AN IMPROVED Appa- RATUS FOR AIDING CHILDREN IN LEARNING TO WALK
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Napoleon Montanari, of Charles Street, Soho Square,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED Appa-
RATUS FOR AIDING CHILDREN IN LEARNING TO WALK."
Sealed the 24th February 1860, and dated the 15th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Napoleon Montanari at-
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th October 1859.
I, NAPOLEON MONTANARI, of Charles Street, Soho Square, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN-
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AIDING CHILDREN IN LEARNING TO WALK," to be as.
follows:-
The objects of this Invention are to enable children to walk sooner than they
otherwise would, and to prevent them falling when on their legs, and are
effected in the following manner :-I propose forming a circular wooden,.
metallic, or wicker framing of larger circumference at the bottom than at the
top, and of such a height as to reach to or about the waist of the child; within
the upper rim is to be placed an inner rim or hoop padded, or otherwise made
to rotate with the child without the whole apparatus. A suspending seat or
cushion is attached to this inner rim or hoop, so that when the child trips or
is tired, instead of falling to the ground it falls into the seat, the apparatus

page_text: not being sufficiently high to injure or come into contact with the arm-pits,
thereby rendering high shoulderedness of children impossible. The lower part
of the apparatus is to be supplied with rollers, castors, or wheels, so that the
slightest motion of the child will propel it; the diameter of the lower part
keeping it away from the fire or furniture, so that the child may be left
without danger.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Napoleon Montanari in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NAPOLEON
MONTANARI, of Charles Street, Soho Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Napoleon Montanari, Her special licence that I, the said Napoleon
Montanari, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Napoleon Montanari, 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
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AIDING CHILDREN IN LEARNING TO WALK," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Napoleon Montanari, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Napoleon Montanari, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The objects of this Invention are to enable children to walk sooner than they
otherwise would, and to prevent them falling when on their legs. In order to

page_text: explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now proceed to describe
the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect,
reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings hereto annexed,
and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked thereon respectively,
as follows
.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the suspending seat and hoop as it would
appear when ready to be placed in the travelling frame; and Figure 2 a front
elevation of the frame with the suspending seat affixed, similar letters of
reference denoting corresponding parts.
.
Figure 2 is a framing composed of a hoop a, a, of a circular, octagon, or
other suitable form, either of wood, metal, or wicker, and having spokes or
stretchers b, b, secured thereto, the upper ends of which terminate in a smaller
hoop c, c, the whole moving on castors, as shewn, this frame being made to
reach to or about the waist of the child. Within the rim or hoop c, c, is placed
the suspending seat, Figure 1, d, d, being a circular band of thin metal or
other suitable material, which drops into and rests upon the hoop c, c, (Figure
2); the band d, d, having a flange formed on its upper edge; straps e, e, are
passed through slots made in the band d, d, and are raised or lowered by
buttons, buckles, or other suitable adjustment, a soft seat or pad f,f, being
placed within the hollow formed by the crossing of the straps e, e, or single
straps may be used, and the ends thereof fastened to the seat f. Or in some
cases the upper and lower hoops of the frame may be divided into two parts,
and secured by hinges on one side and hooks and eyes or spring catches on the
other, in which case a groove or channel may be formed in the interior of the
upper hoop c, c, into which the flange of the band d, d, is placed. The child
is now placed in the band d, d, one of the straps e, e, passing between the legs
of the child, when by the slightest movement the frame is caused to travel,
and by turning in any direction the band d, d, and seat f, rotate in the same
direction without the necessity of the entire frame turning. The frames may
be made to take to pieces, as the spokes or stretchers may be made to screw
into and out of the hoops, and the hoops themselves made to fold up in two or
more pieces, thereby rendering the whole portable; they may also be made
with a double hoop at top, which can be raised by means of telescopic tubes
and secured by pins as the child increases in height; a play-board may also
be fixed around the upper hoop, whereon are to be placed various toys for the
amusement of the child, horse, bells, and such like other decorations may also
be placed on different parts of the frame, and musical wires may be let into

page_text: spaces around the under side of the lower hoop, and be actuated by any suitable
kind of mechanical castor, the lower hoop invariably being of such diameter as
not to be able to pass through the door of the apartment in which it is intended
to be used, thus preventing any accident happening to the child by coming into
contact with the fire or articles of furniture. The suspending seats may be
made to suit invalid children by padding or cushions at the parts most
required; the band being made to open with hinges or spring open, as may
be found most convenient, and the seat itself may be provided with a utensil
for the convenience of the child.
Having now fully described the nature and object of my said Invention
of "An Improved Apparatus for Aiding Children in Learning to Walk,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be performed; I would
remark in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details herein described and. shewn in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, as
many slight modifications may be made. therein, without in any way departing
from the principle of my Invention; but what I claim as my Invention in-
tended to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is
forming an apparatus for aiding children to walk in the manner shewn by the
accompanying illustrative Drawing, and herein fully described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Napoleon Montanari have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Agent for Patents,
N. MONTANARI. (L.S:)
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.