Improvements in Self-rocking Cradles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-rocking Cradles.
1, LEWYN FRANK CUTTEN, of Boissevain, County of Turtle Mountain, Province
of Manitoba, Canada, Doctor of Medicine, 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-
My invention relates to improvements in self-rocking cradles.
The object of my invention is to provide a mechanism for automatically
operating cradles and cribs, which is simple and efficient in operation, durable
in construction, and which can be manufactured at a moderate cost.
To these and other ends, my invention consists in the improved construction and
combination of parts, hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out iu
the appended claims.
In the drawings, in which similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts
in all of the figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a cradle and
its support, showing the mechanism for operating the cradle.
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view.
Figure is a horizontal sectional view showing the mechanism in plan.
1 designates the vertical supporting standards of the frame, which are con-
nected together at their tops by means of the rod 2 forming the pivot on which
the cradle swings. designates the vertical arms of the cradle 4, said arms
being pivottally mounted on the rod 2.
Connected to one of the standards 1, is a casing 5, in which is mounted a
shaft 6, extending outwardly through the standard I, the end of said shaft being
provided with a handle S. The shaft 6 is provided with a clock spring 9 of
suitable size, the face end of which is connected to the frame work in the usual
manner.
A gear wheel 10 is loosely mounted on the shaft 6, and is adapted to be
operated by the spring 9, through the medium of a ratchet wheel 11 mounted
fixedly on the shaft and a spring-pressed pawl 12 secured to the wheel 10, the
arrangement being such that when the shaft 6 is rotated to wind the spring 9,
the ratchet wheel 11 rotating therewith, the pawl 12 will pass over the teeth of
the ratchet wheel freely without moving the gear wheel 10, but when the
shaft is caused to rotate in the opposite direction the pawl will engage one of
the teeth in the ratchet wheel and cause the gear wheel 10 to revolve.
A shaft 13 is mounted in the standard 1, above the shaft 6, and on this shaft
is mounted a pinion 14 operatively connected to the gear wheel 10. Mounted
on the shaft 13 is a disk 15. having a series of armis 16 extending radically
therefrom, said arms being arranged equi-distant from each other.
Mounted on the casing 5 at one side, is a lever 17, pivotally mounted as at IS,
within a bracket 19, said lever normally extending across the path of movement
of the arms 16, said position being maintained by means of the spring 20 secured
to one end of the lever 17 and the casing 5. A bifurcated bracket 21 receives

page_text: the lever 17 and holds it in a horizontal plane preventing the arms from moving
it out of its proper position.
The arm 3 is provided with a lever operating lug 22 which is adapted to con-
tact with the lever 17 and move it on its pivot as hereinafter described. Tho
arm 3 is also provided with a pin 23, having its front end provided with a collar 24,
preferably of rubber.
The operation of my device is as follows:-
With the parts in position as shown in Figure 2. the cradle is pushed
toward the left. On its return movement toward the right, the lug 22 strikes
one side of the lever 17, and pushes the outer end toward the right until the lug
passes beyond the lever, when the spring 20 immediately returns the lever to
its normal position. As will be seen, this movement of the lever does not release
the arm 16, but causes said lever to move over said arm towards the left, holding
the arm in its fixed position. On the return movement of the cradle, to the left,
however, the lug 22 abuts against the opposite side of the lever 17, moving it
on its pivot a distance sufficient to cause the inner end of the lever to toward
the right, beyond the path of movement of the arms 16, thus releasing the
pass
arm 16 and allowing the spring 9 to move the arms toward the left. The release
of the arm 16 fakes place at the same time as the pin 24 has passed into the
path of movement of the arms 16, the consequence being that when said arm
is released the arm 16, to the right of the pin, abuts against the collar 24, and
the spring 9, through the gearing, causes said arm to push the cradle towards
the left, making the completed movement of the craille. It will be readily
understood that as soon as the lug 22 is freed from contact with the lever 17.
the spring 20 will return said lever to its normal position to form a stop against
the further movement of said arms, 16, the movement of said arms being limited
by the distance between the arms 16.
As the contact between the pin 23 and the arm 16, takes place before the
cradle has reached its position of rest, it will be seen that there will be
no stoppage in the movement of the oradle, and also that there will be no jar or
noise, both the pin 23 and arm 16 moving in the same direction when the contact
is made.
The advantage of this construction are many and obvious, including the few
parts composing the mechanism, the absolute surety of operation, the durability
of construction, and low cost of manufacture. Another advantage lies in the
fact that unless the cradle is moved to one side a sufficient distance to acquire a
momentum, there will be no rocking, inasmuch as the lever 17 will prevent any
movement of the arms until said fever is tripped.
While have herein shown a preferred form of carrying my invention into
effect, yet I do not desire to limit myself to such preferred details of construc-
tion, but claim the right to use any and all modifications thereof which will
serve to carry into effect the objects to be attained by this invention in so far
as such modifications and changes may fall within the spirit and scope of my
Enid invention.
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. A self rocking cradle, comprising a frame; a cradle mounted to have an
oscillatory movement on said frame; and means, operated by the movement of
the cradle, for automatically imparting a movement to said cradle in one direc-
fion, substantially as described.
2. A self rocking cradle comprising a frame; a cradle mounted to have an
oscillatory movement on said franie: a disk, having a series of radially extend-
ing arms permitting a movement thereof in one direction: a stop normally resting
in the path of movement of said arms; and means, actuated by the movement &

page_text: of said cradle in one direction, for moving said stop out of the path of movement
of said arms, whereby said cradle will be moved in one direction; and means
for automatically returning said stop to its normal position, whereby said disk
will receive an intermittent rotatory movement, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.