Tank structure

Claim 2

A tank device provided with upstanding wall means adapted to rest on a support surface and surrounding the liquid-receiving area of the tank device, and liquidtight means in said area for containing a body of liquid, said wall means being generally comprised of interconnecting modules that are box-shaped in vertical cross section and generally monocoque in construction, at least certain of said modules each being provided with a plurality of corrugated panels interconnected to form said generally box-shaped cross section, said panels including an inner panel which faces the liquid-receiving area and against which is imposed the hydrostatic pressure in said area, and a further panel disposed in angular relation to said inner panel, and bracket means disposed between and connected to said inner and further panels for transferring hydrostatic loads from said inner panel to said further panel whereby said further panel absorbs a portion of the bending forces which are transferred thereto by said inner panel and which result from said hydrostatic pressure.

Claim 3

A tank having a wall structure surrounding a liquid-receiving area, said wall structure being generally of monocoque construction and comprised of individual interconnected modules made up of elongated top, bottom, inner and outer corrugated panels, means interconnecting the panels of a given module to each other as well as to panels of another module, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the wall structure of said given module being generally box-shaped with the inner and outer panels of the given module projecting up from the bottom panel thereof and the top panel of the given module being connected to the inner and outer panels and constituting a means for supporting a walkway around the said area, and said inner panel of the given module being directly disposed relative to the liquid-receiving area whereby the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid exerted directly against said inner panel will be transferred to the top and bottom panels and partly resisted by said last-mentioned panels as well as said inner panel.

Claim 4

A tank having a wall structure surrounding a liquid-receiving area, said wall structure being generally of monocoque construction and comprised of individual interconnected modules made up of elongated top, bottom, inner and outer corrugated panels, means interconnecting the panels of a given module to each other as well as to panels of another module, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the wall structure of said given module being generally box-shaped with the inner and outer panels of the given module projecting up from the bottom panel thereof and the top panel of the given module being connected to the inner and outer panels and constituting a means for supporting a walkway around the said area, and said inner panel of the given module being directly disposed relative to the liquid-receiving area whereby the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid exerted directly against said inner panel will be transferred to the top and bottom panels and partly resisted by said last-mentioned panels as well as said inner panel.

Claim 5

The tank of claim 2 wherein the corrugations of each panel extend transversely of its panel.

Claim 6

The tank of claim 2 including outer lower, inner lower and inner upper elongated brackets each having a pair of elongated sockets, said panels having side edges, the adjacent side edges of said outer and bottom panels, of said bottom and inner panels, and of said inner and top panels respectively fitting into the sockets of said outer lower bracket, said inner lower bracket and said inner upper bracket, means connecting said interfitted panels and brackets together, and a bracket joining said outer and top panels together.

Claim 7

The tank of claim 6 wherein said panels are made of light sheet metal and wherein said brackets are made of extrusions of a light metal.

Claim 8

The tank of claim 2 wherein said walkway is a flat sheet overlying said top panel.

Claim 9

The tank of claim 2 including an inner flat sheet disposed over said inner panel and facing said liquid-receiving area.

Claim 10

The tank of claim 2 wherein said outer panel extends above said walkway.

Claim 11

In a tank having a wall surrounding an area adapted to contain liquid, said wall including a wall module comprising a corrugated bottom panel, inner and outer corrugated panels connected to and extending upward from said bottom panel so that inner and outer panels are in confronting relation and so that said inner panel is in juxtaposed relation to the liquid-containing area of the tank, and a corrugated top panel interconnecting the inner and outer panels in confronting relation to said bottom panel, said panels thereby forming a tubular structure, the corrugations of each panel running transversely of said module.

Claim 12

In a tank having a wall surrounding an area adapted to contain liquid, said wall including a wall module comprising a corrugated bottom panel, inner and outer corrugated panels connected to and extending upward from said bottom panel so that inner and outer panels are in confronting relation and so that said inner panel is in juxtaposed relation to the liquid-containing area of the tank, and a corrugated top panel interconnecting the inner and outer panels in confronting relation to said bottom panel, said panels thereby forming a tubular structure, the corrugations of each panel running transversely of said module.

Claim 13

A swimming pool comprised of a plurality of interconnected modules so arranged as to form a closed monocoque structure, at least certain of said modules being comprised of elongated top, bottom, inner and outer corrugated panels of aluminum sheet, each of said panels having opposite side edges, said bottom panel being supported in a horizontal plane, elongated lower brackets of aluminum extrusions individually connected to the side edges of the bottom panel, the side edges of the inner and outer panels being individually connected to said brackets and extending upward from said bottom panel, elongated upper brackets of aluminum extrusions connected to the outer panel above the lower brackets and to the upwardly disposed side edge of the inner panel, said top panel having its side edges individually connected to said upper brackets in confronting relation to the bottom panel, each of said panels circumscribing the water receiving area of the pool and the corrugations of each of the panels being disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of their respective panels and watertight means for containing a body of water attached to the inwardly disposed upper brackets and positioned within said inner panel.

Claim 14

A swimming pool comprised of a plurality of interconnected modules so arranged as to form a closed monocoque structure, at least certain of said modules being comprised of elongated top, bottom, inner and outer corrugated panels of aluminum sheet, each of said panels having opposite side edges, said bottom panel being supported in a horizontal plane, elongated lower brackets of aluminum extrusions individually connected to the side edges of the bottom panel, the side edges of the inner and outer panels being individually connected to said brackets and extending upward from said bottom panel, elongated upper brackets of aluminum extrusions connected to the outer panel above the lower brackets and to the upwardly disposed side edge of the inner panel, said top panel having its side edges individually connected to said upper brackets in confronting relation to the bottom panel, each of said panels circumscribing the water receiving area of the pool and the corrugations of each of the panels being disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of their respective panels and watertight means for containing a body of water attached to the inwardly disposed upper brackets and positioned within said inner panel.

Claim 15

The pool structure of claim 10 wherein said outer panel extends upward and outward in acute angular relation to the vertical.

Claim 16

The pool structure of claim 10 including flat aluminum sheets disposed on the top panel and against the inner side of the inner panel.