Safety alarm assembly for swimming pools and the like

Claim 2

A safety alarm assembly for a pool comprising: a selectively actuatable alarm means including a trigger mechanism, said trigger mechanism being actuatable by the influence of gravity to trigger said alarm means; tiltable support means positioned for supporting said trigger mechanism to counteract the influence of gravity, said support means having an at rest position in which it is operable to support said trigger mechanism; and means for sensing pool disturbance and tilting saiD support means away from its at rest position in response to pool disturbance whereby said trigger mechanism slips from said support means whenever said support means is tilted to a predetermined extent away from its at rest position.

Claim 3

The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said means for sensing pool disturbance and tilting said support means is a float connected to said support means.

Claim 4

The invention recited in claim 1, wherein: said trigger mechanism includes an arm having a downward extending pointed portion; and said support means includes an upward opening concave seat which is positioned below said pointed arm portion and adapted to receive and support said pointed arm portion when in its at rest position.

Claim 5

The invention recited in claim 3, wherein: said support means is mounted to be tiltable in all directions away from its at rest position; and said means for sensing pool disturbance and tilting said support means in a float connected to said support means so as to unseat said pointed arm portion from said seat whenever said float tilts said support means and seat to said predetermined extent away from the at rest position.

Claim 6

The invention recited in claim 1, wherein: said trigger mechanism includes an arm having a downward extending pointed portion; said support means includes a shaft-like member mounted below said pointed arm portion to be tiltable in all directions, said shaft-like member being weighted to have a substantially vertical at rest position and having a seat formed on its upper end which is adapted to receive and support said pointed arm portion when said shaft-like member is in its at rest position; and said means for sensing pool disturbance and tilting said support means is a float slideably mounted on the lower end of said shaft-like member for longitudinal movement therealong which is operable to laterally move and tilt said shaft-like member in response to pool disturbance and unseat said pointed arm portion by moving said seat out from thereunder whenever said shaft-like member is tiled to a predetermined extent.

Claim 7

The invention recited in claim 1, wherein: said trigger mechanism includes an alarm trigger which controls the actuation of said alarm means, said alarm trigger being biased towards its alarm actuating position; said trigger mechanism also includes a pivotally mounted arm having a downward extending pointed portion, said arm being operable when supported by said support means to hold said alarm trigger away from its alarm actuating position; said support means includes a shaft-like member mounted below said pointed arm portion to be tiltable in all directions, said shaft-like member being weighted to have a substantially vertical at rest position and having a seat formed on its upper end which is adapted to receive and support said pointed arm portion when said shaft-like member is in its at rest position; and said means for sensing pool disturbance and tilting said support means is a float slideably mounted on the lower end of said shaft-like member for longitudinal movement therealong which is operable to laterally move and tilt said shaft-like member in response to pool disturbance and unseat said pointed arm portion by moving said seat out from thereunder whenever said shaft-like member is tilted to a predetermined extent whereupon said alarm trigger is freed and automatically moves to its alarm actuating position to actuate said alarm means.

Claim 8

The invention recited in claim 6, wherein said shaft-like member is pivotally mounted by gimbal means at a selected point between its upper and lower ends.

Claim 9

A safety alarm assembly for a pool, comprising: a frame structure; an alarm mounted on said frame structure, said alarm including a trigger which controls its actuation, said trigger being biased towards its alarm actuating position; an actuator arm pivotally mounted on said frame structure for up and down movement, said arm Having a pressure applying portion formed on one side of its pivot to apply pressure to said trigger to hold it away from its alarm actuating position and a downward extending portion formed on the other side of its pivot; a shaft-like member tiltably mounted on said frame structure below said downward extending arm portion, said shaft-like member having a substantially vertical at rest position and having a seat formed on its upper end which is operable to support said downward extending arm portion when said shaft-like member is in its at rest position so that said pressure applying arm portion applies pressure to said trigger to hold said trigger away from its alarm actuating position; and a float connected to said shaft-like member to float in a pool being monitored and tilt said shaft-like member away from its at rest position in response to pool disturbance whereby said downward extending arm portion slips from said seat to free said trigger, and hence said alarm is actuated whenever pool disturbance moves said float sufficiently to tilt said shaft-like member the extent necessary to move said seat out from under said downward extending arm portion.

Claim 10

A safety alarm assembly for a pool, comprising: a frame structure; an alarm mounted on said frame structure, said alarm including a trigger which controls its actuation, said trigger being biased towards its alarm actuating position; an actuator arm pivotally mounted on said frame structure for up and down movement, said arm Having a pressure applying portion formed on one side of its pivot to apply pressure to said trigger to hold it away from its alarm actuating position and a downward extending portion formed on the other side of its pivot; a shaft-like member tiltably mounted on said frame structure below said downward extending arm portion, said shaft-like member having a substantially vertical at rest position and having a seat formed on its upper end which is operable to support said downward extending arm portion when said shaft-like member is in its at rest position so that said pressure applying arm portion applies pressure to said trigger to hold said trigger away from its alarm actuating position; and a float connected to said shaft-like member to float in a pool being monitored and tilt said shaft-like member away from its at rest position in response to pool disturbance whereby said downward extending arm portion slips from said seat to free said trigger, and hence said alarm is actuated whenever pool disturbance moves said float sufficiently to tilt said shaft-like member the extent necessary to move said seat out from under said downward extending arm portion.

Claim 11

The invention recited in claim 8, wherein: said seat is concave in shape and opens upward; and said downward extending arm portion is pointed in shape to mate with said concave seat.

Claim 12

The invention recited in claim 8, wherein said shaft-like member is pivotally mounted at a selected point between its upper and lower ends to be tiltable in all directions.