United States Patent: 3655160

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United States Patent	3,655,160
Grillot	April 11, 1972

SUPPORT

Abstract

A support for children's swings and the like includes a ground support plate pivotally and swivally connected to a cylindrical member which is insertable into a hollow tubular support leg of the swing framework.

Inventors:	Grillot; Robert E. (Covington, OH)
Appl. No.:	05/008,457
Filed:	February 4, 1970

Current U.S. Class: 248/188.8 ; 403/161; 403/59; 403/68; 52/155

Current International Class: A63B 71/02 (20060101); F16m 011/20 ()

Field of Search: 248/156,188.8,188.9 52/155,157,296 182/97 306/11 287/20,21,96,100

References Cited [Referenced By]

U.S. Patent Documents


695663	March 1902	Weirich
1645747	October 1927	Fry
2814140	November 1957	Ellis
3081114	March 1963	Esty
3402961	September 1968	Larson

Primary Examiner: Schultz; William H.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a support for supporting and anchoring to the ground or other supporting surface a framework having a hollow tubular leg, subject to variable movements produced by fluctuating dynamic forces to which the framework is sometimes subjected, the combination comprising

means for readily detachably connecting said support plate to said hollow leg, said means including

a member having an outer cylindrical surface engaging the inner surface of said hollow leg when inserted therein, said member having

a tongue depending outwardly from one end of said member and extending along the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical surface, and

securing means connected to the support plate and freely rotatable relative thereto and having a bifurcated portion pivotally connected to said depending tongue whereby

the weight of the framework is supported by the support plate when said member is inserted into said leg and connection is maintained between said plate and the framework irrespective of said variable movements and/or variable angularity of said leg relative to the support plate.

2. Structure according to claim 1 and additionally including

means including an opening in said plate for anchoring said plate to a supporting surface.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said securing means includes

a second member extending through a circular opening in said support plate and having a cylindrical outer surface with a flanged portion depending outwardly therefrom.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to amusement and/or exercise devises and, more particularly, to improved means for supporting and connecting such devices to the ground or other supporting surface.

Exercise devices such as children's swings are often supported by a suitable framework usually comprising one or more tubular members connected together in any convenient fashion to provide a supporting structure from which the swing is suspended. This type of structure is relatively light in weight and yet provides adequate strength to safely support the loads imposed thereon. The weight of the structure together with the weight of the child is not unduly great, but the weight of the child and the action of the swing result in a fluctuating dynamic load being transmitted to the support members of such supporting structure. Heretofore, it has been customary to set the support legs of a swing or similar device in a footer of concrete which is embedded in the ground or other supporting surface so as to distribute the fluctuating load over a substantial area of the supporting surface and to prevent the tubular support member from digging into the ground or other supporting surface. While such load distributing methods have worked quite well, they present considerable expense and difficulty from the viewpoint of the average parent who may wish to install a swing on his property for use by his children.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide means for obviating the above-mentioned difficulties. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved support and load distributing means for amusement devices and the like that is relatively inexpensive and can easily be installed by an average person without requiring special tools or the pouring of concrete or the like.

DESCRIPTION

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in the connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of support means embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a support plate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a swivel connecting member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cylindrical connecting member of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of anchor means similar to that employed in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, one leg of an amusement device such as a swing or the like is illustrated at 10. As shown in FIG. 1 the leg 10 is a hollow tubular member. The ground or other supporting surface is indicated at 11.

A support and load distribution device in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at 12 and comprises a plate member 13 having an opening 14 therein. Additionally, plate 13 has one or more openings 15 through which one or more anchor bolts 16 may be received and driven into the ground or other supporting surface 11. If desired, the heads 17 of anchor bolts 16 may be disposed at an acute angle relative to the shank of the bolt. Alternatively, the head 17 may be disposed at right angles to the shank of the bolt 16a, as shown in FIG. 5. Additionally, if desired, the shanks of bolts 16 may be provided with serrations 18 to improve the holding characteristics of the bolts.

In order to accommodate differing frame configurations as well as irregularities in or sloping of the terrain, it is desirable to provide adjustability in the connecting means between leg 10 and plate 13. This is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by the provision of a swivel connecting member, indicated generally at 19. The connecting member 19 includes an upright portion 20 that is generally cylindrical and may be rounded at its upper end. At the lower end of cylindrical portion 20 there is connected thereto, or integrally formed therewith, a flange portion 21.

For purposes which will appear as the description proceeds, portion 21 includes spaced apart openings 22, 23 extending transversely of the axis of portion 20. Additionally, hole 22 is spaced apart from the face of flange 21. And, the uppermost end of portion 20 is notched at 24 transversely to the axis of hole 23.

A member 25 is also in the form of a cylinder having a diameter approximating the inside diameter of leg 10 but slightly smaller so that member 25 can be readily inserted into and/or removed from leg 10. A flat member 26 depends from member 25 and is connected thereto by any convenient means such as by welding and/or thread fasteners. Near the distal end of member 26 is a hole 27.

Assembly of the device will best be understood by referring to FIG. 1. Member 19 is assembled with plate 13 by inserting the cylindrical portion 20 through opening 14 and is secured by the insertion of a pin 28 through opening 22. Depending member 26 is then inserted into notch 24 and secured by inserting a pin 29 through holes 23 and 27.

In general, dimensions are not critical. However, the outer diameter of portion 20 is slightly less than the diameter of opening 14 so that when the device is assembled connecting member 19 is free to rotate relative to plate 13. Similarly, the width of the depending member 26 is slightly less than the width of notch 14 and the diameter of opening 27 is slightly greater than the diameter of pin 29 so that cylindrical member 25 is pivotally connected to member 20 and is free to pivot relative to pin 29 within notch 24.

When the device is thus assembled, cylindrical member 25 is inserted into the lower open end of tubular leg 10. Because member 25 is free to rotate to any desired position relative to leg 10 and because plate 13 is swivelly connected to member 19 which in turn is pivotally connected to member 25, plate 13 can assume any position that may be required by the angularity of leg 10 relative to the ground 11 or other supporting surface. When leg 13 has been so positioned anchor bolts 16, 16a are then driven into the ground by other supporting surfaces through openings 15.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

* * * * *

Current U.S. Class:	248/188.8 ; 403/161; 403/59; 403/68; 52/155
Current International Class:	A63B 71/02 (20060101); F16m 011/20 ()
Field of Search:	248/156,188.8,188.9 52/155,157,296 182/97 306/11 287/20,21,96,100