AU672898B2

AU672898B2 - An apparatus for covering a spa

Info

Publication number: AU672898B2
Application number: AU64519/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ronald Keith Fleming
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-06-24
Filing date: 1994-06-03
Publication date: 1996-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2014-06-03
Also published as: AU6451994A

Description

-1- P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: AN APPARATUS FOR COVERING A SPA The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: GH&CO REF: P50257B CLC/SB o o D 2 The present invention is directed to the problem of safely covering a spa when it is not in use.

A typical way of covering a spa is to provide -some form of canopy which is tied to anchoring points strategically located around the periphery of the spa. A great deal of effort is required in order to properly secure such a canopy and more often than not, more than one person is required in order to provide a proper securement of the canopy.

When it is desired to use the spa, the canopy must be removed and stored in a location which typically is not in close proximity to the spa. Accordingly, the whole procedure of securing and removing the canopy becomes quite onerous.

The present invention provides an apparatus for covering a spa, comprising a stand, an interconnecting member located on the stand and a cover supported by the interconnecting member and movable from a first location to a second location at which it may be locked in 20 position by moving the interconnecting member along the stand.

Preferably at the second location the cover is able co completely cover a spa.

According to one embodiment of the invention the S 25 cover may be locked in position at the first location.

The interconnecting member may be slidable between first and second axially displaced positions of the stand.

It is preferred that the stand be mounted to a structure proximate the spa.

Preferably the stand is arranged in a vertical orientation and the cover can be moved from a first S" vertical location to a second vertical location.

The stand preferably comprises a shaft.

The interconnecting member may be arranged to interconnect the stand and the cover.

The interconnecting member may be slidable with respect to a guide of the stand.

S:20257A/700 3 The interconnecting member may comprise rollers which can roll along the guide of the stand.

The interconnecting member may comprise a cylindrical body.

According to one embodiment, the body has a hexagonal shape in cross-sectional view.

The interconnecting member may be arranged to be received on the stand shaft.

The body preferably comprises rollers on its inner surface, the rollers being arranged to roll on the surface of the shaft.

The rollers preferably are arranged to roll on tracks of the stand shaft.

The body inner surface may comprise a plurality of recesses each for a roller to be received thereon.

The body may be triangular in shape when viewed from side on.

The body may be provided with a roller proximate each corner of the triangle.

20 Each roller may be mounted on a shaft, each shaft being parallel to a lateral axis of the body.

Each recess may be located at a respective one of the corners of the body when viewed in cross-section.

Preferably the rollers are arranged in recesses in 25 opposite corners of the body.

The stand shaft preferably comprises guides on diametrically opposite surfaces.

The guides preferably are tracks on the outer surface of the shaft.

The shaft may be hollow and may be arranged to receive a line for connection with the interconnecting o..member at one end and a counter-weight at the other end.

S" The stand may comprise two shafts, one comprising the guides and being received over the other.

The one shaft may be slidable/or rotatable with respect to the other.

,CRA The one shaft may be fixed relative to the other.

Each shaft preferably comprises a flange which is S:20257A/700 4 arranged to be fastened to the other to prevent relative movement therebetween.

The interconnecting member may be arranged to be locked to the/or each shaft by a locking pin.

Preferably, the interconnecting member comprises a lock in its outer surface which is key operable to lock the interconnecting member in a specific position.

The interconnecting member may comprise a gusset which is arranged to be connected with the cover.

The base of the stand may comprise a bracket for mounting to a structure.

The structure may be a ground surface or a wall.

The stand may comprise a pulley over which the line is arranged to be suspended.

The pulley and line may be arranged inside the stand.

One end of the line can be connected to the interconnecting member after being passed through a hole in the/each shaft.

i' 20 Preferably the line is of cable or wire.

The interconnecting member may comprise a lever which can engage and disengage the interconnecting member from the stand, to enable it to be slid along the stand.

The stand can comprise recesses/holes or other 25 engagement means for engagement with a locking member of the interconnecting member.

*The interconnecting member may be locked by a catch which is connected to a structure separate from the stand.

Preferably the cover is a rigid structure.

The cover may be shaped like a tortoise shell.

The interconnecting member may be rotatable around the circumference of this stand.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the interconnecting member comprises a pivot which enables the cover to be pivoted between two positions.

/S"nPreferably the cover is connected to the S:20257A/700 5 interconnecting member by means of an arm.

The cover can be pivoted through 900 from a horizontal tc a vertical orientation.

According to another version of the invention, the stand may be pivoted through 900 to enable the cover to pivot through 900 The interconnecting member may comprise a lever which is arranged to be moved to pivot the cover.

The cover may comprise a support arm connected with the interconnecting member.

Preferably the cover comprises a guideline which is connected to the stand, the line being arranged to be pulled to assist with lifting of the cover.

Preferably the guideline is connected to a distal end of the cover at one end and to a counter-weight of the stand at the other end.

The other end of the guideline may be connected to a winding apparatus which can be wound up to lift the cover.

20 The interconnecting member preferably comprises a winch connected with the line for lifting the cover.

Preferably, the interconnecting member comprises a hoisting means which can be operated by a lever or footpump to move the interconnecting member.

According to another variation of the present invention the shaft comprises a line of ratchets which permit the interconnecting member to be jacked up the :shaft until it reaches the top of the shaft. The ratchets can be locked in position but when not locked in position can be retracted to allow the interconnecting member to be moved back down the shaft.

According to another version of the present S"invention the shaft and interconnecting member comprise interlocking threads which permit rotation of a threaded member of the interconnecting member to hoist the interconnecting member along the shaft.

RA,: A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to S:20257A/700

I

the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a stand, interconnecting member and cover of the present invention with the interconnecting member and cover in a location where the cover is over a spa; Figure 2 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 with the cover raised; Figure 3 shows a side view of the interconnecting member; Figure 4 shows a top view of the interconnecting member; Figure 5 shows an angled view of the stand according to one embodiment; and Figure 6 shows a locking device for the shaft of the stand in Figure Referring to Figure 1, a cylindrical stand 11 is shown mounted to the ground through a circular bracket 12. A triangular shaped interconnecting member in the form of a slidable member 13 is located at the bottom of the stand 11 and is connected to a hard cover 14 through a frame support brace 15. The cover is made from an alloy tube frame covered with shad cloth or something S. similar. For strength it is constructed in the shape of a tortoise shell.

25 The interconnecting member 13 is connected to one end of a cable 16 which is wound over a pulley 7 at the top of the stand 11 and at its other end is connected with a counter-weight 17. In Figure 1 the cable is shown to extend outside the stand from the pulley to the interconnecting member and inside the stand from the pulley to the counter-weight. The invention however is "not limited to this arrangement.

As shown in Figure 2 the cover and interconnecting member may be hoisted along the stand so that the cover 35 is raised well above the spa 18.

The structure of the interconnecting member will now j- R ,be described in greater detail with reference to Figures c, 3 and 4.

S:20257A/700 7 As shown in Figure 3, the interconnecting member is triangular in shape and is provided with wheels 19a, 19b and 19c at respective corners of the triangular shaped interconnecting member 13. As shown in Figure 4, the interconnecting member 13 is effectively cylindrical in shape with a hexagonal cross-sectional shape. Rollers 19b and 19c are shown diametrically opposed. Roller 19a does not appear in Figure 4 but it is effectively directly below roller 19c.

The hexagonal cross-sectional shape of the interconnecting member 13 is provided with rectangular shaped recesses which receive the rollers 19b and 19c.

These recesses are formed at opposing corners of the hexagon defining the shape of the interconnecting member in cross-section.

These recesses allow the rollers to be mounted on shafts 20b and 20c respectively (shaft 20a not shown) All the shafts 20a, 20b, 20c are parallel and effectively perpendicular to the point on the outside of the stand with which the respective wheels 19a, 19b and 19c make contact.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the actual point where S. the wheels 19a, 19b and 19c make contact with the periphery of the stand is located within a respective one 25 of the guides 21 or 22 of the stand. These guides are in the form of rectangular track- which extend vertically down diametrically opposite sides of the stand 11ii. These tracks may be formed of steel and may be welded to the stand 11. Preferably the stand is 115mm diameter steel 30 tube.

Figure 4 also shows how the interconnecting member 13 is provided with gussets 23 which terminate in an end plate 24 which permits the cover 14 to be bolted thereto.

Figure 5 shows a variation of the present invention in which the stand comprises two cylindrical shafts 26 and 27. Shaft 26 is provided with the tracks 21 and 22 ,RAr and slides completely over the top of shaft 27. Shaft 26 ,j is therefore freely slidable and rotatable with respect ~i> S:20257A/700 8 to shaft 27 unless it is secured by means of flange 28 located at its bottom end to a flange 29 located at the bottom end of shaft 27. The two flanges 28 and 29 can be secured together by means of matching notches 30 and 31 respectively. A locking pin can be inserted through these matched notches to lock the shafts in various positions through 3600, as desired. Other standard locking arrangements may also be used to connect these shafts 26 and 27 together. Preferably, an elbow-shaped strut 32 with an extension 33a and 33b is arranged so that extension 33a fits through notches 30,31 and extension 33b fits into a sheath 34 forming part of the base of the stand A bolt 35 is inserted through an eyelet 36 in a bellowed region inside the elbow of the elbow-shaped strut and is aligned so as to fit through a corresponding hole in a gusset 37 interconnecting the shaft 27 and base 38. The bolt 36 is then secured in position by means of a nut 38. Alternatively, the flanges 28 and 29 could be replaced by a locking ring arrangement which interconnects the two shafts but upon tightening, fastens them with respect to each other.

S. According to another embodiment, the cover can be used to cover a pool or any structure requiring S. 25 isolation/protection from environmental factors. In such situations the cover can be shaped to match the shape of :the structure being covered.

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S:20257A/700

Claims

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover completely covers the spa when at the second location.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is lockable at the first location.
4. An apparatus as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims wherein the interconnecting member is slidable between first and second axially displaced positions of the stand. An apparatus as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims wherein the stand is arranged in a vertical orientation and the cover can be moved from a first vertical location to a second vertical location.
6. An apparatus as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the interconnecting member is •arranged to interconnect the stand and cover.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the 25 interconnecting member is slidable with respect to a guide stand. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the interconnecting member comprises rollers which can roll along the guide of the stand. 30 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the interconnecting member comprises a cylindrical body. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body has a hexagonal shape in cross-sectional view across its length. S 35 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body comprises rollers on its inner surface, the rollers /being arranged to roll on the surface of the shaft. T 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the S:20257A/700 10 rollers are arranged to roll on tracks of the shaft of the stand.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the body inner surface comprises a plurality of recesses each for a roller to be received thereon.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the stand shaft comprises guides on diametrically opposed surfaces. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the guides are tracks on the outer surface of the shaft.
16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shaft is hollow and is arranged to receive a line for connection with the interconnecting member at one end and a counter weight at the other end.
17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the interconnecting member comprises a lock in its outer surface which is key operable to lock the interconnecting member in a specific position.
18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the stand comprises a pulley over which the line is arranged to be suspended. The pulley and line being arranged inside the stand. *e .19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein one end of the line is connected to the interconnecting 25 member after being passed through a hole in the shaft.
20. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 25th day of July 1996 RONALD KEITH FLEMING 30 By his Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK CO. fNT cV Roo i T 7,e 6t~ S:20257A/700 AB S T RA C T An apparatus for covering a spa, comprising a stand, an interconnecting member and a cover supported by the incerconnecting member and movable from a first location to a second location at which it may be locked in position. o* A 9 S:20257A/700