US3813705A

US3813705A - Gutter-type swimming pool construction

Info

Publication number: US3813705A
Application number: US00176886A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Spaulding
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-09-01
Filing date: 1971-09-01
Publication date: 1974-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-04

Abstract

A swimming pool with a hand-hold and gutter lip comprising shaped pre-fabricated sections connected in end-to-end relation by telescoping connectors along the sidewalls and at the corners, each lip section being adjustably supported on screw jacks connected to the sections and mounted on the sidewalls on anchors installed at intervals according to a predetermined plan. Water from the gutter is returned to the pool through a corner connector having a return fitting communicating with the conduit in the lip, and through outlets drilled in the lip in selected locations.

Description

Elnited @tates Patent 1 1 1111 3,8139% Spaulding June 4, 1974 GUTTER-TYPE SWlMMING POOL 3,668,712 6/1972 Baker 4/172.17

CONSTRUCTION 3,668,714 6/1972 Baker 4/172.17

Inventor: Milton K. Spaulding, 2715 Excter PL, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93105 Filed: Sept. 1, 1971 Appl. No.: 176,886

US. Cl. 4/l72.l8, 210/169 Int. Cl E04h 3/16, E04h 3/18 Field of Search 4/l72.21, 172.15, 172.17,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1962 Ross et a1. 4/172 5/1967 Scarano 4/l72.l7 1/1968 Ellis 1 210/169 12/1970 Bishop 4/172.17

Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or FirmForrest .l. Lilly [57] ABSTRACT A swimming pool with a hand-hold and gutter lip comprising shaped pre-fabricated sections connected in end-to-end relation by telescoping connectors along the sidewalls and at the corners, each lip section being adjustably supported on screw jacks connected to the sections and mounted on the sidewalls on anchors installed at intervals according to a predetermined plan. Water from the gutter is returned to the pool through a corner connector having a return fitting communicating with the conduit in the lip, and through outlets drilled in the lip in selected locations.

18 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures GUTTER-TYPE SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to swimming pools and, more particularly, to swimming pools of the type usually used for larger, commercial installations and having a gutter extending around the pool at the water level, defined in part by a lip or rim over which water is skimmed into the gutter. The gutter lip forms a hand-hold along the sidewalls of the pool, and also is made hollow and used as a water-return conduit for the circulation system of the pool.

In pools of this general character, the water which is skimmed over the hand-hold lip into the gutter flows along the latter to one or more drains, through which the water flows out of the gutter and to the watertreating and recirculating elements of the pool. These elements are used in various combinations, and typically include a pump, a filter, heating and chlorination elements, and sometimes a balancing tank in which water lost through evaporation and splashing may be replenished. The water is pumped through the filter and the heater and is returned to the pool through the conduit in the gutter lip, which has a plurality of spaced outlet openings along its inner side for directing the water in jets into the pool.

Examples of prior pool constructions of this general type are found in US. Pat. Nos. 2,932,387 and 3,319,264, the former showing a steel pool construction in which the lip is formed by pipes welded to plates forming the sidewalls of the pool and the bottom of the gutter, and the latter showing a specially contoured, pre-cast coping assembly formed in sections which define the entire gutter and the tops of the pool walls. These sections may be made of concrete, steel or the like, and are installed along the top of concrete or gunite sidewalls of the pool.

Gutter-type pools have several known advantages, including full-perimeter skimming, damping of wave action, simplified plumbing, and improved circulation with more even distribution of heat and chlorination, but have been relatively expensive and complex to construct and install with a commercially acceptable gutter configuration and with a gutter lip that is precisely horizontal around the full perimter of the pool for a uniform skimming action around the pool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in an improved swimming pool construction of the foregoing general character which is more economical to construct and install, is applicable to any modern deck and coping treatment, makes the installation and leveling of the recirculating gutter lip a relatively simple and inexpensive operation, and may be fabricated from parts that are stocked in quantity and easily adapted to fit pools of all reasonably regular shapes.

More specifically, and as illustrated in the preferred embodiment shown herein, the pool is formed initially with sidewalls having upper surfaces extending around the pool, and the gutter lip comprises a plurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preselected crosssectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation above the sidewalls and joined together by tubular connectors which telescope with the lip sections. The lip sections are mounted on the sidewalls of the pool by means of selectively adjustable screw jacks for leveling the lip sections precisely as necessary for uniform skimming, prior to grouting beneath the lip sections and finishplastering of the pool, thus materially simplifying installation of the gutter rim and reducing the overall cost of the pool. The screw jacks are connected to hold-down elements inside the lip sections, and are mounted on anchors fastened to the sidewall at selected intervals in accordance with a predetermined plan. I

Along the substantially straight walls of a pool, the preferred connectors are short tube sections having the same outside size and shape as the inside of the lip sections, so as to fit snugly into two lip sections in internally overlapping relation with both. The lip sections preferably abut against each other to provide a smooth and virtually continuous lip when installed and are secured to the connector by sealant cement.

At the corners of the pool, the opposite end portions of the connectors are mitered together at the angle of the corner, usually and the joint between them preferably is completed and covered by a coupling strap which is flush with the outside surfaces of the two adjacent lip sections when the latter are telescoped onto the connector, thus preserving the smooth and seemingly continuous nature of the lip. Water is introduced into the hollow lip through one of the corner connectors which, for this purpose, includes a pipe fitting projecting laterally outwardly, across the gutter, for connection to a return pipe embeddedin the pool wall outside the gutter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in cross-section, of a corner of a swimming pool equipped with a skim gutter and hand-hold embodying the novel features of the present invention, the finish plaster and grouting being shown in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 after application of grout and finish plaster, and showing, in addition to a side section of the gutter, a drain for receiving water from the gutter and a corner inlet unit for returning water to the pool throughthe handhold formed by the lip of the gutter;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken longitudinally through the adjacent ends of two lip sections and the connector joining them together;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a corner connector for an inside corner;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the connector of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an outside corner connector;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the outside corner connector;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of an anchor for securing a lip section to a pool sidewall;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing opposite end portions of a lip section in relation to two screw jacks and a hold-down element positioning the lip section on a pool sidewall, prior to grouting and finish plastering of the area of the pool sidewall;

F [G is a side elevational view of an inside comer connector having a return pipe fitting thereon;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the corner connector of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a representative water circulation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in a swimming pool 10, only one corner section of which is shown in FIG. 1, of the type having a gutter 11 extending around the pool and bounded on one side, the inner side adjacent the water, by a lip 12 which forms a hand-hold and also functions as a skimmer over which water from the pool flows into the gutter. In addition, the lip 12 is made hollow to form an internal conduit 13 for receiving water from the usual recirculation elements and returning the water to the pool through a plurality of inlet openings 14 (see FIG. 2) spaced along the inner side of the lip.

While this type of gutter l1 and lip 12 may be used in various types of pools, including so-called deck-level pools, the illustrative pool 10 has a gutter trough that is recessed into the upper portion of the sidewalls 15 of the pool, beneath an overhanging coping 17 forming a deck 18 around the pool. Each sidewall has an upright inner surface 19, covered with a plaster coating 20 when the pool is complete, and a substantially horizontal upper surface 21 on which the lip 12 is mounted as an upward extension of the sidewall. Outside or behind the lip, the pool sidewall has an outwardly facing surface 22 forming the inner wall of the gutter trough, an upwardly facing surface 23 forming the bottom of the trough, and an upright, inwardly facing surface 24 forming the outside surface of the trough. The upper portion 25 of the outside surface is inclined inwardly to the underside of the coping 17, which projects inwardly in overhanging relation with the lip 12, and terminates close to the plane of the sidewall of the pool.

As shown in FIG. 2, a drain passage 27 opens upwardly into the gutter 11 at a selected location along one side of the pool 10, and is covered by a perforated drain plate 28. The bottom 23 of the gutter trough is inclined,- longitudinally of the sidewalls of the pool, toward this drain from both sides thereof, so that water skimming over the lip 12 and into the gutter will flow toward the drain and into the drain passage 27. One drain usually is considered sufficient for an averagesize pool of this type, but one or more additional drains, with appropriately inclined trough zones, may be added for larger pools.

Through the drain passage 27, water from the gutter 11 is delivered by gravity flow to the water treating and recirculating elements, typically including a filter 28 (see FIG. 12), a heater (not shown), and a pump 29. In the representative schematic diagram of FIG. 12, the drain passage is shown as connected to a balancing tank 30, also receiving water from the pool 10 through a line 31 connected to a main drain 32 located on the bottom 33 of the pool, and the pump 29 draws water from the balancing tank through a line 34 and a strainer 35, and forces the water through the filter 28 and into a return line 37 leading back to the pool.

An important advantage of this type of gutter construction is the ability to return filtered and heated water to the pool 10 through the conduit 13 defined by the hollow lip 12. Thus, the return line 37 extends across the gutter 11 and communicates with the conduit through the outside or rear wall of the lip, filling the lip with water under return pressure to enter the pool through the inlet openings 14. To minimize currents adjacent the surface of the water, each inlet opening is inclined downwardly and inwardly to inject a downwardly inclined jet of water into the pool in the manner indicated by the arrows 38 in FIGS. 2 and 12. These jets also can be useful in agitating solid particles tending to settle out on the bottom of the pool, thereby maintaining such particles in suspension for more effective removal from the water by the filter 28.

In accordance with a primary aspect of the present invention, the lip 12 comprises a series elongated, specially shaped tubular pipes forming lips sections 12a disposed in end-to-end relation around the pool above the upper surfaces 21 of the sidewalls l5, and supported and connected in a novel manner for more rapid and economical installation of the lip in properly leveled relation to insure substantially uniform skimming around the full perimeter of the pool. To these ends, anchors 39 are fastened to the surfaces 21 at selected intervals around the pool, and each lip section is mounted on these anchors by jacks 40 (FIGS. 2 and 9) for rapidly and selectively adjusting the lip section to precisely the desired position prior to grouting around the lip and finish plastering of the pool walls. Adjacent lip sections are joined together by simple telescoping connectors 41 which form sealed and inconspicuous joints along the straight sections of the pool, and

angled connectors

42 and 43 join the lip sections together at the corners of the pool.

With this arrangement, tubular lip sections 12a may be mass-produced economically of suitable material such as extruded plastic, fiberglas, re-shaped plastic tubing, or the like, preferably colored with suitable weather-resistance additives or coatings and made in standard lengths such as 10-foot sections. The lip may be installed rapidly and inexpensively in a given pool according to a prepared plan, each lip section being leveled as an incident to its installation by means of the selectively adjustable jacks 40. The positions of the anchors 39 required are to be specified in the plan in accordance with the positions of pre-formed holes in the lip sections, so that installation of both the anchors and the lip sections is a rapid and simple operation not requiring a high level of skill.

Various cross-sectional shapes may be used for the lip sections, the shape shown herein being preferred for effective skimming and the provision of a safe and comfortable hand-hold. The shape has a relatively narrow, rounded upper side 44 (FIGS. 2 and 9), a vertical inner side 45, a downwardly and outwardly inclined outer side 47 and a broad base or bottom side 48 joined to the inclined outer side by a short, upright outer side wall 49, and joined to the inner side by an upwardly and inwardly inclined wall 50 in which the outlet openings 14 are formed.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9, each an chor 39 is a small strap of sheet metal or other suitable material having a flat base 51 (see FIG. 8) for lying against the supporting surface 21, leg 52 extending upwardly at a right angle, and a right-angle tab 53 parallel to the base and offset upwardly therefrom and from the supporting surface. For mounting of the anchor on the sidewall, two or more holes 54 are formed in the base to receive nails or studs 55 (FIG. 2) that are driven into the sidewall through the holes while each anchor is located in its selected position. This basically conventional fastening technique permits rapid installation of anchors at the selected intervals along the pool walls.

The preferred jacks 40 are formed by elongated screws 57 (FIG. 2) having heads disposed inside the lip sections 12, shanks projecting downwardly through holes in each lip section spaced at the selected intervals and through slots 58 in the anchor tabs aligned with the holes in the lip sections, with two

nuts

59 and 60 threaded onto the shank of each screw above and below the anchor tab 53 and tightened against the anchor. To position a lip section on the screws, an elongated hold-down element 61, preferably a metal bar that is longitudinally relatively rigid, is inserted in each lip section with the heads of the screws above the bar and the shanks passing through holes therein, and a third nut 62 is threaded on each screw beneath the lip section and tightened against the underside thereof to clamp the bottom wall of the lip section firmly between the bar and the nut.

With two or more such screw jacks 40 connected to each hold-down bar 61, inside each of the lip sections 120, the latter are precisely adjustable to selected levels simply by adjusting the levels of the intermediate nuts 59 while the lower nuts 60 remain spaced from the anchor tabs 53. The slots 58 are elongated longitudinally of the anchors, perpendicular to the pool wall, for easy lateral alignment of the lip sections with the wall. After the desired level and alignment have been established, the lower nuts 60 are tightened to hold each lip section in place.

The screws 57 may be pre-installed on the hold-down bars 61 at the selected intervals, and secured in place as by tack-welding or the like. Then, prior to placement of a lip section, a hold-down bar shorter than the section is inserted in the section, the screws are fitted through the holes therein, and the two

upper nuts

62 and 59 are threaded onto each screw to prepare the assembly for installation on the anchors 39. After the screws have been passed through the slots 58, the lip section is positioned and leveled, and the nuts 60 are tightened against the anchors.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the connectors 41 for use along straight sidewalls of the pool 10 are tubular sleeves having outside surfaces sized and shaped to telescope snugly within the adjacent end portions of two lip sections 12a. To facilitate insertion of these connectors in the lip sections. the ends of the latter are internally beveled, as indicated at 63. The ends of the connectors preferably are beveled in the same manner. When installed, the connector extends approximately equal distances into each lip section and structurally connects the two, the ends of the sections either being butted together or being positioned with a very small gap, as shown in FIG. 3. To seal the joint, the gap and space left between the bevels are filled with a suitable waterproof sealant cement 64 which also should be spread on the opposite end portions of the connector prior to installation, to bind the lip sections together.

The same coupling technique is used at the corners of the pool but with

connectors

42 and 43 having opposite end portions joined together at the same angle as the comer. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the connector 42 for the usual inside corner of the type shown in FIG.

1 comprises two short end portions 65 of the same size and cross-sectional shape as the connector 41 of FIG. 3, but with the adjacent end disposed at 45 angles and joined together by a coupling strap 67. These parts preferably are cast in one piece in a suitable mold.

The wall thickness of the coupling strap 67 preferably is the same as the wall thickness of the lip sections 12a, so that the ends of the two sections at a comer of the pool may be angled to fit substantially flush against the strap when telescoped onto the connector 42. These joints also are completed with sealant cement.

The corner connector 43 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is formed in the same manner, but for use on an outside corner where the pool walls meet at an angle of 270 rather than 90. The telescoping end portions 68 are joined together by a strap 69 at the larger angle. In all other important respects, this comer connector may be the same as the inside corner connector 42.

While the water from the return line 37 may be introduced into the conduit 13 in the tubular lip sections 12a in various locations around the pool 10, it is advantageous to do so at one or more corners rather than along a straight side of the pool. At a corner, the return can extend across the gutter trough unobtrusively, so as not to interfere with normal use of the hand-hold. In addition, the return can be connected to a fitting 70 incorporated in a specially formed corner connection 71, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, serving both as a corner connector and as an inlet fitting.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, it will be seen that a special coupling sleeve 72 connects the adjacent ends of the telescoping end portions 73 of the connector which preferably is of one-piece molded construction. The return fitting 70 is a generally cylindrical sleeve joined to the outer side of the corner connector, and is sized to telescope with the return pipe 37 with a snug fit. The illustrative return fitting may be sized for connection to a 6-inch diameter return pipe, and preferably is offset downwardly from the top 44 of the handhold to be out of the way and inconspicuous when installed. The lower side of the fitting curves upwardly at 74 (FIG. 10) to the level of the underside of the lip sections.

As before, the two lip sections 12a adjacent the corner are fitted over the telescoping portions 73 of the connector 71, butted against the coupling sleeve 72, and sealed and secured by sealant cement. The return pipe 37 is connected to the fitting 70, and thus communicates with the conduit 13 on both sides of the corner connection.

Although the full installation procedure will be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art, a summary of this procedure may serve to emphasize more clearly the various features of the invention. Ini tially, the excavation for a pool is prepared, the gutter drain 27 and main drain 32 are installed, with appropriate plumbing lines, reinforcing rods (not shown) are placed in position, a concrete floor 33 is poured, and gunite sidewalls 15 are formed around the pool in a basically conventional fashion. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the guniting procedure is used to form roughfinished inside surfaces 19 on the sidewalls, the upper supporting surfaces 21 thereon, and the various walls defining the gutter trough and extending upwardly to the coping 17.

The upper supporting surfaces 21 are rodded, and their levels are shot to stretched positioning wires (not shown) set a selected distance below the desired water level, for example, 8 inches. The supporting surfaces can be held within about one-eighth of an inch or so of this level without time-consuming care. During guniting, a hole is formed or canned through the wall at the corner nearest the water-treating and recirculation equipment, along a diagonal of the pool, to receive the return pipe 37.

Then the anchors 39 are installed along the supporting surfaces 21 according to the plan, preferably using 2-foot centers for full-length pipe sections 120 and suitable variations near the corners where shorter sections may be required. After an anchor has been positioned, the fasteners 55 are driven into the wall through the holes 54 in the bases thereof, using a conventional stud cartridge gun and thereby securing each anchor in place.

Installation of the lip 12 preferably is begun at the inlet connector 71 at one corner, and proceeds sectionby-section around the pool. The return pipe 37 first is installed in the hole through the gunited wall, the inlet connection 71 is cemented to the return pipe, and a first lip section 12a then is fitted on and cemented to the inlet connection. With the first lip section generally in position, a hold-down bar 61 with appropriately located screws 57 thereon is inserted into the lip section and the screws are inserted downwardly through the holes in the underside of the section. Then the upper nuts 62 are tightened against the underside, and the intermediate nuts 59 are threaded onto the screws. It should be noted that the hold-down elements, including the bars 6i, the screws 57 and the two

nuts

62 and 59 may be pre-assembled on standard lengths of lip sections in a factory mass-production operation, leaving only the insertionof the screws in the anchors 39 and the addition of the nuts 60 as in-the-field operations.

When the screws 57 are in place in the anchors 39, with one end of the lip section connected to a previously installed lip section or corner connector, the lip section is adjusted with its screw jacks 40 to the proper level, as determined with the usual sighting instrument, and is fixed in place after sliding the screw laterally along the slot 58 in the anchor to position the lip section relative to the inner surface of the pool wall. At each corner, the last lip section leading to the corner is cut to the correct length, a

corner connector

42 or 43 is installed on the lip section, and the next lip section then is installed to extend along thenext wall of the pool, all in the foregoing manner.

After all of the lip sections 12a have been installed and leveled, and the sealant cement has set, permanent filling material, such as grout, is applied to complete the hand-hold, filling in the space beneath the handheld flush with the gunited inside surface 19 and also flush with the inside wall 22 of the gutter trough, and preferably beveling the grout to match the slope of the inclined wall 47 of the hand-hold lip. At the appropriate time, finish plaster is applied to the sidewalls 15, thus completing the pool walls. As shown in FIG. 2, this finish plaster preferably is formed with an inside surface that is vertically aligned with the vertical inside walls 45 of the lip sections 12a, and is beveled inwardly at 75 adjacent the lip sections to leave a slight V groove immediately below the lip sections. The water return jets 38 issue from the upper wall of this groove.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the present invention provides a neat-appearing hand-hold and water-return lip for a gutter, and makes it possible to install and level the entire lip in an economical fashion using inexpensive mass-produced parts, all without sac rificing either performance or appearance of the lip.

It also will be apparent that, while a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls formed with generally horizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold and watercirculating gutter lip assembly having, in combination:

a plurality of elongated tubular plastic lip sections disposed in end-to-end relation around said pool above said upper surfaces, and having a preselected cross-sectional shape to form a hand-down and gutter rim;

telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lip sections together in sealed relation to define a water-return conduit within said lip sections;

anchors spaced along said upper surfaces and secured thereto beneath said lip section and having openings therein that are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the pool sidewalls;

screws projecting downwardly from said sections through said anchors openings;

said abutments on said screws above said anchors engaging the undersides of said lip sections and spacing said undersides above said upper surfaces;

a hold-down element in each lip section, at least two of said screws being connected to each hold-down element to clamp the latter against the bottom of the lip section and hold the lip section against the abutments on said screws;

means mounting each screw on its anchor for selective vertical adjustment to position said lip sections with the upper sides thereof horizontal for uniform skimming of water over said lip sections and for lateral adjustment in said openings;

means for introducing water under pressure into said conduit;

and outlets spaced along said conduit to direct water therefrom into the pool.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said screws heads above said hold-down elements, said abutments are first nuts threaded into said bolts and tightened against the undersides of the lip sections, and said mounting means comprise additional nuts threaded onto said screws above and below said anchors and tightened to form screw jacks for locking the screws in selected positions relative to said anchors.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said hold-down elements are elongated, longitudinally stiff bars shorter than the lip sections in which they are positioned.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which the anchors for each lip section are spaced a preselected distance apart, and said screws are secured to said bars in holes spaced said preselected distance apart, said lip sections having holes spaced said preselected distance apart to receive said screws when said bars are inside said lip sections, whereby said bars and said screws may be pre-assembled to said lip sections for installation as units on said anchors.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said anchors are secured to said sidewalls by studs driven into said upper surfaces.

6. The combination defined in claim 1 in which connectors are relatively short tubular pieces having opposite end portions of the same outside size and shape as the inside size and shape of said lip sections and are fitted snugly in telescoped relation with the opposite end portions of said lip sections.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said pool has substantially straight sidewalls meeting at corners, the connectors along said straight sidewalls being straight tubular sleeves and the connectors at said corners having opposite end portions disposed at the same angle as the corner.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 in which the opposite end portions of said corner connectors are joined together by a joint strap formed with an outside surface flush with the outside surfaces of the two lip sections telescoped onto said opposite said portions.

9. The combination defined in claim 7 in which said water-introducing means include at least one return pipe connected to one of said corner sections and extending laterally outwardly therefrom.

10. [n a swimming pool having upright sidewalls formed with generally horizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold and watercirculating gutter lip assembly having, in combination:

a plurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preselected cross-sectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation around said pool above said upper surfaces;

telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lip sections together in sealed relation to define a water return conduit within said lip sec tions;

anchors spaced along said upper surfaces and secured thereto at selected intervals beneath said lip sections;

selectively adjustable jacks mounted on said anchors and secured to said lip sections to variably position, the latter on said anchors;

means for introducing water under pressure into said conduit;

and outlets in said lip sections spaced along said conduit to direct water therefrom into the pool.

11. The combination defined in claim 10 in which said jacks are screws secured to elongated, relatively rigid bars in said lip sections and having first nuts tightened against the underside of said lip sections, and second and third nuts tightened against opposite sides of said anchors.

12. The combination defined in claim 11 in which said screws extend through laterally elongated slots in said anchors.

13. The combination defined in claim 10 in which some of said connectors are straight sleeves telescoped into opposite end portions of adjacent lip sections and cemented therein.

14. The combination defined in claim 13 in which some of said connectors comprise two sleeve sections secured together at a preselected angle relative to each other, and telescoped into the opposite end portions of two lip sections at a corner of said pool.

15. The combination defined in claim 14 in which one of said corner connectors has a fitting therein projecting outwardly for connection to a return pipe, and constituting the means for introducing water into said conduit.

16. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls meeting at corners and formed with generally horizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a handhold and water-circulating gutter lip assembly having, in combination:

a plurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preselected cross-sectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation around said pool along said upper surfaces;

telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lip sections together in sealed relation along said sidewalls;

corner connectors having opposite end portions joined together at the angles of said corners and telescoped with the lip sections leading to the corners, thereby to complete a water-return conduit within said lip sections;

means mounting said lip sections on said side-walls in level relation with the tops of said sections determining the vertical water level for the pool; means for introducing water into said conduit;

and outlet openings in said lip sections spaced around said pool to direct water thereto.

17. The combination defined in claim 16 in which said corner connectors comprise two telescoping end portions disposed at a preselected angle, and a coupling strap joining said end portions together, said coupling strap being shaped to butt flush against two lip sections telescoped over said end portions.

18. The combination defined in claim 16 in which at least one of said comer connectors has an outwardly extending fitting thereon for connection to a return pipe, constituting said water-introducing means.

Claims

1. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls formed with generally horizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold and water-circulating gutter lip assembly having, in combination: a plurality of elongated tubular plastic lip sections disposed in end-to-end relation around said pool above said upper surfaces, and having a preselected cross-sectional shape to form a hand-down and gutter rim; telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lip sections together in sealed relation to define a waterreturn conduit within said lip sections; anchors spaced along said upper surfaces and secured thereto beneath said lip section and having openings therein that are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the pool sidewalls; screws projecting downwardly from said sections through said anchors openings; said abutments on said screws above said anchors engaging the undersides of said lip sections and spacing said undersides above said upper surfaces; a hold-down element in each lip section, at least two of said screws being connected to each hold-down element to clamp the latter against the bottom of the lip section and hold the lip section against the abutments on said screws; means mounting each screw on its anchor for selective vertical adjustment to position said lip sections with the upper sides thereof horizontal for uniform skimming of water over said lip sections and for lateral adjustment in said openings; means for introducing water under pressure into said conduit; and outlets spaced along said conduit to direct water therefrom into the pool.

10. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls formed with generally horizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold and water-circulating gutter lip assembly having, in combination: a plurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preselected cross-sectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation around said pool above said upper surfaces; telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lip sections together in sealed relation to define a water return conduit within said lip sections; anchors spaced along said upper surfaces and secured thereto at selected intervals beneath said lip sections; selectively adjustable jacks mounted on said anchors and secured to said lip sections to variably position, the latter on said anchors; means for introducing water under pressure into said conduit; and outlets in said lip sections spaced along said conduit to direct water therefrom into the pool.

16. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls meeting at corners and formed with generally horizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold and water-circulating gutter lip assembly having, in combination: a plurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preSelected cross-sectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation around said pool along said upper surfaces; telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lip sections together in sealed relation along said sidewalls; corner connectors having opposite end portions joined together at the angles of said corners and telescoped with the lip sections leading to the corners, thereby to complete a water-return conduit within said lip sections; means mounting said lip sections on said side-walls in level relation with the tops of said sections determining the vertical water level for the pool; means for introducing water into said conduit; and outlet openings in said lip sections spaced around said pool to direct water thereto.

18. The combination defined in claim 16 in which at least one of said corner connectors has an outwardly extending fitting thereon for connection to a return pipe, constituting said water-introducing means.