Patent GB-190810618-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Cots for Children.
Inventor: BINNEY MURIEL MARY SUTHERLAND
Filed: 1908-05-15
Granted: 1909-04-01
Abstract: 10,618. Binney, M. M. S. May 15. Safety enclosures for children. - A collapsible safety cot for children consists of a wood or metal frame having upright corner posts, upper and longitudinal and traverse rails hinged to the posts and themselves made in sections hinged together, in combination with netting distended over the sides, ends, bottom, and top of the space bounded by the posts and rails. Fig. 1 shows the cot frame as constructed of woud, comprising the vertical corner posts 1 and upper and lower rails hinged thereto by knee-joints. Each rail is fitted with a rule joint at its centre, the upper rails collapsing downwards, and the lower rails upwards, the rails being arranged in slightly different planes to allow them to pass each other when the cot is collapsed. The end joints of the rails may be rendered rigid by thumbscrews passing through metal sockets, and the end of each rail may be formed as a tenon adapted to fit a mortise in the post. The central joint of the rails is rendered rigid by a metal sleeve adapted to slide so as to enclose the joint, the movement being limited by a pin and slot. Fig. 4 is a side view of a modified form of cot frame constructed of metal, preferably an alloy of aluminium. The tubular posts 1 are fitted with a casting 12 and a sleeve 13 for the attachment of the upper and lower rails. The casting 12, shown in detail in Fig. 5, is provided with lugs which, with corresponding lugs on castings 15 secured to the rail ends, and a hinge pin, form a knee joint for the upper rails. The hinge is locked by a pin 17 passing through a hole in tailpiece 18 on the casting 15. The pin 17 is carried by a terminal knob 20, which is drawn down into position by a spring 25, and the knob is adapted to be turned on its axis to maintain the pin 17 out of engagement. The hinges connecting the lower rails to the corner posts, Fig. 7, are of similar form but are adapted to open in the opposite direction. They are locked against flexure by pivoted arms 29 engaging behind lugs 32, which are adapted to enter recesses in the sleeve 13. The central rail joints, Fig. 11, are formed by castings socketed in the respective rail sections and a hinged pin 2x, and are locked by a bolt 37 sliding longitudinally in one casting and entering a socket in the other. The bolt is provided with a knob handle projecting through a slot in the rail, which slot is provided with a notch at each end. The rails and posts are enclosed by netting of the form shown in Fig. 12. The central portion 44 covers the top of the cot, and the side and end flaps hang downwards to form side walls. The cot bottom may be separate, or may be formed as extensions of the end flaps. The netting may be secured directly to the frame, or may be threaded on vertical rods 49 attached to the corner posts and on horizontal rods 50. The lower end of each vertical rod 49 is fitted in a socket 51, .and the upper end is secured by a turn-button, while the horizontal rods 50 are provided with eyes sliding on the vertical rods. The horizontal rods may be jointed so as to fold with the main framework, and the corner - posts 1 may be telescopic.