Multi-use balance beam apparatus

A multi-purpose recreational balance beam device comprising:

• first balance beam comprising a pair of parallel spaced apart rails, each rail having a straight side and a curved side, the straight sides of said rails lying in a common plane, said curved sides lying in a common surface of curvature for rocking action, a pair of flat platform seat members rigidly joining the pair of rails on the straight sides thereof in said parallel spaced apart configuration, each rail of the first balance beam having a pair of notches formed in the straight side thereof distributed on either side of the center of the rail and spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the rails from each other,
• second balance beam comprising a second pair of parallel spaced apart rails, spaced apart the same distance as the first balance beam, each rail having a straight side and a curved side, said straight sides lying in a common plane, said curved sides lying in a common surface of curvature for rocking action, each rail of the second pair of rails formed with a pair of notches formed in the curved side, said notches distributed on either side of the center of the rail and spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the rails from each other, and a pair of flat platform seat members rigidly joining the pair of rails on the straight sides thereof in said parallel spaced apart relationship;
• said notches formed so that the first and second balance beams may be assembled in interfitting relationship at right angles to each other defining a rectangle at the center of the interfitting balance beams, the straight sides of the rails of the respective balance beams lying in a common plane, said curve sides also being coincident at the intersections of the rails of the interfitting balance beams whereby the interfitting balance beams may be placed with the straight sides down resting on the respective flat platform seats providing stable rails in two orthogonal directions for one rail or two rail walking, or placed with the curved sides down thereby affording a two way rocker or see-saw device;
• locking piece means comprising a flat locking plate having projections means depending therefrom arranged to bear against the inner surfaces of the center rectangle formed by the interfitting balance beams, said locking piece constructed and arranged to be operatively inserted in said center rectangle with the flat locking plate bearing against the sides of the rails;
• turning disc means and means for coupling said turning disc means to the flat locking plate of the locking piece when the locking piece is inserted into the center rectangle from below with the flat locking plate bearing against the coincident curved sides of the respective pairs of rails of the interfitting balance beams and with the curved sides of the balance beams facing downward, said turning disc affording a reduced bearing surface between the interfitting balance beams and the ground whereby said interfitting balance beams may be turned by users sitting on the platform seats and thereby function as a merry-go-round;
• and a pair of guide plates, said guide plates spaced apart in parallel relationship and joined by a pair of guide bars, said guide bars constructed and arranged for operatively seating in the notches of the second balance beam having notches formed in the curved sides thereof so that the second balance beam may form a stable base with the platform seats facing the ground and the curved sides of the rails facing upward, said guide plates held adjacent to the outsides of the rails with the guide bars seated in the notches, and whereby said first balance beam may be positioned with the curve sides of the rails facing downward and abutting against the upward facing curved sides of the rails of the second balance beam thereby providing a see-saw for rocking the first balance beam on the second for enhanced vertical rocking action, the rails of said respective balance beams held in alignment on each other by said guide plates.