IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ARTICLES OF FURNITURE OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE FOR USE AS CHILDREN'S COTS, ROCKING-BOATS, OR PERAMBULATORS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Middleton and George John Scott, both of
Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO ARTICLES OF FURNITURE OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE FOR
USE AS CHILDREN'S COTS, ROCKING-BOATS, OR PERAMBULATORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Middleton and George
John Scott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October
1881.
JOHN MIDDLETON and GEORGE JOHN SCOTT, both of Birkenhead, in the County
of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ARTICLES OF FURNITURE OR
APPARATUS APPLICABLE FOR USE AS CHILDREN'S COTS, ROCKING-BOATS OR
PERAMBULATORS."
A new and improved cot so arranged, constructed, and contrived that it can be
used as a child's sleeping cot, rocking boat, and perambulator alternately at will.
A small boat is built of wood, iron, steel, or other suitable material upon an
improved method of construction, in which movable iron frames are temporarily
fastened to the keel, so that all the planking can be nailed throughout from stem
to stern without the permanent framework hitherto in practice erected before the
planking is nailed up. When planking is finished light transverse ribs are bent to
inside shape of boat, and there nailed to planking to strengthen boat.
Provision is made at stern and bow of this boat for suspending it on the davit
rockers hereafter described, so that it will swing from side to side in a manner
similar to an ordinary swing cot. A bulkhead or partition is preferably put into
and reaches across the boat at a convenient distance from the stern to form a
receptacle for putting in any articles it may be convenient to place there for
comfort or use so as to be close at hand, and in some instances for greater con-
venience we make a removable box or basket to fit this compartment. All the
interior of the boat forward from the partition can be used for containing the bed
and bedclothes requisite to convert the boat into use as a sleeping cot for
children.

page_text: The bottoms of the rockers are preferably fitted with two swinging feet, so that
when side swing of cot is wanted the rockers will stand steady. When it is all
required to rock the feet are lifted, and the davit rockers are free to move.
When the child wants to play and amuse itself with safety the boat can be
unhooked at bow and stern and dropped into the cradle or chocks which are part
of the structure, and situated about halfway down the davits or uprights of the
rockers, and there the child can rock itself or be rocked back and forward.at
pleasure without any danger of falling off or out of the boat.
When not required to be used as a cot or rocking boat it can be placed on
springs and straps fitted to perambulator wheels, and with, one or two movable
seats as may be required; it can be used as a single or double perambulator.
small mast and sail can if desirable be fitted in the bow to still further carry out
the nautical appearance, and the sail will be of considerable use when going with
the wind.
The boat is preferably fitted with a small compass so that the boat may be
placed in a line with the magnetic meridian, and so have the child lying parallel
with the current of terrestrial magnetism. A rail is placed on bulwark or gunwale
of boat to give greater depth at the place where the child sits or lies. The boat
can be fitted and furnished to taste with awning when required. As an ornament
each boat will be supplied with an india-rubber anchor which can be used by a
child for chowing at when teething.
The davit rockers in which boat will be suspended are preferably made of iron
or other metal tubing and suitably ornamented, and with india-rubber on the
bottoms where in contact with the floor.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Middleton and George John Scott in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th April 1882.
JOHN MIDDLETON and GEORGE JOHN SCOTT, both of Birkenhead, in the County
of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ARTICLES OF FURNITURE OR
APPARATUS APPLICABLE FOR USE AS CHILDREN'S COTS, ROCKING BOATS, OR
PERAMBULATORS."
The object of our Invention is to provide a new and improved cot so arranged,
constructed, and contrived that it can be used as a child's sleeping cot, rocking
boat, and perambulator alternately at will.
A small boat is built of wood, iron, steel, or other suitable material upon an
improved method of construction, in which inovable iron frames are temporarily
fastened to the keel, so that all the planking can be nailed throughout from stem
to stern without the permanent framework hitherto in practice erected before the
planking is nailed up. When planking is finished transverse ribs are bent to the
inside shape of boat, and there nailed to the planking to strengthen the boat. A
watertight boat is thus built, and is fit for sailing on water with or without a
child or young person in it.
To suspend the boat in davit rockers two hooks A at stern and a hook or eye A
at bow of boat are fastened on.
A bulkhead or partition B, Fig. 1, is preferably put in across the boat at a short
distance from the stern to form a receptacle for any articles it may be convenient
to place there. This receptacle may contain a removable box or basket to carry
about the articles contained.
To increase the depth of the boat a brass rail carried by stanchions C or a
combing C' rises above gunwale of boat.
The boat is preferably fitted with a small compass so that the boat when used
for sleeping in may be placed in a line with the magnetic meridian, and so have
the child lying parallel with the current of terrestrial magnetism.
As an ornament each boat will be supplied with an anchor made of either metal
or india rubber. When made of india rubber it can be used by the child for
chewing at when teething; or if made of metal it will be useful as a drag or break
for perambulator, as hereafter described and shewn in Fig. 3.
The boat thus made and fitted, and further furnished with cushions and seats
either loose or attached, and hung in either the davit rockers or the perambulator
frame hereafter described can be used as either a bassinette, swing cot, rocking
boat, or perambulator, as shown; or the boat apart from these can be used as a
sailing or rowing boat.
Referring to the Drawings, Fig. 1 shows the boat used as a rocking boat, being
bung on rockers; Fig. 2 shows the framework arranged with feet or supports to
prevent rocking; and Fig. 3 shows the boat suspended from framework mounted
on wheels forming a perambulator.
The davit rockers are preferably made of iron or other metal tubing, and consist
mainly of two base sides D, D, Figs. 1 and 2, in which the curved uprights E, E,
are attached to the base pieces by cast iron chills or by screw bolts, and the top
end of uprights have castings similarly attached.
The two sides are then laid together with the base pieces about 18" apart, and
the uprights inclining towards each other are united together at the top with a
screw bolt through the two top castings, and the same secures in position a hook
F, F, at each end from which are hung a pair of brass or iron suspenders G, G,
ready for hanging the boat, as in Fig. 1.
The base pieces are held together by three (or more) screw nutted stays, viz.,
one in the middle and one at each end H, H, H.
The two end stays are fitted with swing feet H', Fig. 2, which can be raised
from or lowered to the floor.

page_text: At convenient positions on the uprights eye bolts are screwed or revitted on for
the purpose of carrying the cradle and chocks J, J, Fig. 2, upon which bottom of
boat can rest, or to which can be attached a stay and strap K, K, Fig. 1, from bow
and stern of boat so as to stop the boat from swinging, and enable it to be used
as either a fixed cot or a rocking boat in which one or two children can be
placed.
A curtain or canopy rod is fitted into these uprights when required.
For each end of the base pieces of the davit rockers a foot board L, L, Fig. 1, is
provided and secured by bolts or as may be convenient for the purpose of being
used as a stand for boys to get upon when in use as a rocking boat; or this board
could be hinged and arranged with a support to keep it in position, and when the
support was removed it could fill the place of the swinging feet to prevent the
rocking of the apparatue. India rubber may be placed on bottom of davitt rocker
to do away with noise.
The carriage of the perambulator consists of two curved bars or davits M nearly
the length of the boat, running fore and aft, and carried up a little way above the
top of the boat and mounted on wheels similar to those commonly in use for such
a vehicle. Two eyebolts are secured at the junction of the bars M with tho
handle, and into these two hooks fitted to the stern of the boat are placed which
hold it in position; or a bar across from one handle to the other upon which the
hooks are rested and so secured. A hook secured on the deck of the bont in the
bow, and passing over a rod connecting the bars or davits M, together supports it in
front; or the boat may be suspended in the same curved davits by means of
leather straps attached to the ends of the davits, and passing under or fastened on
the fore and aft ends of the boat.
Having now described our Invention, and the best mode known to us of carrying
it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to be new and
desire to protect under the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The manufacture of boats for furniture by nailing the planks together on
a temporary iron frame attached to the keel, and inserting light transverse ribs
shaped to the inside of the boat after the planks are built up, substantially as
described.
2nd. As an article of furniture for children's use, the combination with a boat
of rocking stand or carriage, substantially as described, so that the apparatus may
either be used as a sleeping cot, a bont, a swinging or rocking apparatus, or a
perambulator as desired.
3rd. The convertible cot or rocking apparatus consisting of a boat or basinette
with davit rockers so arranged as to be susceptible of being oscillated, substantially
in the manner described, in either of two directions at right angles with each
other.
4th. The boat, bassinette, or perambulator body fitted with appliances at its ends
for hanging or suspending it from above, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
5th. The combined apparatus for children's use, substantially as described and
shown in Figs. 1 or 3.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Middleton and George John Scott,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of April, in the
In
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