Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Epple

Thomas A. Epple has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10344492
    Abstract: A pool including a wall having a top end and a wall profile, and a reinforcing system for reinforcing the wall. The reinforcing system includes a plurality of top caps attached to the top end of the wall. Each top cap includes a shell body with a peripheral surface and at least one internal truss member such that each top cap is laterally flexible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Trivector Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Publication number: 20180142485
    Abstract: A pool including a wall having a top end and a wall profile, and a reinforcing system for reinforcing the wall. The reinforcing system includes a plurality of top caps attached to the top end of the wall. Each top cap includes a shell body with a peripheral surface and at least one internal truss member such that each top cap is laterally flexible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: Trivector Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Patent number: 8857115
    Abstract: A step for ingress and egress from a swimming pool and/or a spa includes a tread including opposing side edges, a riser coupled with and extending substantially perpendicular from one of the side edges of the tread and an upper flange substantially perpendicular to said tread and coupled with and extending upwardly or downwardly from one of the opposing side edges of the tread opposite the riser. The upper flange is configured to be coupled with the riser of another step or a wall of the swimming pool or spa to form a stairway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Trivector Manufacturing
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Publication number: 20120102855
    Abstract: A step for ingress and egress from a swimming pool and/or a spa includes a tread including opposing side edges, a riser coupled with and extending substantially perpendicular from one of the side edges of the tread and an upper flange substantially perpendicular to said tread and coupled with and extending upwardly or downwardly from one of the opposing side edges of the tread opposite the riser. The upper flange is configured to be coupled with the riser of another step or a wall of the swimming pool or spa to form a stairway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Patent number: 6886188
    Abstract: A lid support bracket assembly for supporting a pool cover box lid includes a wall mount and a bracket angularly adjustably coupled to the wall mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Epple, Lanny R. Smith
  • Patent number: 6769141
    Abstract: An equipment mounting assembly for mounting equipment in a pool cover box is provided, including at least one positioning feature configured to engage at least two walls of the pool cover box and at least one mounting plate, the at least one positioning feature adjustably connected to the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Epple, Lanny R. Smith
  • Publication number: 20030084503
    Abstract: A pool cover box assembly for housing a swimming pool cover installed at an end of a swimming pool having a first facia positioned along at least one edge of the swimming pool, including a plurality of vertical walls, including a rear wall, a lid having a front edge and a rear edge, the rear edge being removably engaged with the rear wall, and a second facia connected with the front edge of the lid, the second facia being complimentary in shape with the first facia, an end of the second facia in substantial alignment with an end of the first facia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Publication number: 20030084502
    Abstract: A lid support bracket assembly for supporting a pool cover box lid includes a wall mount and a bracket angularly adjustably coupled to the wall mount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas A. Epple, Lanny R. Smith
  • Publication number: 20030084501
    Abstract: An equipment mounting assembly for mounting equipment in a pool cover box is provided, including at least one positioning feature configured to engage at least two walls of the pool cover box and at least one mounting plate, the at least one positioning feature adjustably connected to the mounting plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas A. Epple, Lanny R. Smith
  • Patent number: 6519788
    Abstract: A swimming pool has a plurality of walls with a pair of side walls on opposite sides of the pool. The plurality of walls define a target water level within the swimming pool. A pair of tracks are respectively associated with each side wall and positioned above the target water level. A cover includes a pair of longitudinal side edges, with each side edge carried by a corresponding track. The cover includes at least one gas vent along each side edge and above the target water level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Publication number: 20020162167
    Abstract: An automatic pool cover box assembly includes a plurality of vertical walls and a lid. Each vertical wall has a top surface, including a rear wall and a front wall, the top surface of the rear wall defining a horizontal plane. The top surface of the front wall is disposed below and substantially parallel to the horizontal plane. The lid has a rear edge and an opposite front edge, the lid being substantially coplanar with the horizontal plane, the rear edge being connected to the rear wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Patent number: 6418572
    Abstract: A swimming pool includes a first end wall, a second end wall and a pair of side walls. A cover box is positioned adjacent to the first end wall. A coping is positioned at the top of the side walls and the second end wall. The coping includes a cover track slot. A leading edge bar is associated with the cover track slot and is movable between positions adjacent the first end wall and the second end wall. The leading edge bar includes a nose which fits into the cover track slot of the second end wall when the leading edge bar is adjacent to the second end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Epple, Neiel J. Kuhn
  • Patent number: 6393632
    Abstract: An end cap coping for a swimming pool of sufficiently low profile to allow a pool cover to be extended thereover. The end cap coping includes a body having a channel with holes in a bottom thereof for receiving fasteners extending in to a wall of the pool. An enlarged edge of the body includes a slot for retaining a bead of a liner for the pool. The end cap coping is positioned above a target water level for the pool, but below tracks supporting a cover of the pool. A cover is provided for the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Patent number: 6384726
    Abstract: A safety system for an automatic swimming pool cover having a cover and a cover drive for extending and retracting the cover, the safety system having at least one sensor for detecting the presence of a heat generating body in the pool and for generating a signal in response thereto; and a controller receiving said signal and activating a safety protocol in response to the at least one sensor detecting the presence of a heat generating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Epple, Timothy M. Saxer
  • Publication number: 20020050004
    Abstract: A pool cover box lid edge support, includes a base and a facia connected together. At least the base or the facia is connectable with and provides vertical support to an edge of a pool cover box lid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Patent number: 6324706
    Abstract: An automatic pool cover box includes a front wall having a plurality of elongated extrusions, each extrusion having a first side wall, an opposite second side wall, a first coupler on the first side wall and a second coupler on the second side wall. Adjacent extrusions are coupled together using a respective first coupler and second coupler. A second side wall of one of the extrusions defines a bottom edge of the front wall. A rear wall includes a plurality of elongated extrusions, each extrusion having a first side wall, an opposite second side wall, a first coupler on the first side wall and a second coupler on the second side wall. Adjacent extrusions are coupled together using a respective first coupler and second coupler. A second side wall of one of the extrusions defines a bottom edge of the rear wall which is at least intermittently connected with the bottom edge of the front wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Patent number: 5680730
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a coping for use in a swimming pool. A base is configured for connecting to a sidewall of the pool. A wall is connected to the base and includes a facia. The facia has a first slot for receiving and retaining a liner bead therein and a second slot for receiving and retaining a tube light therein. The first slot and the second slot extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the coping. The coping is of monolithic, metal construction. With the slot receiving the tube light having a circular cross-section. A coping clip is utilized to attach end-to-end coping pieces to one another with the clip extending from the top edge of the coping to the light receiving slot without obscuring the light receiving slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple
  • Patent number: D444242
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Fort Wayne Pools, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Epple