US2954958A - Stabilizing fittings for playground swings and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct- 4, 1 B. SANDER ETAL 2,954,958

STABILIZING FITTINGS FOR PLAYGROUND SWINGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 11, 1957 INVENTORS BENJAMIN SANDER AND WILMER E. EICKMEIER ATTORNEY .STAB'ILIZING FITTINGS FOR PIJAYGROUND SVVIN GS AND THE LIKE Benjamin Sander, University City, and Wilmer E; Eickmeier, St. Louis, Mo., assignors to Nixdorlf-Krein Mfg. 'Co., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 11, 1957, Ser. No. 611,234

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-317) This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in playground apparatus and, more particularly, to stabilizing fittings for playground swings and the like.

Most types ofv installations for childrens playgrounds, back yard play areas, and the like include some sort of swing. Such swings usually consist of a horizontal bar -or tube suitably supported at its ends in any conventional manner so as to extend above the ground at some appropriate height. The bar or tube is provided with depending elements having horizontal pintles and swing hooks which rockably support depending chains and the usual seat-board attached to the lower end thereof. Frequently, the depending elements are bolted to the tube and rigidly secured in position by means of a nut. However, during use the oscillating motion of the swing sets up vibrations which tend to loosen the depending elements and the nut associated therewith, causing such depending elements to twist the swing chains. Moreover, as the depending elements twist, they become somewhat deformed and the fitting between the depending elements and the bar or tube becomes worn to such a point that further tightening of the nut cannot adequately secure the depending elements to the tube. In fact, it occasionally happens that the securing nut will work itself oil completely, whereupon the swing chain will drop, representing a serious hazard to children using the swing.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide stabilizing fittings for rockably supporting swing chains, which fittings will remain snugly and nonrotatably in position on a horizontal bar or tube.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a fitting of the type stated which will not become loosened during normal use of the swing, and, therefore, permits safe and trouble-free operation of the swing.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel locking washer adapted for use with playground swings and which permits rigid securement of the depending swing-chain supporting elements to a horizontal tube.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a childs swing equipped with stabilizing fittings constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the swing and showing the stabilizing fitting of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lock washer forming part of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5- -5 of Fig. 4; and

ice

- 2 Fig. 6 is a sectional view Fig. 5. v 1

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred emtaken along line 6-6 of bodiment of the present invention, A designates a childs swing consisting of a hollow cylindrical horizontal top bar 1 drilled for reception of bolts 2, each having a shank 3 which extends diametrally through the top bar 1. At one end the shank 3 is provided with threads 4 for reception of a nut 5 which is adapted to bear against the outside of the tube 1. At its lower end, the shank 3 terminates in a somewhat triangular eye 6 having an arcuate substantially horizontal pintle portion 7 for rockably supporting a swing book 8 including an upper eye portion 9 and a lower hook portion 10. Snugly but rotatably seated in and extending through the eye portion 9 is a bushing 11 preferably formed of nylon or other similar plastic material. conventionally attached to the hook portions 10 are swing chains 12, the lower ends of which are attached to a horizontal seat-board 13.

Interposed between the eye portion 6 and the tube 1 is a thin lock washer 14, the transverse contour of which is-substantially in the form of a circular arc hav ing a radius slightly less than that of the horizontal tube 1. Somewhat centrally thereof, the washer 14 is punched outwardly to provide an aperture 15 and spaced parallel depending cars 16, 17, and the four corners of the washer 14 are bent upwardly in the provision of grip-forming prongs 18, 19, 20, 21. As seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, the cars 16, -17, are disposed snugly against the eye portion 6 on either side thereof, and the prongs 18, 19, 20, 21, bite into the outer surface of the tube 1.

In use, the shank 3 of the bolt 2 is passed through the aperture 15 so that the ears "16, 17, seat snugly against the eye portion -6, whereupon the shank 3 is pushed through the tube 1 so that its outer threaded end 4 extends outwardly of the tube 1. The nut 5 is then threaded onto the threaded end 4 and tightened down so as to draw the bolt 2, the lock washer 14, and the tube 1 into tightly assembled relation. The depending ears 16, 17, will then engage the sides of the eye 6 and prevent the latter from turning or twisting. Because the eye 6 cannot turn, the nut 5 will not tend to become loose, but if, due to abnormal circumstances the nut 5 should become slightly loose or possibly may not have been properly tightened up during installation, the ears 16, 17, will still prevent turning and further loosening of the nut 5. The fact that the lock washer 14 has the shape of a section of a cylinder prevents it from turning once it is seated against the cylindrical top bar '1. In addition, as the lock washer 14 is pulled tightly against the bar 1, its curvature will, if necessary, change slightly to conform to that of the top bar 1, and the prongs 18, 19, 20, 21, will bite into and snugly grip the outer surface of the top bar 1.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the stabilizing fittings for playground swings and the like may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a supporting bar, a bolt projecting therethrough, said bolt being provided on one end with an eye portion including an arcuate substantially horiears closely disposed about said eye portion for -retaining said pintle in parallel relationship to the longitudinal axis 7 of said supporting bar. I

2. In combination, a supporting bar, a bolt projecting therethrough, said .vbolt being provided on one end with an eye portion including an arcuate substantially Lhori said washer also having spaced depending ears 'clos'e'ly disposed about said eye portion for retaining said pintl'e in parallel relationship to the longitudinal axis of said supporting bar, said lo'ckwash'er "being provided at its corners with means for tightly 'fgripping said supportingbar.

'3. In combination, an 'arcuate supporting bar, a bolt projecting therethroug'h, said bolt being provided on one end with a pintlei-formingportiondisposed outwardly of said supporting bar, securing means for attaching "the bolt 'to the supporting bar, a lock washer'having an arcuate body the radius ofwhich is slightly 'less'than the radius of said supporting bar and "being provided with an aperture defined 'by two opposing straight margins which are joined by two opposing 'arcuate margins, a plurality of ears projecting outwardly "from said straight margins and securely confining saidpintl'eforming portion, "and a plurality *of fpron'gs projecting outwardly'from the otherjsideof 'sai'dbody so that when the securing means is tightened it will draw the lock washer toward the supporting bar and 'cause "the prongs to 'bite intosaid supporting bar while at the sametime 4 a holding the pintle .in parallel relationship to =the longitudinal axis of said supporting bar.

' 4. 'In combination, an arcuate 'supportingbar, a'bolt projecting therethrough, said bolt being provided on one end with a pintle-forming portion disposed outwardly of said supporting bar, securing means for attaching the bolt to the supporting bar, a-lock'iwasher having an arcuate body the radius of whichis slightly less than the radius of said rsupportingiibariarftl Eheing zp'rovided wiith iaan aperture defined by fltw'o opposing "straightrnargins which are joined by two-opposingwarcuate margins,- said body having a eonvezosuffiace'andta concave surface, a plurality of .ears 19; ejecting :ioutwatdly from the i-straight margins of said aperture on said convex surface and defininga pair of spaced parallel-"wallsabout lthe -"-pintle-forming portion, and a plurality .of p-rongs.;projecting outwardly from said concave side so that when the securing means is tightened it will draw the lock washer toward said supporting bar and cause the prongs to bitewinto said supportingb'ar while atthesa'me"timehdlding the pintle.

in parallel relationship "to the longitudinal axis of said supportin ba'r.

I "References cite'd' in theiffile of: this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS "Murphy s Aug. 1, 1882 {409,766 Arnold Aug. 27, 1889 11,580,015 Clark Apr. 6, 1926 2,189,811 White Apr. '23, 1 957 -tnonnron rnsnnmzs '62 GreatBi-itain Jan. ,"6, 1879 879,645- "Fra'nce Mar. '1, 1943

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