Patent Publication Number: US-4369965-A

Title: Playground climber and slide

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Multi-purpose playground equipment is desirable and should include component parts which are capable of being selectively assembled to provide different structures. The equipment should take advantage of the popular materials available including fiberglass, wood and metal. The equipment should also be modernistic in appearance, sturdy and challenging to use. The equipment should also be easily assembled and safe to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The basic unit that has unlimited construction possibilities includes spaced apart end pieces octangular in shape which may or may not be interconnected by a tube received in aligned axial center openings. A slide may be attached to the top of one such unit or four units may be assembled, three along the bottom and one on top of the bottom center unit with extension legs interconnecting adjacent ends to form the A-shape structure. The slide may extend from the ground to the juncture of the center bottom unit and the top unit. Aligned openings through the end pieces with or without tubes provide for a play area within the structure and an access route to the slide. Steps along each of the legs of the A-shaped structure provide access to the top from either side. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a playground climber and slide utilizing a single pair of end pieces interconnected by a tube. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the equipment from the backside as viewed in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view taken from the right side as viewed in FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a unit including a pair of end pieces and interconnected by a tube. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the backside of the unit of FIG. 7. 
     FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof. 
     FIG. 10 is a elevational view of the backside of the unit. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The playground climber and slide of FIGS. 1-6 is referred to generally in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 10 and includes a single unit 12 as shown in FIG. 6. The unit 12 comprises a pair of end pieces 14 interconnected by a tube 16. The end pieces are octangular in shape with a rim having top and bottom surfaces 20 and 22, opposite vertical surfaces 24 and 26, top diagonal surfaces 28 and 30, and bottom diagonal surfaces 32 and 34. A radially extending flange 36 interconnects an inner flange 38 to the outer rim. The inner flange 38 is fastened by bolts 40 to the wall of the tube 16. An axial opening 42 is provided in each end piece 14 which in turn communicates with the passageway in the tube 16. 
     The vertical and horizontal surfaces are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube 16 while the diagonal surfaces flare outwardly as much as thirty to forty degrees and include notches 50 along their outer edges which receive opposite ends of wooden steps 52 which are also secured in place by vertically and horizontally extending bolts 60 and 62 as can be seen in the drawings, particularly in FIGS. 1, 2 and 10, the notches 50 (shown in FIG. 6) of the diagonal surfaces allow rectangular in cross-section wooden steps 52 to be placed between opposite end pieces so that wooden steps 52 present a horizontally flat top surface for stepping. 
     A pair of extension legs 64 abutt at their upper ends to the vertical surfaces 24 and include top upwardly flared surfaces 66 also having notches for receiving the wooden square in cross section steps 52 bolted thereto. All abutting surfaces are interconnected by bolts although not shown. 
     Secondary metal steps 68 extend between oppositely disposed surfaces on the legs and the end pieces and include ears 71 connected by bolts 73 to the diagonal surfaces of the rims and the top surfaces 66 of the extension legs 64. 
     The slide bed 70 extends from the top bridge plate 72, as seen in FIG. 3, to the ground, as seen in FIG. 1. A fireman&#39;s post 74 extends from the opposite end of the bridge plate 72 to the ground. 
     Thus it is seen that an A-shaped structure is provided which has steps along the length of both legs of the structure. 
     In FIGS. 7-10 an alternate embodiment is shown also A-shaped but including four pairs of end pieces 14. There are three pairs of end pieces in side-by-side relationship on the ground, 12A, 12B and 12C, respectively. A fourth pair 12D are positioned atop of the pair 12B. A first pair of extension legs 64A extend from the ground to the outer vertical surfaces on the end pieces 12A and 12E while a second pair of extension pieces 64B interconnect the top surfaces of end pieces 12A and 12E to the outer vertical surfaces of end pieces 12D. Steps 52 and 68 are provided as in the unit 10. A top bridge plate 72A is provided on the top horizontal surfaces of the end pieces 12D. Each of the end pieces may or may not have a tube 16 interconnecting the end pieces and wood steps 52 may also be provided on the interior diagonal surfaces to provide increased strength and protect against children getting inside the structure if this is not desired or for simply providing a passageway through the structure as seen by the two openings 80 in FIG. 10. 
     The slide bed 70A extends from the ground to the juncture of the horizontal surfaces of the adjacent end pieces of 12B and 12D and thus provide access to the slide from the opening 42 in the end pieces 12D. 
     The materials used in the structure include metal for the slide bed and tubes while the extension legs and end pieces are fabricated from fiberglass. As indicated, the steps 52 are of wood and the steps 68 are of tubular metal. 
     The side opposite the slide 70A includes a ladder 84 for providing access to the opposite end of the opening 42 in the end pieces 12D. 
     Thus it is seen that any number of different number of combinations of basic component end pieces 14 may be arranged to provide a climbing device and/or slide. Climbing is over the top and through the axial centers of the units 12 as well as through openings 80 formed by adjacent extension legs and units 12.