in Figure 1, is applied onto the metal mesh 19 and coping slabs 13 can then be positioned onto the wet concrete to secure the coping slabs in place. Paving slabs 32 can then be laid on the ground in abutment with the coping slabs..

The pool wall liner 8 is held in position by being attached to a liner lock 23 on the upper locating channel 7.

Where two wall sections 2 abut then for reasons of increased strength an upper locating channel 7 will cross the interface between the two wall sections. Where the length of the pool requires four or more wall sections 2 then a dividing member 17 of H-shape profile (see Figure 3) is inserted between the two pairs of wall sections. A number of holes 18 are provided in the dividing member 17 so that the dividing member may be secured to the two wall sections accommodated thereby.

The layer 3 of expanded polystyrene inside the wall sections 2 ensures excellent retention of heat in the water in the pool which in turn leads to reduced running costs in comparison with conventional swimming pool designs.

6 The use of the wall sections 2 in conjunction with the locating channels 6 and 7 results in easy and rapid construction of the swimming pool and allows for both DIY and professional installation.

The wall sections 2 of the inventive swimming pool may be supplied in 5 flat-pack stacking thus facilitating transportation thereof.

Conveniently some of the wall sections 2 will be provided with integral features such as a light, a vacuum outlet, an inlet or skimmers.

Although expanded polystyrene is used in the wall sections 2, any other foam having suitable heat insulation properties may be used.

7

Claims

1 A liquid containing enclosure assembly, the assembly comprising prefabricated wall sections for standing substantially upright, and locating channel means, the wall sections being so constructed as to have substantial heat insulation properties, the wall sections being adapted to be located in position by the locating channel means.

2. A liquid containing enclosure assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the assembly comprises lower locating channel means which, in situ, accommodate the lowermost marginal portions of the wall sections.

3. A liquid containing enclosure assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the assembly comprises upper channel locating means which accommodate the uppermost marginal portions of the wall section.

4. A liquid containing enclosure assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the wall sections each comprise a layer of foam material.

5. A liquid containing enclosure as claimed in claim 4 in which the foam material comprises expanded polystyrene.

6. A liquid containing enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim in which the assembly is a swimming pool set into the ground, either outdoor or indoor.

7. A liquid containing enclosure as claimed in any preceding claim in which the wall sections comprise two relatively hard outer layers which sandwich the layer of foam material.

8 8. A method of constructing a liquid containing enclosure assembly in accordance with any of claims 1-7 comprising excavating a hole in the ground, laying the locating channel means around the base of the hole with the open side of channel means facing upwards, and locating the lower margins of a series of side-by-side pre-fabricated wall sections in the channel means.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the wall sections are secured at their upper ends by assembling an upper channel means onto the top of the wall sections, the upper channel means extending around the perimeter of the upper margins of the assembly of side-by-side wall sections.

10. A liquid containing enclosure assembly substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of constructing a liquid containing enclosure assembly substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.