Improvements in Children's Cots or Cribs.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Children's Cots or Cribs.
I FRANK RICHARD CURTIS of 3 Radnor Place, Hyde Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to a child's cot or crib which can be converted at will into
a cradle, a high or low chair, a baby walker, a baby cage, or can be suspended to
form a swing. Furthermore the cot or crib is so made that it can be folded up so
as to occupy little space when not in use, and can be easily carried from place to
place.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 shews a perspective view of the invention erected for use as a cot
or crib;
Figure 2 shews a plan of the bottom frame a with the four posts b folded down
horizontally and
Figures 3 and 4 shew enlarged detail views of the joints used for connecting the
posts with the frame a.
The cot or crib is formed of two rectangular horizontal frames a and c arranged
The
one above the other with four vertical posts or standards bone at each corner.
standards are secured to the bottom frame a by means of the pivot joints b¹ one of
which is shewn in Figures 3 and 4 which are elevations at right angles to one
another. This joint is formed of a tubular elbow 62 fitting on one of the rails of
the frame a and on the post b to both of which it is rigidly secured in any suitable
manner. On the under side of the tubular elbow 62 is secured a castor of any
ordinary construction. The tubular elbow is further provided with a horizontal
projection b³, shewn in dotted lines in Figure 3, of cylindrical shape, which forms a
pivot and takes a bearing in a cylindrical cavity made to receive it in a socket
piece b, which latter is firmly secured on the end of the adjacent side rail of the
frame a. The standards or posts 6 can be turned over on the pivot joints & and
folded down inwards and flat on or within the frame a as shewn in Figure 2 or may
When the
be folded down outwards and away from the frame if so desired.
standards are vertical and the device fitted up as a crib or cot as shewn in
Figure 1, the structure is kept rigid by means of struts done at each corner.
These struts may be pivotted to the bottom frame a or to the standards & and
hooked over or otherwise secured to projections or catches or equivalent devices on
the standards or on the lower frame as the case may be, or they may be entirely
removeable. When the struts are not erected and the upper frame c is on the
standards b the structure can be rocked slightly on the pivot joints, the travel being
limited by the top frame c. Figure 4 shews in full and in dotted lines the two
extreme positions of the standard 6 when the top frame c is on the standards. The
drawings shew the joints 1 so placed that the structure can be rocked in the
direction of its length, but they may be placed so that the structure can be rocked
transversely.
Each standard is furnished with a series of holes or perforations 6 through any
of which a pin or peg can be passed so as to adjust the height of the top frame
which rests on these pins or pegs. The top frame c is made in two parts secured
together by means of set screws c² or like detachable fastenings, and is formed or
provided with a socket or hole c¹ at each corner to fit the vertical standards b. A
waterproof canvas or other suitable hammock e is suspended from the top frame c by
rings, loops, or other suitable means, so that it can be slid along the side rails of

page_text: the frame. One end of the hammock is made into a flap e' the sides of which are
secured to lever arms loose on the side rails of the top frame, the lower ends of
said lever arms being connected together by a strap or other tightening device g.
When the latter is tightened up, the upper ends of the lever arms are forced
outwards and the flap el is thus stretched and forms a rigid support for the back
when the child is sitting up. is an apron at the other end of the hammock
which can be fastened round the child's waist by means of the straps.e³ and et when
the child is sitting up. is a strap whereby the hammock is secured to the
transverse rail of the frame c.
When used as a cot or crib a mattress or the like may be placed in the hammock
and the flap el forms the head of the bed. To adapt the cot or crib as a cradle the
struts are disconnected and the structure can then be rocked on the pivot joints
in the manner already described. For use as a chair the hammock e is slid along
to the foot of the cot or crib and secured in position by means of the strap e. The
apron is fastened round the child's waist and the back flap tightened by means of
the strap g. The position of the top frame is adjusted on the vertical posts or
standards, by the pins or pegs and holes aforementioned, according to whether a
high or low chair is required. For use as a baby walker, the child's legs are
placed through holes made in the bottom of the hammock, the apron being
fastened round the waist and the hammock being secured to the top frame by the
strap e. The height of the top frame is then adjusted on the standards so that the
child's feet touch the ground. For use as a swing the apron and backflap are
tightened up and the hammock secured to the top frame by the strap e'; the top
frame is then entirely removed from the standards and suspended from a hook in
the ceiling or other place, by cords or the like attached to each corner. For
washing or repairs the hammock cloth can be slid completely off the top frame by
unscrewing the set screws c² or the like and thus separating its parts. For use as
a baby cage, the top frame is adjusted low down on the standards with the
hammock removed and the child can then crawl about inside the cage thus formed.
For transportation purposes the top frame is removed and the standards 6 folded
inwards flat on the lower frame a as shewn in Figure 2; the top frame with the
hammock can be laid thereupon or if the child is in the cot, the top frame can be
carried into another room or place and the standards again erected and the top
frame placed thereupon as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A convertible child's cot or crib comprising a bottom rectangular frame to
which standards are foldably connected and a detachable top rectangular frame
adjustable in position on said standards and carrying a hammock adjustable on said
top frame substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.
2. A convertible child's cot or crib constructed substantially in the manner
described and illustrated and for the purposes stated.
3. In a convertible child's cot or crib comprising the essential features enumerated
in Claim hereof, the means hereinbefore described with special reference to
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings for connecting the standards to the
bottom frame consisting of a tubular elbow rigidly secured to the standard and to
one of the rails of the bottom frame said tubular elbow having a pivot turning in a
socket fixed on the adjacent member of the bottom frame substantially as set forth
and for the purpose stated.
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.