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Aug. 15, lg€7 G. F. ARP 3,335,429 SWIMMING POOL COPING Filed July 9, 1964 M r'lnm-n“ 'IIIIIIIIIII'IIIII INVENTOR. GEORGE F. A RP BY FIG. 5 v MUM” HIS ATTORNEYS. United States Patent 0 1 3,335,429 SWIMMING POOL COPING George F. Arp, 557 Whitney Road, Fairport, N.Y. 14450 Filed July 9, 1964, Ser. No. 381,500 8 Claims. (Cl. 4-172) This invention relates to a swimming pool coping and more particularly to a coping formed of a plurality of 1 3,335,429 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 2 Each unit 10‘ of a coping ‘according to the invention is preferably molded in one piece as for example by blow molding, and is formed of a synthetic plastic ma terial, for example polyethylene. Synthetic plastic ma terials are advantageous for their light weight, economy, durableness, attractiveness, resistance to wear, insects, termites, fungus, and rusting, and their safety in being easily formable with non-slip treads and with rounded units each of which is a substantially rigid, hollow body 10 corners and edges. In addition, the natural resilience of these materials protects them from small movements molded of synthetic plastic material. caused by freezing of the pool or the earth or other ma~ By “coping” of a swimming pool is intended the top terials surrounding it. Molded plastic coping members edge of a pool above the water line and extending gen 10 according to the invention are thus undamaged by erally horizontally around the upper edge of the pool to form a border for the pool. The coping is the portion 15 changes in temperature, are resistant to weather condi tions, and are durable, safe, and attractive. of the pool from which people customarily jump into Each member 10 according to the invention is prefer the water, and is also that portion of the pool which can ably formed as a generally closed, hollow body as best be gripped by swimmers as they climb out from the shown in FIG. 1 and having a bottom portion 17, a top water. It is important that the coping be durable, safe, 15 and end walls 25. A raised rounded inner edge 12 of and attractive. 20 the member 10 preferably extends over the water a small Previous copings have been formed of concrete, tile, distance beyond the edge 13 of the pool Wall 14. Such wood, and steel, and have suffered many disadvantages location and shape of inner edge 12‘ of member 10 con including expense both of original installation and main ceals and protects pool edge 13, provides an attractive tenance, and deterioration from fungus, termites, rust, curvature to the coping, and deflects back into the pool and weather conditions such as frost and ice. 25 the waves or splashes of water that rise up the pool wall. It is an object of this invention to make a swimming The top surface 15 of member 10‘ is preferably sloped away from the edge of the pool so that water splashed over the coping drains away from the pool rather than back into the pool thus tending to keep the pool free of pool coping of molded synthetic plastic material that has 30 dirt. Also, the upper surface of top 15 is preferably em resistance to fungus, rust, termites, frost, ice, and other bossed such as by formation of small, longitudinal ridges weather conditions. 16 also shown in FIG. 5. Ridges 16, or other suitable em Another object of the invention is to make a light bossed pattern can be incorporated into the die by which weight, hollow, molded plastic swimming pool coping that is embossed to provide a safety tread on its upper sur 35 the member 10‘ is molded and provides a slightly uneven upper surface for member 10 that functions as a non face, and that can be snap ?t in place around the edge slip tread offering a sure footing for swimmers and also of a pool. adds to the attractiveness of the coping without increas Another object of the invention is to reduce the instal ing its expense. pool coping that is economical, durable, attractive, and safe. Another object of the invention is to form a swimming lation cost of swimming pool copings. Another object of the invention is to make a swim ming pool coping that is formed of standardized parts that are individually replacable. To strengthen and give rigidity to hollow molded mem ber 10, its bottom portion 17 is formed with a plurality of preferably longitudinal ridges 18. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, ridges 18 extend upwardly from base Another object of the invention is to make a prefabri portion 17 toward top portion 15 and are secured to the cated swimming pool coping that can be mass produced underside of top portion 15. The sides of ridges 18 are economically and that is adapted for easy installation in 45 preferably oblique to the base portion 17 and the upper a variety of swimming pools. surface of the pool wall 14 so as to brace top portion 15 To these and other ends the invention resides in certain and support it above base portion 17. Ridges 18 give improvements and combinations, all as will be herein substantial rigidity to molded member 10 and make it after more fully described, the novel features being very strong yet light in weight. The tops of ridges 18 are pointed out in the claims at the end of the speci?cation. preferably fused to the bottom of top portion 15 during In the drawings: the molding process to give maximum strength to the FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a swimming pool cop ridges and the member 10. ing according to the invention as installed at the edge The coping member 10‘ according to the invention is of a pool; preferably snap ?t in place along the edge of a swim FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a swimming pool 55 ming pool, and its formation of synthetic plastic material coping formed of a plurality of members according to having some resiliency allows such a snap‘ ?t. One pre the invention; ferred method for such a snap ?tting of the member 10 FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of a plastic fastener by in place is best shown in FIG. 1. Spherical headed screws which a coping according to the invention can be secured 20 are driven into the upper surface of pool wall 14 so to a swimming pool; FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of a molded coping mem ber according to the invention; and FIG. 5 shows a top view of a molded coping member according to the invention. as to secure the spherical heads in place. The screws 20 are preferably self threading metal screws that secure themselves in many materials and can be retained in con crete with the aid of expanding sleeves 27. Holes 19‘ (also Generally, a swimming pool coping according to the 65 illustrated in the bottom view of FIG. 4) are arranged in the lowermost portions of bottom portion 17 to regis invention is formed of a plurality of molded members ter with screws 20' the spherical heads of which can then 10 formed in convenient standardized sizes and secured be forced into holes 19 to retain the member 101 in place. in place around the edge of a swimming pool to form a continuous coping. A plurality of such prefabricated mem 70 Of course, the number and position and arrangement of holes can be varied, and other snap fasteners and other bers 10 is shown in FIG. 2 arranged around the edge of securing means can be used within the spirit of the in a swimming pool containing water 11. vention. 3,335,429 3 An alternative fastener is illustrated in FIG. 3. It com prises a base portion 21 and a spherical head 22 and is adapted for securing coping member 10‘ to steel walled pools. Base portion 21 is snapped into engagement with holes provided in the upper edge or ?ange portion 26 of a steel Walled pool, and apertures 19 in the base portion 17 of molded member 10 are pressed down over spherical heads 22 to snap ?t coping member 10‘ in place and retain it at the edge of a pool. Coping member 10 is preferably removable from 10 spherical headed screws or fasteners or other snap fasten ing means by being forcibly snapped out of place. The preferred snap fasteners are sufficient for retaining cop 4 one edge of said member than along the opposite edge of said member. . 4. The swimming pool coping of claim 1 wherein said resin comprises polyethylene, and the upper surface of said top portion is embossed to provide a slip-free tread. 5. In combination, a plurality of spherical-headed fasteners secured to a swimming pool adjacent the edge thereof, and a swimming pool coping member compris ing: an oblong, hollow body formed of a single, closed, continuous, integral wall of resilient resin material and con?gured to be blow moldable; bottom portions of said wall lying in a plane for supporting said member on a flat surface; said bottom portions of said wall being formed to de?ne a plurality of apertures for receiving ing member 10 securely in place during normal use and yet they permit forcible removal without damage to parts. 15 the heads of said fasteners in a snap-?t relation; ridge portions of said wall communicating with said bottom Easy removal of coping member 16 and use of stand portions and extending obliquely upward from said bot ardized parts allows replacement of any individual coping tom portions; a top portion of said =wall spaced above said member, or removal and replacement of an entire coping bottom portions and communicating with said bottom with obvious economic advantage. While the invention has been disclosed herein by refer 20 portions along the sides and ends of said member; and areas of the under surface of said top portions being ence to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be joined to the upper surface of the tops of said ridge understood that such disclosure is intended in an illus trative, rather than a limiting sense, and it is contem portions. of the appended claims. erally by said ridge portions. 6. The coping member of claim 5‘ wherein said bot plated that various modi?cations of the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled 25 tom portions comprise longitudinal areas extending con~ tinuously the length of said member and ‘connected lat in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope 7. The coping member of claim 5 wherein said top portion extends further above said ‘bottom portions along 1. A swimming pool coping member comprising: an oblong, hollow body formed of a closed, continuous, in 30 one edge of said member than along the opposite edge of said member. tegral wall of resilient resin material and con?ured to 8. The swimming pool coping of claim‘ 5 wherein said be blow-moldable; bottom portions of said wall lying resin comprises polyethylene, and the upper surface of in a plane for supporting said member on a flat surface; said top portion is embossed to provide a slip-free tread. said bottom portions being formed to de?ne a plurality -I claim: of apertures for receiving fastening means; ridge portions 35 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS of said wall communicating with said bottom portions and extending obliquely upward from said bottom portions; a top portion of said wall spaced above said bottom por tions and communicating with said bottom portions along 4 the sides and ends of said member; and areas of the under 2,846,736 3,153,468 8/ 1958 10/ 1964 Quoss ____________ __ 49—467 Sweeney ________ __ 52—717 X 3,196,763 7/1965 Rushton __________ __ 52—618 surface of said top portion being joined to the upper FOREIGN PATENTS surface of the tops of said ridge portions. 162,288 3/ 1955 Australia. 2. The coping member of claim 1 wherein said bot 616,608 3/ 1961 Canada. tom portions comprise longitudinal areas extending con 45 tinuously the length of said member and connected FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. laterally by said ridge portions. RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Examiner. 3. The coping member of claim 1 wherein said top J. L. RIIDGILL, Assistant Examiner. portion extends further above said bottom portions along