Patent Application
20190390694
The present invention relates to a pool deck anchor that can be used to secure either a safety cover by use of a spring attached to the safety cover or a safety net by use of a hook attached to the safety net.
A conventional safety cover pool deck anchor consists of a brass fitting that is embedded or mounted in a deck surface surrounding a pool with the top surface of the safety cover pool deck anchor being flush with the deck surface. The brass fitting includes an internally threaded opening with an externally threaded screw that is threaded within the internally threaded opening. The screw may be selectively, manually unscrewed relative to the fitting to extend the screw a predetermined height above the top surface of the brass fitting. When the screw is extended relative to the brass fitting, a spring member may be positioned on the extended portion of the screw to permit a safety pool cover to be tightly secured over the top of a swimming pool in the winter time.
A conventional safety net pool deck anchor consists of a hook with an enlarged first end for inserting into an enlarged opening on the top of a brass fitting that is embedded or mounted in a deck surface surrounding a pool with the top surface of the safety net pool deck anchor being flush with the deck surface. Thereafter, the enlarged first end is slid into a narrower opening to secure the hook relative to the brass fitting. When the enlarged first end of the hook is secured in the narrower opening in the brass fitting, a second end of the hook may be secured to the safety net to permit the safety net to be secured over the top of a swimming pool.
However, the two conventional anchors are required to be separately embedded or mounted in a deck surface.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the foregoing circumstances.
An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an anchor for securing either a safety cover or safety net relative to a swimming pool that includes a fitting that is embedded or mounted in a deck surface. The fitting includes a first end and a second end with an elongated internally threaded opening extending from the first end towards the second end. A screw includes a first end and a second end. The screw is externally threaded wherein the first end thereof is received within the elongated internally threaded opening in the fitting to be selectively screwed within the fitting to a predetermined depth and to be selectively unscrewed from the fitting to extend a predetermined height above the first end of the fitting. A head portion is formed on the second end of the screw. The head portion includes a flange extending substantially around an outer surface of the head portion with an opening formed in the head portion for selectively securing a hook relative to the head portion. When the screw is selectively unscrewed a predetermined height above the first end of the fitting, the extended portion is adapted to be secured to a spring member for mounting a swimming pool safety cover relative to a swimming pool and the opening in the top portion of the head is adapted to secure a hook for mounting a swimming pool safety net relative to the swimming pool.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the anchor for securing either a safety cover or a safety net relative to a swimming pool includes a key hole like opening having an enlarged portion for receiving the enlarged outer end of the hook and a narrower portion attached to the enlarged portion for receiving a reduced section of the hook and for retaining the enlarged section of the hook within the narrower portion.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the anchor for securing either a safety cover or a safety net relative to a swimming pool includes a flange that extends around an outer circumferential surface of the head portion of the screw and extends outwardly from the head portion of the screw.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
Hereinbelow, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As illustrated in
In addition, the anchor 10 includes a screw 22 having a first end 22a and a second end 22b. The screw 22 is externally threaded 24 wherein the second end 22b thereof is received within the elongated internally threaded opening 14 in the fitting 12 to be selectively screwed within the fitting 12 to a predetermined depth A. As illustrated in
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In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flange 32 may extend around an outer circumferential surface of the head portion 30 of the screw 22 and extends outwardly from the head portion of the screw 22. In this way, when a spring member 50 is mounted on the portion of the screw that extends above the fitting 12 a predetermined distance B, the flange or lip 32 will ensure that the spring member 50 is not disengaged from the screw 22 during use of the spring member 50 to mount the swimming pool safety cover relative to the swimming pool.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
