Rigid and submersible floating cover for pools used for recreational, sports or industrial purposes

Abstract

A rigid and submersible floating cover for pools comprises one or more substantially rigid decks slabs with its upper surface being substantially flat and horizontal when floating; and active floating means of controllable flotability arranged below or in-between the substantially rigid deck slabs, thereby defining a unit of rigid and submersible floating deck slab, made up of one of the substantially rigid deck slabs and by one or more active floating means; and removable supporting means for the substantially rigid deck slabs at the bottom of the pool, which are removably associated with each one of them, with the supporting means consisting in supporting elements resting on the bottom of the pool, with each one of the substantially rigid deck slabs having at least three of the supporting elements distributed in a non-colinear arrangement for their supporting ends defining a supporting plane.

1 . A rigid and submersible floating cover for pools, wherein said cover comprises: 
 a) one or more substantially rigid decks slabs ( 4 ) with its upper surface being substantially flat and horizontal when floating;    b) active floating means ( 5 ) or of controllable flotability arranged below or in-between said substantially rigid deck slabs; thus a unit of rigid and submersible floating deck slab is defined, made up of one of said substantially rigid deck slabs and by said one or more active floating means; and    c) removable supporting means ( 6 ) for said substantially rigid deck slabs at the bottom of the pool, which are removably associated with each one of them, with said supporting means consisting in supporting elements ( 6 ′) resting on the bottom of the pool, with each one of said substantially rigid deck slabs having at least three of said supporting elements distributed in a non-colinear arrangement for their supporting ends defining a supporting plane.    
   
   
       2 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said substantially rigid deck slabs has its perimeter walls with an alternated inclination, so that said rigid deck slabs happen to have an alternatively inverted trunk-pyramidal shape, acting as wedges each other due to the thrust action.  
   
   
       3 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of claims  1  or  2 , wherein in addition said substantially rigid deck slabs are associated with passive floating means ( 7 ) of constant flotability.  
   
   
       4 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the upper internal perimeter of the pool and the side edges of said rigid and submersible floating deck slabs assemblies are provided with removable locking means, such as latches or fasteners, thus allowing tying or supporting said deck slabs to the pool and, optionally, each other.  
   
   
       5 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein said substantially rigid floating deck slab is made of reinforced concrete.  
   
   
       6 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein said substantially rigid deck slab consists in a honeycomb-type board.  
   
   
       7 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein said active floating means are of the type in which their flotability is controlled by replacing a less thick fluid with a thicker fluid for its immersion and inversely for its flotation.  
   
   
       8 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein said active and/or passive floating means are mechanically tied to the lower surface of said substantially rigid deck slab.  
   
   
       9 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein said active and/or passive floating means are partially withheld in said substantially rigid deck slab by appropriate cavities.  
   
   
       10 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein said active and/or passive floating means are totally incorporated to said substantially rigid deck slab forming chambers.  
   
   
       11 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to any of  claims 1  to  10 , wherein the upper ends of sad removable supporting means go through the corresponding rigid plate, so that they may be accessed from the outside or the surface in order to allow for its fastening and removal.  
   
   
       12 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to  claim 11 , wherein said removable supporting means are removed by pulling them axially outwards.  
   
   
       13 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to  claim 11 , wherein said removable supporting means are removed by sinking them.  
   
   
       14 . A rigid and submersible floating cover according to  claim 13 , wherein in each end, said supporting elements have their respective ropes ( 9 ,  10 ) and ballast ( 11 ) built-in its corresponding lower end, with the free ends of said ropes being accessible from the surface.