CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ROUND POLES OF A PLAY IMPLEMENT

Abstract: A device (1) for connecting at least two round poles (2) of a play implement comprising clamping means (4) extending through bores (3) in the poles (2) and bearing via supporting elements (5,6) on outer faces on both sides of the poles. A spacing element (8) extends between the poles coaxially with the clamping means and has curved contact faces (20,21) intimately engaging the pole at least along an outer edge.

Description: CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ROUND POLES OF A PLAY IMPLEMENT The invention relates to a device for connecting at least two round poles of a play implement comprising clamping means extending through bores in the poles and bearing via supporting elements on the outer faces on both sides of the poles. The play implements for which the device embodying the invention is intended to be used are usually outdoor constructions of round wooden poles, for example, climbing bars and the like. It is known to interconnect the round wooden poles of such play implements by means of a bolt. Washers are put below the bolt head and below the nut to form supporting elements. The poles are directly drawn against one another. In practice it has been found that play implements mounted by means of the known connecting devices do not fully satisfy the severe requirements of safety that have to be imposed on these play implements intended to be used by children. In particular, the child's fingers may readily be jammed in the wedge-shaped gap formed by two directly interconnected poles. Moreover, the washers, the bolt head and the nut constitute a potential source of injuries. The invention has for its object to provide a device of the kind set forth by means of which a play implement can be built which satisfies severe safety requirements. This is achieved in such a connecting device embodying the invention by a spacing element extending between the poles coaxially with the clamping means and having curved contact faces fittingly engaging the poles at least along an outer edge. It is thus ensured that at any point of the construction of the play implement the poles are spaced apart by a minimum distance determined by the spacing element so that the gaps between the poles are not so close to another that fingers are likely to be jammed. Since the spacing element has curved contact faces matching the poles at least along one outer edge no other gaps or sharp edges are formed, which might cause injuries or pinching. According to the invention in order to estahlish a direct connection of the poles the spacing element is formed by a ring having a curved face on both sides. The curved faces may have their centre lines parallel to one another or at an angle to one another. The poles can be connected with one another in accordance with the angele between said centre lines. The spacing element constitutes in addition an advantageous guard against a turn of the poles so that a robust, stable construction is obtained, which is of paramount importance for a play implement. If the poles have to be interconnected at an arbitrary angle, the spacing element embodying the invention comprises two partial rings being in contact with one another by flat side faces and each having a curved face on the side opposite the flat face. The partial rings can relatively turn along the flat faces so that any angle can be formed. In a further development of the invention relatively co-operating arresting members are provided in each flat side face of the partial rings. In this way it is yet possible to obtain the advantage of guarding the poles against a relative turn. The arresting members may have the shape of sharp tips penetrating into the material of the opposite partial ring or of teeth arranged at fixed angular distances, for example, angles of 15". In the latter case the spacing element formed by the partial rings permits of establishing an angular connection in which the angle formed is a multiple of 15". For interconnecting poles at a larger distance the spacing element embodying the invention is formed by a pipe or rod provided near each end with a ring having a curved face. Such a spacing element may be advantageously employed as a rung of a ladder or as a horizontal bar. The matching contact faces ensure the desired safety, whilst at the same time a very firm connection is established which prevents the poles from turning relatively to one another. In the case of such a long spacing element the pipe or rod preferably has at each end a hole with internal screwthread. Then the clamping elements are two bolts passed each through one pole and engaging the tapped hole of the spacing element. In order to avoid injuries due to the supporting elements each supporting element in a further development of the invention has a curved contact face fitting at least along an outer edge to the pole. A particularly effective connection is established when the clamping means comprise a bolt engaging in the internally screwthreaded shank of a nut element having a head protruding from the shank, said head engaging by an annular, flat face directed to the shank a ring having a curved contact face on the other side. According to the invention, in order to prevent the spacing element and the supporting element from turning they can be provided with lugs protruding from the curved face. When the clamping element is tightened, said lugs penetrate into the material of the pole so that a relative turn is avoided. An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized by a coaxial shoulder on the side(s) of a curved contact face. This coaxial shoulder penetrates into a matching bore in the pole concerned and thus effectively absorbs longitudinal forces exerted on the element. The invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic, perspective view of a spacing element of the device embodying the invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of part of the device of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 to 6 show three embodiments of a spacing element. Figs. 7 to 9 are elevational views corresponding to Figs. 4 to 6 of further embodiments of the spacing element. Fig. 10 shows a still further embodiment. Fig. 11 shows a spacing element for connecting poles at a larger distance. Fig. 12 shows a further embodiment of a spacing element. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a play implement formed by poles connected by devices embodying the invention. By means of the device embodying the invention two round poles 2 of a play implement are connected with one another. For this purpose bores 3 are made in the poles 2. Through the bores 3 extends a bolt 4 serving as a clamping means of the device 1. The head 26 of the bolt 4 bears on a supporting element 5, which is in contact with the left-hand pole 2. The. screwthreaded end of the bolt 4 engages a supporting element 6 on the other side of the device. The supporting element 6 has a shank 12 with a tapped hole 11 and a head 13. On its side facing the shank 12 the head 13 has a flat face. The flat face of the head 13 bears on a flat face of a ring 7. The ring 7 bears on the pole 2. According to the invention a spacing member 8 is arranged between the poles 2 and the connecting device. This spacing member 8 holds the poles 2 at a minimum distance so that no hazardous, narrow, wedge-shaped gap is formed between the poles. The spacing element has curved faces 20, 21 which intimately engage the poles at least along an outer edge. According to a further aspect of the invention the supporting element 5 and the ring 7 associated with the supporting element 6 also have curved contact faces 22 and 23 respectively, which fit to the surface of the poles 2. According to an aspect of the invention the supporting element 5 and the spacing element 8 are provided with shoulders 9 and 10 respectively. Any shear forces occurring between the poles 2 are transferred by the shoulders 10 of the spacing element 8. In this way the connecting device itself is prevented from being exposed to shear forces. By the shoulder 9 the supporting element 5 is correctly positioned with respect to the bore 3. Fig. 1 furthermore shows that the supporting element 5 has a recess 14 for receiving the head 26 of the clamping element or else the bolt 4. The outer edge of the supporting element 5 has a bevelled face 25 so that the risk of injury due to sharp edges of the supporting element 5 itself or the bolt head 26 is eliminated. The supporting elements 5 and 6 with the ring 7 are shown in detail in Fig. 3. The spacing element 8 is shown in detail in Fig. 7. Fig. 2 shows a spacing element embodying the invention in a schematic view at its place between two beams 2. Through the hole 18 in the middle of the spacing element 15 extends a clamping element, for example, a bolt 4 as shown in Fig. 1. From Fig. 2 it is clearly apparent how the curved contact faces 16 and 17 match the shapes of the poles 2. In this embodiment of the spacing element 15 the centre lines of the curvatures of the curved contact faces 16 and 17 are at right angles to one another so that this spacing element is intended to be used in a connecting device interconnecting two poles 2 at an angle of 90". As stated above, the spacing element in the connecting device embodying the invention has the advantageous, additional effect that the interconnected poles 2 are fixed in the correct angular position and that a relative turn of the poles 2 is prevented by the curved faces. Fig. 3 shows in detail the above-described elements of the connecting device embodying the invention shown in Fig. 1. The supporting element 5 and the ring 7 are, by their respective, curved contact faces 23 and 22, in engagement with the poles 2. The nut element 6 can be turned because the underside 27 of the head 6 is flat and is in contact with the flat face 28 of the ring 7. For mounting the device the bolt 4 (not shown in Fig. 3) is passed through the supporting element 5 and the poles and at the other end the nut element 6 passed through the ring 7 is screwed onto the bolt. For tightening the connection the head 13 of the nut element 6 has a hexagonal recess 29 into which a hexagonal wrench can be inserted. Figs. 1 and 3 furthermore show that the ring 7 is provided with lugs 24 which penetrate into the material of the pole 2 and have the effect of guard elements. Apart from the curved face of the ring 7, the curved face 22 of the supporting element 5 or the curved faces of the spacing elements may also be provided with lugs. As set out above the centre lines of the curvatures on the two sides of the spacing element 15, as shown in Fig. 4, are at right angles to one another so that the poles are also connected at an angle of 90" with one another. The spacing element 30 shown in Fig. 5 has curved contact faces 31 and 32 on both sides, the centre lines of the curvatures extending parallel to one another. The spacing element 30 is used for interconnecting poles in parallel position. The spacing element as shown in Fig. 6 has on one side a flat face 34 and on the other side a curved contact face 35. By using as spacing elements two partial rings 35 engaging one another by their flat faces 34 poles can he interconnected at any arbitrary angle because the curved faces 35 of the respective partial rings can be relatively turned at any angle. The elements 8, 36 and 37 shown in Figs. 7 to 9 respectively basically correspond with the elements 15, 30, 33 of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 respectively. The spacing element 8 is described with reference to Fig. 1 and it differs from the spacing element 15 of Figs. 2 and 4 in that it is provided with shoulders 10. The spacing elements 36 and 37 are also provided with shoulders. The spacing element 40 of Fig. 10 comprises two partial rings 41. The partial rings 41 basically correspond with the partial ring 37 of Fig. 9, but arresting members formed by a toothing 42 are provided in the flat face. The teeth may be disposed at relative angular distances of 15 . In this way the two partial rings 41 can be employed for a connecting device embodying the invention to connect poles with one another at an angle of an integral multiple of 15 . The arresting members provide the advantage that the poles are guarded against a turn in the selected angular position. Instead of using co-operating teeth, sharp members may be used in one or in both flat faces to penetrate into the material of the flat face of the opposite partial ring 41. The spacing element 45 of Fig. 11 comprises a pipe 46 provided near the ends with rings 47 welded thereto. The rings 47 are chosen so that the curved contact face 50 is formed on the side facing the associated end of the pipe 46. Into the ends of the pipe 46 are introduced screwthreaded sleeves 48, which are guarded in place by means of a depression 49. The spacing element 45 can be connected at both ends with a pole by means of a bolt bearing on the supporting element, for example, the supporting element 5 of Fig. 3. The spacing element 45, as is shown in Fig. 13, serves as the rung of a ladder, as a horizontal bar or as a part of railing. Although the distance between the poles to be interconnected, when using a spacing element 45, is relatively large, the additional advantage of the invention of guarding the poles against a relative turn is nevertheless obtained. Fig. 12 shows a further development of the spacing element shown in Fig. 11. This spacing element 51 comprises three bars 56 secured at both ends to locking members 52. The locking members 52 are construoted so that their outer rim 54 forms the curved contact face. To the locking members 52 are fastened bolts 53 which can be passed through bores in the pole concerned, whilst a nut 55 can be screwed onto the other end. As is shown in Fig. 13, the spacing element 51 may be used with the curvature of the bars 56 pointing upwards or downwards. The play implement 65 comprises a large number of poles 2, which are interconnected in different ways by means of the device embodying tRe invention. In the play implement 65 are formed foot boards 61 and, in addition, a slide 58 and a suspension bridge 60. There is also provided a slide rod 59. It will be obvious that by means of the connecting device embodying the invention a large number of different play appliances can be formed. Fig. 13 clearly shows the various above-mentioned embodiments of the connecting device in accordance with the invention. When the device embodying the invention is employed, children, even when playing boisterously, will not get jammed or injured, whilst by the additional advantage of the invention in guarding the interconnected poles against a relative turn a very rigid and robust construction is obtained.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for connecting at least two round poles of a play implement comprising clamping means extending through bores in the poles and bearing via supporting elements on outer faces on both sides of the poles characterized by a spacing element extending between the poles coaxially with the clamping means and having curved contact faces intimately engaging the pole at least along an outer edge. 2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the spacing element is a ring having a curved face on both sides. 3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spacing element comprises two partial rings engaging one another by flat side faces each having a curved face on the side opposite the flat face. 4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, characterized by relatively co-operating arresting members in each flat side face. 5. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the spacing element is a pipe or bar provided near each end with a ring having a curved face. 6. A device as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the pipe or bar has at each end a tapped hole. 7. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims, characterized by a supporting element having a curved contact face intimately engaging, at least along an outer edge, the pole. 8. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the clamping means comprise a bolt engaging a shank of a nut element having an internally screwthreaded hole, said element having a head protruding beyond the shank, said head engaging by an annular flat face directed towards the shank, a ring having a curved contact face on the other side. 9. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims, characterized by lugs protruding from the curved contact face. 10. A device als claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims, characterized by a coaxial shoulder on the side(s) of a curved contact face.

Inventors: TE DUITS, EVERHARDUS HENDRIKUS
Applicants: SPEELHOUT B.V.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A63B9
IPC codes: F16B7