Improvements in Metallic Cots or Cribs,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1899 -Accepted, 24th June, 1899
Improvements in Metallic Cots or Cribs,
We, FRANK HUMPIRIS, Watch Maker, and JAMES CLARKE, Contractor, both
of Cowper Villa, Acton Vale, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows;
This invention relates to metallic cots or cribs of the kind having vertically
moveable sides and ends for convenience in making the bed and for putting a
child into or removing it from the cot.
Such cots or cribs as heretofore made have been provided with catches or like
means for securing them in the raised and lowered positions and have
required two hands to be used when shifting the moveable side or end from one
position to the other. This is a great inconvenience especially when the mother
desires to lift the child out of the cot into her own bed.
The object of this invention is so to construct and fit the moveable sides and
ends that they can be adjusted to any desired height on the pillars and can be
readily raised or lowered by the use of one hand only.
We make our cot or crib in the usual manner with a bottom secured to four
vertical posts or standards one at each corner, the bottom however being so made
and fitted to the posts or standards that the sides and ends can ride on the latter
clear of the bottom of the cot or crib.
In one form of our invention each side and end frame is made separately
adjustable on the vertical posts or standards the lower corners of each of said
side and end frames, and the upper corners also if desired, being each fitted
with a friction roller which rides on the contiguous post or standard. Each of
the moveable side or end frames is provided at each end with a counterweighted
or spring actuated lever or catch which engages in one of a series of holes,
notches or the like arranged one above the other in the side of the post or
standard. These levers or catches are pivotted to brackets secured to the top
rail and to the ends of a link or rod connecting them together and furnished
with a handle or other gripping device. When the handle is gripped and
slightly raised the catches are thereby withdrawn from the holes or notches in
the posts or standards and the side or end frame can be raised or lowered by
means of the grip or handle without requiring further manipulation.
In another form of our invention the side and end frames are secured to four
vertical corner tubes to form a rectangular frame the tubes telescoping outside
or inside the corner posts or standards of the crib or cot. This frame may be
provided with catches engaged holes c notches in the corner posts or standards
and be raised or lowered by hand in the manner hereinbefore described or it
may be raised and lowered by the lever mechanism hereinafter described and
provided with means for adjusting same in any desired position.
In another form of our invention the side or end frames, or the rectangular
frame as the case may be, are raised and lowered by means of a lever having arms
carrying friction rollers taking under the moveable side or end frame or the sides

page_text: and ends of the rectangular frame. These arms each carry a pin, peg or pawl
which is pressed forward by a spring or counterweight and caused to engage in
the teeth of a curved rack fixed to the cot or crib bottom. The upper end of the
rack may be provided with an inclined path which leads the pin or peg back to
the lower end of the rack and into the path of the teeth thereon, so that the pegs,
pins or pawls will be released from the rack by raising same to the highest posi-
tion, or the pegs, pins or pawls may be otherwise released. This lever may
be operated by means of a treadle or by means of a chain, cord or the like passed
over suitable pulleys and conveniently handy to be operated from above; suit-
able means being provided, such as a hook, or the like to secure the chain, cord
or the like in any desired position.
Total thin 10th day of tatalon 1908
Διερευνο
OUT CITUS,
We, FRANK HUMPHRIS, Watch Maker, and JAMES CLARKE, Contractor, both
of Cowper Villa, Acton Vale, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to metallic cots or cribs of the kind having vertically
moveable sides and ends for convenience in making the bed and for putting a
child into or removing it from the cot.
Such cots or cribs as heretofore made have been provided with catches or like
means for securing them in the raised positions and have required two hands to
be used when shifting the moveable side or end from one position to the other.
This is a great inconvenience especially when the mother desires to lift the child
out of the cot into her own bed.
The object of this invention. is so to construct and fit the moveable sides and
ends that they can be adjusted to any desired height on the pillars and can be
readily raised or lowered by the use of one hand only or by the foot.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown various modifications illus-
trating the manner in which our invention may be carried into practical effect.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly broken away showing the corner pillars and
the top rail of the moveable side or end and our improved means for raising and
lowering the side or end and for securing the same in any desired position on
the corner pillars, and
Fig. is a similar view wherein our invention is shown as applied to the
bottom rail of the moveable side or end.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a cot or crib showing a modification in which the
moveable side is supported by spring catches in the form of rods moving in a
longitudinal direction; Fig. 4 is a partly sectional elevation of the spring catch
mechanism of same in another position, and Fig. 5 is a modification of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a cot or crib, in which the sides and ends are
secured to posts or tubes telescoping into the corner pillars, showing the means
for raising and lowering and for securing the moveable sides or ends, and Fig. 7
is a side elevation of the securing mechanism of same.
The same letters of reference where they occur are used to denote the same or
corresponding parts in all the figures.

page_text: We make our cot or crib in the usual manner with a bottom A secured to four
corner pillars B, the bottom A however being so made and fitted to the corner
pillars B that the sides and ends can ride on the latter clear of the bottom A.
In the forms of our invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 each side and end frame
is made separately adjustable on the corner pillars B the lower rail C of each of
said sides and ends, and preferably the upper rail C also, being fitted with a
friction roller D at each end, which rollers ride on the contiguous corner pillars B.
The pillars B are preferably provided with chases or grooves in which the
rollers D run, or the rollers may be chased or grooved and the pillars B made to
correspond therewith, so as to prevent the moveable side or end from being dis-
placed laterally from the pillars B.
The moveable side or end frame is provided at each end with a counter-
weighted or spring actuated lever or catch which engages in one of a series of
holes, notches or the like 6 arranged one above the other in the contiguous face
of the corner pillar B.
In the form shown in Fig. 1 the counterweighted levers E are pivotted to
brackets secured to or formed on the top rail C, in such a position that their
forward or locking arms c are adapted normally to engage in the holes or the
like in the pillars B. The other arms e¹ of the levers E are each pivotally
secured in slots f which are situated one at each end of a longitudinal rod F
having a handle or gripping device formed on or secured thereto at about
the centre and just below the top rail C of the moveable side or end frame.
When the thumb is passed over the top rail C¹ and the handle F1 gripped with
the fingers and slightly raised the catches e of the levers E are thereby with-
drawn from the holes or notches in the corner pillars B and the moveable side
or end can then he raised or lowered by means of the grip or handle F without
requiring further manipulation. When the handle is released the weight of
handle, rod F, and lever arms e¹ will cause the levers E to turn on their pivots
and enter the adjacent holes, notches, or the like in the pillars B.
In the form shown in Fig. 2 the catch levers E are pivotted on the bottom
rail C and the handle F¹ is made fast to the upper end of a vertical rod F2 whose
lower end is rigidly secured to the longitudinal rod F. The handle F1 being
situated just below the top rail the operation and action of the parts is the
same as is herein before described with reference to Fig. 1.
In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the catches are in the form of
longitudinal rods El passing through eyelets or guide eyes c secured to the bottom
rail C and caused normally to engage in the holes, notches, or the like 6 in the
pillars B by means of spring arms f which pass through holes e² formed on the
ends of the rods and are rigidly secured at their upper ends to the lower part
of the grip rod F. These spring arms fpass through a small guide hole
in a cross bar G secured to the moveable side or end (see Fig. 4), so that, as the
rod F is raised the spring arms fare, by the guide hole g, drawn towards each
other and in this way the ends of the longitudinal catch rods El are caused to
approach each other and the catches thus withdrawn from the holes, notches, or
the like in the pillars B; this is the position shown in Fig. 4, while Fig. 3 shows
the normal position. The operation and action of the parts will now be under-
stood without further explanation.
Fig. 5 shows a slightly different form from that just described.
In this case
the gripping handle is secured to two vertical rods 12 each of which is formed
or provided with an inwardly inclined extension f which may be secured at
their outer ends to a short tube or rod f as shown, or the said outer ends may be
left free. These inclined extensions 3 each pass through an eye ³ formed on or
connected to the ends of the longitudinal rods E between which said eyes is
located a spiral or other spring fi tending to keep the catch rods E normally
in engagement with the holes, notches or the like in the pillars B As in the
former example the raising of the gripping handle F will draw the rods E
towards each other and thus disengage the catches from the pillars B.

page_text: Figs. 6 and show a modification of the means for raising lowering and
securing the moveable part of the cot or crib which can be operated by hand or
foot. His a lever pivotted at 4 to a bracket H¹ secured fast to the cot bottom A,
and J is a toothed rack secured to the bracket H¹ and having parallel inclined
paths and at the top and bottom and a rear path (see Fig. 7). K is a
pawl pivotted on the lever H and either counterweighted as shown or spring
actuated. One end of the lever H terminates in a foot plate H2 and the other
end carries a friction roller taking under the lower rail C of the moveable side,
or is forked as shown at H³ in Fig. 6 and takes over a friction roller turning on
a horizontal pin secured to the lower rail C. 2 is a cord, chain or the like
flexible connection secured to the end H3 of the lever H and passing over suit-
able pulleys carried by the crib bottom A and furnished with a ring or other
hand gripping device h
It will be seen that the end H³ of the lever H may be raised by depressing the
treadle H or by pulling on the cord &c. h². As it is raised the pawl K strikes
against the bottom inclined path of the rack J and passes therealong until it
reaches the teeth on the rack into which its counterweight or spring will cause
it to enter where it may be left at any adjustment desired. To lower the move-
able side the end of the lever H is further raised, causing the pawl K to pass
on to the top inclined path j down which it will slide to the rear path which
will incline the pawl K in a direction opposite to that which it had when
ascending the toothed part of the rack. The pawl will finally arrive at its
normal position which is shown by the full lines in Fig. 7, the dotted lines to
left and right showing the respective inclinations of the pawl when ascending
and descending.
This
Although we have described this method of raising lowering and securing the
moveable part as applied to a side or end frame we prefer to use it in connection
with a rectangular frame formed by securing the sides and the ends to four
vertical rods or tubes which telescope inside or outside the corner pillars.
is the construction shown in Fig. 6 which represents such a cot with the rect-
angular telescopic frame in the lowest position. In such a case we may fit a
lever such as H to each side, but preferably we use one lever H only and arrange
it centrally of the cot bottom and let its forked end H³ take over a friction roller
or sleeve loose on a rod arranged transversely and having its ends taking under
the bottom rails C of the two side frames of the cot. It will however be obvious
that such a rectangular telescopic frame may be fitted with any one of the raising
lowering and securing devices described with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5.
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-
1. In metallic cots or cribs having a vertically moveable frame or frames the
formation of a series of holes, notches or the like in the corner pillars a lever
catch to engage said holes or the like carried by a bracket fast on the longitu-
dinal rail of the moveable frame and at each end thereof, a link connecting said
lever catches together and provided with a gripping handle adjacent to the top
rail of the moveable frame, and friction rollers on said moveable frame to slide
on the corner pillars substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 1 or in
Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings and for the purpose stated.
2. In metallic cots or cribs having a vertically moveable frame or frames the
formation of a series of holes, notches or the like in the corner pillars longitu-
dinal rods to engage said holes or the like carried in brackets or eyes fast on the
longitudinal rail of the moveable frame, a gripping handle adjacent to the top
rail of the moveable frame and carrying springs which bear against or are linked
to the ends of the said longitudinal rod catches, a transverse rod or bar fixed on
the moveable frame and having an aperture through which the springs of the
gripping device pass so that they are drawn together by raising the gripping

page_text: device thus withdrawing the rod catches, and friction rollers on said moveable
frame to slide on the corner pillars substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings and for the purpose stated.
3. In metallic cots or cribs having a vertically moveable frame or frames the
formation of a series of holes, notches or the like in the corner pillars longitu-
dinal rods to engage said holes or the like carried in brackets or eyes fast on the
longitudinal rail of the moveable frame, a gripping handle adjacent to the top
rail of the moveable frame and having two inwardly inclined extensions which
pass through loops or eyes secured to the ends of the said longitudinal rod catches,
a spring bearing against said loops or eyes, and friction rollers on said moveable
frame to slide on the corner pillars substantially as described and illustrated in
Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings and for the purpose stated.
4. In metallic cots or cribs having vertically moveable side or end frames, a
bracket fixed on the cot bottom, a toothed rack secured to said bracket and
having parallel inclined top and bottom paths, a lever pivotted to said bracket,
a gravity or spring actuated pawl pivotted to said lever to engage the teeth on
said rack and traverse the inclined paths thereof, said lever taking under or
engaging the bottom rail of the moveable frame, a treadle or a cord or the like
for operating said lever to raise the moveable frame, and friction rollers on said
moveable frame to slide on the corner pillars substantially as described and illus-
trated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings, and for the purpose
stated.
5. A metallic cot or crib having the sides or ends secured to corner posts or
tubes to form a rectangular frame telescoping inside or outside the corner
pillars, a bracket fixed on the cot bottom a toothed rack secured to said bracket
and having parallel inclined top and bottom paths, a lever pivotted to said
bracket, a gravity or spring actuated pawl pivotted to said lever to engage the
teeth on said rack and traverse the inclined paths thereof, said lever taking under,
or engaging a transverse rod whose ends lie under, the bottom rails, a treadle or
a cord or the like for operating said lever to raise the rectangular frame substan-
tially as described and illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings
and for the purpose stated.
ww
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicants.