US2616096A - Collapsible pond - Google Patents

Description

1952 v. H. HASSELQUIST 2,

COLLAPSIBLE POND Filed Jan. 1'7, 1948 2 Sl-lEETS-Sl-IEET 1 Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES *ATENT OFFICE ApplicationJanuary 17, 1948, Serial No. 2 931- 7' Claims: 1.

Thisfinvention relates. to collapsible containers for liquid or other flowable material and especially to portable wading or" swimming pools; skating ponds, portable. storage" tanks'ior Water and other liquids;

Objects of the invention" are: t'oprovide an impr'ovedcollapsible container of rectangular; circular or otherwise curved, or other desired form having a' flexible peripheral wall'lifted to the posi ti'on'. for use" and' supported in antupright' condition'solely by.'ahydrostatic headv oficontained liquidj to provide. for restraining the wall against outward rolling; to provide. in a rectangular container'forresisting localized outward bowing of the flexible wall intermediate the'corners' thereof; to provide for foldability ofa relatively"stifi,"peripheral collar orupstandin jdam 'a'tthe' upper marginroflthe wall or inner rimofi the container; to provide'ior' water-tightness to provide 'forrconvenience of. emptying the containerrand to provide'for simplicity ofconstruction, convenience of manufacture and storage, portabilityiandilight weight; and attractive appearance.

These and other objects .and'advantages of the invention'will be apparent fromfthe .followingde scripti'on.

Inthe accompanyingidrawings, which forma part of this. specificationla'nddn which like numerais" are" employed to designate like parts throughoutthe' same;

Fig.1 is a plan .view from above of a collapsible container of "circular'form, constructed: in accordancewith and embo dying theinvention;

Fig". 2"is a? sidet'elevation'ofthefcontainer,

Fig: 3"ista sectional'vi'ewonian enlarged scale.

taken'a1ong1ine3-"3 ofFig. 1; .partsibeing broken away,

Figf 4 is a. sectional. side elevation on 1 an: en'- larged'scale' ofthe container disposed on an inclined'ortilted supporting surface;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of'a collar or dam'before attachment to the inner rim of the container, parts being broken away,

Fig: Gis-a-sectional View on'an enlargedscale taken'along line =B-6 of Fig; 5;

Fig: '7'is a plan view of a modified construction of the embodiment of 'Fig'; land being'of square form with rounded corners,

Fig. 8' is a side elevation of Fig. 7'; and- Fig..9 "isa sectional side elevation on an en larged scale oi'a' further modification havin the marginal wall hydraulically maintained in the uprighti condition independent of the main body ofzf liquid 'in the container, parts being broken aways In'the, illustrative embodiment 'of'the' invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6' inclusive, vthe container includes a base or bottom l5"'whi'ch' may. be of cire cular form. of the desired dimensions, and is of flexible. fluid tight' sheetmaterial, preferably'rubber-like water-proof" material; the base being made of one or more'thickn'esses of the material; The rubber-like material may be rubber, natural oi-"syn'th'etic, or it maybe plasticizedipolyvinyl chloride or other polymer of' a rubber like nature. The" sheet material may be'reinforcedj' ,if desired, asby'suitable woven or. lc nitt'ed'fabric or other distensible reinforcin'gmaterial vunitedtherewith.

The joinder'ofthe' partsofthe container may be effected in a sealed manner as .by the application' of heat' and" pressure. whereby. the abutting surfacesof'the joints are fused together.

At'it's periphery, the'cont'ainer has a circumferentiallyj continuous.marginalwall or peripheral sidewall I8" of suitable flexible fiuid tight. material with or withoutfabric reinforcement-anddn one'or' more thicknesses united "in sealing relation with. the base [5, desirably in radially. unbroken continuation' ofl the. material? of I the. base. The wall lsihas ai'ullness sothat'the wall "isoutward ly'a'nd upwardly bulged relativetothe baseflto a flatlyfarched contour at all lpositions, .when under a hydrostatichead. or. pressure ofcontained .liqmet, ,as shown in the drawings. Thenwalliltterminatesin an upper: margin. l'ilof Y gradually decreasing curvature which.- margin floats on .the Wateriby the action of Itheupwardly-directed.pres sure ofthe liquid'upon thewalll. Thistcons-truce tion provides an open-toppedarrangement hav--- ing a peripheral, ,flatly. arched.rim ofsubstantiall lateral extent, as "shown. in the drawings which construction permits local rise and fall .ottheup,

per: margin. l i with the surgeoflthe .liquid in-float-- ingrelation therewith while presenting-resistance to circumferential distortion.

The margin I! having annular stifiening means for example, as canvas impregnatedorcoated'with suitable rubberlike'm'aterial. The strip 24is'fo'1d ed 1 with 7 its overlapping sidema'rgins positioned togetherr' at andsecured together as bya double-row of stitches 26, 25 of filamentary material, or a suitable rubber cement, or both, as shown especially in Figs. 5 and 6. A flexible, reinforcing wire 27 of copper, brass, steel or other suitable metal material is disposed longitudinally between the folds of the strip 25 with longitudinally spaced-apart, open-looped reaches 29, 29 arranged transversely of the strip substantially from margin 28 to margin 25. The closed end portions of the looped reaches of the wire 27 may be engaged by the stitches 26, 25. The folds of the strip 24 intermediate the margins 25, 28 are adhered together for holding the wire 2'! in position. The ends of the strip 21'. are secured to one another as by stitches, or an adhesive. or both. The construction produces a foldable, closed, collar structure.

The collar 23 is bent intermediate the margins 25, 28 to an L-shape in section, as shown especially in Fig. 3, providing a seating portion 30 and an upright leg portion 3 I, the flexibility and give of the canvas and the distortability of the loopedwire arrangement facilitating the bending. The collar may be attached at its seating portion 30 to the outer face of the upper margin I7 as by stitches, or a suitable adhesive, or both. The leg portion 3| projects upwardly from the outer face of the wall I6.

The collar 23, in addition to its hoop-stifiening action, thus provides for holding the contained water at the desired level. The flexible construction of the strip also facilitates bending the latter to and from a substantially flat, annular form for storage and packaging purposes.

The invention provides flexible restraining means I8 extending between the upper margin I! and the base I5, and, in the filled condition of the container, the means I8 is positionable diagonally inward and downward from such margin to the base. The restraining means functions in the manner of a stay to restrain outward rolling of the marginal wall I 5 under the hydrostatic pressure and to restrain outward bowing at local regions along the wall IE, all of which facilitates maintaining the desired form of the container. At the same time, the stay permits the rising and falling of the upper margin of the wall to accommodate the water level and surges of the water.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the

restraining means I8 may be a circumferentially continuous stay member. The stay I8 may be made of one or more thicknesses of flexible, substantially inextensible, sheet material such, for example, as woven textile fabric coated or impregnated with rubber or other rubber-like material, and may have a plurality of spaced-apart apertures I9, I9 to facilitate the passage of contained liquid such as water through the stay. The stay is suitably attached at I8a to the base I5 inwardly of the periphery of the upper margin I1, and at I81) to the upper margin I l providing with the base and the wall an annular peripheral chamber 32 in communication with the main body of water of the container. The stay is dimensioned so that it is desirably in a taut condition and in diagonal relation to the base, when the wall I6 is positioned in the flatly arched condition for use, as shown in the drawings.

The attachment of the flexible stay I8 to the upper margin I l and to the base I5 together with the diagonal disposition and the peripheral continuity of the stay assures effectively restraining outward rolling and resisting localized distortion or outward bowing of the wall, whether the container be positioned on a horizontal supporting surface, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, or on a supporting surface 28 tilted or inclined at an angle 2! with respect to a horizontal plane at 22, as shown in Fig. i. The restraining action of the stay IS in cooperation with the hoop-stiffening action of the dam 28 facilitates maintaining the desired shape of the container and the outwardly and upwardly arched form of the marginal wall, especially when the container is positioned on an inclined supporting surface 29.

In the operation of the container which is adapted for packaging and storing in a compact, folded disposition. the same may be unfolded and spread out in the collapsed condition. Water 01' other liquid is admitted through the top opening defined by the dam 23 and wall margin I I into the space of the container, which water builds up in depth and flows through the apertures I9, I9 in the stay I8 into the space of the peripheral chamber 3.2. Any air in the chamber 32 may be vented to the atmosphere through a plurality of spaced-apart vents 33, 33 in the stay immediately adjacent the upper margin IT.

The pressure head of water produces hydrostatic forces acting cn the inner surface of the marginal wall to lift the wall IS away from the base to the upright position, while the wall by virtue of its fullness and flexibility tends to assume a flatly arched form, and at the same time the base I5 becomes taut and is pressed against the ground. The stay I8 swings upwardly about its attachment at Ida to the base with the elevation of the wall It. When the limit of upward movement of the wall It is reached, the stay is in a taut condition between its margins in diagonal or angular relation to the base, as shown especially in Fig. 3.

Entrapped air may be vented from the peripheral space at 32 through the vents 33, 33 high in the stay I8.

Upon complete filling of the container with water, the level of the main body of water is maintained adjacent the top of the dam 23 to provide a liquid pressure head effecting a lifting action on the margin I? beneath the dam. This assures continuity of support by hydrostatic forces acting upwardly and peripherally on the wall It, particularly at the margin H, to hold wall upright at the desired height, while the upper margin of the wall floats upon the contained liquid.

When the container is positioned on sloping ground and filled with water, as shown in Fig. 4. the hydrostatic forces of the wall It of the lower half at 34 are relatively greater than those of the higher half at 35 of the container due to the greater liquid lead. These greater forces tend to roll the bulged wall at the lower half at 34 out wardly toward and upon the ground and tend to distort the circular shape of the container despite the hoop-stiifening action of the dam 23 and the resistance of the upper margin IT to distortion.

The circumferential stay I3 overcomes effectively the objectionable outward rolling action downside of the wall; since the diagonal stay, being of finite extent between its margins ltd and I322, assumes a taut condition.

When it is desired to restore the container to the collapsed condition as for storage purposes, the water may be drained conveniently from the container through a suitable outlet fitting 36 closed by a removable plug 3?. The plug is retained in the space 32 and may be worked into the fitting for closing purposes, the flexible materiall'of the.construction-permittingxhis;fl.Thadam: 2'3; zmayxthen-zb eabent': from-1 itsaLi-shapectossa- .subastantially fiatiringishapec-for facilitatingarfolding: and storing thecontainer;

The modified constructionz l Bio-ffEigs; 'Tta-nd 8lise like-that:of tliecontainer of Fig: :IiteXceptitHatfit: is: of square or-- other. rectangular. form: with. straight: sides... Rounded-'1 corners: may be pIGF- videdi' The flexible restrainingmeansili I ;or-.inner peripheral: stay of B'suitable flexible;,'..substantially.: inextensible; water+tight.materialghasa aipluralityg of spacedeapartr openingsawhichlmayrbe :in:.the: formuofrtransverseslit's: 42, 4.23mi theepassageaofi water: or other. liquid 3 therethroughc. 'Ilhea slits: may terminate closely ad=jacentxthezuppenmarginp 4410i Fth'e wall :43 to .ventszairsfromthesperipheral: space atz-Ml between: the: wall-1 43:: and itheastayml'l although additional. 1'. vents may; .be'a provided;-. ii. desired; as; in .thaemb odimentiof rFlig: La. The.:stay"; extends diagonally: fromethe; upper? margin 44 adjac'entxthe stiffening: dam: 45 to;.the2base ifisat; apositionatiz l'l inwardly ofiftheazmargin .4422,

. The. flexible; stay. 4 l 2 functions; as; described: hereinaboveforthe; stay; lstrwheni the ;-container:r

isfilledwithwater; and cooperates with-thebase:

llfiliand s the dam: 45.: toxrestrain: outward rolling of1the:marginal Wall 43:.

Although 1. the; liquid, head: acting;- uniformly; alongthewall k3) at:;each ystraighttside; ordinarily: wouldztendztozbow.on;curveaoutwardlyvthexside andrjdistort thescontainer to-.a-;generally; rounded; form, ,the; stay. 'uniiormlyres-trains: andzcounter- 1 acts; thisi bowing: tendency: thereby facilitating themaintenanceof 'thessquare. form'and:preyent inggsubsidence of: the: wall;

Theiwatenmay-f-be;drained from trier-container: by. a suitable: outletgfitting; :3 6 and: plug-i3'lwinthe; basezMi; The dam 45:;maybelfoldedeforpstorage: purposesias. discussed hereinaboveiorlthe .:dam-:-

In anothermodification showntqespeciall-yg m5. Eig;.,.9, the:-container, 58 {may be of the desirediorma inplan and -.may. be constructed in some :aspects likethe; containerseof Eig s;-- 1: to 8,- inclusive;- but-- difiers therefrom several features The .-mar--- ginal-wall 51'- is-zlifted to,- and-,-supportediin the position -for:use b hydrostaticpressure-means in-. e dependentcf-the-mainbodywfdiquidphthe con-g tainer itself, whereby.- an; accessory-stiffening; collar or dam is not requi r.edgfor obtaining the desired liquidpressure head:

The restraining means or stay 52 of suitable flexible, fluid-tight material is made without openings ,so ;that thestayprovides zazsubstantially impervious, inner wall of thercontainerg'fiilrfor' holding the main body of 1iquid in vthe latter, and

in cooperation with themarginal wall?! and base 53 provides a closed, annularxchamber 54 eXtend-J' ingr; peripherally. about the container.

' Thegchambierisufilled witltwater andigmaim tainedi under. liquidpressureheadi by a; hollow stack orrstandpipe 55 attheaupperimargirijfisin communication with the chamber 54 through the wall 5!. The stack 55 projects upwardly from the marginal wall M. The stack has self-supporting walls of suitable flexible fluid-tight material, and is dimensioned to provide a substantial pressure head of contained liquid acting upwardly for effectively maintaining the wall 5| upright in flatly arched condition for use. Closing or sealing the open-end oi the stack is not required. The water in the chamber may be drained through the base 53 by a suitable outlet fitting 51 and plug 58.

In the operation of the container 50, the latter, in a collapsed condition, is spread out on the mDst'iOr allthe. entrappedlair .within ithe chamber:-

escapingthrough the .stack .during the fillingsope eration. The marginal wall '5 l isethus hydrauli cally. elevatedeto th'e .flatlyarchediposition for use;

1 tautz: and: pivots upwardly about itsi attachment:

to;th'e:loase 5I3understheaactionof!the hydrostatioz forces; as the water: buildszup in.:. depth: in" the chamber 514's. andzrestrains .outward:rollingixandbowingzofrthe'wall 5i. The -interiortati 6ll ofthe= container 'mayzbefilled: with waterl to the-desired depth zandzmay; be*sfilledircoincid:ntally:v withither chamber;

'Ihezconstruction entire-container: 53 3111115 -pre vent'sr'subsidence'zofzthewall andslossxoffcontained? liquid and;assures continuit zof.hydrostaticslifts 1 ingrqfQI'GBS-Eflfijhfi wall:independentlyiorathe:levell oi:containedzliqllidxinz the interior; atafill ofither container-s; Thegmainrbodyiof .liquid 'atifiili may er convenientlydrain'ed-i: through; the; outlet:- fitting 3.6..andrplug3].

Variations.- may be made withoutr departing frormtheascope of the invention aseitz-iadefinedrin thel-following elaims-.-,

Lclaimt.

1 A; collapsible:- container for: liquidrisaidicona tainerccomprisingi a base andz-aisidewalliof fiexi-iblel-li'quidetight material'saroundisaidzbasee;saidtv sidewall havingnormally ani. upwardlysandxina ward-1y: arched disposition: relative rto theibase-a 1whenrthes'container.is filled .withiliquidzand 'saidi sidewall: havingr ana upper; peripherals margim overlying saidibaseinwardly of ithe periphery of said: aseand elevatediabover-said-rbase :at various:- heightsjlabove; saidi'base under: the: pressura of contained liquid against said sidewall ina accord ance: Withi the heights of thecontained liquid above said base, and;a irestraining stay element' attached to: said base inwardof 'said upper-peripmeral margini and extending: diagonally-upward away from: said base' and outward tozam at tachmenti to saidsidewall at'said upperpe=-- ripheral margin-for vertical swinging movement'i. of "saidz-stayelement-"to accommodate changes inthe height of said upper peripheralmargin abover said base; whereby shifting of saidi-upper peripheral 'margin'in thedirection laterally-outward oithe container is: restrainedby said" stay" ele merit under conditioned-greater height -of liqum above the base in the restrained region 0 "thee container asrcom-pared withotherr'regions'ioffztlief container.

2. A collapsible container as 'd'efined iniclainr l' in-which-said upper-peripheral margincomprisesarr annular collar of=deformable fiuid tight maw terial' relatively stiff as compared to-said 's'idewall for efiecting a:hoop stifieningzaction in said upper peripheral margin and projecting upwardly from said sidewall at said upper peripheral margin for holding in the space defined by said collar liquid at a level providing a hydrostatic head above said upper peripheral margin for exerting lifting pressure on said sidewall, and in which said stay element is attached to said sidewall at said upper peripheral margin below the uppermost edge of the annular collar for resisting distortion of said collar and said sidewall laterally outward of the container.

3. A collapsible container for liquid, said container comprising a base of flexible liquid-tight material and a sidewall of said material in continuation of said base around its periphery and said sidewall having normally an upwardly and inwardly arched disposition relative to said base when the container is filled with liquid and said sidewall having an upper peripheral margin overlying said base inwardly of the periphery of said base and elevated above said base at various heights above said base under the pressure of contained liquid against said sidewall in accordance with the height of the contained liquid above said base, in combination with a flexible stay of sheet material extending about the periphery of said upper peripheral margin and attached to said base inward of said upper peripheralmargin and extending diagonally upward away from said base and outward to an attachment to said sidewall at said upper peripheral margin for vertical swinging movement of said stay to accommodate changes in the height of said upper peripheral margin above said base, whereby shifting of said upper peripheral margin in the direction laterally outward of the container is restrained by said stay under conditions of greater height of liquid above said base in the restrained region of the container as compared with other regions of the container.

4. A collapsible container as defined in claim 3 in which said flexible stay is peripherally continuous and substantially inextensible and impervious throughout its peripheral extent providing with said sidewall and said base a closed annular chamber entirely about the periphery of the container for containing liquid independent of the main body of liquid in the container, and in which said container includes a tubular stack projecting upwardly from said sidewall at said upper peripheral margin in communication with said chamber for maintaining a hydrostatic head on the contained liquid in said chamber.

5. A collapsible container as defined in claim 3 in which said base is rectangular, and said sidewall forms straight sidewalls and round corners of the container, and in which said flexible stay has elongated slits spaced-apart in the direction peripherally of said base and extending from a position in said stay adjacent said base to a position in said stay adjacent said upper margin for passage of liquid through said slits.

6. A collapsible container for liquid, said container comprising a base and a sidewall of flexible liquid-tight material around said base, said sidewall having normally an upwardly and inwardly arched disposition relative to the base when the container is filled with liquid and said sidewall having an upper peripheral margin overlying said base inwardly of the periphery of said base and elevated above said base at various heights above said base under the pressure of contained liquid against said sidewall in accordance with the height of the contained liquid 8 above said base, means for maintaining a hydrostatic head of contained liquid for exerting lifting pressure on said sidewall to support the sidewall in its elevated condition above said base, and a flexible stay of sheet material extending about the periphery of said upper peripheral margin and attached to said base inward of said' upper peripheral margin and extending diagonally upward away from said base and outward to an attachment to said sidewall at said upper peripheral margin for vertical swinging movement of said stay to accommodate changes in the height of said upper peripheral margin above said base, whereby shifting of said upper peripheral margin in the direction laterally outward of the container is restrained by said stay under conditions of greater height of liquid above said base in the restrained region of the container as compared with other regions of the container.

7. A collapsible container for liquid, said container comprising a base of flexible liquid-tight material, a collapsible wall of flexible liquidtight material extending about said base and overlying said base and having an upper margin inward of the periphery of said base, said wall having normally an upwardly and inwardly arched disposition relative to said base when the container is filled with liquid, means for maintaining a hydrostatic head of contained liquid for exerting lifting pressure on said wall to support the latter in upright disposition, and a flexible stay of sheet material extending about the periphery of said upper margin and diagonally from a position at said upper margin to a position on said base inwardly of said upper margin and providing with said base and said wall an annular chamber for liquid, said stay being attached to said wall and said base only at said positions and being spaced from said wall between said positions for swinging movement relative to said base, and said stay being in a taut condition under the upright disposition of said wall for restraining localized outward rolling and bowing of said wall under the hydrostatic pressure and having openings therein for admitting the main body of liquid of the container to the space of said annular chamber for exerting said lifting pressure on said wall.

VICTOR H. HASSELQUIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 573,625 Ruffner Dec. 22, 1896 1,961,061 McCulloch May 29, 1934 2,084,236 Babb June 15, 1937 2,443,440 Alvarez June 15, 1948

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