Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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- DEBRI S TRAP FOR POOL COVER
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The present invention relates to a cover for a
swimming pool or other outdoor body of water and which is sub-
ject to the accumulation of dirt and other debris during use.
; More specifically, the present invention relates to a swimm-
ing pool cover having means associated therewith to retain
.~ accumulated debris during removalof the cover from the.pool.
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The debris trap according to the invention can be
incorporated during the manufacture of the pool cover or can
be suitably secured either permanently or temporarily to exist-
.` ing pool covers to obtain the same advantageous results.
In its broad aspects, the invention relates to acover for a swimming pool or like body of water having at least
:. one pocket on the upper side thereof with the material forming `
~: the upper and/or lower sides of the pocket being perforate
enabling passage of water therethrough while retaining accum~
~, ulated debris during removal of the cover from the pool.
.: In a further embodiment, the present invention re-
lates to a debris trap adapted for removable securement to a
` cover for a swimming pool and which comprises an inwardly (with
respect to the cover) open pocket or scoop formed of buoyant
support members partially covered with perforate material
permitting the passage of water therethrough, and means to secure
the trap to the cover.
The present invention is applicable to and useful
with both winter and summer types of pool covers. Winter poolcovers
are usually of a size larger than the surface area of the body
of water to be covered and these covers are positioned over the
water and around the swimm~ng pool structure and suitably held
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in position through the winter months by sand bags, blocks,
tying or other suitable means. Pool covers for summer use are
usually of a size which just cover the water in the pool and
these are of lightweight flexible material which are easily
positioned and removed at fre~uent intervals during the summer
months. The advantage of a swimming pool cover for summer use
is that excess evaporation is prevented and the cover functions
as a solar or thermal blanket to increase water temperature in
the pool during sunlight use while retaining the heat in the
pool through the cooler night hours.
During use, both the winter and summer type covers are
subject to the accumulation of dirt and assorted debris and in
the present specification, the word "debris" is meant to in-
clude dirt, leaves, twigs, srass and grass clippings as well as
other materials which accumulate on pool covers during extended
or short term use.
Examples of existing pool covers which are flexible
and buoyant and which are manually positioned and removed are
the SEALED AIR cover manufactured and sold by Sealed Air Corporation,
and the POLY BUOY (trade mark) cover manufactured and sold by
Hinspergers Poly Industries Inc.
DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART
The difficulties with these existing pool covers
which are positioned and removed manually is that it is ex-
tremely difficult if not impossible to prevent accumulated de-
bris from falling back into the water of the pool upon removal
of the covers. Pool covers particularly of the solar or thermal
blanket variety are made of water impermeable sheeting resulting
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in the formation of pools of water on the surface of the cover
as a result of rainfall and dew condensation, and during removal
of the cover, this accumulated water flows back into the pool
~; carrying accumulated debris. The accumulation of such water
pools may on some occasions not appear to be great, but when
~- one considers the large size of pool covers the total weight of
accumulated water can be substantial and it is usually not pos-
sible to remove a pool cover without permitting this water to
spill into the pool carrying accumulated debris therewith.
U.S. Patent 3,982,286 granted September 28, 1976 to
E. G. Foster and Canadian Patent 1,002,420 issued December 28,
1976 to N. J. Maher both disclose pool covers having areas of
mesh material provided therein permitting the passage of water
while retaining accumulated surface debris. In use, however, -
these covers have to be lifted vertically either manually (re- '
quiring a number of able individuals) or mechanically as in the
case of the U.S. Patent if debris is to be obtained and neither
of these covers is capable of retaining debris if simply dragged
up over the pool edge which is the easiest way of removal and
the method which is followed by most pool owners.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention, then,
is to provide a trap for a pool cover to retain accumulated
surface debris during removal of the cover from the pool while
at the same time permitting surface accumulated water to spill
back into the pool. In its primary embodiment the present inven-
tion provides an inwardly open pocket formed at least partially
of perforate material provided adjacent one peripheral edge of
the pool cover and which will catch and hold accumulated debris
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during removal of the cover while permitting the passage of ac-
cumulated surface water back into the pool. This pocket or trap
can be incorporated into the pool cover at the time of its ori-
qinal manufacture or alternatively can be secured either permanent-
ly or removablysecured to existing pool covers to obtain the bene-
fits of the inventive concept.
A further object is to provide a pocket or scoop formed
of pocket forming buoyant support mernbers partially covered with
perforate material and including means for removably securing
the scoop along one peripheral edge of a pool cover whereby accu-
mulated debris is retained in the pocket during removal of the
cover from a pool.
A still further object is to provide a debris trap for
securement to a swimming pool cover to trap and hold debris dur-
ing removal of the cover from a swimming pool and comprising a
strip of flexible mesh adapted for peripheral securement to a
portion of the cover, the mesh extending a distance inwardly over
the cover to a free inner edge, the mesh and adjacent cover por-
tion providing therebetween a trap in the form of a pocket for
the retention of debris during removal of the cover from the
pool.
A further object is to provide a cover of flexible mat-
erial for swimming pools and the like having means to catch and
hold debris during removal of the cover from the pool, the de-
bris catching means having a strip or strips of flexible mesh
material provided over and along at least one peripheral edge
of the cover, the mesh material being secured to the peripheral
edge portion and extending inwardly a distance therefrom to a
free inner edge, the mesh material and the adjacent cover portion
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providing therebetween a trap in the form of a pocket for the
retention of debris during removal of the cover from the pool.
` In its broad sense the invention relates to a flexible
. cover for a swimming pool or like body of water having at least
.. one pocket on the upper side thereof, material forming at least
a portion of the at least one pocket permitting the passage of
water therethrough while retaining accumulated debris during
; removal of the cover from the pool.
More specifically, the invention relates to a cover of
flexible material for swimming pools and the like having a pocket
to retain accumulated debris during removal of the cover from the
pool, the pocket comprising a layer of flexible mesh material over-
: lying a portion of the cover and being secured to peripheral edges
thereof, and having a free inner edge a distance inwardly from
one peripheral edge of the cover, the mesh material and the under-
lying portion of the cover retaining debris therebetween during
removal of the cover from the pool.
In addition the invention relates to the combination of
a flexible cover Eor a swimming pool or like body of water and
a trap portion for the retention of debris during removal of the
cover from the pool, the trap portion comprising mesh material
removably secured along edges of the cover and extending a dis-
tance inwardly over the cover to a free inner edge, the mesh
material and underlying portion of the cover forming therebetween
a debris retaining pocket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be further described
with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates in perspective view one embodi-
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ment of the present invention used in association with a cover
.:~ of rectangular configuration;
: Figure 2 illus~rates an embodiment used in association
: with a cover of a curving configuration;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3
of Figure l;
- Figure 4 is a perspective view of a debris pocket of
the present invention having pocket forming support means to hold
the pocket in open position;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of one end of a pool
cover showing the pocket in open position as the result of the
use of an insert;
Figure 6 is a side partially sectioned view showing
the pocket retaining accumulated debris during manual removal
of the cover from a swimming pool;
Figure 7 is perspective view of a further embodiment
illustrating a pocket or scoop adapted for removable securement
to a peripheral edge of a swimming pool cover; and
Figure 8 illustrates in side view a further embodiment
; 20 including a layer of imperforate material positioned in the debris
pocket, and appears on the sheet with Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings
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~ wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.
:~ Throughout the drawings, numeral 2 is used to desig-
nate a swimming pool cover for either winter or summer use made
of flexible sheeting material suitable for use in such application.
The cover may be of any desired size and configuration and suit-
ably may be of canvas, vinyl, woven and coated polyethylene, or
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other sheet plastic material preferably suitably protected against
` ultraviolet deterioration. Other materials may be plastic sheet-
ing having solid foam backing or laminated plastic materials.
: 10 With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a pocket gener-
ally indicated by numeral 4 is formed along one or more peripher-
al edges of the cover by layer 6 of perforate material secured
peripherally to the cover and providing a free inner edge 8
spaced inwardly from the periphery. An edging 9 of flexible mat-
erial may suitably be provided along the edge 8 for reinforcement.
- Such a pocket 4 need usually be provided only along
one end or side edge of the cover 2 but two or more pockets
could be provided if desired. Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the pre-
sent arrangement in its simplest form and when covering a pool
the perforate material 6 simply overlies the pool cover as shown
in Figure 1. When the cover is to be removed, the pocket may
simply be opened by the insertion of buoyant inserts such as plas-
tic bottles 10 as shown in Figure 3 to hold the inner free edge 8
a spaced distance above the pool cover 2. The pool cover is
then dragged~from the pool in the direction of arrow 12 and up
and over the side of the pool facing 14 in a manner as shown
in Figure 6 with the result that accumulated surface water and
.~ debris shown generally at 16 will flow downwardly into the pocket
with the surface water passing through the layer 6 which retains
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- the accumulated debris. After the cover 2 has been completely
removed from the pool, the debris can then simply be removed
from the pocket.
The simple positioning of means such as bottles 10
before removal of the cover has proved most satisfactory. How-
ever, and as shown in Figure 2, means can be provided to hold
the bottles (or other buoyant inserts) in position in the pocket
4, and these such holding means can conveniently consist of ties
20 or pockets 22 provided in either the pool cover or perforate
layer 6.
In preferred construction, the layer 6 will be of flex-
ible mesh or screen material made suitably of plastic such as
vinyl coted polyester mesh, fiberglass screening, or other light-
weight flexible mesh screening having suitably sized mesh openings
permitting passage of water therethrough while retaining substan-
tially all of the accumulated debris.
The mesh layer can suitably be incorporated in the
pool cover at the time of manufacture by suitable means such as
by sewing. Attachment could alternatively be by rivets, heat-
sealing, adhesives, tie strips, fastening strips of hook-and-
eye type commonly sold under the registered trade mark VELCRO,
and the like; and similar fastening means can be used to either
permanently or temporarily secure a debris trap on existing pool
covers.
Preferably, the width of rnesh layer 6 will be somewhat
greater than the width of the underlying pool cover enabling the
formation of a conveniently sized pocket opening, the screen mat-
erial being suitably pleated at the time of its securement peri-
pherally to the pool cover.
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Figure 3 illustrates mesh material overlaying a por-
tion of a poolcover which usually is of water impermeable sheet-
ing. It will be appreciated, however, that the portion of the
pool cover 2 underlaying the mesh layer 6 could also be of per-
forate material; and that the layer 6 could itself be of imper-
forate material with the underlying portion of the cover providing
the perforations for the passage of water therethrough.
It is preferred that the pocket be provided peripher-
ally along oneedge of the pool cover for maximum debris retention.
However, in the case of pool covers of irregular curved configur-
ation, the pocket could be provided centrally of the cover as
shown in broken lines at 24 in Figure 2, but with somewhat less
advantageous results.
Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment similar to that
illustrated in Figure 3, but including buoyant support members
26 to hold the pocket 4 in open position and which members can
either be permanently or temporarily secured in position. The
support members could be received within suitably shaped pockets
provided in the layer 6 and/or cover 2 or held in position by
tie cords 28 as illustrated.
Figure 5 illustrates a further embodiment wherein the
pocket is held open by the provision of an insert 30 consisting
of a length of resilient material. The insert 30 is of a length
somewhat greater than the width of the pool cover and upon in-
sertion and with the width of the layer 6 being somewhat greater
than the width of the pool cover, the free inner edge 8 of the
layer 6 will become bowed in the manner as shown.
A further variation is shown in Figure 7 which illus-`
trates a pocket or scoop 32 adapted for removable securement
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across one peripheral edge of a pool cover. The arrangement
shown in Figure 7 consists of a number of buoyant pocket or trap
forming support members 34 partially covered with mesh material
36 providing an inwardly open pocket for holding debris. The
material 36 may be provided with pockets (not shown) to receive
the support members and the bottom, rear and top of the support
members as well as the sides of the outer support members will
be covered with the mesh providing the inwardly open pocket ar-
rangement as shown. Lower arms 38 of the supports can suitably
be provided with hooks 40 for reception within openings 42 pro-
vided in the pool cover for removable securement to the pocket to
the cover. Other securement means such as tie cords (not shown)
could also conveniently be used.
A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated
in Figure 8, and includes the provision of a flap 44 which ex-
tends completely across the pocket and between the mesh layer 6
and the pool cover 2 itself. The flap 44 is secured, suitably
by sewing, to the free edge 8 of the mesh layer 6 but its edge
46 which is within the pocket is free. Much debris accumulation
is in the form of fine dirt and dust and the flap 44 tends to hold
in the pocket the fine dust and dirt particles which would other-
wise be carried through the mesh layer 6. With the arrangement
shown in Figure 8, the passage of water around the loose end 46
of the flap is still possible, but much dust and dirt carried by
the water flow becomes held within the pocket and from which the
dust can be vacuumed after removal of the cover. The flap can
either be of impermeable material or be of screening of very small
mesh size to catch very small particles.
