Amusement devices – Swing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-04
2001-06-26
Nguyen, Kien T. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices
Swing
C472S116000, C472S125000, C482S035000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251022
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to playground recreational equipment and in particular to a play set having the structure of an excavator type backhoe machine including support tracks, cab, main boom, stick, bucket with toy box, counterweight, elevated platform play area, monkey bars under the boom, swings and a slide.
2. Description of Related Art
Playground equipment in the prior art has taken many forms and shapes such as play houses, tree houses, spaceships, gum ball machines and many other structures. Such structures have been made of popular materials such as wood, plastic and metal. Children are known to be attracted to construction equipment particularly toy dump trucks, tractors with plows and jeeps. A safe, reliable, sturdy structure having the appearance of an excavating machine has not been available for children's recreation that includes a play area, swings, monkey bars, slide, ladder and simulated machine controls.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 250,783, issued Jan. 9, 1979 to Dieter et al., assigned to Creative Playgrounds Corporation, a playground structure is shown having a slide at one end of a raised walkway with a ladder extending from this end and at the other end of the walkway a second ladder for climbing to an intermediate height platform before climbing up to the walkway. A third ladder extends from a lower platform adjacent to the intermediate height platform. An auto tire is suspended horizontally from the center of the raised walkway.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 253,362, issued Nov. 6, 1979 to Dieter et al., and assigned to Creative Playgrounds Corporation, a playground structure is shown comprising a rope ladder, a swing, two platforms at different heights, the upper level platform having a two sided pitched roof, stairs attached to the lower level platform and a slide extending from the lower level platform.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,900, issued Apr. 21, 1981, to James D. Vinson, this patent discloses a playground set comprising an elevated house, called a treehouse in combination with at least one of the following additional items: one or more swings suspended from a slide extending down from the treehouse, gymnastic bars, a see-saw, parallel bars, backboard for playing basketball, and a fireman's pole.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,965, issued Jan. 25, 1983 to Paul W. Ahrens, and assigned to Miracle Recreation Equipment Company, a playground climber is shown having a slide or extending from one side of an upper portion. FIG.
1
and
FIG. 7
show two embodiments. In
FIG. 1
a pair of end pieces
14
are interconnected by a tube. The end pieces are octagon in shape with an axial opening provided in each end piece which in turn communicates with the passageway in the tube.
FIG. 7
shows an A-shaped playground climber having four pairs of end pieces and a slide bed extending from an opening in end piece to the ground.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 274,450, issued Jun. 26, 1984, to Richard F. Gordon, and assigned to Sportsplay Creative Enterprises, Inc. an outdoor child's play unit is shown comprising a raised platform with a two sided pitched roof and the platform is reached by a ladder. A slide extends from the platform to the ground. Swings are provided on each side of the platform.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,328, issued Jul. 5, 1994, to S. Eric Robinson, a play structure that is made with a plastic building element is shown which permits a variety of play structures to be assembled. One embodiment resembles a spaceship or lunar lander using two of the building elements, one inverted over the other and bolted together. Another embodiment resembles a gum ball machine. A slide and rope ladder extend down to the ground from doorways cut in the side walls of the lower shell that is made with a plastic building element which permits a variety of play structures to be assembled.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,232, issued Mar. 5, 1996 to Denny W. Morris et al., a modular playground equipment system is shown comprising a platform including a base portion, a floor portion covering the base portion having a plurality of connection means disposed in spaced apart relation around the periphery of the platform and adapted for attachment to one of the playground equipment modules. A plurality of upstanding columns are attached at one end thereof to the base portion and adapted to one end thereof for attachment to at least one of the playground modules such as slides, and stairs. An upstanding structure attaches to each of the columns, and provides leg supports for the platform.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a play set having the structure of an excavator backhoe.
It is another object of this invention to provide a safe elevated play area having walls surrounding the play area and being within the play set.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an excavator play set for children's recreation comprising swings, ladder, monkey bars, slide, toy storage, and an operator's cab with simulated controls.
These and other objects are further accomplished by a play set comprising a pair of support tracks position parallel to each other, the tracks being interconnected by a plurality of crossmembers, a platform play area mounted on top of the pair of support tracks, a cab positioned adjacent to the play area, a boom extending angularly upward from a front wall of the platform play area, a stick having a first end attached to an outer end of the boom, the stick extending downward, and means attached to a lower end of the stick for supporting the stick and the boom. The play set comprises a swing hanging from the boom. The boom comprises a plurality of dowels mounted on a bottom portion of the boom, each of the dowels spaced a predetermined distance from each other. The cab comprises a plurality of simulated excavator controls. The play set comprises a slide attached to a side of the play set. The supporting means attached to a lower end of the stick comprises a bucket. The bucket comprises a shelf for storage of play items. The play area comprises an opening for access to the play area from under the play set. The play set comprises a counterweight attachment at the rear of the play area, the top surface of the counterweight attachment providing a portion of a catwalk surface for walking around the outside perimeter of the platform play area. Each of the support tracks comprises a track frame assembly having an inner frame and an outer frame and track pieces attached to the outer perimeter of the inner frame and the outer frame. The platform play area comprises a platform comprising a plurality of joists, the joists attached to at least two support beams running parallel to the support tracks, and the support beam being fastened to the plurality of crossmembers. A rear corner of the cab forms a corner of the play area whereby one side wall of a plurality of walls abuts a rear panel of the cab and a front wall of the plurality of walls abuts a side panel of the cab. The boom comprises a pair of simulated hydraulic pistons, a first end of each of the hydraulic pistons attaches to the platform play area and a second end of each of the hydraulic pistons attaches to an upper portion of a first side and a second side of the boom. The boom comprises an angular portion and a horizontal portion. The boom comprises a simulated hydraulic piston structure positioned above the horizontal portion of the boom, a first end of the simulated hydraulic piston connected approximately at the start of the horizontal portion and a second end attached to an upper end of the stick. The stick comprises a simulated hydraulic piston structure positioned along a front surface of the stick, a first end fastened to an upper portion of the stick and a second end fastened to an upper portion of the supporting means.
The objects are further accomplished by a play set comprising a pair of support tracks positioned parallel to each other, the tracks being interconnected by a plurality of crossmem
Mailloux Ronald J.
Mailloux Russell J.
Nguyen Kien T.
Pearson & Pearson LLP
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