CA1196352A - Modular playground device - Google Patents

Modular playground device

Info

Publication number
CA1196352A
CA1196352A CA000421885A CA421885A CA1196352A CA 1196352 A CA1196352 A CA 1196352A CA 000421885 A CA000421885 A CA 000421885A CA 421885 A CA421885 A CA 421885A CA 1196352 A CA1196352 A CA 1196352A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
base portion
module
wall
playground
bottom wall
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000421885A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Christian Parent
Michel Provencal
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA000421885A priority Critical patent/CA1196352A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1196352A publication Critical patent/CA1196352A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63BAPPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B9/00Climbing poles, frames, or stages

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A playground module formed from a hollow member which is of a generally open U-shaped configuration and being provided with bores for mounting on anchor members in either an upright or inverted position and for securing to one or more like members to form a plurality of interesting shapes. The member is preferably box-shaped in cross-section and formed of plastic in one or more colours. The box-shaped cross-section may be formed by bonding together engaging edges of two like halves of U-shaped cross-section.

Description

~g~352 This invention relates to a playground module oE
the type which may be moun-ted in a park, school cJrou~d or similar area as a play s-truc-ture for children.
Various structures have been designed for installation in playgrounds for the purpose of exercise and amusement of children. Many of the structures can be used to build an arrangement of only one particular configuration. Structures for mounting swings and teetertot-ters are usually formed of pipe and are not particularly attractive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an economical and attractive module which can be used to form numerous interesting configurations and also used to provide support structures for conventional playground items, such as swings.
According to the present invention there is provided 1 a playground module formed by a membar of generally open U-shaped configuration having a base portion and a pair of diverging leg portions extending contiguously from opposite ends of the base portion. The base portion has a mounting surface on a side opposite to the leg portions, and the leg portions each terminate in a mounting surface in a common plane which is parallel to the mounting surface of the base member.
More specifically the member has mounting means associated with the mounting surfaces for securing the member in place and fastening a number of the modules together.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention, by way of examples, wherein:

pc/~'j iL1963~2 , ~
Figure 1 is a side view of -the module;
Fi~ure 2 is a top view of the module;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of two like parts which are used to form the module;
Figures 4~ and 4B are enlarged sectional views illustrating the manner in which a module is fixed in place.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of an arrangement using four modules and panels to form a tunnel or enclosure.
Figures 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D are side views of other~
combinations of the moaules, Figure 6D being shown on the same sheet as Figure l;
Figure 7 is a top view of a modified form of the module.
Figure 8 is a side view of the module of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a side view of a support built from a plurality of the modified form of the module of Figures 7 and 8.
A playground module 20 in its simplest form is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and is of a generally open U-shaped member formed by a base portion 21, and a pair of leg portions 22,22. In Figure 1, the U-shaped configuration is inverted, i.e. with leg portions 22,22 extending downwardly, and it will be described in this orientation with respect to its upper or top surfaces and lower or bottom surfaces for the sake of convenience, but it will become readily apparent that it may be mounted with the base portion 21 down and the leg portions 22,22 extending upwardly. The leg portions 22,22 extend contiguously from opposite ends of the base portion 21 and diverge downwardly away from the base portion 21. The pc/~

base portion 21 has a top wall 23, opposite sid~ walls 24,2L~ and bot-tom wall 25, all of which are shown as providiny flat outer surfaces of the base portion. The leg por-tions each have an upper slanted wall 26, a lower slan-ted wall 27, side walls 29,29 and terminate at a bottom wall 28.
The member forming the module is shown as being hollow, and as illustrated in Figure 3,is formed by bonding together two identical parts which may be molded plastic parts of U-shaped cross sections. The engaging edges may be permanently cemented or fused together so that the module is box-shaped in cross-section. Flanges 23a,23a form top wall 23, flanges 26a,26a form upper slanted wall 26, flanges 25a,25a form bottom wall 25, flanges 27a,27a form lower slanted wall 27, and flanges 28a,28a form bottom wall 28, i when the two halves are bonded together. In the assembled module the side walls 29,29 of each leg portion are parallel, as are the side walls 24,24 of the base portion, the top wall 23 and bottom wall 25 of the base portion, and the upper slanted wall 26 and the lower slanted wall 27 of each leg portion.
When moun-ted in the position shown in Figure 1, the surfaces formed by bottom walls 28,28 of the leg portions provide mounting surfaces, and when inverted so that the legs extend upwardly, the surface formed by top wall 23 provides a mounting surface. Bottom walls 24,24 of the leg portions are in a common plane which is parallel to the top wall 23 of the base portion.

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;352 The mounting surfaces have mounting means 32 (Figures ~A ancl 4B) Eor Eixing the modu:Le in an upr:ight posi-tion and Eor fastening modules together, -the means beincJ
in -the form of a bore 33 having a cons-triction or rest-ricted portion 3~. The bore 33 may be ~ormed by providing a semi-cylindrical section in each molded half so tha-t when the two halves are bonded together, the cylindrical bore extends between the upper slanted wall 26 and the bottom wall 28 in each leg portion, ana between the top wall 23 a~d the bottom wall 25 in the base portion. The restricted portion 34 is provided by a cylindrical plug having small cylindrical aperture extending longitudinally therethrough and being bonded in the cylindrical bore 33 when the two halves are being fixed toge.her. In the case OI the leg portion,the plug lS located closer to the bottom wall 24, and in the case of the base portion it is located closer to the -top wall 23 so that there is provided in the bores 33 of the base portion adjacent bottom wall 25 of -the base portion, and in the bores 33 of the leg portions adjacent the slanted upper wall 26, a countèrsink 35.
The side walls 36 of the leg portions are provided with slots 36 which are aligned and may be spaced along a longitudinal center line of the side wall. Similar slots may be provided in other walls, such as the lower slanted walls 27.
~s was indicated above, the two identical halves which are used in forming the module may be in the form of a molded plastic part. Pigmen-ts may be used to provide a selected colour or variety of colours, and unlike pain-ted sb/

structures, the finish does not deteriora-te and recluires no ~aintenance. The corners be-tween adjacen-t walls, such as top wall 23 and side walls 24 may be slightly roundecl so that sharp dangerous edges are avoided.
~ lodules may be provided in a variety of sizes, but a useful standard height might be selected at 2 1/2 feet.
The relationship of mounting surfaces provided by bo-ttom walls 28,28 and top wall 23 as well as the location of bores 33 is selected to allow a systematic combining of the modules. For example, the length of the top wall 23, i.e.
the distance between the corners where the top wall 23 merges with the upper slanted walls 26,26, is equal to or is slightly longer than twice the length of the bottom wall 28, i.e. the distance between the edges where the bottom wall 28 meets the upper slanted wall 26 and the lower slanted wall 27. The bore 33 associated with the bottom wall 28 is preferably centrally located, i.e. midway between side walls 29,29 and midway between the edges with the upper slanted wall and the lower slanted wall. The bores 33 in the base por-tion 21 are preferably spaced midway between side walls 24 and on opposite sides of a transverse center line of base portion 21 a distance substantially e~ual to one-half the length of the bottom wall 28.
The modified module 20' shown in Figures 7 and 8 includes a stabilizing addition 40 in the form of secondary base portion 21' bonded to and extending perpendicularly from one side of the normal base portion of the member and one leg portion 22'. The top wall 23' of the secondary base portion 21' sb/

is in the same plane as the to~ wall 23 o~ -the normal base sec-tion ~nd the bo-ttom 28' o~ the le~ portion 22' is ln the same plane as the bo-ttom walls 28,28. The stabiliæin~
addi-tion 40 may actually be formed by cutting transversly through the base portion of a normal module, it being preferable to select the length of the secondary base portion 21' so that the distance between the corner between the top wall 23' and the upper slanted wall 26' and -the longitudinal center line of the top wall 23 is substantially equal to one-half the length of the top wall 23.
To mount a single module to provide a playground structure in a position shown in Figure 1, a pair of anchor members, which may be in the form of a post 45 with a central threaded bore 45 (Figures 4A and 4B), are embedded in the ground at an on-center distance equal to the spacing of the bores 33 in the pair of leg portions. A bolt 47 is then inserted into each countersink in the upper slanted surfaces 26,26 so that the threated shank passes through the aperture in the restricted portion and may then be screwed into the anchor member. The bolt 47 may be provided with a washer 48 which bears against -the top of the restricted portion as the bolt is tightened into the threaded bore 46. If the module is to be mounted in an inverted position, the pair of anchor posts are spaced a distance so as -to have their central threaded bores align with the pair of bores in the base portion 21 of the member.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 5, a pair of inverted modules are fixed in a parallel position, and sb/

another pair of modules in the upri~h-t position are mounted on the inverted modules. The mounted surfaces provided by bottom walls 28 of each set of modules are brough-t into engagement and are bolted to~ether by utilizin~ a nut with the bolt 47 (not shown in Figure 5). A tunnel-like configuration or enclosure can be formed by providing side panels 50 between each axially aligned pair of leg portions 22, the panel having tabs 51 positioned, to be received in slots 36. End panels 54 may also be provided, the panel 54 being of triangular shape and provided with tabs 55 for reception in slots in the lower slanted walls 27.
In the arrangement shown in Figure ~A, an inverted module is mounted on top of an upright module which has been anchored in position, .he base portion of the inverted module being secured to the base portion of the upright module by bolts fixed in the aligned bores of the two engaging base portions. In the arrangement shown in 6B, three modules are used, two upright modules being anchored end-to-end, with the bottom walls 28,28 of the third upright module engaging the top walls of the base portions of the two anchored modules and bolts passing through the bores of the leg portions of the third module and the bores in base portions of the two anchored modules. Figures 6C and 6D show additional variations utilizing three modules.
The arrangement shown in Figure 8 utilizes the modified form of the module shown in Figure 7 and provides effective and yet attractive support for a cross bar for swings or like play equipment. The lowermost module 20' is sb/

1:~9~

mounted in an inver-ted posi-tion to anchor posts ~5,~5, the ne~t module 20' being moun-ted uprigh-t on the lowermost with the bottom walls of the -three leg portions being bolted to -the bo-ttom walls of the three leg portions of the lowermost module. The next or third module is mounted in an inverted position on the second module with the base portions bolted together, and the forth is mounted on the third in the same manner as the second is mounted on the lowermost. The base portion 21 of the fourth module is provided with a transverse central opening 60 to receive a cross bar (not shown~, and with the use of the four modules, each of which is 2 1/2 feet high, the cross bar is located about 10 feet above the ground.
The above-described modules are shown as examples of a preferred form, it being apparent the variations would be apparent to those skilled in ihe art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appending claims.

; - 8 -pc/~

Claims (13)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A playground module comprising a member having a generally open U-shaped configuration formed by a base portion and a pair of diverging leg portions extending contiguously from opposite ends of said base portion, said base portion having a mounting surface on a side opposite said leg portions, said leg portions each terminating in a mounting surface in a common plane parallel to said mounting surface of said base member.
2. A playground module comprising a hollow body defined by a base portion and a pair of downwardly diverging leg portions, said base portion having a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, said pair of leg portions being formed contiguously with opposite ends of said base portion and extending from the bottom wall thereof, each leg portion terminating in a bottom wall and having an upper slanted wall, a lower slanted wall, a pair of side walls, the bottom walls of said leg portions being in a common plane parallel to said top wall of said base portion.
3. A playground module as defined in claim 2, wherein said member has mounting means associated with said top wall of said base portion and said bottom walls of said leg portions.
4. A playground module as defined in claim 3, wherein said mounting means includes bores in each leg portion and in said base portion intersecting said bottom wall of each leg portion and said top wall of said base portion.
5. A playground module as defined in claim 4, wherein said bore in each leg portion extends from the top slanted wall to said bottom wall thereof and has a restricted portion therein spaced from said top slanted wall of the leg portion whereby a countersink is provided in said bore inwardly from said top slanted wall.
6. A playground module as defined in claim 4, wherein the bore in said base portion extends from said bottom wall to said top wall thereof and has a restricted portion spaced from the bottom wall whereby a countersink is provided in said bore inwardly from said bottom wall of said base portion.
7. A playground module as defined in claim 4, wherein said bore in the leg portion is located in said bottom wall of said leg portion midway between the side walls thereof and a selected distance from the edge of the intersection between the bottom wall and top slanted wall thereof, and wherein there are two bores in said base portion located midway between the side walls of the base portion, the two bores being located on opposite sides of a transverse center line of the base portion a distance from said center line at least as great as said selected distance.
8. A playground module as defined in claim 2, wherein said hollow body is box-shaped in cross-section and is formed of two like halves of U-shaped cross-section with engaging edges of said two halves being bonded together.
9. A playground module as defined in claim 8, wherein said halves are formed of moulded plastic.
10. A playground module as defined in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein a transverse opening is provided from side wall to side wall through said base portion.
11. A playground module as defined in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the side walls of the leg portions are provided with slots.
12. A playground module as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, and further comprising a stabilizing addition including a secondary base portion joined to and extending perpendicularly from one side wall of the base portion of said member and one leg portion of the same configuration as the leg portions of said member formed contiguously with the free end of said secondary base portion, said one leg portion having a bottom wall in the same common plane as the bottom wall of said pair of leg portions.
13. A playground module as defined in claim 7, wherein said bore in the leg portion is centrally located in said bottom wall thereof.
CA000421885A 1983-02-17 1983-02-17 Modular playground device Expired CA1196352A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000421885A CA1196352A (en) 1983-02-17 1983-02-17 Modular playground device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000421885A CA1196352A (en) 1983-02-17 1983-02-17 Modular playground device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1196352A true CA1196352A (en) 1985-11-05

Family

ID=4124587

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000421885A Expired CA1196352A (en) 1983-02-17 1983-02-17 Modular playground device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1196352A (en)

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