GB2521651A

GB2521651A - A folding wall-mounted play device

Info

Publication number: GB2521651A
Application number: GB1323057.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stewart Corbett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-12-27
Filing date: 2013-12-27
Publication date: 2015-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 2033-12-27
Also published as: GB201323057D0; GB2521651B

Abstract

A Play device mounted to a wall consisting of a bracket and arm combination wherein the bracket comprises of a subframe fixed to a wall, a frame removably mounted to the subframe, a folding arm hinged at its proximal end and can be rotated in an arc between parallel and vertical to the frame, a fixing part comprising of a first locking means used to lock the arm in a parallel position and a secondary locking means to lock the arm in a vertical position. The play device will preferably have a fixing means for a removable play attachment that may include a swing, a basketball hoop, or a portion of a climbing frame, etc. The play device may also have a mounted support leg/s at or adjacent to the distal end of the arm and extend vertically downwards with the purpose of supporting the arm in the parallel position. The locking method for the bracket may include a locking means such as apertures and pins, bolts or catches.

Description

A folding wall-mounted play device

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to play equipment adapted to be mounted on a wall and in particular to a support device for play equipment adapted to be mounted on a wall and to fold away when not in use.

Background

There is a need for a supports for play or exercise equipment such as a swing, a climbing rope or a punchbag that may be folded away for use, provides good clearance for the support means of the equipment such as ropes and chains banging down under the support means, and which can be easily removed from the wail when not in use or can be moved between a number of different positions to suit different users or usages. Prior art devices suffer from disadvantages, such as being permanently attached to a wall, or, when removable, leaving crude and unsightly fixing means visible on the wall. Movable or removable equipment is typically designed to mount in a doorway, using friction between a device member having an adjustable length and the door jambs, or to be supported on the ground. However, wall mounted equipment can be smaller and less intrusive when not in use. The present invention aims to provide a wall-mounted support device for play or exercise equipment that overcomes the drawbacks of prior art devices.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: US20080312051 discloses a wall mountable exercise assembly for doing exercises, including stretching exercises. The wall mountable assembly includes a vertical support leg that is mounted to a support surface, typically a vertical wall, the support surface having a leg mounting bolt hole near a first end and another leg mounting bolt hole near the second end thereof. The leg mounting bolt holes engage brackets, the brackets which are attached as by fasteners to the wall. An arm is adapted to be slideably engaged to the vertical support leg between the wall mounting brackets.

The arm includes a hole for receipt of a pin. Numerous arm mounting bolt holes are provided in the vertical support leg between the two mounting points at the removed ends thereof. The arm may be slideably placed at a preselected location and an arm pin threaded the arm slider will maintain the arm at a preselected height.

This device is permanently fixed to the wall, and is not adapted to fold out from the wall, so is poorly adapted to support an item such as a swing.

GB2317578 discloses: A means for supporting physical play apparatus, eg swings, slides or climbing frames, comprises a bracket with a first part for mounting on a vertical surface, eg a wall, and at least one outwardly extending arm for supporting the play apparatus. The bracket can be removably mounted on a wall by use of sockets and there may be more than one arm. The arms may be pivotable for storage.

This device comprises a support arm extending from the wall having a support strut underneath the support arm. The arm is stated to be adapted to fold towards the wall. Nc, such embodiments are illustrated, but the presence of the support strut underneath and permanently fixed to the support arm means that such a folding action would have to be around a vertical hinge axis, the arm and the strut folding sideways towards the wall. In some embodiments the device is adapted to hang on a pair of sockets formed from angle-section metal, so being unsightly when the device is removed. The presence of the support strut underneath the support arm limits the position of support ropes for hanging equipment such as a swing, such that the support arm needs to be longer than otherwise necessary to accommodate both the two spaced apart support ropes or chains and the strut.

FR271 7089 discloses; gymnastic apparatus has a prefabricated base module fixed to a wall, with two identical vertical bars joined by cross bars. The vertical bars have holes which hold between 6 and 15 removable horizontal bars. A safety mattress is placed in front of the apparatus. Supplementary modules can be fixed to the base module. A bracket can be fixed to the upper cross bar to hold suspended rings, a rope, a punch bag or a rope ladder. A swing can be attached to a lower bracket.

This device comprises a frame permanently mounted on a wall comprising a horizontal bracket that does not fold away and so presents a permanent feature and potentially an obstacle when not in use.

US5046722 discloses a wall-mounted exercising device which is characterized by a frame secured to the wall of a structure, a pair of articulated upper arms, each having one end attached to the top of the frame in spaced relationship and the opposite end of the arms adapted for engagement with a pair of arm rests to mount a chinning bar, a U-shaped middle arm pivotally secured to the midpoint of the frame, with the parallel opposite ends of the middle arm adapted for swinging upward into a horizontal configuration and braced in this configuration by a pair of lower arms which are pivotally attached to the bottom of the frame in spaced relationship. When not in use, the top and middle arms pivot downwardly and the upper arm pivots upwardly, for folding against the frame to conserve space.

This device comprises a frame permanently mounted on the wall and two folding arms extending from it. The device is not removable from the wall when not in use and is better adapted for use in a gym than to be mounted permanently on a wall in a home environment.

W08804943 discloses exercise apparatus having upper and lower elongated members connected end to end by a pivot joint and arranged to be mounted at a wall. Various arrangements of the two members are possible by devices for releasable locking the two members at the wall. In one arrangement both members are secured in a vertical plane against the wall. In other arrangements, either the upper member is pivoted away from the wail and held in a plane parallel to the floor by support at one end by the lower member and at the other end by a fixed pedestal, or both members are pivoted away from the wall, at least the upper end of the upper member being supported by the pedestal at its upper end.

This is a floor-standing device permanently fixed to the wall.

RDX Inc. (Bury, BL9 5EF, UK) sells a punchbag wall mount bracket: http://w.ebav.co.u k/itm/ RDX-Pro -Heavy-Duty-Punch-Bag-Folding -2ft-Wa II -Bracket-Steel Mount-Hanging-Boxing-/200804547359 accessed 9th November 2013.

The 2ft long folding wall bracket arm can be folded without removing the bag. The arm protrudes out 24" and holds bags up to 250 lbs. The device is a heavy duty steel gauge bracket incorporating tripod stabilizing arms for minimal sideways movement and metal fatigue. Four bolt points hold the bracket against the wall. The device is powder coated treated with special red oxide anti-rust formulation and so can be use outdoors.

This device comprises a support strut hinged to a permanently wall-mounted frame that may be attached to the underside of the support arm by means of a pin. Again the presence of the support strut underneath the support arm means that the device is poorly adapted to support play equipment with more than one support rope or chain such as a swing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to address the aforementioned problems, at least, which goes some way to overcoming the abovementioned disadvantages as well as others related or unrelated, and which provides the public or industry with a useful choice.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a play device adapted to mount on a wall comprising: A subframe adapted to be fixed to a wall, A frame configured to mount removably on the subframe, A folding arm hinged to the frame by means of a hinge at its proximal end and rotatable in an arc between a first position in which it is substantially orthogonal to the frame and a second position in which it is substantially parallel to the frame, A bracket extending from the frame adjacent to the hinge and comprising a first locking means adapted to lock to the arm when in the first position, Wherein the device is adapted to mount on the wall in a vertical orientation such that the arc of rotation of the arm is substantially vertical and the folding arm is substantially horizontal when locked in the first position.

In some embodiments the device comprises a support leg mounted on the arm at or adjacent to the distal end of the arm and adapted to extend vertically down from and to support the arm when the arm is in the first position. Preferably the support leg has a length such that it touches the ground when the arm is in the first horizontal position. In some embodiments the support leg has a length adjustable to configure it to support the distal end of the arm when the arm is in the first position. In some embodiments the support leg is removable from the arm. In some embodiments the support leg is hinged to the arm.

In some embodiments the arm comprises fixing means for a removable play attachment such as a swing, a rope ladder, a climbing rope, a punchbag. Such fixing means may comprise for example loops for ropes or shackles for chains.

In some embodiments the arm comprises a play device such as a swing, a basketball hoop, a portion of a climbing frame.

In this way the device provides a wall-mounted support for a play attachment, and in some embodiments comprises a play device, that is detachable from the wall and comprises a horizontal support arm to support the play attachment or device that may be folded down against the wall when out of use. The device may comprise a plurality of subframes and the device may be mounted on one of a number of subframes fixed in different positions on a wall or on different walls, so allowing the device to be moved between different locations and heights above the ground, for example to suit different users or different play attachments.

In some embodiments the device comprises one or all of the following features: The arm is detachable from the frame; The bracket extends above the hinge point of the folding arm so as to support the arm from above when the arm is locked in position; in this way the device provides a support arm extending substantially horizontally from the wall without a support bracket underneath the arm that might foul the supports for a play attachment.

The frame comprises second locking means adjacent to the arc of rotation of the arm adapted to lock the arm in the second, folded position; The first locking means comprises a pin and apertures in the folding arm and in the bracket, the apertures being positioned to align and to receive the pin when the folding arm is in the first position; The second locking means comprises a pin and apertures in the folding arm and in the frame, the apertures being positioned to align and to receive the pin when the folding arm is in the second position.

In some embodiments the frame is adapted to mount on the subframe by means of reversible fixings such as bolts, catches or pins.

In some embodiments the frame comprises one or more projections adapted to interfit with recesses or apertures in the subframe. In this way the frame may slot into the subframe as known in the art for example in slot-in shelving devices In some embodiments the subframe may be configured as a substantially planar device comprising receiving locations for the fixings or slot-in projections. In this way it may present a less unsightly appearance than prior art devices when the rest of the device is removed from it. For example, in some embodiments the subframe may be adapted to be painted similarly to the wall on which it is mounted, or may be provided in colours or patterns to suit a range of wall decorations. The subframe may have a range of shapes, for example being in outline substantially rectilinear, having curved corners, or may be another shape, such as circular, ovoid, or a cross-shape. The frame may have a shape the substantially conforms to the shape of the subframe or may have a differing shape.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of an embodiment of the invention with the folding arm in the first, substantially horizontal position.

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the embodiment shown in figure 1 with the folding arm in the second, folded position.

Detailed Description of Figures

Referring to figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of the invention comprises: A subframe 6 adapted to be fixed to a waIl 4.

A frame 3 configured to mount removably on the subframe, A folding arm I hinged to the frame by means of a hinge 10 at its proximal end and rotatable in an arc 12 between a first position as shown in figure 1 in which it is substantially at a right angle to the frame and a second position as shown in figure 2 in which it is substantially parallel to the frame, A bracket 14 extending from the frame adjacent to the hinge and comprising a first locking means 5 adapted to lock to the arm when in the first position, wherein the device is adapted to mount on the wall 4 in a vertical orientation such that the arc of rotation 12 of the arm is substantially vertical and the folding arm is substantially horizontal when locked in the first position.

Vertical and horizontal orientations as used herein are shown in the figures by means of horizontal axis 16 and a vertical axis 18 parallel to the face of the wall 4.

In this embodiment the subframe 6 is adapted to be bolted to the wall 4.

In this embodiment the first locking means 5 comprises a pin and apertures in the folding arm and in the bracket, the apertures being positioned to align and to receive the pin when the folding arm is in the first position.

In this embodiment the device comprises a support leg 8 mounted on the arm at or adjacent to the distal end 20 of the arm and adapted to extend vertically down from and to support the arm when the arm is in the first position. Preferably the support leg has a length such that it touches the ground when the arm is in the first horizontal position. In some embodiments the support leg has a length adjustable to configure it to support the distal end of the arm when the arm is in the first position. In some embodiments the support leg is removable from the arm. In some embodiments the support leg is hinged to the arm.

In this embodiment the arm comprises fixing means 2 in the form of 1oops for a removable play attachment 22 such as a swing, a rope ladder, a climbing rope, or a punchbag.

In some embodiments the arm comprises a play device such as a swing, a basketball hoop, a portion of a climbing frame forming part of or permanently attached to the arm.

In this embodiment the bracket 14 extends above the hinge point 10 of the folding arm I so as to support the arm from above when the arm is locked in position; in this way the device provides a support arm extending substantially horizontally from the wall without a support bracket underneath the arm that might foul the supports 24 for a play attachment.

In this embodiment the frame comprises second locking means 7 adapted to lock the arm in the second, folded position, comprising a pin and apertures in the folding arm and in the frame, the apertures being positioned to align and to receive the pin when the folding arm is in the second position.

The device may be formed from any material having the requisite strength and stiffness, for example from tubular sections of a metal such as steel or from wood.

The locking pins are preferably made from steel. The apertures into which the locking pins fit may comprise metal eyes or inserts to strengthen the apertures. The device may be provided in a range of colours, for example by means of powder coating metal components.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as set out in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A play device adapted to mount on a wall comprising: A subframe adapted to be fixed to a wall, A frame configured to mount removably on the subframe, A folding arm hinged to the frame by means of a hinge at its proximal end and rotatable in an arc between a first position in which it is substantially orthogonal to the frame and a second position in which it is substantially parallel to the frame! A bracket extending from the frame adjacent to the hinge and comprising a first locking means adapted to lock to the arm when in the first position, Wherein the device is adapted to mount on the wall in a vertical orientation such that the arc of rotation of the arm is substantially vertical and the folding arm is substantially horizontal when locked in the first position.
2. A device according to claim 1 comprising fixing means for a removable play attachment.
3. A device according to claim I comprising a play device such as a swing, a basketball hoop, a portion of a climbing frame.
4. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a support leg mounted on the arm at or adjacent to the distal end of the arm and adapted to extend vertically down from and to support the arm when the arm is in the first position.
5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the support leg has a length adjustable to configure it to support the distal end of the arm when the arm is in the first position.
6. A device according to claims 4 or S wherein the support leg is removable from the arm.
7. A device according to any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the support leg is hinged tothearm.
8. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the arm is detachable from the frame.
9. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the bracket extends above the hinge point of the folding arm so as to support the arm from above when the arm is locked in position.
10. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a second locking means adapted to lock the arm in the second folded position.
11. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the first locking means comprises a pin and apertures in the folding arm and in the bracket, the apertures being positioned to align and to receive the pin when the folding arm is in the first position.
12. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the second locking means comprises a pin and apertures in the folding arm and in the frame, the apertures being positioned to align and to receive the pin when the folding arm is in the second position.
13. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the frame is adapted to mount on the subframe by means of reversible fixings such as bolts, catches or pins.
14. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the frame comprises one or more projections adapted to interfit with recesses or apertures in the subframe.