IMPROVEMENTS IN BERCEAUNETTES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fred Wilson Sanders, of Torquay, in the County of
Devon, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BERCEAUNETTES."
Sooled the 7th May 1880 and dated the 12th November 1870
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fred Wilson
Sanders at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th November
1879.
JOHN FRED WILSON SANDERS, of Torquay, in the County of Devon.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BERCEAUNETTES.”
This Invention relates to improvements in berceaunettes or children's cots, the
object of the improvements being to construct such cots so that they may be
extended in length if required, and to render them portable when not required
for use they can be packed into a small space in a simple and expeditious
manner.
In carrying out my Invention the body or frame of the cot is formed with
sliding or telescopic rails, which allow of the length of the cot being increased or
diminished, the mattress being also made extensible or sliding. The stand or
support is constructed with two crossed legs on each side jointed together, and
folding, the legs of both sides being connected together by suitable cross bars. The
cot is hung by means of india rubber or other suitable springs from the upper cross
bars, such springs giving a pleasant and soothing motion to the cot. The cot may
be provided with any suitable head canopy.
When the cot is not required to be used it may be disconnected from its stand,
the sliding rails and the mattress are pressed inwards so as to reduce the length of
the cot, the legs are folded together and placed inside the cot, in which may also
be placed the pillow and bedding, the whole thus forming a compact package.
When required for use the cot can be unpacked and put up in a few minutes
by any unskilled person, the simplicity of its construction rendering explanation
unnecessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Fred Wilson Sanders in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th May 1880.
JOHN FRED WILSON SANDERS, of Torquay, in the County of Devon.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN BERCEAUNETTES."
This Invention relates to improvements in berceaunettes or children's cots,
the object of the improvements being to construct such cots so that they may
be extended in length if required, and to render them portable when not
required for use they can be packed into a small space in a simple and expeditious
manner.
In carrying out my Invention the body or frame of the cot is formed with
sliding or telescopic rails, which allow of the length of the cot being increased or
diminished, the mattress being also made extensible or sliding, the head and sides
of the cot being made so that they can be folded down when required. The stand
or support is constructed with two crossed legs on each side jointed together, and
folding, the legs of both sides being connected together by suitable cross bars. The
cot is hung by means of india rubber or other suitable springs from the upper cross
bars or from the stand, such springs giving a pleasant and soothing motion to
the child in the cot. The cot may be provided with any suitable head canopy.
When the cot is not required to be used it may be disconnected from its stand,
the sliding rails and the mattress are pressed inwards so as to reduce the length of
the cot and width of the stand, the legs are folded together and placed inside the
cot, in which may also be placed the pillow and bedding, the whole thus forming a
compact package.
When required for use the cot can be unpacked and put up in a few minutes
by any unskilled person, the simplicity of its construction rendering explanation
unnecessary.
But to make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective
view of a berceaunette or cot and stand constructed according to my Invention, the
cot being partly extended; Figure 2, perspective view of the cot contracted in
length as suitable for an infant; Figure 3, perspective view shewing the cot and
stand as closed up for portability; Figures 4, 5, and 6, enlarged details. Similar
letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
a, a, a, a, are the sliding or telescopic rails of the cot; b, b, b, b, the end rails,
which may also be made telescopic; c, c, upright sides; and d, the head hinged to
the rails a, a, and the rail b, respectively, so as to fold up as shewn in Figure 3;
e, e, e, e, are the cross legs forming the stand hinged together at f, f, to allow of
them being folded up; Figure 5 is a detail on a larger scale of a portion of one pair
of legs, shewing the method of connecting them together; on the opposite side to
the hinge is a strengthening bolt g, as clearly shewn in larger scale in Figure 6.
The two pairs of legs e, e, are connected together by the telescopic cross bars h, one
of which is shewn in enlarged sectional view at Figure 4; i shews the set screw for
fixing the telescopic bar when adjusted to the required width. Each pair of legs is
provided with a toothed quadrant j and staple k, one end of the quadrant being
pivotted at to one of the legs, while the toothed end of the quadrant passes
through the staple or catch k; it will thus be seen that the legs can be easily
opened out and set to the required distance apart, the teeth of the quadrant
holding the legs in position; m are the springs of india-rubber or otherwise for
suspending the cot, either from the upper cross bars, or from the stand; n is the
tester for supporting the canopy or hood.
It is to be understood that all the parts of the cot which are made telescopic are
provided with suitable stops, and with set screws for holding the parts in the
position to which they have been adjusted.

page_text: From this construction it will be evident that to lengthen or shorten the cot it
will be merely necessary after loosening the set screws to pull outwards or to press
inwards the ends of the cot, and to adjust the legs of the stand by means of the
quadrants j, so as to suit the altered length of the cot.
The mattress is constructed of webbing interlaced at short distances apart, so as
to allow of its being extended or contracted with the cot.
To pack the cot for portability the cot is detached from its stand, the bolts g are
unfastened, and the legs folded together; the set screws i of the cross bars h are
loosened, and the legs pushed together; the upright sides c and head d are folded
down, the ends of the cot pressed inwards, and the stand placed within the cot, all
as shewn in Figure 3.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein laid down and shewn in the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be
varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, but what
I claim is,―
The improvements in berceaunettes, as hereinbefore described and represented in
the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Fred Wilson Sanders, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN FRED WILSON SANDERS. (L.S.)