GB1600738A - Push-chair - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A PUSH-CHAIR (71) I, PETER PROSSER ROBERTS, a British subject, formerly of The Closerie, Lyston Court, Wormelow, Hereford, now of Strawberry Hill, Much Birch, Herefordshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a pushchair and more particularly to a collapsible push-chair suitable for use with a small child.

However, it is to be understood that the invention also relates to other types of pushchairs, such as push-chairs suitable for use with invalids.

At the present time there ae many forms of child's push-chair available on the market, and some of these push-chairs are foldable or collapsible. However, most prior proposed collapsible push-chairs suffer either from the disadvantage that the chair is very bulky, even when collapsed, or suffer from the disadvantage that the procedure that has to be adopted to collapse the push-chair, and to re-erect the push-chair, is very complex and time consuming. Such chairs often incorporate complex mechanical devices that are prone to malfunctions.

There is a need for a collapsible child's push-chair that can be readily collapsed and re-assembled and yet which will occupy a relatively small space when in the collapsed condition. The present invention seeks to provide such a push-chair.

According to this invention there is provided a push-chair comprising a rigid substantially planar framework, means provided on said framework to form a seat, and a handle for pushing the push-chair along, there being two arm members pivotally connected to said framework, each arm member supporting respective wheels which are mounted for rotation thereon about predetermined axes, said arm members each being biassed to a first position in which the arm members both lie in a plane which is substantially co-planar with the plane defined by said framework, the axes of rotation of the wheels each being substantially perpendicular to said plane of the framework, there being means for moving said arm members to a second position in which they are each substantially perpendicular to the said plane of the framework to expose said wheels for use, the axes of rotation of the wheels then being substantially parallel with said plane of the framework, there being means to retain said arms in said second position.

Conveniently said handle comprises a handle member which is pivotally mounted on said framework to be movable between a closed position in which the handle member lies adjacent to said framework and an open position in which the handle member extends from said framework. Advantageously cam surfaces are provided on said handle which, when said handle is moved to the open or extended position, engage said arms supporting the wheels and move said arms into the second position in which the wheels are exposed for use. Preferably the handle is locked in the open position by passing over dead centre, and preferably means are provided adjacent said cams for locking said arms in the second position when the handle is locked in the open position.

Conveniently the framework and the handle and the arms may be formed of aluminium tubing or the like and advantageously the seat may comprise a member of canvas supported on the framework and on the handle.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pushchair in accordance with the invention Figure 2 is an elevational view of a part of the chair of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows the frame of the chair when collapsed.

Referring to the drawings, a push-chair 1 in accordance with the invention is provided with a rigid frame 2 of "H" shaped configuration. Two cranked arm members 3, 4 are provided which are of substantially "V" configuration, and each of these arms 3, 4 is pivotally mounted about the axis of one of the two parallel arms of the "H" 2. Thus the ends of the "V" shaped arms are located adjacent the ends of the two parallel arms of the "H" and pivotal mounting means which extend axially of the two parallel arms engage the ends of the "V" shaped arms.The "V" shaped arms are provided with wheels 5, 6 thereon and the arrangement is such that these wheel supporting arms can be pivotally moved between a first position in which they are substantially coplanar with the plane containing the "H" shaped frame 2 (as shown in Figure 3) to a second position in which they are substantially perpendicular to that frame, (as shown in Figure 1). When in this latter or second position the wheels 5, 6 provided on the arms 3, 4 are exposed for use. The arms supporting the wheels are associated with springs (not shown) provided within the parallel arms of the "H" shaped frame 2 and these springs tend to bias the arms 3, 4 supporting the wheels to the first position in which wheel supporting arms 3,4 are substantially coplanar with the "H" shaped frame.Portions of the tube forming the "H" shaped frame and forming the wheel supporting arms are flattened 8 to ensure that the various components occupy a minimum space when the arms and frame are substantially coplanar. One end of each of the two parallel arms of the "H" shaped frame are inter-connected by a substantially "U" shaped connecting tube 9 which extends perpendicularly to the plane containing the "H" shaped frame, and pivotally mounted adjacent the other ends of each of the two parallel arms of the "H" shaped frame is a handle member 10 which is again of substantially "U" shape, but which is larger than the above described "U" shaped member 9.

Each arm of the handle 10 is pivotally connected to the corresponding arm of the "H" shaped frame 2 adjacent the end thereof by means of an assembly 11 of plates or a plastics material moulding which is securely attached to the handle member 10 and which defines a slot in which the respective arm of the "H" shaped frame can be accommodated. The plates 11 are pivoted to the "H" shaped frame 2. One plate or part of the moulding is provided with a cam surface 12 which engages with the respective wheel supporting arm 3 or 4 when the handle is moved pivotally to such a position, termed the open position, that the handle constitutes an extension of the arms of the "H" shaped frame.In a preferred embodiment of the invention two parallel plates 11 are provided which are pivotally connected to each of the arms of the "H" shaped frame these plates being connected to the arms of the handle member, the innermost of each of the pairs of plates being provided with the cam surface 12.

When the handle 10 is pivoted with regard to the "H" shaped frame so that the handle lies adjacent the "H" shaped frame (as shown in Figure 3), i.e. when the handle is in the closed position, the entire assembly occupies a minimum space, the wheel supporting arms 3, 4 lying substantially in the plane of the "H" shaped frame 2. If the handle 10 is then moved pivotally to a position in which the handle extends perpendicularly to the "H" shaped frame 2 and is then moved further pivotally in this direction then the cam surfaces 12 provided on the plates 11 engage the wheel supporting arms 3, 4 and force the wheel supporting arms 3,4 to move pivotally against the bias of the springs provided in the arms of the "H" shaped frame 2.The wheel supporting arms move until they are perpendicularly to the frame 2 and then the handle 10 can be moved pivotally further so that the end portions of the wheel supporting arms then lie in the slot between the plates providing the pivotal connection between the arms of the "H" shaped frame and the handle, the wheel supporting arms thus being locking in position. The handle can be pushed home over a "dead centre" position and then the above described framework is in a firmly erected position.

A cross piece 13 extends between the plates forming the hinge connection between the handle and the arms of the "H" shaped frame and suspended between this cross piece and the "U" shaped connected provided at one end of the arms of the "H" shaped frame is a strip 14 of canvas or the like which forms a seat. The arrangement is such that when a child sits in the seat the knees of the child will be immediately adjacent the central cross piece of the "H" shaped frame 2 and indeed the canvas could be mounted on that cross piece, a substantially solid assembly being provided between that cross piece and the "U" shaped foot rail 9 for accommodating the feet of a child in the push-chair.

It will be appreciated that a sun-shade could be mounted on the handle member of the push-chair if so desired, the sun-shade again being pivotally mounted.

When it is desired to collapse the pushchair the handle 10 of the push-chair is merely moved from the open position in which it forms an extension of the arms of the "H" shaped frame 2 to the closed position in which the handle 10 is adjacent to the "H" shaped frame 2, movement of the handle in this way causing the arms 3,4 supporting the wheels 5, 6 to be released, the arms supporting the wheels then returning to the position in which they are substantially coplanar with the "H" shaped frame under the applied spring bias. During this procedure the canvas seat will also be collapsed to occupy a minimum space.

It is envisaged that a push-chair in accordance with the invention may readily be assembled and dis-assembled and, when in the dis-assembled form will occupy only a relatively small space, corresponding to the space occupied by a small suitcase. Thus the chair may readily be accommodated in the boot of a car or in the luggage storage space provided in buses or the like. Furthermore a push-chair in accordance with the invention may be provided with a carrying handle to facilitate transportation of the push-chair when in the collapsed condition.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A push-chair comprising a rigid substantially planar framework, means provided on said framework to form a seat, and a handle for pushing the push-chair along, there being two arm members pivotally connected to said framework, each arm member supporting respective wheels which are mounted for rotation thereon about predetermined axes, said arm members each being biassed to a first position in which the arm members both lie in a plane which is substantially co-planar with the plane defined by said framework, the axes of rotation of the wheels each being substantially perpendicular to said plane of the framework, there being means for moving said arm members to a second position in which they are each substantially perpendicular to the said plane of the framework to expose said wheels for use, the axes of rotation of the wheels then being substantially parallel with said plane of the framework, there being means to retain said arms in said second position.

2. A push-chair according to claim 1, wherein said handle comprises a handle member which is pivotally mounted on said framework to be movable between a closed position in which the handle member lies adjacent to said framework and an open position in which the handle member extends from said framework.

3. A push-chair according to claim 2, wherein cam surfaces are provided on said handle which, when said handle is moved to the open or extended position, engage said arms supporting the wheels and move said arms into the second position in which the wheels are exposed for use.

4. A push-chair according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the handle is locked in the open position by passing over dead centre, and wherein means are provided adjacent said cams for locking said arms in the second position when the handle is locked in the open position.

5. A push-chair according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the framework and the handle and the arms are formed of aluminium tubing and the seat comprises a member of canvas supported on the framework and on the handle.

6. A push-chair substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. spring bias. During this procedure the canvas seat will also be collapsed to occupy a minimum space. It is envisaged that a push-chair in accordance with the invention may readily be assembled and dis-assembled and, when in the dis-assembled form will occupy only a relatively small space, corresponding to the space occupied by a small suitcase. Thus the chair may readily be accommodated in the boot of a car or in the luggage storage space provided in buses or the like. Furthermore a push-chair in accordance with the invention may be provided with a carrying handle to facilitate transportation of the push-chair when in the collapsed condition. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A push-chair comprising a rigid substantially planar framework, means provided on said framework to form a seat, and a handle for pushing the push-chair along, there being two arm members pivotally connected to said framework, each arm member supporting respective wheels which are mounted for rotation thereon about predetermined axes, said arm members each being biassed to a first position in which the arm members both lie in a plane which is substantially co-planar with the plane defined by said framework, the axes of rotation of the wheels each being substantially perpendicular to said plane of the framework, there being means for moving said arm members to a second position in which they are each substantially perpendicular to the said plane of the framework to expose said wheels for use, the axes of rotation of the wheels then being substantially parallel with said plane of the framework, there being means to retain said arms in said second position.

2. A push-chair according to claim 1, wherein said handle comprises a handle member which is pivotally mounted on said framework to be movable between a closed position in which the handle member lies adjacent to said framework and an open position in which the handle member extends from said framework.

3. A push-chair according to claim 2, wherein cam surfaces are provided on said handle which, when said handle is moved to the open or extended position, engage said arms supporting the wheels and move said arms into the second position in which the wheels are exposed for use.

4. A push-chair according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the handle is locked in the open position by passing over dead centre, and wherein means are provided adjacent said cams for locking said arms in the second position when the handle is locked in the open position.

5. A push-chair according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the framework and the handle and the arms are formed of aluminium tubing and the seat comprises a member of canvas supported on the framework and on the handle.

6. A push-chair substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.