Year: 1888

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM LANE and ALFRED DONEY, of Pen Argyl,
in the State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of North America,
Manufacturers.]
I WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY of 156 Strand in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly ascertained and described in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to an improvement in baby-walkers; and it consists in the
peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth
hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.
The object of my invention is to provide a baby-walker which is adapted to travel in
a circle.
In the drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a baby-walker embodying
my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a
detail view.
A represents a frame of the chair, which comprises the inclined uprights or legs a,
the horizontal longitudinal bars a¹, and the transverse bars a, all of which are rigidly
connected together. To the lower ends of the uprights or legs are secured a pair of
concentric segmental runners, B, and to the ends of the said runners are secured
supporting-rollers C. If preferred, casters may be substituted for the rollers.
F represents the support, which is arranged on the upper end of the chair-frame.
The said support comprises a frame F' which is preferably rectangular in shape, and
is provided on its inner opposing edges with parallel grooves f. In the said grooves
are fitted sliding sections F which are detachably fitted in place, and can be readily
separated to permit the removal of the child from the chair and to place it therein.
The inner meeting edges of the said sliding sections are provided with semicircular
openings f, which, when the edges of the sections come together, form a circular
opening of sufficient size to fit the child's body. These sections are secured against
end wise movement after the child is secured to the supporting-frame by locking
devices G, which comprise fixed keepers 9, secured to the frame of the support, and
removable pins or latches g¹ which are fitted in the keepers, and are adapted to bear
upon the outer edges of the slides F, or to enter either of longitudinal series of
openings f, made in the slides and adapted to successively register with the keepers g

page_text: as the slides are drawn out. By this construction the slides may be secured at any
desired distance apart. The support is provided at.its sides with vertical depending
bars H, which are provided with vertical slots, as shown. Binding-screws pass
through the said slots and enter the upper side of the chairframe, and thereby secure
the supporting frame above the chair-frame and permit the latter to be adjusted
vertically, as will be readily understood.
I represents a tray, which is detachably connected to one end of the support F by
means of pivoted hooks i, with which the said tray is provided, and stops & which
project from the sides of the frame F, and are adapted to be engaged by the hooks.
The inner wall of the tray' adjacent to the end of the support is provided with a
vertical notch or recess, into which one of the keepers and the movable pins of the
support fit, and thereby prevent end-wise movement of the tray, as will be very
readily understood.
K represents a removable platform, which is arranged at a suitable distance below
the upper end of the chair-frame, and is adapted to permit the child to sit thereon
without cramping his limbs. This platform rests upon fixed stops L, which are
secured to the inclined standards or legs of the chair-frame, as shown.
M represents an arm, which is secured to one of the runners B and projects
therefrom at right angles. The said arm is secured in position by means of brace-
wires N, which connect it to eyebolts secured near the ends of the inner curved
runner, and at the outer end of the said arms is a rectangular keeper, O, which is
'provided with a clamping-screw, P.
R represents an extension-arm, which has one end fitted in the keeper O, and is.
adapted to slide longitudinally in or out upon the upper side of the arm N, so as to
lengthen or shorten the said arm, as may be desired, according to the radius of the
circle it is desired for the chair to describe. To the outer end of the extension R is
pivoted a circular weight S, which is adapted to rest on the floor or ground and forms
the centre of the circle described by the chair when the child walks and propels the
same. By thus adapting the baby-walker to proceed in a curved line it may be used
in a very small room and in a contracted space.
The chair may be upholstered, if necessary or desirable.
If preferred, the brace-wires N may be dispensed with and a brace-plate N¹ bolted
to the under side of the inner runner and to the under side of the arin M, to receive
the latter firmly in place. (See Fig. 3).
Having now described and ascertained what said invention is, and how the same
is constructed and performed I do hereby declare that what I claim as my invention
and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-
1. In a baby-walker, the combination of the chair or frame supported on rollers,
and the arm projecting from one side of the same and adapted to be pivoted to a
fixed point, and thereby direct the baby-walker in a curved line, substantially as
described.
2. In a baby-walker the combination of a chair or frame provided with the
supporting-rollers and the extensible arm projecting from one side thereof and
adapted to be pivoted to a fixed point, and thereby direct the baby-walker in circles
of any desired radius, substantially as described.
3. The combination, in a baby walker, of the chair or frame provided with the
supporting rollers, and having the arm projecting from one side thereof, and the
weight pivoted to the outer side of the said arm and adapted to form the center of
the circle described by the baby-walker, substantially as described.
"
Dated this 24th day of July 1888.
WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY.