US5364312A — Play gym construction

Claim 1

Independent Claim 289 words

A children's play gym comprising a cross beam consisting of at least one member; wood legs forming at least one A-frame to support the cross beam a rigid frame bracket having inclined side edges; fasteners extending through the frame bracket and into said crossbeam and said legs for securing the legs to each other to form the A-frame and for connecting the A-frame to the cross beam; a rigid frame brace positioned at the inside corner between said crossbeam and said A-frame, said frame brace including a top wall for engaging the underside of the cross beam, said top wall having first portions defining a first set of holes spaced apart along the longitudinal centerline of the top wall, there being at least two holes in the first set and second portions defining a second set of holes, said second set containing at least two holes spaced along the top wall on each side of said centerline, a pair of laterally spaced apart inclined side walls extending down from the top wall with substantially the same slope as the side edges of the frame bracket, and a pair of flanges extending laterally from said side walls at one end of the frame brace, said flanges having portions defining openings for receiving fasteners; first fastener means extending through selected ones of said openings into said legs to secure said flanges flat against said legs, and second fastener means extending through the first set of holes into the crossbeam when the crossbeam is a single member and extending through the second set of holes into the crossbeam when the crossbeam consists of a plurality of members so that the frame brace braces the inside corner between the cross-beam and the A-frame.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 289 words

A children's play gym comprising a cross beam consisting of at least one member; wood legs forming at least one A-frame to support the cross beam a rigid frame bracket having inclined side edges; fasteners extending through the frame bracket and into said crossbeam and said legs for securing the legs to each other to form the A-frame and for connecting the A-frame to the cross beam; a rigid frame brace positioned at the inside corner between said crossbeam and said A-frame, said frame brace including a top wall for engaging the underside of the cross beam, said top wall having first portions defining a first set of holes spaced apart along the longitudinal centerline of the top wall, there being at least two holes in the first set and second portions defining a second set of holes, said second set containing at least two holes spaced along the top wall on each side of said centerline, a pair of laterally spaced apart inclined side walls extending down from the top wall with substantially the same slope as the side edges of the frame bracket, and a pair of flanges extending laterally from said side walls at one end of the frame brace, said flanges having portions defining openings for receiving fasteners; first fastener means extending through selected ones of said openings into said legs to secure said flanges flat against said legs, and second fastener means extending through the first set of holes into the crossbeam when the crossbeam is a single member and extending through the second set of holes into the crossbeam when the crossbeam consists of a plurality of members so that the frame brace braces the inside corner between the cross-beam and the A-frame.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

The children's play gym defined in claim 1 wherein said top wall is generally rectangular, and said side walls are generally triangular giving the frame brace a triangular profile and a generally inverted U-shaped cross section.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 50 words

The children's play gym defined in claim 2 wherein the top wall of the frame brace has third portions defining a third set of holes containing at least two holes spaced along the top wall on each side of said centerline and being displaced from the second set of holes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The children's play gym defined in claim 3 wherein the holes in the first and second sets of holes are larger than the holes in the third set of holes.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The children's play gym defined in claim 2 wherein the holes in the second set are located adjacent to the four corners of the frame brace top wall.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

The children's play gym defined in claim 2 wherein the frame brace also includes flanges extending down from the opposite ends of the frame brace top wall between the frame brace side walls.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 271 words

A children's play gym comprising a longitudinal wood or metal cross beam consisting of at least one member; a pair of upstanding A-frames positioned under the opposite ends of the cross beam, each A-frame including a pair of wood legs, and connecting means for connecting the upper ends of the legs to each other and to the adjacent end of the cross beam; a pair of elongated frame braces for reinforcing the connections of the A-frames to the cross beam, each frame brace including a pair of spaced-apart side walls having relatively long top edges and shorter end edges at one end of the frame brace, a generally rectangular top wall connecting the top edges of the side walls, a pair of laterally extending flanges extending from said side wall end edges, said flanges being shorter than said side wall end edges, a first set of holes in the top wall spaced along the longitudinal centerline of the top wall, there being at least two holes in the first set, and a second set of holes in the top wall, said second set containing at least two holes spaced along the top wall on each side of said centerline; securing means for securing the frame brace flanges flat against the A-frames, and fastener means extending through the first set of holes into the cross beam when the cross beam is a single member and extending through the second set of holes into the cross beam when the cross beam consists of a plurality of members so that the frame braces brace the inside corners between the cross beam and the A-frame.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 271 words

A children's play gym comprising a longitudinal wood or metal cross beam consisting of at least one member; a pair of upstanding A-frames positioned under the opposite ends of the cross beam, each A-frame including a pair of wood legs, and connecting means for connecting the upper ends of the legs to each other and to the adjacent end of the cross beam; a pair of elongated frame braces for reinforcing the connections of the A-frames to the cross beam, each frame brace including a pair of spaced-apart side walls having relatively long top edges and shorter end edges at one end of the frame brace, a generally rectangular top wall connecting the top edges of the side walls, a pair of laterally extending flanges extending from said side wall end edges, said flanges being shorter than said side wall end edges, a first set of holes in the top wall spaced along the longitudinal centerline of the top wall, there being at least two holes in the first set, and a second set of holes in the top wall, said second set containing at least two holes spaced along the top wall on each side of said centerline; securing means for securing the frame brace flanges flat against the A-frames, and fastener means extending through the first set of holes into the cross beam when the cross beam is a single member and extending through the second set of holes into the cross beam when the cross beam consists of a plurality of members so that the frame braces brace the inside corners between the cross beam and the A-frame.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 69 words

The play gym defined in claim 7 and further including a third set of holes in the frame brace top wall, said third set containing at least two holes spaced along the top wall on each side of said centerline and being displaced from said second set of holes, and fasteners extending through the third set of holes into the cross beam when the cross beam is of wood.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

The play gym defined in claim 8 wherein the holes in the first and second sets are larger than the holes in the third set.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 68 words

The play gym defined in claim 7 wherein the connecting means each include a metal bracket having a main body which has an upper edge and sloped side edges and is positioned flat against the A-frame legs and a flange extending from said upper edge and engaging under the cross beam, and fasteners for fastening the main body and flange to the A-frame legs and cross beam, respectively.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

The play gym defined in claim 10 wherein the side walls of the frame brace have substantially the same slope as the side edges of the frame bracket main body.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 39 words

The play gym defined in claim 7 wherein the cross beam comprises a metal tube, said tube having portions defining flats in the underside of the tube at the locations of said A-frames which provide seats for said legs.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The play gym defined in claim 12 and further including laterally extending ribs formed in said tube on opposite sides of said flats.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

The play gym defined in claim 7 wherein the cross beam is composed of a pair of back-to-back wood beams each having a generally rectangular cross section.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 22 words

The play gym defined in claim 7 wherein the cross beam is a single wood beam having a generally square cross section.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-11-14	1998-05-16	1998-11-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-11-14	2002-05-16	2002-11-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-11-14	2006-05-16	2006-11-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Play gym construction

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