Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a roller support for
swimming ~ool covers, and more paLticUlarly relates to an
improved roller su~poLt of the type having coopeLating inteLnal
and external telescopic tube sections to which the cover is to
be secuLed and on which the cover is to be rolled, tube
sup~orts on which the ends o~ the cover sup~oLt tube are
rotatably secured and a handle crank mechanically associated
with one end of the sup~ort tube foe rotating the su~port.
One such roller sueeort for swimming ~ool covers of
the type in question has been described and illustrated in
Guard et al Canadian Patent No. 1,123,704 issued May 18, 19~2.
As in conventional roller supports, it features a telescopic
tubular construction in which an elongated outer tube section
has seated within, extending fLom either end, a ~air of inner
tube sections. The inner tube sections may be extended to a
proeer length for a given swimming pool, for rolling up and
supporting theeeon the blanket or cover for a swimming pool.
When the aperopriate length for the telescopic tube sections
has been achieved, cooeerating ribs inwardly extending fLom the
outer tubular section and outwardly extending from the inner
tube sections must be engaged by turning the tube sections
relatively with res~ect to each other. When the cooperating
ribs are securely engaged, the inner and outer tubular sections
are se~ured against further telescopic mo~emen~. To guard
against the rib~ disengaging from their lockea radial alignment
position, set screws are in~e~ted ~o a~ to pa~is through
cooperating pairs of rihs at several locations where the
sections overlap. OveL ex~ended useO these cooperating ribs
tend to wear and slip, eroducing relative rotative movement of
the telescopic tube sections with respect to each other. ~s
well, the tube supports which permit ro~a~ion of the tube
sections for rolling and unrolling the pool cover, are at~ached
to the tube sections by means of plugs which are inserted in
the free ends of the tube sections. To insure that the plugs
do not rotate relative to the tube sections in which they are
inserted, internal ridges on the tubes must be sheared off by
the plugs when the plugs are inserted in position or
alterna~ively fluted plugs are used having tips which eitheE
embed into the inner wall of the tube or shear o~f to provide a
tight friction fit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
simpler, more reliable type of roller support construction for
swimming pool covers.
SUMMAEY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the prQsent invention, there iEi
erovided an improved roller support for swimming pool covers o~
the type having an elongated support tube made of cooperating
internal and external telescopic tube sections, to which one
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end of the pool cover i8 to be secured. The ends of the cover
supeort ~ube are co~atably secured to a pair of s~aced tube
supports. A handle crank is m0chanically associated with one
end of the supeort tube to pe~mi~ rotation of the support
tube. In accordance with the present invention, the tubular
sec~ions are provided with a plurality of axially extending
projections longitudinally slidably mating with axially
extending grooves. The projections and grooves are located on
confronting sur~aces of the tubular sections. They are
cons~ructed so as to resist celative ro~ative movement of the
tubular sections but to permit relative axial movement
thereof. Releasable locking means are associated with the
tubular sections to prevent relative axial movement when the
locking means are in operative position.
In a preferred embodiment, the locking means comerise
a plurality of threaded screws extending through overlapping
~ortions of the tube sections. ~ central elongated external
tube section is provided, from each end of which extends, for
sliding telascopic movement, an internal tube section. It is
further ~referred that the grooves be on the outer surface of
the internal tube sections and ~he cooperating projections be
on the inner surface of the external tube section.
The present invention provides a reliable, easy-to-
operate construction of roller SUpeoLt or swimming pool
covers. As well, as will be described in more detail
hereinafter, the corlstruction of the present invention
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facilitates the in~ertion of end plugs for secuLing to the tube
~uppo~ts. Once the telesco~ic tube sections are secured i.n
~06icion using the lock means, the construction in accoLdance
with the present invention virtually elimi.nates any possibili~y
of ~elative co~ative movement o~ the tube sections. No
relative rotative movement of the telescopic sections is
requirad to telesco~ically lock these sections, a definite
improvement in the ~resent invention over conventional known
roll~L sup~orts such as desc~ibed in Guard et al Canadian
Patent No. 1,123,704.
BRIEP DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of the
invention will become apparent upon reading the following
detailed descri~tion and upsn referring to the drawings in
which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a roller supeort for
swimming pool covers in accordance with the present invention;
PIGURE 2 is a section view along line II-II of FIGURE
l; and
FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmen~ary perspective view
of an end plug and handle crank mechanism for She roller
support of FIGURE 1 in accordance with the present invention.
While the invention will be described in conjunction
with an example embodimen~, it will be understood that it i8
~æ3~5~
not intended to limi~ the invention to such embodiment. On the
con~rary, it is in~ended to cover all alternatives,
modifications and equivalents as may be included within the
SeiLit and sco~e o~ the invention as defined by the appended
claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following descrietion, similar ~eatures in the
dra~ings have been given similar reference numerals.
Turning to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a roller
support 2 for a cover 4 for a swimming pool 6 in accordance
with the invention. The roller support 2 comprises a tube
support 7 made of cooperating telescopic tube sections B, 10
and 12. tube sections 8 and 12 being elongated internal tube
sections telescopically extending from ~he ends of external
tube section 10. One end of cover 4 is secured to this su~port
tube 7 so it may be rolled thereon or unrolled therefrom. The
roller sup~ort 2 fuLther comprises a pair of spaced tube
supeorts 14 and 16 on which the free ends of ~ube sections 8
and 10 are rotatably secured as illust~ated. ~ handle crank 18
is mechanically associated with one end of the support tube as
illust~ated, to ~ermit manual rotation o~ the su~ort tube.
~ s can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, a plurali~y of
axially extending projections 20 ace provided on the inner
surface of external tube section 10, these projections 2
~4$2~d
longitudinally, slidably mating with axially extending gLooves
21 in the outer surface o~ intecnal tube sections a and ~2
where these ~ube sections overla~ with external tube section
10. Three se~s of axially extending projections 20 are equally
s~aced about the inner surface of external tube section 10 and
similarly three cooperating gcosves 21 are equally spaced about
the outer surface of internal tube sections ~ and 12. It is
prefeered that the projections consist of spaced paics of
eaLallel ~rojections 22 and 24, each pair of ~rojections to be
slidably seated within an appropLiately widened groove 22 for
relative sliding movement of the telescopic sections. The
projections 22 and 24 are seated within grooves 21 80 as to
cesist relative rotative movement of tubular sections but to
permit relative axial movement thereof.
When a desired length of support tube 7 has been
achieved by telescopic, axial movement of tube sections 8 and
12 with cespect to tube section 10, a plurality of thceaded
screws 26 are threaded into overlapping portions of the tube
sections to prevent fucther axial movement of the tube sections
with respect to each other.
As can be seen in FIGURE 2, grooves 22 are formed on
the outer surfaces of internal tube sections 8 and 12 50 as to
form a corrasponding projection 28 on the inner surface of
these internal tube sections. A plug 30, foc the free ends of
internal tube sections 8 and 12 is provided to cooperate with
these ~cojections 28 as illustrated (FIGURES 2 and 3). This
~2~
plug 30 consists of three legs 32 spaced about a cen~ral
tubular membe~ 34. The free ends 36 o~ legs 32 are outwardly
flared to confo~m to the sha~e of protrusions 28 so that they
frictionally engage these protrusions and re~ist relative
rotative movement o~ the plug with respect to these inteLnal
tube sections. ~lso, a central cavity 3~ is pro~ided in sach
of ~he legs 32, to ~hreadably receive a screw 40. In this way,
a plug 30 is secuLely held within inner tubular members 8 and
12 at each end. The aperture 42 of central tubular member 34
of each plug receives an appropriate axle member 44 extending
inwardly fLom tube su~ports 14 and 16. ~s can be seen in
FIGURE 3, axle 44, having head 45, at tube support 16 is
threadably engaged in apertue ~2 of plug 30 and secured in
eosition there by lock nut 46. ~n appropriate handle crank
mechanism 18 is provided, consisting of a handle 48 which
secures to the free end of axle member ~4, axle member 44
passing through bearings 52 supported in an ap2Lopriate housing
such as a pipe 53 mounted on a stand 5~, piee 53, and bearings
52 together with axle 44 making up tube support 14. ~ similar
arrangement, with or without a handle 48, is erovided for tube
su~eort 14.
Tube supports 14 and 16 can be mounted on casteLs 56
for easy movement thereof. One or more anchor pins 58 a~e
provided on su~ports 14 and 16, passing through the platfoLm
into seated engagement in a corresponding aperture 60 in the
surface suLrounding pool 6 may be provided for immobilizing the
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platfoLm in a desired location. Instead of this locking
casters may be used.
Thus it is apparent that theee has been provided in
accordance with the invention a roller su~port for swimminy
pool coveLs that fully satisfies the objects, aims and
advantages set forth above. While the invention has been
described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, it
is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations
will be apparent to those skilled in the art in ligh-t of the
foregoing descri~tion. ~ccordingly, it is intended to embrace
all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall
within the spirit and broad scope of the invention.
