Movable cover for a roof, pool, or other opening

A foldable cover that can be extended across an opening, the foldable cover comprising:

• a plurality of pairs of first and second cover sections, said plurality of cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening the cover sections of each pair being connected to one another by hinges, each pair of cover sections having a folded and unfolded position and being connected by a hinge to at least one other pair of cover sections, the foldable cover being extended when the pairs of cover sections are unfolded and being retracted when the cover sections are folded;
• each of the pairs of first and second cover sections having surfaces for covering part of the opening and an aperture extending through each of the surfaces of the first and second cover sections, the apertures being approximately aligned with one another when the pairs of cover sections are in the folded position;
• and
• a cable for retracting the foldable cover, the cable extending through the apertures in the surfaces of each of the pairs of first and second cover sections;
• a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.

A foldable cover having extended and retracted positions, the foldable cover comprising:

• first, second, third, and fourth cover sections;
• each cover section having a surface for covering part of an opening and an aperture extending through the surface of each of the cover sections said cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening;
• the first and second, second and third, and third and fourth cover sections being hingeably joined to one another;
• a cable for retracting the foldable cover to the retracted position, the cable passing through the aperture in the surface of each of the cover sections such that when the cable is pulled from a position that is vertically displaced from the cover sections, the first and second cover sections are first caused to buckle upwards and fold together, after which further pulling on the cable causes the third and fourth cover sections to buckle upwards and fold together;
• a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.