Abstract:
An above ground swimming pool is made up of a plurality of posts, wherein each post is a blow-molded unit having a base portion and a top portion with a coping seat. A plurality of coping members also blow-molded are each telescopically received one end to the other at the coping seat of the top of each post, and a one-piece fastener engages the overlapping telescopic ends of the coping members to the top of the post. A bracket is provided at the base of the post, the bracket having a rail for receiving track segments wherein an elongated flexible metal wall is inserted. The coping member retains the top of the flexible wall against the post.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part application from application Ser. No. 08/871,539 filed Jun. 9, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,500, issued Mar. 2, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an above ground swimming pool, and more particularly, to a swimming pool having an improved coping structure and upstanding posts. 
     2. Description of the Prior 
     Present day above ground pools generally have posts and coping structures supporting a single endless side panel forming the lateral pool wall. However, most such structures rely on nuts and bolts to connect together the many elements involved. For an above ground pool whose typical perimeter measures over 80 feet, the number of support posts and coping sections is large, and as a result, the number of nuts and bolts that must be utilized is considerably large. The manipulation of fasteners, such as nuts and bolts, requires an inordinate amount of labor at the site. 
     Since the support posts and coping elements must form an enclosed loop, the elements forming it must be produced with precision. There can be very little tolerance when erecting a structure whose perimeter would measure over 80 feet. 
     Examples of previous designs of above ground pools are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,621, Diemond et al, 1966; U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,736, Valois et al, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,361, Wolf et al, 1983; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,872, Aymes, 1992. Each one of these pools shows the necessity of precision in the fabrication of support posts, coping sections, upper rails and lower rails. Even assuming relatively low tolerances in the fabrication of swimming pool components, imprecise connections will still occur because of the accumulation of small errors over the relatively long perimeter of a pool wall being formed. These problems will occur at the installation phase and must be overcome by altering the last components to be mounted, on site, in order to get the parts to fit. 
     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/871,539 filed Jun. 9, 1997 by the applicant, describes an above ground pool with elements such as support posts, coping components and fastening means, that are molded of plastics material especially employing blow-molding techniques. Said blow-molding techniques being chosen for their structural characteristics and because the elements are hollow, permitting the filling of such elements with sand, water or even concrete, providing further structural integrity. Since it is practically impossible to blow-mold components with small dimensional tolerances, it would not be possible to produce a practical, large, above ground swimming pool made of blow-molded components without allowing for some degree of adjustment of the parts. 
     The present invention is an improvement over patent application Ser. No. 08/871,539 in that a single type of post may be molded and used to provide lateral support for round and straight sections of the pool wall instead of two different types of posts which are of different design and thus requiring different moulds and inventories. 
     The present invention is a further improvement over the pool system described in patent application Ser. No. 08/871,539 by improving the telescopic engagement of the coping members leading to improved pool wall integrity. 
     The present invention further employs an improved single and simple type of fastener to more efficiently deal with the mechanical stresses that may otherwise affect this type of fastener. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an aim of the present invention to provide an above ground pool with improved lateral support posts of a single and simple design but at the same time suited to provide support for both curved and straight sections of the pool wall. 
     It is a further aim of the present invention to provide upper rails or coping elements, with an improved way of interlocking into each other, through an adjustable telescoping action, with adjustment limiting and locking features that maintain the integrity of the pool wall even with prolonged use and subjection to mechanical stress. 
     It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an above ground pool having post, coping and lower track components that are manufactured by blow molding techniques. 
     It is still a further aim of the present invention to provide an above ground pool structure that utilizes a minimum of and preferably no conventional fasteners such as rivets, screws, or nuts and bolts. 
     It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an improved, simple, one-piece fastener that can be utilized with the components of the present invention. The present fastener design, which eliminates the necessity of using a large number of nuts and bolts, can resist prolonged use and mechanical stress to keep parts fastened. 
     The single fastener lends itself to a unique tool for tightening or unlocking the fastener. 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a kit for an above ground pool is provided comprising a plurality of hollow posts each molded in one piece from plastics material and having a base portion and a top portion with a coping seat, the base portion having a cross-sectional dimension that is greater than a cross-sectional dimension of the top portion, a plurality of hollow coping elements each molded in one piece from plastics material and having one end with a female coupling member and the other end of the coping member having a male coupling member adapted to engage the female coupling member, and a fastener adapted to engage the male and female coupling members when they are coupled end to end and coincident with the coping seat on the top of one of the posts, whereby the fastening member will engage the post and fix the male and female coupling members of adjacent coping members, the kit also including a pool panel and a pool liner adapted to be supported by the coping so formed. 
     One aspect of the present invention comprises a kit for an above ground pool, including a plurality of support posts with each molded in one piece from plastics material and having a base portion and a top portion with a coping seat. A support augmentation member is associated with each support post to be anchored in the ground and to be attached to the respective support post in order to provide augmented lateral support for straight sections of the pool wall. 
     In another aspect of the present invention there are a plurality of coping elements, each molded in one piece from plastics material, comprising a female coupling member at one end and a male coupling member at the other. The male coupling member of the coping element being longitudinally slotted and adapted for telescopic engagement with a female coupling member, wherein the female coupling member includes a socket for receiving the male coupling member. 
     More specifically, the socket is defined by a top wall and side walls, the top wall defining an opening coincident with the slot in the male coupling member, the side walls including locking means within the socket cooperating with complementary locking means on the male coupling member for locking the male coupling member and the female coupling member at a selected telescopic position. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention a one-piece fastening member is provided to engage the coupled male and female coupling members coincident with the coping seat on the top of the support post whereby the fastening member will extend through the opening in the female coupling member, the slot in the male coupling member and an opening in the coping seat on the support post to engage the support post, the male and female coupling members of adjacent coping members and to keep these members joined together. 
     Such an above ground pool kit also includes bottom rail sections, a pool panel, and a pool liner adapted to be supported by support posts and the coping so formed. 
     In another aspect of the present invention a kit is provided for an above-ground liquid containing pool comprising posts to be spaced apart, coping members adapted to extend between each post, characterized in that the posts and coping members are hollow, one-piece, blow molded parts with at least the posts being filled with ballast material. 
     The present invention also includes a method of manufacturing components for an above ground pool kit that comprises a plurality of posts adapted be spaced apart and upstanding and coping members to be joined end to end at the top of each posts including the steps of molding each post and coping member by blow molding techniques in order to provide finished components for the kit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an above ground pool, partly in dotted lines, including elements in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 a  is an exploded perspective view of a detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 b  is a vertical cross-section of an element shown in FIG. 2 a;    
     FIG. 3 a  is a fragmentary enlarged vertical cross-section of a detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 b  is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal cross-section showing the detail of FIG. 3 a;    
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a detail of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b  are perspective views of a detail of the present invention shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-section taken through the detail shown in FIGS. 2 a ,  2   b;    
     FIG. 8 is a perspective fragmentary view of the detail shown in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing a detail of FIGS. 7 and 8; and 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of an embodiment of the pool in an assembled position and illustrating a detail shown in FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b.   
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the FIG. 1, there is shown an above ground swimming pool  10  forming an obround loop. The pool is shown with a typical pool liner  12 , pool wall  18  and a structure comprising upstanding support posts  14  as well as coping elements  16  extending between said support posts  14 . 
     FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  show a typical support post  14  mounting coping members  16 . The support post  14  comprises an elongated upstanding blow-molded plastic member having a base  20 , an anterior wall  22  which is a planar flat wall, a curved posterior wall  24 , and lateral walls  26 . The support post  14  is hollow, as shown at  28  in FIGS. 2 b  and  7   a , and made by blow-molding which allows a ballast such as water, sand or concrete to be injected into the hollow interior  28  of the support posts  14 , when erected, in order to give the pool elements stability and strength. 
     The support post  14 , shown in FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b , is adapted to support the straight wall sections of an obround pool  10  by employing a support augmentation member  30 . Member  30  is anchored in the ground to provide a greater support for straight sections of a pool wall. The support augmentation member  30  may be T-shaped having a horizontal base  29   a ,  29   b  and an upstanding stem  31  extending through an opening in the base  20  of the support post  14  into the hollow interior  28 . The stem  31  may have an extension  31   a.    
     As shown in FIGS. 2 a ,  2   b  and  10 , a corrugated floor panel  106  can extend adjacent a straight wall portion and sit on the horizontal base member  29   b  as shown. When water is in the pool the weight thereof will enhance the stability of the posts  14 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3 a , the support post  14  has a coping seat  34  defined by stepped shoulders  36  and  38 , and an upstanding member  40  having a mounting opening  42 . The mounting opening  42  is formed by the intersection of an elongated opening and a circular central opening similar in detail to the opening  62  as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2 a  the coping member  16  ( 16   a ), including female coupling member  56  ( 56   a ), may also be made from a blow-molding process of a plastics material. The coping member  16  may be linear or curved depending on its position along the swimming pool wall. However, each coping member  16   a  . . .  16   n  has a beam structure,  46   a  . . .  46   n  with an upper surface  48  and an under surface  50 . The upper surface  48  is normally smooth without any sharp corners while the under surface  50  may be provided with different strengthening ribs  52  and normally a recess  54  for receiving the pool wall  18  and liner  12 . The coping member  16   a  . . .  16   n , being hollow, may be filled with a strengthening material such as a foam injected therein. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b , the coping member  16   a  . . .  16   n  includes a female coupling member  56  at one end thereof and a male coupling member  58  at the other end thereof. The female coupling member  56  comprises an upper wall  61  having a recessed portion  60  concentric with a mounting opening  62 . When the female mounting member  56  is mounted on the support post  14 , the mounting opening  62  would be coincident with mounting opening  42  of the coping seat  34  of the support post  14 . 
     The female coupling member  56  also comprises side walls  71  and  73  to define a socket  72  to receive the male coupling member  58 . On the interior surfaces of the side walls  71  and  73  there are a set of retaining ribs  74  defining grooves used for adjustable engagement with a male coupling member  58 . The male coupling member  58  defines an elongated open slot  76  with tapered ends  78  and retaining ribs  80  which engage in the grooves formed between ribs  74  in order to provide adjustable engagement between coupling members  56  and  58  of coping members  16 . 
     The kit for erecting a pool includes several coping members  16   a  to  16   n . More specifically, the male coupling member  58  of coping member  16   n  is inserted into the socket  72  of the female coupling member  56  of coping member  16   a  in a telescopic manner thus providing adjustment along the direction of the pool wall. This adjustment is limited and locked by the retaining ribs  80  on the male coupling member  58  and retaining ribs  74  of the walls  71 ,  73  on the female coupling member  56  which engage into each other. 
     When the pool wall is erected the slot  76  will be aligned with the mounting openings  42  and  62  in order to receive a fastening member  66 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 4,  6   a  and  6   b , the fastening member  66  includes a cap  64  with a socket  82  on its top face to receive a tool  108  used to mount the fastener. The tool  108  has an engagement projection  110  adapted to engage the socket  82 . A stem  84  extends downwardly from cap  64 , and a pair of diametrically opposed wings  86  extend outwardly from the side of the stem  84  near its bottom. The wings  86  include camming surfaces  88 . The wings  86  are also cantilevered thus allowing a certain resilience. 
     When it is desired to connect a pair of coping members  16   a  and  16   n  with a support post  14 ; the coping member  16   n , with its male coupling member  58 , is inserted into the socket  72  of the female coupling member  56 , and the male member  58  is adjusted telescopically therein. Adjustment along the pool wall is maintained by the retaining ribs  80  on the male coupling member which interlock with retaining ribs  74  on female coupling member  56 . 
     The fastener member  66  is then inserted through the opening  62  with the wings  86  aligned with the major axes of the elongated openings  42  and  62 , as shown in FIGS. 3 b  and  5 . The fastener  66  is pushed down until the wings  86  are inside the support post  14 , that is, through the mounting opening  42 . The fastener  66  is then rotated (90°) by means of the suitable tool  108  inserted in the socket  82 . By rotating the fastener member  66 , the camming surfaces  88  will resiliently engage the interior of the coping seat  34  and the cap  64  will sit in the recess  60  on the top surface of the female coupling member  56  to tightly sandwich the elements together. The recess  60  of the female coupling member  56  provides two diametrically opposed lock depressions  68 , seen in FIG.  5 . The fastening member  66  once attached is prevented from rotating backwards by the rib  70  seated in the lock depressions  68  of the female coupling member  56 . 
     Once the fastener  66  is engaged, the socket  82  remains exposed and could otherwise be covered by an aesthetic cap member  90 . 
     A bracket  92  is provided at the base of the post  14  (FIGS. 7,  8 , and  9 ). The bracket  92 , as seen in FIG. 9, includes an upstanding portion  94  with a spring hook  96  adapted to engage in a recess  98  (FIG. 7) in the anterior wall  22  of the base  20  of a typical support post  14 . The bracket  92  also includes two fork members  100 , forming the base of the bracket  92 , which can extend under the base  20  of the support post  14  allowing the support augmentation member  30  to extend in between the fork members  100 . A box shaped rail  102  extends anteriorly from the upstanding member  94  of the bracket  92 . 
     The bracket  92  is thus snap fastened into the base  20  without the need of fasteners of any type. This feature contributes to efficiency and ease of assembly of the present embodiment of the invention. 
     Track segments  104  are telescoped in and connected to the rail  102 . A track segment  104  extends end-to-end between two support posts  14  and is adapted to receive the pool wall  18  in a groove  103 . The track segment  104  is preferably blow molded, in the present embodiment with a trapezoidal cross-section, and is hollow in order to be injected with a ballast, such as concrete. The rear lip  103   a  may be raised slightly in order to reduce the chances of the wall  18  popping out of the track in cold weather conditions. 
     An elongated flexible metal panel forming the pool wall  18  would typically be inserted in track segments  104 , and the top edge would be retained within the pool wall retaining recess  54  in the coping  16  when the coping is mounted onto support posts  14 . 
     A pool liner  12  with the bead (not shown) overlaps the top edge of a pool wall panel  18  within the pool wall retaining recess  54 .