Since the early years of backyard swimming pools, pool covers were little more than large, heavy pieces of canvas that had to be held down with heavy sandbags. They were such a nuisance to maneuver, most pool owners simply didnt bother. In 1960, Joe Lamb, the founder of Cover-Pools, invented an automatic pool cover--a cover that could be used on a daily basis and offer safety, maintenance and heat-saving benefits to the swimming pool owner.