United States Patent: 3593993

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United States Patent	3,593,993
Bonneau	July 20, 1971

ROTATABLE GARBAGE CAN RACK AND CHILD AMUSEMENT RIDE ATTACHMENT

Abstract

A rotatable uppermost portion of a garbage can holder is adapted to support either the garbage can handles or a rotatable, removable merry-go-round-type attachment.

Inventors:	Bonneau; John H. (Mobile, AL)
Appl. No.:	04/847,940
Filed:	August 6, 1969

Current U.S. Class: 472/14 ; 248/907

Current International Class: A63G 1/00 (20060101); A63G 1/14 (20060101); A63g 001/00 ()

Field of Search: 272/39,40,33,30,28,7 248/DIG.7

References Cited [Referenced By]

U.S. Patent Documents


841424	January 1907	McKinney
1648528	November 1927	Ziringer
2937760	May 1960	Williams

Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Kramer; Arnold W.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A household garbage can holder and a child amusement ride in combination, comprising:

a. a first substantially straight cylindrical post member adapted to be positioned vertically with a lower ground secured portion and an upper can support portion;

b. a second cylindrical member externally mounted on and rotatably supported by said first post member;

c. a can handle support bracket rigidly secured to and rotatable with said second member and having outer handle support portions and a central portion residing above both said cylindrical members;

d. a can standoff bracket adjustably secured to and rotatable with said second cylindrical member;

e. a riding bar member detachably and adjustably mountable horizontally on said second cylindrical member at a predetermined elevation suited to use as a rotating riding bar and being adapted to rotate with said second cylindrical member;

f. detachable brace members adapted to extend between and have respective opposite ends secured to said can support bracket and said riding bar member; and

g. a pair of seat members mounted on the outer ends of said riding bar member and providing when said riding bar and brace members are attached a rotatable childrens' ride.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates broadly to rotatable child amusement riding devices and to household garbage can holders of the type which are made stationary within the ground and extend upright for supporting the can above the ground. More specifically the invention is directed to household garbage can holders of the type having an upright post, a rotatable handle support bracket engaging the can handle and suspending the can above the ground level and a standoff bracket which holds the can out from the post.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The prior art is abundant with various types of garbage can holders having ground-engaging posts and rotatable means for supporting the can above the ground and away from the post. There are also many types of rotating child amusement rides in which the children are seated and can be pushed so as to ride around a central pole. Heretofore, there has been no device which is useful both as a garbage can holder and as a rotatable child amusement ride.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A combination rotatable garbage can rack and child amusement ride according to the invention uses a substantially straight, fixed, cylindrical post member having a lower ground-engaging portion and an upper can support portion. A second cylindrical post member is rotatably mounted externally on and supported by the first post member. A can holder and support bracket resides above the post members and is rigidly secured to the second post member allowing rotation therewith. Conversion of the garbage can holder into a rotatable child amusement ride is achieved by utilizing a horizontal bar member which has seat members secured to opposed ends and which is adapted to be secured to the second post member. A pair of rods are adapted to extend from the support bracket and to be attached to the rotatable horizontal bar. The support rods and the horizontal bar are quickly and easily removed and, once removed, restores the basic apparatus to being a garbage can support rack.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a household garbage can holder which allows rotation of the cans for ease in dumping trash and which can be quickly and easily converted into a rotatable child amusement ride.

Other objects will appear from the drawings and description to follow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a household garbage can holder constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the holder of FIG. 1 having the child-amusement riding apparatus removably attached to the garbage can holder.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a standoff bracket suited to the invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the bracket which can support either the can handle or the riding apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a household garbage can holder according to the invention comprises a post arrangement having a first rigidly, fixed, cylindrical post member 10 and a second cylindrical post member 11. Post 11 is of a larger inner diameter than the outside diameter of post 10. Post 11 preferably has one end slightly tapered as at 12 so that once post 11 is slid onto post 10, there results a substantially close sliding fit. An annular bearing member 13 is rigidly secured to post 10 and acts to limit the upper travel of post 11. Furthermore, it can be seen that the peripheral edge surface of bearing 13 provides a bearing surface for rotation of post 11 around post 10.

Once post 11 is in position, handle support bracket 14, having engaging portions 14a, 14b and a flat central portion 14c is rigidly secured to the upper end of post 11 by welding. As best seen in FIG. 3, post 10 extends within post 11 and resides in a bearing relation against the central portion 14c of bracket 14. Bracket 14 is also preferably provided with an annular guide ring 16 which is welded to the underside of central portion 14c of bracket 14 and resides and rotates within the upper end of post 10. Guide ring 16 provides a bearing member internally of post 10. Post 11 is now rigidly and rotatably secured on post 10.

A can standoff bracket 26 is adjustably secured to and rotatable with post 11. Standoff bracket 26, adjustably secured to post 11 by means of nut and bolt arrangements 27, engages the sides of garbage cans 28 and holds them out from post 11. With some children, standoff bracket 26 may serve as a foot support when using the riding attachment.

In use, handles 29 of garbage cans 28 are placed on handle-engaging portions 14a and 14b of handle support bracket 14. The cans 28 are then held above the ground and rest adjacent standoff bracket 26 away from post 11. Once a can is filled, post 11 is rotated to expose another can for use.

The just described garbage can holder can be quickly and easily converted into a rotatable child amusement ride upon removing cans 28 from the holder. A ride support bar 30, which can be formed from the same material as post 10, is of sufficient length to allow the children a relatively large circle of movement. A central portion 31 of bar 30 is flattened and bent into a radius substantially equal to the radius of post 11 so as to conform thereto. A preshaped metal holder member 32 has a bend with a radius substantially equal to the radius of post 11. When the riding attachment is used bar 30 and member 32 are placed on post 11 so that post 11 resides within the mating bent portions which are tightened by a pair of bolts and nuts 35, 36. A pair of outwardly spaced holes 40, 41, in bar 30 receive rods 42, 43 respectively and which in turn receive nuts 44, 45. Bracket 14 has in addition to handle-engaging portions 14a, 14b means to support rods 42, 43 comprising a pair of holes 46, 47 which are located on the outer edges of portion 14c. The upper ends of rods 42, 43 are placed in holes 46, 47 respectively and a pair of nuts 48, 49 are tightened thereon. A pair of bolts 52, 53 mount on bar 30 and pass through a pair of seats 54, 55. A pair of nuts 50, 51 are tightened on bolts 52, 53 and hold seats 54, 55 firmly positioned. Can standoff bracket 26, as previously mentioned, may be used as a footrest for children riding on the ride and who may push themselves or be pushed around. Some children have shown a preference for using the riding attachment with the cans installed. Thus, the can and other portions of the apparatus may be painted in colors attractive to children. Thus, a yard device that would otherwise be unattractive may be turned into something attractive and multifunctional.

* * * * *

Current U.S. Class:	472/14 ; 248/907
Current International Class:	A63G 1/00 (20060101); A63G 1/14 (20060101); A63g 001/00 ()
Field of Search:	272/39,40,33,30,28,7 248/DIG.7