US1737066A - Playground apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 26, 1929. R, w, THOR TO I 1,737,066

PLAYGROUND APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 26, 1929. v a I R. w. THORNTON 1,737,066

PLAYGROUND APPARATUS Filed June 18. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 album.

Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES RICHARD w. THORNTON, or DENVER, coLoRAIJo PLAYGROUND APPARATUS Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to improvements in playground apparatus and has reference more particularly to a device which rotates and which hasbeen designated by the name of merry-whirl.

It is the object of this invention to produce a device which shall be adapted for use by children in public playgrounds or on the playgrounds of schools and which will be calculated to afford amusement with :the least possible danger of injury to the-children.

This device, briefly described, consists of a vertical support whose lower end is rigidly secured in position in the ground and to the upper end of which is *rotatably connected a device having a plurality of rigidly extending arms whose outer ends are bent downwardly and terminate a short distance above the ground. The lower ends of the downwardly extending end portions have secured to them :a plurality of platform sections which enclose the entire device so as to form a substantially circular platform. This platform is located .a short distance '25 above the ground and is adapted to supportthechildren. 'The downwardly extending arms are connected by means of bars which form hand rails which can be engaged'by the children when they are operating the device. The device is freely rotatable on the center support and the children by having one .foot .on the platform can use the other foot to engage the ground thereby producing the necessary force to rotate the. device so as to set it in a whirling motion.

Having thus briefly described the inven tion, I will now proceed to describe the same indetail, and reference for thispurpose will be'had to the acompanying drawings. on which 40 the device has been illustratedand in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view .of the device in assembled position;

Fig.2 is a fragmentary view of the supporting platformlooking in the direction of arrow .2, Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 3, in Fig. 5; p v

Fig. at is a section taken on line 4-4,'Fig. .5 .Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line '50 55, Fig. 1; and

1928. Serial No 286,106.

Secured to the upper end of the supporting member 2 is .a-plug t which has a portion projecting intorthe interiorof the pipe and has a radial flange '5 that extends over the upper edge of the pipe and serves to support the plug in the manner shown in Fig. 5. A pint can be provided, ifdesiredto hold the plug against rotation .or against endwise movement. The upper endof this plug is provided with a circular craceway '7 within which .is located a plura'lity of balls 8. Se-

cured to the support 2, at a point spaced '70 from the upper end thereof, is a sleeve 9 which is held in place by means of screws or rivets 10. The upper end of this sleeve .has'an outwardly extending flange 11, whose upper surface .lSgPFOVlClGCl with a ballrace 12 5 for the receptionof theballs 13. A sleeve 14: hasitsnpper end provided with an end closure .15 whichhas: a downwardly extending cylindrical flange 1-6 that embraces the upper end ofthe sleeve 1-4 and is secured to the latter '80 by means of rivets 17. The enddosure is ;P-IOV] .Cled Wllill aiballrace 1 isladap ted to receive the balls 8 in the manner shown vin Fig. 5. Extending outwardly from the :upper end of the end closure is a conical flange 19 that is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 2Q for the reception of thehook ends 21 of the brace rods 22to which reference willbe-made hereinafter. Secured to the lower end of thesleeve is cylindrical ember 23,lwhose lower end isprovided with an outwardly pro]ecting flange24c whose ex- .tremeouteredge terminates in a downwardly extending circular flange 25 that embraces the outer edgeof flange 1 1 in the manner shown in Fig.6. The under surface of flange 24 is provided with :acircular ballrace 26 for .the reception of theballs 13. It is new ap parent that the sleeve 14 can be freely rotated on the support 2 and that the Weight of the sleeve will be supported on the balls 8, while the balls 13 serve to hold it in concentric relation with respect to the support 2. Secured to the sleeve 14 directly above the member 23 is a casting comprising a cylindrical sleeve'like portion 27, whose inside diameter is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the sleeve and whose ends 28 extend radially and are perforated for the reception of a clamping bolt 29, Fig. 6. This casting is provided with a number of radial hubs 30; in the example illustrated there are eight of these hubs, but any other suitable number may be employed. These hubs are each provided with a cylindrical opening adapted to receive one end of a radial arm 31 and are also each provided with a set screw 32 for clamping the arm in position. These radial arms extend outwardly for a distance of substantially six feet from the center of the support 2 and are then bent through an angle of ninety degrees so as to form downwardly extending end portions 33. These end portions are connected with the arms by means of circular bends 34 to which steel castings 35 are secured by means of rivets 36. The shape of these steel casings can be seen from a comparison of Figs. 3 and 5 from which it will be observed that each of the castings are provided with oppositely extending ends 37 which are perforated and with two upwardly extending spaced lugs 38. Secured to the lower ends of the brace bars 22 are castings 39 which are provided adjacent their ends with an annular groove 40. The bottom diameter of this groove is substantially the same as the distance between the lugs 38 so that the casting can be put into place between these lugs in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The extreme end of the casting which has been indicated by numeral 41 serves as an abutment. It is now clear from the description above given and from the illustration of the construction which has been shown in Figs. 1 and 5, that members 22 form tension members that co-' operate with the sleeve 14 and with the arms 31 to form triangles which give rigidity to the construction. Secured to the lower end of each downwardly extending end member 33, is a casting 42 which has an outwardly extending bracket portion 43. Secured to the upper surface of the brackets 43 are the adjacent ends of the steel platforms 44. There is one platform section corresponding to the space between each pair of downwardly extending parts 33 so that the platform is which is secured to the outer end of the bar 49, whose other end is curved in a manner shown at 50 so as to form a substantially semicircular portion that is adapted to embrace one side of one of the downwardly extending arms 33. A supplemental curved part 51 has its outer end 52 interlocked with the corresponding end of part 50 and is provided with a spaced portion 53 that is perforated for the reception of a belt or rivet 54. By tightening the bolt 54, the bar 49, which carries the link 48, can be securely clamped to the member 33. The hand rails extend all the way around the device and are located a short distance on the inside of the vertical members 33, so as to be readily accessible to the children and at the same time not be in their way. The castings 35 that are secured to the curved portion connecting parts 31 and 33 are as above intimated provided with oppositely extending lugs or ends 37. 'These lugs are perforated for the reception of a downwardly extending projection on the ends of the L shaped castings 55 that are secured to the ends of the brass rods 56.

It will be apparent from the above description that this device is provided with a plurality of radially extending triangular supports comprsing the sleeve 14, the compression member 31 and the tension members 22 to which the platforms 44 are connected and by which they are supported. It will also be seen that these triangular sections are interconnected so as to be securely held in a predetermined radial position by means of the hand rails 45 and the brace rods 56. The movable parts are supported on ball bearings which permit free rotation and which are adequately protected from the deteriorating effects of rain and which therefore permit the parts to be rotated with least possible amount of friction. A number of children, by first putting the device into rotary motion, may hope on and off the platforms and thereby amuse themselves without any obj ectionable danger of injury. If it is found desirable to do so, a woven wire net may be connected between the hand rails and the inher edges of the platforms 42 so as to positively prevent the childrens feet from slipping off the inner edges of the platforms. This protective device has now beenindicated by means of dotted lines in Fig. 1,

where it has been designated by numeral 57.

Having described the invention what I claim as new is:

1. A playgrounddevice comprising a stationary vertical support, a tubular sleeve rotatably connected with and enclosing the upper end of the support, a thrust bearing between the upper end of the support and the upper end of the sleeve, means for maintaining the lower end of the sleeve concentric wlth the support, arms extending radially from'the lower end of the sleeve, the upper end of the sleeve having an outwardly extending downwardly inclined flange (19) provided with a plurality of openings for the reception of tension rods, tension rods having their upper end provided with hooks adapted to extend through the openings in the flange, the outer ends of the radial arms having spaced lugs (38), the lower ends of the tension rods having connectors (39) secured thereto, said connectors having grooves adapted to receive the lugs (38), the outer ends of the radial arms having downwardly extending portions and platform sections extending between the downwardly extending portions and supported thereby.

2. In a playground device having a stationary vertical support, a tubular sleeve rotatably secured to the upper end of the support, arms extending radially from the sleeve and an annular platform suspended from the arms, a bearing for the lower end of the sleeve, comprising a sleeve (9) having an outwardly extending flange (11) whose upper surface is provided with an annular E ball race, a cylindrical member (23) secured to the lower end of the sleeve, a flange (24) extending outwardly from the sleeve, the under surface of the flange having an annular inclined surface forming a ballrace adapted to cooperate with the ballrace on the sleeve, the outer edge of the radial flange (24L) terminating in a downwardly extending cylindrical flange which projects clownwardly beyond the upper surface of the flange (11) on the sleeve and serves to pre vent the entry of water intothe hearing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

RICHARD W. THORNTON.

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