US1861661A - Child's bouncer - Google Patents

Description

Emma 7 HUERUN CHILD BOUNCFJR Filed July 27; 1929 1 ATTORNEY Patented .lune 7, 1932 *ir. star renter FRED HUEBLIN, F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-KARE T0 MARION L. H'UEBLIN, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON CHILDS IBOUNCER Application filed July 27, 1929. Serial No. 381,576.

This invention relates to improvements in a childs bouncer which are especially intended and designed for use by children about the ages of one to three years.

It is a great desideratum of this invention to afiord the child user the greatest possible latitude for exercise in the employment of the device hereof and hence it is a feature of the invention to employ a rest structure in the form of a platform that is freely accessible from all upper and lateral edges, in

contra-distinction to a chair that must be occupied with the body in a prescribed position.

A further feature consists in mounting the rest structure or platform on springs, and in such a novel manner that the platform will yield to side sway as readily as to vertical movement, whereby the platform may be said to have a full floating mounting.

It is a feature of the invention to employ a type of spring, such as the conical and preferably the double conical coil spring which as readily yields to side sway as to vertical movement, in compression and recoil.

The invention has many other objects and features which will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and which will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the most improved form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan view on a reduced scale, looking down on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view on the same scale as Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

As shown, the device includes a rest support structure which is in the form of a 45 platform 1 and the same is shown made of a relatively thin board that is generally rectangular in contour, and may be square if desired. A base member or members is shown and the same may take the form of base rails D or slats as indicated at 2, which are adapted to rest upon the floor or other main support. As shown in Fig. 1, said slats 2 are of a length approximately equal to one dimension of the platform 1 and two of said slats are employed. It will be noted that said slats 2 are free from any connection with each other and that they are relatively broad to form a suitably stable support. By reference to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be seen that said slats 2 are spaced apart from each other an extent so that the outer lateral edges of the latter will be in substantially flush vertical relation with the corresponding lateral edges of the platform 1.

I will next describe the novel manner in which the platform is yieldingly mounted.

As shown, I employ yielding means in the form of springs and 1 preferably use springs of the coil type. Said springs are generally designated at 3 and a spring is disposed adjacent each corner of the platform, as indicated in Fig. 3, and said springs are located near the ends of said slats, although I do not wish to be limited to this particular number or location of the springs. The lower ends of said springs 3 are suitably anchored to the tops of said slats 2, by any suitable means such as staples 4., and the upper ends of said springs are anchored to the bottom of said platform 1, by the same character of means, as indicated at 5.

It will now be clear that the platform 1, is floatingly mounted and that it can yield downwardly from any side or corner responsive to the weight which the child imposes upon it. The long broad base rails or slats 2, by reason of the fact that they are not connected with each other directly, but only through the medium of the springs and platform, form a more stable support than would individual bases for the lower ends of the springs. It will thus be seen that in the present form, as thus far described, I have devised a fully operative structure that will afford the child an infinite variety of exercising movement by reason of the capacity of the platform to tilt from the horizontal and yield both vertically and to any side sway.

However, the invention has a further feature which I will next describe in detail.

i It will be noted that the springs 3 are of the conical type and that they are specifically shown to be of the double cone form, the upper and lower portions 6 and 7 respectively being of greater diameter than the median or middle portions 8. This type of spring, as I have found in actual practice, loses nothing in resiliency for vertical movement, in compression and recoil, and very greatly facilitates side sway of the platform, far more than if the springs were cylindrical throughout their length, or rather of the same diameter. In other words, springs of this type are a trifle Weaker at theirlongitudinal centers than near their ends. In practice, I find that they do not sag or become deformed, as by losing their aXial alinement. It will be noted that the springs 3, irrespective of the type employed, will be relatively short so as to support the platform 1 at a low elevation from the floor and in easy and accessible range for an infant.

Therefore, in practice, when the child either sits or imposes his body upon the platform near an edge thereof, the platform not only tilts downwardly at an angle to the horizontal but sways laterally, and this double action very greatly increases the variety of movement afforded and hence retains the interest of the user. Children who have used the device not only sit on the platform but lie down upon it and roll about in every conceivable position and by reason of the fact that the platform is only about six inches from the floor, there is no danger of the user suffering injury even if he rolls off.

It will now be clear that the platform is readily accessible to the user from any lateral edge or corner thereof, and that the user can dispose his body thereon in any position dictated by his fancy, and therefore, he is not restrained and restricted as would be the case if the rest structure were in the form of a chair.

It is believed that the device of this invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description and while I have herein shown and described one specific form of the invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitationsas the claims may import.

I claim 1. In a childs platform bouncer, a platform of sufiicient area to permit the user to sit or dispose his body lengthwise thereupon and having all its lateral edge portions free and accessible therefor, base members adapted to rest upon the floor, and supporting springs interposed between said members and platform and fioatingly sustaining said platform at a low elevation from the floor for unrestrained tilting and yielding movement either vertically or in any lateral direction.

2. In a childs platform bouncer, base rails or slats free from connection with each other,

and adapted to rest on the floor, coil springs having their lower ends anchored to said rails near the ends thereof, and a substantially rectangular platform mounted on said springs and the upper ends of said springs being anchored to the bottom of said platform near the corners of and inside the edges of the latter thereby making the platform accessible to the body of the child from all sides, and said springs being of the cone type whereby said platform will as readily shift laterally as vertically, and said springs being relatively short to support said platform at a low infant range elevation from the floor.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

' FRED I-IUERLIN.

Images