Hanger for securing a swing chain or the like

The invention provides a playstation and a hanger for connecting a children's play accessory to the playstation. The hanger includes a first end portion that has threads formed on an outer surface and a second portion that has a first loop formed as part of the second portion. The hanger further includes a second loop that is connected to either, or both, the first end portion and/or the second portion. The second loop is preferably located between the first end portion and the second end portion of the hanger. The first loop is preferably oriented in a first plane that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first end portion. The second loop is preferably oriented in a second plane that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
The invention relates to a hanger for connecting a swing chain or the like 
to a playstation, and more particularly to a hanger that connects a chain 
for a swing or another children's play accessory to two locations on a 
playstation. 
A variety of children's play accessories (e.g., swings, riders and 
gymnastics equipment) are attached to playstations by hanging them from a 
support (usually a cross-beam) on the playstation. The accessories are 
hung using one or more link-type chains. The chains are hung by connecting 
one end of the link chain to an S-type hook (or some other conventional 
form of attachment) and then securing the S-type hook to a hanger that is 
connected to the support structure on the playstation. 
Conventional hangers typically secure chains to one location on the 
playstation. That is, for each hanger, there is only one set of threads 
extending into the support structure of the playstation to secure the 
hanger to the playstation. An eye-bolt is one example of a hanger that is 
used to secure a chain to a playstation. The eye-bolt screws directly into 
the support structure of a playstation at one end and the loop at the 
opposite end is secured to a connector (e.g., an S-hook) that is attached 
to a chain. Only the threads of the eye-bolt are screwed into the 
playstation. A simple shear stress (i.e., a downward force on the bolt) 
could cause the support structure around the threads to shear or strip. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, the invention provides a playstation and a hanger for 
connecting a children's play accessory to the playstation. The hanger 
includes a first end portion that has threads formed on an outer surface 
and a second portion that has a first loop formed as part of the second 
portion. The hanger further includes a second loop that is connected to 
either (or both) the first end portion and/or the second portion. 
In one embodiment of the invention, the second loop is connected between 
the first end portion and the second portion of the hanger. The first loop 
is oriented in a first plane that is substantially perpendicular to the 
longitudinal axis of the first end portion. In addition, the second loop 
is positioned in a second plane that is substantially perpendicular to the 
first plane. 
The present invention also relates to a playstation that includes a 
cross-beam and a hanger. The first end portion of the hanger is threaded 
into a surface on the cross-beam positioning the first loop of the hanger 
substantially parallel to the surface of the cross-beam. 
The cross-beam may include a first member that has a first surface and a 
second member that has a second surface where the first surface and the 
second surface are substantially parallel. The threads of the hanger are 
screwed into the first surface of the first member such that the first 
loop is positioned substantially parallel to the second surface of the 
second member. A bolt extends through the first loop in order to secure 
the hanger to the playstation at a second location (in addition to the 
threaded first end portion). The additional connection is provided without 
the use of any additional brackets or other parts reducing the cost and 
labor associated with connecting a hanger to a playstation. The second 
loop is oriented substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the 
first member permitting the second loop to receive a connector (e.g., an 
S-hook) that is attached to a chain or some other type of tether. 
A principal advantage of the invention is to provide a hanger that is 
easily secured to a playstation in two locations on the playstation. 
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a hanger that is easily 
assembled to a playstation. 
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a hanger for connecting a 
chain or the like to a playstation where the hanger has a one-piece 
configuration. 
Still another advantage of the invention is to provide a playstation that 
includes a hanger which is secured to two members on a cross-beam of the 
playstation. 
Other features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the 
following drawings, detailed description, and claims.

The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for 
purposes of illustration and description. The description is not intended 
to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. 
Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above 
teachings, and the skill or knowledge of the prior art, are within the 
scope of the present invention. The embodiments described herein are 
intended to explain the best modes for practicing the invention and to 
enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in the disclosed 
or other embodiments, and with various modifications required by the 
particular applications or uses of the present invention. It is intended 
that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments 
to the extent permitted by the prior art. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A playstation 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 
1. The playstation 10 includes a cross-beam 30 and one or more hangers 20 
which are secured to the cross-beam 30. The hangers 20 are typically 
attached to connectors 22 which are, in turn, secured to chains 24. Chains 
24 are used to support some type of children's play accessory (a swing 26 
is shown in FIG. 1). The hangers 20 are typically secured into the bottom 
of the cross-beam 30, although they may be secured to any portion of the 
playstation 10. The hangers 20 are identical, and accordingly, only the 
single hanger shown in FIGS. 2-4 will be described in detail. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the hanger 20 includes a first end portion 40 that has 
an outer surface with threads 42 formed thereon. The hanger 40 further 
includes a second end portion 44 that has a loop 46 formed thereon. The 
hanger 20 also includes a second loop 48 that is preferably positioned 
between the first end portion 40 and the second end portion 44 (as shown 
in FIGS. 2-4). The first loop 46 lies in a first plane that is 
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first end 
portion 40. The second loop 48 lies in a plane that is substantially 
perpendicular to the first plane. The second loop 48 is constructed to 
receive a connector 22, which is, in turn, secured to the chain 24 (not 
shown in FIGS. 2-4). 
As shown in FIG. 3 the threads 40 are screwed into the cross-beam 30 such 
that the first loop 46 is positioned near (or preferably against) the 
cross-beam 30. The hanger 20 is secured to the cross-beam 30 at a second 
location by extending a bolt 50 through the second loop 48 into the 
cross-beam 30. 
A portion of a preferred form of the playstation 10 is shown in FIG. 4. The 
cross-beam 30 includes a first member 34 having a first surface 35 and a 
second member 32 having a second surface 33. The threaded portion 42 of 
the first end portion 40 is screwed into the first surface 35 of the first 
member 34 such that the first loop 46 is positioned adjacent and 
substantially parallel to the second surface 33 of the second member 32. 
The bolt 50 extends through the first loop 46 and into the second surface 
33 of the second member 32. The hanger 20 is therefore secured to both the 
first member 34 (via threads 42) and the second member 32 (via bolt 50). 
The second loop 48 of the hanger 20 is oriented substantially 
perpendicular to the first surface 35 of the first member 34, although the 
second loop 48 could be formed in some other orientation. 
In another form of the invention, the first end portion 40 and/or the bolt 
50 could have threaded ends that are secured to the cross-beam 30 using a 
nut (not shown). In this case, the bolt 50 and the threads 42 of the first 
end portion 40 extend through the cross-beam 30 and are secured on the 
opposite side (not shown) of the beam with appropriate nuts. 
Various features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in 
the following claims.