US1998508A

US1998508A - Juvenile amusement device

Info

Publication number: US1998508A
Application number: US696352A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kappenberg August
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-11-02
Filing date: 1933-11-02
Publication date: 1935-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1952-04-23

Description

April 23,1935. A. KAPPENBER-G 1,998,508

JUVENILE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 2, 1955" F/ff l' Ff?. a.

az i z/ a s n A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 JUVENILE AMUsEMEN'r DEVICEv August Kappenberg, Bayside, N. Y.

Application November 2, i933, .serial No. 696352y 6 Claims.

This invention has general relation to amuse- .ment devices for children and has more particularreference to certain improvements in that .class of amusement devices which are known to ythetrade as spring teeters. i

Heretofore, these devices haveV usually `been lso constructed. vthat the'seat assumes various planes atan yangle to the horizontal when the device is in use, the angular plane, in some instances, being so great as to render it extremely kdiiiicult for the child to retain its seat, if not actually dislodging the child therefrom. vAlso, .previous devices -of this type have been constructed in such a manner that their action has :been restricted to a very limited up and dow :swinging movement of the seat. The presentinvention.resides in anV deviceof this character, the construction ofwhich is such asto insure the disposal of the seat in a 'substantially horizontal plane throughout the entire range of its movement when the device is 1n use.

The present invention alsoprovides a device of lthis nature` which is so designed that. theseat and the pivotal resilientsupporting meanstherefor are capable of swinging movement' through'- out a vertical 'arcuate path,.from a Vposition on y one side of ythe pivot to ay position on the'opposite side'thereof, While the upper surface of the seat is maintained in a substantially horizontal plane through its entire. movement.

The invention further embodies an improved device of theY characterr set forth which is comparatively simple and not complicated in its construction, which employs but few parts capable :of-'economical production and assembly or'disassembly for transportation and storage, and which affords a highly amusing, attractive and safe device.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference ,is now made tothe following speciiication and accompanying drawing in which there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, while the claims cover variations .and modications thereof which fall within their scope. v

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective viewof an amusement device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

1 Fig. 2 is .an enlarged fragmentary side View thereof with parts broken away and shown in section to disclosethe underlying structure and illustrating in full and broken lines vthe extreme 5 positions of the seat supporting means, while improvedl s g PATENT OFFICEv further Vshowing'a slightly modified form of the invention. y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail cross sectional View taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.l

Fig.i 4 is a similar view taken approximatelyv on theline 4;-4 of Fig, 2.

Referring to the drawing by characters ofreference, A designates generallythe base ofthe device which ispreferably, although not necessarily, constructed froma lengthof timber 9 of .rectangular cross sectional configuration of vconsiderable lesser width than its height, which has theupper edges I0`of its opposite ends disposed above the upper edge I I Aof the intermediate portion.y `The base A further includesv transverse pieces I2 in the region of its opposite ends 'for supporting'the member 9 in'vertical position and for affording stability to the base, ythe cross pieces I2 being preferably removably secured in positionin the usual manner to permit of. the readyfassembly and disassembly of the samev with the memberll. l

'I'he vdevice further includes a' seat member which `is designated generally by the reference character B and which includes a saddle element I3 having a forwardly extending portion I4 'of reduced width which is adapted to be straddle'd `by the child in the usual manner. An upstanding ypost I5 is secured to and carried vby the portion M and is provided with a transverse handle bar I5 adapted to be'grasped by the child. The `seat member also includes a depending centrally disposed longitudinally extending strip I'l; the underside of which is provided with longitudinally y spaced recessions lor notcliesV I8 and.- I9.. :The seat structure, so far described, is preferably constructed of wood,`and a pair of metalplates 2D are secured by bolts or other equivalent fasteningmeans to the opposite sides of the strip Il, the plates 2d being of a height so thatv the lower edges thereofr protrude below the lower edge of the strip I1.

The device further includes a seat supporting means which isgdesignated generally by the reference character C and which means, .in the present instance, consists of a pair of resilient elastic straps or leaves 2l and 22, preferably of spring steel and which straps or leaves are of the same length. The opposite ends of `the straps or leaves 2| and 22 are provided with bearing eyes 23 which maybe produced in any desired"manner but, in" the presentfinstance,v are shown as formed' by separate pieces of vmetal fashioned intermediate -their length' to define the bearing eyes 23 'andhaving the legs 24 protruding there*- from, engaging the opposite faces of the terminals of the straps or leaves and secured thereto by riveting, welding or in any other desired equivalent manner.

'Ihe bearing eyes 23 at the upper ends of the straps or leaves 2| and 22 are of a width to snugly t between the plates 20 and are pivotally attached thereto by cross bolts or pivots 25 so that the seat member B is connected with the upper end of said straps or leaves 2| and 22l for pivotal movement Von the axes provided by the cross bolts or pivots 25. The recesses or notches |8 and I9, together with the side plates 20, dene depressions within which the upper ends of the leaves or straps are received and guided in the pivotal movement of the upper ends with reference to the seat member. The opposite sides of each depression or notch I8 and I8 also serve as abutments with which the straps or leaves engage.

The bearing eyes 23 at the lower ends of the straps or leaves 22 are of a width tosnugly fit between a pair of metal plates 26 which are secured by bolts or other equivalent fastening means to the opposite sides of the member 9 intermediate the length ofl said member.r The member 9 is provided with V-

shaped notches

21 and 28 which open through the upper edge I2 of the intermediate portion to dene together with the side plates 26 recesses which accommodate the lower ends o the straps or leaves 2| and 22. Cross' bolts or pintles 29 extend through the side plates and the bearing eyes 23 so that the lower ends of said straps or leaves 2| and 22 are pivotally connected with the base A for limited swinging movement from an angular position on one side of the pivotal connection to an angular position on the opposite side thereof.

In use and operation, the seat is disposed and supported in one of its two normal positions as illustrated in Fig. l where the resilient straps or leaves 2| and 22 will be in a straightened condition bearing against the upper edge of one wall of each of the

notches

21 and 28. When the weight of the child is brought to bear on the seat member B it is obvious that the straps or leaves 2| and 22 will be flexed or bowed to substantially the position illustrated `in Fig. 2, with the leaves or straps fulcrumed against the upper edges of the side wall of each notch. This places the straps or leaves 2| andv 22 under tension but nevertheless, maintains a substantially horizontal position ofthe upper surface of the saddle I3. By manipulatiiig the device in. the well known manner of a teeter or seesaw, the child causes a flexing and reflexing of the resilient straps or leaves 2| and 22 until sufficient momentum is gained to cause the seat member B to swing from its position on one side of the pivotal connection of the straps or leaves 2| and 22v with the base A, to a position on thek opposite side thereof wherethe straps or leaves 2| and 22 will abut with and be fulcrumed against the upper edge of the opposite walls of the V-shaped notches 2T and 28 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2; At this point, the momentum is gradually arrested by the resilient or spring action of the leaves or straps 2| and 22 and by again manipulating the device in the manner of a teeter or seesaw, the child may cause the seat to swing back to its original position. During the complete movement oi' the seat from a position on one side of the pivotal connection of the leaves or straps with the base, to the position on the other side, it will be obvious that, due to the manner in which the seat member is supported,

the upper surface of the saddle 3 will remain horizontal throughout.

Obviously, the size of the device and the strength of the spring straps or leaves 2| and 22 may be varied to accommodate children within various age and weight limits. If desired, optional fulcrum points for the resilient straps or leaves 2| and 22 may be provided, as shown in the modification illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, in which instance the optional abutments consist of the upper edges of the

notches

21 and 28 and cross bolts 30 which are inserted through aligned pairs of openings 3| in the upwardly extending portion 32 of the side plates 26. In this instance, the cross bolt in the intermediate pair of openings 3| will serve as an abutment or fulcrum for both resilient straps or leaves 2| and 22. It will also be observed that the cross bolts 30 may be inserted in the openings 3| when the resilient straps ror leaves 2| and 22 are flexed to the position as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which instance the seat is confined to a spring movement in the manner of an ordinary spring teeter toy vwhile, due to the double support, the upper surface of the saddle is maintained in substantially horizontalV position.

It should also be noted that the

side plates

20 and 26 andthe recessions or notches I8, I9 and 2l make for a laterally rigid support of the seat from the base so that the movement of the seat is guided and lateral sway is prevented.

What is claimed is: f

1. In a. juvenile amusement device, a base, a seat, and spaced resilient straps for resiliently and plvotally supporting the seat from the base :for movement throughout a vertically arcuate path in a plane longitudinally of the base, and divergent abutments provided respectively on said seat and base against which the opposite ends of the straps respectively abut to limit the pivotal movement of the straps with respect to the base and seat.

2. In a juvenile amusement device, a base, a seat, and spaced resilient straps for resiliently and pivotally supporting the seat from the base for movement throughout a vertically arcuate path in a plane longitudinally of the base, and divergent abutments on the base 'against which said straps directly abut to limit the pivotal movement in opposite directions.

3. In a juvenile amusement device, a base, a seat and spaced resilient straps pivotally connected respectively at their opposite ends to thebase and seatl at longitudinally spaced points and `V-shaped notches opening through the upper surface of the base providing divergentr abutments with which the straps engage to limit their pivotal movement in opposite directions.

4. In a juvenile amusement device, a. base, a seat and spaced resilient straps pivotally connected at their-upper ends to the seat and pivotally connected at their lower ends to the base intermediate the ends of the base and'abutments on the base with'which said straps respectively abut to limit the pivotal movement thereof inopposite directions.

5. In a juvenile amusement device, a base, a seat, a longitudinally extending strip on the underside or" the seat having spaced notches formed with divergent walls forming abutments, side plates on said strip and a pair of spaced resilient straps pivotally connected at their upper ends to the side plates on axes located at the apexes of said notches and pivotally connected at their lower ends to the base and means on the base for limiting the pivotal movement of said straps in opposite directions.

6. In a juvenile amusement device, an elongated base, a seat and a pair of resilient straps 5 pivotally connected respectively at their opposite ends to the seat and medial portion of the base and operating to support said seat in longitudinal alignment with said base, and means on said base against which said straps abut to limit the pivotal movement thereof and to act as a. fulcrum for flexing of the straps.

AUGUST KAPPENBERG.