Crib dropside including latch mechanism

A crib dropside is provided which includes a double-acting latch mechanism for releasing the dropside from a locked position. The dropside includes an upper rail having a groove extending within the front surface thereof. The grove extends for the entire length of the rail. A pair of spring-loaded locking pins are mounted to each end of the rail. A cable extends within the groove and is secured at each end to the locking pins, the center of the cable being secured to a slide member within the latch mechanism. The dropside is slidably mounted to a pair of tracks, the tracks including openings for receiving the locking pins. Actuation of the latch mechanism causes the pins to be withdrawn from the openings. Additional openings are provided within the tracks for allowing a mattress support and crib stabilizer bars to be mounted thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of the invention concerns crib constructions and latch mechanisms 
therefor. 
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
Crib dropsides are today generally releasable from a locked position by 
means of a foot operated lever positioned beneath the crib. While this 
construction has proven to be safe and effective, it is not particularly 
convenient, particularly if an infant is being held at the same time. 
A number of hand-actuated latch mechanisms have been proposed, including 
those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,242,509 and 1,705,851. The former 
construction provides a pair of thin, slidable rods within a hollow bar 
which defines the top rail of the dropside. A spring urges the rods in 
opposite directions and into locking engagement with a pair of vertical 
rails. An actuating mechanism including a pair of opposing grips allows 
the rods to be moved toward each other and out of engagement with the 
vertical rails. The '851 patent discloses a mechanism which operates in a 
similar manner. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A dropside mechanism is provided by the invention which allows the dropside 
to be moved to a desired position using only one hand. A double-acting 
latch mechanism is employed to prevent the dropside from being 
inadvertently unlocked. 
In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, a dropside is 
provided which includes an upper rail having a groove defined in at least 
one side thereof. A cable is positioned within the groove, the opposite 
ends of which extend toward the ends of the rail. Each cable end is 
secured to a pin which is used for locking the dropside at a selected 
height to a pair of vertical rails. A latch mechanism is mounted to the 
upper rail and is secured to the cable between the two ends thereof. 
Operation of the latch mechanism causes both ends of the cable to be 
pulled towards the center of the rail, thereby releasing the dropside from 
a locked position. 
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch 
mechanism is double acting. A cable actuating member is provided for 
controlling the movement of the cable. A locking member is provided for 
preventing movement of the cable actuating member. The locking member must 
be moved to an unlocked position in order to move the cable actuating 
member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
A crib 10 is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B having four corner posts 12, a 
headboard 14, a footboard 16, a stationary side 18, and a dropside 20. The 
dropside is mounted to a pair of opposing, T-shaped tracks 22 which are, 
in turn, secured to two of the corner posts. The corner posts include 
grooved portions which receive portions of the tracks. A latch mechanism 
24 is centrally mounted to the upper rail 26 of the dropside and allows it 
to be lowered to the position shown in FIG. 1B. Both the upper rail 26 and 
the lower rail 28 of the dropside 20 include plastic end fittings 30 
having T-shaped slots 32 for engaging the tracks 22. The end fittings 
function as track followers. 
Referring to FIGS. 2-5, each track 22 includes at least one circular 
opening 34 for receiving a pin. The openings 34 within each opposing track 
are in opposing relation to each other. A set of slots 36 running 
perpendicularly to the pin openings are provided in the lower portions of 
the track. These slots permit the mounting of a pair of parallel 
stabilizer bars 38 and a mattress support 40, both of which include 
mounting projections as shown in FIG. 2. A pair of plastic stop members 
42,44 are secured to the corner posts 12 near the ends of the tracks 22 to 
insure the dropside does not become disengaged therefrom. The dropside 
rests upon the lower stop members when in the down position. A pair of 
pins 46 extending from each end member 30 are positioned within the 
circular openings 34 when the dropside is in the up position. Each pin is 
spring-loaded by a coil spring 48 positioned within a cylindrical bore 50 
in each end of the top rail 26. A wire cable 52 connects the pins 46 to 
the latch mechanism 24. 
The latch mechanism 24 is best shown in FIGS. 6-8. It includes an upper 
housing 54, a lower housing 56, a slide 58, a slide actuating member 60, 
and a slide locking member 62. The upper housing is generally L-shaped and 
fits about the front and lower sides of the upper dropside rail 26. It 
includes a pair of cylindrical projections 64 which fit within a pair of 
corresponding holes in the rail 26. A third inwardly extending, 
cylindrical projection 66 supports a pair of pulleys 68. A screw 70 
extends through this projection and secures this housing 54 to the top 
rail 26. 
A U-shaped projection 72 extends upwardly from the upper surface 74 of the 
upper housing 54. This projection and the inside surface of the front wall 
of the upper housing define a slideway in which the slide 58 is 
positioned. The bottom surface 76 of the upper housing 54 includes a pair 
of downwardly extending projections 78, each of said projections including 
a semicircular notch 80. A second pair of projections 82 are positioned 
between the respective notched projections 78 and the respective side 
walls of the upper housing 54. Each of the second pair of projections has 
a cylindrical construction. A pair of spring-retaining members 84 are also 
defined by the lower surface 76. The ends of a pair of coil springs 86 are 
respectively positioned within these members 84. A T-shaped opening 88 is 
defined in the upper housing 54 to allow the slide locking member 62 to 
engage the slide 58. 
The lower housing 56 includes a pair of projections 90 extending from its 
upper surface, the projections each including a semicircular notch 92, 
these notches being in opposing relation to the notches 80 within 
projections 78. A pair of openings 94 are aligned with the shafts defined 
by projections 82. The lower housing is secured to the upper housing and 
the upper rail 26 by a pair of screws 96 extending through these openings 
94 and the shafts. The side walls of the lower housing each include an 
arcuate groove 98 which guide the projections 82 into proper position. 
The slide 58 is positioned within the slideway defined by the U-shaped 
projection 72 and the front wall of the upper housing 54. A pair of slots 
100 and a threaded opening 102 are defined within the slide. The slide 
actuating member 60 includes a pair of rearwardly extending projections 
104 which fit within the slots 100 and a threaded hole 106 aligned with 
the threaded opening 102. A screw 108 connects the slide actuating member 
60 to the slide 58. An opening 110 within projection 72 provides access to 
the screw. A threaded shaft 112 extends upwardly from the bottom surface 
of the slide and a screw 114 is positioned therein. The center of the 
flexible wire cable 52, which preferably includes a polymeric sheathing, 
is secured to the slide by means of this screw 114. By pressing upon the 
upper, indented surface 116 of slide actuating member, tension may 
accordingly be exerted on the cable. 
The slide locking member includes a lever 118, a cylindrical pivot member 
120, and a pair of upwardly extending projections 122. The pivot member 
120 is retained by the opposing semicircular notches within the 
projections 78,90 of the upper and lower housings. The projections 122 are 
normally positioned in opposing relation to the lateral extensions 124 of 
the front wall of the slide 58. When pivoted clockwise, the projections 
move past these lateral extensions and no longer restrict downward 
movement of the slide. A pair of spring-retaining members 126 are 
positioned in opposing relation to corresponding members 84 of the upper 
housing. The coil spring 86 accordingly urges the slide locking member 62 
counterclockwise. 
The top rail 26 includes a pair of grooves 128,130 defined within the front 
and rear surfaces thereof, respectively. The groove 128 extending within 
the front surface is considerably deeper than that within the rear 
surface. A vertical slot 132 extends from the bottom surface of the top 
rail 26 and intersects the horizontal groove 128. The slot 132 is 
centrally located with respect to the ends of the rail. The U-shaped 
projection 72 adjoins the walls of the rail 26 which define the slot 132. 
The wire cable 52 extends about the pulleys 68 and proceeds in opposite 
directions through the groove 128 to the respective ends of the top rail 
26 where its ends are connected to the pins 46. A plastic teething rail 
134 is secured to the top of the top rail 26 by means of the two grooves 
128,130 therein. 
The dropside is movable between upper and lower positions as the track 
followers 30 move along the opposing T-shaped tracks 22. The spring-loaded 
pins 46 are urged towards the tracks and will automatically move into the 
pin openings 34 when aligned therewith. In order to disengage the pins 46 
from the tracks 22, the double-acting latch mechanism 24 is employed. 
The slide actuating member 60 is substantially immovable unless the lever 
118 of the slide locking member 62 is first lifted. By lifting the lever, 
the slide locking member pivots clockwise about the pivot member 120 
moving the upwardly extending projections 122 thereof behind the lateral 
extensions 124 of the slide. This allows the slide actuating member, and 
therefore the slide 58 to be moved downwardly. Tension is exerted on the 
wire cable 52 which pulls the pins 46 from pin openings 34. In actual 
operation, the slide actuating member 60 and the lever 118 are moved 
towards each other simultaneously with the thumb and forefinger, 
respectively. Upon release of these members, springs 86 urge the slide 
locking member 62 counterclockwise back to its original position. Springs 
48 urge the pins 46 towards the track 22. When the pins move within 
openings 34, the slide actuating member and slide are accordingly urged 
towards their original position as the cable pulls the slide upwardly.