Main drain safety grate apparatus

A safety grate apparatus for a pool or spa drain, comprising:

• at least one deformably releasable grate, said releasable grate having a draining section, and two grate-ends;
• a frame engaging the grate, said frame having at least one retainer formed in each end to receive the grate-ends;
• the grate being elongated between the two grate-ends;
• the grate being deformable in an arcuate manner to release said grate-ends from said retainers to protect a swimmer from entrapment;
• the grate-ends having distal edges, wherein said distal edges are tapered, and the retainers are slots;
• the grate being substantially prevented from deforming downwardly;
• the grate comprising a lower surface, and the frame further comprises at least two shelves extending beneath a portion of said lower surface, and said shelves substantially prevent the grate from deforming downwardly;
• the frame further comprising:
• a frame face;
• at least one liquid channel;
• at least one flange, and
• the grate further comprising an upper surface, wherein the draining section has a plurality of transverse slots formed therethrough, and the frame face and the grate's upper surface are substantially level, and the shelves are integral with the liquid channel.

A safety grate apparatus for a pool or spa drain, comprising:

• at least one deformably releasable grate, said releasable grate having a draining section, and two grate-ends;
• a frame engaging the grate, said frame having at least one retainer formed in each end to receive the grate-ends;
• the grate being elongated between the two grate-ends;
• the grate being deformable in an arcuate manner to release said grate-ends from said retainers to protect a swimmer from entrapment;
• the grate-ends having distal edges, wherein said distal edges are tapered, and the retainers are slots;
• the frame further comprising at least one liquid channel, said liquid channel comprising upper and lower sections, said upper section adjacent to the draining section so as to permit draining from the draining section through the liquid channel, wherein the frame encloses the grate;
• wherein the liquid channel is vertically-oriented, and the safety grate apparatus further comprises a sump substantially enclosing the lower section of the liquid channel;
• and wherein the sump comprises:
• a cavity;
• at least one outlet penetrating the cavity;
• an outer flange;
• and the cavity comprises two sets of opposed, vertical, internal surfaces to restrain horizontal motion of the lower section of the liquid channel, but permit vertical translation.

A safety grate apparatus for a pool or spa drain, comprising:

• an elongated grate, having an upper surface, comprising:
• a draining section;
• and
• two grate-ends;
• a frame, having two ends, having at least one slot formed in each end to receive and retain the grate-ends;
• wherein said grate is bendable upwardly to release said grate-ends from said slots to protect a swimmer from entrapment.

A safety grate apparatus for a pool or spa drain, comprising:

• an elongated grate, having an upper surface, comprising:
• a draining section;
• and
• two grate-ends;
• a frame, having two ends, having at least one slot formed in each end to receive the grate-ends;
• wherein said grate is bendable upwardly to release said grate-ends from said slots to protect a swimmer from entrapment;
• the grate-ends having distal edges, each of said distal edges comprising a taper section, wherein the grate is bendable in an arcuate manner between said taper sections;
• and
• said taper section comprising a proximal angle section, and a distal convex tab having a corner, wherein each of said convex tabs are wholly received by the slots and said slots impede upward motion of the grate at a plurality of contact points.

A safety grate apparatus for a pool or spa drain, comprising:

• an elongated grate, having an upper surface, comprising:
• a draining section;
• two grate-ends;
• and
• a plurality of axes transverse to its elongated dimension;
• a frame, having two ends, having at least one slot formed in each end to receive the grate-ends;
• wherein said grate is bendable upwardly to release said grate-ends from said slots to protect a swimmer from entrapment;
• the grate-ends having distal edges, each of said distal edges comprising a taper section, wherein the grate is bendable in an arcuate manner between said taper sections;
• said taper section comprising a proximal angle section, and a distal convex tab having a corner, wherein each of said convex tabs are wholly received by the slots and said slots impede upward motion of the grate at a plurality of contact points;
• and
• wherein each of the convex tabs comprise a corner and a convex upper surface, and rotation of said convex tabs about the transverse axes results in the contact points being farther apart along the upper surface of the grate.

A safety grate apparatus for a main drain of a pool or spa, comprising:

• an elongated grate, having an upper surface;
• a draining section;
• at least two elongated sides;
• and
• two grate-ends, having a transverse axis extending along each grate-end;
• a frame, comprising:
• a liquid channel;
• and
• a flanged frame face,
• said liquid channel having two ends, each end having a slot formed therein to receive the grate-ends;
• and
• said grate being substantially deformable about a plurality of bending axes substantially parallel to the transverse axes to release the grate-ends from the slots to protect a swimmer from entrapment.

A safety grate apparatus for a main drain of a pool or spa, comprising:

• a grate, having an upper surface;
• a draining section;
• and
• two grate-ends, having a transverse axis extending along each grate-end;
• a frame, comprising:
• a liquid channel;
• and
• a flanged frame face,
• said liquid channel having two ends, each end having a slot formed therein to receive the grate-ends;
• and
• said grate being substantially deformable about a plurality of bending axes substantially parallel to the transverse axes to release the grate-ends from the slots to protect a swimmer from entrapment;
• wherein each of said grate-ends comprise an angle section and a convex tab, and each of said convex tabs is fully receivable by the slots, and said slots impede upward motion of the grate at a plurality of contact points.

A pool safety grate apparatus, comprising:

• at least one deformably releasable grate, said releasable grate having a slotted section, two sides, and two grate-ends, wherein the grate is elongated between the two grate-ends;
• and
• a frame supporting and receiving the grate, said frame having two ends, at least one retainer formed in each end to releasably retain the grate-ends;
• wherein the grate is deformable in an arcuate manner about at least one axis substantially transverse to the sides to release said grate-ends from said retainers to protect a swimmer from entrapment.

A pool safety grate apparatus, comprising:

• an elongated grate, comprising a draining section and two grate-ends forming ends of said elongated grate;
• and
• a frame, having two ends, each end having at least one slot formed therein to releasably retain the grate-ends;
• wherein said grate is bendable by bowing upwardly along an axis between the grate-ends to release said grate-ends from said slots to protect a swimmer from entrapment.