Patent Abstract:
A water play structure for children includes an elevated platform having an upper horizontal rail and vertical pickets between the rail and the platform free of any horizontal members so as to reduce the risk that children will climb across the railing and fall from the platform, the structure further including water features such as a canopy supported upon the elevated platform and dimensioned to provide a flow of water that falls downwardly across a portion of the platform.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application incorporates by reference and claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/829,440 for “Water Play Structures and Methods Utilizing Interchangeable Play Features and Security Measures,” having a filing date of Oct. 13, 2006, and commonly owned with this application. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to water play structures and related methods. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A number of water play structures and methods are known in the prior art. One such arrangement is disclosed in US Patent Publication 2002/0040499 which describes a supervisory viewing feature that employs a flexible webbing having rectangular openings at least one half inch in dimension to permit supervisory viewing of elevated portions of the place structure, in order that a lifeguard or other supervisor standing on the ground can observe children playing on the elevated platform. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to water play structures that utilize an elevated platform and a number of novel features. One embodiment utilizes supervisory viewing features comprising in one example vertical stainless steel pickets without intermediate horizontal bars that would enable a child to climb in a manner that may endanger the child. However, the structure also includes openings in the line of pickets to permit water play features to extend through the line of pickets during play. Another supervisory feature is the use of flexible netting between the elevated platform and the ground and underneath access stairs in order to reduce injuries. 
   The water play structures and methods in accordance with the present invention also utilize in combination with the supervisory viewing features described above, means for permitting various water play features to be interchangeably mounted on pipes adjoining the play structure. A mushroom-shaped canopy is supported on the elevated platform as one water play feature. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view, partially cut away, of a water play structure in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the play structure shown in  FIG. 1  as rotated 180 degrees, but with certain water play features mounted on different pipes adjoining the mean structure. 
       FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  are cross-sectional prospective views of a portion of the structure shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  with  FIG. 3  depicting a first water play feature in a first position,  FIG. 4  illustrating the first water play feature rotated to a second position and with  FIG. 5  illustrating the interchangeability of a second water play feature for the first water play feature of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded prospective view of a portion of the structure of  FIGS. 1-5  illustrating the manner in which various water play features may be rotated to different positions or interchanged with other water play features in a facile manner. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   First noting  FIG. 1 , the water play structure is referred to generally with the reference numeral  10  and includes an elevated platform  12  fabricating from stainless steel or similar noncorrosive material. A first stairway  14  having guardrails  16 ,  18  is positioned alongside the structure  10  so that children may climb to the elevated platform  12 . In a similar manner, a second stairwell  20  is provided, and includes handrails  22 ,  24  also permitting children to climb up to or down from the elevated platform  12 . The structure  10  also includes a water slide  26  position between opposing rails  28 ,  30 . 
   In order to provide an exciting and satisfying play experience for children, the water play structure  10  is provided with numerous water play features including water cannons  32 ,  34  fitted to the elevated platform  12  and communicating with a source of water. The water play structure  10  also includes elevated water play features  40 ,  48 ,  54  and  60  which are mounted upon respective vertical pipes  36 ,  44 ,  50  and  56  via corresponding rotatable couplings  38 ,  46 ,  52  and  58  that are described in greater detail below with reference to  FIG. 6 . Each of the water play features  40 ,  48 ,  54  and  60  have a horizontally extending portion with sprinklers, hose, drip features, a tip bucket or the like that sprays or pours downwardly to enhance the enjoyment of the children using the water play structure  10 . By way of example, the water play feature  40  connected to coupling  38  to pipe  36  includes a nozzle that is directed downwardly toward a tipping bucket  42 ; the tipping bucket is constructed in a known manner so as to tip over when the amount of water reaches a certain level in the bucket  42 , thereby spraying the children below. Of course, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the water play feature  40  has a hollow channel therein communicating with the hollow channel of the pipe  36  to which water is delivered from a supply source. 
   Likewise, water spray feature  48  is provided with means for spraying water downwardly as received from the pipe  44 , and water spray feature  54  permits the spraying of water under pressure out of apertures  53  as received from the vertical pipe  50 . Water spray feature  60  receives water from vertical pipe  56  and also includes means for permitting water to be sprayed or dripped downwardly. 
   The supervisory viewing feature of the present invention will now be described with referenced to  FIG. 2 . It will be noted that  FIG. 2  depicts the water play structure  10  of  FIG. 1  rotated 180 degrees, except that the water play features  40 ,  54  and  60  have been moved in accordance with another aspect of this invention as described further below with respect  FIGS. 3-6 . 
   With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the water play structure  10  is provided with means reducing falls from the platform  12  comprising an upper horizontal rail  78  and vertical stainless steel pickets  72  of a very thin gauge about portions of the platform  12  that guards against falls while permitting easy viewing of children playing on the platform. As described in the aforementioned patent publication, a crosshatched vinyl flexible material  70  may be inserted in the other openings that are not as crucial to viewing children at play as that on the upper surface of the elevated platform  12 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the extremely thin vertical pickets  72  have no cross members (except the openings  74  and  76  as described below), thereby making it extremely difficult for a child to climb upwardly and over the rail  78  and be placed in a dangerous position. Further, however, the thinness of the rails permits easy viewing of children playing on the upper surface of the platform  12 . 
   As discussed briefly above, the water play structure  10  includes two generally rectangular openings  72 ,  76  having horizontal structures at an upper level of the pickets  72  in order to permit an unobstructed stream of water to be emitted from the water cannons  32 ,  34  ( FIG. 2 ). The water cannons  32 ,  34  are positioned within the rectangular openings  72 ,  76  so as to reduce the likelihood that a child will use the horizontal structural features of the openings  72 ,  76  to crawl over the rail  78 . 
   Another supervisory feature that permits supervision comprises flexible netting  70  extending from the platform to the ground and between the rails of the stairs  18 ,  24  and the ground. 
   As also shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the water play structure also includes a centrally-positioned mushroom-shaped water play feature including a vertical pipe  62  and an upper canopy  64  having a central hole  66  through which water passes out of the pipe  62  and then along the surface of the canopy  64  and across the outer portion of the elevated platform  12 . Water flowing from the outer edge of the canopy  64  provides a delightful “barrier” for children attempting to gain the “high ground” represented by the platform  12 . It will thus be appreciated that children playing upon the upper surface of the elevated platform  12  may safely enjoy an exciting play experience while being subject to supervisory viewing through the thin stainless steel pickets  72  by a lifeguard or other supervisor on the ground. Without limiting other dimensions and forms of the stainless steel picket  72 , a three-quarter inch cylindrical stainless tubing may be installed for the picket  72  on four inch centers. The floor of the elevated platform  12  may be fabricated from appropriate materials such as spaced fiberglass elements having a flat surface, the space between the elements permitting water to drain from the platform  12 . 
   Attention is now drawn to  FIGS. 3-6 . First noting  FIG. 3 , the water play structure  60  is shown fitted to the vertical pipe  56  through the coupling  58  in a first position. However, the water play feature  50  may be easily rotated to a second position ( FIG. 4 ) in a facile manner as described below with reference to  FIG. 6 . Likewise, as depicted in  FIG. 5 , the water play structure  60  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  in two different positions may be replaced by one of the other play water features, such as feature  40  having the tipping bucket  42 . This is achieved by utilizing a construction for the couplings, such as coupling  58  shown in  FIG. 6 . The coupling  58  (as with the other couplings  38 ,  46  and  52 ) includes a pair of stainless steel flanges  53 ,  57  that are respectively welded to the corresponding water play feature (such as feature  60  in  FIG. 6 ) and the vertical pipe  56 . Each of the flanges  53 ,  57  includes holes extending therethrough with bolts, washers and nuts fitted at incremental positions around the circumference of the flanges  53 ,  57 . Likewise, a rubber gasket  55  is fitted between the two flanges  53 ,  57  to permit a water tight seal. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the incrementally spaced holes in the flanges  53 ,  57  and the gasket  55  permit the mounted water play feature (such as drip feature  60  in  FIG. 6 ) to be easily rotated in a facile manner from one position to another, or to be entirely removed and replaced with another feature. By way of example, the water play structure as shown in  FIG. 2  clearly indicates that the position of the tipping bucket water play structure  40  has been moved from one corner of the play structure  10  to another corner, and similar changes and position of the other water play structures have been made. This permits a modification of the configuration of the water play structure  10  to, again, present a different and exciting water play structure for children. 
   It will of course be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes to the water play structures shown in  FIGS. 1-6  may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the this invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0