Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SWIMMING POOL WALL STRENGTHENING MEANS
This invention relates to a swimming pool wall panel strength-
ening means which prevents buckling and/or misalignment of a swimming pool
wall which is fabricated from a pluarlity of wall panels secured end-to-end
around the periphery of a pool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various constructions which employ an assembly of modular panels
connected end-to-end to form the perimeter of the pool are known. In
addition to being secured by various means at the ends, these swimming
pool wall panels, for the most part, employ some supporting or bracing
structure to retain the wall panels in a vertical position. Generally,
such means include brace members which extend outwardly from the panel
in a plane perpendicular to the panel. Such braces are spaced generally
at the points where panels are connected and at appropriate intervals
between the ends of the panels. However, even with positioning of such
braces at frequent intervals on the panels, a structure which adds sig-
nificantly to the cost when the number of braces is relatively high, the
pool wall panels still have a considerable tendency to buckle and misalign
while the assembly is taking place after being initially positioned and
; when concrete is poured or backfill is added.
It is thus apparent that a need exists for an improved swimming
pool wall panel stiffening and bracing system and for means that aid in
retaining positive alignment of the pool wall formed from an array of
assembled modular wall panels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention resides in providing an improved
supporting, stiffening and alignment retaining means ~or swimming pool
walls constructed from modular wall panels which are primarily and prefer-
ably ~ormed from, but need not be limited to, sheet metal.
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This and other objec-ts of the invention are at-tained by in-
jecting horizon-tal stiffening members in cutout portions formed for this
purpose in the end flanges formed at the ends of the wall panels and in
the vertical posts welded or otherwise attached to the wall panels. The
vertical posts are preferably Formed so as to have a ~ cross section to
provide a combination of ease of use and optimum strength. A tab formed
and extending laterally from the bottom of the ~ post is arranged to receive
an anchoring pin which secures the aligned panel in position. Supplementing
the stiffening and alignment of the wall panels a longitudinal stiffening
member, which may be conveniently an angle iron is positioned at the bottom
of and secured to the panel and receives therein a staking pin to secure
the panels to the substrate and hold them in alignment.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will
be better understood and appreciated from a consideration of the following
detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in sectional elevation, of
a fragmentary portion of a swimming pool wall and deck illustrating the
edge of the upper stiffening member and a post side.
Fig. 2 is a perspective ~iew of a fragmentary portion of a swim-
ming pool wall and associated horizontal top and bottom stiffening members
and vertical ~ brace post with alignment tabs seen from a point outside the
pool.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation enlarged view of a swimming pool
wall showing the side of a vertical ~ brace with bottom alignment tab, an
upper horizontally extending U brace (stiffener) and a lower angle iron
stiffener with a coping in palce over the top edge of the wall and U brace.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIO~
In order to provide stiffness for the swimming pool side wall,
the wall panel 10 is supported with a longitudinally extending stiffening
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member 12, which is preferably formed so as to have a U-shape cross section
secured along the upper edge 1~ of the wall. The panels 10 are formed at
the ends with a flange lOa by bending the ends of panel 10. This facili-
tates securing adjacent panels to each other and to the brace such as by
bolts secured in openings lOb and 33a, respectively. The member 12 may,
of course, be formed of other cross section such as L-shaped angle members
or it may be cylindrical. A plurality oF hori~ontally spaced vertical
stiffening posts or ~ braces 16 are secured, such as by welding, to the
panel 10 in spaced relation to each other, such as at intervals of about
two feet. Each of these ~ brace members is formed with a cut-out 18 at its
top end, as best seen in Fig. 3, to accommodate the stiffening member 12.
Similarly, the flanged ends of a panel are likewise provided with a cut-
out 18a as best seen in Fig. 2. to receive the member 12. A coping 20
having a suitable bifurcated lower portion, i.e. an inner leg 22a and an outer
leg 22b, receives the upper edge 14 of the wall 10 together with the upwardly
projecting side 24 of the horizontal longitudinal stiffening channel 12 as
best seen in Fig. 3. The ~ brace 16 is preferably provided with a tab 25
at its lower end with a hole 26 therein to receive a stake 28 for securing
and retaining the wall of the swirnming pool in alignment.
As will become apparent by reference to Fig. 1, the stiffening
member 12 is designed to receive poured concrete during the forming of a
deck 30 which is conventionally formed so as to partially or entirely
surround the pool. The concrete also enters the interior of the coping 20
to secure the entire top of the wall and posts and the stiffener 12 in a
unitary structure. The structure is further supported and secured by use
of a plurality of crossed braces 32 positioned at properly spaced intervals
along the outside of the wall 10 and suitably fastened such as by bolts 33
to the vertical posts or braces 16 and end panel flanges lOa. Concrete C
is also applied at the bottom of the wall 10, sufficient to cover the anchor
pins 28 and tab 25, as well as the bottom of the outer brace 329.
Further stiffening of the panels 10 can be accomplished by, op-
tionally, using a stiffening member 35 which may conveniently comprise an
L-shaped cross section and which is positioned at the bottom of the wall
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panel 10 as best shown in Fig. 3. The melnber 35 is secured from the
front (i.e. the interior side of the pool) such as by screws 36. Stiffen-
ing member 35 extends longitudinally bordering the bottom edge of the wall
panels and is positioned substantially parallel to the channel 12. To re-
tain alignment of the pool wall, stakes 41 are driven into the ground
through spaced holes 40 that are -Formed in the angle member 35 at suitably
spaced intervals. The angle stiffener 35 is provided with a plurality of
holes 40 so that it can be anchored at any of various suitable places. When
the bottom stiffener is employed, it is not necessary that a stake also be
driven through the tab 25 as the staking of the stiffener member 35 affords
ample retention of the wall. In the embodiment utilizing the bottom stiff-
ening member (Fig. 3), poured concrete C just sufficient to cover the stifF-
ening member 35 is applied. A layer of sand S is then applied as a protec-
tive intermediate base upon which the vinyl pool liner 42 rests.
The strengthening features which have been described afford a
pool with much improved ruggedness and substantially does away with all
significant buckling in the pool wall. Additionally, the anchoring, by
means of a stake driven through the tabs, formed at the bottom of the
vertical posts which are welded to the pool wall panel, holds the pool
securely in alignment. Even before backfill and poured concrete has been
applied to permanently set the pool wall, the pool wall supported in ac-
cordance with the invention is self-sustaining and may be worked around
without danger that its alignment will be disturbed while the preliminaries
other than the poured concrete are completed. This arrangement of self-
supported wall panels, stiffened in accordance with the invention affords,
also, a construction having substantially optimum stress distribution in
a most simple and inexpensive manner.
The pool wall stiffening and bracing means herein provided is
preferably employed in a below ground swimming pool. However, it will be
apparent that the several distinct advantages of the structural arrangement
of the invention may also be applied to those o-f the more substantial con-
struction of swimming pools of the above ground type.
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The installation of a below ground pool in accordance with the
advantageous structure of the invention will now be summarized. Once the
site on which the pool is to be installed is excavated, the pool outline
is marked and the wall panels 10 on which the end flanges lOa are formed and
the ~ posts 16 are welded. The cross braces 32 are secured to posts or ~
member 1~ and end flanges lOa and the stiffening members 12 are then wedged
into the cut-out portions 18 formed at the top of the vertical posts 16.
The pool wall is aligned and anchoring stakes 28 are driven through the
holes 26 formed in the tab 25. Where the bottom optional stiffener 35 is
to be applied, the angle member 35 is slipped under the bottom of the wall
panels 10, or the angle iron 35 may be laid in place at the site once the
pool outline is ~arked and before the wall panels are placed in position,
and then the panels are deposited thereon and sheet metal screws used to
fasten the stiffener 35 to panel 10. The wall is aligned and stakes 28
are then driven through aligned holes 26 in the tab 25. When the bottom
stiffening member 35 is employed, staking through the 25 is optional be-
cause sufficient strength and rigidity is afforded by staking through holes
40 at appropriate intervals in stiffener 35. The coping 20 is then posi-
tioned over the top 14 of the wall panel. Preferably the legs 22a and
22b of coping 20 are of sufficient length so as to grip within these de-
pending bifurcated legs not only the top of the wall 10 but also a leg of
the stiffening member 12 locking the various parts in a rigid integral
arrangement. Once the posts are fully aligned and secured, concrete deck
30 is poured filling the voids including those in the channel member 12
and in the coping 20. A concrete footing C sufficient to cover pins 28
(Fig. 1) orto cover member 35 (Fig. 3) is poured. A fine grain sand S
is applied within the pool wh~n the concrete is dry to serve as a pro-
tective floor for the vinyl liner 42 whose retaining bead 43 is secured
in channel 21.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been dis-
closed in detail, it is to be understood that various alternative details
or equivalents which fall within the scopr of the invention as claimed may
be adapted by those skilled in the art.
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