Abstract:
The invention relates to a device (D) for mounting and guiding roofing modules (M) of the type consisting of a framework ( 100 ) connecting beams ( 110 ) and cross members ( 120 ) supporting a cover, the edge cross members ( 121  and  122 ) forming rims and resting on the edges of a swimming pool (P), said modules (M) being able to undergo horizontal translational movement (arrow F 1 ) above the swimming pool (P) in order that said swimming pool (P) is covered or opened, said device being noteworthy in that it consists of a wheel ( 200 ) having a substantially vertical axis, -said wheel being mounted on a removable rotary shaft ( 300 ) mounted at the edge of the swimming pool (P), -the rolling surface ( 210 ) of which wheel allows a relative rolling of the rim of the modules (M) when said rim comes into contact during the horizontal translational movement (arrow F 1 ), -the lower face ( 220 ) of which wheel engages with a projection ( 400 ) on the rim ( 121, 122 ) which comes under the wheel ( 200 ) in order to restrain the module (M) if it is lifted vertically (arrow F 2 ) but without interfering with its horizontal translational movement. The invention also relates to the swimming pool shelter employing such a device.

Description:
FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of swimming pool shelters and, in particular, to the adaptations enabling same to be held and guided on the ground under the best conditions. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    A swimming pool shelter is a device consisting of a plurality of side-by-side roofing modules conventionally resting on the edges of the swimming pool on top of which they are arranged. Some swimming pool shelters offer moving modules enabling the shelter to be partially or entirely retracted or extended. 
         [0003]    These modules are thus equipped with rolling means, guiding means, as well as mounting means for holding them in position. In addition, a motorised actuating means can likewise be associated with this equipment. 
         [0004]    In some embodiments, such as the one described in the document FR 2825738, the mounting means consist of mounting brackets which are retractably connected at a first end to the borders of the roofing modules and at a second end to the ground. Mounting to the ground is conventionally carried out by a threaded rod-type holding means. 
         [0005]    In this embodiment, the rolling means consist of sets of rollers supporting the roofing modules in the translational movements thereof, when the mounting brackets are removed. The guiding means consist of the configuration of the shelter which is telescopic and implements rolling means which are integral with the moving modules and sandwiched between the modules (one roofing module guiding or being guided by the adjacent module or modules) on the one hand, and, on the other hand, by the presence of rollers mounted to the edges of the pool and supplementing the moving rollers so as to ensure a movement rectilinear to the translational movement of the roofing modules. These guide rollers operate in pairs, the spacing of the guide surfaces of which is slightly greater than the spacing of the surfaces of the roofing modules of which they guide the translational movement in order to provide a working clearance required for this movement. 
         [0006]    This configuration prevents a mounting bracket from being integrated with or mounted to the border or to the ground without any possibility of retracting. The disadvantage lies in the fact that the user of the swimming pool is obliged to unscrew the mounting bracket holding means, detach the mounting brackets from the borders, and also remove both the mounting brackets and the holding means thereof before being capable of moving the roofing modules in order to access their swimming pool. Given a roofing module capable of being mounted by means of four mounting brackets, the length of such an operation is liable to discourage the user from using their pool for an occasional short-term opening of the shelter. 
         [0007]    The guide rollers mounted to the edge are not intended to be removed and the number thereof is consequently limited. 
         [0008]    However, the presence of unremoved mounting or guide members is liable to adversely affect the overall aesthetic appearance of the swimming pool equipment. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Based on this established fact, the applicant conducted research aiming to propose a mounting device for a swimming pool shelter roofing module. 
         [0010]    This research resulted in the design of device which both mounts and guides the roofing modules comprising a swimming pool shelter. 
         [0011]    According to the invention, this device for mounting and guiding roofing modules is of the type consisting of a frame associating beams and cross members supporting a cover, the end cross members forming borders and coming to rest on the edges of the pool, said modules being movable in horizontal translation above the swimming pool so as to enable said swimming pool to be covered or opened. This device is remarkable in that it consists of a guiding and restraining member having at least two working surfaces and being removably mounted onto the edge of the pool, 
         [0012]    a first surface of which is positioned and oriented to guide without impeding the border of the modules when same comes into contact during the horizontal translational movement thereof, 
         [0013]    the second surface of which is positioned and oriented to cooperate with a protruding shape integral with the border and beneath the guide member, in order to restrain the module during the possible vertical raising thereof, but without interfering with the horizontal translational movement thereof. 
         [0014]    According to another particularly advantageous characteristic, the device consists of a wheel having a substantially vertical axis, 
         [0015]    mounted on a removable rotating shaft attached to the ground, 
         [0016]    the rolling surface of which allows the relative rolling of the edge of the modules when it comes into contact during the horizontal translational movement, 
         [0017]    the lower flange of which cooperates with a protruding shape integral with the border in order to serve as a stop motion device and restrain the module during the possible vertical raising thereof. 
         [0018]    This characteristic is particularly advantageous in that, without any operation of removing the device, it proposes to hold the roofing module on the ground, without impeding the translational movement thereof. In this way, the partial retraction of the shelter can be carried out without removing the restraining modules, since the latter do not prevent horizontal translational movement, but simply vertical translational movement, thereby preventing any undesired lifting. 
         [0019]    As a matter of fact, the working clearances defined by the dimensions and the arrangement of this guiding and restraining means on the one hand allow horizontal translational movement corresponding to the opening or closing movement of the shelter and, on the other hand, prevent vertical translational movement likely to be caused by the wind or an unauthorised opening movement. 
         [0020]    This association of a holding in position along the vertical axis by means of the flange or the horizontal rim and guiding along the horizontal axis by means of the substantially vertical rolling surface of the wheel is particularly novel for a swimming pool shelter mounting means. 
         [0021]    Of course, the means of holding the device in position on the ground can enable the rapid removal thereof, but this removal operation is no longer necessary for opening the shelter via translational movement, thereby providing a solution to the disadvantages of the prior art while at the same time providing the possibility of preserving the aesthetic whole. In the same way, in so far as the devices are kept on the ground, the modules returning to closed position are guided in the translational movement thereof and, at the end of travel, position the protruding shape thereof beneath the prepositioned wheel. 
         [0022]    The invention likewise relates to the swimming pool shelter which, cooperating with the above-described device, consists of roofing modules of the type consisting of a frame associating beams and cross members supporting a cover, the end cross members forming borders and coming to rest on the edges of the pool, said modules being movable in horizontal translation above the swimming pool so as to enable said swimming pool to be covered or opened, and remarkable in that each border is equipped with at least one protruding shape which, by cooperating with the lower flange of the wheels while passing underneath, serves as a stop motion device when the protrusion is positioned under the wheel and restrains the module during the possible vertical raising thereof. 
         [0023]    According to a particularly advantageous characteristic, each roofing module of the shelter is equipped with a protrusion on each of the borders thereof, in order to cooperate with a pair of devices in extended position. 
         [0024]    According to another particularly advantageous characteristic, the shelter is equipped with at least one motorised actuating means, the configuration of which when turned off prevents the translational movement of the roofing modules. Thus, the degree of translational freedom allowed by the device is controlled by an auxiliary means which permits it only when the motor of the actuating means is activated. This characteristic enables the protruding shapes integral with the borders of the modules to be positioned perfectly in relation to the mounting and guiding brackets. 
         [0025]    Now that basic concepts of the invention have been explained above in the most elementary form thereof, other details and characteristics will become more apparent upon reading the following description in connection with the appended drawings, which, for non-limiting illustrative purposes, provide an embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of a swimming pool shelter in closed position, arranged above a swimming pool and capable of being equipped with an embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention, 
           [0027]      FIG. 1   b  is a perspective view of the swimming pool shelter in open position, 
           [0028]      FIG. 1   c  is a top view of the swimming pool shelter in closed position, 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is top view of a portion of a roofing member cooperating with the device of the invention, 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a portion of a roofing member disengaged from the device of the invention, 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the device of the invention, 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a side view of another embodiment of a roofing member equipped with another embodiment of the device of the invention, 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a side view of an embodiment of the device of the invention cooperating with a rim of the roofing member of  FIG. 5 , 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is a side view of an embodiment of a device of the invention cooperating with the other rim of the roofing member of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    As shown in the drawings of  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  and  1   c , the mounting and guiding device referenced as D equips roofing members or modules M forming a swimming pool P shelter A of the type consisting of a frame  100  associating beams  110  and cross members  120  supporting a cover, the end cross members  121  and  122  forming borders and coming to rest on the edges of the swimming pool P. These modules M are movable in horizontal translation above the swimming pool P, along the double arrow F 1 , so as to cover it ( FIG. 1   a ) or uncover it ( FIG. 1   b ). As shown, the entire device consists of a plurality of pairs of guiding and restraining members cooperating with the edge of each border and arranged at regular intervals along the path of movement of the shelter. 
         [0036]    Each roofing module M is equipped with a single pair of devices D each cooperating with the edges thereof. 
         [0037]    As shown more precisely in the drawings of  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , the device D consists of a wheel  200  having a substantially vertical axis having a substantially vertically rolling surface  210  and substantially horizontal upper and lower flanges  220 , 
         [0038]    mounted on a removable rotating shaft  300  attached to the edge of the swimming pool P, 
         [0039]    the rolling surface  210  of which allows the relative rolling of the border  121  of the modules M when it comes into contact during the horizontal translational movement, and the lower flange  220  of which cooperates with a protruding shape  400  integral with the border  121  and situated beneath the wheel  200 , in order to restrain the module M during the possible vertical raising thereof, as symbolised by the arrow F 2 , but without interfering with the horizontal translational movement thereof, as symbolised by the double arrow F 1 . 
         [0040]    As shown, the protruding shape  400  consists of a retaining lug one end  410  of which is attached to the border  121  and the other end  420  of which is positioned beneath the flange  220  of said wheel  200 , thereby ensuring vertical retention of the module. 
         [0041]    According to the embodiment shown, the retaining lug is an add-on part mounted on the same axis as the support wheel of the module. Alternatively, this retaining lug can be preformed in the border section  121  of the roofing module M. 
         [0042]    As shown in the drawing of  FIG. 1   c , the shelter A is equipped with a motorised actuating means  500  the configuration of which when turned off prevents the translational movement of the roofing modules M. Thus, the degree of translational freedom allowed by the part of the device of the invention cooperating directly with each module in closed position is eliminated by the fact that each actuating means  500 , when turned off, comprises a translational position holding means. 
         [0043]    According to the embodiment shown, said border  121  includes a preformed section  600  having a horizontal U-shaped recess  610  opening outwardly in order to accommodate a rack (not shown), the end  611  of one of the branches of the U coming into contact with said rolling surface  210  when the latter comes into contact during the horizontal translational movement. 
         [0044]    As shown in the drawing of  FIG. 4 , the removable shaft  300  consists of a rapid-disconnect fastener device serving as a vertical rotating shaft for the wheel  200 . In this way, although the device D allows movement of the module M without being removed, rapid removal remains practicable by removing the shaft  300 . 
         [0045]    As shown in the drawing of  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the vertical retaining function of the device D is active only when the retaining lug is positioned beneath the flange of one of the wheels  200 , whereas the guide function is active over the entire contact between the border of the module M and the device D. 
         [0046]      FIGS. 5 to 7  show an embodiment of a swimming pool shelter and therefore of a roofing module M′ having a flat and inclined upper surface. This inclination is produced by a difference in height between the two borders of the roofing module. In order to ensure the translational guiding offered by the device of the invention, the rolling surfaces must be positioned at the height of the borders. To accomplish this, the device D′ is advantageously equipped with a wheel  200 ′ having a substantially vertical axis, which is mounted on a removable rotating shaft  300 ′ attached to the edge of the swimming pool P and to a column  700  supporting the hub of the wheel  200 ′, the column  700  and the length of the rotating shaft  300 ′ being variable based on the height of the borders of the module M for which the device D′ must ensure horizontal guiding and vertical retention. This substantially cylindrical column  700  is provided with a hollow core accommodating said shaft  300 ′, having an upper end serving as a support to the hub of the wheel  200 ′ and a flared lower end serving as a bearing point on the edge of the pool. 
         [0047]    It is understood that the device has just been described and shown with a view to disclosure rather than limitation. Of course, various arrangements, modifications and improvements may be made in the above example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.