Improvements in Baby-walkers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov, 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Baby-walkers.
I, EDWARD FIRNHABER, of Worms, in the County of Meirick and State of
Nebraska, United States of America, Breeder of Poultry, 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 baby walker, and has for its object to provide a
simple and efhcient device of this character, whereby a baby may be taught to
walk and to move within a predetermined confinement without annoyance o
ritation, and in such a manner as to accord convenience to the nuise or atten-
dant, and without requiring stuet watchfulness to prevent the baby or child from
becoming hurt, as in the class of similar devices, freely movable over the floor 01
other surface and also to provide a device of this character having sepatable track
members adapted to be quickly set up for use or disassociated for the purpose of
storage, and on which a particular form of carriage has movement With these
and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and arrange-
ment of the several parts, which will be hereinafter more fully desenbed and
claimed:
The invention is subject to a wide range of modification within the scope of the
same, but the preferred embodiment of the improvement is disclosed in the
accompanying diawings, wherein similai numerals of reference are employed to
indicate conresponding parts in the several views, and in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a baby walker set up in operative position and
embodying the features of the invention
Figure 2 18 a similar view of a carriage used in connection with the improved
device.
Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken through a part of the caltiage
and one of the rolleis
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of portions of nails, showing the manner
of coupling the same
Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section through the rails at a point where one
of the legs connect therewith
Refering to the diawings, the numeral 1 designates ail sections each com
prising lengths of tubulai iails 2 having reduced stems 3, at one end, is clearly
shown by Figure 4, adapted to enter the openings 4, in the contiguous ends of
the 1ails of the adjacent section, and be secured against accidental separation by
set screws 5 As shown in the accompanying diawing, four of the rail sections i,
are employed to provide an oblong endless track, and one end of each tubular
1ail 2 is curved as at 6, and is joined to a corresponding curved portion of an
adjacent al It will also be understood that the stems are alternately arranged
on the ends of the rail sections, so as to contribute largely to the convenience of
connecting up the several rail sections and producing an endless track
At an intermediate point, each tubular rail, 2 on its under portion, has a
depending socket 7, and said sockets are so positioned on the companion iails of

page_text: cach section that they will stand duectly in transverse alinement to receive the
terminals of inverted U-shaped legs 8, which are of equal length throughout the
entue apparatus and support the continuous track at a uniform elevation. The
terminals of the legs, 8, are removable from the rail sections 2, but when in
operative relation therein, will be prevented from becoming accidently dis-
engaged by making the sockets 7 long enough to overcome any such tendency.
The removability of the legs 8 provides for a reduction of the apparatus to a
small compass for storage or transportation, and in view of the fact that the track
members 2, have a similar contoui and are also of like construction, less expense
will be incuried in their manufacture and then sale price will also be materially
reduced.
The carriage 9 comprises an upper surrounding 11m 10, having a real seal 11,
and in advance of the front edge of said seat opening 12 is provided and extends
downwardly through a lower depending guaid fiame 13, which 18 of less extent
rearwardly than the railing 10, and when in operating position on the track set
forth, almost touches the floor or other surface on which the said track has bear-
ing, but is high enough to pass over the cross members at the base of the legs 8
This guard fiame 13 is open and light of structure, but the open work is of such
dimension that the baby or child using the carriage cannot make an exit there-
through The rear of the railing 10 around the seat 11, 18 curved to afford a com-
fortable est for the baby or child when in sitting posture and to the front upper
portion of the carriage is adapted to be attached a tray 14 to receive, as will be
understood, toys or other amusing devices for the child or baby. By locating
the said tray 14 at the front and depositing thereon toys and other articles, the
baby or child will move in a simulai duection to obtain possession of said articles
and in doing so will propel or cause the carnage to move. To facilitate the easy
movement of the calliage, olleis 15 ale journaled on opposite sides thereof and
have their axes in a plane above the lower terminations of the railing 10 The
said olleis 15 are rotatably journaled on the opposite hooked ends 16 of the
diop axles 17, which are stationarily secured to the carnage and extend trans-
veisely thereacioss The front axle 17 is made fast to opposite posts 18 at the
corners of the railing 10, and in the rear axle 18 secured to the under side of the
seat 11 by staples 19 or other analogous fastenings, as clearly shown in Figure 3.
Each of the rollers 15 18 circumferentially grooved for a considerable depth, as
at 20, to prevent them from running off or becoming disconnected from the
tubular rails, and to deaden the sound of movement of the rollers over the said
rails and also provide a yielding movement for the carriage as an entirety, rubber
01 other analogous gaskets 21 surround the inner curved portions of the grooves
of the rollers The transverse extent of the groove 20 is in excess of the diameter
of the rails, so as to prevent fictional binding of the said rollers on the rails pai-
ticularly in 1ounding the curves at the ends of the track.
In ananging the device for operation, the several track sections are set up,
as shown in Figure 1, and the carriage is inserted between the opposite rails,
so that the rolleis 15 will fit over the latter When the carriage is so positioned,
the depending guard frame 13 will be suspended and in the use of the device by a
baby or child, the upper opposite portions of the railing 10 are grasped and afford
means of support during the body action in the attempt to walk or during the move-
ment after the baby or child has learned to walk The movement of the baby or
child causes the carnage to traveise the rails and provides an amusement as
well as strengthens the body by muscular action and particularly encourages
self-reliance. At any time the baby or child can rest by sitting on the seat 11,
and in addition to the special purpose for which the improved device is designed,
it may also be used at times as a mode of amusement for children capable of
walking. The ailing 10, as well as the depending guard frame 13, prevent a
baby or child under ordinary conditions from getting out of the carriage, and to
this may also be added the attractiveness and novelty of a device which will

page_text: absorb the attention of the baby or child and overcome any desire to crawl out.
A safe means is thus provided for shielding the baby or child against accident,
and the camage containing the child may be left without fear or danger, and
thereby provides means of the nursery-amusement of a child without requiing
the constant care of a nuise or other attendant. When not in use the track may
be dissembled and it and the caillage stored in the small compass
Changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction can be
resorted to without in the least departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the
advantages of the 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 18.
1 In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a continuous track
made up of separable sections and parts and a carriage comprising an upper rail-
ing, a depending guard fiame and opposite paus of grooved rollers movably
mounted on the said track
2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of track sections com-
prising tubulai rails alternately provided with sockets and stems at opposite
ends, fastening devices canied by a part of the rails to bind against the stems,
legs removably connected to the track sections, and a calage freely movable
on the said track sections
3 In a device of the character set forth, the combination of track sections com-
posed of parallel tubulai rails of varying lengths and each curved at one end in
The same are as the curve of the adjacent end of the other, means for joining the
meeting ends of the several rail sections, sockets depending from the said sec-
tions, U-shaped legs having their terminals removably fitted in said sockets,
and a carriage freely movable on the joined track sections.
4. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a continuous
track, of a carriage having an opening therethrough and provided with opposite
pans of 1ollers, the said rollers being cucumferentially grooved and freely mov
able in the said track, and gaskets surrounding the rollers within the grooves.
5 In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a continuous
tiach. of a carriage comprising an upper surrounding railing, a depending fiame
and a car seat, a clear opening being formed through the carriage in advance of
the seat, and rollers on opposite sides of the carriage to engage the track
6. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a continuous track
supported at an elevation above a base iest, and a carriage supplied with rollers
to bear on the said track and having a portion depending between the rails of
the latter.
Dated thus Gth day of November 1800
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant