US1028186A - Swinging cradle. - Google Patents

Description

J. E. BURGE. sw'memcr CRADLE.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 14, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1912.

JAMES E. BURGE, 0F LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

SVIINGING CRADLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 14, 1911.

Patented June at, 1912.

Serial No. 654,592.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. Bunnie, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swinging Cradles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in swinging cradles and has for its object to provide a device of this character with an elastic suspension between the body thereof and its supporting means, whereby the cradle may be swung with respect to said supporting means or moved vertically with respect thereto.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a supporting frame, within which the cradle is suspended by means of divergent coil springs.

A further object of the invention resides in providing the uprights of the supporting frame in sections, hinged one to the other, and a still further object resides in providing means for retaining one of the sections of said uprights in any adjusted position with respect to the other.

A still further object resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, thereby cheaply manufactured, and one which is very eflicient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device set up for operation. Fig. 2 is a vertical section'through one of the uprights. Fig. 3 is a transverse section therethrough, as seen on line 33, Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention, I shall refer to thedrawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 indicates a cradle or crib of the usual or any preferred type suspended between a supporting frame or standard 2 which comprises a pair of vertical uprights 3, held in spaced alinement by means of the longitudi-- nal bar 4, said uprights being mounted in the transverse bars 5 which are provided with the casters 6, whereby the same may be readily moved from place to place. The supporting frame 2 may be of any desired size, and the cradle 1 is suspended therein between the uprights 3 by means of pairs of divergent coil springs 7 and 8, said springs having one of their ends engaged with the corners of the cradle, while the opposite ends thereof are engaged with the eyes 9 of bolts 10 carried by said uprights. From this structure, it will be seen that the cradle 1 may be readily rocked or swung be tween the uprights 3 and will also yield to the tension of said springs as a weight is placed in said cradle. As stated, the ends of said springs opposite those secured to the cradle are engaged with the eyes of bolt-s 10 carried by the uprights, and I have provided means for the vertical adjustment of said bolts on the uprights, whereby the cradle may be raised or lowered to conveniently dispose the same for the nurse or other person attending the cradle. To this end, the inner face of each of the uprights 3 is provided with a slot 11, within which is mounted to fit snugly therein and flush with the inner face thereof, a plate 12, said plate being secured to the upright by means of the screws or the like 13, and the rear face of said plate 12 is provided with a channel or the like 14. This plate'12 is also provided with a longitudinal slot 15 communicating with the channel 14;, through which extends the bolt 10', said bolt being threaded and having its free end engaged with a nut or head 16, which is adapted to fit in the channel 14 of said plate, and also threaded on said bolt beyond the outer face of the plate 12, is a winged nut 17. From this construction, it will be seen that the bolts 10 which have engaged therewith the springs from the cradle, may be adjusted vertically of the uprights 3, the heads or nuts 16 on said bolts guiding the same in their respective channels, and when it is desired to retain said bolts in any adjusted position, the winged nuts 17 are turned home until the same frictionally engage the outer faces of the plates 12, whereupon the bolts cannot be readily moved. As the weight within the cradle is adapted to be a light one, the binding of the heads 16 and the nuts 17 against the faces of the plates 12, will be'suiiicient to retain the bolts and correspondingly the cradle in any adjusted position.

Through constant use in the swinging and the rocking of the cradle, the pairs of springs 7 and 8 are adapted to become worn, and in order to compensate for this wear, I have provided means to take up the expansion in the springs, and to this extent, the uprights 3 are formed in sections hinged one to the other, as shown at 18. These hinges 18 may be of any desired form, whatsoever, and are provided on the outer faces of the sections of the uprights 3 so that said uprights will be adapted to fold outwardly and the bolt 19 forming a pivot for the sections of each hinge, has one end thereof threaded and engaged by a winged nut 20. Thus, it will be seen that the upper sections of the uprights 8 may be disposed from the vertical plane to any degree, whatsoever, and held in their adjusted position by turning the winged nut 20 until the same frictionally binds against the sections of the hinge, whereby any expansion of the springs, due to the wear thereof may be compensated for. It will be seen, moreover, that the upper sections of both of the uprights 3 may be disposed to a substantially horizontal position, and the device will then form a substantial hammock or the like.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided an improved cradle or crib suspended from its supporting frame by means of coil springs, whereby the same may be swung or rocked and will also readily yield to the light weight placed therein, it being appreciated that the vertical move- 1 ment of the cradle, due to the action of the springs, will aid in placing the infant to sleep. It will further be seen that I have provided means for the vertical adjustment of the securing means for the springs on the supporting frame, whereby the cradle carried by the springs, may be correspondingly adjusted to the convenience of the nurse or the like. Furthermore, it will be seen that I have provided means whereby the tension of the springs 7 and 8 may be increased after said springs have lost part of their tension through wear in the use thereof, and in this connection, it must be stated that this means for taking up the wear in the springs, being the formation of the uprights and sections, will also permit of the device being folded into compact form, for storing or shipping. It will still further be seen that the device is extremely simple and durable in construction, whereby the same may be readily and cheaply manufactured, and one which is very efficient and useful in operation. l

While the elements herein shown and described are well adapted to serve the func-' tions set forth, it is obvious that various minor changes may be made in the proportion, form and construction of the device,

without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the claim.

lVhat I claim is In a cradle of the class described, the combination with a body and a supporting frame therefor, comprising a pair of spaced apart uprights, said uprights being formed in sections hinged one to the other, and means to retain one of the sections of said uprights in any adjusted position with respect to the other; of suspension springs secured to the ends of said body and the adjustable sections of the respective uprights.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. BURGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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