Assisting them to Walk.
Year: 1885

page_text: Assisting them to Walk.
I LUCINDA MARGARET CARTER of Brecknock Road London in the County of
Middlesex Maker of Invalid Furniture do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for A MECHANICAL APPARATUS FOR TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN AND
ASSISTING THEM TO WALK to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide a safe run say of six or more feet for
an infant learning to walk, or an invalid child backward in walking, or a place of
safety for an older child.
The apparatus consists of two rods or bars either round square flat or of other
form supported horizontally and parallel the one to the other at a short distance
from the ground. Also, there is a carriage carrier or platform with or without
rollers to travel on the said rods or bars. The surface of the carriage consists of
two flaps closing together but leaving an opening between them. In this opening
the child is placed either standing on the ground or at pleasure supporting himself
by his arms bearing onto the surface of the closed flaps. When the childs feet
are on the ground the slightest movement will cause him to run from one end to
the other, and he will on arriving at the end instinctively turn himself round and
return. By means of this apparatus a very young infant just able to feel bis feet
can take safe and healthy exercise conducive to the strengthening of his muscles.
An older child just able to run alone may be placed in the Run for safety. He
will thus be able to practise his newly acquired and favorite pastime of learning
to walk and will at the same time be beyond the danger of falling, of getting
burnt or scalded, of putting into his mouth foreign substances which he may
pick up.
A square or round table or basket is placed at either end of the Run for the
reception of toys to encourage the child in his run. The trestles supporting the
rods or bars may be made to fold for the purpose of packing and portability.
The apparatus is firm and steady so that it cannot be overturned by the child
within or a person outside. The whole apparatus may be put together for use or
folded up when not required in the space of about one minute. The Babys Run
is also intended for use in a garden as well as elsewhere and it is intended as an
equal boon to rich or poor.
000
1
T

page_text: rollers c c. d d are bolts on the bearers c which when the carriage is in place
on the bars a are shot out so as to project beneath them and so to prevent the
carriage being displaced from the bars. d' d' are corresponding fixed stops on the
other ends of the bearers c. The bearers c carry two flaps e' e2 the flap e¹ may be
fixed to the bearers but the flap e² is hinged at ex. In the edge of each flap is a semi-
circular recess and when they are closed together they fit easily to the waist of the
child who is placed between them and the arms of the child rest on the top of the
flaps as on a table.
In Figures 5 and 6 the carriage is constructed essentially as already described
but to it is fixed the long radial arm f and it has legs g g armed with castor
wheels gg. There is a hole or holes f¹in the radial arm.
The hole receives through it an upright stud or pivot fixed in any convenient
position against a wall or otherwise or it may be carried upon the top of a moveable
stool like frame.
By means of this apparatus a very young infant just able to feel his feet can
take safe and healthy exercise conducive to the strengthening of his muscles. An
older child just able to run alone may be placed in the Run for safety. He will
thus be able to practice his newly acquired and favorite pastime of learning to
walk and will at the same time be beyond the danger of falling, of getting burnt
or scalded, of putting into his mouth foreign substances which he may pick up.
A square or round table or basket is placed at either end of the Run for the
reception of toys to encourage the child in his run. The trestles supporting the
rods or bars may be made to fold for the purpose of packing and portability.
The apparatus is firm and steady so that it cannot be overturned by the child
within or a person outside. The whole apparatus may be put together for use, or
folded up when not required in the space of about one minute. The Baby's Run
is also intended for use in a garden, as well as elsewhere and it is intended as an
equal boon to rich or poor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1.) Apparatus for taking care of children and assisting them to walk such
apparatus consisting of a carriage and guide bars either straight or curved
substantially as described in respect to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
(2.) The carriage with flaps separating to admit the child and guided and
controlled substantially as herein described.