WO1993016258A1 - Cover with mechanical closure assisted by hydraulic ballasting, particularly for covering a swimming pool or similar - Google Patents

Abstract

A cover with a mechanical closing system assisted by hydraulic ballasting, particularly for covering a swimming pool or similar, is disclosed. It comprises a mobile element forming a tunnel, mounted on retractable wheels and extended by one or two bellow portions mounted on pivoting frames. The end frames are made up of flexible tubular elements which rest on the ground when the bellow portions are extended. They communicate with two water reservoirs on each side of the mobile element so that the said tubular elements are filled with water when resting on the ground and drain back into the reservoirs when the bellow portions are raised by means of a cable and winch system aimed at facilitating the manoeuvre. The cover is intended particularly as a temporary cover for swimming pools or sports grounds, but can also be used wherever a removable cover is required.

Description

 SHEET WITH MECHANICAL CLOSURE ASSISTED BY HYDRAULIC BALLAST, PARTICULARLY FOR POOL COVERING OR THE LIKE

The present invention relates to a cover with mechanical closure assisted by hydraulic ballasting, in particular for swimming pool cover or the like.

It is intended in particular for the temporary covering of swimming pools or sports grounds, but can find an application in all cases where a removable cover is necessary.

The devices produced to date are most often either more or less rigid systems moving on rails and therefore expensive to purchase and installation due to the need to prepare the ground, or canvases arranged manually. ¬ lying on fixed or mobile structures, generally long to install and very poorly wind resistant.

The device according to the present invention eliminates all these drawbacks. In fact, it makes it possible to obtain a removable and collapsible cover 15, very easy to maneuver, at a reasonable cost while being airtight and capable of withstanding a strong wind.

It is constituted by the combination of a mobile element rt forming a tunnel and mounted on retractable wheels, extended by a 20 or two bellows mounted on articulated arches, the extreme arches being made of flexible tubes, which can rest on the ground when the blows ^" ts are deployed, and communicating with two reserv water screens, mounted on each side of the movable element, in such a way that said tubes are filled with water when they rest on the ground, and that they empty in the tanks when the bellows are raised thanks to a cable system winding up on a winch, thus facilitating the operation.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting example of one of the embodiments of the subject of the invention: FIG. 1 shows the device equipped with two bellows, one of which is raised.

Figure 2 shows the same device, with the two bellows deployed, installed above a swimming pool (eu in section). The device, FIGS. 1 and 2, consists of a rigid movable element 1 forming a tunnel, with sides 2 of triangular shape with truncated top mounted on retractable wheels 9. The open faces are provided with folding bellows 3, 3 'which can be folded down to the ground, mounted on arches 4 articulated at two fixed points 5 located in the lower part of the movable element.

The end hoops consist of hollow tubes 6, 6 ′, made of rubber or other flexible material, connected by flexible elbows 8 to two water tanks 7 arranged at the base of the sides 2 of the movable element 1, and designed so that they rest entirely on the ground when the bellows are deployed. During the deployment of the bellows 3, 3 ′, the tubes are slowly filled and generate a dynamic force due to the weight thus created, allowing the tarpaulin to self-deploy. The weight of the water forms a level ensuring a good junction of the assembly with the ground thanks to the flexibility of the strands 6, 6 ′, these adapting to the irregularities of the ground, thereby ensuring the tightness of the assembly and very good wind resistance, due in particular to the lowering of the center of gravity caused by the displacement of the water and the retraction of the wheels 9.

The mobile element 1 comprises on one of its sides 2 a winch 10 with a crank or an electric motor, on which a cable 11 is wound allowing the bellows 3, 3 'to be raised.

The mobile element may be equipped with only one bellows 3, and may be associated with a second identical device or even be used in a fixed position, for example attached to a construction. The positioning of the various constituent elements gives the object of the invention a maximum of useful effects which had not, to date, been obtained by similar devices.

Claims

 - AT - 1 ° tarpaulin with mechanical closure assisted by hydraulic ballasting, in particular for swimming pool cover or the like, characterized by the combination of a movable element (1) rigid forming a tunnel extended by one or two folding bellows (3, 3 ') mounted on poles (4) articulated at two fixed points (5) located in the lower part of said movable element (1), the extreme poles being made up of flexible flexible tubes (6, 6 '), which can rest entirely on the ground when the bellows foldable (3, 3 ') are deployed, and communicating with two water tanks (7), arranged at the bottom of each side (2) of the movable element (l) so that said tubes are filled with water when they rest on the ground, and when they empty in the tanks (7), when the above-mentioned folding bellows are raised using a cable system (11), winding on a winch (10 ) manual or motorized. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile element (1) is mounted on retractable wheels (9) arranged at the base of the sides (2). 3 ° Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible tubes (6, 6 ′) are made of rubber or any other material sufficiently flexible to be able to match the unevenness of the ground, and are connected to the water tanks (7) by flexible elbows (8).