Pool leveling system

A pool leveling system uses a threaded bolt that interacts with a support surface to alter the vertical alignment of the individual wall panels used to construct a modular swimming pool. The threaded bolt is coupled to the wall panels through a mounting bracket attached directly to a flange on the wall panel or indirectly through a frame used to support the wall panels. The mounting bracket is preferably a substantially C-shaped bracket having a hole adapted to receive the threaded bolt. The vertical alignment of the wall panels is adjusted by advancing or retracting the threaded bolt with respect to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket and threaded bolt are left in place and encased in concrete when the pool installation is complete.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the installation of modular swimming pools having interconnected wall panels. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for leveling the panels of a modular swimming pool during installation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many modern swimming pools are constructed from a series of individual modules that are assembled on site to form the swimming pool. These modular swimming pools typically include modular wall panels that are designed to be attached to each other using bolts to thereby form the walls of the pool. The wall panels are typically constructed from a polymer, stainless steel, galvanized metal, or other suitable material. The panels are supported in a substantially upright orientation by a framework or series of braces connected to the outer face of the wall. Concrete is poured around the lower portions of the braces and the outer face of the wall panels to secure them in position and form the modular swimming pool's wall.

A modular swimming pool is typically installed by excavating a properly dimensioned hole in which the pool will be constructed. The wall panels are then positioned around the periphery of the excavated hole and bolted together to form the walls of the pool. The wall panels are vertically aligned or plumbed by adjusting the braces used to support the wall panels. Once the panels are connected and plumbed, the wall panels must be leveled with respect to horizontal to insure that the upper edge of the fully installed pool wall is horizontally level. The wall panels must be leveled prior to the pouring of the concrete collar around the pool since they will be fixed in position by the concrete. The wall panels are typically leveled by lifting the lower portions of the wall panels to the desired level and placing shims underneath the panels to hold them in position. Alternatively, some installers prepare the excavated surface first by placing and leveling patio blocks around its perimeter and then installing, leveling and shimming the pool on the prepared surface. Once the pool is plumb and level, the concrete collar is poured around the base of the panels and frames to secure the assembly in place.

Unfortunately, raising and leveling the wall panels of a modular swimming pool is a time consuming and imprecise process. Once a level position has been determined, the wall panels must be physically lifted and held in place while shims are placed underneath the panel to support it at the desired level. This is difficult in that the wall panels are often heavy and may drive the shims into the surrounding earth. This subsidence of the shims is especially troublesome if it occurs subsequent to the concrete being poured around the walls in that the concrete may need to be entirely removed to correct the problem. In addition, if the shims are not the right size, they must be cut or replaced with shims of the proper thickness. Thus, the installer must have shims of various sizes that can be combined to achieve the proper thickness. The repeated raising and lowering of the wall panels required when using such shims may also cause previously leveled panels to shift thereby requiring that they be re-leveled. Thus, a substantial amount of labor and effort are required to level the wall panels of a modular swimming pool in accordance with the prior art.

Therefore, what is needed is an improved method and apparatus for leveling the wall panels of a modular swimming pool during construction that requires less time and effort than prior art approaches.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the leveling system of the present invention is to level the panels of a modular swimming pool as precisely as possible and hold them at the proper level until a concrete collar has been poured.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is directed toward an apparatus for leveling a wall panel of a modular swimming pool. The system includes a mounting bracket for coupling a threaded shaft to the wall panel. Advancement or retraction of the threaded shaft with respect to the mounting bracket provides for vertical adjustment of the wall panel with respect to a support surface. The mounting bracket is either attached directly to the wall panel, to a side flange of the wall panel or to a frame member that is connected to the wall panel. The mounting bracket is preferably shaped like a clip. A nut provides a bearing surface for supporting the wall panel with respect to the threaded shaft.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a device for raising and lowering the wall panels of a modular swimming pool system during construction of a swimming pool. The device includes a panel leveling mechanism having a screw adjustment for coupling with a wall panel of the modular swimming pool. The panel leveling mechanism provides for vertical adjustment of the wall panel during construction of the pool. The wall panels include a frame assembly for supporting the wall panel in an upright fashion and the panel leveling means is coupled to the frame assembly with a mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is substantially clip shaped. The screw adjustment has a threaded shaft such that advancement or retraction of the threaded shaft with respect to the mounting bracket provides for vertical adjustment of the wall panel. A nut provides a bearing surface for use in supporting the wall panel with respect to the threaded shaft.

Yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a structure for providing vertical adjustment of wall panels of a swimming pool assembly during installation. The structure includes an adjustment bolt adapted to contact a support surface for selectively altering a vertical alignment of at least one of the wall panels. A mounting bracket couples the adjustment bolt to the wall panels. The mounting bracket has two legs wherein at least one leg has an opening adapted to receive the adjustment bolt. The mounting bracket may be directly coupled to a flange on the wall panel or through a frame used to support said wall panel. The vertical alignment is then altered by advancing or retracting the adjustment bolt with respect to the mounting bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now toFIG. 1, a modular swimming pool wall section2utilizing a panel leveling mechanism4constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The modular swimming pool wall section2includes a wall panel6configured to connect to at least one other wall panel8along the adjoining edges16of the panels6and8. The wall panels6and8are supported by a frame assembly10that typically includes a long angle12and a short angle14connected to an exterior side of the wall panels6and8to support them in a substantially upright position. The wall panels6and8also include side wall extensions18that extend along opposite edges of the panels6and8that are used to secure adjacent wall panels6and8together to form the swimming pool wall. The wall panels6and8also preferably include upper20and lower22extensions along the top and bottom edges of the panels6and8that serve to support the wall panel and facilitate connections thereto. The long angle12and short angle14of the frame assembly10are coupled at one end to the wall panel6. Preferably, the short14and long12angle portions of the frame assembly6are bolted to the side wall extensions18of the wall panel6near the top and bottom of the panel6. The long angle12is connected at its opposite end to the short angle14to extend as a diagonal strut between the panel6and the short angle14. The long angle12typically has a variable length adjustment, as discussed in more detail with respect toFIGS. 3 and 4, to provide for adjustment in the upstanding orientation of the panel6(i.e. to “plumb” the panel6with respect to the adjacent panels). The frame assembly10includes a support plate24connected to the lower brace member14opposite the panel6to provide support bearing. The frame assembly10also includes a positioning stake26received through the support plate24which holds the plate24in position.

The modular swimming pool wall structure2ofFIG. 1includes a panel leveling system4that provides for selective vertical adjustment of the associated wall panels6and8. The panel leveling system4is preferably attached to the short angle brace14at the junction between adjacent wall panels. The panel leveling system4includes a threaded bolt that works in connection with a support pad to lower or raise the associated wall panel6. Thus, the panel leveling system4allows an installer to vertically adjust the individual wall panels6and8of a modular swimming pool to level the pool with respect to horizontal during installation.

Referring now toFIG. 2, a detailed illustration of an embodiment of a panel leveling mechanism30constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The panel leveling mechanism30consists of a threaded bolt32positioned on a mounting plate34. The threaded bolt32provides a lifting point for the wall panel6through contact between a terminal end of the bolt32and the mounting plate34. The mounting plate34supports the weight of the wall panel6and prevents the lower end of the threaded bolt32from being pushed into the ground by the weight of the wall panel. The mounting plate34can vary in width and length depending upon the soil conditions. For example, soft sandy soils may require a larger plate34, whereas a smaller, less expensive, plate34may be suitable for harder, rocky soils. A mounting pad40may be provided on the mounting plate34to prevent the lower end of threaded bolt32from sliding along the surface of the mounting plate34. A clip38is coupled to a nut36that receives the threaded bolt32. The clip38is preferably designed to be attached to the short angle14of the frame assembly10near the base of the wall panel6as shown inFIG. 1or directly to the wall panel as shown inFIG. 5. Connecting the clip38to the short angle14is preferred because it allows the clip to be aligned with a pre-punched hole in the short angle and provides a solid base for the mounting plate34away from the bottom of the wall panel6. In addition, the clip38can be attached to short angle of existing pool designs without requiring any in-house modifications to the existing designs other than the punching of the hole in the short angle. However, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the clip38could easily be reconfigured to connect to any portion of the wall panel6desired. Once the clip38has been connected either directly or indirectly to the wall panel6, the wall panel6may be raised or lowered by turning the threaded bolt32in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. Since turning the threaded bolt32in one complete circle only raises the wall panel6by a small amount, the magnitude of which is determined by the threading on the bolt32, the threaded bolt32can be used to very precisely set the height of the wall panel6.

Once the wall panels of the modular pool of the present invention have been leveled, the panel leveling mechanism of the present invention is preferably left in place such that it will be encased by the concrete used to surround the pool wall. This is economically feasible due to the relatively simple structure of the panel leveling mechanism and its correspondingly low unit cost. Alternatively, if desired, shims may be used to hold the pool walls at the desired level and the pool leveling systems removed for later use. However, leaving the pool levelers in place is preferred because it dramatically reduces the time and effort required to install the pool. In addition, if the panels are not properly leveled prior to the concrete being poured, the wet concrete can simply be raked away from the leveler and the level readjusted.

The present invention substantially lowers construction costs by reducing the number of individuals required to level the walls of a modular pool. Previously, two men were needed to lift the wall panel while a third individual positioned the proper amount and size of shims under the panel. With the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pool leveler is simply inserted into a hole on the short angle and then ratcheted up to the proper level with a wrench. Thus, leveling the walls of a modular swimming pool using the pool levelers of the present invention only requires a single individual and a minimum amount of physical exertion. Thus, the labor costs associated with installing a modular pool are dramatically reduced.

Referring now toFIG. 3, an embodiment58of the present invention incorporated into an installed modular pool structure is shown. The panel leveling mechanism58is easily incorporated into standard modular swimming pool without any modifications to the pool's existing design. The wall panel50of the modular swimming pool is supported by an adjustable length, long angle brace52. The long angle brace52connects to a short angle brace54which is in turn connected to the base of the wall panel50and held in place by a stake56, A second brace member60is connected at one end to the short angle brace52near the bottom of the wall panel50and at the other end to a deck brace angle62that supports a concrete pool deck64. A pool leveling system58having a threaded bolt adjustment and support plate is connected to the short angle as discussed in more detail herein. The base of the pool leveling system58is surrounded by a concrete collar66which is in turn covered by a back fill material68such as gravel or sand.

Referring now toFIGS. 4(a)-(c), embodiments of the present invention are shown incorporated into different types of modular pools. InFIG. 4(a), the panel leveling mechanism80is connected to the short angle of an A-frame support frame82having an adjustable turnbuckle84that supports the wall panel86. InFIG. 4(b), the panel leveling mechanism80is connected to the short angle of an A-frame support frame88having a threaded bolt adjustment90. InFIG. 4(c), the panel leveling mechanism80is connected to the short angle of an A-frame support frame92that does not have an adjustable long angle. Thus, embodiments of the present invention can be used in connection with all conventional types of modular swimming pools.

Referring now toFIG. 5, an alternative method of utilizing a panel leveling mechanism100in accordance with the present invention is shown. Like the panel leveling mechanism80ofFIGS. 4(a)-(c), the mechanism100ofFIG. 5includes an adjustment bolt having a threaded shaft. However, instead of attaching to the frame assembly of the pool structure, the leveling mechanism100ofFIG. 5is attached directly to one of the side flanges102of an associated wall panel104, preferably by bolting the bracket106to the side flange102of the wall panel104as shown. The panel leveling mechanism100functions in a manner similar to the panel leveling systems described herein by providing an adjustment support point through contact between the end of the bolt and a support surface. This arrangement is especially beneficial for use in connection with the vertical adjustment of a pool wall panel where there is no frame assembly. Such a frame assembly is often not used in connection with wall panels in the corner of a modular swimming pool.

FIGS. 6(a)-6(e) show an exemplary embodiment of the clip38, nut36and short angle14.FIG. 6(a) is a top view of a flanged area of the short angle illustrating the relative positions of the clip38on the flanged area of the short angle14with the clip38and nut36being aligned with a corresponding aperture39in the short angle14that receives the threaded bolt32(not shown). The bottom view ofFIG. 6(b) shows an elongated planar area of the clip38engaging the flanged area of the short angle14with the threaded portion of the nut36aligned with a aperture39(or referred to as the pre-punched hole39) for receiving the threaded bolt32(not shown). In the exemplary embodiment, the nut36is affixed to the clip38and is aligned with a corresponding aperture38ain the clip38and pre-punched hole39in the short angle as shown inFIG. 6(c). The nut36may be affixed to the clip38by welding or other means to ensure alignment of the threaded portion36aof the nut36with the pre-punched hole39.

When assembled, the bolt32is inserted through the pre-punched hole in the short angle14, engages the threaded portion of the nut36, and passes through the corresponding aperture38ain the clip38as shown inFIG. 6(d) and is advanced into engagement with a seated area of the plate34(also referred to as the mounting pad40) in the mounting plate34. The plate34is positioned on the ground, or other supporting surface, to receive the free end of the threaded bolt32. As the bolt32is turned, the free end of the threaded bolt32engages the plate34causing a force to be communicated to the flanged area of the short angle14by the nut36and clip38thereby adjusting the height of the short angle14with respect to the ground or supporting surface. As shown inFIG. 6(e), the plate34is located below the flanged area of the short angle14in alignment with the clip38and pre-punched hole39. In the examples shown, the plate34is planar shaped, but other shaped surfaces capable of supporting the threaded bolt32may be used.