IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MOUNTING OF COTS AND CRADLES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Norman, of St. Matthias Place, Stoke New-
ington Green, in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet Manufacturer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MOUNTING OF COTS AND CRADLES."
Sealed the 16th April 1862, and dated the 31st October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Norman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
October 1861.
I, GEORGE NORMAN, of St. Mathias Place, Stoke Newington Green, in the
County of Middlesex, Cabinet Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MOUNTING OF COTS OR CRADLES,"
to be as follows:―
The object of this Invention is to mount bassinets or cots in such a manner
as to enable them to rock longitudinally, or from head to foot, instead of from
side to side, as is the case with ordinary cradles, which latter movement has
been condemned by the faculty. This result I propose to effect by mounting
the bassinet or cot on a swinging frame, or upon rockers, or upon a frame
carried by springs which will admit of an oscillating motion being imparted
thereto.
The swinging frame arrangement (which is the one I prefer to adopt)
consists of an open or recessed frame supported at its sides, but near one end,

page_text: by pendent rods, which are free to oscillate on trunnions carried by standards,
or it may be by a bracket affixed to a wall. The standards are braced
together at top and bottom, and may be set on castors to make the apparatus
readily removeable from one room to another.
Upon this frame the bassinet
to ensure a slight elevation of
The frame may have a fixed
or cot is placed, and at such an inclination as
the head of the child contained in the cot.
inclination, or the inclination may be adjustable by a segment rack or equi-
valent means. To the under side of the frame and in the line of suspension
a weight is applied for increasing the force of the pulsations of the frame when
set in motion, and thereby keeping up the vibratory action. Instead of being
suspended, the cot may be placed on longitudinal rockers, so arranged as to
keep the head of the child elevated; and when springs are used in lieu of the
pendent rods or rockers, care must be taken that the head of the cot has a
tendency to stand above the foot.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Norman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
NORMAN, formerly of 14, Saint Matthias Place, Stoke Newington Green, in
the County of Middlesex, and now of No. 1, Spencer Road, Stoke Newington
Green aforesaid, Cabinet Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Norman, Her special license that I, the said George Norman, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Norman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MOUNTING
OF COTS OR CRADLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Norman, by an instrument in writing under my band and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed

page_text: in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Norman, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
The object of this Invention is to mount bassinets or cots in such a manner
as to admit of infants placed therein being rocked to sleep by a motion that
will not have an injurious effect upon them; to this end I propose to rock
bassinets or cots longitudinally, or from head to foot, instead of from side to
side, as is the case with ordinary cradles, which latter movement has been
condemned by, the faculty.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in side elevation, and Fig. 2
in front elevation, a cot mounted according to this Invention. A, A, is the
cot or bassinet made in any suitable or well known manner, and set upon a
swinging frame, which may be variously modified.
The swinging frame arrangement, which I prefer to adopt, consists of an
open or recessed frame B, supported at its sides, but near one end thereof,
by pendent rods B*, which are free to oscillate on trunnions C, C, carried by
standards D, D. These standards are braced together at top and bottom by
cross bars E, and thus form an outer frame in which the frame B, B*, is free
to swing. This outer frame may be set on castors to make the apparatus
readily removeable from one room to another. The pendent frame I prefer
to hang in such a manner that the bassinet or cot when placed shall give it a
bias or inclination from the horizontal, and thus ensure a slight elevation of
the head of the child contained in the cot, as shewn in the Drawing. The
frame may have a fixed inclination, or the inclination may be adjustable by a
segment rack or equivalent means. To the under side of the frame, and in
the line of suspension, a weight F is applied for increasing the force of the
pulsations of the frame when set in motion, and thereby keeping up the
vibratory action. To permit of a canopy being thrown over the cot, I apply
bent rods G to the top and back of the outer framing, and attach the canopy
to the top rod. In cases where it is deemed more convenient, a bracket fixed,
say, to the wall of the nursery, may be substituted for the standards or outer
frame D, the trunnions C, C, being fitted thereto to receive the swinging
frame.
Another modification which I may find it desirable under some circum-
stances to carry out is, instead of suspending the cot, to place it on a

page_text: longitudinal rocking frame, so arranged as to keep the head of the child
elevated while the cot is in motion.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Mounting of Cots or Cradles," and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above. in part
recited Letters Patent I claim the means above described, or any mere
modification thereof, for mounting cots or cradles so that they may rock or
swing in the direction of their length, in the manner and for the purpose
above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Norman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
GEORGE NORMAN. (L.S.)