US3032343A

US3032343A - Play and exercise apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3032343A
Application number: US836277A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lois R Freeberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-08-26
Filing date: 1959-08-26
Publication date: 1962-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-01

Description

May 1, 1962 1.. R. FREEBERG PLAY AND EXERCISE APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1959 INVENTOR.

Jfiaxmsm 4m- 1?. Five-3526- May 1, 1962 R. FREEBERG 3,032,343

PLAY AND EXERCISE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I i [I I I Lil i i 224 L92. r'-=== /r INVENTOR. L015 1. FREE-BERG- BY g United States Patent O 3,032,343 PLAY AND EXERCISE APPARATUS Lois R. Fresher-g, South St. Paul, Minn. (2415 Brookdale Road, Moor-head, Minn.) Filed Aug. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 836,277 1 Claim. (Cl. 27256.5)

This invention relates to a play and exercise apparatus particularly adapted. for children from six months to four years of age. Children at an early age develop an eager liking for climbing and for raising themselves to higher levels and for sliding as down inclined surfaces.

It is desirable therefore to have such an apparatus as will enable a child to learn and to develop its ability to crawl, climb and slide, and also to provide the child with a raised stage area where toys may be collected and played with. Small children appear to have a great liking for a play area which is above ground level or floor level and which is somewhat closer to an adult level of height.

It is an object therefore of this invention to provide a play and exercise apparatus for small children, as between the ages of six months and four years, which will enable said children to crawl, climb and slide for the purpose of developing their muscular ability and also to develop coordination between various parts of their bodies.

It is also an object of this invention to provide for smaller children a play and exercise apparatus of a size which may conveniently be used in the home as well as out-of-doors and which may be adapted to be stored away in a nested position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a play and exercise apparatus comprising a portion having a flight of steps and having in connection therewith a second or ramp portion having a downwardly inclined unobstructed surface to be used as a slide.

It is another object of this invention to provide a play and exercise apparatus comprising a portion having a flight of steps, with said steps progressively increasing in height and respectively having a substantial landing area, and a second portion adapted for operational engagement with said first portion having a downwardly inclined surface to provide a sliding surface adjacent to the landing area of the uppermost of said steps.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a play and exercise apparatus having in combination, a portion comprising a series of steps progressively increasing in height and respectively having substantial landing areas to provide play surfaces and a ramp portion formed to have an unobstructed downwardly inclined surface adapted to butt up against the uppermost of said steps and being in the plane of the landing thereof, and a pair of rails at either side of said step portion adapted to removably secure together said step portion and said inclined portion whereby a play and exercise apparatus is provided to be used for climbing and sliding purposes and with landings provided at each of the step levels to be used as play areas.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of applicants device;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section on an enlarged scale taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 as indicated by the arrows to show a detail of the construction thereof;

FIG.3 is a view in side elevation of a portion of applicants apparatus showing a part thereof in an alternate position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale in 3,032,343 Patented May 1, 1962 vertical section taken. on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 as indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view in perspective indicating a nesting relation between portions of applicants apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 5 indicating applicants apparatus in a nested position.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, applicants play and exercise apparatus 10 is indicated. Said apparatus may take various forms to carry out the purposes and functions indicated. In the embodiment of the in vention here presented, applicants apparatus is shown comprising a step portion 12 and a ramp or sliding portion 14. Said apparatus will preferably be made of a sturdy material having a durable resilient finish thereon which may be able to withstand hard usage and yet retain a desirable appearance. While various materials and finishes may be used, applicants apparatus is here indicated as being formed of metal sheet material having a surface, such as an enamel surface, formed thereon.

Applicants step portion 12 is shown substantially rectangular in

plan having sides

16 and 17 respectively forming rails for said step portion 12 having offset portions therein forming

steps

20, 21 and 22 respectively having

riser portions

20a, 21a and 22a respectively and landing areas 20b, 21b and 22b respectively. It has been found that a convenient size for said step portion is approximately two feet in width and two and one-half feet in length, with the risers respectively increasing in height from three to four to five inches. Said landing areas 20b and 21b are indicated as being respectively nine inches in depth and said landing area 22b being approximately twelve inches in depth. Said step portion 12 will have a rear side 24 and will be of a hollow construction having a chamber 25 formed therein.

Adapted for operational engagement with said step portion 12 is the ramp portion 14 having downwardly inclined

sides

27 and 28, with an end enclosure 29 of the height of said rear end 24 of said step portion. Overlying the upper edge portions of

sides

27 and 28 and integral therewith is an unobstructed top surface 30. Said sides respectively terminate in pointed portions at their lower ends so that said top surface 30 inclines downwardly to contact a ground or floor level. Said ramp portion 14 is constructed to have a hollow interior having therein a chamber 32. Said ramp portion 14 is here indicated as being of a slightly greater width than said step portion 12 to permit said step portion to be nested into said chamber 32. The difference in width will only be the thickness of material used to permit the step portion to be disposed within said ramp portion, as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Said ramp portion is also indicated as being somewhat greater in length than said step portion, and a length of approximately three and one-half feet has been found to be desirable. The upper portion 30a of said top surface 30 has a very gradual incline so that in effect it forms for a short distance a continuation of the landing surface 22b to provide a substantial play area at the top of the apparatus.

With reference to FIG. 1, the step and ramp portions are adapted to have their rear end portions in mating engagement, with the uppermost portion of said surface 30 being in the plane of the landing 22b. Said step and ramp portion may be removably held together in operative engagement in various ways, but are here shown being held by a pair of

rails

35 and 36 extending at either side of said step portion 12 and having lower depending

portions

35a and 36a respectively. Said step portion 12 at either side of said step 20 in transverse alignment is provided with pairs of longitudinally spaced

apertures

38 and 39. Said rails have upper depending portions 35b and 36b respectively having lower right-angled portions 35c and 360 respectively. Only the portion 350 is here illustrated. The construction of each is the same. Said

sides

16 and 17 adjacent the upper step portion 22 have pairs of spaced

apertures

40 and 41 in transverse alignment. Said ramp portion in horizontal alignment with said apertures 40 and 4-1 has a pair of transversely spaced apertures 43. Secured to the inner sides of said apertures, as indicated in FIG. 2, are nuts 45.

Said

rails

35 and 36 are provided with bolts 47 having slotted recessed heads in the lower portions of the depending

portions

35a and 36a to be disposed through said apertures-38 or 39 to be threaded into the nuts 45 adjacent thereto for locking engagement. Said rails have disposed through their angled portions 350 and 36c, pairs of bolts 48 having slotted recessed head portions and adapted to be disposed through the apertures 40, '41 or 43 forlocking engagement with the nuts '45 adjacent thereto.

With 'ther'am'p portion-14 and the step portion '12 being used together, as indicated in FIG. 1, said bolts 48 will be respectively disposed through the adjacent apertures 43 and 49 in said ramp and step portions to lock said ramp and step portions together. Said bolts 47 will then be disposed through the apertures 38 at the lower step 20. If it is desired to use the step portion separately, then said

bolts

47 and 48 will be removed and said

rails

35 and 36 will be moved forwardly of the step portion 12 whereby the-ramp portion 14 will become disengaged. The bolts 47 will then be disposed through the apertures 39 'adjacent'the bottom step 20, and the bolts 48 will be disposed respectively through the apertures 44 and 41 in the step portion 12 adjacent the upper step 22.

When the applicants apparatus is used in the condition indicated in FIG. 1, a child may be able to climb or crawl up the steps in said step portion 12, or play upon the landing of any of said steps, as may be desired. It is noted that the risers of the successive steps progressively increase in height. A'child of six months may be only able to crawl onto the lowermost step and will gradually develop its ability to climb onto the second step, and in time onto the uppermost or third step. It

may be desirable to have more steps provided in such an apparatusas is here indicated, but the structure shown has been found to be very satisfactory in practice. The hand rails are a great help to a child at the time it is learning to stand and walk and for learning to climb steps in an upright position. Said rails also provide a measure of safety and give to the child a sense of security which it requires in the things with which it is associated.

Said ramp portion provides a wonderful fascination for a child in giving it an opportunity to slide a safe distance,

and also in providing a substantial challenge to a childs crawling or climbing ability. Thus there is provided an all purpose play and exercise apparatus for a small child.

It is obvious that the step and ramp portions have independent utility. The step portion may be used separately, as in connection with a chair or davenport, so that a child may climb onto the same if such may bodesired. The ramp portion may be used as a slide, as in 'a sand box, or for even sliding into a small wading pool.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the applicants apparatus is provided for convenient storage, being formed to have the step portion nest within the ramp portion with the rails removed.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a very compact, allpurpose play and exercise apparatus for small children which has proved to be unusually successful in actual practice.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in an apparatus capable of carrying out the objects above -set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A play and exercise apparatus having in combination, a self-supporting step portion comprising side walls having a chamber formed therein and having an open bottom in a single plane and having steps formed in the upper surface extending upwardly from one end and terminating in a landing area,

a separable ramp portion enclosing vertical sides having upwardly inclined upper edges and terminating in an end portion of the height of the landing area of said step portion, having an overlying upwardly inclined upper surface, having a chamber formed therein and having an open bottom lying in a single plane, and

a railing at either side of said step portion comprising a depending portion removably secured at its lower end to a lower portion of said step portion, a depending portion at its upper end overlying and being removably secured to adjacent portions of the upper portions of said ramp and step portions, and an intermediate railing portion connecting the upper ends of said depending portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS