Make us a little $ and improve pool safety

[waste]

Hi all,
While responding to this , I posted this idea. As I don't want to take away from ChuckD's question - I'm reposting it here.

While I have no idea how to procure a pattent, and couldn't figure out how to manufacture an idea - I figured I'd put it up to the forum members to help implement the idea.

All suggestions/ help are welcome to make this a reality - I see it as a way to help out the forum and maybe afford some new tires for the car (or SWCG's for those whos input makes the marketability of this a reality )

Not to be too 'Ralph Cramden'-ish about it, but together, we may be able to provide the world not only a safer pool, but keep the forum alive ( & perhaps recompensate the folks who never got their test kits?).


I'd love to hear some feedback!

[ChuckD]

Thanks for that, Waste.

I'm envisioning what you say, a stairway safety gate, but bigger. I've been looking at Sears Manufacturing's website, only because they have a decent online catalog with pictures (no other connection to them, never did business with them).
http://www.spearsmfg.com

(I should also say I'm thinking of a rectagular pool, or at least parallel sides.)

Connect a series of 'short socket tees' (#S401-251) either to the length you need to span, or in segments for ease of installation. Each tee is 2" diam. and can receive a 1-1/2" at the stem. These are connected with a 3" or 4" piece to provide a 4" max. gap between the stems.

This makes up the top rail. An identical construction makes the bottom rail and these are then connected by 1-1/2" lengths cut to the height you want the barrier.

That's the easy part. Problems I foresee are:

Fixture - I don't think suction cups would work on a vinyl pool. They might suck <sorry>, but they'd likely do a number on the liner. So I think a compression scheme would be preferable. That is, some way to expand the barrier to gently wedge it in place. Obviously this would call for contact points that also would be easy on the pool sides so as not to stress vinyl or leave marks.

And that leads to:
Rigidity - Under compression, it'll bow and not stay in place. Also, there's what I call the 'monkee factor'. Kids will climb on anything given half a chance so it needs to be able to withstand that and, more importantly, it needs to be a reliable place to grab onto for support if needed. Vertical flexure can be addressed with points of contact along the bottom of the pool. Lateral is another story. Possibly bowed members at the top and bottom on the deep end side of the barrier with the peak of the catenary at the midpoints and the legs connecting into extensions of the attachment points at the pool sides (thinking of the structural members of a dome-type tent but more robust).

And now with this Rube Goldberg contraption in your pool, what about when the grown-ups want to swim some laps, or do otherwise grown-up things? Is it easy to remove and replace? Can it be easily broken down for storage? I mean, I love my daughter, but I paid for the pool!

Anyway, there's one idea. Clearly I'm thinking 'inside the box' of a nicely rectangular pool like mine is. I haven't addressed the space between the bottom rail and the bottom of the pool; there shouldn't be any larger than 4" there either. Maybe the bottom rail should lie right on the bottom? With the curvature at the wall/floor intersection, it would appear there needs to be end sections and mid sections (?).