An Improvement in Non-reversible Hoods for Bassinette and other Baby-carriages for the Better Protection of Children Carried in them from the Wind and Rain.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 4th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 4th Nov., 1887
An Improvement in Non-reversible Hoods for Bassinette and other
Baby-carriages for the Better Protection of Children Carried in
them from the Wind and Rain.
RICHARD NICHOLS 40 Ravald Street, Oldham Road Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Cabinet Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of the addition to the non-reversible hoods of bassinettes
and other baby-carriages as now used of a shade or blind roller to which is attached
one or two sheets, composed of a material or materials hereinafter described which
when unrolled would cover the space between the apron and roller, at the bottom of
each curtain (The word curtain in this Specification is used to denote a sheet of the
said material or materials) should be a broad hem opened at each end in which
should be fixed a metal rod projecting a short distance at each end, through cach
projecting end should be a hole through which the guide strings or wires, can pass,
as the curtain is moved up or down. Metal plates with the nescessary holes or slots in
to receive the pins at the ends of the rollers, should be fixed by means of screws to
the inside of the sides of the front bow, as near the top as will allow of the free
working of the roller with a curtain or curtains rolled on. With rollers requiring
special brackets that cannot be screwed on to the sides. It will be nescessary to first
fasten the brackets to pieces of wood or other suitable material and screw the pieces
of wood &c. to the inside of the sides of the front bow. In such case the bow itself
may be widened at the top and narrowed towards the bottom, so that the curtain may
be wide enough to well cover the opening when unrolled. The roller used may be
one that can be turned by hand as a windlass or measuring tape is, or by string or
cord, or by a spring as used in coaches. I do not claim the manufacture of any kind
of rollers, as a novelty, but the use of a roller with one or two of the herein after
mentioned sheets attached, when used on non-reversible hoods of bassinettes and
other baby-carriages and for that purpose alone the curtains may be made wholly or
in part of such material or materials, as would allow the person in charge to have a
view of the child under the hood, when the curtain or curtains are down, at the same

page_text: time insuring thorough ventilation. The said sheets may be made either of milliner's
netting as used for bonnet shapes, varnished to protect the material from the wet, and
ornamented with colors & gilding if required or horse hair woven into cloth, or
muslin, or gauze as used by ladies for veils, or lace, or other materials of a similar
nature so that the child under the hood can be seen by the person in charge, where
the materials used are of an absorbent nature and it is required to protect them from
the weather they may be sized and varnished. A curtain may be made of several
materials so that care is taken to have so much of it made of the more open meshed
materials, as will admit of the child being seen, the remaining part being made of
leather cloth or other materials impervious to wind or water and which may be
ornamented by gilding, painting and impressed marks. In making such a curtain, the
centre-piece of open-meshed material (by mesh is meant the space between the thread
or threads of which the material is composed) may be attached by means of flat
buttons or sewn on to the stronger material and could be taken off or put on, without
the nescessity of unfastening the whole curtain from the roller. Thin sheets of gelatine
attached by suitable cements or gums to coarse netting (milliners) may also be used,
if protected by varnish. If the roller used is made of wood the sheet or sheets of
the above named materials may be tacked on, but I should prefer that a strong piece
of calico or other suitable material be pasted on; covering the roller, and stitched or
tacked to keep it firm on, leaving a piece of the material hanging along the whole
length of the roller, to which the curtain can be attached by buttons or sewn on, as
the curtain can be more easily removed without taking down the roller, the latter
way is adopted where metal roller's are used, as tacks would not drive, other ways used
in fastening on blinds may be used for the purpose. Where two curtains are
required on the roller, the material to which the curtains are to be fastened, must hang
down on both sides of the roller, either having an extra piece sewn on for the purpose-
or it may be only pasted on one half of the roller-hanging down on both sides, the
whole length and tacked if wood, if metal sewn, the stitches extending one half the
circumference of the roller. The two curtains could then be attached by buttons or
other suitable ways, so that there would be a space equal to the diameter of the roller
between the two curtains, but which will wind up readily on the same roller-This
method of hanging the two curtains considerably modifying the force of the wind.
For the purpose of further protecting the child, the sides of the front bow, extending
from as near to the roller as will allow the curtains to pass freely-downwards to the
apron, is made so thick that grooves down which the guiding strings are fixed and
which will allow the bottom rods of the curtains to slide up or down with the side
edges of the curtains in the grooves which will the better keep the curtains apart and
prevent the wind so readily passing in under the hood. Where only one curtain is
required but one groove would be needed. The size of the material used in the bow
would thus vary according as one or two curtains are required, or the diameter of
the rollers may vary. The height of the bow would likewise vary, according to the
room taken up inside the hood by the roller & curtain. The other bows which
constitute the frame-work of the hood must be regulated according to the size of the
front bow. The front bow may be made of sheet metal of the nescessary strength,
thicknessed up in part with wood and part with metal, or it may be made with wood-
The top piece and sides being connected and strengthened by iron plates. To cover
the roller, a similar material to the outer covering of the hood, with or without fringe,
may hang from the top of the bow, or other drapery goods may be used-or a piece of
wood or other suitable material may be fitted in so as to cover it & fastened in by
screws or springs or other suitable fastenings so that it may be taken out readily to
get at the roller. The covering and lining as usual. Guiding wires may be used for
the curtains without grooves.
TO

page_text: An Improvement in Non-reversible Hoods for Bassinette and other
Baby-carriages for the Better Protection of Children Carried in
them from the Wind and Rain.
I, RICHARD NICHOLS of 40 Ravald Street Oldham Road Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Cabinet Maker 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 :—
And in order that my invention may be fully understood, I shall in describing the
particulars of it, refer to the annexed sheet of drawings, in which the same letters of
reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the figures. My invention
consists of the addition to the non-reversible hoods of bassinette and other baby
carriages as now used of a shade or blind roller to which is attached one or two sheets
composed of a material or materials herein-after described, which when unrolled,
would cover the space between the apron & roller at the bottom of each curtain (the
word curtain in this specification is used to denote a sheet of the said material or
materials) should be a broad hem open at each end, in which should be fixed a metal
rod of the size used with blinds in general use, projecting a short distance at each
end, through each projecting end should be a hole through which the guide strings or
wire can pass, as the curtain is moved up or down, metal plates with the nescessary
holes or slots in to receive the pins at the ends of the rollers, should be fixed by means
of screws to the insides, of the sides of the front bow as near the top as will allow of
the free working of the roller with a curtain or curtains rolled on. With rollers
requiring special brackets that cannot be screwed on to the sides, the brackets not
being flat, it will be nescessary to fasten them to a strip of wood if the bow is made
of wood, and a strip of metal if the bow is a metal one. Iron galvanised or tinned is
preferred where metal is mentioned in this specification, but brass can be used, and
fastening the strip by screws or other suitable means to the sides of the bow at the
back, so that the brackets are held firmly in their proper places Figure III. is a
front elevation of part of a bow. c is a strip of wood fastened at each end, to the
sides on the back of the bow, to which the brackets can be attached. In such cases.
the bow should be wider at the top to allow for the thickness of the brackets, so that
the length of the roller will be equal to the distance from side to side in the grooves the
curtains work up and down in d. marking the space allowed and shewing position of
the bracket the opening will then be well covered, when the curtain is down. The
roller used may be one that can be turned by hand, as a windlass or measuring tape
is. In carrying out this arrangement of my invention, I make the roller of pine or
other light wood and fix to each end a pin, for the roller to revolve upon, the pin at
one end having a knob fastened on to it by means of which the roller may be turned
round to wind and unwind the curtain when fixed in its position. Figure V. is a
front elevation of it with a curtain attached. This arrangement is the one that I

page_text: prefer Figure II. is a front elevation of part of a front bow as used in my improved
hood, the front bow is the part of the hood as now used that would be affected in
carrying out my invention, the bow is attached to the body by the ordinary means
and needs no description. In fixing the roller, insert the pin at one end of the roller
in the round hole on the left hand side of the bow, as you look at it, when the other
end with the knob attached may be placed in position by sliding it down the slot E.
and kept in its position by the plate Fig. IX. which is slided on from the front, on
the outside of the bow after the cover is on, and may be packed with leather or
india-rubber till it binds against the knob, the friction between them preventing the
curtain running down without power being applied, or the roller inay be turned by
means of a string or cord or by a spring as used in coaches. I do not claim the
manufacture of any kind of rollers as a novelty, but the use of a roller with one
or two of the hereinafter described sheets attached, when used on non-reversible hoods
of bassinette and other baby carriages, and for that purpose alone. The curtains may
be made wholly or in part of such material or materials as would allow the person in
charge to see the child under the hood, when the curtain or curtains are down, at the
same time insuring thorough ventilation, the said sheets may be made cither of
milliners netting as used for bonnet shapes, varnished to protect the material
from the wet. I prefer white shellac varnish for the purpose but other suitable
varnishes may be used, and ornamented with colors and gilding if required or
horse hair woven into cloth, or muslin or gauze as used by ladies for veils, or
lace, or other material of a similar nature, so that the child under the hood can
be seen by the person in charge, where the materials used are of an absorbent
nature, and it is required to protect them from the weather, they may be sized
and varnished, a curtain may be made of several materials so that care is taken
to have so much of it made of the more open meshed materials as will admit of the
child being seen the remaining part being made of leather cloth or other materials
impervious to wind or water as shewn in Fig. V. F. being nett or other open
meshed material, the remainder being leather cloth which may be ornamented by
gilding painting and impressed marks or other heavy material. In making such a
curtain the centre piece of open meshed material (by mesh is meant the space between
the thread or threads of which the material is composed) may be attached by means
of flat buttons, similar to shirt buttons or sewn to the stronger material and could be
taken of or put on without the nescessity of unfastening the whole curtain from the
roller. This composite curtain may only be used singly, as the dark border excludes
light and makes it difficult to see under the hood when two sheets are used. Thin
sheets of gelatine attached by suitable cement or gum to coarse milliners netting, may
also be used, if protected by varnish, in joining the two materials, copal varnish
applied to the nett which is already sized and allowed to nearly dry, so as to be just
tacky or sticky forms a good cement, afterwards varnish with white shellac varnish,
this may be used in small pieces to admit light when used with leather cloth and open
net as shewn in Figure. V. D. If the roller used is made of wood the sheet or sheets
of the above named material may be tacked on, but I should prefer that a piece of
strong calico or other suitable material be pasted on, covering the roller and stitched
or tacked to keep firm on, leaving a piece of the material hanging along the whole
length of the roller, to which the curtain can be attached by flat buttons or sewn on,
as the curtains can be the more easily removed, without taking down the roller, where
metal rollers are used they must be pasted and stitched on as tacks would not drive,
other ways used for fastening on blinds may be used for the purpose where wood
rollers are used.
When two curtains are required on the roller the material to which they are
to be fastened must hang down on both sides of the roller, either having an extra
piece sewn on for the purpose or it may be only pasted on one half of the roller and
and hang down on both sides the whole length and tacked on if wood, if metal sewn
on, the stitches extending one half the circumference of the roller, the two curtains
could then be attached by buttons or sewn on, so that there would be a space equal to
the diameter of the roller between the two curtains, but which will wind up readily on

page_text: the same roller, this method of hanging the two curtains considerably modifying the
force of the wind, and allows of the whole of the curtains being made of nett or lace,
which singly would be but little protection. For the purpose of further protecting the
child, the sides of the front bow extending from as near to the roller as will allow the
curtain to pass freely downwards to the apron, is made so thick that grooves down
which the guiding strings are fixed and which will allow the bottom rods of the
curtains to slide up or down, with the side edges of the curtains in the grooves which
will the better keep the curtains apart and prevent the wind so readily passing in under
the hood, when only one curtain is required, but one groove would be needed the size of
the material used in the construction of the front bow, would thus vary depending
upon whether one or two curtains are required, the height of the bow would likewise
vary, allowance being made for room taken up by roller and curtain at the top of the
bow, the other bows which constitute the frame work of the hood would be regulated
according to the size of the front bow.
The front bow may be made of sheet metal of the nescessary strength. I prefer iron
plate tinned for the purpose, the outer casing should be made in three pieces soldered
and rivetted together. Figure IV. is a side view shewing the joint thus strengthening
the plate where the bracket has to be attached, but if the roller brackets are not flat,
they must be screwed to a metal strip corresponding to the wooden strip, c. Fig. III.
the plates must also be perforated near the front edge to allow the covering, to be
sewn on, the top of the bow should be thicknessed up with a strip of half inch pine
screwed to the inside of the bow and the pieces corresponding to, H. Fig. I. be
fastened on in the same way, forming one edge of the groove, the other side of the
groove is formed of metal soldered to the side-pieces of iron as shewn in Figure VIII.
which is a cross section of the side piece on, A. B. The said piece forming the front
of the bow the length of the grooves. The material of which the bows are made will
only vary in size the length of the grooves when either one or two grooves are
required, the roller taking up as much room in both cases. Or the bow may be made
of wood the top piece and sides being connected and strengthened by iron corner
plates, the platos also forming the brackets for the roller, when a roller to turn
by hand is used, as shewn in Fig. II.
To cover the roller from view, a similar material to the outer covering of the hood,
with or without fringe may hang down from the top of the bow, or other drapery
goods may be used, or a piece of wood or other suitable material may be fitted in the
inside of the bow, so as to cover it, and fastened in by screws or springs or other
suitable fastenings, so that it may be taken out readily to get at the roller.
The covering and lining as usual, tho lining being tacked to the back edge or
outside of the front bow, leaving the grooves free, the inside of the bow can be
painted or lace may be pasted on in part and then painted where not so covered.
Guiding strings may be used for the curtains without grooves in which case the
lining could be pasted on the inside of the sides of the front bow, thus giving a
lighter appearance to the inside of the hood when the curtain was up. Figure VII.
is a cross section of a side of a bow with no grooves shewing the two guiding
wires, the use of guiding wires is well known and needs no description. In
giving a further explanation of the annexed sheet of drawings the scale to which
they are drawn is one-fourth or three inches equals one foot.
Fig. I. is a sectional side elevation of a wooden front bow as used in my
improved hood, H. being a strip of wood forming a partition between the two
grooves down which the curtains will slide. If only one curtain it will form one
edge of the groove, the wood forming the back groove may be dispensed with.
K. is an iron corner plate also forming the bracket for the roller to work in.
L. is a piece of round iron, screwed at one end with a round screw head at the
other reaching from side to side of the bow, forming a guide for the back curtain to
pass on to the roller, in winding up, the two may be used, but the back one is a
nescessity, it can be fixed after the roller is placed in its position, as the head will be
on the outside of the cover of the bow, and it can be taken out when changing the

page_text: roller, this refers to two curtains, if one curtain is used the front rod may be used,
the curtain rod is turned from you to wind up, the curtain hanging down in front so
that the roller could not be seen by the person in charge.
The back curtain will be shorter than the front one by the measure of one-half the
circumference of the roller, the two curtains must be connected by a piece of tape at
the bottom in the centre, the tape forming a loop to pull the curtains down with,
instead of pulling by the bottom rods. The plate of metal represented by Fig. IX.
is slided on from the front of the bow, the slot, N. forming part of the bearing for
the pin of the roller to work in, the other part of the bearing being the slot, E. in the
corner plate, K. the plate is then screwed on to the side of the bow and packed in
the way before described. In Fig. V. the knob or handle marked, P. may be of
various patterns and the part marked, D. may be composed of the gelatine and nett
if more light is required and less air admitted. Fig. VIII. shews a cross-section of
a side of a bow, with one groove and guiding wire, Fig. VI. shewing a cross-section
of a side of a bow, with two grooves and guiding wires. The curtains would slide in
the grooves without the guiding wires or strings, but it keeps them in their places, if
it is nescossary to lift the curtain for quickness, instead of winding up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it understood, that I
do not confine myself to the exact details as shewn, which may be varied without
interfering with the spirit of the invention, and knowing that the parts which I
combine are well known, but that which I believe to be novel and therefore claim is
The combination of non-reversible hoods, for bassinette and other baby carriages,
with a blind or shade roller to which is attached one or two of the curtains described
in this specification.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1887