Combined slide

The present invention concerns a combined slide, in particular a slide for children as can be used in playgrounds, play areas, in the garden or such like.

The present invention has such a slide as an example which cannot only be used as such and/or in combination with other known playthings as a slide, but which can also be used as a footplank, footbridge, climbing plank or such.

Preferably, the cross section of such a slide shows a double U-shaped profile with a common body which is suitably bent lengthwise so as to tilt it and whereby such slide is provided with passages with which it can be appropriately fixed to a support, all this such that it is used as a slide in one position, whereby this slide consists of one U-shaped part of the above-mentioned double U-shaped profile, whereas it can be used as a footplank, footbridge, climbing plank or such when turned around and which consists of the second U-shaped part of the above-mentioned double U-shaped profile.

According to a special embodiment the slide, climbing plank respectively, can be fixed on a pipe which is fit through holes provided to this end in the slide and whereby this slide is fixed in relation to the floor, in relation to a house, a summer house or such.

According to a very special embodiment the combined slide according to the invention will be made to be employed in combination with existing playthings, playthings which for example consist of racks, climbing frames or such as can be found in gardens, playgrounds or such.

Such a slide, climbing plank respectively, according to the invention can be made hollow or full in any material whatsoever, for example synthetic material.

The combined slide according to the invention to this aim consists of an elongated element consisting of two parallel or more or less parallel ends which are connected to a sloping part by means of bent parts, whereby the above-mentioned parts have a double U-shaped form up to the cross section.

In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, a combined slide according to the invention is given as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:

• figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the slide according to the invention;
• figure 2 shows the part indicated in figure 1 by F2 to a larger scale;
• figure 3 shows a section according to line III-III in figure 2 to a reduced scale;
• figure 4 shows the part which is indicated in figure 1 by F4 to the scale of figure 4;
• figure 5 shows a section according to line V-V in figure 4 to the same scale as in figure 3;
• figure 6 shows a section according to line VI-VI in figure 5;
• figure 7 shows a section which is similar to that in figure 5, but whereby the slide is made to be used in combination with a known climbing frame;
• figure 8 shows a section according to line VIII-VIII in figure 7 to a larger scale;
• figure 9 shows a schematic representation of two slides according to the invention erected one after the other;
• figure 10 shows a schematic representation of the slide according to the invention in the position in which it can be used as a footplank, footbridge, climbing plank or such, whereby the slide is represented in the longitudinal section.

Figures 1 to 5 show a slide 1 according to the invention which is made hollow in this case, but naturally the slide could also be made of full material, for example of synthetic material, whereby this slide has two appropriate, lengthwise bent parts 2,3 which are each extended towards the end of the slide by means of a horizontal or almost horizontal part 4,5 and which are connected to one another by means of a sloping part 6.

In the cross section, the slide shows a mainly double U-shaped form of which one U-shape consists of the actual body 7 of the slide which is provided with upwardly directed flanges 8,9, whereas the second U-shape is determined by the above-mentioned body 7 and two flanges 10 and 11.

In the flanges 10 and 11, in the case of a hollow slide 4, co-axially situated holes are provided, 12,13 and 14,15 respectively, whereby these holes are situated in different places distributed over the length of the slide.

In said holes 12-15 can be inserted a pipe, schematically represented by 16, upon which the slide can rest, whereby the bottom of the slide, in particular the lower part of the body 7 thereof, at the height of the holes 12-15, shows a downward pointed, diagonal rib 17 with a hollow, bent upper surface which joins the holes 12-15 situated next to it, all this such that the slide with the concerned ribs 17 can also rest on a support pipe 16.

The slide according to the invention can be erected in a simple manner by sliding it over a pipe 16 by means of a series of holes 12 to 15, whereby this pipe can rest on an appropriate support, a support which may consist of a rack 18, as schematically represented in the figures, whether or not combined with an extra support 19.

Naturally, the pipe 16 can also be supported in any other appropriate manner, for example by fixing it in walls or such.

By putting the slide in the position as represented in figure 1, it can be effectively used as a slide whereas, by turning it around and fixing it in the position as represented in figure 10, this slide can be used as a footbridge, footplank, climbing plank or such.

For, in the first case, it is placed with the flat part of the body 7 upward whereas, in the second case, the ribs 17 upon which the children can walk or get a hold on to move over said footplank are placed upward, in other words whereby in this case the ribs 17 so to say fulfil the function of steps.

Figure 9 further shows that such a slide, climbing plank respectively, can be combined with one or several similar slides, climbing planks respectively, so as to obtain a longer plank.

A special embodiment is represented in figures 7 and 8 of the slide 1 according to the invention which only differs from the above-mentioned embodiment, however, in that holes are provided in the top wall of the flanges 10 and 11, 20,21 respectively, and such at the height of each series of openings 12 to 15 so as to obtain that the pipe 16 can be reached through these holes 20 and 21.

In this case, said pipe 16 forms part of a climbing frame construction known in itself, whereby the outer diameter of the pipe 16 equals the diameter of the holes 12 to 15 and whereby the length of the pipe 16 equals the outer distance A of the flanges 10 and 11.

In this known climbing frame construction the pipe 16 shows a hole 22 towards each end which is coaxial to the holes 20,21 in the flanges 10 and 11, whereby in this case the rack or the climbing frame 18 consists of one or several pipes 16 which are connected via junctions 23 to the vertical pipes 24 which may be formed in the same way as the pipes 16.

Finally, in these junctions 23, keyhole-shaped holes 25 are provided through which a locking element 26 with elongated ends 27 and 28 can be inserted and can be turned 90 degrees so as to prevent the relative displacement between the junctions 23 and pipes 16 or 24.

The holes 20 and 21 at the height of each series of holes 12 to 15 allow for these locking elements 26 to be provided.

The total width of the slide is in this case equal to the distance A beyond the flanges 10 and 11 thereof, multiplied by twice the diameter of the pipes 24 of the rack 16.

According to the invention, a combined slide is obtained which can be either used as an actual slide or as a climbing plank in combination with an appropriate support which consists of at least one pipe 16, whereby the latter can be part of an itself known climbing frame, climbing rack or such like.

The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, it can be made in various forms and dimensions while still remaining within the scope of the invention.