US2788849A

US2788849A - Swimming pool cover

Info

Publication number: US2788849A
Application number: US418372A
Authority: US
Inventors: Russel S Lingard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-03-24
Filing date: 1954-03-24
Publication date: 1957-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1974-04-16

Description

\ April 16, 1957 R. s. LINGARD SWIMMING Poor. COVER File'd March 24, 1954 SWIMMING POOL COVER Russel S. Lingard, Arcadia, Caiii".

Application March 24, 1954, Serial No. 418,372

5 Claims. (Cl..160188) My present invention relates to swimming pool covers, and it relates pmticularly to a vswimming pool cover which may be selectively extended out over a swimming pool or compactly folded into a housing at one end of the swimming pool.

lt is well known in the art to provide fabric swimming pool covers which may be stretched across a swimming pool from a plurality of anchoring members disposed about the edge of the swimming pool in order to keep the water in the swimming pool clean and in order to prevent children from falling into the pool.

However, prior art swimming pool covers of this char acter are very difficult to install and to remove, so that a considerable amount of time is consumed in installing and removing swimming pool covers of this type. -An other diiculty in connection with this type of prior art swimming pool cover is that it does not have sutiicient strength to insure against the possibility of children falling through the swimming pool cover.

Another type of prior art swimming pool cover consists of substantially rigid, sliding panels which slide over the swimming pool. This type of swimming pool cover Vhas the disadvantage of being highly expensive and of occupying a great deal more space than can normally be allotted to a swimming pool cover.

It is therefore an object of my present invention to provide a swimming pool cover which is motor driven into and out of its covering position over a swimming pool.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a swimming pool cover which may be moved alternatively between its covering position over a swimming pool and into a folded position within a housing at one end of the vswimming pool.

novel relations of the members and the relative proportiom'ng, disposition and operation thereof, all as is more completely described Yherein and as is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Y

United States PatentfO i pool.

2,788,849 Patented Apr.` '16, 1957 ICC Figure 4 is a vertical section along the line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing my drive gears in operative engagement with my subsurface racks, and also showing my means for supporting the motor for driving my swimming pool cover between the extended and retracted positions.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 I have illustrated a. typical swimming 'pool 10 having an edge coping 12 with a surrounding walk 14.

Extending all of the way across swimming pool 10 at one end thereof is my cover housing 16 for enclosing my swimming pool cover when the cover is in its retracted position. Cover housing 16 consists of a frame construction 18 which is preferably composed of aluminum, but which alternatively may be composed of wood or of any metal, or any other suitable materials, the frame 13 being provided with a substantially rigid top portion 20 upon which is mounted'an upholstered cushion 22.

By thus situating my cover housing 16 at one end of the swimming pool, and by providing the upholstered cushion 22 on the top thereof, my cover housing 16 forms an ideal sun and drying deck upon which bathers may comfortably recline.

My cover housing 16 is enclosed on all sides except the side facing the swimming pool, this side being left open for the retraction of the swimming pool cover into cover housing 16.

My swimming pool cover consists, in general, of a cover member 24 which is preferably composed of duck canvas treated with plastic, this canvas cover member being supported upon a foldable framework which is adapted to fold into the recess within cover housing 16. Although l prefer to use duck canvas treated with plastic because of its high textile strength, any other suitable cloth, plastic or rubber cover member 24 could be used.

Alternatively, a plurality of light weight metal cover sections (not shown) could be used in place of the single preferred cover memberl 24.

The frame which supports Lmy cover member 24 is hingedly attached near the rear wall of cover housing 16 as .at 26, and consists, in general, of a plurality of folding legs 23 which are adapted to fold in an accordion-like manner as is best illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Each of the folding sections 28 comprises a framework yincluding a pair of parallel longitudinal members 29 disposed, in their extended positions, over the swimming pool edge coping 12 at opposite sides of the swimming The longitudinal members 29 of each folding section 28 are joined at one end to alateral member 30 by hinges `32 located underneath the longitudinal members '29 and the lateral member Sil, and are joined at the other end to another lateral member 30 by means of hinges 34 located-at the top of vlongitudinal members 29 and this lateral member 30.

' 4In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of present specification,

Figure i is a plan View of a swimmingapoo'l withniy 't Vswimming pool cover in its partially extended position.

'Figure l villustrating my driving means for extending and retractin'g my swimming''pool cover.

f jinchesffwideby our and three.

By thus alternating the hinges between successive folding sections 28 with alternate bottom hinges 32 and top hingesv34, the sections 28 will fold in an accordion-like manner as in Figure 2 of the drawings.

I prefer to provide longitudinal and lateral members 29 and 3G, respectively, which afepomposedofa ylight weight metal in tubing form, .fsu as' aluminum tubing. For example, longitudinal Iunembers 29 maybe cornposedjf .rectangular aluminum tubing which is three (3) quarter (1S/) inches high, and l-lateral members 30 mayA be composed of square aluminum tubingr which is one and three-quarters (1%) inches wide and one and three-quarters (13A) inches rhigh. l-Iowe-,ve1'-',itA is to be understood that tubing 'ofany .other dimensions may beused, and that' other longitudinal fandlateralmemberszland, respectively, `may b'efnsed,

3 K. Y. Y

such as angle members instead of rectangular andvsquare tubing members.

Each end of the lateral members 30 having top hinges c,34 attached thereto'is supported on an integral truck whichis adaptedto roll Yalong theside edge coping 12 on the Swimmingpool to permit the extension and retraction of my vswimming pool cover. In order to facilitate the storage of my swimming pool cover within cover Yhousing 16, I place alternate trucks on each side of the swimming pool in a dierent lateral position so Ythat the trucks will overlap when the cover is in its folded 40 upon which is mounted one or more rollers or wheels 42 to permit the trucks to freely roll along the edge coping 12` of swimming pool 10. Both ends of alternate lateral members are integrally supported on the blocks of

trucks

36 or 38, as the case may be.

In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, I have shown my preferred drive mechanism 46 for driving my swimming pool cover between its extended and retracted positions. Drive mechanism 46 includes a pair of drive gears 48, one of which is disposed on each side of my swimming pool cover near the forward end of the cover. Bach of the drive gears 48 is in driving engagement with a subsurface rack 50, subsurface racks 50 being disposed slightly below the suface of edge coping 12 along each side edge of swimming pool 10, and having upwardly directed teeth.

Drive gears 48 are mounted on a shaft 52 which is housed in the forwardmost lateral member 30 and which is journaled in shaft support bearings 54 that are mount ed within the forward lateral member 30.

Theforward end of a motor platform 56 is suspended,

Vby, means of platform support bearings S8, from one end of shaft 52 which extends beyond one of the drive gears 48 at one side of the swimming pool cover. The rear end of motor platform 56 is mounted on one or more suitable rollers or wheels 60 which are in turn in rolling engagement withV edge coping 12.

DriveV motor 62 is mounted on motor platform 56, and isvoperatively connected in Vdriving engagementY to shaft 52 by means of motor sprocket 64 attached to the motor drive shaft, drive chain 66' and driven sprocket 68 which is integrally connected to shaft 52. l

Power is supplied to motor 62 by means of electric power line 70 which is preferably contained on a spring loaded reel (not shown) associated with cover housing 16 which will pay out electric line 70 as the cover is moving toward its extended position, and which will automatcally reel in the power line 70 as the swimming pool cover is moved toward its retracted position. A suitable control switch (not shown) for controlling the electric power appliedrto motor 62, and also for controlling the direction of rotation of motor 62, may likewise be associated with cover housing 16, or may alternatively be disposed in any other convenient place.

Having thus completely described the preferred embodiment of my'swimming pool cover, I will now describe the preferred manner in which my swimming pool cover operates.

When the swimming pool 10 is in use, or when it is 4not desired to have the'eswimming pool 10 covered, my

swimming pool vcover is normally in its completely folded position wherein it is entirely contained` within cover hcni'sing 16. lI -fit is then'desired tocover the swirrmairigY pool, allthat isnecessary is to operate the'control switch or lever (not shown) to provide power to'motor 62 in vsucharnanner that the motor will turn anti-clockwise in 'Figure 3 of the drawings. Motor 62then drives shaft 52 opposite sides of the swimming pool cover are driven in y' an anti-clockwise direction. The driving engagement b'etween drive gears 48 and their respective subsurface racks 50 will drive the gears 48, and hence the front end of the swimming pool cover, out of the stored position within cover housing 16 out over the swimming pool 10 in the manner best shown in Figure 1 of the drawings until the swimming pool has been entirely covered. At this point, the power Vto electric motor 62 may be shut off manually by a suitable control switch (not shown), or it may be shut off automatically by suitable automatic shut-off means (not shown).

The cover will remain in this extended position until such time as a power switch (not shown) is actuated to provide electric power to motor 62 in such a Vmanner that motor 62 will turn clockwise in Figure 3 of the drawings to drive the drive gears 48 clockwise along subsurface racks 50 until the cover is in its completely housed position within cover housing 16.

My swimming pool cover has the obvious advantages of being operable by the mere throw of a switch to automatically cover or uncover a swimming pool in a matter of seconds.

. When my swimming pool cover is not in use, it is conveniently stored in a minimum of space within a container which is so positioned at one end of the swimming pool as to form a convenient sun and drying deck.

My swimming pool cover has suiiicient strength to prevent children or other persons from accidentally falling within the swimming pool, and it so completely covers the swimming pool that no dirt or debris of any kind can fall into the pool. My preferred swimming pool cover which has a duck canvas cover member 24 impregnated -with plastic will withstand pressure of more than pounds per square foot at any point on the surface of the cover, and if it is desired, stronger cover members 24 may be provided, or additional frame members may be added, such as additional longitudinal members similar to longitudinal members 29 which may be placed intermediate the longitudinal members 29 which arefdisposed at each end of each of the folding sections v28.

A further advantage of my swimming pool cover isY VContact with a protrusion extending above the edge coping or walk about a swimming pool.

f It is to he understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is my preferred embodiment and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of my invention, or the scope of my appended claims.

I claim:

l. A swimming pool cover alternatively movable between stored Yand extended positions, and drive means Vattached to'said cover near its Ifront end and in driving engagement with the ground adjacent to said swimming pool for moving said cover between said stored and extended positions.

2. A swimming pool cover alternatively movable between stored and extended positions, -a rack having up-v wardly directed teeth disposed along one edge of 'a swimming pool, a drive gear rotatably mounted on saidrcover near its front end yand in driving engagement with saidv 3. A swimming pool cover including a plurality of hinged sections which may be alternatively collapsed in a folded storage position Yadjacentto one edge of a swim- 'ming' poolandextended over said pool to substantially through ,drive :hainv1 t6,f wherebyrthe drive fgears #851m V,7l cover said' pool, 'a rack having upwardly directed teeth disposed adjacent to said swimming pool, a drive gear rotatably mounted on said cover near its front end and in driving engagement with said rack, and a source of rotary power operatively connected to said drive gear for driving said drive gear in either direction to move said cover between said folded and extended positions.

4. A swimming pool cover alternatively movable between a stored position at one end of a swimming pool and an extended position substantially covering said swimming pool, including a rack with upwardly directed teeth disposed 'adjacent to each side of said swimming pool, Ia drive gear rotatably mounted on each side of said cover near its front end, said drive gears 'being in driving engagement with the respective said racks, and power means lfor rotating said drive gears in unison in either direction to move said covei between said stored and extended positions.

5. A swimming pool cover including a plurality of hinged sections which may be alternatively collapsed in a folded storage position adjacent to one end of a swimming pool and extended over said pool to substantially cover said pool, a rack having upwardly directed teeth -disposed adjacent to each side of said swimming pool, a rotatably mounted drive shaft extending across said cover near its front end, a source of rotary power for driving said drive shaft in either direction of rotation, and a pair of drive gears mounted on said drive shaft on opposite sides of said cover vand in driving engagement with the respective -said racks for moving said cover between said folded and extended positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 834,287 Frey Oct. 30, 1906 1,960,860 Allen May 29, 1934 2,517,393 Law Aug. 1, 1950 2,593,360 Sulkowski Apr. 15, 1952 2,684,714 Corey July 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 540,916 Great Britain Nov. 5, 1941