Free-standing swimming pool with rigid wall and coping

Abstract

A free-standing swimming pool comprising a rigid wall supported by posts with a coping over at least part of its periphery, the coping including: profiled sections ( 11 ) lapping over the top edge of the wall between two consecutive posts ( 5 ), these sections having longitudinal cells ( 15, 16 ) extending into their respective end faces; rigid plates ( 17 ) resting on the top faces of the posts and on which the facing ends ( 14 ) of two successive profiled sections rest; and connecting flange units ( 18 ) resting respectively on the plates and screwed through the corresponding plate into the top face of the posts, these flange units each featuring transverse positioning and vertical fixing means ( 22, 25 ) engaging inside the cells ( 15, 16 ) of two facing profiled sections to hold these in a correct relative position.

1 . A free-standing swimming pool comprising at least one rigid wall supported by posts, a coping being provided over at least part of the periphery of the swimming pool, wherein it includes: 
 profiled coping sections ( 11 ) suitable for lapping over the top edge of the wall and whose length corresponds to the distance separating two consecutive posts ( 5 ),    said profiled sections ( 11 ) comprising longitudinal cells ( 15 ,  16 ) extending into their respective end faces,    rigid plates ( 17 ) resting on the top faces of the posts ( 5 ), the facing ends ( 14 ) of two successive profiled sections ( 11 ) resting on a plate ( 17 ) at a distance from each other, and    connecting flange units ( 18 ) suitable for resting respectively on said plates ( 17 ) and securely fixed by screwing through the corresponding plate into the top face of the posts ( 5 ), these flange units ( 18 ) each comprising transverse positioning and vertical fixing means ( 22 ,  25 ) suitable for engaging inside the aforesaid cells ( 15 ,  16 ) of two facing profiled sections ( 11 ) to hold these in a correct relative position.    
   
   
       2 . The swimming pool as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein it comprises at least one wall made up of panels, which are connected in succession by said posts.  
   
   
       3 . The swimming pool as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein it comprises at least one wall ( 3 ) composed of panels ( 4 ) made of wood or a material with the appearance of wood, which are connected in succession by posts ( 5 ) at least partly ( 7 ) made of wood or having the appearance of wood.  
   
   
       4 . The swimming pool as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein it comprises an internal metal wall ( 1 ), an external cladding wall ( 3 ) composed of panels ( 4 ) made of wood or a material with the appearance of wood, and posts ( 5 ) of composite structure, with the internal part ( 6 ) made of metal and the external part ( 7 ) made of wood or a material with the appearance of wood, said posts ( 5 ) bracing the two walls ( 1 ,  3 ), whilst securely fixing in succession the panels ( 4 ) of the external wall ( 3 ) and wherein each said profiled coping section ( 11 ) is suitable for lapping over both the internal wall ( 1 ) and the external wall ( 3 ).  
   
   
       5 . The swimming pool as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein it comprises an internal wall ( 1 ) composed of metal panels, an external cladding wall ( 3 ) composed of panels ( 4 ) made of wood or a material with the appearance of wood, and posts ( 5 ) of composite structure, with the internal part ( 6 ) made of metal and the external part ( 7 ) made of wood or a material with the appearance of wood, said posts ( 5 ) bracing the respective panels ( 2 ,  4 ) of the two walls ( 1 ,  3 ), whilst securely fixing them in succession, and wherein each said profiled coping section ( 11 ) is suitable for lapping over both an internal panel ( 2 ) and an external panel ( 4 ).  
   
   
       6 . The swimming pool as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the profiled coping sections ( 11 ) are made of wood or a material with the appearance of wood.  
   
   
       7 . The swimming pool as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein each flange unit ( 18 ) comprises opposing lateral lugs ( 22 ), suitable for engaging in respective cells ( 15 ) of the facing ends ( 14 ) of two adjacent profiled sections ( 11 ), and which are equipped to exert an elastic force within said cells ( 15 ) to hold said profiled sections ( 11 ) in a correct relative position in the transverse direction.  
   
   
       8 . The swimming pool as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein each flange unit ( 18 ) comprises opposing lateral studs ( 25 ) suitable for fitting into respective cells ( 16 ) of the facing ends ( 14 ) of two adjacent profiled sections ( 11 ) to hold said ends in a correct vertical relative position.  
   
   
       9 . The swimming pool as claimed in  claim 7  or  8 , wherein each flange unit ( 18 ) has a U-shaped body ( 19 ) with longitudinal flanges ( 21 ), whose ends are bent outwards to form the aforesaid lugs ( 22 ), the two lugs ( 22 ) located at the same end of the flange unit ( 18 ) forming between them an angle approximately equal to the angle formed by two consecutive wall panels between them.  
   
   
       10 . The swimming pool as claimed in claims  8  and  9 , wherein at least two respective holes are drilled through the two longitudinal flanges ( 21 ) of each flange unit and a rod ( 26 ) is inserted through these holes to protrude externally on each side of the two flanges, the protruding parts of the rod ( 26 ) forming two opposing studs ( 25 ).  
   
   
       11 . The swimming pool as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein each flange unit ( 18 ) is metal and, in particular, formed by a cut-bent metal plate or formed by cast metal.  
   
   
       12 . The swimming pool as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  11 , wherein a box cover ( 27 ) is provided to conceal the connecting flange unit ( 18 ).