Improvements in or Connected with Children's Cots or Cradles.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 11th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 14th June, 1887.
Improvements in or Connected with Children's Cots or Cradles.
We GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM, of 7 Cologne Road, Wandsworth, in the County
of Surrey Gun Maker, and RICHARD STAPLEY and WILLIAM SMITH, both of
128 London Wall in the City of London, Warehousemen do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows
The object of this invention is to produce a rocking, as distinguished from a
swinging, cot specially adapted for children's use, and whereby the cot can be rocked
by hand, or by mechanism provided for the purpose.
According to our invention we support the lower part of the cot or cradle frame to
the standards by a spindle or spindles in such manner that the said cot or cradle can
be rocked on the spindle or spindles. The spindle may extend wholly or partially
across between the frame standards. Provision is made for regulating the extent of
the rocking, by distance bars, stops, or other convenient means.
The mechanism when such is used for producing the rocking motion may consist
of a slotted lever on the spindle or frame in which a roller or pin is free to move to
and fro therein, the said to and fro movement being produced by a pinion working
into a toothed wheel which latter is operated by a spring. Or the to and fro
movement may be produced by a sand balance, escapement motion, or by any other
convenient mechanical means, so long as it is capable of giving a regulated to and
fro movement to the frame of the cot, or to the spindle upon which it is carried or
mounted.
The aforesaid mechanism may be applied to swinging cots or cradles as well as to
rocking cots or cradles.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Connected with Children's Cots or Cradles.
We, GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM of 7 Cologne Road, Wandsworth, in the County
of Surrey Gun Maker, and RICHARD STAPLEY, and WILLIAM SMITH, both of
128 London Wall, in the City of London Warehousemen 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 :-
The object of this invention is to produce rocking as distinguished from swinging
cots (or such as are suspended by the upper part of the framework) specially adapted
for childrens use, and whereby the cot can be rocked by hand or by mechanism
provided for the purpose.
And in order that our invention may be easily understood we will describe same
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a partial side view shewing an example of one form or description of
cradle or cot arranged according to our invention, Figure 2 is a vertical transverse
section of same. Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional side view shewing one form of
clockwork mechanism adapted for rocking the said cradle; Figure 4 is an end view
of Figure 3 shewing the slotted lever employed for communicating the rocking
motion to the cradle; Figure 5 is a sectional end view shewing one arrangement of a
sand motor by which the rocking action may be automatically given to the cradle;
Figure 6 is a side sectional view shewing the case of the sand motor shewn at
Figure 5 and illustrating the arrangement of axle for reversing the apparatus;
Figure 7 is a detail view shewing a form of connection between the clockwork
mechanism and the rocking arm of the cradle; Figure 8 is a diagram view shewing
an arrangement of jointed end frame.
According to our invention we support the lower part of the cot or cradle frame a
to the standards & by a spindle or spindles or trunnion c in such manner that the said
cot or cradle a can be rocked on the spindle or spindles or trunnions c.
The cot or cradle a shewn on the drawings at Figures 1 and 2 is similar in
construction to that described in the Specification of the patent granted to George
Henry Needham dated 5th July 1883 No. 3332, and consists of a central frame a to
which is jointed the folding side frames a¹ a¹ and a², a³; a³ is the spring catch which
serves to keep the frames a³, a¹ in their open or outstretched position; the framework
is covered in any suitable manner, or with material suitable for the purpose.
The standards b are loop shaped and form guides and sheaths for the folding legs b
which when closed together may be slid up or into the said standards; ³ are stands
which when turned at right angles with the standards b, support the cot frame at a
lower level than when the legs b₁ are in use.
The spindles or trunnions c are shewn at Figure 1 fixed to the loop frames or
standards b and take into holes or bearing parts in the end or central fraine a of the
cradle, but we do not limit ourselves to any such construction of bearing or trunnion,
for example the bearing might, in order to lessen friction, be formed of wedge shape

page_text: and rock in a recess on the standards 6 or vice versa, similar to the bearing parts
now in common use in weighing scales or machines, or numerous other arrangements
of bearing parts might be substituted, but we would remark that by the position of
these trunnions or bearings quite a different motion is produced as aforesaid to that
which would take place were the cradle swung from the upper part of the frame.
The legs may telescope as described with reference to the Specification of my
aforesaid patent dated 5 July 1883 No. 3332.
Provision is made for regulating the extent of the rocking, by distance bars, stops,
or in any other convenient manner.
The mechanism, when such is used for producing the rocking motion, may act
upon the cot a through a pin d fixed thereto, the end of which takes into the slot of a
lever arm d¹ on a shaft having bearings on the standard b. This lever arm d¹ may
be actuated in various ways by clockwork, one arrangement of such motion being
shewn at Figures 3 and 4 where the shaft d carrying the lever arm d¹ has fixed
thereon an arme operated by a pin on a disc e¹ which takes into a slot in the end of
the arm e.
The slot may be at the top of lever e instead of at the bottom and as
shewn at Figure 9 where the end of the shaft is rectangular; the revolution of the
disc e¹ will communicate a reciprocating radial motion to the arm e and consequently
to the lever arm d' which acting upon the pin d will cause the cot a to rock on the
trunnions c. Motion is given to the pin-carrying disc el through a train of wheels
from an ordinary clock spring f. The whole apparatus is shown encased at Figure 1
and is wound up by a handle fl which may be screwed on to the spring winding
spindle so that if it is attempted to turn the handle the wrong way it would simply
unscrew. Or the disce may as shewn at Figure 7 be provided with a loop e* having
a bearing in the said disc e' in which it is quite free to turn; a rod or bar is
substituted for the slotted arm e and passes through the loop e*, the said loop may be
lined with wood or other material and by this arrangement or connection between
the disc e¹ and the rod e, all noise during working is prevented. Figure 8 shews an
arrangement of jointed frame, ax is the joint on the end frame a of the cradle which
joint is made stiff or adjustably tight in any convenient or well known manner and
acts as follows: in case the child moves to one side or other of the cradle, say the
side marked X the frame a, a will turn at the joint a* into the position shewn on the
drawings and the rocking mechanism will not be affected by such change of position
of weight.
Or the to and fro movement may be produced by a sand balance an example of
which is shewn at Figures 5 and 6 arranged as follows: 6 is one of the standards,
c is one of the spindles which in this case is fixed to the frame a of the cot and passes
through and bears in the standard b, see Figure 6, the part projecting through the
standard 6 is reduced in diameter and has a square part c¹ formed thereon; y is a case
attached by a thumb screw to the standard 6 and is divided by partitions into three
chambers see Figure 5 the upper and lower g' and ' being sand chambers; his an
opening for inserting the supply of sand. Through the third chamber g' a sleeve
spindle k passes free to turn in the sides of the case g; to the sleeve spindle k are
fixed two arms having flat or spoon shaped blades; **,9³× are apertures covered
by slides worked by arms, made of say, clock spring connected to the spindle k.
The action is as follows: the starting position being as shewn in Figure 5 sand flows
through the now open aperture g³x in the bottom of the uppermost chamber gl on to
the spoon and as soon as sufficient weight of sand has been deposited thereon the
arms will assume the position shewn by dotted lines and cause the spindle k to rock.
The projecting part of the spindle c having a square thereon passing through the
sleeve spindle k, the rocking of the latter is communicated through the former spindle
to the cradle. The sand having been emptied off the spoon blade the blade rises
and again uncovers the aperture g³ which was closed by the slide 1 on the descent of
the spoon ; the sand emptied off the blade or blades flows into the lower chamber
by valves m. When the sand in the upper chamber has been exhausted the nut 9' is
taken off, the case g drawn away from the square c² of the spindle, the case g is then
reversed and replaced and the action will be repeated automatically. Other mechanical

page_text: equivalents may be employed to give the rocking motion such as escapement motions
so long as they are capable of giving a regulated to and fro movement to the frame
of the cot or to the spindle upon which it is carried or mounted.
The aforesaid mechanism consisting of pin d and lever d¹ operated by a suitable
motor may be applied to swinging cots or cradles as well as to rocking cots or
cradles.
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 :—
1st. In childrens cots or cradles, placing or arranging the rocking centres, spindles,
or trunnions c at a low level with regard to the body of the cradle instead of hanging
the cradle or cot from the upper part of same, whereby a rocking motion is obtained
(in contradistinction to a swinging motion) all substantially as described and shewn
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In childrens cots or cradles, the pin d, lever arm d¹ on rock-shaft & for
communicating a rocking or swinging motion thereto together with means shewn and
described for allowing change in the position of weight in cot, in combination with
a clockwork or other suitable motor substantially as herein set forth.
3rd. In childrens cots or cradles, the sand balance or equivalent description of
motor for communicating an automatic rocking motion to the said cradle substantially
as described and shewn with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings together with any mere modification or modifications thereof.
4th. The combination of clockwork mechanism consisting of the train of wheels
operated by clock spring f, disc e¹, arm e, shaft d², lever arm d', pin d and parts
connected therewith or equivalents therefor, for automatically giving a rocking or
swinging motion to childrens cots or cradles substantially as described with reference
to Figures 1 3, 4, 7, and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
5th. In childrens cots or cradles the arrangement of the rocking centres spindles
or trunnions c in combination with the arrangements of mechanism for automatically
giving a rocking motion to said cradles or cots substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of Play 1887.
BREWER & SON,
For the Applicant.