Above-the-ground swimming pool

Claim 2

An above-the-ground swimmiNg pool having a peripheral wall comprising a main structural pool wall component formed of sheet material extending around substantially the entire perimeter of the pool and having vertical ends spaced apart from each other, having no openings therein, and a structural pool wall panel formed of sheet material having vertical ends secured to the vertical ends of the main wall component and bridging the space between said main wall component ends to complete the peripheral wall, the panel including a plurality of openings formed therein, such openings constituting the only openings in the peripheral wall and arranged to accommodate components of pool waterconditioning equipment, said panel being interchangeable with a variety of such panels with various configurations of openings, thereby readily to adapt the pool structure to a variety of pool water-conditioning systems.

Claim 3

An above-the-ground swimming pool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the thickness of the sheet material forming the panel is thicker than the sheet material forming the structural pool wall component.

Claim 4

An above-the-ground swimming pool in accordance with claim 1, wherein adjoining edges of the panel and structural pool wall component are hooked and joined by a companion coupling element.

Claim 5

An above-the-ground swimming pool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the panel includes at least two outlet openings through which water can be withdrawn from the pool, one located near the top of the pool and the other located near the bottom of the pool, and the panel further including a pair of inlet openings, through which water can be introduced into the pool, one located near the top of the pool and the other located near the bottom of the pool.

Claim 6

An above-the-ground swimming pool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the panel includes one outlet opening located near the top of the pool for withdrawing water from the pool, and further including one inlet opening located near the top of the pool for reintroducing water into the pool.

Claim 7

An above-the-ground swimming pool having a peripheral wall comprising a main structural pool wall component formed of sheet material extending around substantially the entire perimeter of the pool and having vertical ends spaced apart from each other, a structural pool wall panel formed of sheet material of which the thickness is greater than that of the sheet material forming the main pool wall component, the panel having vertical ends secured to the vertical ends of the main wall component and bridging the space between said main panel to complete the peripheral wall, the vertical ends of the pool wall component and the panel being hooked and joined by a coupling element, the panel including a pair of outlet openings through which water can be withdrawn from the pool, one located near the top of the pool and the other located near the bottom of the pool, and further including a pair of inlet openings through which water can be introduced into the pool, one located near the top of the pool and the other located near the bottom, such openings constituting the only openings in the peripheral wall, the panel being interchangeable with a variety of such panels with various configurations of openings, thereby readily to adapt the pool structure to a variety of pool water-conditioning systems.

Claim 8

An above-the-ground swimming pool having a peripheral wall comprising a main structural pool wall component formed of sheet material extending around substantially the entire perimeter of the pool and having vertical ends spaced apart from each other, a structural pool wall panel formed of sheet material of which the thickness is greater than that of the sheet material forming the main pool wall component, the panel having vertical ends secured to the vertical ends of the main wall component and bridging the space between said main panel to complete the peripheral wall, the vertical ends of the pool wall component and the panel being hooked and joined by a coupling element, the panel including a pair of outlet openings through which water can be withdrawn from the pool, one located near the top of the pool and the other located near the bottom of the pool, and further including a pair of inlet openings through which water can be introduced into the pool, one located near the top of the pool and the other located near the bottom, such openings constituting the only openings in the peripheral wall, the panel being interchangeable with a variety of such panels with various configurations of openings, thereby readily to adapt the pool structure to a variety of pool water-conditioning systems.