Swimming pool floors

Abstract

 A swimming pool floor (20), intended to be fitted in a pool having a wave machine, is movable between a lowered position and a raised position. In the lowered position the pool floor (20) is submerged and lies on or adjacent the base (10) of the pool. In the raised position one end of the floor (20) is lifted and registers with a fixed pool edge (18) to simulate a beach, over which the waves from the wave machine break. A pair of piston and cylinder devices (28), driven by water under pressure, operate through links (32,34) to move the floor (20) between its raised and lowered positions.

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] This invention relates to swimming pool floors, and in particular to such floors which are movable in the volume of the pool between raised and lowered positions.

Summary of the invention

[0002] According to the invention a swimming pool floor is movable between a lowered position, in which the pool floor lies on or adjacent the base of the pool, and a raised inclined position in which one end of the floor is raised and registers with a fixed pool edge to simulate a beach, and operating means for moving the floor between the raised and lowered positions thereof, the operating means moving the raisable end of the floor upwardly and towards the fixed pool edge so that the raised end of the pool abuts the pool edge in the raised position of the pool floor, the operating means including pivoted links which support the floor from the base.

[0003] A swimming pool floor according to the invention was designed to be fitted in a pool having a wave machine which propagates waves up the floor towards the raised end thereof. The pivoted links, providing a rigid support for the inclined floor, prevent the floor being moved by the action of the waves. In the lowered position of the floor, the pool has almost full depth for conventional swimming, but in the raised position simulates a beach over which waves break when a wave machine is fitted.

[0004] The operating means may include at least one piston and cylinder device, which is preferably driven by water under pressure to avoid risk of contamination of the water in the pool. The piston and cylinder device is preferably double acting, pressurised water being admitted to one side of the piston to raise the floor and to the other side of the piston to lower the floor.

[0005] The pivoted links may comprise a pair of links which are pivoted together at respective inner ends, the two outer end of the links being pivoted to the pool base and the floor respectively, the piston and cylinder device being attached to the common pivot point of the links which are pushed to occupy a substantially vertical aligned relationship in the raised position of the floor.

[0006] A swimming pool floor according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the floor in its raised position in the pool;

Figure 2 is an end view of the floor in its raised position;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the floor;

Figure 4 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale, showing a piston and cylinder device and associated links for moving the floor between its raised and lowered positions; and

Figure 5 is a detailed view, to an enlarged scale, showing the lower end of the floor.

[0007] Referring to Figure 1, the pool has a base 10, one end 12 with a region for a wave machine which propagates waves in the direction of arrow 14, and a fixed edge 16 which adjoins an inclined pool edge surface 18.

[0008] A movable floor 20 has a frame 22 clad with bouyancy panels 24 (Figure 3) having rectangular grilles 26 for the through passage of water. The floor 20 is moved between a lowered position, in which the floor lies against the base 10, and the raised position illustrated in Figure 1, by two piston and cylinder devices 28 symmetrically positioned across the width of the floor, as illustrated in Figure 2. Each piston and cylinder device 28 is operated by water under pressure, and the piston is connected to the common pivot point 30 of two links 32, 34, which are respectively pivoted to the floor and the base. The cylinder is pivoted at 36 to a bracket fixed to the pool base 10.

[0009] As best seen in Figure 4, when the floor 20 is lowered, water pressure is admitted to one end of each cylinder and the piston draws the common pivot point 30 towards the cylinder. This condition is shown by broken lines in Figure 4. When the floor 20 is raised, water pressure is admitted to the opposite end of each cylinder, causing the piston to push the pivot point 30 until the limit position in which the links 32, 34 are aligned and substantially vertical. A mechanical stop prevents the links 32, 34 moving over centre, so that the aligned links 32, 34 provide a sturdy, rigid support for the floor and prevent the latter moving under the influence of the waves which break on the inclined surface provided by the raised floor and the inclined continuation of the surface 18. As the piston and cylinder devices raises the floor, the upper edge is pushed towards the fixed edge 16, and the linkage then retain the floor in abutting relationship with the edge 16. The force needed by the piston and cylinder devices 28 to lower the floor 20 is merely that required to break the "knee joint" provided by the pivot points 30. The complete floor has a density close to that of water, so minimising the force required to move the floor.

[0010] Figure 5 shows the lower end of the floor 20 about which the floor pivots in moving between the raised and lowered positions. The lower end ot the floor is received within a recess 38. Rollers 40 mounted on axles projecting from the pool sides are received in elongate slots 42 which accommodate the range of movement as the floor moves. A roller 44 on the end of the floor 20 engages the wall of the recess 38.

[0011] The surface 18 may be horizontal, instead of being inclined as illustrated, and the floor 20 may have a double inclination, being more steeply inclined adjacent the wave machine and less steeply inclined adjacent the edge 16.

Claims

(1) A swimming pool floor movable between a lowered position, in which the pool floor (20) lies on or adjacent the base (10) of the pool, and a raised inclined position in which one end of the floor is raised and registers with a fixed pool edge (18) to simulate a beach, and operating means (28,32,34) for moving the floor between the raised and lowered positions thereof, the operating means moving the raisable end of the floor upwardly and towards the fixed pool edge so that the raised end of the pool abuts the pool edge in the raised position of the pool floor, the operating means including pivoted links (32,34) which support the floor from the base.

(2) A swimming pool floor according to claim 1, wherein the operating means include at least one piston and cylinder device (28).

(3) A swimming pool floor according to claim 2, wherein the piston and cylinder device (28) in driven by water under pressure.

(4) A swimming pool floor according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the piston and cylinder device (28) is double acting, pressurised water being admitted to one side of the piston to raise the floor and to the other side of the piston to lower the floor.

(5) A swimming pool floor according to any of the claims 2 to 4, wherein the pivoted links include a pair of links (32,34) which are pivoted together at respective inner ends (30), the two outer ends of the links being pivoted to the pool base (10) and the floor (20) respectively, the piston and cylinder device (28) being attached to the common pivot point (30) of the links which are pushed to occupy a substantially vertical aligned relationship in the raised position of the floor.

(6) A swimming pool floor according to any of the proceeding claims and fitted in a swimming pool having a wave machine which propagates waves up the raised floor towards the raised end thereof.

Drawing