Support assembly for holding a swimming poolcover in place on a swimming pool

Abstract

A pool cover support assembly for supporting a pool cover over a swimming pool. The assembly basically comprises a central upstanding post and plural, flexible, flaccid straps. The upstanding post is arranged to extend upward from the bottom surface of the pool to a point above the sidewall of the pool. Each strap is arranged for securement to the top of the post and to be extended for releasable securement to the pool adjacent the pool's sidewall and tightened to form a generally downwardly directed conically shaped umbrella-like-frame over which the pool cover can be disposed.

1 . A pool cover support assembly for supporting a pool cover over a swimming pool, the pool having a bottom surface and a side wall, the sidewall of the pool terminating in a top surface, said pool cover support assembly comprising a central upstanding post and a plurality of flexible, flaccid straps, said upstanding post having a bottom end portion and a top end portion, said bottom end portion of said post member being adapted for disposition on the bottom surface of the pool generally centrally of the sidewall of the pool, said top end portion of said upstanding post being located above the top surface of the sidewall of the pool, each of said flexible straps including a first end portion arranged for securement to said top end portion of upstanding post and a second end portion for releasable securement to the to a portion of the pool adjacent the top surface of the sidewall, each of said flexible straps being arranged to be tightened to cause it to assume a generally linear configuration, whereupon when said first end portion of each of said straps is releasably secured to said top end portion of said upstanding post and said second end portion of each of said straps is releasably secured to the pool adjacent the sidewall of the pool and said straps are tightened, said straps form a generally downwardly directed conically shaped umbrella-like-frame over which a pool cover can be disposed.  
   
   
       2 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 1  wherein each of said straps includes a first member for adjusting the length of said strap.  
   
   
       3 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 1  wherein each of said straps includes a connector located adjacent said second end portion thereof, said connector being arranged for releasable securement to the pool adjacent the top surface of the sidewall.  
   
   
       4 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 2  wherein each of said straps includes a connector located adjacent said second end portion thereof, said connector being arranged for releasable securement to the pool adjacent the top surface of the sidewall.  
   
   
       5 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 3  wherein said connector comprises a J-clip.  
   
   
       6 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 3  wherein said connector comprises a J-clip.  
   
   
       7 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 2  wherein said first member comprises a retaining ring.  
   
   
       8 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 6  wherein said first member comprises a retaining ring.  
   
   
       9 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 1  wherein the pool is an above ground pool whose sidewall includes a rim portion having a generally downwardly directed peripheral edge located adjacent the top surface of the sidewall, and wherein each of said straps includes a clip located adjacent said second end portion thereof, each of said clips being arranged for securement to a respective portion of the downwardly directed peripheral edge of the sidewall of the pool.  
   
   
       10 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 1  wherein said upstanding post includes a ballast member, and wherein said first end portion of each of said straps includes a clip, said clip being arranged for securement to said ballast member.  
   
   
       11 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 10  wherein ballast member includes plural slots for releasably securing respective ones of said clips of said straps thereto.  
   
   
       12 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 10  additionally comprising a base member arranged for releasable securement to said bottom end portion of said upstanding post to hold said upstanding post in a generally vertical orientation with respect to the bottom of the pool.  
   
   
       13 . The pool cover support assembly of  claim 12  wherein said base member is a hollow member and wherein said post is a hollow member and wherein said hollow members are arranged to be filled with water when in place in the pool.