AN IMPROVED CONVERTIBLE BASSINETTE PERAMBULATOR, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PERAMBULATORS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Owen, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONVERTIBLE BASSINETTE
PERAMBULATOR, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PERAMBULATORS."
Sealed the 9th December 1879, and dated the 30th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick Owen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th July 1879.
CHARLES FREDERICK OWEN, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"AN
IMPROVED CONVERTIBLE BASSINETTE PERAMBULATOR, PART OF WHICH INVENTION
IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PERAMBULATORS."
This Invention relates principally to the construction of an improved bassinette
perambulator, the body of which is made of wicker work, and is provided with a
hood which is reversible or capable of being turned over either the front or the back
seat, as may be required. The body can be converted either into a single or double
perambulator or a bassinette, and if required it may be detached from the carriage
and wheels, and mounted on pivots in a stand, so as to be converted into a swing
bassinette.
The hood may be made either to turn over on pivots placed midway between the
front and back, in which case the height and depth of the hood must each be exactly
equal to half the length of the body, or it may be made shallower and so arranged
as to slide (say) eight or nine inches, and then turn over.
To convert the carriage into a single perambulator the front part, with its seat, is
made on a separate piece, and is hinged to the back part at the top at about mid-
way, so that it can be turned over inside the hood, and thus form a single peram-
bulator of the ordinary shape. When in the form of a double perambulator the seats
can be so arranged as to form a single bed or bassinette, and either in this form or
in the form of a double perambulator it can be removed from the under carriage and
wheels, and, being supported on pivots in a frame, it will form either a swing with
two seats or a swinging bassinette.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Frederick Owen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
January 1880.
CHARLES FREDERICK OWEN, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"AN
IMPROVED CONVERTIBLE BASSINETTE PERAMBULATOR, PART OF WHICH INVENTION
IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PERAMBULATORS."
This Invention relates principally to the construction of an improved bassinette
perambulator, the body of which may be made of wood or wicker work, and is
provided with a hood which is reversible or capable of being turned over either the
front or the back seat, as may be required. The body can be converted either into
a single or double perambulator or a bassinette, and if required it may be detached
from the carriage and wheels and mounted on pivots in a stand, so as to be converted
into a swing bassinette.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly under-
stood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in
the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is a side elevation of my improved convertible
bassinette perambulator; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same with all of my improve-
ments shown as applied thereto. But I wish it to be clearly understood that. I
reserve to myself the right to use any one or more of the said improvements without
combining the whole of them.in one vehicle..
The body a, a, is made with two detached pieces b, b, and c, c, which are connected
thereto by hinges at d; d. 'When it is desired to convert the vehicle into a single
perambulator the piece b, b, is turned over backwards on its hinges above the piece
c; c, as shown at Fig. 4. If a single reversed perambulator is required then the piece
c, c, is turned over forwards on its hinges above the piece b, b,, or in some cases I
propose to make the pieces b, b, and c, c, each in three parts, as shown, at Fig. 5, the
two side pieces b₁, b, being hinged to the side of the body, so that they fold inwards
one over the other, and the middle piece hinged to the front of the carriage at f, f;
so that when the two pieces b' and 6 are folded inwards the front piece may be
folded over above the sides. The seats g, g, are made loose, and so arranged that
one. will "nest" inside the other, as shown at Fig. 6, or they may be made with the
side pieces hinged as shown at Fig. 7, so that they will fold underneath the seat.
The hood h, h, may be made either to turn over on pivots placed midway between
the front and back, in which case the height and depth of the hood must each be
exactly equal to half the length of the body, or it may be made shallower, and so
arranged as to turn over on short links as at 1, 2, or it may be made to slide (say).
eight or nine inches, and then turn over.
To convert the carriage into a single perambulator, in carriages made with a hood
the parts b, b, and c, c, are so arranged that they can be turned over inside the hood,
and thus form a single perambulator of the ordinary shape. k, k, are spring catches
to keep the pieces b and c and the hood hin place, when arranged as desired, or the
parts b and c may be made entirely detached. When in the form of a double
perambulator the seats can be so arranged as to form a single bed or bassinette, and
either in this form or in the form of a double perambulator it can be removed from
the under carriage and wheels, and, being supported on pivots in a frame, it will
form either a swing with two seats or a swinging bassinette.
In some cases I support the body entirely upon pivots (one at each end or one at
each side) carried by brackets L, 7, attached to the frame of the carriage, so that it
can be swung or rocked without removing it from the wheels; and in order to keep

page_text: it steady when not required to be swung or rocked I provide a strap m, m, or other
equivalent device, to keep it in its central position.
When required as a double perambulator I sometimes also provide an awning
n, n, which can be buttoned into the front of the hood h, h, and held steady by a
strap o, o.
This can be readily removed and buttoned to the other end of the hood when
reversed.
The hood also I sometimes make so that it can be detached entirely, and attached
again at pleasure at either side.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
First. The improved convertible bassinette perambulator as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Secondly. I claim the combination of any two or more of the above mentioned
improvements in one carriage; and
Thirdly. I claim the application of any one or more of the said improvements to
other perambulators.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Owen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CITADINS
OwnNY
HARLES F. OWE (L.S.)