GB2332014A

GB2332014A - Garden pool moulding

Info

Publication number: GB2332014A
Application number: GB9725405A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Antony Humphreys
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-12-02
Filing date: 1997-12-02
Publication date: 1999-06-09
Also published as: GB9725405D0

Abstract

A garden pool moulding (1) has an anchorage (5) such as a hole or blind bore or a projection to receive a complementary fastening element on or in or connected to or for connection to an article (7) to be placed over or in the moulding when in use, for example a net or mesh screen or a container for plants, so as to hold the article in a desired relationship to the moulding. The anchorage may be an insert in the moulding, for example of metal which will not be attacked by water.

Description

1 GARDEN POOL MOULDINGS 2332014 Garden pool mouldings have been on the

market for some years. Such a moulding comprises a bowl usually having apparently random shape to unitate features of a natural pool, moulded from material which, when set, has adequate strength and stiffness for the moulding to be transported safely when empty and to pro a durable container for water when supported m the growid. One material used is a fibre-reinfo plastics composition. Thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics compositions are also usedL Such mouldings have greatly facilitated the construction of a garden pool so that it is necessary only to dig an appropriatelysized hole, it to correspond with the outside of the chosen moulding, install the moulding in the hole and fin it water.

Various articks are commonly placed m or over a garden pool when it is in use. For example water plants are usually pL in cowmen which are fugy or partially submerged in the water according to the requirements of the plants that they co. Nets or other mesh screens are commonly placed over pools to protect fish from predators andlor to prevent children, leaves and other debris L into the water. Water pumps are frequently placed m pools to provide water supply for fountains or imitation waterfalls. It is preferable that such afficles should be held in position so that they do not become misplace& fall over or, in the case of nets, sag into the water or get blown away by wind.

According to this invention a garden pool moulding includes an anchorage for receiving a complementary fastening element on or m or connected to or for coon to an artick to be placed over or in the moulding m order to hold the article in a desired relationship to the motilding.

The anchorage may be a simple hole, blind, if it is to be below the intended wate when the moulding is in use, into or through which a projecting part of an article or a strap or peg or other simple fastening element co may be inserted. It may be undercut so that a headed, expanding fastening element may be self.

retaining once inserted or it may be screw-threaded to receive a complementary screw dim fastening element. Alternatively it may be a projection such as a hook, peg or shank, which may be headed or screw threaded, over which a part of an article or m a or recess in a fastening element may be Placed- The anchorage may be a part of the moulding or ed in a part or it may be an insert, for example of a mew which will not be ed by vr, incorporated in the moulding during its production.

Preferably the moulding has a pin of anchorages, which may be of different kinds. It may have a part adjacent to or including an anchorage specially shaped to accommodate a complementary pan of an article to be, connected to that anchorage. For example the moulding may have a raised platform or like support part m its base on which a pump may be supported, with an anchorage on or adjacent to the platform to receive a fastening element for comecting the pump to the platform. The platform supports the pump at a suitable working height and clear of silt which may collect in adjacent lower pans of the base of the moulding when it is in use.

- 2 The invention includes the combination of a garden pool moulding as described above and an article to be placed in or over the moulding and a fastening element complementary to the anchorage on or in or connected to or for connection to the article, to be received in or on the anchorage in order to hold the article in a desired relationship to the moulding.

In an example of use of the invention a garden pool mouiding has a plurality of spaced parallel bores disposed so as to be substantially perpendicular to the intended water surface when the moulding is m use and a planar rigid mesh screen has a plurality of projecting complementary parallel pegs spaced so as to be received in some or all of the bores to hold the screen in on over the moulding. Such a garden pool moulding and a rigid screen winch is shaped to cones to the peripheral shape of the moulding are simple to assemble together and have a much neater appearance than is usually provided by a net spread over a garden pool and weighted down with stones or rocks around its edge. A rigid screen as described may have a downwardly-turned edge to rest on the pool moulding or be held just clear of the moulding by the engagement of the pegs and bores, g complete protection of the pool when the moulding is in use. Instead of pegs projecting from the screen separate pegs could be used which are designed to be connected to the screen. A flexible m could be mounted over the pool moulding in simfl manner.

In another example a garden pool moulding has a series of projections positioned so as to be at difterent depths when the pool moulding is m use and a container for plants has a fastening element in the form of a complementary apenure to fit over one of the projections to hold the container m pc in the pool. With tins arrangement it is a simple matter to select a projection to locate the container so that it is held at an appropriate depth for the plants it contains and to change to a projection in a deeper position as the grow. If the aperture is properly fitted over a projection there is little dan" of the container being displaced or overturned, as may occur when a plant container is balanced on stones or bricks placed m the bottom of a garden pool in the usual way.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a garden pool moulding induding anchorages for receiving complementary fastening elements and shows articles to be placed over and in the moulding when it is in use, Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a detail indicated by the arrow A in Fig= 1, and Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the detail shown in Figure 2, viewed on the line B-13.

The garden pool moulding 1 shown in Figure 1 is of the usual bowl-shaped form having a central deep part 2 to accommodate fish and submerged plants surrounded by a shallow marginal area 3 for marginal plants, with a ridge 4 around the periphery of the deep part 2 to retain soil or gravel in the mamnal area 3. In use, the water level would normally be a short distance above the ridge 4. Spaced around the ridge 4 and m the walls and the bottom of the deep part 2 are a number of anchorages 5, 6 for receiving complementary fastening elements to hold articles 7, 8 in desired relationships to the moulding.

The article 7 is a rigid mesh screw shaped to correspond with the periphery of the deep part 2 of the moulding to be placed over that part to protect fish from predatms andlor to prevent children, leaves or other debris from falling into the water when the pool moulding is m use. The article 8 is a container for submerged plants - The anchorages 5 we of the form shown in Figure 2, comprising a brass insert 9 having a central blind screw-threaded bore 10. The insert 9 is enclosed in the mat of the moulding 1 and has external longitudinal gmoves 11 to prevent it from rg relative to the moulding. The complementary fastening elements 12, 13 to be received m the anchorages 5 each have a screw-thr stem to fit the bom 10 of the anchorages 5. Each fastening element 12 has a collar around its stem between its ends and the fastening element 13 is a headed bolt. The mesh screen 8 has holes 14 in positions connpg to the positions of the anchorages 5 around the ridge 4 for receiving stems of fastening elements 12 which can be screwed into those anchorages and nuts 15 we provided for connecting the fastening elements 12 to the screen. The collar of the element 6 is positioned so as to support the screen 7 appropriately above the int water level when the pool moulding is in use.

When the fastening elements 12 are in position the screen 7 is held neatly m place over the deep part 2 of the pool moulding 1 by the nuts 15 but it does not overhang the shallow marginal area 3 so it will not interfere with any plant which may be growing m the mar area. Of course it could be made larger so as to screen that area too and its edge may be tuned downwanfly so as to engage or be held just clear of the edge of the moulding 1.

The plant container 8 has a hole in its wall to pass the bolt 13 which can be screwed into one of the anchorages 5 in the wall of the deep part 2 of the moulding. Three anchor 5 are shown in the wall, at different depths m the deep pan 2 to that die con 8 can be located and held at a depth appropriate to the plants it contains. Anchorages 5 m the bottom of the deep part 2 may also be used to ve bolts such as 7 for holding plant containers or other articles such as a submerslible pump for a fountain or waterfall or a fountain itself.

On the wall of the deep part 2 at the Left hand side of Figure 1 we three anchorages 6 m the form of prog pegs formed m the same material as the moulding during the moulding operation. A plant contamer simikh to the container 9 my have a complementary fastening means in the form of an aperture to fit over one of the pegs 6 to locate it at an appropriate depth in the deep part 2. It is a simple matter to move it to an alternative peg 6 if a different depth is preferred.

Although brass inserts 9 are used in the illustrated embodiment, screwthmaded anchorages could be produced in the material of the moulding. Alternative or additional anchorages which could be provided m the mg 1 are through holes around the periphety, above the intended water level to receive straps, hooks or other fastening elements. LAewise, projecting anchorages could be formed around the periphery.

Claims

1. A garden pool moulding including an anchorage for receiving a complementary fasterang element OD Or 'n or connected to of for connection to an article to be pL- m or over the moulding in order to hold the article in a desired relationship to the mou.

2. A garden pool moulding as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the anchorage is a hole.

3. A garden pool moulding as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the hole is undercut for receiving a complementary be expanding lastening element.

4. A garden pool moulding as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the hole is a screw-threaded. bore.

5. A garden pool moulding as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the anchorage is a projection.

6. A garden pool moulding as dai ed in any preceding claim wherein the anchorage is formed from or in the material of the moulding.

7. A garden pool moulding as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the anchorage is an insert incor in the moulding during its production.

8. A garden pool moulding as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the anchorage is formed from a metal which is not attacked by water.

9. A garden pool moulding as ed in Claim 1 wherein the moulding has a plurality of anchorages each as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 8.

10. A garden pool moulding as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the moulding has a part adjacent to of including an anchorage specially shaped to accommodate a complementary part of an article to be connected to that anchorage.

11. A garden pool moulding substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accomg drawing.

12. The combination of a garden pool moulding as claimed in any preceding claim and an article to be placed in or over the moulding and a fastening element complementary to the anchorage on or in or connected to or for connection to the article, to be received in or on the anchorage in order to hold the article in a desired relationship to the moulding.

- 13. The combination claimed in Claim 10 wherein the article is a net or mesh screen to be placed over the moulding or a part thereof.

14. The combination claimed in Claim 10 wherein the article is a rigid mesh screen to be placed over the moulding or a pan thereof.

15. The combination claimed in Clairn 10wherein the article is a container for plants.

16. The combination claimed in Claim 10 wherein the article is a submersible pump.

17. The combination elMned in Claim 10 wh the article is a fountain.

19. The combination of a garden pool izwg and an article to be placed in or over the moulding substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.