Abstract:
A lid support bracket assembly for supporting a pool cover box lid includes a wall mount and a bracket angularly adjustably coupled to the wall mount.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to swimming pools, and, more particularly, to an automatic pool cover box lid support bracket.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Swimming pools are commonly covered to prevent debris from entering the pool, to preserve chemical treatments in the water and to heat the pool in the case of a solar cover. An automatic pool cover provides convenience for a user by allowing the cover to be easily extended over the pool during periods of non-use, and retracted during periods of use. Typically, a box is placed in the decking surrounding the swimming pool at a location opposite from the walk-in steps (usually at the deep end of a pool). The box extends across the width of the swimming pool, and houses an electric motor and reel on which the cover is wound.  
           [0005]    A problem with conventional automatic pool cover boxes is that the lid which covers the box is typically installed without sufficient support under the body of the lid. If a person steps on a pool cover box lid the pool cover box lid may deform and may cause damage to the pool cover box lid.  
           [0006]    Another problem with conventional automatic pool cover boxes is that angular adjustment of the pool cover box lid entails the bending of supports.  
           [0007]    What is needed in the art is an automatic pool cover box lid which is adequately supported and easy to angularly adjust.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention provides an automatic pool cover box lid support bracket assembly having a lid support, an angular adjustment and a wall mount assembled from modular components which may be easily connected together on-site and adjusted relative to each other to provide an optimum installation.  
           [0009]    The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a lid support bracket assembly for supporting a pool cover box lid including a wall mount and a bracket adjustably coupled to the wall mount.  
           [0010]    The invention comprises, in another form thereof, a pool cover box assembly for housing a swimming pool cover, including a plurality of vertical walls, including a rear wall, a lid having a rear edge, the rear edge being removably engaged with the rear wall and a plurality of lid support bracket assemblies supporting the lid. Each lid support bracket assembly including a wall mount attached to the rear wall and a bracket adjustably coupled to the wall mount.  
           [0011]    An advantage of the present invention is that the pool cover box lid support bracket provides support to the pool cover lid.  
           [0012]    A further advantage is the pool cover lid support bracket provides an angular adjustment to allow a pool cover box lid to be properly adjusted relative to a swimming pool deck resulting in an aesthetically pleasing look. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a swimming pool including an embodiment of an automatic pool cover box assembly of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned perspective view of the automatic pool cover box assembly shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is an end, sectional view of the automatic pool cover box assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lid support bracket of FIGS. 2 and 3; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is an end, sectional view of another embodiment of a lid support bracket of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0019]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of swimming pool  10  with deck  12 , coping  14 , cover  16 , leading edge bar  18  and pool cover box assembly  20  of the present invention.  
         [0021]    Deck  12  is generally horizontal and is preferably constructed from concrete. Coping  14  connects to deck  12  in a substantially coplanar fashion along the edge of deck  12  facing the interior of swimming pool  10 .  
         [0022]    Coping  14  is connected to deck  12  and provides a track allowing leading edge bar  18  to slide therein. The general shape of the exposed portion of coping  14  is generally curved such that there are no exposed sharp corners. Coping  14  may include a provision to retain a fiber optic light along the length of coping  14  and above the level of leading edge bar  18  and cover  16 . Coping  14  also includes a liner bead slot similar to liner bead slot  62  (FIG. 3) from which vinyl liner  64  is suspended.  
         [0023]    Cover  16  is attached to leading edge bar  18  which pulls cover  16  from pool cover box assembly  20 , through an opening existing between pool cover box assembly  20  and a top edge of swimming pool  10 , across the length of swimming pool  10 . To prepare swimming pool  10  for use, cover  16  retracts into pool cover box assembly  20  pulling leading edge bar  18  to the previously described opening.  
         [0024]    Leading edge bar  18  is connected to cover  16  and provides support along the leading edge of cover  16 . Each end of leading edge bar  18  is connected to at least one cable (not shown) and is slideably connected to a track in coping  14 . Leading edge bar  18  is shaped in a manner to be unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing when located at either end of swimming pool  10 .  
         [0025]    Now additionally referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, pool cover box assembly  20  includes a rear wall  22 , a bottom  24 , a front wall  26 , a coupling  28 , lid  30 , lid edge support  32  and a plurality of lid support bracket assemblies  34 . Pool cover box assembly  20  houses cover  16 , reel  36  and a drive mechanism (not shown) which drives reel  36  and a rope and pulley system for the extension and retraction of cover  16 . When cover  16  is retracted from swimming pool  10 , cover  16  is wrapped around reel  36  a number of times corresponding to the length of swimming pool  10 .  
         [0026]    Rear wall  22 , bottom  24  and front wall  26  are arranged to form three sides of pool cover box assembly  20  adjacent and generally parallel to one end of swimming pool  10 . The top edge of front wall  26  is parallel to a plane formed by deck  12  and is disposed therebelow. End cap coping  38  rests on and finishes the top edge of front wall  26 .  
         [0027]    Coupling  28  has protrusions along a back side to engage the concrete of deck  12  and has an L-shaped upper portion, extending from a front side, to accommodate a portion of lid  30 . The top edge of coupling  28  is substantially coplanar with deck  12  and forms part of rear wall  22 . Coupling  28  may be formed as an extrusion of metal or plastic.  
         [0028]    Lid  30  is composed of two substantially identical extrusions having a coupling mechanism to engage the two extrusions. The rear edge of lid  30  is shaped to engage coupling  28  so that lid  30  does not slide from its intended position. The front edge of lid  30  has a C-shaped channel  40  to accommodate latching projections  42  of lid edge support  32 . As an alternative to the two piece construction of lid  30 , lid  30  may be made of one or more than two piece construction.  
         [0029]    Lid edge support  32  is fastened to lid  30  and is disposed above end cap coping  38  forming an opening therebetween. This opening is generally parallel with the plane of deck  12  and is such that cover  16  may be freely extended over swimming pool  10  and retracted into pool cover box assembly  20 . Lid edge support  32  provides support to the front edge of lid  30  reducing the amount of deformation along the front edge of lid  30 .  
         [0030]    According to an aspect of the present invention, and additionally referring to FIG. 4, lid support bracket assemblies  34  include bracket  44  and wall mount  46 . Lid support bracket assembly  34  extends over the top of reel  36  and provides support to lid  30 . Lid support bracket assemblies  34  are vertically positioned such that bracket  44  accommodates the thickness of lid  30 . Lid support bracket assemblies  34  are adjustable such that lid  30  can be positioned at a desired angle to deck  12  or such that lid  30  is substantially coplanar with deck  12 .  
         [0031]    Bracket  44  includes a load bearing portion  48 , supports  50 , female threaded coupling  52 , and bolt  54 . Bolt  54  engages female threaded coupling  52  of bracket  44  and slot  58  of wall mount  46 . This arrangement allows lid support bracket assembly  34  to resist downward force conveyed thereto, yet be easily removed by lifting bracket  44  and disengaging the head of bolt  54  from slot  58  of wall mount  46 .  
         [0032]    Load bearing portion  48  is generally flat on the top portion and is connected on the underneath side to two supports  50 . Female threaded coupling  52  is attached between supports  50  to the underneath side of load bearing portion  48 . Alternatively, load bearing portion  48  may be an extrusion and female threaded coupling  52  may be integral thereto.  
         [0033]    Supports  50  are generally parallel to each other and the top edges of supports  50  are connected to the bottom side of load bearing portion  48 . The rear edges of supports  50  are shaped and positioned to engage wall mount  46  and to rest on support pins  56 .  
         [0034]    Bolt  54 , is threadably engaged with female threaded coupling  52 . The rotational position of bolt  54  is used to adjust the angle of bracket  44  to accommodate the positioning of lid  30  and provide support thereto. The head of bolt  54  couples with wall mount  46 . The angle of bracket  44 , and hence the angle of lid  30 , is adjustable by a rotational adjustment of bolt  54 . For example, to raise the front edge of lid  30 , bolt  54  is engaged further into female threaded coupling  52 .  
         [0035]    Wall mount  46  is broadly U-shaped and includes support pins  56 , slot  58  and protrusions  60 . A plurality of wall mounts  46  are attached to rear wall  34  in a spaced manner to accommodate the mounting of a similar number of brackets  44 . The U-shaped cross-section of wall mount  46  accommodates the thickness of the head of bolt  54 . Wall mount  46  has protrusions  60 , which run vertically, to captivate bracket  44 . Wall mounts  46  are vertically positioned on rear wall  34  to establish a base vertical position for brackets  44 .  
         [0036]    Slot  58  of wall mount  46  has a circularly shaped portion to accommodate the insertion of the head of bolt  54  at the lower end of slot  58  and slot  58  narrows at the upper end to accommodate passage of the shaft of bolt  54 . The arrangement of slot  58  serves to captivate bolt  54 .  
         [0037]    Support pins  56  on wall mount  46  are provided to accommodate bracket  44  and are located to provide vertical positioning to bracket  44  such that the rear edge of lid  30  is substantially at the same height as deck  12 . Support pins  56  on wall mount  46  are positioned to constrain the movement of bracket  44  and to transfer the vertical component of the load from bracket  44  to rear wall  22 .  
         [0038]    Now referring to FIG. 5, another embodiment of bracket  44  of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, bracket  44  is substantially similar to the previous embodiment, but bracket  44  additionally includes a bolt  72 , a pivoting coupling  74  and a bolt  76 . Pivoting coupling  74  is attached to bracket  44  in a pivotal manner and is threadably engaged with bolt  72 . The head of bolt  72  is positioned in the corner formed by the intersection of bottom  24  and rear wall  22 .  
         [0039]    Bolt  76  is threadably engaged with bracket  44  and the head of bolt  76  is constrained in a slot of wall mount  46 . Wall mount  46  is substantially the same as that of the previous embodiment, yet without the need for support pins  56 . Bracket  44  is adjusted by rotating bolt  72  and bolt  76  to properly position bracket  44 .  
         [0040]    To install a lid support bracket assembly  34  in a pool cover box, wall mounts  46  are positioned along and attached to rear wall  22 . Bolt  54  is threadably engaged into female threaded coupling  52  of each bracket  44 . The head of bolt  54  is inserted into the generally circular opening of slot  58  in wall mount  46 . Bolt  54 , along with bracket  44 , is then slid upward into a narrowed portion of slot  58  thereby captivating bolt  54  to wall mount  46 . Bracket  44  is raised sufficiently so that it can be rotated downward to engage wall mount  46  and set upon support pins  56  of wall mount  46 .  
         [0041]    Once brackets  44  are installed, pool cover box lid  30  is assembled to rear wall  22  of pool cover box  20  and pool cover box lid  30  is lowered onto brackets  44 . If pool cover box lid  30  is not positioned at the desired angle then pool cover box lid  30  is removed and brackets  44  are removed, bolts  54  adjusted and brackets  44  and pool cover box lid  30  are reinstalled as previously discussed.  
         [0042]    While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.