US3451672A - Amusement and physical fitness device - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1969 I A. KAZDAN AMUSEMENT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1966 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR.

ARALEE KAZDAN June 24, 1969 A. KAZDAN 3,451,672

AMUSEMENT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS DEVICE Filed Nov. 3, 1966 Sheet 2 of 2 w j! i i I lNVENTOR.

ARALEE KAZDAN W W 1314! PM United States Patent Olfice 3,451,672 Patented June 24, 1969 3,451,672 AMUSEMENT AND PHYSICAL FITNESS DEVICE Aralee Kazdan, New York, N.Y., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Blazon, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 595,303 Int. Cl. A63g 1/32, 11/00 US. Cl. 272-30 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention pertains to an amusement and physical fitness device that can be used as a teeter, slide, sled, aquatic float or boat, rotating merry-go-round balancer, and, when inverted, as a crawl through bridge-like unit. It can be used indoors or outdoors but is particularly designed for playground use since in its preferred embodiment it has a free-form sinuous unitary shape without any detachable portions or sharp projections that would tend to cause injuries.

In brief compass, this invention is an amusment device comprising a unitary, sinuous, free-form shape having a lower center portion, gibbous in cross-section, terminating at either end in upraised end portions adapted to be straddled and sat upon. The shape of the device in longitudinal section is convex downwardly on its bottom and concave downwardly at its top. It is thus capable of being rocked about on its center bottom portion.

Described in a different manner, the playground rocking unit of this invention comprises a rigid generally smoothly curved curvilinear continuous plastic shell of unitary construction having when viewed from the side in the rocking position, a center portion having a rounded downwardly protuberant lower surface and an upper surface spaced therefrom which flow into upright end portions having generally horizontal surfaces adapted to he sat upon and teetered about the center portion. The design of the device is such that the upper skin of the shell in the center portion is in tension and the lower skin is in compression when the device is carrying its normal load and used as a rocker.

Preferably, the upper shell of the center porton is downwardly concave with respect to the end portions so as to form a central sitting place and to assure that the center of gravity of the device in any rocking position remains between the end portions and below the level of the upper surfaces of the end portions.

While the shell could be formed from wood or sheet metal, it is preferably formed from two upper and lower preformed half-shells of a plastic material such as a polypropylene or an acrylnitrilebutadine-styrene sheet with the peripheral edges of the half-shells being inmitately and smoothly bonded together. The design of the device is such that unusual strength and rigidity is secured with the use of a relatively small volume of plastic material.

The nature of the present amusment device and its uses will become clear from the following description made with reference to the drawings attached to and forming a part hereof wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one shape of the amusement device;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the device taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of an end portion of the device taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a like view to FIG. 4 showing an alternate curvilinear design;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of the device;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 1, the rocking device of this invention, generally indicated at 11, comprises a smoothly flowing, free-form or curvilinear unitary plastic shell which has a bulbous lower center portion 12 spaced from the upper surface 13 of the shell and terminating in two end portions 14 and 15 the upper surfaces of which are generally horizontal and adapted to be sat upon. If desired, seat portions 16 and 17 can be molded into or attached to the end portions to provide a more definite seating area. Also, hand grips 18 and 19 can be molded into or attached to the shell.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of FIG. 1 in side elevation. The same reference numerals are used where applicable. The recessed hand grips 18 and 19 and the dishshape of the upper center portion 13 are more clearly shown in FIG. 2. The dished or concave downwardly extending portion 13, between the end portions 14 and 15, forms a central seating area enabling a child to sit there on and rock the amusement device by himself. A preferred embodiment is also shown in FIG. 2 wherein the end portions 14 and 15 terminate in downwardly turned projecting ends 21 and 22 which serve to limit tilting of the amusement device and can also be used as grips when the device is to be moved.

The overall length of the device will ordinarily be between four to fifteen feet with the smaller sizes being preferred. However, the invention is not limited as to size.

As shown in FIG. 8, the central portion 31 of the device besides being dished in longitudinal cross-section, may also be dished along the short transverse axis to form a better defined seating area. FIG. 3 illustrates that the device can be simply formed from two plastic sheets, e.g. sheets 32 and 33 by thermo-vacuum forming them and then bonding them at their peripheral edges 34 and 35.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of one of the end portions of the device taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 ilustrates a different, more free-flowing, shape wherein the top surface of the end can be smoothly curved into the lower portion 41 which may be concavely dished upwardly for aesthetic appearances.

FIG. 6 and 7 illustrate an embodiment wherein the end portions 51 and 52 flare appreciably sideways and differ further from the construction of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in that the ends are somewhat longer and do not turn downwardly. Other variations of the basic shape of the device will occur to those skilled in the art. Also illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 is an embodiment in which a central well or hole 53 is incorporated into the device so that the unit may be placed over an upstanding vertical axis, and spun thereabout in a horizontal plane.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6 which generally has the same shape as illustrated in FIG. 3. However, runners or reinforcing members 71 and 72 can be attached or molded into the bottom of the device to aid its rocking action and/or to reinforce the bottom portion of the shell. While the device without the runners can be used as a sled, it is preferable that for such use the members 71 be added as they will tend to eliminate any side skipping. Reinforcing members such as indicated at 72 can be placed within the she'll if desired, and in some cases a truss-like internal reinforcement can be used.

FIG. 7 is also illustrative of further embodiments. One is that the device may be filled with a foamed plastic material such as a rigid polyurethane foam 61 which would help to reinforce the structure. Also, particularly when the device is to be used as a water play unit, the lower portion can be weighted as at 62 for example, with a metal ballast to provide greater stability.

It is preferred in all cases that the upraised end portions (14 and 15 in FIG. 2, and '51 and 52 in FIG. 6) be so designed that when the device is inverted, it will sit stably on the ground and create a crawl-through area. Several of the inverted units can be placed side-by-side to form a tent or tunnel-like structure.

Other materials that can be used to construct the amusement device of this invention are epoxy fiberglass lay-ups such as are now used in boat construction and rotationally cast shells such as thermocast shells made from a polyethylene powder of polyvinyl chloride powder. Blow molding can be used in some instances to form a seamless shell. In all cases it is preferred that the upper surface 13 in FIG. 2 be spaced from the bottom portion 12 of the center section so that when used as a teeter, a girder effect is created; that is, the upper surface 13 is in tension while the lower surface 12 is in compression. This permits a lesser weight of plastic to be used in the construction of the device and in many cases eliminates the need for internal reinforcement such as steel rods.

It can be seen that the design of the present amusement device in its preferred embodiment, is unitary and smoothly curvilinear without any sharp projections or corners and without any detachable portions that would tend to come loose or be worked loose during use by children.

Having described this invention what is sought to be protected by Letters Patent is succinctly set forth in the following claims:

1. An indoor-outdoor rocking amusement device comprising a generally elongated, substantially rigid, smoothly curved, continuously walled shell of unitary construction having, when viewed from the side in the rocking position, a rounded downwardly protuberant center portion having spaced upper and lower shell walls with the upper wall having a downwardly concave upper surface and the lower wall having a downwardly convex lower surface, said walls being contoured upwardly and outwardly from said center portion, with the lower surface of the lower wall having an upwardly concave configuration on each side, to form outwardly extending similar end portions with the upper walls of said end portions forming generally horizontal surfaces of suflicient extent to define opposed seat areas for humans, said device having, when viewed from the top in the rocking position, a generally uniform width throughout the area defined by the downwardly concave upper surface of said center portion upper wall with said width being sufiicient to provide a seat and backrest area for a human, and said center portion upper wall having a downwardly concave upper surface when viewed in transverse, vertical cross-section.

2. The amusement device of claim 1 further characterized by having recessed hand-grips in said end portions.

3. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein said shell is formed from preformed upper and lower half-shells integrally bonded to each other at the peripheral edges thereof.

4. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein said shell is filled with a foam plastic composition.

5. The amusement device of claim 1 further characterized by vertical, central mounting means positioned at the intersection of the lateral and longitudinal axis for permitting said device to be rotated in a horizontal plane about its vertical axis.

6. The amusement device of claim 5 wherein said central mounting means comprises shell walls forming a passageway extending through said device.

7. An indoor-outdoor rocking amusement device comprising a generally elongated, substantially rigid, smoothly curved, continuously walled shell of unitary construction having, when viewed from the side in the rocking position, a rounded downwardly protuberant center portion having spaced upper and lower shell walls with the upper wall having a downwardly concave upper surface and the lower wall having a downwardly convex lower surface, said walls being contoured upwardly and outwardly tapering toward each other in smooth continuous curves, with the lower surface of the lower wall having an upwardly concave configuration on each side, to form outwardly extending similar end portions with the upper walls of said end portions forming generally horizontal surfaces of sufiicient extent to define opposed seat areas for humans, said surface including means for providing a generally stable support for said rocking device when the device is inverted, and said device having, when viewed from the top in the rocking position, a generally uniform width throughout the area defined by the downwardly concave upper surface of said center portion upper wall, said width being sufficient to provide a seat and backrest area for a human, and the upper portion of said shell being in tension and the lower portion being in compression when said device is used as a rocker.

8. The amusement device of claim 7 further characterized by having double symmetry about the longitudinal and lateral axes when viewed from the top in the rocking position.

9. The amusement device of claim 8 further characterized by the shape of said double symmetry being such that the sides of the device, starting at the ends of the lateral axis, taper convexly inwardly toward the longitudinal axis to a minimum width and then flare outwardly away from the longitudinal axis and, finally back inwardly to meet at the ends of the longitudinal axis.

10. The amusement device of claim 9 further characterized by said end portions terminating in downwardly curved portions.

11. The amusement device of claim 7 further characterized by said center portion upper wall having a downwardly concave upper surface when viewed in transverse, vertical cross-section.

12,. An indoor-outdoor rocking amusement device comprising a generally elongated, substantially rigid, smoothly curved, continuously walled shell of unitary construction having, when viewed from the side in the rocking position, a rounded downwardly protuberant center portion having spaced upper and lower shell walls with the upper wall having a downwardly concave upper surface and the lower wall having a downwardly convex lower surface, said walls being contoured upwardly and outwardly from said center portion, with the lower surface of the lower wall having an upwardly concave configuration on each side, to form outwardly extending similar end portions with the upper walls of said end portions forming generally horizontal surfaces of sufficient extent to define opposed seat areas for humans, said surfaces including means for providing a generally stable support for said rocking device when the device is inverted, said device having, when viewed fromthe top in the rocking position, a generally uniform width throughout the area defined by the downwardly concave upper surface of said center portion upper wall with said width being sufiicient to provide a seat and backrest area for a human, and said center por- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 D. 194,973 4/ 1963 Mueller.

246,458 8/ 1881 Chandler 272-56 598,900 2/1898 Bredow 27256 1,441,940 1/1923 Nafe 272-56 10 2,199,915 5/1940 Howard.

6 Donohue. Bloom.

Kerstein 272-5 6 X Williams. Bringman.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION June 24, 1969 Patent No. 3,451,672

Aralee Kazdan It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 53, porton should read portion line 68, "amusment" should read amusement Column 4, line 26, surface should read surfaces Column 6, line 6, add the following reference:

2 ,470,473 5/1949 Daellenbach 272-56 OTHER REFERENCE Rockadile shown on page 235 of Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog of 1965 Signed and sealed this 24th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

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