Improvements in Folding Cribs and Cradles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1900-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Cribs and Cradles.
We, SAMUEL EVERETT OAKES, Inventor, and HELEN OAKES, Gentlewoman, both
of Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements
in cribs and cradles of that class which are made to fold so that, when out of use,
they take up but little space. By our improvements a crib or cradle is provided
which will be cheap, strong, and capable of being quickly folded, or arranged ready
for use by the manipulation of one or more nuts or screws. Moreover, bars or
rods of considerable length, commonly employed in cribs of the class to which
our invention appertains, are dispensed with.
A crib or cradle to which our invention applies comprises two pairs of angle-
irons or wooden or metal bars of convenient length. Each pair of bars are crossed
and pivoted about midway their length and are united at their upper ends by an
adjustable bar to limit the distance to which the ends can separate. The ends
of the connecting bar are pivoted to the ends of two bars whose other ends meet
at an angle and are pivoted to a rod extending to a similar standard formed by
the other pair of bars and connecting bar. The rod is made telescopic and is fitted
with one or more set-screws or the like by means of which its length can be
adjusted. The lower members and the upper ends of the upper members of each
pair of bars are also connected by similar telescopic bars. The uppermost bar
and its supporting bars form a frame for a canopy.
The sides and bottom of the crib or cradle are formed of wooden or metal slats
which are crossed and pivoted to form lazy-tongs. If preferred, however, the
bottom may be supported by chains depending from the telescopic side-rods and
connected by a chain running horizontally around the series of depending chains.
By simply loosening the set-screws the telescopic rods and the sides and bottom
will collapse and the whole will neatly fold.
Curved rockers may be pivoted at one end to one lower member of each standard
and be fastened to the corresponding member by means of a pin passed through
coincident apertures. The pin is preferably attached to the member or rocker
by a piece of chain to prevent its loss. Removal of the pin permits the rocker to
be folded around its pivot to a convenient position when the crib or cradle is
collapsed.

page_text: Improvements in Folding Cribs and Cradles.
We, SAMUEL EVERETT OAKES, Inventor, and HELEN OAKES, Gentlewoman, both
of Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements
in cribs and cradles of that class which are made to fold so that, when out of use,
they take up but little space. By our improvements a crib or cradle is provided
which will be cheap, strong, and capable of being quickly folded, or arranged ready
for use by the manipulation of one or more nuts or screws. Moreover, bars or
rods of considerable length, commonly employed in cribs of the kind referred
to, are dispensed with, thus enabling the article to be packed into trunks or
cases of short length and small dimensions.
Reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed:
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a crib or cradle set up ready for use.
Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the rods or wires forming the bottom of
the crib.
Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one end of the crib.
Fig. 4, is a plan shewing a modified form of bottom for the crib.
Fig. 5 is an end view showing the crib folded.
Fig. 6 is an end elevation of so much of a crib as will serve to illustrate the
application of rockers thereto.
Fig. 7 is a detail view shewing the preferred form of telescopic rod or bar
which may be employed in the construction.
Each of the end frames which support the crib consists of two bars A pivoted
to each other at A¹ to form legs of X-shape. At their lower extremities they
are preferably provided with castors, or, as illustrated in Fig. 6, they may be
fitted with rockers a pivoted at a" to one leg and provided with a perforation all
to fit over a projecting stud 61 which is transversely perforated to receive the
linch-pin The upper ends of the bars A are connected by a cross-bar D which
may be in one piece or two connected by what is known as a rule-joint d, mid-
way the length of the bar. The hinge will permit of the crib being readily folded
without taking it apart. The upper parts of the end frames are connected by
bars E and their lower parts by the bars C. In order to enable these bars to be
packed into trunks or cases of short dimensions they may be made telescopic as
shewn in Fig. 7 in which E' refers to a tubular central portion adapted to receive
the end bars or pieces E, and having tapered screw-threaded ends e split as
shewn at e and adapted to be made to impinge upon the rods E when the
nuts ell are screwed over them. The bars E and C or E are reduced in diameter at
both ends (shewn clearly in Fig. 3) and pass through apertures in the frames A
and bars D. They also pass through perforations in the ends of inclined bars B
which extend upwardly and meet above the centre of the frame. The bars E
and Cor E are secured in position by nuts or buttons el which are preferably
of ornamental shape and are threaded to screw upon the threaded ends of the
longitudinal bars. A longitudinal bar connects the upper ends of the inclined
bars B thus forming a ridge or pole over which a mosquito net may be arranged.
The bottom of the crib consists of a series of cross-bars F preferably constructed
as shewn in Figs. 1 and Fig. 2. These bars each have eyes f formed at their
ends; the eyes being preferably at right angles to each other. These cross-bars
are hooked to each other as shewn in Fig. 1, and, having a crimp or curve at

page_text: their centres, they are enabled to lie evenly across each other, and be held by
the crimps in their relative position. The device thus forms a species of lazy-
tongs which may be folded or extended as desired.
A series of suspending chains G are fastened in the eyes f and have rings at g
which pass over the bars E. The chains G are preferably connected by a hori-
zontally disposed chain or chains H to keep the chains G equi-distant. Å similar
arrangement of chains depend from the end-bars D.
A modified form of bottom for the bed is shewn in Fig. 4, and it consists of a
series of cross-bars F which are pivoted together at I; the ends of the end-bars
being connected by connecting bars K. These connecting bars and the ends of
all the bars F where they meet and are pivoted, are fitted with eyes J for attach-
ment thereto of the lower ends of the depending chains G.
By removing the nuts e¹ the whole device may be quickly taken apart for pack-
ing. Folding is accomplished by bending the rods D at d and pressing the parts
together as shewn in Fig. 5. When the rocker is used, the linch pin is removed,
the rocker removed from over the projecting stud, and folded up parallel with
the bar to which it is pivoted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
A crib or cradle consisting of two end frames each comprising two crossed
supporting bars pivoted together and united at their upper ends by a hinged con-
necting bar, longitudinally arranged rods or telescopic bars uniting the upper and
lower parts of the crossed supporting bars, chains depending from the longitudinally
arranged rods or telescopic bars and the aforesaid hinged connecting bars, a bottom
for the crib consisting of metal bars or rods suitably crossed and united after
the manner of lazy tongs and adapted for suspension from the chains aforesaid
chains uniting the last mentioned chains horizontally, a canopy or fly nut frame
consisting of inclined bars united by a connecting rod and supported by the end
frames, and castors or rockers on said end frames, all arranged substantially as
described and illustrated, and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 19th don of Lulu 1000
P. R. J WILLIS,
Agent for Applicants.