Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a playground device and, in
particular, a resilient rocking device comprising a seat
mounted on the top of a heavy, vertically disposed coil
spring, the lower end of which is rigidly secured at ground
level to a base anchoring member. A child using such a
device may cause it to rock resiliently in all horizontal
directions, provided, of coursel that the lower end of the
coil spring is immovably anchored to the ground by means
of said anchoring member. The most common type of anchoring
member is a heavy concrete tile, provided with holes for
receiving fastening bolts for the firm holding of the lower
coil spring end. Such an anchoring member is perfectly
usable, but the requirements as to the provision of the said
holes and the dimensions of the tile normally require the
heavy tile to be provided by the manufacturer of the play-
ground device itself and be shipped along with the device.
This of course gives rise to considerably increased shipping
` costs due to the dominating weight of the tile, despite its
character of a very simple product. In many cases a firm
initial ground anchoring may be achieved without the use
of a heavy element, viz. by means of poles or ground spikes
holding the support against the ground surface, but such
arrangements tend to become loose when they have been in use
for some time.
The present invention provides an improved
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anchoring structure which does not comprise really heavy elements,
so as to be easy to ship, and which is capable of offering a
rigid and durable anchoring of the pla~ground device.
According to the present invention there is provided a
playground device of the type carried on a heavy bendable coil
spring support which, in use, is likely to be subjected to tilt-
ing or displacement forces, said support being secured to base
anchoring means for firmly anchoring the lower end of the support
to the ground, characterized in that said base anchoring means
comprise a lightweight mounting member for holding the lower end
of the support generally in the ground surface level and provided
with downwardly extending connectingmeans which at its lower end is
secured to lightweight plate means which is mountable in a
generally horizontal, subterranean position.
For anchoring a device according to the invention it is
required to dig a hole large and deep enough to receive the said
plate means at a depth corresponding to said mounting member
being located approximately in the ground surface level, but once
this is done and the hole is again filled with earth thus depos-
ited on the top side of the buried plate means, the earth
; pressure on the plate means will ensure a firm and durable
holding of the plate means and thereby of the entire anchoring
structure. All parts of the anchoring structure may be produced
as lightweight elements, including the said plate means, and
; they are, therefore, easily shippable. The material for holding
the parts, viz., the earth as thrown back into the dug hole,
;~ need no adaption whatsoever in order to fulfil its holding
function.
In a preferred embodiment of said mounting member,
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connecting means, e.g., leg members and lower plate member are
provided as separate units adapted to be shipped in a compact
condition and to be easily joinable at the mounting site.
In the following the invention is described in more detail,
by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of a playground
device according to the invention,
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Fig. 2 is a perspective view, seen from below, of the
anchoring means in partly assembled condition; and
Fig. 3 is a plan bottom view of the structure shown
in Fig. 2.
The device shown in Fig. 1 generally comprises a heavy
coil spring 2, a seat structure 4 mounted rigidly on the top
of the spring, and lower mounting means including a pair of
inverted U-bolts 6 for anchoring the lower end of the spring
in a rigid manner to a ground engaging holding arrangement
such that the lower spring end is rigidly held approximately
in the ground surface level, whereby a child sitting on
the seat structure 4 may carry out resiliently rocking move-
ments of the seat structure.
A conventional type of a ground engaging holding arrange-
ment is a heavy concrete tile 8 as indicated in dot-and-
-~ dash lines, such tile having holes for receiving the ends
of the U-bolts 6.
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The present invention avoids this heavy tile, and
according to the invention the tile is substituted by a
lightweight mounting member 10 rigidly connected with the
lower spring end by means of the U-bolts 6 and provided
with a plurality of downwardly projecting leg members 12
which at their lower ends are secured to a horizontal plate
member 14 also of lightweight design, preferably an impreg-
nated wooden plate member.
For mounting the playground device a hole is dug in
the ground, large enough to receive the plate member 14
having a depth such that the mounting member 10 is located
in or just underneath the ground level. The preassembled
unit 2, 4, 6, 10, 12 and 14 is then placed with the plate
member 14 resting on
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the bottom of said hole, and -the hole is then re-filled,
preferably by the dug up earth. The pressure o~ the earth
on the plate will stabilize the same to make the mounting
member 10 support the lower spring end in a fully rigid
manner as desired.
As apparent from Figs. 2 and 3 the mounting member 10
is preferably an invexted cup shaped metal sheet member
having a plane top side 16 and an annular, depending edge
flange 18 having at four points a mounting hole 20 for
receiving a fastening bolt 21 for the top end of the respec-
tive leg members 12, these at their lower ends having an
outwardly bent foot portion 22 with a hole 24 for receiving
a fastening bolt for the bottom plate member 14.
Underneath the top portion 16 of the mounting member 10
is a cross member 23, the opposite end portions of which
have holes for receiving the ends of the U-bolts 6 and sup-
porting tightening nuts 26 therefor. The cross member ends
are offset or backed by distance members 28 such that the
central portion of the cross member 23 is spaced somewhat
from the underside of the cup top portion 16. Each o~ the
leg members 12 has an inwardly bent top portion 30, the
outer end of which is receivable in the space between the
central portion of the cross member 23 and the cup member
top portion 16, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, whereby
the respective leg members 12 may be secured very firmly to
the mounting member 10 by means of a single bolt 21 through
the flange hole 20 and a corresponding hole in the leg
member.
It will be appreciated that the mounting member 10, the
leg members 12 and the plate member 14 are easily assembled
on the
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mounting site of the entire device, such that the parts may be
stored and shipped in a compact condition. However, it will also
be appreciated that the ground anchoring structure constitutes
an advantageous lightweight structure even if assembled in the
playground device manufacturing enterprise, and moreover the in-
vention will of course comprise any other manner of arranging for
the lower end of the support element 2 of the playground device
to be connected in a rigid manner with a lower lightweight plate
element 14 or with corresponding plate element portions associat-
ed with each single of the leg members 12 in order to anchor theleg members in the ground when they are mounted in the said hole
in the ground.
It will be appreciated that the pyramide shape of the leg
members is highly advantageous for the stability of the anchoring
system, but the legs may of course be arranged otherwise.
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