THE TEACHING AND ASSISTING CHILDREN TO WALK
Year: 1885

page_text: We, JAMES SCARROTT of Horner House, Brickmaker Stocksbridge, FRED
HERBERT Draughtsman of 83 Ellesmere Road, Sheffield, and WILLIAM HORROX
of 370 Pitsmoor Road, Sheffield, Schoolmaster, do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for THE TEACHING AND ASSISTING CHILDREN TO WALK to be as
follows:-
A bent bar as a radius revolves round about a fixed centre or socket. At the
outer end of the bar is attached a suitable arrangement whereby a child is held
in such a position that the greater part of its weight is removed from its feet, and
the strain due to the weight of the child is transmitted to the fixed centre or
socket. The movement of the child's feet in contact with the floor causes the child
to walk round the fixed centre or socket.
We will now proceed to describe it more particularly:-It consists of a fixed
centre, or socket sunk in the floor or other suitable basement. A bent bar having
one end held in the fixed centre or socket round which it revolves. At the outer
end of the bent bar is hung a spring hook. This hook is so fixed that it may
swing backwards and forwards within certain limits. Attached to this hook by
any suitable arrangement is a saddle which may be raised or lowered on the stem
of the spring hook by any suitable adjustment. It is intended that the child shall
be held in the saddle by means of straps or other suitable appliance. The child
will be so placed in the saddle that the greater part of the weight of the child will
be transmitted to the fixed centre or socket. The movement of the child's feet
when in contact with the floor will cause the bent bar together with the child to
rotate round the fixed centre or socket.
Having now particularly described the nature of the said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed; we declare that what we claim is
The novel invention of an appliance for teaching and assisting children to walk
as herein before described consisting principally of a bent bar which rotates round
a fixed centre or socket. At the outer end of the bar is attached a saddle having
a vertical adjustment to suit the varying heights of children and also a swing
adjustment to suit the varying inclination of the child.

page_text: . COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Appliance for Teaching and Assisting Children to Walk.
We JAMES SCARROTT, Horner House Stocksbridge, Brickmaker FRED HERBERT
83 Ellesmere Rd Sheffield Engineer and WILLIAM HORROX 375 Pitsmoor Rd.
Schoolmaster all in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for TEACHING AND ASSISTING CHILDREN TO WALK and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
It consists of a socket, or bush A which is fastened upon, or let into the floor.
This socket receives the lower part of a vertical spindle B which spindle fits easily
into and revolves in the aforesaid socket or bush. Upon this vertical spindle is
fitted a swan necked or bent bar C which bar may be moved upon the aforesaid
vertical spindle, and be held in any position by means of a thumb screw D, passing
through the boss of the aforesaid swan necked or bent lever, fitting upon the
vertical spindle. The outer end of this bent lever is turned upwards, so as to be
vertical when the bent bar is placed upon the upright spindle, and upon this
vertical end E is placed a saddle F made of leather or other flexible material.
Upon the centre line of this saddle is fastened by means of rivets, two loops G,
which loops are dropped upon and fit the aforesaid vertical end of the bent bar.
This saddle is fastened upon the child by means of straps and buckles, H attached
to the saddle. The mode of using is as follows. The socket A being fastened
upon or let into the floor. The vertical spindle B is put into or placed upon the
fixed socket or centre, and the bent bar C is placed upon the upright spindle.
Then the saddle F is firmly fastened by means of the straps and buckles H upon
the child, the loops G being placed in the centre of the childs back. The child
and the attached saddle are now lifted, and the loops upon the saddle dropped upon
and fit the vertical portion of the outer end of the bent bar E. By means of the
thumb screw D the height of the saddle and bent bar are adjusted, so as to take
the greater part of the childs weight from off its feet, and transmit to the bent
bar, upright spindle, and fixed socket. The childs endeavours to walk will cause
the machine to revolve in the aforesaid fixed socket or centre, and the child will
perambulate round a circle, the mean diameter of which depends upon the length
of the aforesaid bent bar.
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
1. The invention of an appliance for assisting children in their endeavours to
AR unon
which revolves a
laven

page_text: which lever is attached by means of a saddle, or its equivalent to the body of the
child, substantially as herein described. .
2. The combination of a fixed socket or centre, and a lever or bar revolving in
or upon or supported by it, and used for the purposes herein described.
•
Dated this fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty six.