Fastening apparatus for playground equipment and method of assembly

Claim 2

A basic unit of construction for use in playground equipment, comprising: a. a compressible post member having a clearance hole therethrough for receipt of a bar member; b. a bar member received into the clearance hole iN said post member; c. retaining means engaging one side of said post member and said bar member for preventing said bar member from being withdrawn from said clearance hole from the opposite side of said post member; d. a first support plate, placed in contact with said post member between said retaining means and said post, having a guide hole substantially axially aligned with said clearance hole, said bar member extending through said clearance hole; e. first split ring means having an external surface bearing against and adapted to rotate with respect to the periphery of said guide hole, said split ring means threadedly engaging said bar member; and f. means for preventing relative rotation between said first support plate and said post member, whereby rotation of said split ring means in one sense forces said first support plate toward said fixed means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bar member extends completely through said post member, and said retaining means includes a second support plate in contact with the side of said post member opposite said first support plate and having a guide hole substantially axially aligned with said clearance hole, and second split ring means threadedly engaging the bar member and having an external surface bearing against and adapted to rotate with respect to the periphery of the guide hole of said second plate.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a portion of the external surface of said first split ring means bearing against the periphery of said guide hole is a section of a conical surface.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a portion of the external surface of said first split ring means defines a shoulder with a support plate contact surface connecting said shoulder to the conical section at the greatest cross-section thereof, and said support plate contact surface is an annular surface extending generally transversely of the longitudinal axis of said bar member.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first split ring means has an inner surface including a plurality of threaded sections which alternate with a plurality of longitudinally grooved sections.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first split ring means comprises two segments having mating faces which, when brought into aligned contact, define an element of generally cylindrical shape.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first support plate has an inner surface generally conforming to the shape of the compressible post member in the vicinity of the clearance hole therein and has the corners thereof formed to provide protrusions securing said support plate to said post member and aiding to prevent relative rotation between said support plate and said post member.

Claim 9

A basic unit of construction for use in playground equipment, comprising: a. a compressible post member having a clearance hole therethrough for receipt of a bar member; b. a bar member received into the clearance hole in said post member; c. fixed means engaging a first side of said post member and said bar member for preventing said bar member from being withdrawn from said clearance hole in one direction; d. a first support plate, placed in contact with said post member on a side opposite said first side, and having a guide hole substantially axially aligned with said clearance hole, said bar member extending through said guide hole; e. means preventing relative rotation between said post member and said first support plate; f. a first segmented externally threaded sleeve; g. means securing the segments of said sleeve to said bar preventing movement of said segments axially with respect to said bar at a position thereon at which a portion of said sleeve protrudes from said post member and said support plate; and h. a first internally threaded member threadedly engaging said sleeve and bearing against said support plate, whereby rotation of said first internally threaded member forces said support plate toward said fixed means.

Claim 10

A basic unit of construction for use in playground equipment, comprising: a. a compressible post member having a clearance hole therethrough for receipt of a bar member; b. a bar member received into the clearance hole in said post member; c. fixed means engaging a first side of said post member and said bar member for preventing said bar member from being withdrawn from said clearance hole in one direction; d. a first support plate, placed in contact with said post member on a side opposite said first side, and having a guide hole substantially axially aligned with said clearance hole, said bar member extending through said guide hole; e. means preventing relative rotation between said post member and said first support plate; f. a first segmented externally threaded sleeve; g. means securing the segments of said sleeve to said bar preventing movement of said segments axially with respect to said bar at a position thereon at which a portion of said sleeve protrudes from said post member and said support plate; and h. a first internally threaded member threadedly engaging said sleeve and bearing against said support plate, whereby rotation of said first internally threaded member forces said support plate toward said fixed means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said fixed means includes a second support plate adjacent to said post member with a guide hole substantially axially aligned with said clearance hole, a second segmented externally threaded sleeve, means securing the segments of said sleeve to said bar in the vicinity of said second support plate to prevent movement of said segments axially with respect to said bar, and a second internally threaded member threadedly engaging said second sleeve and bearing against said second support plate.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said segmented sleeve is substantially a hollow right circular cylinder in shape and comprises a pair of half round segments, each of which has an inner surface containing at least one protrusion for piercing engagement of the external surface of said bar member.

Claim 13

Fastening apparatus for use in park and playground equipment to fasten a circular pipe which passes through a clearance hole in a wood support post to the post, comprising: a. a pair of support plates, each of which has a surface generally conforming to the shape of the post in the area where the pipe enters the hole therein, each plate having a substantially circular guide hole through which the pipe may pass; b. means securing the support plates to opposite sides of said support post with their respective guide holes in substantial alignment with said clearance hole; and c. a pair of longitudinally extended split rings, each having an inner surface with tapping threads, and an outer surface at least a portion of which is a conic section, said split rings positioned on opposite sides of said post with their inner surfaces threadedly engaging the external surface of said pipe and each of their conical outer surfaces bearing against the periphery of the circular hole in the support plate with which each is associated.

Claim 14

Fastening apparatus for use in park and playground equipment to fasten a circular pipe which passes through a clearance hole in a wood support post to the post, comprising: a. a pair of support plates, each of which has a surface generally conforming to the shape of the post in the area where the pipe enters the hole therein, each plate having a substantially circular guide hole through which the pipe may pass; b. means securing the support plates to opposite sides of said support post with their respective guide holes in substantial alignment with said clearance hole; and c. a pair of longitudinally extended split rings, each having an inner surface with tapping threads, and an outer surface at least a portion of which is a conic section, said split rings positioned on opposite sides of said post with their inner surfaces threadedly engaging the external surface of said pipe and each of their conical outer surfaces bearing against the periphery of the circular hole in the support plate with which each is associated.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12 wherein the step of bringing the pair of support plates into contact with the post includes the substep of securing the support plates to the post with the guide holes thereof in substantial axial alignment with the clearance hole.