GB2143126A

GB2143126A - Improvements relating to swimming pools

Info

Publication number: GB2143126A
Application number: GB08318926A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard Spencer Bailey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-07-13
Filing date: 1983-07-13
Publication date: 1985-02-06
Also published as: GB8318926D0; GB2143126B

Abstract

The main walls of an enclosure 1 are defined as upward extensions of walls of a swimming pool 3. The fourth wall of the pool is defined by a partition 4 which provides access to the pool within the enclosure. A pump 7 forces a jet of water through the end wall 4 into the pool. The jet acts as resistance to a swimmer so that swimming exercises can be carried out in a pool of quite short length. By this means the pool itself and the enclosure are kept to minimal size, thus reducing possible heat losses. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to Swimming Pools This invention is concerned with swimming pool units, generally for domestic use and which most often will be situated outside a normal building. Existing self-contained outdoor pool units are extremely expensive to run due to the operating costs of the heating unit which must be employed. The air within an enclosure housing a pool has to be exchanged continuously so that it can be dehumidified and the expellation of the air results in a substantial heat loss which has to be returned to the incoming air.

It is an object of this invention to provide a swimming pool unit which can be operated at lower running costs than would normally be expected for a standard outdoor pool unit.

Accordingly this invention provides a training swimming pool unit comprising an enclosure, three of whose walls define and extend above three walls of the pool, whilst the fourth wall of the pool is defined by a partition extending part of the height of the enclosure and providing access to the pool from an open space within the enclosure to one side of the pool, and water circulating equipment including a water jetproducing device facing into the pool through the fourth wall.

The incorporation of a water jet producing device means that the pool can be used (by a suitable control of the force of the jet) by a swimmer swimming against the jet stream and thus effectively remaining in the same place.

Hence the pool itself does not need to be of any substantial size. Furthermore there is then little need to provide surrounding walk-ways and thus the walls of the pool can extend upwardly to define walls of the enclosure. The volume of air enclosed is then very substantially less than that which would be present in a conventionally enclosed pool provided with walk-ways around all four sides. Hence a very adequate training swimming pool is provided which operates at quite a low cost.

In the preferred arrangement the walls of the pool are covered by a pool liner which preferably is of flexible plastics sheet. The walls of the enclosure are advantageously formed from a heat insulating material to minimise heat losses.

Dehumidification will still be necessary and thus one of the enclosure walls may incorporate a dehumidifier. If the output of the dehumidifier is ducted onto a heat pump which comprises part of a heating system for the water in the pool, then some of the heat which might otherwise be lost in the expelled air is recovered.

For most purposes it is preferred that the top wall at least of the enclosure will be formed from a translucent material and it may be of advantage to provide that the top wall of the enclosure can be opened by sliding or lifting.

If the enclosure walls incorporate lifting rings or hooks then the whole unit may readily be lifted by a crane and transported to the designed site and onto and off a lorry.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates, in perspective view, a training swimming pool unit of this invention.

The unit shown in the drawing comprises an enclosure 1 formed by side walls 2. Three of these walls also define three walls of a pool 3, the fourth wall of the pool being formed by a partition 4. The end wall 2A of the enclosure incorporates double sliding doors providing access on the one hand to an open space 5 and on the other hand to operating equipment for the pool situated within a housing 6. This equipment will include a water recirculating pump 7 which forces the water out as a jet through the end wall 4 of the pool as indicated by the arrow 8. The water is returned through return openings 9 and leads past a heater unit 10 through a filter 11 and back to the pump 7. Opening 19 is a skimmer.

Access to the interior of the pool 3 from the space 5 is by means of a ladder 12 mounted on the end wall 4. The far end wall 2B of the enclosure incorporates a dehumidifier unit 13 and the output from this leads to a heat pump (not shown) which returns part of the heat to the water. A thermal cover 14 can be unrolled to cover over the top of the pool 3 and help to retain the temperature of the water therein when the pool is not in use. The walls 2 of the enclosure may incorporate heat insulating cladding. The top panel 15 of the enclosure will define a translucent roof to the enclosure and can incorporate a sliding portion if desired. Lifting rings 1 6 are provided at the four corners of the enclosure 1 to enable it to be lifted readily by a crane or the like.

Such a unit incorporates a number of advantages some of which have been discussed previously, the main one being the substantial reduction in running costs because the amount of air to be kept heated is very much lower than the conventional pool. Furthermore because the unit is of a relatively small size it lends itself to being insulated without incurring large costs and it is easily maintainable and transportable to and from a site and on the back of a suitable lorry.

Typical dimensions for the unit might be 20 feet by 8 feet for the enclosure with a height of about 8 feet whilst the pool may be 1 5 feet by 7 feet 6 inches with a depth of about 4 feet.

1. A training swimming pool unit comprising an enclosure, three of whose walls define and extend above three walls of the pool, whilst the fourth wall of the pool is defined by a partition extending part of the height of the enclosure and providing access to the pool from an open space within the enclosure at the end of the pool defining the fourth wall, and water circulating equipment including a water jet-producing device facing into the pool through the fourth wall.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to Swimming Pools This invention is concerned with swimming pool units, generally for domestic use and which most often will be situated outside a normal building. Existing self-contained outdoor pool units are extremely expensive to run due to the operating costs of the heating unit which must be employed. The air within an enclosure housing a pool has to be exchanged continuously so that it can be dehumidified and the expellation of the air results in a substantial heat loss which has to be returned to the incoming air. It is an object of this invention to provide a swimming pool unit which can be operated at lower running costs than would normally be expected for a standard outdoor pool unit. Accordingly this invention provides a training swimming pool unit comprising an enclosure, three of whose walls define and extend above three walls of the pool, whilst the fourth wall of the pool is defined by a partition extending part of the height of the enclosure and providing access to the pool from an open space within the enclosure to one side of the pool, and water circulating equipment including a water jetproducing device facing into the pool through the fourth wall. The incorporation of a water jet producing device means that the pool can be used (by a suitable control of the force of the jet) by a swimmer swimming against the jet stream and thus effectively remaining in the same place. Hence the pool itself does not need to be of any substantial size. Furthermore there is then little need to provide surrounding walk-ways and thus the walls of the pool can extend upwardly to define walls of the enclosure. The volume of air enclosed is then very substantially less than that which would be present in a conventionally enclosed pool provided with walk-ways around all four sides. Hence a very adequate training swimming pool is provided which operates at quite a low cost. In the preferred arrangement the walls of the pool are covered by a pool liner which preferably is of flexible plastics sheet. The walls of the enclosure are advantageously formed from a heat insulating material to minimise heat losses. Dehumidification will still be necessary and thus one of the enclosure walls may incorporate a dehumidifier. If the output of the dehumidifier is ducted onto a heat pump which comprises part of a heating system for the water in the pool, then some of the heat which might otherwise be lost in the expelled air is recovered. For most purposes it is preferred that the top wall at least of the enclosure will be formed from a translucent material and it may be of advantage to provide that the top wall of the enclosure can be opened by sliding or lifting. If the enclosure walls incorporate lifting rings or hooks then the whole unit may readily be lifted by a crane and transported to the designed site and onto and off a lorry. The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates, in perspective view, a training swimming pool unit of this invention. The unit shown in the drawing comprises an enclosure 1 formed by side walls 2. Three of these walls also define three walls of a pool 3, the fourth wall of the pool being formed by a partition 4. The end wall 2A of the enclosure incorporates double sliding doors providing access on the one hand to an open space 5 and on the other hand to operating equipment for the pool situated within a housing 6. This equipment will include a water recirculating pump 7 which forces the water out as a jet through the end wall 4 of the pool as indicated by the arrow 8. The water is returned through return openings 9 and leads past a heater unit 10 through a filter 11 and back to the pump 7. Opening 19 is a skimmer. Access to the interior of the pool 3 from the space 5 is by means of a ladder 12 mounted on the end wall 4. The far end wall 2B of the enclosure incorporates a dehumidifier unit 13 and the output from this leads to a heat pump (not shown) which returns part of the heat to the water. A thermal cover 14 can be unrolled to cover over the top of the pool 3 and help to retain the temperature of the water therein when the pool is not in use. The walls 2 of the enclosure may incorporate heat insulating cladding. The top panel 15 of the enclosure will define a translucent roof to the enclosure and can incorporate a sliding portion if desired. Lifting rings 1 6 are provided at the four corners of the enclosure 1 to enable it to be lifted readily by a crane or the like. Such a unit incorporates a number of advantages some of which have been discussed previously, the main one being the substantial reduction in running costs because the amount of air to be kept heated is very much lower than the conventional pool. Furthermore because the unit is of a relatively small size it lends itself to being insulated without incurring large costs and it is easily maintainable and transportable to and from a site and on the back of a suitable lorry. Typical dimensions for the unit might be 20 feet by 8 feet for the enclosure with a height of about 8 feet whilst the pool may be 1 5 feet by 7 feet 6 inches with a depth of about 4 feet. CLAIMS

2. A pool unit according to claim 1 , wherein the internal walls of the pool are covered by a pool liner.

3. A pool unit according to claim 2, wherein the liner is a flexible plastics sheet.

4. A pool unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the walls of the enclosure are formed from a heat insulating material.

5. A pool unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one of the enclosure walls incorporates a dehumidifier.

6. A pool unit according to claim 5, wherein the output of the dehumidifier is ducted into a heat pump which comprises part of a heating system for the water in the pool.

7. A pool unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the top wall at least of the enclosure is formed from a translucent material.

8. A pool unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the top wall of the enclosure can be opened by sliding or lifting.

9. A pool unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the enclosure walls incorporate lifting rings or hooks.

10. A training swimming pool unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.