US2616485A

US2616485A - Convertible swing structure

Info

Publication number: US2616485A
Application number: US694982A
Authority: US
Inventors: Homer R Robbins
Original assignee: E Y BROWN; E Y BROWN SR
Current assignee: E Y BROWN; E Y BROWN SR
Priority date: 1946-09-05
Filing date: 1946-09-05
Publication date: 1952-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1969-11-04

Description

Nov. 4, 1952 H. R. ROBBINS 2,616,485

CONVERTIBLE SWING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 5, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Homer 5? Pobins WWW Em Nov. 4, 1952 H. R. ROBBINS 2,616,485

CONVERTIBLE SWING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 5, 1946 r 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor b ame?" A. #0561725 By mun Wave} 19% Nov. 4, 1952 H. R. ROBBINS 2,616,485

CONVERTIBLE SWING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 5, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Homer 1?. P0661725 Mid WW 3m Nov. 4, 1952 H. R. ROBBINS 2,616,485

v CONVERTIBLE SWING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 5, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor Homer 1?- $066075 H. R. ROBBINS CONVERTIBLE SWING STRUCTURE Nov. 4, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1946 Home)" A. Aazns 03., WWW M30038]:

I IHII' Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES FATNT OFFICE CONVERTIBLE SWING STRUCTURE Application September 5, 1946, Serial No. 694,982

4 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement and exercising apparatus, such as are used by children at playgrounds and the like.

More particularly, the present invention consists of equipment composed of a number of separate units and parts, certain ones of which may be selected and assembled to form any desired one of a number of different devices commonly used by children for amusement and exercising purposes at playgrounds and the like.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a swing constructed of certain units and parts of the present equipment;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a swinging teeter-totter assembly constructed of a number of units and parts of the present equipment;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a slide chute device constructed of selected units and parts of the present equipment;

Figure 6 is an elevational view looking toward the left of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a ladder climbing assembly constructed of certain units and parts of the present equipment;

Figure 8 is an end elevational view of the device shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of a see-saw assembly constructed of certain units and parts of the present equipment;

Figure 10 is an end elevational view of the device shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a base or chute unit included in the present equipment;

Figure 12 is a transverse section taken on line l9i9 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a top plan view of a teeter unit forming part of the present equipment.

Figure 14 is a side elevational view of the unit shown in Figure 21;

Figure 15 is a top plan view of a double seat forming part of the present equipment, and

Figure 16 is a side elevational view thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the several units and parts which comprise the present equipment, consist of perforated strips or bars A and B of dififerent lengths; a ladder unit C, a brace bar D; a base or chute unit E; a teeter unit F, a seat unit G; and dowels H and I of different lengths. The equipment includes two of the bars A, four of the bars B, two of the ladder units C, four of the braces D, two each of the dowels H and I, and one each of the remaining parts or units.

Each strip or bar A has a series of three transverse apertures or openings 5 through the central portion thereof, and a series of three spaced transverse openings 6 through each end portion thereof, to facilitate connection of the bar to other structural elements.

Each strip or bar B has two transverse openings intermediate its ends, one transverse opening 8 near one end, and two transverse openings 9 through the other end portion thereof.

Each ladder unit C comprises a pair of spaced parallel stiles l0 rigidly connected by rungs H, each stile [0 having a transverse opening near one end thereof as at l2 and two transverse openings near the other end thereof as indicated at [3.

Each brace D comprises a strip or bar beveled at the ends as at M and provided near one end with a transverse opening [5 and near the other end with an oblique open ended slot [8.

The base or chute unit E, which is common to the several devices constructed by use of the present equipment, comprises a pair of spaced parallel sled runners ll, each having a transverse aperture [8 near one end and a pair of spaced transverse apertures 19 near the other end to facilitate connection of the unit E to other elements of the equipment and to facilitate connection of a rope to one end of the unit for pulling the same when used as a sled. The unit E further includes an elongated board or plate 2E] which spans and is rigidly secured to the runners IT. The board or plate 20 has a sheet metal facing 2| on the surface thereof from which the runners l'l project. The opposite ends I? of the runners project beyond the opposite ends of the board 20, and the free longitudinal edges of runners Ii may be equipped with runner shoes 22.

The teeter unit F comprises an elongated bar 23 provided in the underside of its intermediate portion with a series of transverse grooves 2 3 which mate with a similar series of transverse grooves 25 provided in the upper surface of a short bar 26 bolted at 2'! to the teeter bar 23. The

mating grooves

24 and 25 are adapted to selectively receive a pivot pin for tiltably mounting the teeter unit upon a support as will be later described. At each end, the teeterbar 23 ispro- 3 vided with a suitable seat plate 28 which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured thereon as at 29. Fixed to and rising from the teeter bar 23 at the inner end of each seat plate 28 is a post 3t provided at its upper end with a cross bar or handle bar 3|.

The unit G is a double seat unit adapted to accommodate two children facing each other, and it consists in spaced parallel side boards 32 rigidly connected near their opposite ends by seats 33, each composed of boards respectively forming the scat bottom and back rest of the seat. Midway between the seats 33', the boards 32 are connected by transverse foot rest bar 34 having its ends secured to the lower edges of the boards 32. The. ends of the boards 32 project outwardly beyond the seats 33, where they are provided with spaced transverse openings 35 disposed one above the other.

Each dowel H has a transverse opening 36 at each end, and each dowel I has a. similar transverse opening 37 near each end.

In constructing the swing of Figures 1 and 2 the lower end of a strip. or bar 13 is bolted as at 38 to each end of each runner ll of the base unit E so as to provide a pair of spaced uprights at each end of the unit E. Each pair of uprights is connected at their upper ends by a. strip or bar A, the adjacent ends of the bars A andB. being bolted together as at 39. Braces D are, then provided between each bar B and the bar A at each side-i the structure, bolts 40. being passed through the apertures I of the braces D and the end ones of the intermediate series of apertures 5 of the bars A. The slotted ends of braces D. are enga ed over bolts 4| passed through onev of the intermediate apertures I of the each bar B. A ladder unit C is pivotally. suspended from each of the opposite ends of the bars A by means of dowels I, and the lower ends of the ladder units C are pivoted to opposite ends of the seat unit G by means. of dowels H.

In constructing the swinging teeter-totter as sembly of Figures 3 and 4, the same supporting structure is used as described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, such supporting structure bein that which remains upon removal of the. ladder units C and the seat unit G of Figure 1. A single ladder unit C is then pivotally suspended from the bars A intermediate the ends of: the latter by a dowel I, and the teeter unitF is. pivoted upon a dowel H passed through the lower end of this lad-. der unit. The dowel H passes through the desired pair of mating grooves 24-; and 25. of the teeter unit to balance or unbalance the latter as desired according to therespective weightsof the occupants of the teeter unit.

In constructing the slide chute device of'Fi-gures 5 and 6, the base or chute unit Eis supported at an inclination by means of a pair of the. bars- B, with the runners l1 projecting upwardly with res spect to the board 20. Thi disposes the sheet metal facing 2| uppermost to form a slipperyslide surface. As shown, the upper ends of the bars' B: are bolted at 42 to the higherend of them'iit E, and the upper end of a. ladder unit C isconnected to the bars B by means of a dowel I. The: lower ends of the bars B and ladder unit C are respec.-. tively connected to corresponding ends of a pair of bars A by bolting at 43 and use of a dowel I respectively. The other ends of the bars A are connected to the lower endportion of-the unit E by means of a pair of the bars B- respectively bolted at 44 to the adjacent ends of the bars A 4 unit E. This disposes the bars B and ladder unit C at a downward and rearward inclination which is maintained by connection of these bars and the unit C with the lower end of the chute unit E by means of the bars A and B.

In constructing the ladder climbing assembly of Figures '7 and 8, the same structure is used as shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that the seat unit G is eliminated, and the lower ends of the ladder units C are connected together by the use of a single dowel H, as shown. This disposes the ladder units C at a greater inclination for use in climbing exercises.

In constructing the see-saw assembly of Figures 9 and 10, the lower ends of two pairs of the bars B are bolted at 45 to opposite ends of the unit E, and the upper ends of the two pairs of bars B are connected by a transverse dowel I upon which the teeter unit F is pivoted by passing the dowel I through the desired one of the mating pairs of

grooves

24 and 25 of the unit F. By eliminating the unit F, the supporting structure remaining, of the device shown in Figures 9 and 10, may be usedv in constructing a sled. This is done by merely suspending the seat unit G from the bars B of the said remaining supporting structure by use of dowels I passing through end apertures of the unit G and intermediate apertures of the bars B as indicated by dotted lines in Figures 9 and 10. When this is done, the outer ones of the apertures [9 of the runners I1, and on the forward ends thereof, may be used for attachment of the ends of a rope to the runners H for use in pulling the sled thus constructed.

As will be understood, the equipment consists of a number of separate units and parts, certain ones of which may be selected and assembled to form any desired one of the, number of diiierent devices used for amusement and exercising purposes. While the equipment may be employed to construct other devices, those shown by way of example will be suficient to disclose the principle. involved.

What I claim is:

1. An amusement cr exercising device, comprising a base unit in the form of a slide chute adapted to serve as a ground engaging support for said device, said base unit including a pair of spaced parallel runners, each having a transverse aperture near each end, and an elongated board spanning and rigidly secured to said, runners, the opposite ends of the runners projecting beyond the opposite ends of the board, pairs of upright perforated bars secured, at their lower ends to opposite ends of the runners, a. further pair of longer perforated bars rigidly connecting the,

upper ends of the first named bars, angle braces connecting the intermediate portions or" the first named bars with the intermediate portions of the second named bars, ladder units pivotally suspended from the second named bars near the opposite ends thereof, and a seat unit, said ladder said base comprising a pair of spaced parallel.

elongated runners, each having a transverse aperture near each end, an elongated board spanning and rigidly secured. along itsv side edges upon longitudinal edges of said runners, means for 45 t th lowe ends orthe runners ofthe facilitating connection of a rope to the ends of the runners at one end of the base for pulling the same, a sheet metal facing on the surface of said board from which the runners project. the opposite end portions of the runners projecting beyond the opposite ends of the board and having the ends thereof rearwardly inclined, and runner shoes secured to the outer longitudinal edges and the ends of the runners. I i

3. In an amusement and exercising apparatus having portions convertible to form differently useable units, a base in the form of a slide chute adapted to serve as a ground engaging support for certain of said units, said base including a pair of spaced parallel runners, each having a transverse aperture near each end to facilitate connection of other structural elements thereto, an elongated board spanning and rigidly secured to said runners, the opposite ends of the runners projecting beyond the opposite ends of the board, a plurality of other perforated mechanical elements adapted for detachable connection to said runners to form a superstructure on said base, and means engaging the perforations of said base and said other elements for detachably fastening ends of said elementslto the ends of said runners.

4. In an amusement and exercising apparatus having portions convertible to form differently useable units, a supporting base for certain of said units in the form of a slide chute adapted to form a part of a slide chute unit, said base including a pair of spaced parallel runners, each having a transverse aperture near each end, and

an elongated board spanning and rigidly secured to said runners, the opposite ends of the runners projecting beyond the opposite ends of the board, pairs of perforated bars detachably secured at corresponding ends to the opposite ends of the runners by means engaging the apertures of the runners and perforations of the bars, a pair of elongated perforated bars detachably connected at their ends to the upper ends of the first named bars by means engaging perforations of the bars, angle braces detachably connected at their ends to the intermediate portions of the last named bars and the intermediate portions of the first named bars by means engaging perforations of said bars.

HOMER R. ROBBINS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Perry Mar. 12, 1946