Abstract:
A cover for an above-the-ground swimming pool includes a hard sloping frame for supporting the cover, with the frame being raisable and lowerable by hydraulic, electrical or piston mechanisms from inserted tubes within the spaced vertical struts which support the side walls of the pool in an original swimming pool manufacture or within adjacent struts additionally emplaced in the retrofitting of existing above-the-ground pools already in construction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    A Provisional Patent Application covering the invention described herein was filed on May 5, 2010, and assigned Ser. No. 61/343,848. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program. 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    NOT APPLICABLE 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to pool cover supporting systems and, more particularly, to a pool cover assembly primarily for use with above-ground swimming pools to cover the swimming pool during periods of non-use in order to prevent debris from collecting on or in the pool—and thereby marring the quality of the pool water. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    Covers for keeping out leaves and other debris from in-ground and above-ground swimming pools are well known. Typically, the covers are clipped or clasped to railings or cleats around the walls of the pool when in use, but removable for storage either in garages or sheds nearby when not needed. Usually, such swimming pool covers are manufactured from a plastic material designed slightly larger in length and width than the in-ground pool, or of slightly larger diameter for above-ground pools where they are to be disposed. While weighted objects may be employed to hold the plastic material in its cover position, usually the covers are secured at the tops of the periphery of the pool itself. 
         [0008]    Experience has shown several disadvantages with these types of cover usages. First of all, collected water tends to weigh down the cover, making later removal of it when the pool is to be used ever increasingly difficult. Secondly, when the pool is located adjacent to a treed location, leaves often collect on the cover, break down with subsequent rain or snowfall, and give rise to the growth of algae and/or other bacteria there. Thirdly, and as will be readily appreciated, covering the pool when it is not to be used, and then removing the cover for storage when access is desired, can often be both time consuming and physically strenuous—especially when water, leaves or debris have collected during the period of nonuse. And, moreover, once the cover is removed and the pool is being used, no protection is had to the occupants against leaves and environmental debris otherwise blowing or falling into the pool (to be thereafter cleaned), and no impediment is provided to prevent any onslaught of flying insects from infiltrating the pool area. 
         [0009]    As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, cover designs continue to be proposed for swimming pools. Of the more recent vintage, some include rigid frames that suspend a tarpaulin over the water. Unfortunately, usage has shown that such designs continue to permit the tarpaulin to sag and collect precipitation and debris over time, causing them to sometimes fail under the load. Besides still being cumbersome and complex to clip on to attach, and then remove—especially from above-ground pools—these designs have proved costly in their manufacture, resulting in their only having limited commercial success in the marketplace. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an arrangement which allows an easy covering for the pool—and especially one above-ground—constructed to reduce the tendency of water, leaves and tree branches to collect when the cover is in place. 
         [0011]    It is an object of the invention, also, to provide this arrangement as an integral part of an original above-ground pool installation; but, one which can be retrofitted as well to above-ground pools already set in operation. 
         [0012]    It is another object of the invention to provide such an arrangement which continues to effectuate a dispersal of falling leaves and other environmental debris from the pool area even after the cover is removed. 
         [0013]    It is yet a further object of the invention to provide this arrangement in a manner that will additionally screen out flying insects and blowing leaves from the pool area, also after the cover is removed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    As will become clear from the following description, the apparatus of the present invention could still employ the plastic-type covers which characterize much of the prior art—but, in this case, stretched across a frame constructed to be extendable above the railing of the above-ground pool and retractable downwardly into its wall construction as well. To facilitate the non-accumulation of leaves, tree branches, rainwater and other debris in either the extended or retracted position of the frame, the frame will be constructed of a downward pitch so that accumulations are reduced when the overlying cover is clipped onto the frame. Similarly, the same pitch of the frame also precludes such accumulation even after the cover is unclipped, for the normal usage of the pool during the warmer months. Depending upon one&#39;s preferences, the frame could have a canopy layer in the nature of a mesh screen, a plexiglass sheet, or even a canvas layer—over which the plastic-type pool cover lies. When extended for use, the frame is designed to have as part of its fabrication, a series of securable, roll-down type flaps, preferably of screen mesh, to provide a screening to protect those inside the pool not only from any blowing leaves that may be present, but from any flying insects that may be in the area as well. Intended for above-ground pools, primarily, the frame may be such as to extend upwardly above the railings of the pool once raised, a distance of 4-5 feet—such that with the sides rolled down, a gazebo type effect is produced with an overall side screening of the pool, with whatever the frame top may be constructed. In the retracted position when the pool is not being used, the pitch of the frame, along with its cover, reduces any debris accumulation that might otherwise exist, as well. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment of the invention, the spaced vertical struts which support the pool from the outside could each be provided with an inner tube of lesser diameter which can be activated hydraulically, or electrically by the mere press of a button or activation of a switch to simultaneously raise all such tubes together the 4-5 feet to lock the frame in place in its extended position. When the pool is not to be used, the button or switch is activated in an opposite manner to lower the tubes and the frame they support back downwardly to its retracted position. In a second embodiment, for above-ground pools already in place and&#39;operating, a second set of vertical struts could be positioned adjacent those already there, as an attachment operable in any appropriate fashion to again raise or lower the frame with respect to the pool railing. As will be readily understood, once the frame is retracted into the vertical struts, they lock in position and the cover could be clipped back on in readying the above-ground pool for non-use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0017]      FIGS. 1-6  are helpful in an understanding of the features and operation of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    In  FIGS. 1-3 , the side walls of the above-ground pool are illustrated by the reference numeral  10 , with equally spaced vertical support struts  12 . The top railing of the pool is shown at  44 —which, for purposes of illustration is shown as “round” and with the pool being of a depth of some 4 feet, 6 inches up to 5 feet. Inside each strut  12  (if in an integral manufacture of the pool) or in additional struts added alongside the support struts  12  (as a retrofit of an existing above-ground pool construction), is a tube ( FIG. 5 ) to which a frame  16  connects, comprised of a series of spokes  18  upwardly slanting (as in  FIG. 4 ) to a central ring section  20  (more clearly shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). In  FIG. 4 , the left strut  12  of each pair shown denotes an integral construction where the tube is arranged, internal to the vertical support strut  12 , while the one to the right  22  denotes the added-on strut with its internal tube for the retrofit version where the tube is not present as part of the original manufacture. A typical slope provided to the spokes  18  of  FIG. 4  may be anywhere of the order 2 inch per foot to 5 inch per foot upwardly or downwardly. 
         [0019]    The retracted position of  FIG. 2  shows the canopy of the frame as encompassing individualized sections  24  between the spokes  18 , fabricated, as desired, of either a mesh screen, a plexiglass sheet, or a canvas layer so as to provide a support for an overlapping cover  26 . In the operating  FIG. 1  view, on the other hand, with the cover  26  removed, the inner tubes of the vertical supports (or that of the adjacent retrofitted designed supports) extend upwardly within the struts. Leaves and environmental debris are prevented from entering the pool area  28  of  FIGS. 1 and 3  by the frame  16 , while allowing air to circulate through when a screen mesh is utilized, or the sun to penetrate when a plexiglass sheet is employed, or to block both when a canvas layer is utilized. The central section  20  of  FIGS. 2 and 3  joins the spokes  18  together at their top end, with the bottom end of the individual spokes  18  being secured to top ends  52  of the tubes  50  ( FIG. 5 ), their lower ends  54  being secured within the vertical support struts  12 . The view of  FIG. 3  illustrates the pitch provided by the sloping nature of the spokes  18  joining at the central section  20 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  also shows a series of side screen enclosures  30  available to roll down from the spokes at a level  14 , for closing off the pool sideways at  32 , in affording additional screening against blowing leaves and flying insects once the frame is extended, and raised. Such “extension” is effectuated through any type of appropriate hydraulic, electrical, or piston elevator type mechanism  35  coupled with the lower ends  54  of the tubes in the vertical supports ( 12  or  22 ) used in moving the tubes upwardly to extend the frame  16  or downwardly to retract it, and actuable through a button or switch activation shown as  34 . With the overlying cover  26  of  FIG. 2  removed and the appropriate button or switch activated to raise the spokes, the configuration of  FIG. 3  follows. In the retracted position of  FIG. 2 , the frame  16  is ready for the overlying of the cover  26 —which, though still being raised somewhat by the pitch presented by the spokes is not so much up in the air as to be possibly damaged by any oncoming wind gusts. This might otherwise result if the frame were kept in its extended position of  FIG. 3  at a time when the pool was not to be used. 
         [0021]    In any event, and as will be appreciated, with the cover in place, the typically hard nature of the frame  16  provides the cover support against tearing in the wind, while the pitch afforded continues to limit any meaningful accumulation of environmental debris when the pool is not in use. All this follows from the pitch provided by the spokes  18 , but in an arrangement which allows a continued shading of the pool and a type of enclosure when the cover is removed—and a support for the cover against sagging or tearing should an unusually large leaf, branch, or water accumulation unexpectedly appear. And, as will also be appreciated, the cover of the invention can be retained on the frame all year, raised in the summer and lowered in the winter, and able to be screened with whatever material might be desired for that season of the year. The same will be understood to be the case with the composition of the cover material for those users where it is preferred to employ a “cover” throughout each of the four seasons. 
         [0022]    While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For example, while a preferred embodiment of the invention would be one where each vertical support for the side walls of the swimming pool receives a tubular strut of the frame cover, or has one secured adjacent to it, the cover would continue to provide its features where the struts fit within selected ones, or adjacent to selected ones, but less than all, of the supports in providing somewhat less of a securement. In this respect, it will be appreciated that the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings represent the situation where the tubular struts of the frame are adjacent to the vertical supports (for an add-on to an existing pool), while the embodiment of  FIG. 6  represents the situation for a new pool construction (yet to be installed). The cover could also be fabricated of U.V. Rated material to afford sun protection to users of the pool. For at least such reasons, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the invention.