Teeter-totter

A molded plastic shoulder for a playground apparatus, the playground apparatus including at least one pair of wooden legs, each pair of wooden legs extend and diverge in a downwardly direction from the shoulder, the molded plastic shoulder comprising:

• an M-shaped cross-section opening facing downwardly, and a first lateral side wall opposite a second lateral side wall, the lateral side walls define lateral boundaries of the opening and are spaced apart a distance corresponding to one of a standard size lumber, whereby the M-shaped cross-section opening is sized to receive a diverging pair of legs, each leg corresponding to standard size lumber having a right angle cut end, the M-shaped cross-section opening is defined by a first end wall adjoining a second end wall at a right angle and forming a 270° angle, a first side wall extending from the first end wall and a second side wall extending from the second end wall, the first and second end walls and the first and second side walls define the M-shaped cross-section opening and the lateral side walls together with the first and second side walls form a perimeter of the M-shaped cross-section opening, whereby the wooden legs are held securely in place by the shoulder.

A molded plastic shoulder for a playground apparatus, the playground apparatus including at least one pair of wooden legs, each pair of wooden legs extend and diverge in a downwardly direction from the shoulder, the molded plastic shoulder comprising:

• an M-shaped cross-section opening facing downwardly, and a first lateral side wall opposite a second lateral side wall, the lateral side walls define lateral boundaries of the opening and are spaced apart a distance corresponding to one of a standard size lumber, whereby the M-shaped cross-section opening is sized to receive a diverging pair of legs, each leg corresponding to standard size lumber having a right angle cut end, wherein the shoulder includes opposing ends, and an M-shaped cross-section opening is located at each end, and a cylindrical shaft extends between the opposing ends, the cylindrical shaft includes an alignment protrusion, whereby the alignment protrusion may be used to maintain alignment of additional structure to be mounted on the cylindrical shaft for pivoted movement about the cylindrical shaft.

A kit of molded plastic components to be used together with wooden boards, to assemble a playground apparatus, requiring only the skill of a typical adult, the playground apparatus including a plurality of legs, the assembly requiring only 90 degree cuts of the wooded boards, the kit comprising:

• at least one molded plastic base having at least one molded pocket for each leg, each pocket having side walls which define a perimeter having right angles and an end wall perpendicular to the side walls, each pocket defining a longitudinal axis which extends out of the pocket parallel to the side walls;
• at least one molded plastic shoulder having at least one molded pocket for each leg, each pocket having side walls which define a perimeter having right angles and an end wall perpendicular to the side walls, each pocket defining a longitudinal axis which extends out of the pocket parallel to the side walls, wherein the at least one molded plastic shoulder may be positioned above the at least one molded plastic base and aligned so that each longitudinal axis of the shoulder is aligned in coincidence with a respective longitudinal axis of the base, whereby a user may assemble the playground apparatus with standard size wooden boards, having right angle cut ends, extending within respective pockets of the base and shoulder.